burned but not abandoned

As I was out on a morning walk, I saw this house that has obviously suffered through a harsh fire recently.  In the neighborhood with other homes well taken care of, it looked abandoned.  There was a guy doing something in the rumble of it all, and it made me think....

Have you been burned?

Has your heart, your health or your mind suffered some intense flames?  Have you been damaged? Broken? Disfigured?  Dirtied? Suffocating in the smoke of the after affects?

Burned, but not abandoned. 

Whatever happened to you – in whatever way.. you have not been left to mend the wounds all alone.  Although it might feel this way.  It might seem like no one is there.  The windows are broken and its all deserted.  But the Lord, the Author, The Designer knows.  He Knows the original intent, and He does not abandon.

He sees.

He Loves.

He Restores.
Remodels.

Mends.

Heals.

He turns Ashes into Beauty.

Always.

Sometimes it just takes a little time for reconstruction. 

But He does the work.  He can.  And He Will. 

Just let Him.

Hand over the rights. 

Hand over the ownership.

He is a rich landlord that invests without holding back.

He will do it! 

He will restore!

Redeem and make a comfortable, lovely dwelling for Himself in you once again.

He will!

Beauty from Ashes.

sex or no sex

To Husband and Wife: “Do not deprive each other.. so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self control.”  1 Corinthians 7:5

Yesterday I spoke with a friend of mine, and she shared something profound with me.  That in marriage a wife often tries to ‘punish’ her husband by withholding sex from him and THAT actually opens up the door wide open for Satans temptations. 

Interesting that before marriage Satan tempts people TO HAVE SEX. 

And after marriage the temptation is NOT TO HAVE SEX.

Both open the door for Satans influence and works against ourselves, because it is out of Gods Design.

So in marriage, a husband and wife should NOT deprive each other because it will bring division.  Yet before marriage people MUST DEPRIVE their own bodies, and each other so that it will NOT bring division later in marriage.

Bottom line:

SEX outside of marriage is destructive.

NO SEX in marriage is destructive. 

narrow path

It's been too long since I have written a blog.  Infact, the last blog I wrote from another state, and the one prior to that was from another continent.  Being back in America has had its poll.  Life is busy here.  Regardless the hecticness around me I want to Choose and remain calm.
I want to narrow my focus.  
Narrow my path.  
All I want to see before me is Jesus.  I do not want to be distracted by all the possibilities this land of opportunity brings.  Even in ministry there are tons of things to do, people to help.. I only want to do what I see my Father doing.  I do not want to be distracted by all the great things that I 'could' get involved in.  I want to be narrow in my perspective.  The road before me is wide and broad.  How do I keep my vision narrow?  When everyone wants you to be open minded, with wide perspective and vision to the horizon, how do I keep my heart single focused on Gods word alone?  o Help me Lord!  

sunny above the clouds

As my plane began to decent into cloudy Seattle I thought.."hmm, its always sunny up here, above the clouds." 

Interesting that our life seems to be clouded at times and we dont see the sun, and likewise in our lives things get gloomy and we don't see The Son. 

The Son of God who came to earth, who lived and loved, went to the cross, who died, and rose from the dead and is now alive, preparing a place for you and i ABOVE THE CLOUDS. 

from Russia with love

Last Hour in Russia.

These  months have been incredible.  I’ve done so many things I never planned to do, and I didn’t do some of the things that I did plan to do.  But God has provided a time of rest and a season change that I have never expected.  I am blessed.  I am blessed to be surrounded by people devoted to the Lord.  Being with the Grin Families has been incredible.  Such an example of living completely dependent on God.  Trusting their lives, existence and children into His care and protection, and relying solely on His provision.  That was inspiring and encouraging.  Being able to share Gods truth in cities that I have never even heard of.  Train rides, and long walks.  Heartfelt talks and prayers.  Lots of tea and food that is oh, so good.  There were tons of little ways that God displayed His protection and care.  I never lacked a thing.  In fact God spoiled me some.  For His ways that are beyond my understanding I am so thankful.

What waits for me as I cross the ocean once more? I do not know. But the peace is heavy upon my heart.  I am a daughter of the King of Kings, what do I have to worry about? Whatever life brings, I know that nothing compares to eternal value of Gods grace.

Being in the Moscow airport always makes me want to leave Russia and quick.  If its not them making me throw away rocks form North pole (which has happened twice to me in previous years), its them making me pay for extra luggage or whatever else they decide to do.  And the funniness of having to go pay at another register and then bringing back the receipt reminds me of the Soviet days.  Russians like to make you go places, there is no such thing as one-stop-all.  Then just as I settled in the waiting area, they made an announcement for everyone to get out because they are going to start security check.  Well soon I will be in the comforts of American lifestyle again.  Regardless of where I am, I know that I still am ‘in transit’ while I am on this side of heaven.  For I am a citizen of a heavenly dwelling, and I can’t wait to finish all there is for me to do, and get HOME!

Russian Christmas Craze

“Ill be Home for Christmas.. if only in my dreams”

The mall seems to be the only place where Christmas music is playing, and lights are sparkling, signifying that it is the Christmas Season.

Second Christmas and New Years in Russia. 

What is that all about?

Last year I spent in Chukotka.  The land of darkness and freeze, and not only temperature and nature wise, but spiritually in the hearts of people there.  It was quiet an experience.  This year I am in a mega polis.  The city is roaming with people, spending money.  The life is extremely different here.  I love observing this culture as if its not my own.  And its not.  I don’t belong.  Not that I feel like I belong in the States either.  But this is foreign.  I don’t know this Russia.  Russia RICH with things and people wanting to spend, spend, spend.  This is not the empty shelves and lines of the Soviet Russia that I remember from childhood. 

This nation is developing extremely fast.  The cities resemble so much like the States, except the contrast within the city is so drastic. 

What shocks me most is not the conditions, but the contradiction within which people live.  The city streets are full of lights, and upscale downtown living.  Having Louis Vuitton, Dior and other designer stores on one street, and a couple of blocks away there are private little homes with smoke going up from the chimneys, bathrooms outside as holes in the ground, and lack of indoor plumbing creates a need to hustle water from the well at the corner of the block.  It’s quiet extreme!

The craze of shopping is somewhat fascinating.  Now there is an overabundance of ‘things,’ and people are running wild, purchasing everything and anything.  The Hypermarkets have 90 registers working, and each have a line (Russians love Lines;) )  There are constant restocking going on, because the stores are running out of things, as well as the cleaning lady trying to push thru the people on the cart.  Price checks are run by clerks on rollerblades.  It’s unbelievable, unpredictable, extraordinary.

Russia.

The NEW Land of Russia.

No further comment. 

seminar in kurgan city

Gods ways are unpredictable and incredible.  After a youth conference that I had here in Yekaterinbrug, I am being invited to several areas around the area.  A youth leader that got married and moved to Yekaterinburg from Kurgan was very persistent to send me to the church and youth that he left behind in Kurgan, a city the middle of Russia, somewhat close to the Khazakhstan border. 

Traveling on a train is typical here in Russia, and I loved riding second class (not third) into the unknown.  This was a first for me to just go by faith without knowing the person who is to meet me and take me in.  It was a lovely simple adventure.  Arriving after midnight, a young lady met me at the station.  It was very chilly out, in -20’s. 

Sunday we got to church, and I was immediately transported back to my childhood, and our conservative underground church in Leningrad.  The simple house turned church, with the bathroom outhouses in the freezing cold. 

As soon as the service began, I was flooded with the memories and the Spirit within me bubbled up with joy for these people simply loved the Lord and praised Him as they knew. 

We had a simple lunch and tea afterwards.  Sitting at the long table with the long benches, brought memory upon memory from my decade spend in Russia growing up prior to moving to the comforts of America. 

The youth seminar was to be held at another church, and youth took the public transportation to get there, enjoying the laughter and company of each other.  I was taken there by car, to escape the icy weather. 

The Seminar. 

It was a blessed time of sharing Gods truth.  With every time I share my seminar is getting more and more polished.  After receiving numerous questions via text messages and email I have realized the importance of explaining the wisdom of God in designing the human body.  The main portion that has been added here in Russia, is sharing the truth about Gods Design for human body, which is teaching simple physiology, talking about menstrual cycle and wet dreams.  This is becoming a vital aspect of my seminars and it was great fun with not knowing the right terminology for everything in Russian.  The comfort and simplicity with which I share these topics are surprising even myself.  The youth said that they have never had anyone share with them on any of these topics. 

This trip was a gift for me.  A travel back in time sort of.  I was truly honored and blessed to meet my brothers and sisters in the deep center of Russia.  An unexpected financial gift that exceeded the amount I paid for train tickets, completely shocked me.  Even in the remote, cold Russian village, God is taking care of me.  I am never alone.  Never forgotten.  Loved, and taken care of.  For this I am overwhelmed with gratitude. 

I felt like such a foreigner on the way back, in my uggs, earphones blasting worship music, my water bottle and starbucks thermos cup.  The train glided thru the forest of a winter wonderland, that I unfortunately was not able to capture on camera.  This trip and the train ride, is one of those rare moments we have in life that we are overflowing with contentment and are unable to explain the bouquet of emotions.  This moment is simply engraved as a permanent sweet memory in my heart.