In The Secret, Quiet Place...

There's a beautiful worship song that goes like this:

In the secret, in the quiet place,

In the stillness You are there.

In the secret, in the quiet hour I wait,

Only for You, 'cause I want to know You more.

I want to know You, I want to hear Your voice,

I want to know You more.

I want to touch You, I want to see Your face,

I want to know You more.

Over the past week, I have rediscovered the gift of stillness and quietness, and just "being" in the presence of God. Worshipping God in quietness, without words, is beautiful and renewing for the spirit. And sometimes, might I dare say, it is easier to recognize God's presence and see His many blessings when our goal is just to "be" with Him.

Last week I was out in the country at a summer camp facility for the kids of #9 orphanage along with several members of our team, and I woke earlier than the rest of them. It was a beautiful morning and I took my Bible out to the porch and sat there reading for a little while. Every now and then, I would stop and just listen to the birds singing or the breeze blowing through the trees. A couple of the teenagers walked by and greeted me, and asked me what I was doing. I didn't have a response, because I was just "being". I was enjoying the stillness and the presence of God as He ministered to my spirit.

I need to do this more often - because I believe that it is in the quiet that we get to know God in a way we can't when we are busy with other activities. Don't misunderstand me - God reveals Himself to us all the time in different ways, and there are places and times for all kinds of worship, including voicing praise and prayer requests, singing, or whatever else is on our hearts. But He calls us also to come away and be alone with Him like Jesus did when He found a solitary place to commune with His Father.

"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted in the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." ~ Psalm 46:10

Мой Новый Дом - My New Home

I have moved into a lovely little apartment in Krivoy Rog and it already feels very homey! It's clean and completely furnished, equipped with everything I need and several little extras that I wasn't expecting. I've made a few touches here and there to personalize the space...hope you enjoy the tour!

View of the back of my apartment building. The 3-paned window with the air conditioner below it (3rd story from the top, 7th floor) is my living room window...to the right of the living room are the windows on the balcony which is attached to the kitchen, and to the left of the living room is my bedroom window.

This is the neighborhood playground and strip mall -- the building in the middle to the left, directly behind the playground, is my apartment building.

This is what you see immediately when you walk in the front door -- the living room.

As you can see, the bottom of the couch pulls out to make a bed. Some extra cushions are needed to make it comfortable and level with the couch, but this will be very helpful when I have guests.

Upon entering the apartment, if you turn to the left, you enter this space -- I love the storage for shoes and coats and other miscellaneous items!

These are the doors to the bathroom (on the left) and the toilet (on the right).

I love my new shower curtain -- the bathroom now looks fresh and clean and inviting, and the lighter color and material means that I'm not in the dark when I shower anymore!!

A very small washing machine, and very little storage space, so I have made my own.

The fridge is just outside the kitchen, as you can see, but close enough that it's not an inconvenience. I love having a microwave again!!

Great seating and eating space -- especially if I want to have guests over!! The kitchen opens onto the balcony, where I have extra storage space and a clothes drying rack.

Love the kitchen space -- lots of room to prepare food!! I even like the gas stove - I have to use a barbecue lighter to start it, but it cooks really well.

Beside the front door is this lovely little desk/vanity -- one of my favorite places in the apartment! So handy and nostalgic - it was icing on the cake for me!

Inside my bedroom -- the computer desk.

My bed -- which is really comfortable. I love the lights above it too!!

I love my wardrobe -- has lots of storage space and the full-length mirrors are great!!

In the balcony...

And this is the beautiful view I have from my windows -- it's so nice to see green grass and trees and blue sky instead of just concrete!!

What a great blessing to have this lovely apartment!! God definitely prepared it for me and I am looking forward to using it much in hospitality ministry - to share the many blessings God has given me with others! He is so good in meeting all our needs, including my need to have a restful place where I am comfortable. My heart is full of thanksgiving!

Speaking By Grace...

A week ago on Friday I received a certificate acknowledging my completion of the 2-year Basic Russian language course in just 9 months -- but such an accomplishment would have been impossible if it wasn't for the grace of God!

One year ago, I knew only the alphabet and a few words/phrases in Russian and at that time I knew that this was the goal, but I don't think I understood what it would take and how it would stretch and change me as I studied this language! I trusted - by faith - that God would enable me to complete this 2-year course in 1 year and to give me the ability to communicate in the language, and although I did put in many hours of study, it is only by His grace that I have had such success.

I will admit there were times when I doubted over the past months, but as with so many aspects of life, it's in hindsight that you can see most clearly. At times it felt like the process was moving so slowly, but after building the foundation, the pieces started coming together and I realized that I had the tools to figure it out and communicate - at least on a basic level - in the language.

Some people have given me great compliments -- telling me that I speak without a foreign accent, and that I speak Russian well -- but I know that this would not be possible without the grace of God! It was incredibly exciting to meet my landlords on Thursday and to comprehend what they were telling me! I didn't get everything, but I understood the basics. And even more exciting was my first meeting with the orphanage ministry team on Saturday -- for the first time I didn't feel like I was sitting on the outside, looking in and wishing I could be a part of it!!

I still have lots of work to do, and there is much still to learn, but I had to 'give voice' to the thrilling emotions in my heart as I realized that God has accomplished so much in me and brought this dream down to my reach. I am overwhelmed with gratitude that there is opportunity for me to minister -- by the grace of God -- in a country, culture and language that was once completely foreign to me!

As I shared with my fellow students and teachers, "Благодарна Богу, я смогу делать что, однажды мне кажется невозможно." Thanks to God, I can do what once seemed to me impossible."