Resting

2016 was a burn out year. Sacrifice proceeds success and boy were we successful! Mission trip, fundraisers, new members, interviews, national recognition, global contributions and a stellar fashion show... we were certainly busy! (Praise God!)

But, what comes up, must come down. And as we are entering this new year of 2017, The Lord, in His gentle way, has given us a new and fresh vision for this year: Rest.

In our busy and ever moving society, we tend to see this word, "rest", as a lazy term. To rest means to pause, to not do, to wait. We get anxious in the waiting and restless in the resting, but sometimes, that is the most dire state of being in order to hear more clearly from the Lord.

"Be still and know that I am God"! ~ Psalm 48:10

To know means to trust, to place one's belief in and to have confidence in. In our resting, we can have confidence that God is preparing our hearts for something great that only He can give. But we cannot expect to receive that vision if we are always busy.

Last year, was certainly full of success for us and no doubt, this year will be also. But success requires following the Lord (Proverbs 2:7). He is our guide to do what is right and fruitful. His voice is required to make sure we are following the paths to prosperity that He has purposed for us. And so, as we wait patiently on the Lord, we will be taking a look inwardly this year- focusing on our inner man, our personal relationships with God and with each other. We will be seeking the Lord for His voice, for His instruction and for His blessings and for the opportunities that He has in store for us.

I think we all need a good rest from time to time. We all need a little "me" time and we all need a lot of "God" time. When we spend ourselves on Him and place ourselves in dependency to know His desires and follow His instructions, we will not need to worry about the outcome. 

More of God and less of us!

Happy New Year to you all!

-Katrina McCain + Pearls of Hope

Fashion and Compassion

As we approach the date of our first, community wide fundraiser, we must say thank you to a very special organization that has truly been a blessing to us. Fashion & Compassion, a non-profit, jewelry & accessories brand is located in Charlotte, NC. They were so kind as to invite us to host a collaborative "Jewelry Party", to help us raise money and spread the word about our Fashion Beyond Borders Fundraiser!!

Fashion & Compassion seeks to fulfill their mission by connecting caring consumers with vulnerable artisans to bring dignity through economic empowerment.Their hope and goal is to provide dignified jobs to women in vulnerable communities around the world. In addition to providing employment, they also donate ALL net proceeds to Ministry Partners, to further meet the needs of he communities they serve. Such communities include the U.S., Uganda, Sudan, Honduras, Ecuador and Ethiopia!

Today was a day of inspiration, prayer and encouragement! Thank you, truly, to Celeste and the Fashion&Compassion team for sharing your story and your space with us! Your encouragement has meant to much and we truly pray for another opportunity to share with you in the near future! If you are ever in Charlotte, please stop by and meet these beautiful women who empower other women, one life at a time! "Share and Do Good"!

Shine Your Light!

Ok...First, let's start out by screaming a very hearty...  

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!! 

I realize we are late... and many apologies for that. Most of the girls, including myself, had various festivities to engage in, as many of you did, I'm sure.

Did you enjoy the festivals, the cookouts and the crowds? What about the heat waves, the music and the pool? And did I mention the fireworks? How were those? Did they still captivate your attention and leave you with stars in your eyes, like when you were younger?
During my celebrations, I couldn't help but notice the looks on the faces of strangers, as they held their heads back to in full view of the sky, and I caught myself doing the exact same thing! What is it about those fireworks that always causes us to hold our breath with anticipation? It never fails: one color, on explosion one effect after another, calls crowds and crowds of people, young and old, to stop and stare and abandon themselves for even just a few moments. Nothing is so important, during a fireworks display. The "rat race" seems to quiet down, people are filled with a sigh of relief, hope, love, joy, appreciation, even tears can creep up in someone's eyes. It's so magical and awe-inspiring, and I'm left to think... "wow, that's how the world should feel whenever they find themselves around me!".

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus declares that we are the light of the world. In other words, our lives are most definitely on display and should be lived in such a way that we draw attention to our God. My love for others should be neon! My patience and kindness should rocket across the room! My worship and humble spirit should ricochet from within me and God's truth should be splattered across my life for the world to see!

What about you? Consider your life... does the world see Jesus when they see you? Does the world hear Jesus when they talk to you? Can they see exciting, neon outbursts of giving or joy or compassion in your life?  If not, this week would be perfect to allow the Holy Spirit to do mighty works within you. Just ask Him with confidence, because that's exactly what He wants to do! Jesus saved you to put you on display for His glory! The whole world is just standing around, looking and waiting for a fireworks display in me and you... let's give them the best show ever and in the process, God will get all the glory and the praise!!!!

Love and Shine!
~Pearls