Life With LivvyJoy

Sunday, October 27, 2024

October Newsletter

Well first things first, I want to apologize for not getting out a newsletter in September. With the start of a new quarter on base, my boyfriend coming, & many personal transitions, it completely slipped my mind. I can't promise this one will compensate for it, but I hope it includes you a bit in my life.

Personally, my life has been so full of blessings, memories, & joyous moments. God is so good & faithful & I can see His hand in everything. There isn't really an update on that, but I do want to share some ministry updates.

To start, our base is to continue its work with Oral Mother Translation (OMT). They were with teams from 3 different Indigenous villages translating the Bible orally into their native tongue. They translated several books and are continuing the work. Specifically, the team in Veracruz has begun to do local outreaches to remote villages in the mountains.

Another update is from our music department. They just released an album! This is just a glimpse of what our worship times look like. Check out here: Spotify album.

Additionally, I want to share what God is doing in the hearts of the people of Mexico. He is preparing them to experience Him. On Thursday's ministry days, there have been more people who are hungry for the Gospel & who want to follow Him. A revival is coming! Revival means to come back to life or be made new. That is what God has for Mexico. He wants to bring His people back into living lives with Him. In Hebrews 12:4 it says, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Revival is just that: the Word being active in our daily lives. I believe the Church as a whole needs to experience revival. We need to understand the weight of the Gospel & apply it. We are forgiven. Do we act like it? Do we live with a lifestyle of repentance & humility because we know the blood of Jesus has wah us clean? We are sons & heirs. Do we fight to see our Father's kingdom expanded? We are loved. Do we see ourselves and others through that lens of love? These are questions God has been asking me & I want to present them to you as well. These are just some of the great & beautiful truths in the Gospel. When we as believers truly live the truth out, it will naturally affect those around us. I want to be a catalyst for change & transformation in this world. What about you?

Prayer requests:

for revival of the Word in Mazatlan and all of Mexico
being intentional with all the new students on base
continued growth in revelation and the ministries on base
that the global body of Christ will be on fire for the Gospel.

worship buddies

guava fruit

plantains

my people

meat <3

fav color

neighbors

love him

amiga

peace

fall decorating

Friday, October 11, 2024

Little Ramblings: August Newsletter

Starting is the hardest part of anything. That's what I say to myself whenever I sit down to do my newsletters. Sometimes, there is nothing in my brain but still so much to say. So, for this moment I'll just start with the tears I had this morning. I looked back on pictures of my little brothers 2 years ago & got really emotional. There is so much I am missing from being in missions. I think that part sometimes isn't talked about enough. Yes, I'm in a foreign country, obeying God, & seeing Him moving in incredible ways. But, some days are hard. Obeying God isn't easy. Out of nowhere, my heart aches almost more than I can bear. I know I am still in the arms of the Father, but I miss my earthly Dad too. Meeting new people is wonderful, but I miss the people who know me inside & out. This feels so strange but I know it's a part of life.

On a different topic, I am doing good. This season has been so filled with growth both spiritually & physically. I love my job being in charge of the gardens. Recently, realized that we have a whole grove of banana trees. There are now 3 bunches of bananas that I am proudly growing. I'll put pictures of them below. I also have a guava, guanabana, papaya, & napal plum plant. It is genuinely so fun to reap the literal fruits of my labor.

Also, I had the opportunity to teach original design in the internship classroom earlier this month. I shared how God has uniquely given us different gifts, strengths, & gifts to use for the work of His kingdom. Additionally, if we are continually being recharged by the Holy Spirit, we can more easily pour into other people with the overflow of His love & truth. It was such a sweet time to answer questions & affirm what God was doing in fellow missionaries' lives. I've also had the privilege of pouring into 10-15 students who have been working in my department. We get to pray together every day & clean the base unto the LORD. They are growing so much!

As you read these updates, please pray for me. When you pray this month, please pray for boldness to share the gospel in all circumstances. I was recently reading Ephesians & chapter 6 verses 19-20 stood out to me. Paul is asking his community to pray for boldness to speak as he ought to. Paul, writer of much of the New Testament. Paul, the one who endured so much for the sake of the gospel. Paul, father of many early churches. He asked for boldness to share the mysteries of the gospel. In all that he did, he remained humble & asked for the simple strength of opening his mouth to give what he had. If we could only do the same, how much more would the life-giving gospel spread.

I know this newsletter was filled with ramblings but I want to end with gratitude. I am so thankful for all of you who pray for me & support me in more ways than you could imagine. I continually thank God for the community He has surrounded me with. Every one of you is a beautiful blessing. Thank you! Please enjoy these little glimpses of my life!

beach picnic

my Annalese is back!

healthy meals

teaching

my maz

roomies

Russian stuffed pepper

berry dessert

los estudiantes

bunch o' bananas

little grove

Minnesota

visiting my boyfriend

details

the conservatory

my buddies

😜

home

Sunday, August 4, 2024

Coming & Goings: July Newsletter

What a good & gracious God we serve! This month was filled with travel & lots of adjustments, but also with such sweet times with family, friends, and the LORD. As y'all know, I went home to Flagstaff for the first 2 weeks of July for vacations, time of rest, & reconnnection. It was exactly what I needed! I had so many coffee dates to talk with dear friends about our lives & what God was doing through the good & the bad. Honestly, I learned so much from listening. God was showing me how to lay down my own agenda & let Him lead. As I was talking with my friends, they gently convicted me on many things. Even though this time was for rest, God continued His sanctification process in me.

Every time I go home, God reminds me of how much of a blessing my family is. I had sweet times connecting with each one of them. My mom is someone I can go to for wisdom, love, & understanding. My dad & I love connecting over theology & discussing different opinions on the Bible & the world. And, with each of my brothers, I went on a brother-sister date. Now that I live in a different country, I hold onto these precious moments even more. These memories of playing in the rain, getting pizza, going shopping, fishing, and just eating meals together are what sustain me until the next trip when life gets a little hard & I miss the ones I love most.

Now that I am back in Mazatlan, I hit the ground running. With the start of a new quarter, there were many leadership tasks I had to catch up on. I trained people, made orders for supplies, & game-planned for the upcoming season. To be honest, it was a lot at first & I overwhelmed myself pretty quickly in the first week. However, after processing with some wise people, I figured out how to help myself in many practical ways. This past week was a lot better & I was able to get into the rhythm once again. I have a wonderful team & I am so expectant for how the LORD is moving in the coming weeks. Please keep me in your prayers!

Prayer requests:

rest & refreshment throughout the day so that I can better serve the people around me

comfort when I'm missing loved ones

wisdom in how to lead different personalities like Jesus

P.S. There are so many things I didn't include to save space, time, & mental energy lol. If you want to know more or have questions, please reach out!