Still On The Journey...

"Your trip may be over, but a new journey has begun.

In fact, the second journey may be one of the primary reasons

why God called you to go on the first one."

~ Tim Dearborn ~

I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written

in your book before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand

—when I awake, I am still with you. ~Psalm 139:14-18 ~

When I contemplate the quote above along with these truths from God's Word, I am reminded of God's sovereign guidance in my life and His awesome love for me, and those two things are the most important to remember in all the choices, struggles and decisions of life.

I believe that I have struggled with this because I tend to focus on achieving the goal, and I don't always recognize what's taking place on the way to get there. During my 9 months of intensive language study, this was one of the biggest realizations - and it's one of those lessons that I will continue to learn because it applies to ALL areas of life. When I started studying Russian, I often wanted to be able to understand now and my teacher continually reminded me that the comprehension would come as I progressed step by step. I had to learn to rejoice in the process - no matter how slow it seemed - and to recognize what I was learning in the moment instead of looking ahead to what I though was most important.

Since coming back to Canada, I have realized that being able to adequately answer the "why" questions is not the most important thing; rather, it is to be able to identify what God has been and is still teaching me on this journey of following Him.

I started this blog sometime in the summer of 2014, a few months after returning home to Canada, and I did not finish it at that time. In the many months since, God has continually been showing me truths about Him and about myself and has been changing me from the inside out in various ways.

I want to share with you the life-transforming lessons I have been learning on my journey of knowing, loving and following my Lord, but they are too many for just one blog post.

So... I will be writing several entries over the next little while, and I hope that what I share from my heart will be an encouragement and maybe even a challenge for you as well.

Change is a Process...

You know the phrase: "Please be patient; God's not finished with me yet."

It usually gets pulled out and applied at moments when we feel we've really messed up or at times when we are painfully aware of our weakness and inadequacy. But it is not simply something to say in an awkward situation - it is a hopeful declaration.

I don't know about you, but I am EXTREMELY grateful that we have such a patient and gracious God - He NEVER gives up on us when we sin, miss the mark, disappoint Him, ourselves and others, or make any number of mistakes.

Because of Christ, when we accept His sacrifice for us on the cross and surrender our lives to Him, God the Father now sees us not as flawed human beings, but as precious children clothed in the righteousness of His Son, and He is constantly working in and through us to change us so that we reflect the image of Jesus and bring glory and praise to Himself.

But make no mistake...this is a PROCESS, and one that continues day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute.

I think of the beautiful allegory "Hinds' Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hurnard ... the Shepherd had promised Much-Afraid to bring her to the high places, to perfect her and to fulfil the deepest yearnings of her soul. But every time on the journey where the path seemed to lead away from the goal, Much-Afraid lost sight of the Shepherd's love and faithfulness and fell captive to her fear again. Then she would call out to the Shepherd and He would come immediately and patiently remind her that He would keep His promise. He asked her if she would she trust Him even though it didn't make sense? And then she would build an altar and make a sacrifice, picking up a stone to carry with her as a reminder of the lesson she had learned. It was only at the end of the journey that the stones were turned into precious jewels for a crown, and that she was ready to receive what the Shepherd had promised.

How like Much-Afraid I am sometimes! And how wonderfully patient and gracious is our Good Shepherd - He meets us right where we are at and, though He may discipline us to bring us to the point of surrender, He never condemns us for our weakness, but rather reminds us of His strength. Then He picks us up and sets us back on the path He has chosen for us, the path that will transform us and conform us to His perfect will.

I have been doing some soul-searching lately and have recognized some things in my heart and my life that need to be changed. I have been fighting a battle with my flesh and through Christ I know I will gain the victory, even though I'm not quite there yet. And today I had to face once again certain areas of weakness that affect my ability to effectively serve others.

It is not comfortable, but recognizing our failings and weaknesses is the starting point to move forward, to grow and change. I write this with tears in my eyes, but my heart is also hopeful because I know that God will never let go of me. As long as I seek Him, He will guide me and He will take me through the valleys when He knows there is a lesson there I need to learn, and I will eventually come out on the other side.

A little chorus we sang often when I was a child says this:

"Little by little, every day; little by little in every way,

my Jesus is changing me, He's changing me.

Since I made a turn-about face, I've been walking in His grace, my Jesus is changing me.

He lives in me - God's Holy Spirit - I'm not the same person that I used to be.

Sometimes it's slow going,

but there's a knowing that one day like Him I will be."

When we're in the midst of a refining fire, it's not pleasant. But God has promised to "take away our heart of stone and give us a new heart, a heart of flesh." He has promised to "complete the good work He started in us" until the day we come face to face with Jesus. And He has promised that we will find Him "when we seek Him with all our hearts."

I echo the words of the apostle Paul in Philippians 3: "...not that I have already achieved all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on towards the goal to take hold of the prize for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."

It's NOT easy to be still and wait for God.
It's NOT easy to admit when I'm wrong and to face my weaknesses.
It's NOT easy to face the reality that God's plan is not only different from, but better than my own.

But it's ALWAYS good and, if the desire of my heart is truly to please Him and to become more like Him every day, then it's WORTH IT!

And it's not going to happen because of my goals or my determination to succeed, but only as I humble myself before my LORD and allow Him to continue the process of refining me. And when my life brings forth fruit, ALL the praise and honour goes to Him.

All Through The Night

Normally when my head hits the pillow, I'm asleep for the night. It's rare that anything - even my often crazy dreams - interrupts my sleep. But early this morning, that's exactly what happened, and I knew the instant I awoke that something was not right.

Thankfully, I can't remember most of the nightmare - a few things still remain in my memory - but suffice to say that I awoke suddenly at about 3:00 am with my heart pounding heavily and a palpable sense of fear surrounding me. Although my eyes opened immediately and, although I could somewhat see my surroundings and I knew I was in my bed, it still felt a little like I was in the dream.

I knew I couldn't just go back to sleep - if I closed my eyes, I would be right back in the middle of it. So I just started quietly singing - with a quivering voice - the first worship song that came to mind. "Jesus, all for Jesus, all I am and have and ever hope to be..." By the time I had sung through the song, I had calmed a little but my heart was still pounding.

I continued singing, songs that focused on the name of Jesus, because I know that just saying His name has a powerful impact in these kind of situations. Once my heart was beating normally again, I began to pray aloud. I claimed the truth that God's Holy Spirit lives within me and was present right there in the room with me, and I thanked God for His strength, sovereignty, power, omniscience, and anything else I could think of. I prayed for protection over friends and family and asked for a covering of peace over me so that I could rest easily until it was time for me to get up. I read Psalm 121 in both English and Russian and sang quietly, "I lift my eyes up...to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from You, Maker of heaven, Creator of the earth..."

Finally, it felt like the darkness and oppression I had experienced in the dream had lifted and I could no longer keep my eyes open, so I prayed for God to watch over my mind and then I rolled over and immediately went back to sleep. I think I had probably been awake for about 40 minutes.

Praise the Lord, I slept peacefully until I got out of bed about 4 hours later! I don't even remember what thoughts went through my mind or if I dreamed anything after that point. But I was very conscious of the sweet, comforting presence of my Lord surrounding me. It was almost as though His arms were literally holding me as I slept.

I believe that what happened in the wee hours of this morning was a spiritual attack of the enemy. I don't know why or what precipitated it - but I could clearly sense a spirit of darkness in the dream and in the moments after I awoke. And I battled it as best I could with the power of prayer, worship and God's Word.

Ephesians 6:11-12 says this: "Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the devil's evil tricks. For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in this world; the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers of this dark age."

We know that our enemy will attack - but we often don't know when or how. So we must have our armor at the ready. The Spirit of God within me helped me to recognize what was really going on and I am so thankful for all the songs and Scripture I have memorized so that I did not have to think hard about where to begin to combat the darkness that was surrounding me.

Jesus Christ has won the victory over our enemy and through His blood and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can win every spiritual battle. I hate to have my sleep interrupted, but I am thankful that I woke up when I did and was able to find peace for my spirit again.

My closing thought is a remembrance of a little song my mom used to sing to us at bedtime when we were children - especially when we had trouble sleeping:

Jesus is with me all through the night,

Stays close beside me all through the night;

So I sleep safely till morning light;

Jesus is with me all through the night.

A Glimpse into God's Heart

I'm not a Bible scholar; what I'm about to share is not an exposition of this passage, just some thoughts that God gave me as I read from my Bible this morning. Quite some time ago, I embarked on a new Bible-reading journey. I know certain parts of the Bible quite well, so I didn't want to just read it in a year; I wanted to go deeper and really "glean" the important truths from it.

I wanted my reading of God's Word to become a search for treasures that I could hide in my heart and which would strengthen and encourage me in my relationship with Him. So I decided to start reading through the Bible, only reading one or two chapters at a time, meditating on them and journalling my thoughts and the things that God revealed to me as I did so. I have made many new discoveries and even in the stories most familiar to me, I have learned new things. God's Word is indeed "living and active," and has the power to change willing hearts.

But I have been stuck for the last little while in the book of Isaiah - especially chapters 15 and 16. This morning I read these chapters again, for probably the 4th time, and all of a sudden I saw what it was that God wanted me to understand from this passage!

Chapter 15 is mainly about the desolation that will come to the nation of Moab (judgment from Almighty God, I believe). It follows a chapter describing how God will have mercy on His people and how He deals with them according to His character, and I wondered initially why it was placed here. Verse 5 especially caught my attention when God says - through the prophet Isaiah - "My heart shall cry out for Moab..."

Why would God cry out for Moab? They were a neighboring nation to Israel, but not one that honored the Lord God, and their relations with God's chosen people were not exemplary. So I continued reading ... verse 4 of chapter 16 is interesting: God says, "Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler..." Why would God task Moab with being a refuge for His chosen people?

He goes on to talk about the one who will sit on the throne of David and judge in righteousness, and in verse 6 makes a bold statement about the pride and haughtiness of Moab. In verse 7 God declares that Moab will cry out for itself (which is to be expected - we humans are good at feeling sorry for ourselves), but the statement in verse 9 is what REALLY caught my attention.
"Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen."
Verse 10 describes how the gladness is taken away by God's judgment, and then again in verse 11, God says: "Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh."

The prophet Isaiah concludes the chapter by saying that God had spoken this previously about Moab, but now has a new message that soon Moab's glory will be completely gone and the remnant left will be very small and weak. As I meditated on this Scripture, God brought to mind a situation from my past that profoundly reveals the difference between my heart and his - which is what I believe He wanted me to understand in a fresh and new way today.

Although I know it is true, I often forget that love is part of judgment. When I was a child I was disciplined for the things I did wrong and it wasn't pleasant or painless, but I knew that my parents did it because they loved me and they wanted me to develop character. If they only ever punished me for wrongdoing, I would perhaps have viewed it more negatively, but they always affirmed that they were doing it because of their love for me. I also remember as a child sometimes being quite happy when my brothers were punished for their wrongdoing. What an awful attitude to have! I should have been saddened that they made that choice and should not have thought more highly of myself simply because I didn't.

I confess that I sometimes translate that thought process to God's judgment on wickedness: "Yay, they're getting what they deserve!" But from what I read in the Scriptures, that's not what God is like. In 2 Peter 3:9, the apostle Peter writes that "the Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance."

We know as believers and followers of Christ that we are loved in a way that we cannot fully comprehend - but I think we often forget (at least I do) that God loved us WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, just as much as He does now that we have chosen to follow Him. So why do we think that people in the world around us - yes, even the ones who do dreadful things - are any less valuable than we are to the One who created them?

In Isaiah 16 God declares through Isaiah the prophet that He is weeping and mourning over Moab's desolation. He HAD to punish them for their wickedness and the way they treated His chosen people, but I think I see now why this is here. It is to show me that God loves each person equally and would rejoice over the repentance of a wicked nation just as much as He rejoices over me when I choose to do what honours Him. What a compassionate, gracious, loving God!!

And we are commanded to be holy as He is holy. That means we must hate sin - ESPECIALLY our own sin - just as much as God does, but we must also seek to have a heart like His that looks upon people as a precious creation and loves them for their intrinsic worth in God's sight. We should rejoice when they follow God's will for their lives and mourn when they turn away, because we should desire as God does that "no one should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

I got a little glimpse into my heart - and God's - this morning, and it literally brought me to tears. Tears of joy that God loves me - and you - SO much that He would crucify His own son to make it possible for us to have a relationship with Him, but also SO much that He will weep over the punishment that is inevitable when we choose to sin against Him!

How high and how wide, how deep and how long,

how sweet and how strong is Your love!

How lavish Your grace, how faithful Your ways,

how great is Your love, O Lord!

Birth-and-Life-Day Celebration

When it comes to birthdays, I freely share my age and happily celebrate every year because for me, it's about celebrating the fact that I am alive and I have a birthday! God has been so good to me, and my birthday is just one special day that I can set aside to celebrate and appreciate the life that He has given me!

This year, I was sick with a cold on the actual day of my birth, and I wasn't able to celebrate with others also because it was the day before Ukrainian Christmas. I did have a nice relaxing day and was thankful for the kindness of many friends and family to remind me how much I am loved.

I spent the last week in the city of Kramatorsk, Ukraine, with a missionary friend, and we planned a little party to celebrate my birthday.

Step one: Preparing the decorations

I popped the only purple balloon in the package while blowing it up, but it was fine.

Step two: Setting the table...a "love"-ly theme

 

Nice candles and a pretty little rose decoration in the middle!

The birthday girl (and her talking hamster)!

 Step three: Just about ready to eat...

Kate (far right) is a friend I met last August who celebrated with us.

Me and Doreen, a dear friend who hosted me in her home for a week!

Delicious food - beet salad, rice and chicken casserole and pickled tomatoes!

My birthday cake was one of the best I've tasted in a long time!!

The chocolate candy in the bottom right corner was a gift from Kate - yummy!

Blowing out the candles on the cake...

Then, while drinking coffee and eating chocolate, we watched the first 2 hrs of ...

Anne of Green Gables - the Sequel!

Fellowship with friends, great food, and my favourite movie...

It was a special party - just enough to help me celebrate and remember how very blessed I am!

Dear God, Thank You...

Dear God,
Thank You for 2013.

Thank You for always being faithful to me, even when I was not, for forgiving me and helping me back up when I failed, and for blessing me in ways far beyond what I expected or even deserved.

Thank You for listening and understanding the needs of my heart, and for giving me friends who have been there to encourage and strengthen me when I needed it most. Thank You for using me even when I felt insignificant and weak and I didn't know what to do, and for giving me the ability to see the people and situations around me through Your eyes.

Thank You for being God, and for the assurance that You have everything in control. I am comforted to know that nothing happens in my life or in this world that You don't know, and that You are working out Your good plan, even though in my inadequate understanding it sometimes seems otherwise.

Thank You that my life is in your hands - and the lives of all those who are dear to me - and that I can trust You and have peace. Thank You for giving me faith to believe You and for giving me the ability to communicate that to others, both through my life and through the talent of writing You have given me.

Thank You for joy that cannot be explained.
Thank You for Your constant presence with me, and for keeping me strong. Thank You for the convenience of the internet, which makes it possible for me to keep in touch with those I love who are far away. And thank You for helping me not to feel lonely.

Thank You for giving me the intellect and memory to learn and be able to communicate in a new language - one that was completely foreign to me and is very difficult. I know that any progress I have made and will continue to make is only because of Your grace in my life.

Thank You for the confidence to face this new year - 2014 - and whatever changes it will bring, knowing that You have known it from the beginning of time and that everything is in Your hands.

Thank You for giving me opportunity to glorify and praise You, in my home, in my church, with my family and friends, in ministry, and in this country not of my physical birth, but where You have placed me to be an instrument of Your grace to the people around me.

How can I keep from singing Your praise? How could I ever say enough, how amazing is Your love? How can I keep from shouting Your name? I know I am loved by the King, and it makes my heart want to sing!

I love You and I commit my heart and life again to You as I begin this new year, confident that You will continue the good work You started in me, and that in both the good times and the bad You will always be walking right beside me.

Your willing servant and precious daughter,
Darlene Joy

ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 12

DEC. 24 - (Милость Божья)
The focus of today's meditation was on the reason why Jesus Christ appeared to us -- and that reason was to save us from sin - to set us free from the bondage that keeps us in sin and to be an advocate for us with the Father.

I chose these verses - Titus 2:11-14 -- For the grace of God has appeared which offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.

This is a long passage; I chose it because it not only talks about why Jesus came the first time, but also because it declares that Jesus is coming again. Advent is preparation for our celebration of Christ's first coming, but also a time of remembering and preparing our hearts for His second coming.

DEC. 25 - (Подарки от Бога)
Today's meditation was kind of like a summary of the three main gifts that Christ gives to us through His incarnation.

1) Цель жизни (Purpose for living) - 1 John 3:23 -- And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He has commanded us.
2) Надежда в прощение (Hope in forgiveness) - 1 John 1:9 -- If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3) Помощь (Help) - 1 John 4:4 -- You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one that is in the world.

There are no greater gifts that we could receive -- let's give thanks to God together!!

Merry Christmas!!

Here is the finished wall decoration -- I think I will leave it up for awhile as a reminder of the truths that I have hidden in my heart and also because it's pretty!!

ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 11

DEC. 22 - (Вера)
Today's meditation was on belief. How often we can get caught up in a really good story or movie and sometimes even live vicariously through it, but how easy it is for us to simply read the words of Scripture and pass over them without realizing the significance they hold.

I chose to memorize this verse today - John 20:31 -- But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.

We know what the Scriptures say, but do we really believe Jesus is who He says He is? If we do, then that should be reflected in the way we live our lives. As I have meditated on Scripture this month in anticipation of celebrating His birth...and anticipating His second coming...I have come to a deeper appreciation and understanding of who He really is and it has strengthened my belief in Him. And that is the best Christmas gift!

DEC. 23 - (Радость)
Today's theme for meditation was a reminder that our focus at Christmas should be to rejoice in the fact that Jesus Christ has come to be our Savior.

I chose to memorize a couple of verses from Mary's song - Luke 1:46b-48a (1:47-48a in Russian) -- "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant."

This is one thing that does not change, and so whether I feel lonely or events at Christmas are not what I had hoped they would be, I can - and must - still choose to rejoice in who Christ is and the purpose He came to accomplish in my life.

ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 10

DEC. 20 - (Единство)
Today's devotional thought is on the theme of solidarity - unity of purpose. Although we have received freedom in Christ, our enemy will continue to try and turn us away from that, and we must be prepared and stand firm in the truth.

I chose to memorize these verses: Philippians 1:27-28a -- Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.

The world is watching us - so at Christmas and every other day throughout the year we need to stand united as Christ's followers, confident in Him, sure of our freedom, and eager to share the gospel with others around us.

DEC. 21 - (Воплощение Бога)
Today's meditation was about why Christ's birth is so miraculously different than any other. Because Christ has existed forever, His birth was an incarnation. He already existed, yet He took on the form of His creation.

I chose Isaiah 43:10-13 -- "You are My witnesses," declares the Lord, "and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from Me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed - I, and not some foreign god among you. You are My witnesses," declares the Lord, "that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am He. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?"

There is no other god, and no one who can do what God did. This is what we celebrate at Christmas - God becoming human in order to save us and bring us into relationship with Him. What a miracle!

ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 9

DEC. 18 - (Доверие)
Today's meditation focused on the reality that as followers of Christ, we will experience the same difficulties that He faced in His earthly ministry. Fulfilling the mission of sharing the gospel with people in our broken world is not an easy task, but the result is not up to us -- and that gives us hope.

I chose these verses today - Psalm 18:29-31 (17:30-32 in the Russian Bible) -- For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?

Our hope comes from knowing that God is in control and His way is perfect. If we trust in Him - in His mercy and grace - then we can persevere through any difficulty AND He will use us to accomplish the missionary work that He has given to each one of us. But we must trust only in Him.

DEC. 19 - (Освобождение)
Today's devotional thought centered on the fact that Jesus Christ came to set us free -- but not necessarily in the way we sometimes think about it. The freedom that He provides to us is described in the following verses that I chose to memorize:

Hebrews 2:14-15 -- Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

For those of us who believe in Jesus Christ, who have accepted His salvation, death no longer has power over us. We do not have to fear death because of the victory that Christ won for us through His death on the cross! And if we understand this truth, we don't have to fear anything else either!

ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 8

DEC. 16 - (Страдание)
Today's meditational thought was about how we look at what Jesus came to earth to accomplish. From our human perspective, Jesus' death often seems like the opposite to what should have happened. That's the amazing thing about the way God works. He is masterful at using what seems to be bad to bring about good for us - and He has told us that we will suffer on this earth. But we can be sure of this: that as His children, He will use our suffering for our good and for His glory, just as He did through Christ's sacrifice for us.

I chose these verses for today - Romans 8:17-18 -- ...and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we also may be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

May we, not only at Christmas, but every day throughout the year, ask God for the grace to endure suffering with gratitude and praise to Him, because we know that He is using it to accomplish His excellent purposes in our lives and to bring about a glory that we could never imagine!

DEC. 17 - (Спасение)
Today's meditation was about salvation. Christ came for this purpose, to provide salvation and reconcile sinful mankind to God through His death on the cross.

I chose these verses for today - Romans 5:8-10 -- But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved through His life.

Such an incredibly great gift, this salvation!! And it was forever and unequivocally accomplished for us on the cross when Christ died. If we believe and accept that, we are saved from wrath. But the story doesn't end there -- because Christ rose, we are also being saved through His life! What an amazing God, that He would choose to show His love to sinful people in this way! That ALONE is the reason we sing songs of joy and hope at Christmas.

ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 7

DEC. 14 - (Преображение)
Today the devotional meditation highlighted the result of our new reality...Jesus's work is to change and transform us so that we become more like Him.

I chose this verse to memorize for today - 2 Corinthians 3:18 -- But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

We can be assured that this transformation is indeed taking place, and this should cause us to rejoice!



DEC. 15 - (Жизнь и смерть)
Today's devotional was focused on the reality of death and life and how that relates to what we celebrate at Christmas. Jesus Christ came in order to die - but His death was what made it possible for us to have eternal life.

I chose these verses to memorize - John 11:25-26 -- Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, even though he dies, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die."

Death is a part of the reality of our life on earth, and it sometimes comes when we least desire it. But the hope of Christmas is that those who believe on Jesus Christ - who we are celebrating - will live again. Death has been defeated by life!

ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 6

DEC. 12 - (Нет тени)
Today's meditation was about how, in coming to earth, Jesus has dispelled shadows and has fulfilled all that was spoken about Him. Although there are some things we still don't understand, Jesus has Himself revealed God to us and made it possible for us to know Him. Those who believe are no longer hindered by darkness and shadows, but are now walking in the light of His presence.

I chose these verses for today - John 12:45-46 -- "The one who looks at Me is seeing the One who sent Me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness."

This is the hope that Christmas brings - believing in Jesus removes us from the darkness and shadows of this world and brings us into the light of His presence and fellowship with God. Amazing!

DEC. 13 - (Реальность)
Today's meditation followed up with yesterday's theme - now that the shadows are gone, we have a new reality. It is not something that just happened then - Jesus is in the very presence of God right now, interceding and working on our behalf.

I chose to memorize today's theme verses - Hebrews 8:1-2 -- Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord erected, and not man.

What an incredible reality this is for us!! And it should change the way we live day to day.

ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 5

DEC. 10 - (Сокровище)
Today's meditation talked about the gifts that the magi brought when they came to see Jesus. The point of the gifts was nothing other than worship.

 I chose to memorize the theme verse for today's Advent reading - Matthew 2:11 -- On coming to the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Christmas is about Jesus - and He is not only the greatest gift, but our greatest treasure. Let's allow our giving this Christmas and through the year demonstrate that this truth is settled in our hearts.

DEC. 11 - (Причина)
Today's meditation focused on the ultimate reason that Jesus came to earth -- to die for us on the cross, thereby saving us from sin and eternal separation from God, setting us free from fear of death and bringing us into the family of God.

I chose to memorize John 3:16-17 -- For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that anyone who believes in Him will not die, but will have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

This is the message of Christmas!

ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 4

DEC. 8 - WORSHIP (Поклонение)
What do we meditate most on at Christmas? The appearance of angels or a miraculous star that we cannot understand? Our focus should be on Jesus Christ and giving Him the worship He deserves. Today's meditation emphasized that the purpose for the Bethlehem star was to bring the magi to Jesus in order to worship Him.

I chose a verse and a short passage today - John 4:24 -- "God is Spirit, and His worshippers must worship Him in spirit and in truth," and Philippians 2:9-11 -- "Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Anything miraculous that happens in our lives should bring us to the place of worship, because that is God's desire for us. God is worthy of our worship and He can use anything or anyone He has created to achieve that purpose - a star, a natural disaster, a godless leader, or pagan astrologers. Let us not get so caught up in the wonders of Christmas that we forget to worship the One who is called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

DEC. 9 - PERSEVERANCE (Упорство)
Today's devotional meditation continued with yesterday's theme, in light of the opposition that true worshippers of Jesus face. Since Jesus faced opposition, we will too if we declare our faith in Him, and we must make a decision about what we will do when opposition comes.

I chose two familiar verses about this - Hebrews 12:2-3 -- "...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

In Christ we have the victory! Therefore we must persevere in our faith especially when we face trials and suffering, because the One we trust in and worship is worthy.

ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 3

DEC. 5 - FOCUS (Фокус)
Today's meditation focused on how the reason for Jesus' coming to earth impacted the way that He came. God in His sovereignty *could have* orchestrated the events of Jesus' birth differently, but that would have changed the course of everything. There was a specific plan for Jesus to fulfill on earth and a specific way for that to happen. Jesus was focused on fulfilling the Father's will.

 I chose to memorize Matthew 20:27-28 -- "And whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."

Dying on the cross, giving His life as a ransom for sinful people whom He loved -- this was the reason Jesus came. And He followed the path that God His Father had laid out for Him to accomplish this purpose, no matter how difficult it was. In the same way that Jesus did, I must be focused on the goal that God has for my life -- to be transformed to the image of His Son -- and recognize that every step along the way has been ordained by my loving heavenly Father to accomplish that goal.

DEC. 6 - PEACE (Мир)
Today's meditation was about peace. One of the most oft-quoted verses at Christmastime is the proclamation of the angels: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among those with whom He is pleased." The last part of this verse is the important part.

I chose these verses for today. Romans 5:1-2 -- "Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."

The only way to truly know God's peace is by being reconciled to Him through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus came to make this peace available to us -- and that's what we celebrate at Christmas.

DEC. 7 - ONE MESSIAH (Одна Миссия)
The theme of today's meditation was how Jesus is a Messiah for everyone. The salvation provided through Jesus' death on the cross is available to everyone - no matter what nationality, what family history, what life challenges - to everyone who believes in Him.

I chose the words of Simeon in Luke 2:30-32 -- "For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You prepared in the presence of all peoples, a 'Light of revelation to the Gentiles,' and the glory of Your people Israel."

We also must recognize that the birth of Christ was the revelation of God's salvation plan for ALL people, and we must continue to proclaim this truth to a world that is in need of the one and only Messiah who can save them from their sins.

ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 2

DEC. 3 - VISITATION (Посещение)
Today's meditation was about the fulfillment of a hope. Jesus' birth had been prophesied hundreds of years earlier and it was an event that everyone was eagerly anticipating, but it was not only different than what they had expected - it was more.

I chose John 1:14-18 -- "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and he cried out, saying, "This is the One I spoke about when I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me, because He was before me.'" From Him we have all received one grace after another. The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and who is in close relationship with the Father, has made Him known."

I couldn't just choose one or two verses, because they didn't give the complete picture. Verse 14 talks about God coming to "visit" us in the person of Jesus Christ, but verses 15 to 18 explain who He is and what He came to do. And so I ask myself, as I meditate on Christ this season, what do I anticipate Him doing in my life? How do I see Him? And how do I live out the realization that He indeed dwells with me and shows me who God is?

DEC. 4 - GREATNESS (Величие)
Today's meditation contemplated God's greatness in light of how insignificant we often feel. What we are ultimately celebrating at Christmas is the advent of God's redemption plan - our Great Creator God making Himself like His creation in order to reconcile them to Himself. And God chooses to use the lowly and unexpected to accomplish His plan so that His greatness is magnified.

I chose Isaiah 57:15 -- For thus says the high and lofty One, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite."  And also Micah 5:2, 4 -- "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me One who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times." He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will live securely, for then His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.

God often chooses to reveal Himself through weakness and lowliness so that we can better understand how great and awesome He is -- the focus is always Him, and never us. But we shouldn't feel insignificant either, because the fact that He chooses to use us is a demonstration of His great love for us.

ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 1

I love to anticipate special events, so I get excited about Advent! But I want it to be more than just the four weeks leading up to Christmas - I want to really set aside this time to draw near to the heart of God so that the celebration of this wonderful event becomes even more meaningful.

In his Advent devotional book "Good News of Great Joy" John Piper writes,
This is what Jesus prays for us this Christmas: "Father, show them My glory and give them the very delight in Me that You have in Me." Oh, may we see Christ with the eyes of God and savour Christ with the heart of God. That is the essence of heaven. That is the gift Christ came to purchase for sinners at the cost of His death in our place.

So I have made a plan that I will be following for the next 24 days - and I want to share it with you because I'm so excited about it and also so that it will encourage you as you prepare for Christmas!

Based on the daily devotional reading from "Good News of Great Joy" I will choose one or more Scripture verses to memorize in Russian. As I memorize the Scriptures, I will also be creating a paper snowflake, which I will use to decorate the wall in my living room along with the verses as a visual reminder of what Advent - and Christmas - means to me.

DEC. 1 - PREPARATION (Подготовление)
Today's meditation was about spiritual preparation - to realize anew how much I am in need of a Saviour and to be spiritually prepared for the work God wants to do in my heart.

 I chose to memorize Malachi 3:1-2 -- "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple, and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight; behold he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of His coming, and who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap."

To be really prepared for Christ's coming, I must have an accurate view of who He is. Like a refiner's fire, He is the One who can cleanse my heart and soul, ready to welcome Him - my Lord.

DEC. 2 - MAGNIFICENCE (Великолепие)
Today's meditation focused on the attitude of humility of Mary when she came face to face with the awesomeness of God. I must have an attitude of both humility and gratitude, recognizing that I am not worthy of God's grace, but rejoicing in the fact that He chose to reveal Himself to me in such an incredible way.

I chose to memorize Psalm 34:2-3 (33:3-4 in the Russian Bible) -- "My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together."

When I have the proper perspective of who I am and who God is, then I can truly exalt and praise Him for all that He has done in my life.

Encouraging Moments

Hello again!!
I've been very occupied with a special writing project during the month of November, which is why I haven't posted anything on my blog in the last 4 weeks!

Near the beginning of November, a couple of people from Canada came for a visit - Isaac had been here last summer on a short-term mission trip, so it was a time of reconnecting for him with the missionaries and the kids...and this time he brought his girlfriend, Carla, with him. (I've borrowed the picture below from their Facebook.)

While here, Isaac began leading us in a devotional study through the book of Romans, which was very encouraging. It was not new information for me, but he has an engaging way of speaking, and hearing his thoughts and point of view gave me some new insights.

It was fun to help them interact with the kids and I learned the Russian word for beard (to describe Isaac's most obvious feature): борода.

On Sunday afternoons, we go to the Rehab Center to spend some time with the kids there. Two weeks ago, I became acquainted with a 12-year-old girl named Lera. (I don't have a picture of her.) She pulled a book out of the bookshelf and started showing me the pictures and explaining them. Because the book is written entirely in Ukrainian and I don't understand it, she was translating it into Russian for me.

This Sunday, we sat on the couch and continued looking at the book together. But the exciting moment came when Curtis began sharing the story about Zechariah's 9 months of silence before the birth of John the Baptist. Lera knew the whole story and was so excited to help Curtis tell it to everyone! When I asked her who had taught her from the Bible, she told me she taught herself, that she likes to read the Bible. WOW! At the end, when I said goodbye, I told her I would pray for her, and she said that she would pray for me too.

These are just a couple of stories -- it is SO thrilling to see God at work in the lives of these precious children -- and I will share more in my upcoming newsletter!!

Жизнь в чужой стране ~ Life in a foreign country

To give you a glimpse of what it's like to live in a foreign country...

Just a little over a week ago, I was in Dnepropetrovsk with Victor Dantsev to sign for my Ukrainian temporary residence permit. At the bus station I gave some money to the driver to get on the minibus for the 2-hour drive back to Krivoy Rog. Instead of giving me my change, he told me that I had not given him any money. I told him that I HAD given him 50 UAH, but he insisted that I hadn't and said that I had "deceived" him. I was upset, but I needed to get on the bus, so I handed him ANOTHER bill, he gave me the change and I took my seat.

I fumed in my head during the trip home, irritated that I had been taken advantage of and had to pay twice for my seat on the bus - EVEN THOUGH it was only the equivalent of about $6! But by the time I arrived, I realized that it wasn't worth being upset about and that there are far worse situations.

I'm still not sure why the driver did that, but maybe he thought I was a rich foreigner or something ... oh well, I will probably never understand, but it's not important.

On a side note, I now have an official Ukrainian ID that looks very much like a passport, which should make purchasing train tickets and some other things easier.

A lack of understanding also goes with the territory...

The other day we were at a facility that used to be a rehab center with a program to help street kids, orphans and kids from troubled homes. It's more now of a transitional home where they can stay while the directors try to find foster homes for them. We did a little program there and then played with the kids for awhile.

At one point I had a little guy named Женя (Zhenya) sitting in my lap and he must have tried about 3 times to tell me something, but I didn't understand the words he was saying and I finally had to say, "I'm sorry, I don't understand." Извини, я не понимаю.

It didn't bother him too much, and we just carried on. It's a process and it is getting better, but there will still be times when I don't know what's going on...that's just part of life in a foreign country!