This is the first of 10 portions from the Nizhny Vineyard devotional that the church is currently using that I’d like to share with you – praying through 2 Chronicles 7:14 together, phrase by phrase.
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
This is a beautiful promise from God that is as true for Nizhny Novgorod in 2008 as it was when God first spoke this thousands of years ago. Let faith rise up within you and claim this promise for Nizhny and for Russia!
“If” is such a small word that carries such a big meaning! There are some things that God will not do without our participation! Isn’t God the Lord of all the universe? Can’t He do anything? Yes, and yes. But God has chosen for reasons that are beyond our understanding, to use the local Church (that’s you and me) in bringing about His Kingdom here on earth. It’s easy to see that He is essential in this partnership, but the mystery is that He says we are essential, too. What amazing and wonderful results occur when we do what He asks us to do. But if we do not participate, then all of God’s purposes will not be carried out.
“I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land . . .” (Ezekiel 22:30)
God is always looking for people who will build up the wall (do Kingdom stuff) and stand before Him in the gap (intercede, pray for others), in order to change the destinies of cities and nations. What a privilege! Let’s say “yes” to God and join Him in doing whatever He directs us to do in extending the Kingdom of God in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, and beyond!
Prayer: Father, I want to say “yes” to you Lord, in all things. Give me an obedient, faithful, and courageous heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Permanent Impact April 2008
. . . a newsletter to keep you up-to-date with Sculley family adventures in Russia and beyond
We're willing to go . . . are you willing to send us?
What's the latest?
Vision, victories, and visas!
As we reflect back over our first three months in Russia, we're amazed at God's faithfulness. He sent us here with a very clear vision - to pray and encourage others in prayer, to promote unity in the body of Christ, and to raise up leaders. Since we've been here, God has given us specific strategies for each of these areas, and opportunities to live them out. You're probably familiar with the verse, "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18). I just love how "The Message" version puts this - "If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed." We want to give full credit to God for His blessing in our lives - He has been faithful to show us what He wants to do here, and for what He wants to do in and through our lives. We are very grateful to God for giving us eyes to see what would be impossible to see without His vision!
We want to share with you some victory stories, to encourage you - God is on the move!
• The student retreat we had asked you to pray for was wonderful! Pastor Dave and Kathy and the student leadership team organized this life-giving getaway! About 50 people attended, including international students and Russians - many received a touch from God, and a few recommitted their lives to Jesus. It was a beautiful time of exuberantly worshiping God, praying together, walking in the forest, volleyball / table tennis / frisbee / swimming, eating fabulous Russian food, a wild & fun bus ride crammed into a marshrutka (little bus), and just hanging out. God used each of our children to bring joy to those who went, especially E and K, who have been adopted as little sisters by just about all of the students. There were many reports that people were refreshed physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and many relationships were built or strengthened. Visit http://vcfnn.org/blog to read an account of the retreat written by one of the godly young leaders.
• P, J, M, and C are an integral part of the budding Nizhny Vineyard youth group, lead by Olga. The youth together lead part of the worship service on Palm Sunday (April 20th), singing several songs in Russian and English. We've all had lots of opportunities to just hang out with others in the group. On some of these occasions, some of our neighborhood kids have joined in the fun. We've been praying for ways to form relationships in the community (a challenge due to our lack of language), and this is definitely an answer to prayer!
• The Holy Spirit is present and active in the two weekly Nizhny Vineyard prayer groups (lead by Misha and Lyudmilla). We've heard many reports of encouragement and increased passion for prayer, more love and unity in the body of Christ, compassion for the lost, and a growing faith in God's power to transform this city and nation. It has been a huge joy to pray regularly with these faithful prayer warriors. Misha's group also includes people from other churches around the city, a tangible display of God's heart for His Church with a capital "C" - it's no wonder God blesses the group so much with His presence (Psalm 133)!
• We've been surprised that we have "bumped into" people we know at least 10 times all over the city (on buses, in malls, while out walking around, even at the opera theater). That's no small thing in this large city of almost 2 million people. We are very thankful that God has knitted us into the community here so quickly!
• I had an opportunity this month to teach at one of the weekly student ministry meetings ("Sumphero"). The students all experienced "time under a sheet with the Father" - please use your imagination to visualize 20 people sitting in a circle, each completely covered by a bedsheet. It sounds weird, but it's actually a really neat and practical idea, developed by my Atlanta friend Larry, to help block out distractions in order to focus on God. The Holy Spirit was present and active in helping us to pray Scripture, be still before God, and to learn to listen to His voice.
• For the last several years, we've been looking into college options for P, made a bit more complicated than normal because he was academically ready at a young age. We looked into all kinds of options over the years, but nothing jumped out at us. But then God completely surprised us! This past month, P submitted his application to Lubachevsky University, to study for a Bachelor of Science in Information Technologies, starting this autumn. A couple of months after we felt God leading us to come to Nizhny Novgorod, we surfed onto the University website and found this degree. Lubachevsky is the oldest university in Nizhny, with the oldest I.T. department in the former Soviet Union, and is highly regarded as the premiere place to study in this very high tech region of the country. With 40,000 students in every imaginable faculty, 99% of the degrees are taught in Russian. Amazingly, the very degree P has had in his heart to pursue since age 11, just "happens" to be offered here in English (incidentally, this is one of 10 universities worldwide that Microsoft sponsors in the field of high-speed computing). The campus is one bus ride away from our apartment, class size is 10 - 12 students, and the 200 or so international students from 40 countries typically begin their studies at age 16 - 17 (P is 16). What a sweet confirmation from God for both P and us - praise God for His care for our children in every detail of their lives!
Visa news . . . we are still awaiting the issue of our long-term visas, which we have been told to expect this summer (winter for you southern-hemispherians!). Recently we had to redo several documents because of mis-spellings (in the Russian transliteration of names), and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because the person who oversees the process felt that it was her mistake that she did not notice it when we submitted our applications, and as a result has become somewhat of an advocate for our family! Meanwhile, our short-term visas are coming to an end later this week, so in accordance with the new visa laws, we will have to return to the U.S.A. for 90 days before being permitted to enter Russia again. To be honest, we were very disappointed that there was no option to be able to stay continuously (we explored dozens of possibilities), because it's a bit heart-wrenching moving from place to place, not to mention logistically a humongous task. But God has given us the grace we need and is growing us up in our ability to trust Him more. We are at peace that He is in control and is intimately involved with every detail of our lives. None of this came as a surprise to God - our times are in His hands. We hope to return here in July, and meanwhile will enjoy seeing our Atlanta-area loved ones, sooner than we had expected! Enjoy the pictures!
Financial Partnership Opportunities:
We'd like to offer you a variety of opportunities each month . . . let us know if you'd like to partner with us in any of these ways. THANK YOU for your support!
• Sculley Family support
o Our current support level is 60% of our 2008 financial needs - praise God!
• Resources for Russians
o A few weeks ago, we discovered that one of the churches in Nizhny Novgorod sells hundreds of Christian books and other resources in Russian, many of which have been translated from English. In coming weeks, I will be translating and finding as many of the titles as possible in English, so that we can utilize the same resources in both Russian and English. Last week I was handed a flier as I walked along the street that provided these statistics - 52% of Russians do not buy any books; 13% buy one book per month; 27% do not have any books at home. Certainly, lack of finances is a significant contributing factor, because Russians are as a whole very well educated and love to learn. Let me know if you'd like to contribute towards the purchasing of resources for Russians! We envision the resources being used for church libraries, small groups, and on an individual basis - we love to connect people with resources!
We trust God to provide everything we need to do all that He wants us to do in and through us. If you would like to invest what God has given you in Kingdom activity, through financial partnership, here's how (all financial contributions are 100% tax deductible in the U.S.A., and are processed through the Atlanta Vineyard, our sending church to whom we are accountable):
• automated giving (automatic monthly deductions from your checking or savings account - click here for the form - be sure to write "Sculley - Russia" in the space under "recommended giving"). Once you print out and fill in the form, please mail it to the address indicated at the bottom of the form.
• online giving via PayPal (www.atlantavineyard.com — just mention “Sculley - Russia” on the online giving comment line)
Praise Reports:
• The Nizhny Novgorod Vineyard devotional has been written, translated, printed, and distributed! Almost a dozen people from the church were involved in this team effort, which is now being used by the church over the next 3 weeks, both Russian and English speakers. The focus of the devotional is to pray in preparation for Russian Easter (Apr 27th), for God's Kingdom transformation in Nizhny and Russia, and for the Vineyard National conference being hosted here in Nizhny next month.
• Praise God for our friends, authors J & S, who have donated multiple copies of their well-loved books on relationships, in Russian and English - much needed and appreciated! We look forward to using these in walking alongside others who want to grow in their understanding of God's design for relationships.
• We're all learning and using more Russian language and culture (and even some slang!) each week, thanks to Yanna's diligent teaching and constant encouragement. Our studies will continue while we're away, thanks to the plethora of audio resources we can use anywhere.
Please pray for us:
• Pray that God will continue to open doors for us to do all that He has for us to do in Russia. We plan to apply for short-term visas to allow us to return on July 24th, the earliest possible date according to the current visa laws. We trust God for His timing, plans, and provision. Please pray for long-term visas to be approved for us, and for pastor David, Kathy, & Stephanie Wolf.
• Pray for us to make the best use of our time while we are in the U.S.A. We feel that God wants us to use this time to prepare more indepth for our continuing ministry in Russia, including developing prayer strategies, preparing resources, and receiving additional training.
• Pray for the Vineyard National Conference that is being hosted here at the Nizhny Novgorod Vineyard, and will be attended by people from all over Russia, the U.S., and several other nations. There will be a pastor's summit on May 5th - 7th, followed by the national conference on May 8th - 10th, with an expected attendance of around 200 people. It's been a joy and an honor to be a part of the team laying a foundation of prayer prior to this conference. Our disappointment at not being able to attend is tempered by the news that the Atlanta team and part of the Perm, Russia team will be using our apartment while they're visiting our new stomping grounds!
We pray for you, too - please let us know your specific prayer requests. It's such a joy to pray for one another! We have each of your names written on our prayer wall in the kitchen.
Our vision:
• mobilize prayer
• promote unity in the body of Christ
• raise up leaders
We appreciate your prayers so much! Thank you!
“The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.” (1 Samuel 30:24)
Visit our blog (updated weekly):
http://permanentimpact.blogspot.com
In Russia with love,
Paul, Karen, P, J, M, C, E, & K Sculley
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)
"May God bless you and make you fruitful" (Genesis 28:3)
We're willing to go . . . are you willing to send us?
What's the latest?
Vision, victories, and visas!
As we reflect back over our first three months in Russia, we're amazed at God's faithfulness. He sent us here with a very clear vision - to pray and encourage others in prayer, to promote unity in the body of Christ, and to raise up leaders. Since we've been here, God has given us specific strategies for each of these areas, and opportunities to live them out. You're probably familiar with the verse, "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18). I just love how "The Message" version puts this - "If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed." We want to give full credit to God for His blessing in our lives - He has been faithful to show us what He wants to do here, and for what He wants to do in and through our lives. We are very grateful to God for giving us eyes to see what would be impossible to see without His vision!
We want to share with you some victory stories, to encourage you - God is on the move!
• The student retreat we had asked you to pray for was wonderful! Pastor Dave and Kathy and the student leadership team organized this life-giving getaway! About 50 people attended, including international students and Russians - many received a touch from God, and a few recommitted their lives to Jesus. It was a beautiful time of exuberantly worshiping God, praying together, walking in the forest, volleyball / table tennis / frisbee / swimming, eating fabulous Russian food, a wild & fun bus ride crammed into a marshrutka (little bus), and just hanging out. God used each of our children to bring joy to those who went, especially E and K, who have been adopted as little sisters by just about all of the students. There were many reports that people were refreshed physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and many relationships were built or strengthened. Visit http://vcfnn.org/blog to read an account of the retreat written by one of the godly young leaders.
• P, J, M, and C are an integral part of the budding Nizhny Vineyard youth group, lead by Olga. The youth together lead part of the worship service on Palm Sunday (April 20th), singing several songs in Russian and English. We've all had lots of opportunities to just hang out with others in the group. On some of these occasions, some of our neighborhood kids have joined in the fun. We've been praying for ways to form relationships in the community (a challenge due to our lack of language), and this is definitely an answer to prayer!
• The Holy Spirit is present and active in the two weekly Nizhny Vineyard prayer groups (lead by Misha and Lyudmilla). We've heard many reports of encouragement and increased passion for prayer, more love and unity in the body of Christ, compassion for the lost, and a growing faith in God's power to transform this city and nation. It has been a huge joy to pray regularly with these faithful prayer warriors. Misha's group also includes people from other churches around the city, a tangible display of God's heart for His Church with a capital "C" - it's no wonder God blesses the group so much with His presence (Psalm 133)!
• We've been surprised that we have "bumped into" people we know at least 10 times all over the city (on buses, in malls, while out walking around, even at the opera theater). That's no small thing in this large city of almost 2 million people. We are very thankful that God has knitted us into the community here so quickly!
• I had an opportunity this month to teach at one of the weekly student ministry meetings ("Sumphero"). The students all experienced "time under a sheet with the Father" - please use your imagination to visualize 20 people sitting in a circle, each completely covered by a bedsheet. It sounds weird, but it's actually a really neat and practical idea, developed by my Atlanta friend Larry, to help block out distractions in order to focus on God. The Holy Spirit was present and active in helping us to pray Scripture, be still before God, and to learn to listen to His voice.
• For the last several years, we've been looking into college options for P, made a bit more complicated than normal because he was academically ready at a young age. We looked into all kinds of options over the years, but nothing jumped out at us. But then God completely surprised us! This past month, P submitted his application to Lubachevsky University, to study for a Bachelor of Science in Information Technologies, starting this autumn. A couple of months after we felt God leading us to come to Nizhny Novgorod, we surfed onto the University website and found this degree. Lubachevsky is the oldest university in Nizhny, with the oldest I.T. department in the former Soviet Union, and is highly regarded as the premiere place to study in this very high tech region of the country. With 40,000 students in every imaginable faculty, 99% of the degrees are taught in Russian. Amazingly, the very degree P has had in his heart to pursue since age 11, just "happens" to be offered here in English (incidentally, this is one of 10 universities worldwide that Microsoft sponsors in the field of high-speed computing). The campus is one bus ride away from our apartment, class size is 10 - 12 students, and the 200 or so international students from 40 countries typically begin their studies at age 16 - 17 (P is 16). What a sweet confirmation from God for both P and us - praise God for His care for our children in every detail of their lives!
Visa news . . . we are still awaiting the issue of our long-term visas, which we have been told to expect this summer (winter for you southern-hemispherians!). Recently we had to redo several documents because of mis-spellings (in the Russian transliteration of names), and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because the person who oversees the process felt that it was her mistake that she did not notice it when we submitted our applications, and as a result has become somewhat of an advocate for our family! Meanwhile, our short-term visas are coming to an end later this week, so in accordance with the new visa laws, we will have to return to the U.S.A. for 90 days before being permitted to enter Russia again. To be honest, we were very disappointed that there was no option to be able to stay continuously (we explored dozens of possibilities), because it's a bit heart-wrenching moving from place to place, not to mention logistically a humongous task. But God has given us the grace we need and is growing us up in our ability to trust Him more. We are at peace that He is in control and is intimately involved with every detail of our lives. None of this came as a surprise to God - our times are in His hands. We hope to return here in July, and meanwhile will enjoy seeing our Atlanta-area loved ones, sooner than we had expected! Enjoy the pictures!
Financial Partnership Opportunities:
We'd like to offer you a variety of opportunities each month . . . let us know if you'd like to partner with us in any of these ways. THANK YOU for your support!
• Sculley Family support
o Our current support level is 60% of our 2008 financial needs - praise God!
• Resources for Russians
o A few weeks ago, we discovered that one of the churches in Nizhny Novgorod sells hundreds of Christian books and other resources in Russian, many of which have been translated from English. In coming weeks, I will be translating and finding as many of the titles as possible in English, so that we can utilize the same resources in both Russian and English. Last week I was handed a flier as I walked along the street that provided these statistics - 52% of Russians do not buy any books; 13% buy one book per month; 27% do not have any books at home. Certainly, lack of finances is a significant contributing factor, because Russians are as a whole very well educated and love to learn. Let me know if you'd like to contribute towards the purchasing of resources for Russians! We envision the resources being used for church libraries, small groups, and on an individual basis - we love to connect people with resources!
We trust God to provide everything we need to do all that He wants us to do in and through us. If you would like to invest what God has given you in Kingdom activity, through financial partnership, here's how (all financial contributions are 100% tax deductible in the U.S.A., and are processed through the Atlanta Vineyard, our sending church to whom we are accountable):
• automated giving (automatic monthly deductions from your checking or savings account - click here for the form - be sure to write "Sculley - Russia" in the space under "recommended giving"). Once you print out and fill in the form, please mail it to the address indicated at the bottom of the form.
• online giving via PayPal (www.atlantavineyard.com — just mention “Sculley - Russia” on the online giving comment line)
Praise Reports:
• The Nizhny Novgorod Vineyard devotional has been written, translated, printed, and distributed! Almost a dozen people from the church were involved in this team effort, which is now being used by the church over the next 3 weeks, both Russian and English speakers. The focus of the devotional is to pray in preparation for Russian Easter (Apr 27th), for God's Kingdom transformation in Nizhny and Russia, and for the Vineyard National conference being hosted here in Nizhny next month.
• Praise God for our friends, authors J & S, who have donated multiple copies of their well-loved books on relationships, in Russian and English - much needed and appreciated! We look forward to using these in walking alongside others who want to grow in their understanding of God's design for relationships.
• We're all learning and using more Russian language and culture (and even some slang!) each week, thanks to Yanna's diligent teaching and constant encouragement. Our studies will continue while we're away, thanks to the plethora of audio resources we can use anywhere.
Please pray for us:
• Pray that God will continue to open doors for us to do all that He has for us to do in Russia. We plan to apply for short-term visas to allow us to return on July 24th, the earliest possible date according to the current visa laws. We trust God for His timing, plans, and provision. Please pray for long-term visas to be approved for us, and for pastor David, Kathy, & Stephanie Wolf.
• Pray for us to make the best use of our time while we are in the U.S.A. We feel that God wants us to use this time to prepare more indepth for our continuing ministry in Russia, including developing prayer strategies, preparing resources, and receiving additional training.
• Pray for the Vineyard National Conference that is being hosted here at the Nizhny Novgorod Vineyard, and will be attended by people from all over Russia, the U.S., and several other nations. There will be a pastor's summit on May 5th - 7th, followed by the national conference on May 8th - 10th, with an expected attendance of around 200 people. It's been a joy and an honor to be a part of the team laying a foundation of prayer prior to this conference. Our disappointment at not being able to attend is tempered by the news that the Atlanta team and part of the Perm, Russia team will be using our apartment while they're visiting our new stomping grounds!
We pray for you, too - please let us know your specific prayer requests. It's such a joy to pray for one another! We have each of your names written on our prayer wall in the kitchen.
Our vision:
• mobilize prayer
• promote unity in the body of Christ
• raise up leaders
We appreciate your prayers so much! Thank you!
“The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.” (1 Samuel 30:24)
Visit our blog (updated weekly):
http://permanentimpact.blogspot.com
In Russia with love,
Paul, Karen, P, J, M, C, E, & K Sculley
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)
"May God bless you and make you fruitful" (Genesis 28:3)
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Roller Coasters Get a Bad Rap
A popular phrase in English that is often heard in times of uncertainty is, “I feel like I’m on an emotional roller coaster.” It’s not that the words themselves are so bad, but it’s usually said in a despairing tone of voice. It would be so easy to go with the crowd and let this kind of thinking creep in, as though there’s something inherently wrong with anything we didn’t know was coming. Roller coasters really do get a bad rap. The trick to enjoying roller coasters is to let go of fears (rational or irrational), trust that they were designed and built by someone who knew what they were doing, and enter into the thrill of the ride! Of course life is infinitely more complicated than a roller coaster, but there are definitely times in all of our lives when it feels like our hearts are being unduly influenced upwards or downwards by situations beyond our control. But there’s no escaping the truth of God’s word that says that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I’m sorely tempted here to “do a Joel B” and point out that after years of intense research, theologians have discovered that in this verse, the Greek word for “all” means . . . “all!” God doesn’t work in only a few things, some things, or even most things, but He works in ALL things for our good. He’s working in the highs, He’s working in the lows, in the ups and in the downs, in the light and in the shadows. We can’t always see what’s coming up, but we can be sure that God sees, and will work everything out for our good. God’s word is 100% reliable, because He is 100% faithful. Isn’t that an awesome promise!
The Lord has spoken to me a lot this past year about “abiding in Christ above the circumstances.” It’s easy to abide in Jesus when things are smooth and predictable. It’s when life resembles a blizzard, and we can’t even see the next step (let alone a pathway), that we need to consciously choose to abide. Jesus modeled this beautifully by sleeping peacefully in the middle of a storm that was so furious the disciples were convinced they were going to drown. Remember what He said to them – “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). I didn’t realize how much I depended on people, circumstances, and even things I normally take for granted (like consistent interpretation and implementation of laws) until they were either removed or made more inaccessible. God is constantly pursuing our hearts, and He wants all of our hearts. Out of His great love for us, He will continually put us in situations where we need to trust Him more. It’s really not worth a minute of our time to play the “He loves me, He loves me not” game (or its close cousin, “He’s trustworthy, He’s trustworthy not”). Let’s each determine to settle these once and for all. Regardless of circumstances, “He loves me” and “He’s trustworthy” are always true! God cares deeply about us, and is intimately involved with every detail of our lives. So when it feels like your heart is being tossed about, hang on to Jesus, let go of the controls, and enjoy the ride.
I know I quote from this all the time – because it’s really good! – here’s another excerpt from “Streams in the Desert” this week that God’s used to encourage and assure me . . .
“At certain times and places, God will build a mysterious wall around us. He will take away all the supports we customarily lean upon, and will remove our ordinary ways of doing things . . . We will be in a place where we do not know what is happening, where God is cutting the cloth of our lives by a new pattern, and thus where He causes us to look to Him. Most Christians live a treadmill life—a life in which they can predict almost everything that will come their way. But the souls that God leads into unpredictable and special situations are isolated by Him. All they know is that God is holding them and that He is dealing in their lives. Then their expectations come from Him alone.”
Let’s get off our treadmills of comfort, busy work, religion, and complacency, and let God orchestrate the ride, the Kingdom adventures He has planned for us. He’s the Master, He loves us, and He’s good. His plan for us is the best, the absolute best possible scenario imaginable, in every aspect. Wow! Enjoying the ride . . . I’m thankful for the journey, every twist, turn, and tunnel . . .
The Lord has spoken to me a lot this past year about “abiding in Christ above the circumstances.” It’s easy to abide in Jesus when things are smooth and predictable. It’s when life resembles a blizzard, and we can’t even see the next step (let alone a pathway), that we need to consciously choose to abide. Jesus modeled this beautifully by sleeping peacefully in the middle of a storm that was so furious the disciples were convinced they were going to drown. Remember what He said to them – “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). I didn’t realize how much I depended on people, circumstances, and even things I normally take for granted (like consistent interpretation and implementation of laws) until they were either removed or made more inaccessible. God is constantly pursuing our hearts, and He wants all of our hearts. Out of His great love for us, He will continually put us in situations where we need to trust Him more. It’s really not worth a minute of our time to play the “He loves me, He loves me not” game (or its close cousin, “He’s trustworthy, He’s trustworthy not”). Let’s each determine to settle these once and for all. Regardless of circumstances, “He loves me” and “He’s trustworthy” are always true! God cares deeply about us, and is intimately involved with every detail of our lives. So when it feels like your heart is being tossed about, hang on to Jesus, let go of the controls, and enjoy the ride.
I know I quote from this all the time – because it’s really good! – here’s another excerpt from “Streams in the Desert” this week that God’s used to encourage and assure me . . .
“At certain times and places, God will build a mysterious wall around us. He will take away all the supports we customarily lean upon, and will remove our ordinary ways of doing things . . . We will be in a place where we do not know what is happening, where God is cutting the cloth of our lives by a new pattern, and thus where He causes us to look to Him. Most Christians live a treadmill life—a life in which they can predict almost everything that will come their way. But the souls that God leads into unpredictable and special situations are isolated by Him. All they know is that God is holding them and that He is dealing in their lives. Then their expectations come from Him alone.”
Let’s get off our treadmills of comfort, busy work, religion, and complacency, and let God orchestrate the ride, the Kingdom adventures He has planned for us. He’s the Master, He loves us, and He’s good. His plan for us is the best, the absolute best possible scenario imaginable, in every aspect. Wow! Enjoying the ride . . . I’m thankful for the journey, every twist, turn, and tunnel . . .
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Torn
I can’t think of anything profound to write this week, because my heart is torn. Our short-term visas run out in 3 weeks’ time – we’ve hoped for a way to be able to stay beyond that date until our long-term visas come through without having to exit the country. We and those helping us in this matter have explored almost every conceivable option. As things stand today, it looks like we may have to leave on April 24th for about 3 months – we’ve been told to expect our long-term visas to be issued in July. Physically it would be hard, packing, traveling, uprooting home and school and routines . . . financially it would be around $12k for another set of plane tickets . . . but these difficulties pale in comparison with the emotional challenges. Major transition moving from one culture to another comes with a very high price tag in the heart department – we knew this before we came, and gladly pay whatever price is required to fulfill God’s purposes for our lives. But the reality is that our hearts are torn – I’ve cried buckets of tears already at the possibility of another imminent heart wrenching.
I hope this doesn’t sound like a complaint in any way! We’ve been blessed beyond compare with amazingly wonderful loved ones on every side of all the oceans. Every morning, the names of our numerous loved ones on our kitchen prayer wall greet us – a tangible reminder of how blessed we are. Our family and friends are our most precious treasures! No matter where we are, we’re an ocean away from many loved ones – this has been a reality in my life ever since I was 7, but it sure doesn’t get any easier! I’m so thankful for the love that the Father has poured into us and for the beautiful ones He’s brought into our lives all over the world. God’s love is so amazing – it’s easy to think, “I could never love another group of people as deeply as I love ____ (fill in the blank).” Of course we can’t – our love is insufficient. But then God has a way of bringing people into our lives, often in the most unexpected ways, and suddenly we realize they’ve become very dear to us, beyond anything we could have imagined. Only God’s love is capable of that.
We still hold onto the hope that somehow the door will open for us to remain past April 24th without having to leave and come back. We’ll keep you posted! We want only God’s plans for our lives. He is keeping us in His perfect peace, but we are aware that we’re in the middle of a battle, too. We feel certain that our time here is far from over. As wonderful as it would be to see our loved ones in the U.S. again, none of us is looking forward to the possibility of two more major transitions so closely on the heels of the transition we just made. It feels a bit overwhelming to think about, but THANK GOD that He is bigger than our hearts! We’re good with whatever He wants. We trust Him completely with our lives, and rest in the assurance that His ways and timing are best. Actually, they’re absolutely perfect! God is teaching us to trust Him more – these seasons of stretching bring such wonderful fruit eventually but so magnify our weaknesses when they’re underway . . . Thank you for holding up our sagging arms and hearts – we need your prayers, always, and thank God every day for you.
I hope this doesn’t sound like a complaint in any way! We’ve been blessed beyond compare with amazingly wonderful loved ones on every side of all the oceans. Every morning, the names of our numerous loved ones on our kitchen prayer wall greet us – a tangible reminder of how blessed we are. Our family and friends are our most precious treasures! No matter where we are, we’re an ocean away from many loved ones – this has been a reality in my life ever since I was 7, but it sure doesn’t get any easier! I’m so thankful for the love that the Father has poured into us and for the beautiful ones He’s brought into our lives all over the world. God’s love is so amazing – it’s easy to think, “I could never love another group of people as deeply as I love ____ (fill in the blank).” Of course we can’t – our love is insufficient. But then God has a way of bringing people into our lives, often in the most unexpected ways, and suddenly we realize they’ve become very dear to us, beyond anything we could have imagined. Only God’s love is capable of that.
We still hold onto the hope that somehow the door will open for us to remain past April 24th without having to leave and come back. We’ll keep you posted! We want only God’s plans for our lives. He is keeping us in His perfect peace, but we are aware that we’re in the middle of a battle, too. We feel certain that our time here is far from over. As wonderful as it would be to see our loved ones in the U.S. again, none of us is looking forward to the possibility of two more major transitions so closely on the heels of the transition we just made. It feels a bit overwhelming to think about, but THANK GOD that He is bigger than our hearts! We’re good with whatever He wants. We trust Him completely with our lives, and rest in the assurance that His ways and timing are best. Actually, they’re absolutely perfect! God is teaching us to trust Him more – these seasons of stretching bring such wonderful fruit eventually but so magnify our weaknesses when they’re underway . . . Thank you for holding up our sagging arms and hearts – we need your prayers, always, and thank God every day for you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
