We Give Thanks!

Last month our Girasol Leadership team gathered for a planning retreat for the upcoming year. We discussed Christmas outreach and lots of other fun topics that we often don’t have enough time to discuss in depth. One of the other things we did was to share our praises and gratitude for all we have seen the Lord do in the past year or so.

The ministry we do can often be slow. Change happens, but rarely quickly. Giving thanks to the Lord for all the ways He has and continues to provide matters, so we shared with each other, in order to encourage one another, and we thanked the Lord for His faithfulness to us.

Below we want to share with you some of the things we thank the Father for during this new year.

1. We are thankful for you! Those who read this blog, support this ministry, pray for us, and enable us love well the women the Lord has and continues to bring to both Girasol Outreach and Amanecer Jewelry.
2. We are thankful for our amazing team. Both the leadership team and the volunteer team at the outreach center. We have so many people around us, supporting the work by giving of their time and believing in the ministry of Girasol. We could not do it alone and praise Jesus for bringing a team. We are thankful for the community we have been able to develop amongst our team and the way they pray for and love one another!
3. We are thankful for the growth and change we see in the women we are investing in. We have been blown away to see the way one of the women we met downtown now attends church, works with us at Amanecer, and is seeing restoration in her family, and finding joy in being used by Jesus!
4. We are thankful for Birthday Celebrations downtown with the women and one of our volunteers who shops for gifts for the women every month.
5. We are thankful for crafts and creativity and the way God uses them to serve and encourage the women we minister to and a volunteer who finds joy in preparing crafts and activities for the women.
6. We are thankful for financial provision, being able to pay our rent and bills and have the funds to provide meals and a place to fellowship with the women.
7. We are thankful for jewelry sales and the ability to pay salaries and provide dignified work.
8. We are thankful for the prayer warriors who battle in prayer for our team and the women we reach out to.
9. We are thankful for the way being a part of this ministry has taught us more about the Father’s deep love for others and for ourselves and how much we receive as we love others
10. We are thankful for the Christmas season and the opportunities it gives us to love women and even to participate for the first time in an outreach in a new town about 45 minutes away. And we are thankful to those who give financially to enable us to be able to give gifts, food, and tamales this Christmas season.