Numbers for Thought

I received an email a couple of days ago from John B., one of the Russia trip coordinators for East-West Ministries. He sent our team a breakdown of all the information gathered during our time there, including how many people heard clear presentations of the Gospel, how many prayed to accept Christ into their lives, and how many received a follow-up visit from a team member.

Since this was my first trip, I really wasn’t sure what to expect as I read through the information. I knew that God had done amazing things through our team, and that we all came back with lots of stories of His provision and goodness during our many divine appointments there.

When I finally got to the section with the statistics, my jaw just dropped.


716 people heard a clear presentation of the Gospel.

54 people invited Christ into their lives.

10 people received a follow-up visit from a team member.

This wasn’t a huge team, we didn’t have a lot of time with those we met, and we had to communicate everything through interpreters, but He used the trip and each one of us for His glory, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Forgiveness When It Doesn't Make Sense

These days, people have lots of ideas of how they would punish criminals or reform the justice system if they had their way. Some would opt for more prisoner rehabilitation or therapy, while others would likely vote for a strenuous, no-frills boot camp environment. Some would offer more access to education while others would cut them back to one meal a day. Some push for tougher sentencing and harsher living conditions while others lobby for better access to health care, education, and legal representation.

In the article below, the question becomes, “What do you do when both the victims and the offender are your loved ones?” This is an incredible story of forgiveness, love and hope.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5226922.html

Good To Be Home

If you've read my earlier posts, you might remember my description of visiting Alexei's church on that first Sunday in Voronezh, and how it touched me immensely to attend a church service half a world away from home. I was moved by the emotion, joy and love they showed both during the service and afterwards when they came to greet their American brothers and sisters in Christ who had come to worship alongside them. It was a sweet time of fellowship, and an exciting opportunity to see how God was blessing their ministry in Voronezh.

This morning was my first service back at BridgePoint Bible Church, and I was moved again by the sweet time of fellowship, and saw with a new perspective how God is using this body of believers to impact the area for His glory and to grow His kingdom. When we first came back, I felt like I had been gone a month, and so to be back at church today was refreshing, encouraging, and exciting in so many ways.

It was humbling to hear story after story of people praying for us at different times during our trip, and knowing that their specific prayers were answered during our time there. We have been blessed to know so many people at BridgePoint, and with all those friendships come lots of questions about our trip, and many opportunities to share what all He did during our time there.

Someone asked today if I have been talking non-stop about the trip, and to be honest, the answer is both "Yes" and "No." I have talked about the trip a lot since we've been back, to family, friends, and everyone in between. But, the reason I don't think I am talking about it non-stop is because I still feel like I am processing what all happened and what all God allowed me to see, and that my words and stories need to reflect what all God did, and not focus on what I did. I know that He has changed my perspective on my relationship with Him and also on the world around me, but I know that my words and actions now have an even bigger impact on those around me, and that the life I lead should reflect His love and grace.

So at this point, I am eager to share my stories, pictures and lessons learned in Russia, but I am doing so with the knowledge that this needs to be done with as much prayer and discernment as during the trip itself. It is my sincere prayer that everything about this trip from beginning to end brings Him the ultimate glory in every way.

In summation, I am glad to be home, happy to be back at church with our church family, and still pumped up that I got to sing "Lion of Judah" in church today. Yay for awesome praise music!

Same Eyes, Different View

The most popular question for me lately is, "How was your trip?"


Can a missions trip really be summed up in a couple of sentences? I don't really think I can provide a neat and tidy answer, but here are some of my highlights...


1) Getting to share Christ with several different men and women and then watching with awe and joy as four of them prayed to accept Christ into their lives. To witness people making that decision was incredible, but I feel as though the spiritual enormity of the situation and what all God did has not fully hit me yet. God allowed me to be part of something so precious and magnificent, and I will be forever grateful for those experiences.

2) Being able to see God's tangible work in front of me, and feeling immensely humbled to be a part of it. So many individual and corporate prayers were answered during this trip, and I've never experienced such a flood of His mercy and prompt help. He gave me words when I needed them, strength when I had none left, boldness instead of my usual shyness and fear, and a servant's heart when my first instinct would have been for self-preservation.


So we’ve been back in Houston since late Sunday night, and everywhere I look, things seem very different to me now. I know that I’ll probably always compare life in Russia to our American lives, but this initial adjustment will take some time for me.

Being back home has opened my eyes and helped shape a fresh new perspective on the world around me. Does this mean I'm going to sell everything I own and move to a foreign country? Probably not. Does this mean I'm going go to Russia every chance I get? I'd like to, but that's in God's hands.

The biggest thing I've noticed about being home is the sheer convenience of everything. We have everything we need within a short walking or driving distance, and we generally have the money (or credit) to buy it all. We are flooded with offers and ads that strive to reinforce the idea that we can (and deserve to) have it all. We are a country of positive and optimistic thinkers, and we pride ourselves on our ability to do it all, with no regard to our government or social status. People of any age and with nearly any kind of disability can be mobile and access nearly everything they need with little to no assistance from others. We make everything easy for everyone so that no one ever feels inconvenienced or ignored. If America is a business, then our products are happiness and contentment, and we sell it well.

No matter what kinds of differences I saw between America and Russia, one thing holds true: God is universal, and He delights in His children, no matter where they live. I still think about the goose bumps I had when I heard the praise music pouring out of the church service. I heard the passion, the excitement, the joy, and the love they expressed so freely to God, and it was exciting, because I know it was a glimpse of what praising God will look like in Heaven.

"O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise
The glories of my God and King
The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious Master and my God
Assist me to proclaim
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name!"

Thoughts of Russia, Thoughts of Home

We are spending our last night in Russia, and it is with a heavy heart that I type those words. I feel that God has forever changed my attitude regarding other people, cultures, religions, and other differences we have in the world. But, more importantly, He has shown me how incredibly important it is to rely on Him for everything, no matter how big or small.

I got to see Him work mightily in little areas, like providing us with beautiful weather during our time here. He also worked incredibly fast in the big areas, like making sure that our Thursday night ministry concert was not interrupted or compromised because of a lack of electricity in the building. When we began the concert outside, the music and small crowd drew an even larger crowd, so that when the power did come on a couple of minutes later, we had a bigger group there to hear the messages of hope and truth from the local pastor Sergey.

All in all, this has been a life-changing trip for me, and I am blessed to have been able to share this experience with my husband and to work with such an amazing team. We have been encouraged and uplifted by the stories of His working through our time here, and I look forward to returning to this country and seeing what He will do next.

Our team leaves for home tomorrow morning, but from the time we wake to the time we arrive home in Houston, we will have been awake for over 24 hours, so we would ask that you please pray that we would get rest during the flights and that we would not have any complications with travel, customs, luggage, etc. Also, I am starting to the beginnings of a cold, so I would appreciate prayer for this as well.

Thank you for all your encouraging words, prayers, and support both before and during our time here. We look forward to seeing family and friends very soon, and sharing all that God has done through us these past 10 days. God bless!

Blessed Encounters and Happy Reunions

Today was day two of our Voronezh ministry, and we had the opportunity to see God's amazing work being accomplished here, and many lives changes forever.

We started off with a beautiful morning, and an incredible team devotional reminding us that God will do amazing things if we are just willing to serve Him, and that we are here to love these people first and foremost. We then took a trip back to the village of Borovoe, and i was hoping to have a second visit with Natasha, Maria and Alexandria, three of the women I requested prayer for in my last post. God was so very gracious and allowed me to meet with Natasha again.

To backtrack, yesterday as Julia and I walked the gravel streets of this quiet village, we came to the end of the main road, with a huge forest ahead. Not sure where to go next, we turned left down a isolated side road and came to a house with a little clearing in the woods, where we found two beautiful girls playing near the trees, and their young mother, Natasha, watching nearby. She stared at us as we walked, and as Julia asked me if I wanted to speak with her, I felt myself heading towards her already. She came to us with a bright smile, and a slightly bemused expression, wondering what was going on. Through Julia, I explained to her that I was an American and that I had come down this quiet road to speak to her about Jesus. Immediately her face lit up with a huge smile, and she explained that she knew Jesus and that she loved America, especially Hollywood. She started speaking very quickly, but I was able to make out the name Nicolas Cage, which made me laugh.

She invited us to sit down on her bench in the woods, and we talked about everything: family, husbands, children, and Jesus. She explained that she was a Baptist and knew about Jesus, and had even been baptised in the local church. I invited her to look through my family photo album, and she was intrigued my family (especially the sheer size of it). I asked her if she still attended church and she explained that she hadn't gone in a while because of how her family was treated. When she saw my confused look, she explained that because most of the village was Russian Orthodox, and she was attending a baptist church, the Orthodox children teased her kids, and that she didn't like that her children were suffering for it. Also, she mentioned that the local baptist church was very strict, and told her that it was a sin to wear crosses or jewelry, and she didn't like all their rules. I asked her what she missed most about going to church, and she told me that she had been part of the choir and loved to sing, and missed it dearly.

As soon as she said those words, I knew I had to hear her sing. After remembering the impact the church service worship had on me, I didn't want to leave without hearing her song. when she opened her mouth, the sweetest music poured out of her, and tears filled my eyes again. With a clear, strong voice, she sang a psalm she had been taught at her old church, and it blew me away again that God had allowed me to come halfway across the world to meet this amazing woman in the woods and hear her sweet song to the lord. because our time was running short,

I had to leave her, but when we said goodbye, she told me that she was amazed that God had brought an American all the way to her quiet part of the village to talk with her. She gave me her email address and asked if I would please email her more pictures of my beautiful family and keep in touch. I knew in my heart that Iwas supposed to talk to her again soon, but I wasn't sure if it would happen. I told her that I loved her and would be praying for her, her husband Viktor, and their four children.

now fast forward to today. we are on the van back to borovoe, and the whole time i am praying that i will get a chance to meet the ladies from the day before, especially natasha. during our time together monday, i never really had solid confirmation whether she just knew of god, or if she did have a personal relationship with him. i was eager to learn the answer and more about her in general. after i told my team about our first meeting, they encouraged me to pay her a second visit to get to know her better, so julia and i set out this morning in search of our friend in the woods.

after a long walk and encountering another woman willing to speak to an american (another awesome story of god's grace, saved for another day), we finally came to natasha's house. this time, i had erik with me, since he was eager to meet the woman i couldn't stop talking about. he especially wanted to hear her singing voice for himself, and hopefully capture it on video. when we arrived at her house, we found the outside gate shut, and no one outside anymore. i rapped on the gate, and after a few minutes, we only heard the barking of their large dog. i knocked one more time, and we finally heard someone stirring inside. after a few minutes, we heard her say something, so i called out over the gate, "privyet natasha!" which means 'hi natasha!" She opened the gate and another huge smile lit up her pleasant face, and she quickly hugged me, julia, erik and his interpreter sasha.

she quickly invited us into her home, and began asking us questions about what we were doing back again. i explained that i wanted to talk to her more about her and her family, and about her relationship with jesus. she was happy to oblige, and shared that she had given her life to jesus a few years and invited him into her heart when she was 27 and that he had changed her life. when i heard her say those words, my heart leapt, knowing that i would see her again in heaven. we talked more about her experiences with church, and we encouraged her to continue strong in her faith, despite her disappointing experiences with the local churches. i gave her the scripture in matthew 18:20 that says "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." i explained that she had fellow believers in the village that she could gather with to pray, study the bible, and encourage one another. she was happy about that, and we talked for a while longer and then she sang for us again. We had to part ways soon after that, but this time i was able to leave knowing that i would definitely see her again.

it's funny thinking about it now, but the whole time we talked, i felt like i had known her for years, and she explained to me that she felt so comfortable talking with me, even though i was from such a far away place. i have been incredibly blessed with an awesome sister in christ, and i look forward to our next happy reunion, whether it's in this world, or in heaven.

here is a picture of me and my sister in christ.

By the way, here is a picture of someone else I met in Moscow. See if you can guess who this is...

Amazing Grace

Another couple of days have gone by in Russia, and I have been blown away by God's grace and peace that He so freely gives. I came to this country with some nervousness and anxiety about how I would communicate my faith through an interpreter thousands of miles away from anything familiar. Thankfully, our God is universal, so I had no reason to fear.

To backtrack some, Saturday we spent time touring Moscow and seeing the sites around Red Square and the Kremlin. Then that evening, we had an awesome dinner and prepared for our train ride that night. If you've never been on a Russian overnight train before, then it is a crazy experience that cannot be described in a blog post. It was a little difficult to sleep with the frequent jerking stops and screeching wheels, but we all managed and were blessed with a restful night.

The next morning we arrived in Voronezh, and I liked the city immediately. It is not as busy or commercial as Moscow, and the people seems more geniune and friendly. We quickly checked into our hotel so we could attend church service, and it was completely mindblowing for me. The second I walked into the church and heard the passionate and intense worship music being played for our Lord, I started to tear up. It was amazing that even though I didn't understand a word they sang, I really did understand what they were singing. He hears our praise and our worship no matter what the language.

We then were priviledged to feast on an excellent Russian lunch, lovingly prepared by the sweet-natured women from the church. We went back to the hotel and rested that evening and prepared for the Monday events. In addition, we were able to meet our interpreters for the week, and I was blessed to be paired with an experienced one named Julia (pronounced U-lia). She is an excellent interpreter, so I am praying that our week together will be a fruitful one, and that we will develop a sweet friendship during this time.

I have lots of other stories and exciting reports from just this first day, but I will save my stories for a later time, when I can also post pictures and give more specific prayer requests. In the meantime, I would appreciate your prayers regarding the following people and upcoming situations.

The people I spoke with in Borovoe (boroVOYuh) today:
Galina
Vasily
Natasha and her four children
Maria
Alexandria
Ekaterina
Reema

Our entire team here in Russia (a total of 23), plus our interpreters

Our upcoming return meetings in Borovoe and Zimlyonsk

Thank you all for your prayers,encouragement and support. Here is a Scripture that I found that I thought applied extremely well to the week ahead. "O LORD, be gracious to us, for we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. " - Isaiah 33:2

Talk to you soon!
Nickie

My First Day in Moscow

So I’ve been in Moscow for almost a full day now (yay), and it has been quite an experience, mostly because of the vastness of the city and the cultural differences all around. It was very surreal being in Red Square seeing the historical buildings I’ve admired for so long. That part was pretty much what I thought it would be. What I didn’t expect was the behavior and sophistication of a lot of the people here, particularly the young people. They are just like kids I would see in America or Western Europe, except they are ALL dressed to the nines. It will be interesting to see the differences between Moscow youth versus Voronezh youth and how it will impact our ministry there.

Overall, I am excited to be here in Moscow, but more eager to get to Voronezh and begin what I know will be an awesome and challenging week. Plus, I am excited to see how we will work together and grow together as a group while we serve our loving and merciful God.

One of the Scriptures I read on the flight that really spoke to me about this whole trip is in Isaiah 25:1. “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.”

Here is a picture of us in Red Square in front of St. Basil’s cathedral.

greetings from Atlanta

Just a quick note to let everyone know we arrived safely in Atlanta. Flying
here was amazing, just being able to admire His creation and beauty from
thousands of feet in the air. Please know that we GREATLY appreciate
everyone's prayers and well wishes. My next post will be from Moscow! Talk
to you soon!

Don't We All Have Hairstyles We Regret??

This is one the funniest books ever. If you don't have it, you need to order it NOW!

http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Hair-James-Innes-Smith/dp/1582343292

Prayer Calendar

If you'd like to download a copy of our prayer calendar for our trip to Russia, you can get it here:

Prayer Calendar

Wringing Out My Brain

Do you ever daydream about what you would do if you had the ability to instantly change yourself?  Would you look the same, or act the same, or live the same?  

For as long as I can remember, I’ve spent time drifting off, plotting how I would change my height, my hair, my body shape, my abilities and talents (or lack thereof).  Sometimes the desire is something innocent, like wishing I was a little taller.  Sometimes the thought turns to something more substantial, like wishing I could learn Spanish so I could communicate with more of my older relatives. 

One of the things I daydreamed about most is my ability to memorize Scripture.  As a kid, I rarely ever cracked open a Bible, if only to quickly memorize a Sunday School memory verse on the rare occasions I was able to attend.  While in college, I accepted Christ and desired to know more about the Bible, but always felt as though everything I read would never stick in my mind.  I spent so much time reading and rereading the same passages, trying to store some nugget of wisdom or mental picture to help me memorize and absorb what I had just read.  I would pray and ask God to help me remember what I had just read so I could apply it to my life and share it with others.  I felt so inadequate when I talked to my small group or Bible study leaders, because they would talk about what God had taught them, and would casually toss out a Scripture that referenced that same topic.  If I was ever asked about Scriptures, my mind would go blank, and I would just hear the sound of crickets chirping in my head.  Thankfully, since college, I have been able to remember and memorize certain Scripture passages, but not as many as I’d like.

That being said, one of the things people learn quickly after meeting me is that I am a HUGE movie and TV fan.  They have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, mostly because I grew up with parents who loved going to the movies or watching TV after a long day.  As a kid I watched Siskel & Ebert the way other kids watched He-Man or The Smurfs.  I grew up watching a variety of movies, from Animal House to Sergeant York to The Color Purple to Trading Places to Memphis Belle.  I could glance at an entertainment magazine or a movie review and remember nearly all of the major cast members and the plot, whether I’d actually seen it or not.  I am that go-to person if someone can’t remember the name of the actor who had the alien come out of his stomach (John Hurt).  If someone can’t remember the name of the 80’s TV show about the high school coach with all the kids (Just the Ten of Us), then they call me.  Needless to say, I have a lot of random information in my head about pop culture. 

For a long time, I’ve wished that I could memorize and remember Scripture the way I can movies or actors or random TV shows.  I would wonder if it was the way I was reading, or maybe the type of Bible I had.  About a week ago, I was thinking about this topic again when God was gracious enough to bonk me on the head with the answer.  I had become so prideful in my ability to remember random, useless pop culture information that it was keeping me from learning and truly absorbing the things that mattered.  If you become known for something and are complimented on it, what’s the likelihood that you’re going to stop doing it?  Chance are, you’re going to continue, but with even more vigor and determination. 

I liked being recognized as great at something, even if it was for something of no spiritual value or intrinsic worth.  He showed me that my pride was keeping me from understanding His word and my ability to remember it, and that if I applied myself to studying JUST His truth, I would gain a far greater reward than any flattery or compliments the world has to offer.  Plus, these things I’ve prided myself on knowing don’t bring me any closer in my walk with Him, nor do they teach me how to love others or live like Christ did. 

It’s a sobering day when you finally look up at the mirror He holds before you.  But praise God for his goodness and mercy. 

“I remember your ancient laws, O LORD, and I find comfort in them.” – Psalm 119:52

 

 

I Just Wanna Praise You!

I’ve had that line from the Mary Mary song “Shackles (Praise Him)” running through my head for the last hour, and here’s why…

So before I left for lunch today, I emailed my co-workers letting them know that I would be traveling to Russia next week, and who they should contact for help while I’m out of the office. When I returned, I had an email from an out-of-state coworker whom I’ve only spoken with a handful of times and have never met face to face. She has always been very pleasant to talk to, but with her being so far away, we’ve never really had the chance to talk on a personal level.

She asked why I was going to Russia, and mentioned that she had been to a former Russian republic a few months before. I shared that I was going on a missions trip with a group from my church, and that it would be my first time in Russia. She immediately replied back that she is a believer, and that she would be praying that God would use me and teach me in a mighty way!! We exchanged a few more emails, and she shared that God had brought her through some difficult times, but that He has been so faithful and good to her, and she was excited to learn that she has a sister in Christ in Houston!

I am so pumped up and excited thinking about her words even as I just typed them, because this is a HUGE answer to prayer. For so long, the biggest struggles I’ve had during my Christian walk have been because of work circumstances, mostly because I tended to become of the work world and not simply in it. In the seven years I’ve been working since college, I have only had two coworkers who were believers and professed their faith openly. All the other times, I didn’t know any other believers, so some of my friends were people who had no relationship with God. But, instead of living by example and sharing my faith with them, I would speak and act in ways I shouldn't have instead of holding fast to what I knew to be true. It was always easier to have work friends and be nonchalant about my faith rather than be open and risk alienation.

I praise God for opening my eyes and showing me that I spent far too much time worrying and obsessing over what others thought of me, and being fearful of being judged by them. Instead, He reveals to me during my prayers, quiet times, and through various life circumstances that He is the one to be feared, because He is the ultimate judge, but that He is merciful and so very gracious to His children.

What's The Reward?

So tonight was the first week of the new Beth Moore study I'm doing as part of my Wednesday night Bible study. We're studying her Patriarchs series, and during tonight's session, Beth said something that really stuck with me this evening.

From Genesis 15:1:
After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."

Beth's question was, "Are you treating God as though He is your great reward now, or your reward in the time to come?" His words here clearly say "I am", making Himself known in the present tense. He is truly our reward now, not just a future prize we get to claim. Being in Him means being able to experience Him and his mercy and grace now, not just when we're with him in heaven. If I am not living as though I've just received the greatest reward ever, then what am I living for?

It made me realize that too often I think of Him in distant terms, dwelling on what is to come rather than what is in front of me now. He has put specific people and situations in my life for a reason, but if I am straining to see the horizon ahead, I am way too likely to ignore or lose sight of the precious things directly in my path.

In summation, He is a wonderful and merciful God, and I am grateful for every nugget of insight and wisdom He so lovingly bestows upon me. Yay God!

Testing Out This New-Fangled Technology

Apparently I can post to this blog from anywhere in the world, so I thought I would try it and see if it actually works. 

 

From “Scrubs”

Dr. Kelso: I got you a present for your trip to Mexico. It's my old Spanish to English dictionary. I don't need it anymore, I've mastered the language.
Dr. Clock: Gracias, Señor.
Dr. Kelso: You're welcomo.

 

Ooh La La...My First Post!

Yes, this is my first post, and I honestly don't have much to say, given that it's nearly midnight and I've wasted a lot of time fiddling with the fonts, colors, and things like that.

I'll cut to the chase. You're not going to find lots of philosophical thoughts or stimulating observations on the world. Instead, you'll find out what's going on in my daily life (I leave for Russia in 9 days), which movies repulse me with just a trailer (I'm referring to you, "Good Luck Chuck"), which people inspire and challenge me (Beth Moore) and most importantly, what God is doing in my life. It is my sincere hope that you'll learn more about our awesome God and how he has radically changed my life and perspective on the world around me.

Adios!