Hello everyone! I have not posted anything on this blog in entirely too long. I will have to begin remedying that. First I have 2 newsletter for you. I apparently did not post my December newsletter so here it is December Newsletter.
And my newest newsletter for January and February here - Jan/Feb Newsletter
As always please comment on them and let me know what you think.
God bless!
Joy
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Friday, December 2, 2011
November Newsletter
Here is my November Newsletter. God has been good and I have much to praise Him for. Please read my newsletter and feel free to leave comments!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Patience!
I talked a while ago about learning lessons, and God is continually trying to teach me many things. One thing I am trying to learn is to have patience. I knew in coming to Brazil that it would take me a while to adjust to my surroundings and to find where I fit and how I would work best here. I guess I was thinking that 4 months would do it because I felt very frustrated this week when I looked around and did not see the progress that I wanted. I am not sure that I gave myself a timeline before but I must have done so in my sub-conscience because I feel frustrated at my current situation. I have somewhat gotten over my frustration by looking to Christ and remembering that His timeline is not my timeline and that I am much better off on His timing than my own. So I am again learning to trust and to rely on Him for the strength to get through the frustrating moments, and praise Him with joy when I see that I am fitting in and connecting here in many ways.
One area that I am experiencing both frustration and joy is the music group at church. Although I am accepted and encouraged to sing with them, I am frustrated when I am not included in meetings and can't express my opinions or teach due to my lack of vocabulary to explain myself well. But, even at the end of a frustrating moment God sends people my way to encourage me and He did that for me last night when a friend at church wanted to tell me how much he enjoys my singing. So I was humbled and rebuked in such a nice way for my unbelief. It is in those low moments that I question God as to why he has me here, and in the high moment I thank Him that He chose me to go Brasil because in His perfect plan He knows that I need to be here to learn the lessons He has for me!
Please pray for me! I know many of you are and I have no doubt that God uses those prayers to give me strength and help me in this learning process. Please let me know what I can be praying for you about, so that God can use me to bless you.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Caju fruit
The caju fruit is literally falling of the trees here. I had never seen or had the fruit from the cashew tree before I came to Brazil. The fruit is a little tart but when you juice it and add a little sugar it makes a great juice. We have many of the caju trees on campus here and we have been enjoying eating them and making juice with them. Since I had never hear or seen a cashew fruit before I wanted to share a picture here with you. I wish I could send you all some to try but you will just have to come visit sometime to try it! 
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Back into things
I made it back to Brazil with a very smooth trip all in all. Once my passport with missionary visa got to me about 2 hours before I had to leave my house, I left for my flights to Brazil. I made all connections with plenty of time and made the entire trip in just over 1 day. A new record for me in speediness!
So I am back in Brazil and back to helping with 2 choirs here, talking to people on campus and taking my portuguese class. I still have so far to go in understanding and communicating well in Portuguese and so that has to be my top priority. It seems so easy to let other things get in the way though.
The seminary that I live on and work with is going away for a retreat this weekend. It is at a camp about 2 hours away. It is the same place I went to camp before so I get to sleep in a hammock again. I will be gone for about 4 days. I may have some stories to tell when I get back.
For now I will just say Bom Dia and Tchao! (Good Day and Goodbye!)
So I am back in Brazil and back to helping with 2 choirs here, talking to people on campus and taking my portuguese class. I still have so far to go in understanding and communicating well in Portuguese and so that has to be my top priority. It seems so easy to let other things get in the way though.
The seminary that I live on and work with is going away for a retreat this weekend. It is at a camp about 2 hours away. It is the same place I went to camp before so I get to sleep in a hammock again. I will be gone for about 4 days. I may have some stories to tell when I get back.
For now I will just say Bom Dia and Tchao! (Good Day and Goodbye!)
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Time in the States
My time in the states was a time of refreshment and reconnecting with so many people. It was nice to spend an unexpected trip back in such a nice way. I got to do so much in a short period of time and even saw friends that I have not seen in many months. I made it to Minnesota and in that weekend managed to go to the State fair, a church picnic, church, and visited with my former nanny kids! At my parents house I was able to attend my younger sister's baby shower, saw most of my extended family, vacationed at my family's lake house, and got in some much needed rest.
It was a profitable trip as well, because I did receive my missionary visa in my passport. It came none too soon as I got it into my hands about 2 hours before I was to leave my house for the airport. Praise God it came in though and I was able to make my flights!
I am now at the airport in Boston waiting for the first leg of my journey to Brazil. If all goes well and I am not delayed on any of my flights I will make it to my final destination in less than 24 hours. Which will be a new record for me for sure. I am praying that God blesses me with such a journey but am prepared for complications along the way. When I first began the journey of going to Brazil as a missionary over 3 years ago I had many friends encourage me that God uses the journey not always the destination. I can say that God has used many journeys in my life to change me and convict me of sin. I am still on the bigger journey even if I have begun the term of my life that will be marked by being a missionary in Brazil. And I can certainly say that God continues to convict of sin and to change me.
Just in the past few days I re-questioned everything about my call to go to Brazil when it did not look hopeful that my passport would make it back to me in time. I questioned why God has to make things so hard. I still don't have the answers but I continue to cling to the promise He gives that He loves His children, and works out all things for His glory and our good. So I am happy to say that I have not given up and I will continue this life, in God's service, and will do my best, with His help, to go where He sends me, and do what He calls me to do.
Please pray for me to do this as I pray for the same for you. Feel free to share with me any journeys you are on that you would appreciate prayer for and we can lift each other up as we bear one another's burdens in our co-journey towards Christlikeness and Heaven!
It was a profitable trip as well, because I did receive my missionary visa in my passport. It came none too soon as I got it into my hands about 2 hours before I was to leave my house for the airport. Praise God it came in though and I was able to make my flights!
I am now at the airport in Boston waiting for the first leg of my journey to Brazil. If all goes well and I am not delayed on any of my flights I will make it to my final destination in less than 24 hours. Which will be a new record for me for sure. I am praying that God blesses me with such a journey but am prepared for complications along the way. When I first began the journey of going to Brazil as a missionary over 3 years ago I had many friends encourage me that God uses the journey not always the destination. I can say that God has used many journeys in my life to change me and convict me of sin. I am still on the bigger journey even if I have begun the term of my life that will be marked by being a missionary in Brazil. And I can certainly say that God continues to convict of sin and to change me.
Just in the past few days I re-questioned everything about my call to go to Brazil when it did not look hopeful that my passport would make it back to me in time. I questioned why God has to make things so hard. I still don't have the answers but I continue to cling to the promise He gives that He loves His children, and works out all things for His glory and our good. So I am happy to say that I have not given up and I will continue this life, in God's service, and will do my best, with His help, to go where He sends me, and do what He calls me to do.
Please pray for me to do this as I pray for the same for you. Feel free to share with me any journeys you are on that you would appreciate prayer for and we can lift each other up as we bear one another's burdens in our co-journey towards Christlikeness and Heaven!
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