Ever So Thankful…

This morning as I finished up my quiet time, I took some still moments to just listen to the words of the song “Christ Alone” stir my spirit. As I watched the sun rise, the shadows on the still lake reflect the picture-perfect tree line, butterflies and birds moving about it was all glorious! I was deeply reminded of what a Great God we serve. If you have not paid attention to those words in some time…may they encourage you today.
 
Also, just an update on Brazil. To registration go to www.purejoyinternatiaonal.org Dates of Retreat are October 16-19, 2019. It will be in Sao Paulo, Brazil. If you are or know a missionary woman serving internationally in South American or surrounding countries, don’t miss the opportunity. The only thing you/they must do is get to and from the conference, your hotel and meals are taken care of by those that have a heart to support missionary women. We have just over half of the missionary women sponsored as of today. Please continue to pray and give as He leads.  

His,
Vickie

IN CHRIST ALONE
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand  

Online Registration for Brazil is off and running…

Registrations for Brazil October 16-19, 2019 are coming in. Please if you have a sister, daughter, aunt, grandmother, cousin, etc. serving overseas as an international missionary woman single, married, widowed, and/or divorced in that part of the world send them to www.purejoyinternational.org to register for the Retreat/Conference.

This week has been full on my end of preparing for several upcoming events. Life remains crazy and our God remains faithful, so, there you have it.

Love you all and please continue to pray for all things Sao Paulo, Brazil. And if God is tugging at your heart to give towards the sponsorship of the missionary women, please do. And thank you to those of you that are already giving towards this trip.

His,
Vickie

Sao Paulo, Brazil Registration Open

Registration for the Pure Joy International Retreat to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 16-19, 2019 is open. If you are a missionary women serving in this part of the world cross-culturally, outside of your country of origin, with a sending missions organization and or church and want to register Click here.  Remember, first come first serve, up to 50 then we go to a waiting list. If you have  questions, contact me at vickie@purejoyinternational.org.

Several of you have wondered if I have fallen of the edge of the world. Ha, ha, ha Not really, but I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that I was hanging on the edges of it. Let’s just say it has been a crazy summer. However, these things I know always and continue to grow deeper in understanding, God is Good, Faithful, and Sovereign. Just no way around it! And He is everything else He says He is through out scripture. So, if you are like me and life is just a little crazy this summer, hold on to the truths of God and who He is and know this, He is holding you!

His,
Vickie

p.s. Also, all you prayer warriors, givers and gifters get those hearts and minds to work on how you want to be a part of what God will be doing in Brazil. We have almost half of the missionary women already sponsored with just over 25 to go. Please start praying about how God wants you to be a part.

Unforced Rhythms of Grace...

A lot has been going on the last couple of weeks with family, extended family and friends in my world. Having said that, I am reminded of a verse that I run to when I am feeling overwhelmed and tired of the craziness of the things of this world. So thankful, that this is not our home and we are aliens passing through. It reminds me that no matter what is going on around me, He cares for me.

May I encourage all of us today? No matter the journey going on around us, whether it’s our journey or others’ journeys, that impact our journey, He cares for you. Look up, and Rest.

Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I really like the way “The Message” Bible says it.

Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion (running to false gods – my words)? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Also, wanted to share with you another takeaway from our Quito, Ecuador trip by Linda Roach, our Pure Joy International Staff Consultant...

After 5 years of not traveling with the ministry and only being involved with the preparations for the trips from stateside, I was blessed to be part of the team on this 20th anniversary trip. It was a blessing to see the ministry from the “front lines” and experience it first-hand. I had forgotten how quickly the hearts of God’s children can bond and how special those sisters become in that short time you’re together.

My constant reminder is to always be looking for that person God would have me to connect with. To not wait till someone reaches out to me but take the first step and begin to build a relationship as God leads. We need each other!!!

Continue to pray as we work on preparations for Brazil starting with dates and hotels. Thank you in advance for getting on board with us in prayer!!

His,
Vickie

A Lesson from the Walmart Parking Lot….

This past week I made my begrudging trip to our local Wal-Mart store. I am not a big shopper of any kind. I am one of those “get what you need and get out people”, unlike my mom and other family members. I won’t mention your names but you know who you are (ha,ha,ha). You know the people that wander down every aisle for that “just in case” bargain. Anyway, I was in there much longer than I desired, getting groceries and yard supplies, so that should give you a picture of my state of mind. (smile)

And of course, the one day I would really like to go through a checkout line, which have been reduced to a few lanes, because they want you to check out your own groceries, (ugh) it seems everyone wanted to use the lines. So, I head over to the personal checkout lane, my favorite place with a full cart of groceries, ugh!

Oh, did I mention it was their Grand Opening after spending months remodeling and moving things to parts of the store that require you to ask a worker where something is every 3 minutes? Are you capturing my heart disposition at this point? Ha,Ha,Ha.

So, finally I make it out to the parking lot and pull up to the back of my car only to look up and see a Blue Bell Vanilla ice cream container (empty) laying smack dab behind the car next to me in the middle of the road. And for whatever reason (which I came to understand) God magnified its size to seem like it was taking up most of the road, at least in my mind. To which I responded out loud, “I’m not picking that up, it’s not mine!” But there it sat, bigger than Dallas, looking right at me!! So, I headed towards it, complaining, “I’m picking this up even though it’s not mine!” The minute I reached down to pick up the cup, in my spirit I sensed the LORD saying, “Your sins weren’t mine, but I picked them up.”

God has such a sense of humor about how He humbles us, doesn’t He? And how He reminds us of His love for us. What a symbol of love the cross is to our lives as Christians. Never lose sight of that love that picked up (took on) our sins, past, present and future. And, along with that remember, “True love is sacrificial”.

Ok, so I had a few more team members from Ecuador send in their take-away from the trip. Enjoy!

Brenda was a first-time team member with us on this trip. What a blessing she was to me as she provided counseling as well as speaking to issues with children/parents to the missionary women.

Takeaways from Brenda:
Standing on the hill and overlooking the city (we don’t get the chance to do that in the flat lands) God reminded me in a personal way, that He knows every single person out there. He knows the masses and yet, He knows how many hair follicles are on each person’s head. 
Rooming with Linda helped me understand what a Godly woman is like. How joy and peace in the midst of pain only comes from a deep walk with God. Also, how investing in younger women produces fruit unimaginable. 

Also, Julie Kerr one of our staff members that heads up the hospitality side of our ministry, sent me the following…

Here are two of my takeaways for the retreat.
1. Before the retreat I had thought of the theme verse as God calling me to a ministry or service for Him, but it was explained that God is calling me to Himself, to a deeper relationship with Him.
2. My worth in public FOR God is only worth what I am in private WITH God.

Hope to hear from more of the team by next week so I can share their takeaways with you as well.

Please pray as we continue to do the initial leg work for our Brazil trip. Specifically, pray for a contact person in the city of Sao Paulo. The person we thought might be able to help us had to decline because of a little one that will be coming into this world about that time. (smile) Also, please begin to pray for all the team members God will put together for this trip, missionary women that He would have attend, and sponsorships for those missionary women. What a “joy” to watch Him at work in this ministry He has called us to.

Have an incredible week!

His,
Vickie

Insightful Words…

Well, we have been home from Ecuador two weeks as of this past Sunday. It takes a little bit of time to regroup when you come back from a trip where you have spent 5-6 months intentionally praying and planning over all the details. We had an incredible team that brought incredible worship, devotions, messages, hospitality and just a great love for the missionary women serving in South America and that part of the world. While the missionary women take away so much from the conference, so do we as individual team members.

I have asked the team members to consider writing their own take-aways from the Ecuador trip for me to share with you in the next several blogs. I will start the process by sharing one of my own take-aways and that of two other team members.

One of our team members did a devotional on Thursday May 2, 2019, on “Light.”  She is a math and science teacher, so you can imagine all the awesome details she included. The entire time she was sharing, all I could think of were all the spiritual parallels to “Jesus, the Light of the World”. In fact, it stirred up in my heart principles from a book I had read over 15 years ago titled, “Lit.” That book was incredible to me as a younger believer. The statement that has forever stayed on my heart from that book was “light dispels darkness, always”. I love that picture. In other words, it banishes, eliminates, disseminates, drives away, etc., darkness.

Look at the dictionary definition of light: the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible. Wow! Isn’t that exactly what Jesus does in our lives! He stimulates sight and makes things visible. For example, He reveals to us those areas of our hearts that dwell in the darkness that we have not fully yielded to Him. Ouch!

So, since I have been back, I have really been letting that team member’s devotional and the principles from the book marinate in my heart. I have intentionally listened to the wording of those I cross paths with through life, counseling, circumstances, media, etc.

A common expression today in the world that I hear often and have actually said myself, “darkness is so prevalent in the world these days”. But that begs the question: Where is the Light? Light dispels darkness. Wait! God’s word tells us we are the light because His light indwells us and should shine forth.

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV) “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

I asked our discipleship group last night, “what type of light are you? Light bulb, flood light, fluorescent, energy saver, 15 watts, 60 watts, 100 watts, etc., etc. Are you dispelling the darkness in the world around you? Or have you become a part of it?" Hmmmm, ask yourself that question.

Our next take-away comes from Team Member and Pure Joy Staff Member, Deb Potter. She wrote: I was reminded of the importance of community as I listened to some of the missionaries who are quite isolated because of their locations and/or ministries, as I heard Linda’s testimony about figuring out she was isolated, and as I heard Adrienne’s testimony. Adrienne and her husband were in our life group during much of the time she talked about. God reminded me of the importance of the commitment Carl and I have to shepherd a life group. (We’d stepped into a little wavering of that commitment as our “annual season” of life groups at our church was coming to an end.) Since we returned, Carl and I have talked and reaffirmed that commitment to God to purposefully and regularly connect couples by doing life and sharing Jesus with them in small groups. I praise God for that sweet reminder. He has faithfully and fully equipped us for that ministry.

And our final take-away for today comes from Team Member and Pure Joy Staff Member Mary Bowlin: Knowing God has all things covered so I can let go and take care of my own needs when I am in the midst of a crisis. This was once described as putting on your own oxygen mask first before helping others in case of emergency on an aircraft. It has been a critical thing for me to do as I came home to multiple family members in medical crisis.

Hope you caught the themes from the take-aways today. Is your light dispelling the darkness around you? We all need community! And you cannot help others if you are not taking care of you!

Have a Great Week! And keep praying for Brazil. I am WhatsApp talking with someone in an hour from now regarding details for our trip there.

Love you all,

His,
Vickie

Pure Joy International Home Again...

Our feet touched U.S. soil Sunday morning in Atlanta, Georgia, and most of us made it to our home states by 5:30 p.m.

We left a bit of our hearts in Quito, Ecuador, with the missionary ladies and the beautiful country of Ecuador.

God did some amazing things in the hearts of the women and the team's hearts, as well. Thank you to all of you that have been a part of this team whether on the field and/or here at home by praying, gifting and giving.

Pray for us now as we start preparations for Brazil in the fall of this year. If your church is interest in being a part of Pure Joy International please contact me at vickie@purejoyinternational.org.

Below are some of the final pictures of our last day and times in Ecuador.

Blessings to each of you,

His,
Vickie