Bring the rain

Rain. If you ask my outdoor vendor friends it is a washout of a weekend. Ask a farmer and they will say we really needed it. God brings the rain, and He tells us in the Word that He brings it for everyone. This morning, I am praising God for an event indoors that was only slightly down from last year with the rain. And Alegria's pop-up display and jewelry stayed dry and safe indoors. Thank you God for answering prayers I didn't even know to pray and for providing for our artisans this way.

As I sit on my couch typing this blog with a sleepy puppy next to me and raindrops on my window, I'm asking God to bring a downpour, thirst-quenching rain among our Joy Creators in July. I'm asking that a force will rise up in our hearts to shop and share in July in a way we never have before.  There are women who depend on us for their salaries. And there are so many more who need it. They are talented and want to work hard. They can have that opportunity when we choose to accessorize and gift in a way that moves our funds toward missions we believe in. We shop our heart and shop with purpose. And then even more, we share about Alegria in every way we can to bring more Joy-Creators into the mission with us. Every artisan needs about 200 customers to provide for her job in Honduras over the course of a year. 459 average orders in a year. That covers her salary, her office, the expenses of our operations in Honduras, the materials and tools for her work, the shipping and customs to get it to the US, packaging it, our office and staff (not me, I'm still just a volunteer), shipping it to customers, marketing, vendor fees, trade show fees, our website...but Joy Creators, I want you to know that we pinch every penny so that a huge portion of every dollar that comes in goes to wages. Our largest line item is wages. When you shop, you are directly impacting the salary of a woman working hard for her family in Honduras.

Can we get excited about that? Can we tell others about that? God is doing a huge thing in the hearts of His people in the US and reminding us that our calling is to help others as if we are helping the Lord himself. And the US women I have met and been able to share Alegria with have huge hearts for others who do not have our opportunities. A job is sustainable. This is why God is working this way for His daughters in Honduras. I'm praying today that God will:

1. Prompt my heart - show me where He needs me to put my time, talent and treasure. Where can I invest time in working for Alegria's artisans? Where can I best serve with the talents He has given me? Where does my personal income need to be invested in this kingdom work? How do I need to be a part of bringing the rain?
2. Prompt your heart - where can you get involved today with your time, talent and treasure? Where is He prompting you to be a part of bringing good rain on Alegria?
3. Bring in 200 new customers in July to provide for a new artisan in Honduras that is praying desperately for a job right now. Make it rain, Lord!

The word I keep hearing when I pray about July is 'Jubilee'! Freedom! Freedom from poverty, exploitation, the threat of trafficking for a new artisan in Honduras.

Will you pray with me for July Jubilee? Pray that God brings that life-giving rain on Alegria!  And then will you shop and share today as we have a pretty large gap in June and only 3 days left.  We won't meet budget for June without a miracle. But I serve a God who works miracles.