Wheeee busy busy days! :-)

ARS Garage Sale - Stillwater
We had a wonderful Garage Sale for ARS April 20-21, we made over $780 and made lots of wonderful contacts.  Thank you to all who donated and who came by in support.  We will be having 1 more Garage Sale at the end of May.  We are using this sale in May to help raise up the last remaining support we need for the July/August ARS trip.  If you have any items to donate, just give me a call!

ARS Board
I have been working hard with Pr Jose and Leoni along with the ARS Board as we continue to grow together.  I have never been a "Chairman" before, so I am putting in lots of time and learning in the process.  One thing I do know, God is leading and I am determined to follow as we move forward.  I know that God has placed this opportunity of service before me and I so desire to be diligent in all things.

Brazilian Family

I would like to introduce to you one of our families that we work with in Brazil.  It is my desire that you come to know some of the precious ones that I am working with in Neves.  This woman's name is Beatriz.  She has 3 girls.  On my first trip in 2007, I had the opportunity to meet Beatriz and her girls.  At that time she was in deep depression and was in a very critical time in her life.  Her husband had died just two weeks after arriving in Neves.  The home they were living in was in terrible shape and they had to leave the home because the roof had collapsed.  She would hardly look at us in the eyes in 2007.

She joined the program with ARS and through the loving presence of our partner organization CEDAF and ARS, they had their physical, emotional and spiritual needs met.  Beatriz came into a personal relationship with Jesus and she is a totally different person.  She is no longer stuck in depression and hopelessness.  She has come to discover that she has a beautiful singing voice and loves to sing God's praises! 

She and her girls were the first family to join the ARS program and the first to graduate!  They have such thankful hearts towards CEDAF and ARS and for the families who financially supported her.

God's working in my heart
In these crazy busy days, I have been stretched, challenged, encouraged and thrilled!  I am discovering even to a greater level, God's grace and strength.  What a joy and honor to "spend" my life serving Him!  I am working harder than I ever have in my life - including all those years as a Youth Pastor.  But I wouldn't change anything right now!  I am seeing God's provision for my life in every area, physically, emotionally and spiritually!

Thank you to all who are standing in prayer for this ministry and thank you to all who is standing with us financially.  If you would, please sign up in the right hand corner to follow this site through email.  Eventually, I would like to not have to send out a bulk email letting everyone know of the new postings.  Thanks so much.

May God richly bless you my friends!
Lisa

ARS, Brazil, Catherine Zoller, and things!

Once again, the days are just flying by and each day is full to the brim!  I guess if I were honest, I like it that way.  Let me catch you up on what has been going on..........

Blog Under Construction

As you noticed, I am tweaking the blog site, adding new pages for you, put a new slide show on the blog, it is a work in progress.  I am also looking into applications that will enable people to give financially to the ministry.  So don't be surprised if the look changes from time to time until I find one that suites me!  Thanks!

If you will notice, I have put a place on the website where you can sign up "follow by email".  By signing up, you will receive an email automatically that will tell you of a new post.  If you do sign up, let me know so that you will not receive two emails when I post!  I am trying my best to get this blog running smoothly before I leave on my trips.

Garage Sales - ARS

I have been to Jackson, TN with Pr Jose and Leoni and we had a successful Garage Sale!  We raised over $750 for the ministry and I met lots of wonderful people.  We are preparing for a Garage Sale here in Stillwater April 27-28.  So if you are in the Stillwater area and have donations you would like to give for our sale, just give me a call!  This will be our 4th Garage Sale of 2012 so we are off to a great start!

Brazil Mission Trip - ARS

We are getting things in order for our upcoming Brazil Mission Trip in July.  I am very excited about what we have planned.  We will be working with the ARS/Brazil Board along with meeting with Pastors, Leaders and Churches.  This time of networking is priceless for ARS.  We are also getting ready for our activities with our Adopted Families.  Some of the activities include children's activities, work on a house that CEDAF owns (and will be used for the work there) along with time of ministry with Teenage Girls and Women.  We are also making plans to visit in every one of our families.  I will be taking new video footage and pictures to be used for our promotional video and other informational brochures.  After our Mission Team is off for the US, Pr Jose, Leoni and I will be traveling up the Manous area to lay the ground work for a Medical Mission trip in 2013.  I look forward to seeing the Amazon River!  I will be posting more information about the 2013 as soon as possible.  Pray about going with us next year!

East Coast Trip - ARS

We will return to the US via Florida and begin a 5000+ mile trip up the east coast.  We will be sharing with American and Brazilian congregations about the ministry of ARS.  We will travel all the way up to New England and then back to Oklahoma.  I am very excited about this part of our summer!  Please join me in covering this time in prayer.  Pray that God will order each encounter and open the doors where He would have us share.  Thanks so much!

Serving others in Ministry

Most recently, I have had the opportunity to do some video work in support of the ministry of Catherine Zoller.  She is a dynamic speaker!  I video taped her sharing at my church and then put it together as a DVD for her along with some clips of her introducing herself.  Check out the tab called Catherine and be sure to look at her website and related sites.  It has been an honor to serve Catherine. 

I have also had the opportunity to help with some video projects for Hosanna Assembly of God here in Stillwater.  They are such precious believers and they are family to me.  I love their heart for people and I was blessed to be able to help them.

Ending Thoughts

I have been so blessed through many people during these busy days.  God has blessed me through YOU!  Your faithful and generous giving is enabling me to continue to do what God has called me to do.....to share His Word and to serve others in ministry.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!  We are working hard in completing our new LCM website and as soon as it is completed, I will let you know.  My friend Jane is doing a fabulous job and you will see her fine work very soon!   I am also working on some video projects for LCM that will both serve the Blog and the website.  These videos are also going to take my place in my class I teach on Sundays while I am gone!  I will let you know more as they get completed!

I pray that all of you are doing well!  Thank you again for all your support!  May God richly bless you!  A scripture to share as I leave.....I have been both encouraged and challenged in the book of Luke.  Last Sunday....we talked about Luke 6:27-33 ......how we are to respond when people hate you, curse you and mistreat you.  What are we to do?  Love them, do good to them, bless them and pray for them.  I was reminded that we are to RESPOND not REACT.  The only way we can do that is to be filled with God's Love - Holy Spirit!  I was reminded of what God told me when we started this study in Luke....whatever you are filled with, that is what you will be led by.  My prayer is that each one of us will be filled each day with His Love, with His Power, with His Spirit as we faithfully serve Him.

Bless you!
Lisa