God's small still voice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I guess it was back in the beginning of 2011, when I listened to a small quiet voice that inspired me to sell my jewelry to help pay for my mission trip. 

 

 

Let’s skip forward to the present…..Now, I’m not only funding my mission trips (make it a double trip), but will have enough money………………………………………………………………………wait for it………………………………….

 

 

 

TO BUILD 4 HOUSES!!!!!  GOD IS GOOD!!  I’m not ashamed to say, I’ve been blessed!!!  We will talk about that phrase later. (Apparently, there are some of have a problem with that and I don’t understand why!

 

 

How did I do it?  Well first of all, I never directly ask people for money. (That amazes me too!)  I have saved all year.  I have sold jewelry to friends and co-workers.  I have also sold jewelry at the Clarksville Downtown Market.  I have had two Zumba events and one yoga event.  I had a Thirty-One party and have had many generous donations!!!
 
Two of the homes will be built in memory of Scott Sander.  Many of his friends and family gave generously to honor his memory and his passion for those who were poor and unfortunate.  His wife, Kariny Sander, graciously hosted a very successful Zumbathon(r) and we spent Memorial Day honoring his memory!I'm also very proud of my son 27 year old son, Lucas Johnson, who wants to fund a house!!!!








 

 

It has been a blessing and an honor to do this. I can without a doubt say that GOD HAS BLESSED ME IN THIS EFFORT!!

 

I know this is a very general blog, but I know people today don’t want to spend too much time reading, so let me know if you have any questions.  It’s been a long time since I have posted to my blog, so I wanted to update you on my work.  I leave on June 22, so be sure and keep up with me while I’m gone.  I promise to share lots of pictures!!!

 

Xoxo

PJ

Pics from the surreal city of Venice

From the moment we arrived to the city in a water taxi. (basically what we would call a ski boat), the city of Venice is surreal and hypnotic.  We spent our last two days of our Italian vacation in Venice and it was amazing.

We were fortunate to stay in a lovely hotel right off St. Mark's Square.  St. Mark's Square is the piazza in front on St. Mark's Basilica.  A church becomes a basilica when a saint is buried in it.  According to the Venetians and our tour guide, the body of St. Mark is buried inside the church! 

Our first day in Venice was spent going on a tour of the Doge's  (Duke" Palace built in the 1400s, as well as the connecting Bridge of Sighs (the bridge connecting the prisons of the palace to the place where the prisoners met their sentence.   We also visited and shopped in a store famous for their handmade glass.

Prisons & Bridge of Sighs

I almost forgot.....we went on a gondola ride at sunset!

We were serenaded!!

Venice was famous for their masquerades.

Our last day, my birthday, many of us took a trip to the neighboring island of Burano, which is famous for their handmade lace.  It was a gorgeous town where all of the buildings were painted in bright colors.  We shopped and had a delicious seafood lunch of many, many courses, some of which were risotto with shrimp and spaghetti with clams.  It was all wonderful and an amazing way to spend my birthday.

Taking a ferry to Burano

We went past other mall islands.

Other towers lean here!

Can you tell what this is?!!

We ended the evening with farewell drinks (or ice cream) on the square.  Normally it cost a fortune to sit on the square, but this was Globus' gift to us!  My mom and I agreed that we had a wonderful time and we met lots of wonderful people.  We had made it an early night because we had to take the water taxi back to the mainland by 6:00 am in the morning.

ciao bella città! Spero di rivederti!