Ministry Update!

      Wow...I can't believe we are less than a week from Christmas. This year has flown by and been full of transitions. I began this year working as the Director of Missions and Outreach at a local non-profit in the area. I really enjoyed the position and opportunity to work there and God truly taught me so much through that job. In February, my husband and I both felt the Lord leading us in the direction of Heaven Sent Ministries. As we met the President of HSM and talked with him, there were many confirmations that this is the place that the Lord wanted me to serve. I officially began in May as an International Missions Coordinator at HSM.

      Through God opening doors to work at HSM, my husband and I recently began ministering the local Juvenile Detention Center as part of our ministry. We have felt so blessed and enjoy doing this together as a team.  Recently, Jason shared on what it means to have "true freedom." He shared that you can have more freedom inside these walls (of the prison), than the freedom they had before they were incarcerated. He went on to read scripture and share the Gospel. Afterwards, a girl told me that she would like to have what my husband talked about. I said, "What do you mean?" She said that she wanted to have the kind of freedom that only Christ can give.

    Those truly are the moments that keep us going. God is in the business of changing hearts and lives, and we want to be vessels for the Kingdom.  This could not be possible without people like our prayer and financial supporters.  Thank you so much to all who support our ministry at HSM.

     We will be leading short-term mission trips throughout 2012 and would love to get you plugged in. Email me for more information at kathryn@hsminc.org.

So that all may know Him,
Kathryn
Philippians 3:7-14

Prison Ministry + Operation Christmas Child

Things have been busy, but in a good way.  International Mission trips are booming at HSM and I look forward to helping lead these teams around the World. Upcoming trips to be praying for:

PERU-January
MARCH/APRIL-possibly Italy
HAITI-June/July
NICARAGUA-July/August
GHANA-June
PERU-July
JUNGLE of ECUADOR-October

We are so appreciative of you prayers.  We are also needing to continue to raise monthly support to be able to continue reaching people with the Gospel here and around the world. If you are interested in partnering with us and possibly taking a trip, please e-mail me at kathryn@hsminc.org.

Although things have been busy, Jason surprised me recently with a "Date Day". We were able to get away for a a little bit and enjoy the beautiful leaves and spend some time together.

Jason and I will begin ministering in the prison THIS SUNDAY!! We are very excited about this opportunity. We will be visiting the youth detention facility each Sunday, Jason working with the guys, and I, the girls.

About this time of year, Jason and I participate in Operation Christmas Child. This is one of my favorite things to do going into the Christmas season. We pick whether we are going to package gifts for a boy or a girl, what age, and then pick out toys, school supplies, etc....anything that will fit in a shoebox.  Last year, we packaged for a little boy, so naturally we were going to do a little girl.  But as we were shopping i remembered Tate, the son of a friend of mine. He passed away last week from a brain tumor and he was only 5 years old.

I immediately changed my mind and wanted to pack a shoebox in memory of him, with all of his favorite things. He loved Tigger, which was the most important thing for me to fit in the shoebox. We were able to purchase a stuffed animal tigger that was the perfect size. The rest of the items we bought were black and orange (like tigger). We also bought some hygiene products and school supplies. Our box will go somewhere in the world to another 5 year old little boy in honor of Tate the Great.

I encourage you to participate in Operation Christmas Child.  You are able to track your box and see where in the World it was delivered! It is a blessing to be able to give.

Thank you for your continued prayers and financial support.

So that all may know Him,
Kathryn

Let's Debrief...

     Typically in missions when returning from a trip we have a time of "debriefing". Although I know the meaning of this word, I decided to look up the formal definition in the dictionary; partly because I just really wanted to know, and partly bc I am up at 5am and can't sleep. Part of the definition said "to question formally and systematically"... so I have decided to relay the details of my trip in a question format.

1. What was the main purpose of your missions trip?
When I began working full-time at HSM in May, I met a woman who frequently volunteers at the organization.  She shared with me her heart to travel to Haiti and her burden for the country since the earthquake.  As a part of what i do at HSM, I try and connect with missionaries who are on the field in different countries and seek a partnership with them through prayer and visiting their ministry. I had a connection with some National missionaries through my parents and a 2nd connection with some American Missionaries in Haiti through HSM. We needed to do a "fact finding" trip to see if God was calling us to partner with these organizations to send short-term teams.  I asked the woman if she would like to go and we can do a "fact finding" short-term trip.

2. Where did you go in Haiti? 
 I went to 2 different parts of Haiti. The first 8 or 9 days of the trip, I traveled to Les Cayes to work with the national missionaries (meaning they are from Haiti, spreading the Gospel in their own country). The 2 place I went was Montrouis, pronounced "Monwee".

3. What did you do?

Women in a village we prayed with

My trip to Haiti was probably one of my favorite short-term missions trip that I have ever taken.  It was primarily fact-finding, but the Lord opened several doors for us to serve Him and share the Gospel. In Les Cayes, we visited several villages where the missionaries have raised up churches, schools and clinics. They have planted 65 churches and close to that many schools and clinics. In these villages, we met the pastors of the churches that have been discipled by the missionary and sent to these places to live among the people and spread the Gospel. We prayed with the pastor, prayed with members of the
community and met many children (and passed out candy!). We also had the opportunity to help the main school planted by the missionaries in the city prepare for the school year starting this week. We painted the desks and benches, which took two days. I wish i had a sufficient picture to show just how many there were...

As we traveled to villages, we really took a liking to the village of St. Louis.  We decided to purchase over 200 lbs. of rice and beans to package and distribute to the people living there.

We visited the orphanage started by the missionaries as well and shared Bible stories and talked with the kids. We spent a good amount of time with the kids, learning about each of their lives along with where they are at in their education, etc. We had a great time there and we brought them lots of candy.

At the school, teaching "counting" to a little boy

After Les Cayes, we headed back to Port Au Prince to be picked up by our next connection, New Vision Ministries.  We were so impressed by this ministry which was started a few years back by an eye Dr., his wife and 10 children. Yes, 10 children. They heard the call, picked up and moved to Haiti. We joined 2 other teams they had down that week and served alongside of them, helping out in the school, joining a prayer meeting in the village of Kalalan, and painting a school.

Among the teams working with New Vision Ministries that week, was a group from Soles4Souls. They pass out shoes to children around the World.  Their ministry was very inspiring and we loved working with them. They are VERY organized and had shoes in the right sizes for the children.  When the children are called back to receive their shoes, they first wash their feet before slipping on the new pair of kicks!

Both places were great and I was so humbled to be able to go to each place and serve with these ministries.

4. Will you go back?
YES! We plan on sending short-term teams to each location which I will be a part of leading some of these teams.

5. Can I get involved?
Yes!! You can be a part of a short-term team to Haiti. Also, Jason and I are still seeking full-time financial and prayer partners for our ministry at HSM. Please email us at vicars4missions@gmail.com for more information.

So that all may know Him,
Kathryn

Leavin' on a Jet Plane...

Well... there has been a couple of hiccups in the trip (and we haven't even left yet..), but it has seemed to work out for the better!

I will try and make this short!

So we were suppose to leave for Greensboro today, and leave Sunday morning for Haiti. It has been crazy, bc it didn't seem like ANYTHING was working out for us. For example, we were suppose to get plane tickets to fly from the capital city to Les Cayes, Haiti. They were never purchased due to various reasons, such as bad communication with Haitians via the phone. Rides were difficult to get coordinated, we were going to have to stay overnight in a hotel for $100 more than expected...and on and on and on.

On Friday, my boss happened to call the travel agent and mentioned us leaving on Sunday, and she quickly said (in a nutshell)..."no, they are leaving on Monday."  She had actually purchased tickets for the 19th instead of the 18th bc she had found a cheaper flight.

I immediately drove back to work to call our contact down in Haiti, and he actually seemed relieved! Through all of the difficult communication, there was a sigh of relief and understanding. We now know why things had been so difficult. If it had worked out to purchase tickets in Haiti, we would have had the wrong dates and lost hundreds of dollars. Now we won't have a bad plane ticket, or extra hotel fee!  We now have a ride from the airport straight to Les Cayes saving us a significant amount of money.

We are now all ready to go and excited to see what the Lord has in store for us in the country of Haiti. Funny how He always has us in the palm of His hands...

So that all may know Him,
Kathryn

PS...I emailed the missionary and asked if he had any needs or anything that we could bring...you know, like Peanut Butter... He replied saying that their ministry really needed a PRINTER! Yes, a printer. So, my checked bag is now an HP printer...so please pray it does not get damaged and makes it all the way to Haiti without problems.

Haiti bound in t-minus...

        8 days! Wow...only a handful of days until I leave for Haiti.  Today, I got together with the lady that I am going with and we prayed for the needs of the people and that we would be open and willing to be used by God.  Please join with us in praying for this country as we are gearing up to leave to spend 2 weeks there.  We are very excited about this trip and what the Lord will teach us as we are ministering for His name and renown.

        Some other good news!  In my early teen years, or maybe even before, I used to listen to my grandmother tell me stories about the prison.  She used to visit the prison weekly with a group of other believers and pray for the women who were incarcerated. I longed to go with her, but I wasn't old enough. That desire to minister in the prisons never left me. While I was in Peru last year, the Lord opened the door for me and my husband to visit the women in Prison. This experience deserves its own blog and there is too much to write....but I would love to share it with you if you ever have the time.  Before leaving for Peru, I had been trying to get inside the prisons in Tazewell County.  The opportunity never presented itself, even though I tried for many months.

        One day at HSM, my boss asked me where I really felt called and that he wanted to get me plugged in to where God wanted me to be.  I replied that first is International missions, and the second is Prison ministry...and i wanted to merge the two.

        Long story short, he knows a guy that is actively doing prison ministry in the area that is willing to get me plugged in.  Please pray for Jason and I as we pursue this opportunity and for the doors to open if this is where God wants us to be.

Thank you for your continued prayer support. If you would like more information on what we do or how to get plugged in to a short-term trip overseas, email us at vicars4missions@gmail.com

So that all may know Him,
Kathryn

Equipping the Called

     Have you ever felt inadequate in your walk with God? I believe that all of us can answer "yes" at least some point in our Christian walk.

     In late July, i was coming to an end of working at two different places of employment at the same time.  Since I would have more spare time, I decided to go into our office and pick out a good book off of the book shelf. The first book that caught my attention was The End of the Spear by Steve Saint.  Steve was the son of one of the 5 missionaries that were brutally killed in the jungle of Ecuador that set out to share the Gospel to unreached people groups.

     As I have slowly been making my way through this book, the Lord has been teaching me many things; one of them being something that I believe we have all struggled with: feeling inadequate to be used by the King.

    As the main focus of the book is about God changing the hearts and lives of the most feared tribe in the World (the Waodani, formerly known as the Aucas), there is a big lesson to be learned from Steve's late Aunt Rachel.

    Aunt Rachel, as a young girl, was offered the riches of the World from a very wealthy woman who was passing away. This woman wanted to leave Rachel all of her money.  For a reason that the world and this woman could not understand, Rachel turned her down, knowing the the Lord had big plans for her that did not include ties to something that would hold her back from being able to follow His will. To make a long story short, Rachel was asked to leave the woman's house and was banished for her "foolish" decision.

    Rachel ended up living among the most fierce tribe and becoming a part of their family. As she came to the end of her life, dying from cancer among the Waodani, Aunt Rachel began to reveal her lack of qualifications to Steve as he visited her in the jungle:

 "Isn't is something that the Lord Jesus would have used someone like me to do His work in this special place? I was too old to apply for missionary service, I couldn't help the Waodani that much medically, I was not a Bible scholar, and i wasn't a superior translator....

"...{I just} loved the Lord Jesus with all of my heart, and I trusted Him completely." [End of the Spear, p. 184]

     As my husband Jason always says, "He doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called." Isn't is great to know that we can be used by Him, if we just trust Him with all of our hearts and lean wholly on Him.

    Please go and read this book. it is very inspiring and encouraging.

   Continue to pray for me (kathryn) as I gear up to leave for Haiti in 2 weeks.  To know more or support us through prayer/finances, please email vicars4missions@gmail.com

So that all may know Him,

Kathryn

Destination: HAITI

    God has been challenging us as a couple in so many ways.  We are learning that God's ways and thoughts are higher than our own...and we wouldn't want to have it any other way!  We have many "possible" short-term trips on our radar to lead, and we are praying about those and that we walk through the right doors.

    One door that has swung wide open is a trip that I (Kathryn) will be taking in just a couple of weeks to Haiti.  A woman who volunteers her time at Heaven Sent has had a desire to go to Haiti since the devastation of the earthquake. Every time she walked through our doors, Haiti was on her heart and lips.  I remembered that over two decades ago, almost 26 years to be exact, my parents went on a mission trip to Haiti. The missionaries they served with are still going strong and bringing the Gospel to Haiti. My parents have stayed in contact with them and provided their names and phone number for me.

Picture from the B.E.M., Hope for Haiti website of the area
where we will be serving.

    To make a long story short....we will be going to serve with these missionaries, Pastor Ignace and his wife Franchette in Les Cayes, Haiti. If you know my age, and did the math from the amount of years provided above...you may put 2 and 2 together and figure out that my mother was pregnant with me when she was in Haiti!!  How special of a trip this will be for me. It's almost if things are coming full-circle for me in the missions world...or maybe it's just God's little gift to me to be able to go where my earthly parents once walked with me...while my mom carried me along for the ride in the womb. 

What and amazing God we serve!

     After 7 days with Bethanie Evangelical Mission, we will travel back to Port Au Prince and be picked up by another missionary couple who we will serve with another 6 days or so. We will be visiting many different ministries in order to establish relationships and send teams there in Haiti in the near future. Although this will be an amazing mission trip where we will bring Hope to different areas of Haiti, this is also very much a vision trip; a goal of establishing a long term relationship in order to keep bringing the Gospel to this country.

If you would like to receive our newsletter and or join our prayer/financial support team, please e-mail us at vicars4missions@gmail.com.

So that all may know Him,

Kathryn 

Missions trip to Peru

Many of you may know that Peru is very near and dear to my heart. I have been on 5 mission trips to peru, the longest being 7 months.  Peru is a beautiful country filled with beautiful people.

We are currently seeking people to join our team to head to Peru January 22-31. This trip is mainly a medical trip, but we will also be doing some evangelism, visiting the orphanages and feeding centers.  I personally and not a doctor, so I will be spending a lot of time ministering among the children and their families.  So, if you are not medically inclined....don't worry!  There is still plenty to do!

I thought I would share some photos of beautiful Arequipa, peru where we will be working. Arequipa is a gorgeous city nestled at the foothills of the Andes Mountains. You will also catch gorgeous views of Misti, the well-known volcano in Arequipa.

The above photo is a picture of the main plaza in Arequipa. There you will be able to shop on our day of sight-seeing.

This is a typical Peruvian (Quechuan) mother and child that you will meet in the pueblos where we will be working.

This is Misti, a volcano in Arequipa.  You will see this volcano from wherever you are in the city or pueblos. Misti is truly a breath-taking sight!!!

If you would like more information about this trip,  please contact me at kathryn@hsminc.org

If you would like to join our prayer and financial support team, please e-mail me at the address above!!

So that all may know Him,
Kathryn

Team has returned from Ghana!

Our team from New Community Bible made it back safely from Ghana, West Africa and their trip was amazing!  They sent us several pictures and it made me so eager to go!  The team consisted of medical professionals, the pastor and his wife and other members of their church.

Working on some construction at the Training Center

The Discipleship Training Center. It took 7 years to complete,
but it is finished and completely debt free!

Painting the gates to the Training Center

The team also hosted some Pastor Meetings and brought words of 

encouragement and hope to the leaders and pastors in the surrounding areas. 

We are so thankful for their hearts and willingness to serve in Ghana, West Africa. Thank you for all of your 

prayer support for this team. I am looking to plan a trip in October/November of this

year to complete the painting and tiling needed inside of the center.

Please pray about being a part of this trip!

Keep us in your prayers. If you would like to know more about us, please e-mail us at 

vicars4missions@gmail.com

So that all may know Him,

kathryn

Time of Transition

Today (Saturday) the last team arrives to stay the week for Wade Summer Missions. I know that may not create the same sense of mixed emotions for you as it does for me, but it is almost not real that it is actually coming to an end.  It took about 7 months to plan and gear up for our teams and the end date (August 4) seemed so far away. Not anymore.

I have been so blessed by our teams and watching them serve God through sharing the Word, leading sports camps, and local construction projects that have helped members of our community.  Through this, we have seen people helped and lives changed for the sake of the Gospel. What a powerful thing to witness.

Wrapping up summer missions means wrapping up my time at Wade as Director of Missions and Outreach. Instead of spending my time between 2 offices (HSM and Wade), I will be able to fully be at Heaven Sent Ministries. This transition has been in my prayers since February and we have already seen od working. As many of you know, our salary depends upon outside support from friends, family and fellow believers that want to join in the cause to spread the Gospel locally and around the World.  As a steady check ends from one place, we fully believe that God will continue to provide financially for us in our transition. Someone once told me (it may have been my grandmother...):

"if Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice, His life, and cared for you that much...why would He not want to provide for you and take care of you in the little things? And don't you think that everything else is pretty small compared to Him laying his life down for the sins of the entire World?"

Thank you for joining with us in prayer for the needs of those here and around the World. Our God is greater, He is stronger...He is faithful even when we prove to be faithless. We are so blessed to be a part of the H.S.M. team, and if you would like to join us in ministry, please e-mail us at vicars4missions@gmail.com

Prayer Needs:

1. Possible trip to Ghana this fall to complete the construction on the Training Center

2.Medical Missions trip to Peru in January...pray for the team, and pray about joining the team!

3. The famine and Drought taking place in Ethiopia/Somalia/Kenya. We would like to get involved sending food packages and relief and possibly take a trip there as well.

So that all may know Him,

kathryn

Expectation

Do you ever have something heavy on your heart? Not necessarily a burden, but maybe a longing, or a waiting in great expectation for something. Maybe God has placed something on your heart and you are in a period of waiting and listening.

For many years, I (Kathryn) had this similar feeling, almost indescribable, and it had to do with my baptism.  This great sense of excitement and wonder about my baptism started as I began my second or third semester of classes at ODU in norfolk, VA. I was about 20/21 years old and I was growing and being stretched in my faith. At this point in my life, I was getting settled in college and I was being delivered from a fear that I had been living with for over a couple of years. I was really sensing and feeling the goodness of God and love being poured out over me.  This made me reflect heavily on my Christian life and walk with God.

I was baptized when I was about 11 years old or so...I can't remember the exact age. We had changed churches and the Pastor took some time to visit us in our home and discuss Baptism with me and my sisters.  Soon after, we were all baptized. I remember this being a special day: my family was present, my sisters and I being baptized together, starting our life in a new youth group, a new church. Life was good.

But in college, as I was reflecting back, I just don't remember being completely sold out and aware of the real meaning. Being delivered from this fear that I had been living with, I was ready to go before God and present myself wholly unto Him and be a witness for His namesake.  I was eager to be baptized, cleansed: forgetting the old and being made new. I began to pray, spend time in the Word and journal about my desire to be baptized.

Last September, the Lord blessed me with the opportunity to share His Gospel in the jungle of Ecuador with a team from North Carolina.  To be a part of a mission trip like this has been my desire for many years.  To make a long story short, we arrived in the Jungle to live among the Ashuar tribe for a short period of time.  While we were there, 2 Ashuar Indians had inquired about being baptized. They wanted to learn more about baptism and them physically be baptized themselves. I shared with Dan Clowers my desire to be baptized one day, and the question arose...why not now?  

I wish I could describe to you the feeling.  It honestly felt like the best birthday present anyone could ever receive. There I was, in his perfect timing, in the perfect place...in an Amazon River tributary...I was being baptized with two Ashuar Indians on the foreign mission field surrounded by my brothers and sisters in Christ.

God has made us for a purpose. First and foremost, we are to to be constantly growing and molded into the image of Jesus Christ. Secondly, we weren't made by happenstance. We were made because He has a plan for each of us; to give us hope, a future, peace, and an expected end. During our journey on this Earth, He wants to use us. His Word says in Habakkuk 1:5, "Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed, for I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe...even if you were told."

Don't sit back and miss out on the life, blessings, victory and power that He has for you. Seek Him, know His voice. Live a life of expectation and prayer. Watch God move. I did and I still am. We aren't perfect, but He is and always will be.

Check out this video of my summer in peru and Ecuador...at 5:30 you can see my baptism.

Peru/Ecuador-Baptism Video

Be a part of a move of God. Join in the ministry at HSM with us, there are so many ways to get involved. You can always e-mail us and let us pray for you (vicars4missions@gmail.com). We look forward to hearing from you and thanks for all your continual prayer and financial support!

So that all may know Him,

Kathryn

Sponsor a Pastor!!!

Hello All!

What an exciting summer this is going to be.  As many of you know, as I am in my transition at HSM, I am still currently the Director of Missions and Outreach for another non-profit (The Wade Center, www.wadecenter.com) in Bluefield, WV. I absolutely love the opportunities God has placed before to serve Him in outreach locally and around the world.

As Director of M&O at Wade, I have been coordinating teams since november to come to Bluefield and minister to our At-Risk Children and Youth, do construction projects in the area, evangelism, VBS and run our Sports Camp.  It will be 7 weeks of non-stop fun...and maybe a little stress, but worth every minute.  I will be working there in the afternoon and evenings while still continuing to be at HSM during the day. My last day at Wade will be Aug. 5, so please keep me in your prayers as we dive into Summer!

PASTOR DISCIPLESHIP AND TRAINING CENTER

This is a very exciting time for HSM. We have been building a Discipleship Training Center for the past 7 years (debt free!!!) and it is near completion. We just need to smack some paint on the walls and finish decorating.  This center is desperately needed for the Pastors and leaders that are all over Ghana.  It would take several blogs to tell you all about this center, but you can visit our website (www.hsminc.org) to read all about it!

3 times a year, for ten weeks, we will be hosting 36 pastors from villages and cities all over Ghana to come and be discipled in the Word of God. Due to the lack of finances, pastors are unable to be a part of a school like this and be truly discipled in the Word.  In order for them to come, they need to Be sponsored.  It will cost $350 for ten weeks per pastor.  This covers their food, housing, materials, utilities, etc!  To break that down for you, it is just $5 a day for you to make an impact, not just in 1 person, but in the lives of possibly an entire village in Ghana!  These pastors will return to their villages fully equipped to grow their church, spread the Word and disciple new believers!

I am working on putting together Pastor Bio's and uploading them in the near future on our website.  Please contact me if you are interested in getting your church, small group, family, or youth together to sponsor a pastor. You can find 35 people to donate $10, you can sponsor 1 pastor! How amazing is that?!  Consider the difference you can make with just donating $10....

Contact us vicars4missions@gmail.com for more info or to join our prayer/support team

So that all may know Him,
Kathryn

Memorial Day Weekend + Missions Update

This year's Memorial Day weekend was really special for us.  We were able to go to my parent's Lake House and spend some time with them doing the activities we love the most! 

We have not been able to go very often for many years because most of our summers are spent traveling on foreign missions, which has been wonderful. Being away always reminds you to cherish the moments you have with your family when you get to see them. And that's exactly what we did!

First, we were able to spend some much needed time with my sister, Honey Bear! She has been in my life for 11 years and I have missed her a bunch. She is getting older, but still precious nonetheless. 

And of course, Jason was able to get some much needed fishing time in! My dad and Jason went kayak fishing down a river near by with my Uncle Steve. Unfortunately, Jason caught about 15-20 more bass/fish than they did.  This did not make for a good evening to spend time with my dad.... But I was proud of Jase!

The next picture says it all! I was so happy to be back on the water in the kayak. My mom and i had a great time kayaking in the beautiful weather around our cove at the Lake. We were so blessed to spend this time down there with my parents.

Missions Update

Currently, we are in the planning process of organizing 3 trips to Ghana at HSM: July, August, November.  We have a team locked and loaded to go in July and we are currently seeking spots to be filled for the August and November trip.  I, Kathryn, will be going on the August trip if it works out and we get a team ready.  I would possibly return in November to go as well.  These will be 10 day trips and we will be doing construction work, painting and laying tile in the HSM Pastor Training Center. To see pictures of this center, please visit hsminc.org.

Many may not know, but I am currently still working as Missions Director at the Wade Center. This will be a difficult task to balance Wade Summer Missions while moving forward and working at HSM. My role at Wade will be done around the 1st week of August. Please pray for several things surrounding this:

1. I will be working 7 days a week for 8 weeks. please pray for strength.

2. Financial support. As Wade comes to a close, we believe God will continue to provide the support/financial gifts needed as we raise our own salary to work at HSM.

3. The hearts of the mission teams and Wade children as they learn more about the Love of Christ this summer.

Thank you so much for your continued support. If you have any questions, would like to learn more about HSM and what we do, or support us through prayer or financial means, contact us at: vicars4missions@gmail.com

so that all may know Him,

Kathryn

June has arrived!

     I know a lot of people don't like to think about this, but I just have to say it... Can you believe we are already halfway through 2011? That means we are halfway to Christmas, just a few months shy of halloween and Thanksgiving. Wow, time flies.


Do you ever stop and think to yourself, "What day is it?" or "Where has the time gone?" I believe at some point in our lives, we all reflect back on time, our lives, friendships and family, and the list goes on and on.


    The other week I had the opportunity to teach at church to our Wednesday night crowd, and the following day for the Drug Court/Day Report program at HSM.  I shared out of a popular passage in the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11-14.  In such a small passage of scripture you can find many promises from God. There is so much packed into these verses that I would like to share, but it would take many blogs and lots of your time! So here is just a small tidbit...


    When you look at this passage in the King James Version (which is not a version I read often!), you will find something you may have not noticed before.  Verse 11 reads in the KJV, "For I know the thoughts I think towards you," saith the Lord...  


   God thinks about us!  Wow!  Many times, since God is all-knowing, we may think that our Father doesn't have daily thoughts about us.  But He does! He loves you so much that He even tells you what he thinks about you... and here it is: "thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" (kjv). In the NIV... "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (niv).


   God always has and always will think about you...positive things. He never puts us down, his love is unconditional. His love never fails.


   Even though we may get a little lost in our week, month or year, God is always there...thinking about you. He loves you. Trust in Him alone...


If you would like to be a part of our prayer and/or financial support team, please let me know. E-mail us at vicars4missions.gmail.com




So that all may know Him,
Kathryn

Busy, Busy, Busy

Tuesday Morning Thoughts

All I could think about this morning was how busy my tuesday was going to be.  My thoughts raced, my heart was beating a little faster, and I had to take a deep breath in and exhale.  I also received several inbox messages on facebook where people started off by saying "sorry it has been a while, I have been busy".  This morning at work, we had a staff meeting+devotion, and the devotion was on the busyness and stress of life. Hmmm....

Many times, in our busyness and day to day life, we forget to stop, be still and know that He is in control of all things because He is God of all.  He is in all, through all and created all. (Eph. 4:4-6) Whew, what a relief!  

I seriously could not get through my day to day life without putting Him first.  Currently, I am trying manage 2 jobs.  I am remaining at the Wade Center as the Mission and Outreach Director until our monthly support comes in for me to transition to only working at Heaven Sent Ministries.  This has been a difficult task to balance both, but through much prayer and handing things over to God, he has never failed to show up and grant me the patience and strength to get through the day to day tasks in life.  

In our stress and daily routines, we often forget to ask God how he would like to use us that day.  God calls us to die to ourselves daily so that we can be fully open and used by Him for His glory.  So, along with me, take a deep breath in....and then exhale!  Rest in His presence. Be still.  Ask Him to show you what you could do for Him today and for Him to reveal His purpose for your life. Spread some love today, pray for boldness and a heart that is open and willing to be used for the sake of the Gospel. (Philippians 3:7-14). 

HSM UPDATE

Jason and I are working on getting an account set up with HSM where your monthly financial gifts can be made online or automatically withdrawn monthly.  If you would like more information about joining our prayer.financial support team, please contact us at vicars4missions@gmail.com

So that all may know Him,

Kathryn

Destination: Heaven Sent Ministries!

Hey Everyone!

Well, the time has come. We have officially began our work as Global Missions Coordinators at Heaven Sent Ministries.  This has been a little while in the making as we were offered the position back in November, and officially accepted the job in Feb. of this year.  May 1, we began working in the office.

As mentioned before, Jason will remain teaching in the Public School system to provide more stable support at the moment, as well as health insurance.  I will be in the office at HSM full-time.

We are so blessed to be a part of such a great team here and "assisting the church in reaching the world for Christ!".  I am pasting our support letter, and please read if you are interested in becoming a part of our ministry at HSM.

So that all may know Him,

The Vicars

Dear Friends and Family,

We are so blessed to update all of you with such wonderful news and the changes that are taking place in our lives.  The past six months have truly been a time of growth and preparation for us as we have been seeking God’s will for our lives.  In late November, we met with Heaven Sent Ministries, based in Princeton, West Virginia.  As a youth pastor for many years, Jason had worked with HSM several times and had a great relationship with the ministry.

Through prayer and seeking God’s will, we accepted the position with Heaven Sent Ministries as Global Missions Coordinators in February of this year. We officially began working in the office as of May 1st and it has been a wonderful transition. In this position, we will be coordinating teams from all over the United States and sending them overseas to do short-term missions where HSM has a presence in over 28 countries! HSM has both a local and global missions statement to “assist the church in reaching the World for Christ.” 

We are asking for your prayer and financial support.  There will be much traveling as we will be leading these teams all over the world. Also, we are going to be participating in many “vision” trips, visiting existing ministry sites and seeking new opportunities for us to spread the Gospel to all nations.

We will be seeking monthly financial support.  As Global Missions Coordinators, we are considered full-time missionaries based state-side.  Your tax-deductible donation will go towards our ministry with HSM and reach people all around the world for the sake of the gospel, so that all may know Him (Phil. 3:10). It’s not about what we can do alone, but what we can do together to reach a world of hungry and hurting people for His name! 

Please return the bottom piece of this letter if you would like to partner with us through prayer and/or financial support. Thank you in advance for all of your love and support as we move forward in the ministry God has placed in our lives. Feel free to visit the HSM website (www.hsminc.org) or follow our ministry blog.

So that all may know Him,

Jason & Kathryn Vicars

vicars4missions@gmail.com

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Support the Vicars

Name:     ______________________________________

Address:  ______________________________________

                ______________________________________

I want to be a prayer partner: ____Yes  ____No

I want to become a monthly financial supporter in the amount of: $____________

I want to give a one time gift of: $_______________

Make Checks Payable to: Heaven Sent Ministries

Memo Line: The Vicars

Send checks to: 

(don’t want to put this on-line, contact me for details!)

Please remember to hang our prayer card on your fridge to remember to keep us in your prayers. Also, all payment information is located on the back of our prayer card for your reference when sending your monthly financial gifts.  All donations are tax-deductible and you will receive quarterly statements for your own records. If you have any questions, please contact us. 

It's Spring!

Hey Everyone!

It has been longer than expected between my postings... but I guess it's never too late!  I have lots of updates, but first I wanted to mention how excited I am that it's Spring!  Did I mention it's snowing outside?

Well, it has been 3 weeks since returning home from Peru and time has flown by.  We have been so busy since returning with work and preparing for summer missions for the Wade Center, where I am the Missions and Outreach Director.  I have also been planning a "Trash to Treasure" rummage sale to fundraise for summer missions.  pray that goes well!

Since returning, Jason and I have fundraised $400 for 2 piglets in Peru.  We are very excited about this for several reasons.  1. We are blessed to be a part of the ministry from the States. 2. We love seeing others get involved in overseas missions, whether in financial giving or going on a trip.  They are a part of god's plan for the Gospel to reach the ends of the earth. 3. We have seen this ministry first-hand, and we love seeing God move and support this work that is for his glory!

Another change in our lives that is taking place, is that we are transitioning into another ministry, Heaven Sent Ministries (hsminc.org).  This has been a long time coming, and we are very excited about this move.  Jason and I will be working as Global Missions Coordinators, planning trips for teams to go overseas to spread the Gospel through many different outlets: Evangelism, Discipleship, feeding centers, children/youth ministry, medical needs, etc!  I (kathryn) will be in the office at HSM full-time, as Jason will be helping lead trips during the summer when he is off from teaching.  We will be leading teams several times/year overseas.  We will also be a crucial part in planning "Hunger Challenges" all over the U.S.  These hunger drives help raise money to send a packet of food that has over 21 essential vitamins and minerals to unreached people groups and to feeding centers around the World!  A box of food cost $60.  We challenge people to support one box (or more) and we come when the money is raised with the food for a huge day of packaging!  That way they are involved in the food process and reaching people for Christ. (If you are interested in being a part of a hunger challenge, please contact us! I can give more details!)

Along with this transition to HSM comes some other hurdles, but nothing too great for our God.  jason and I will be raising out own salary as we will be considered full-time missionaries (globally and locally) as we will be serving here and around the World.  We will be sending out letters to our supporters along with where you can send tax-deductible gifts on our prayer card.  We hope people will put our prayer card on their fridge or in their Bible and remember to pray for us and the hearts for those here and around the World.

If you would like to be a part of our prayer/financial support team and be involved with what God is doing through us at HSM and around the World, please contact us at vicars4missions@gmail.com.

Thanks!
So that all may know Him,
Kathryn and Jason
John 17:3

Back Home

Hey Everyone!

We have been home from Peru now for 2 weeks, and there hasn't been a dull moment!  We hit the ground running after returning and we are now slowing down...maybe?

We have so many things to update you on, and a blog will be coming tomorrow that you won't want to miss!
-Update on Peru/Ministry
-Job opportunity in full-time Missions
-More on Sun Stand Still!

So they may Know Him,
Kathryn and Jason