dvcreel

“If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”

Exodus 33:15 NKJV

Nothing really matters in this world

Than your sweet presence Lord

All this world could offer would be meaningless;

Yes, we want Your goodness

But all these would mean nothing

If your presence does not go with us

We could have all the success and win all battles

But nothing really matters

If your presence does not go with us

Oh’ it’s so sweet when promises are fulfilled

But if your presence does not go with us

They won’t mean anything

It is your presence Lord

It is your sweet presence Lord

That my soul wants

It is Your presence Lord Jesus

That my heart longs for

Oh, if your presence does not go with us

Lord nothing really matters

Life would be empty and meaningless

If your presence is not with us.

Vicki Creel – 03.31.2019 , Alabama USA.

“If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”

Exodus 33:15 NKJV

Nothing really matters in this world

Than your sweet presence Lord

All this world could offer would be meaningless;

Yes, we want Your goodness

But all these would mean nothing

If your presence does not go with us

We could have all the success and win all battles

But nothing really matters

If your presence does not go with us

Oh’ it’s so sweet when promises are fulfilled

But if your presence does not go with us

They won’t mean anything

It is your presence Lord

It is your sweet presence Lord

That my soul wants

It is Your presence Lord Jesus

That my heart longs for

Oh, if your presence does not go with us

Lord nothing really matters

Life would be empty and meaningless

If your presence is not with us.

Vicki Creel – 03.31.2019 , Alabama USA.

Spring 2024 Home assignment

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 107:1 (NKJV)

From January 29 to April 20, 2024 we traveled from Southeast Asia to the Southeastern part of the United States of America and back, to visit some supporting churches.

We travelled thousands of miles by air and automobile. We thank the Lord for the strength He gave us for each journey. Here are some of the highlights of our Spring 2024 home assignment in the USA.

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Psalm 103:1 (NKJV)

11-Week Home Assignment

Week 1

We traveled around 12,000 miles from Phnom Penh to Singapore to San Francisco to Atlanta. We picked up a rental car in Jonesboro, GA. Thank you, Lord, for Macedonian Call of Georgia’s ministry of helping missionaries to have an affordable rental car. We drove to Pine Mountain to stay at a mission guest house. Thank you, Lord, for the Barretts.

On the weekend of Feb. 2-4, we participated in the Global Impact Celebration (GIC) of St. James Church in Athens, Georgia.

Week 2 – February 9-11

GIC at First Methodist Church of Tuscumbia, Alabama

Week 3 – February 18

We had a good visit and enjoyed our time at Guntersville First Methodist Church in Alabama as we shared ministry highlights in two church services.

Guntersville First Methodist Church, Alabama

Week 4/5

On February 24 to March 3, we participated in the Global Ministries Conference at Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama

Week 6: March 9/10

GIC at Hartselle First Methodist Church, Alabama

Refreshing the Soul

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake. Psalm 23:1-3 (NKJV)

Since our weekends were full and hectic with visiting churches, mission conferences, driving miles and miles, and talking with people, the Lord provided refreshment for our bodies and souls through visiting the FDR State Park in Pine Mountain, GA during weekdays.

On week 7/8/9, we had to take care of some medical issues and doctors visits. Thank the Lord for giving us His grace and strength to go through it.

On week 10, we were blessed to visit another supporting church in the Northeast.

On week 11, we went through another long journey as we traveled from Pine Mountain, to Atlanta, to San Francisco to Singapore, and finally to Phnom Penh.

We thank our Lord God for His faithfulness in providing us a vehicle to use, places to stay and for strength in the travels. We are grateful for the hospitality and generosity of those who hosted us. We thank our Lord also for the faithful support of our ministry partners and for friends and families who pray for us.

Precious Blood Sacrifice

Early one morning, I was lying in bed half-awake feeling sick. I got concerned with a new virus going around. I felt in my spirit the Lord spoke to me:

” Do you believe my words or the report (news)? Not many of my people know and understand the power of my precious blood. My blood is fully divine and fully human. Even though human, my blood is pure – the only perfect lamb sacrifice.”

In the ancient Jewish tradition as recorded in the Old Testament of the Bible, a lamb without blemish was required for a perfect sacrifice to atone for sins.

‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats, you are to offer a male without defect. ¹¹You are to slaughter it at the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. ¹²You are to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat, on the wood that is burning on the altar. ¹³You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of them and burn them on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. Leviticus 1:10-13 (NIV)

Because Jesus was conceived without sin, I felt that He said,

“Every drop of my blood is pure, perfect. I poured out my precious blood for you all.”

As we remember the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus this week, let’s remember what He has done for us on the cross.

Jesus gave His life, His body as a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus’s body was beaten severely, bruised, mocked, ridiculed, spat upon, and nailed to a cross because of His great love for you and me. Thus, Jesus fully understands human suffering, the pain of rejection, abandonment, betrayal, etc.

“Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
⁵But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
⁶We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53: 4-6 (NIV)

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 (NKJV)

All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13:8 (NKJV)

My Morning Star

My Morning Star

Jesus You are my bright and morning star

Who always leads and guides.

Whether through turbulent seas

Or through quiet and calm streams.

When the night is dark and gloomy

When dawn seems so far away

I know You are still with me

With Your steady hand

Guiding, leading, prodding

Showing me the way.

Jesus You are my bright and morning star

You are the way, the truth, and the life.

When dark clouds and storms come my way

I know the next day

You are with me to calm my day.

Jesus you are my bright and morning star.

To eternal bliss you are the only way.

I will be forever grateful to you,

From eternity past to eternity future

Jesus You are forever my bright and morning star.

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” Revelation 22:16 NKJV

Thank You Lord, For Christmas

Long time ago, an angel of the Lord spoke

“Behold the virgin shall be with child

And will bear a Son, and they shall

Call His name Immanuel God with us.”

Thank you, Lord, for Christmas

Long time ago, in the city of David

In a little town called Bethlehem

A Savior was born, who is Christ the Lord

Thank You, Lord, for Christmas

Thank You, Jesus, for coming

To save us from sins

Thank You, Jesus, for coming

As a Baby in a little manger

To save your people from sin

Thank You, Jesus, for coming

You are Immanuel, the God who is always with us

Thank You, Lord, for sending to us Your Son

For unto us a child is born

Unto us a Son is given

Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to us

Our Wonderful Counselor, You are the Mighty God

You are the Everlasting Father

You are the Prince of Peace

Glory to God in the highest!

Thank You, Lord, for Christmas

Thank you, Jesus, for bringing us peace,

And goodwill to all people.

Thank You, Lord, for Christmas!

Christmas is Emmanuel

“Behold the virgin shall be with child, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, God with us.” Matthew 1:23 (NKJV)

Reading: Matthew 1:18-25

How can we celebrate Christmas this year with all the unsettling and negative news reports from around the world such as violence, wars, sickness, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding, and other natural disasters? Sometimes doesn’t it feel like the world is coming to an end?

What about those who lost loved ones and are not looking forward to spending Christmas alone? Maybe some are struggling to make ends meet. How can they celebrate Christmas with all these challenges and difficulties?

When Jesus came and was born as a baby, the situation in Israel was no better; it was the worst of times. The tyranny of Roman rule was felt all over the world. People in Israel were oppressed by violence and over taxation. People were hopeless and desperate, and the religious leaders were certainly not helpful.

In the most desperate time of world history, baby Jesus was born. His parents Joseph and Mary did not have much so Baby Jesus was born in a humble feeding trough in a barn.

“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7 (NKJV)

However, God fulfilled His Word spoken by the prophet Isaiah, “Behold the virgin shall be with child, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, God with us.” (See Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23.)

During this Christmas season, no matter what is going on in the world, even if our personal situation or the economy is not looking good, let us remember the true message of Christmas.

Be of good cheer, for Jesus is “Emmanuel, God with us.” Since Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), Jesus is still Emmanuel. He is still with us in good times and in hard times. He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) and someday Jesus will come again, not as a baby in the manger, but as King of Kings.

In that day, the words of the Apostle Paul will be fulfilled when he said, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2: 10-11 (NKJV)

Then, the fulfillment of the words written by the Prophet Isaiah also came to pass,

“For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Someday we will all see, the reality of the second part of this Word;

“And the government will be upon His shoulder.

Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end. (Isaiah 9: 6-7)

That is why we sing, “ Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” (by Isaac Watts)

Grateful!

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. ” I Chronicles 16:34 NKJV

A nice cruise on the Mekong River with friends

First Thanksgiving Celebration in Mekong Land

Of course, thanksgiving is not an official holiday in Cambodia. Besides the USA, only a few countries have official Thanksgiving Celebrations in various dates such as Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Liberia. Others countries such as Brazil, Germany, the Philippines, and perhaps a few other countries celebrate Thanksgiving unofficially.

In the recent past, David and I celebrated Thanksgiving with a special meal with his sister’s family. The usual tradition is roasted turkey, dressing with cranberry sauce, some veggies, and pumpkin, or pecan pie. In America’s southeast region, casseroles are tradition for cooking vegetables, such as green beans or squash casseroles. They are delicious! When I joined David’s family, the Asian eggrolls became an addition to the Thanksgiving family get together. 🙂

This year, since we live in the Southeast, finding ingredients to make a traditional Thanksgiving meal was a challenge. First, dressed turkey or turkey meat is not easy to find. After a few weeks of looking, we were delighted to find one store in the city that sells frozen dressed turkey, imported from another country. However, the price is a bit high. (About $68). Later, we found out we can buy a rotisserie chicken in another store for five bucks! I thought I could cook some veggies and perhaps try to make a turkey dressing or stuffing. However, we could not find sage seasoning in any shops in the city. There are all kinds of cooking seasoning, but no sage. Then another ingredient we tried to look for was canned cranberry sauce. Again, no luck.

When our friends the Mayfields were planning to visit, I requested them to bring a can of cranberry sauce if they find something. And they did. They found a canned cranberry sauce while traveling in Bangkok. Sad to say, when they got to the airport to fly from Bangkok to Phnom Penh, the canned cranberry sauce was not allowed to board the plane. Perhaps it was considered liquid?

The week of Thanksgiving (Nov 19-25) was another hectic week. Besides friends’ visiting, David and I participated in a wedding event of a family member of one of the staff. Then couple of days later, was an engagement celebration/dinner. (Besides learning the language, we are still trying to understand the local’s culture, tradition and values).

On Thanksgiving day, sad to say, I was feeling sick. So, my plan to cook was thrown out the window. So, we ended up ordering Thanksgiving meal delivery from a restaurant. Thank the Lord at least 2 restaurants in the city offered a Thanksgiving meal set of roasted turkey or ham, some veggies, a bit of cranberry sauce and a slice of pumpkin pie! Thank you Lord!

Even though we missed families, we are grateful that we celebrated Thanksgiving with good friends, Martyn & Lynda.

(posted on December 05, 2023, while visiting Jakarta, Id.)

Philippians Study Guide

Study guide -Letter to the Philippians.

Free!

Readings: John 14:1-9; John 8:28-38; Matthew 11:25-30

When I was 14, I had many questions in life. I wrote a poem to express my heart and thoughts. In one of the stanzas, I wrote these words, “Who am I? What is the meaning of life? What is my purpose? What am I here for?”

Many questions flowed through my mind then, but I did not know where and how to find answers. Around that same time, a friend in school sent me a nice bookmark with a note, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NIV). So, more questions came to my young mind. “What is the truth?”

A couple of years later, life became more complicated. Due to a worsening economy, my father’s job was negatively impacted. I was about to graduate from high school and felt some anxieties and uncertainties about my future.

One night, I was walking home from school and feeling down. It was dark and quiet. I looked up and saw many stars. I whispered in the air, “God, where are you? If you are real, please help me.” Just before returning home, I ran into a neighbor who asked me to join a Bible study at her home. She had invited me in the past, but I had always made excuses. But that night, I was in a desperate situation and needed answers.

So, I came to the Bible study and sat down with a handful of other people. I listened to a young preacher talk about Jesus and some of His teachings. Though I did not understand much then about the lesson, just before he closed, he asked the question, “Would you like to receive Jesus in your heart?”

I raised my hand and found myself praying, “Yes Lord Jesus, I receive you in my heart…” I left the neighbor’s home and walked to my home feeling different. I looked up again to the sky with a big smile on my face. All fears, anxieties, and worries were gone! Joy and peace flooded my heart! All my questions did not matter anymore. I had Jesus. That’s all I needed.

Do you have questions about life and do not know where and how to find answers? Have you ever felt lost or confused? Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NKJV)

Jesus cares for you and wants you to know Him and be His friend.