Going where God Calls

Currently I am away doing ministry and encountering God for myself in Vantage, Washington, gathering with other people who have an exhorting (encourager) gift. It has taken a step of faith to make these plans.

 

            Six months ago I began wanting to go to an Arthur Burk conference and was saddened when I went to the Plumbline Ministries website and found nothing in the Northwest. I almost closed the window when I looked once again at the page and found a link to the Vantage project in Vantage, Washington where a gathering for Exhorter would be held the last week in May. I could feel the stirring in my spirit and a sense that I should go. I knew if I went I would encounter the Lord in a special way while I was there. But was it me or was it the Lord calling me to go.

 

            As I prepared I came to several key moments that I could have turned back. The first one was as I tried to figure out where to stay. Vantage is a small town, and I remembered one of my friends had talked about a woman named Rita, they met while in Vantage who might have a room I would stay in while I was there, but could I contact her and would she have room? I told the Lord that if I was to go then please let me stay with Rita. Several days later after e-mails first to my friends and finally to her, she invited me to stay. I thought to myself one hurdle down.

 

The second key moment came as I journaled in my quiet time about approaching my husband about the trip, I felt like I was in the wilderness and so it was easy to wonder if I was really suppose to go to Vantage, then once again I felt the stirring in my heart just as I remembered as I first read the call to exhorts. With confidence I talked with my husband and he agreed to my week long trip to Vantage, Washington, so I went on the website and signed up.

 

Finally, came a day when the reality of going to Vantage settled deep within me and as it did a joy began to build, then came a request for me to come to a church in northern Washington. It was ministry that had been several years in the making and so I had to be careful to make sure that this new opportunity to minister in northern Washington didn’t replaced the trip to Vantage. As I began seeking the Lord he worked it all out and this mid-week ministry time in northern Washington will be more fruitful then if I had come over a weekend, which can only be by God’s own design.

 

As I end this blog I know that in traveling to Vantage, Washington I have gone where God has called me to go, and it isn’t what happens that matters, but the lesson was in being obedient to go!

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

New on our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

Reading Your Bible with Gladness

During the preparation for Eating, the second in my Growing the Christian Life Bible study,  I came across a passage in  Ecclesiastes 9:7 which changed my life and may possibly challenge your perspective as well: “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.”

 

            Just as we learn so much about life as we read Psalms and Proverbs. Ecclesiastes is also filled with much directive wisdom. Looking at this verse, I am impressed by the truth that we should eat our spiritual food, as well as our natural food, with gladness. How often do we look at reading our Bibles as a chore that must be accomplished Rather than seeing it as a source of joy?

 

Rather than being a source of dread filling us with ridicule and weighing us down with condemnation, the Bible, when read with gladness, allows the gospel to be something sweet, something that is edifying, feeding our souls, renewing our spirits and making us more and more open to becoming more and more like Christ,

Many were the days when I looked at my Bible reading as an assignment with due dates and grades attached rather than a source of gladness and joy. I got to where even the thought of reading my Bible brought dread until, through time, God was able to change me. When I came on this verse, I found myself challenged once again to begin reading the Bible with anticipation and gladness, literally drinking it in with a joyful heart. “What an amazing concept,” I thought as I first read this verse in Ecclesiastes. Suddenly I didn’t see the Bible as an assignment anymore and found myself not worrying when I didn’t have a specific place to read each day.

 

Today reading my Bible is like eating my favorite Subway sandwich, for I can begin anywhere, taking a bite and enjoying the many treasures hidden inside! Yes, there are still times when I do have a specific passage or portion of scripture to read, but now instead of dread, I read with gladness and a joyful heart, which ignites my relationship with the Lord. Isn’t that why I read the Bible in the first place? It just took a while to realize what my attitude needs to be toward the Bible. 

 

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Seeing the gospel as your spiritual food allows you to take it in, making it personal and allowing it to feed your soul and renew your spirit, making you more and more like Christ! I would encourage you today, if you haven’t been feeding on a regular basis, begin again today and take the challenge to read with gladness and a joyful hear, letting the Lord feed you from the richest of his bountiful harvest that is the Bible.

 

 

 

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

New on our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

Capacity for Joy

I have a calendar called “365 Days of Joy” which my good friend, Heidi, gave me several years ago. It is one of those calendars that can be used over and over again year after year. It has encouraged me for several years.

 

This morning I saw the calendar hadn’t been flipped in almost a week, and I knew God was up to something. So as I turned it to the correct date with anticipation and found a profound statement by an anonymous author: “The secret to enjoying life is to be thankful for what each day brings.” In other words, joy is being thankful in the moment.

 

As I thought about this, I realized that we have can choose to be thankful and enjoy life or we can look at life through a heart of anger or pain and never enjoy the day. As a woman who has survived a childhood of severe trauma at the hands of my parents and other adults, I have struggled to have joy. I knew joy was mine if I wanted it, but I would have to get some of those pesky feelings out of the way. I was looking at life, not through rose-colored glasses, but through glasses tinted with pain and past trauma.

 

Today I look through glasses that are neither rose-tinted with denial nor colored by the pain and trauma I endured; rather, I have on the glasses of truth, knowing that I have a choice about how I respond to every life experience. I have chosen to be thankful because I want to walk into joy, literally walk in the “peace that passes all understanding that guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:7. Because I have chosen to walk this way I find my capacity for joy is greater than it would be if I walked in anger or pain. Believe me, I have had to struggle to learn to walk in thankfulness.

 

Just yesterday, I had to choose to walk in thankfulness as my pastor asked me to handle a situation with a handicapped individual who was becoming more and more vocal about wanting to get the pastor’s attention, knowing I might be over my head trying to control this situation I moved forward in thankfulness for the opportunity to serve the church. I wish I could say I did a spectacular job, having done my best, my pastor still had to come over a final time.

 

I knew I had blown it, so still walking in thankfulness I spoke with my pastor asking him how I could have handled the situation better. Now I rejoice because I have another skill to help the church. I know in the future I will be called to help out with others who don’t know how to act in church, and as with this man, some may have physical and mental issues, and  I will have more skills and experience in handling the next situation. Beyond that I know that training our greeters, the team I lead, to handle such situations will be invaluable to our church.

 

I had a choice about how I looked at this situation, and I chose to be thankful and return to joy. It wasn’t a crime that I didn’t know how to handle this situation, there was no harm done, and in fact several of the people sitting around this man thanked me for my efforts. I knew it was my choice to walk back into joy after being in a situation I didn’t know how to handle, and I chose to look at things honestly and return to joy.

 

Our capacity for joy is in our hands; we control our joy, and I hope that we will all take this truth and run with it!

 

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

New on our Release page, read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called “HAVE FAITH IN GOD.” It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a Bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

 

So many endings and so many beginnings

Currently I am in a season of endings and beginnings, there are so many and they are so numerous I can’t count them all. My emotions are on a roller coaster and I am as they say, hurling off the side! To say I am sick of the emotional roller coaster with all these endings and beginnings is an understatement, and yet that is where the Lord has me right now.

 

            Things that were my life’s blood, bring joy to my life, I am choosing to lay aside and let them go for good. One of these is the creating and manipulating for databases. I love playing with the spreadsheets and oh how I love the personal contacts with the people on those databases, supporting the people doing the work of the ministry in that organization.

 

When I told Rebecca a good friend from bible college, she shocked me as she said, “finally” and went on to say, “some of us just take more time to get it then others”. It was like God was putting a huge exclamation point on my decision to give up managing databases to spend more time writing. She has been one of the champions of my writing and she has probably rolled her eyes more then once as I walked back behind the line to support someone else rather then staying up on the front line because I was uncomfortable with the attention it can bring.

 

            It was amazing by what transpired as I talked with James, the Oregon State National Day of Prayer coordinator about my decision to step away from doing the NDP database. He shared that another woman was coming along side and would handle not only the NDP database but also several other key projects James needed help with at K-Praise. As we talked it became clear that my relationship with him was going to a whole new level, which if I was still doing the database, would never have happened.

 

            James shared more about the new project of having six hours of praise, worship and prayer on K-Praise. He knows my heart for prayer and the many opportunities I have to attend city wide prayer meetings, so as the conversation ended he showed me a handheld recorder at had been purchased to record prayer meetings to be aired on K-Praise and then said he knew I was one of the three people he was to give a recorder. I was in shock at this new beginning, was in a daze as he showed me how simple the recorder was to use and then still in a daze I went on my way. If I hadn’t been willing to end my work with the database this new assignment from God may never have come forward.

 

            As our conversation end I realized this new beginning was the fulfillment of what I had seen during the last prayer meeting I attended. I saw myself with a microphone in my hand recording the prayers of the saints here in Portland, but I didn’t know why, so in my flesh I dismissed it thinking it was just my wild fantasy but now here was the way and the means to do just that. God is always talking about how my dreams are too small. Sorry God.

 

            I smile as I see part of Complete Joy being realized, for as I put the ministry plan together two years ago, one of the areas I felt led to include was radio. This beginning is not as I intended it to be, but it is clear this is how God intended radio branch of Complete Joy to begin. As I drove home I was reminded of the parable of the three men and the talents God gave them. I felt like one of those men who was faithful in taking care of what he had been given and so when the account was taken more opportunity and responsibility was given to him.  

 

            Lord let me be faithful with all the new opportunities you are now giving me!

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

New on our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

 

The Drive Thru Lesson

Recently I found myself going to the drive thru at a Burger King, the home of the Whopper, and as I did, God taught me a profound lesson about being ready to follow him.

 

            As I got up to the window to pay and get my food, I asked the attendant to wait to give me the food until I had counted and put away my money. That didn’t seem like it was a bad thing; I was being a good steward of the money the Lord gives me. Yet as I fussed with getting the money straight in my wallet and putting it away, I was using precious time. It was time all about me, and all about what I wanted and my desire to have money in my wallet ready for the next time I needed it. Then I finally took the bag of food and off I went.

 

            The whole process took less than a minute more than if I had just grabbed the food and took off. Yet as I got ready to turn on to the very busy Division Street, I saw there had been a big opening in the traffic, but because I had fussed with my money, I missed that traffic window. So instead of getting into traffic and being on my way, I had to wait another three minutes for traffic to clear.

            This event got me wondering how often God had something for me to do that I missed because I was fussing with my own stuff. As I sat there waiting for traffic to clear, I asked the Lord to forgive me for fussing and not being ready and available for those opportunities. As I think about it, I remember several opportunities I missed while I was fussing with pens and putting out schedules at church when I should have taken time to talk with someone. If I think about it more, I am sure I can come up with more examples. This simple but important lesson may avail much more fruit in the future than I can imagine as I take my eyes off myself and put them more squarely on the Lord!

 

            I have been surprised at how this simple prayer of repentance has affected me, for I have stopped procrastinating about things that I need to do. I jump in, knowing full well I desire to be ready for every opportunity God provides for me. As I sit here to write this blog, I am facing a deadline, which in the past might have made me very tense, and the stress would have caused me to lose sleep. But I slept great after telling myself I need to remember to get up at 4 a.m. and get the blog to Joy before I jump in the shower to get out the door for the weekend. This new awareness of not wanting to miss any opportunity really has changed my life.

 

            I smile when I think about the missed opening in the traffic there on Division that day. God used it to teach me a life lesson, for I am not as driven, and my perspective about getting things just right has been permanently changed!  I also have a new-found appreciation for those cashiers who take the time to count out the money before me, for they save me precious time and get me on my way!

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

New on our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

Outreach at the Gym

Several months ago, I hungered for a new harvest field where I could be in constant contact with those who don’t know Christ. I was so busy with ministry to those in the Kingdom of God that I was feeling out of balance because I had exhausted my current harvestable fields I continue, talking to the attendants at the gas station and those who serve me as I go through the drive thru, but I hungered for more, a greater field, and in that a great possible harvest. I had dreams and visions of meeting lots of pre-Christians and caring about them on behalf of Christ, and yes, if I was given an opening, sharing Christ.   

About a month ago, I joined a gym with  Sue, a friend from church. Since I first began, I have had to go to the chiropractor twice because my neck has gone out, causing some days to be a great challenge just to move, let alone go and exercise. But something amazing happened that made it all worth it: I found my new harvest field.

 

As I was drying my hair after my morning swim, a lone woman walked into the locker room. As she walked in, something about her just jumped out at me, so I took a second look, what really stood out was a sadness that surrounded her like a shroud. I began praying for her, asking the Lord to be with her, to build in her a sense of community here at the gym, to strengthen her for her workout and finally that He would bless her for stepping out no matter how she felt. As I finished my silent prayer, I suddenly realized God had brought me to my new harvest field!

 

In my dream I saw a sea of people, and here in the gym was that sea! I finished getting dressed and then went to sit in the chair to read and wait for Sue to finish her workout.

 

As began to read, I asked the Lord to bring the woman from the locker room past me so I might encourage her. I looked up expectantly every time someone went by, hoping it would be the woman from the locker room.  This expectancy paid off, as the fourth time I looked up, there was the woman from the locker room, still wearing the shroud of sadness. I stopped reading and said to her, “Have a great workout.” This surprised her, and she stopped and said gently, “what?” I said a second time, “Have a great workout.” She said with a smile, “Now I will”. As I said good-bye, I added, and “God bless your day”. She left to workout with a joy in her step.

 

I turned back to my book and internally began praising the Lord and thanking him for the harvest field here at the gym. I realize this field is so great and the harvesters are few and wonder if I was up for the task.

 

I smile as I think about this woman from the gym. I have never seen her again, but I know that if I ever do, she and I will continue the conversation, for it began well! The chore of paying the $25 dues each month has become a joy, for it allows me to reach into this amazing harvest field, and the final dividend is this… I have lost five pounds without changing my eating habits!

 

Who knew going to the gym would become in my life what it is… a source of great joy?   Oh yes I know… God did.

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

New on our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

 

The Real Thing

He's the real thing!

            My first love when I became a Christian was to know God more, and the best way to do that was to study the Bible. Then naturally I wanted to share what I learned about God from the Bible. I used to love attending Bible studies where I was able to learn in community, because in doing that I learned so much more. Then as I grew in my Christian faith, I began to lead Bible studies.

 

            When I came face to face with the trauma hidden in my life, my ministry focus changed. Now almost 20 years later I find myself going back to my first passion as I am devoting more time to studying and teaching the Bible. When I graduated from Bible College in 2004, I  thought I would become a pastor. Now I realize my time in college equipped me to be able to understand the history of the Bible and learn how to study the Bible, first for myself, and then to share with others! It was strange that not a single class was offered in Bible College on how to lead or teach a Bible study. We spent time learning the mechanics of the Bible and then studied and memorized the Bible.

 

            In Bible College I lost my passion because I was so consumed with the mechanics of this powerful book and I forgot that learning everything about God was my greatest passion! I walked into Bible College so focused on serving others that my personal relationship with God was drowned in good intentions. As I graduated, the Bible went from a passion to an assignment to read, and I thought I was lost. But these days reading the Bible brings me the greatest amount of joy ever.

 

          Recently, as I was enjoy my time in the Bible, I looked up the word “real” and found it is used in only two verses in the whole NIV Bible, both with reference to Jesus. The first, “For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink” John 6:55 (emphasis added); and the other, “As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit–just as it has taught you, remain in him.” 1 John 2:27 (emphasis added)

 

            I rejoice knowing that what Jesus did is real, and his anointing upon our lives is real as well. In these days when so much is counterfeit here in America and where much is based on feelings rather than on what is real and tangible, I rejoice to stand on this truth that who Jesus is and what he did, as Coke used to say, “it’s the real thing.”

 

I rejoice that I have come full circle and God is still my passion!

 

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

New on our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

 

Learning to Breathe

            I am teaching a Bible study based on the material and blogs Growing the Christian Life. As I prepared the first lesson on breathing, I discovered a marvelous lesson.

            I pray monthly with Karen, a friend and intercessor, about our personal concerns and anything else the Lord puts on our hearts. This month Karen wanted to pray for her husband, Greg, and his new business “Big Foot Bread Company” which is getting ready to pop out of the oven (so to speak), opening for business on or around May 1. As we prayed, I found myself breathing!

 

            I want to share again about breathing… a two part process of our asking (inhaling) and allowing for God’s response (exhaling), when we listen to what Jesus said, we see a pattern; if we allow God to teach us, we can see how to breathe. 

 

  “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the  door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives;  he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke 11:9 -10

 

The first breath…

Inhale – Asking God

Exhale – Faith (to believe) and peace (that God cares) are given.

 

The second breath…

Inhale – Seek God

Exhale – Finding God’s will for the situation

 

The third breath…

Inhale – Knocking on the door of heaven

Exhale – God opens the door to His presence in the situation.

 

            As we took the Big Foot Bread Company to the Lord, the Lord took me to 2 Chronicles. Using the words Solomon, we asked the Lord to give Karen’s husband wisdom as he opens his business; this was my first breathe as I felt the assurance of faith and God’s care for the situation. Then my eyes drifted on to the second chapter of 2 Chronicles, so we prayed for Big Foot Bread Company, using the words of Solomon as he prepared to build the temple, praying over every area and aspect of the preparation of opening Big Foot Bread Company; this was my second breath, as we continued to seek God and find his will for the Big Foot Bread Company. We finished praying for the Big Foot Bread Company using the forth chapter of 2 Chronicles. As we then prayed for the furnishings, we saw in the spirit the Lord bring his presence in a greater way into this new business; this was my third breathe.

 

            As we prayed and allowed God to lead us as we were praying (breathing), we found the Lord taking us to a depth that was beyond either one of us!

 

            What a blessing it to live and breathe in the presence of the Almighty!

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 Want to read more… the blog Growing the Christian Life begins on March 3rd 2009.

New on our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

 

Joy Jewelry

            In the last year, while visiting with my friend Vonny, I shared about wanting to design a line of easy to worship in clothing for women called “Glory Clothing.” As with many of my ideas that sound good, I put it on the shelf in my mind with all the other ideas that have sounded good over the years.

 

            From time to time, I have used those shelved ideas. On one occasion, I designed worship flags, and another time, prayer stoles to give as an expression of my love of God and to bless those who have volunteered in major projects I led.

           

            But what did this idea have to do with my ministry? For over the last 20 years the Lord has always brought financial support through the people I ministered to, covering all my ministry needs. Now since beginning Complete Joy the make up of the ministry is so different. I have ministered to so many more people over the last two years via the internet, then I did over the last 20 years of personal ministry which is wonderful, but I find those who financially supported me in the past aren’t supporting me anymore because I am not doing the same kind of work, even through lives are being changed just as in the past.

 

            I have even wondered what I was doing wrong, I have looked to see if there is any sin in me or in the ministry I do. God has worked with me to see that I have done nothing wrong, rather it is taking time to walk out in real time the mission of Complete Joy and with it the financial base to support the work of the ministry.

 

            I have been writing a lot, and have begun to present the material to several groups with a very positive response. So finally I am at peace with the financial situation. I have had every need covered through May!

 

            Then my friend Heidi, asked me to help her with her garage sale, and with it came the opportunity to bring things to sell at the garage sale. As I got things ready I thought I have been making jewelry since my sabbatical, and maybe I can sell some in the garage sale to support my ministry efforts.

 

            I have several pieces which I like but have never worn, so I am beginning with these pieces and hope to make several more in my free time before the garage sale. Then I began to figure out how to package them and as I did, I came up with “Joy Jewelry”.  It is very appropriate for making jewelry brings me joy and when I have given this jewelry to others it has brought them joy.

 

            Now I am seeing the need to pull some of those jewelry design ideas off the shelf, which I stored in my computer as sketches of biblical concepts, because I hoped to use them one day. It is amazing to watch ideas off the shelf come to reality. I will look forward to making my first “trinity necklace” and designing matching bracelet and earrings!

 

I love to write and now I find myself enjoying an old passion of making things with my hands as I joyfully sit as my husband watches TV several nights a week making jewelry!

 

          Soon I will be unveiling my new jewelry line of “Joy Jewelry” a new branch of Complete Joy to support the work of this ministry. It is my prayer that as these items are worn that the “Joy of the Lord” will both become complete in those who wear the jewelry and that they will reach out and allow the Lord to be their strength!

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

New on our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.