The "Eurasia Experience" 2011 Fall Tour is close to beginning!

We are excited to have had a busy summer. With helping to train newly appointed workers, as well as to be a part of renewal/training of veterans, much of our June was extremely full. July was only a tad bit lighter of a workload, as we needed to prepare for a trip to GC 2011. Early August was spent there, and then it was a quick trip home. We were hoping to take a few days off once home, but instead jumped right in to unloading the trailer, and then reorganizing the office. Currently we are looking at spending two days next week on a "staycation" in Branson. Got a great deal on two nights at a resort for $48.00 total!! Am actually considering turning off the cell phone...we'll see!

Obedience, Repentance, Surrender

Something that really struck me when I was reading it recently was from "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers (the updated version, edited by James Reimann.)

"After sanctification, it is difficult to state what your purpose in life is, because God has moved you into His purpose through the Holy spirit. He is using you now for His purposes throughout the world as He used His Son for the purpose of our salvation. If you seek great things for yourself, thinking, "God has called me for this and for that," you barricade God from using you. As long as you maintain your own personal interests and ambitions, you cannot be completely aligned or identified with God's interests...I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him. I should never say, "Lord, this causes me such heartache." To talk that way makes me a stumbling block. When I stop telling God what I want, He can freely work His will in me without any hindrance.He can crush me, exalt me, or do anything else He chooses. He simply asks me to have absolute faith in Him and His goodness...."

I confess, I really have said lately that I am only here in the States because God required it of me. What He has brought us here to do is exciting, but I have said that it was painful to leave Saint Petersburg, and the International Christian Assembly there. I am guilty, as described above, of being a stumbling block to all that God wants to do through me. Thus, I am no longer going to say such things. Instead, I pray that my words will be something like, "I am here, doing this, because God has granted me the privilege of sharing about Eurasia with others." Then I will just have to have that absolute faith in Him and His goodness, that He will take what we offer Him, and use it for His glory and His honor!It has to be ALL about Him!

Okay, so, where in the world are we? Well, at the moment we are in Kiev, Ukraine. We arrived here a week ago today, having left St Pete on the 1:05 pm train the day before. We are here for numerous reasons, the first of which being our Russian visa ran out. We must get a new visa for Russia. In order to try and keep a system of rotation going, so that the Pastoral position of the church remains full, we will remain here until nearly the end of May.
Is it vacation? No, while we are here in Ukraine, we are taking a Christian Counseling course, coordinating the sending of information back and forth between here and America regarding a new project in Motovilivka, Ukraine, Mark will also be helping with putting some teaching materials onto DVD for rehabilitation programs here on the Eurasia field, we will be meeting with folks who are working on new materials for use in marriage ministry, and we will also try to meet with folks who have published a curriculum for those who minister in transition homes.

So, while we are certainly missing the flock to whom we have been ministering, God is seeing to it that we don't get lazy!!
Let me finish with a quote from "In the Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day…" (Batterson)

"If you wait for perfect conditions to seize an opportunity, you'll be waiting till the day you die."

Are you thinking, I could never do what Mark and Holly do? All we are doing is following the voice of Jesus, we stepped out of the boat, and are heading towards His voice, knowing that if we take our eyes off of Him, we too will sink, but knowing He will be our rescuer! God knows the plans He has for us…and for you too! Step out on the water!!!

Warmth in St Petersburg

Don't know about where you are, but here in St Pete, we have given up on winter. Yes, I know it is March, and in lots of places that is definitely Spring. But, we have not had winter yet. Oh, yes, there has been some cold weather, but not anything outrageous, and not for long! It is such a bummer!!

The good news that parallels the fact that there were not many dark (literally) days in winter, is that spiritually, many folks are now aware that St Pete is not nearly as cold as they thought it might be, because of the warmth they find in the Christian community at ICA. God is crafting a sense of community,as evidenced by people who have met at church, running into one another at the Metro stations, and actually stopping and talking to one another! Meeting for lunch, hanging out after church during tea time, getting together for Friday night fellowship, it's great. If you get to St Pete, be sure to stop in on a Sunday!

For info, look at the website www.icapetersburg.com

Warmth in St Petersburg

As I write this, the sun is shining into our living room. Even though we have had an extremely mild winter, this is still something that happens very occasionally. I sat in the window seat for a while and read, just to absorb the sunshine. It was wonderful!! Even though I wanted to remain there, I couldn't, as I have Praise and Worship to get ready for tomorrow, must do laundry for my Mom who is visiting, at some point, lunch must be made in the dark kitchen, etc., etc., etc. Life must be lived, right?
One thing I am thankful for today is that no matter where we are in the world, we can ALWAYS have the SON (Jesus) shining on us, and HIS warmth in us. This is what we are here in Russia to share, and today's physical sunshine is just a reminder to me!!

Be blessed!

Allison and Prayers

My sweet little 2nd cousin passed away quietly last Sunday evening. We know she is rejoicing around the throne of Heaven, dancing, leaping, using her energy to do things she never could do here on the earth, or couldn't do with all her might due to her physical limitations. She now has no limitations!! Thanks to all of you who prayed for her and for her family. Please continue to pray for the family as they go through the grief process.
Looking forward to seeing her again one day, when we join her at that wonderful Throne of God!!
Until then we will remember her joy, her excitement at life, and all of the little Allisonism's that brought smiles to our faces and lives!

Marriage...

Ok, allow me to be mushy for a bit. I LOVE my husband! And I feel blessed to have such a wonderful man who would stay married to me for over 22 years now. Has it always been perfect? No. Is it perfect now? No, because it is a marriage made up of 2 imperfect human beings, and one great big God!! But, (and as Pastor Keith says, "everything before the word "but" is negated by it...)it is a wonderful marriage because of that great big God, and the work He does in and thru each of us.

We taught our first "marriage class" of the year tonight, and in doing so, were reminded to be thankful for one another, for the "good gifts" that God gave to us in one another. If you are reading this, and are married, be thankful for your mate. And ask God how you can be a better mate to them! If you think this is impossible, as God to be the great big God in the center of your marriage, and as you grow closer to God, you will be changed into the mate God would have you to be!!