Russia on my mind

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the trip I took to Russia in February. Maybe it is because at this time last year I was preparing to go. Or maybe it's because winter is setting in and it is reminding me of Siberia.

(Side note: Siberia was so beautiful! I absolutely loved the country--I was in my element (weather wise, that is...In Siberia the world is in shades of gray. Snow blankets every corner of EVERYTHING. You basically walk and drive on several inches of packed snow. There are forests upon forest of silver birch trees. Everyone there wears full length fur coats (REAL fur coats).  It was cold, but there was hardly any wind...at least while I was there. That made the cold much more bearable! It was so beautiful!)


I went to Tomsk, Siberia on a 'Dental Missions Trip.' Our "make do" free dental clinic was set up in a Sunday school room of the church that hosted us.  While people came to wait for their turn to have dental work done, the pastor of the church preached the gospel to them. Every person who came to get work done heard the gospel. It was so neat to be a part of that! 

We were in a part of Siberia where English speakers are few and far between. Unless we had our 2 translators with us, it was impossible to communicate with people. I have never in my life felt like such a foreigner. EVERYTHING was different from what I knew: language, clothing, food, people, toilets. DENTISTRY. Everything.



On that trip, I felt so foreign, so alienated from the Russians because we had hardly anything in common.  Because of that,  I loved  the States more, I was more thankful, and I was comforted to know it was temporary. I felt foreign because I was not HOME.  I was ok with that feeling. I knew I would be home soon.

During our long flight back to the States I was convicted that I should feel like a foreigner...ALL THE TIME! Even when I am in the States.  The States are not my home. Philippians 3:20 tells me my "citizenship is in heaven" --this world is not my home. People who love this world and the things in this world...I should not bond with them over that. I should not be surprised when in my own country, state, town, job, etc, that I feel different, separated...maybe even rejected. In fact, I often times want to be accepted, I don't want to be awkard around people. I want to be able to comfortably fit in. And this should concern me!

I hope that the more I live in this world, the more alienated I feel and the more unattached I become. I really do mean that. Easy to say of course, harder to live out. But it is not worth feeling comfortable in this world yet being extremely uncomfortable for an eternity in hell. I found myself praying the other day, "Lord, whatever it takes, draw me near to You. Please show me that their is nothing in this world worth having, compared to spending eternity with you." How comforting to know that in Christ I am not a stranger or alien, but a fellow citizen with the saints and members of the household of God. (Ephesians 2:18-19).

Going to Russia was such a fun, neat experience. There were moments, though, when I did not feel like a stranger.  Thankfully I was with 4 American believers like me.  Also, our 2 translators were amazing, faithful, regenerate Christian believers.  Knowing that we all shared this common faith made it easy and comfortable to be with them. We were all strangers together. Praise the Lord for the blessing of fellow believers to make this short stay in this foreign land more joyful!

So I hope (if you are a believerr) the next time you feel left out, not accepted, like a foreigner...you will be ok with that. And may it cause you to look forward with joy to your heavenly home! Cause we're not home!

Decadence

Just finished an amazing meal.  Dan fired up the grill and we had yummy Wernli hamburgers. But this time I topped with something new:

Brie cheese

It was DIVINE! It was amazing.  Probably the BEST hamburger I've ever had.

 

If it looks like is smothered in buttery, creamy goodness, well it is. The Brie was delicious. It literally melted in my mouth.

And as IF that weren't enough, I tried a new dessert. Apple Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce.

It was incredibly rich and creamy as well 

 

If it looks like it's drowning in sweet creaminess, that's because it is.

It has REAL maple in it. (And real cream and real sugar. It was REAL good :)

Heaven is for Real

I recently finished the bestseller Heaven Is For Real. It was a quick, easy read. It kept my attention the whole time.  However, there were several things in the book that bothered me.

I believe the Holy Word of God is complete, finished and inerrant.

It is FINISHED.

We cannot add to it. There is no NEW information, no NEW Scripture.

God has given us all we need to know for salvation, how to live, and HEAVEN.

The boy in this book reveals NEW information about Heaven.  According to Colton (the boy in the book):

• Gabriel sits on the left hand of God
• Eveyone has wings
• Everyone has halos

None of these things are found in Scripture. If God wanted us to know more about Heaven, He would have said so in His Word. Everything we need to know about Heaven and NOTHING more is given to us in Scripture. It is a little frightening to me that this book proclaims to know more things about heaven than are revealed to us in Scripture.

We also know from Scripture that God is a magnificant being, His GLORY fills all of Heaven. The whole purpose of Heaven is to sing to, honor and glorify God the Father, God the Son & God the Holy Spirit.  Heaven is a place where GOD will be glorified for eternity.  The tone of this book did not bring much attention the glory, splendor and grandeur of God. Rather the theme seemed to convey that Heaven is more of a fun, beautiful place where Colton was able to see his grandpa and sister and meet saints of old (which, OF COURSE, are the many, many benefits of heaven.) But I have to think, that anyone who goes to heaven would not be able to speak enough about the glory of God, meeting their Creator and the joy that it was to glorify Him and make His Name Great.

In 2 Cor. 12, Paul speaks of seeing Heaven, but does not speak about what he saw. Matthew Henry gives great insight into perhaps WHY Paul did not share what he saw:

This account which the apostle gives us of his vision should check our curious desires after forbidden knowledge, and teach us to improve the revelation God has given us in his word. Paul himself, who had been in the third heaven, did not publish to the world what he had heard there, but adhered to the doctrine of Christ: on this foundation the church is built, and on this we must build our faith and hope.

I must agree. I must adhere to the doctine of Christ, not the doctrine of Colton.

Lord, please keep me safe...

In my recent readings and studying, the Lord has revealed a surprising pattern.  (It should not have been a surprise to me…but it was.) In my study of Titus I have learned so much about the Apostle Paul and the life that he lived. He lived a very UNcomfortable, UNsafe life.  He calls himself a SLAVE. A bondservant.

Slaves & bondservants do not live comfortable, cushy, exravagant lives.

In fact, a prophet of God named Agabus told Paul that if he went to Jerusalem, the Jews there would bind him and deliver him to the Gentiles.  Paul’s friends who were with him when he heard this “pleaded with him to not go to Jerusalem.” (Acts 21:12) What was Paul’s response? “What are you doing?...For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 21:13)

WOW!!!! Paul embraced hardship. He was READY to endure an uncomfortable life!  In his lifetime, Paul was falsely accused (Acts 21:27-29), he was beaten by an angry mob (Act 21:30-3), he was “adrift at sea, on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers,  danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles,  danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;  in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.” (2 Corinthians 11:25-27)I looked at Paul’s life. Then, I looked at my life. I thought about my prayers and I found that this is what my prayers are like:

• Lord, please keep us safe as we travel. Let no one get hurt. Bring us back safely, please.
• Lord, please take me out of this work situation. It’s not enjoyable to go to work when people treat me like that.
• Lord, please take this pain away. I would just love to be feeling better and be healthy again. Please make me feel better.
• Lord, please let this trial pass.
• Lord, please BLESS me, my family, this home, this food, etc.

And so on and on and on.

Recently the Holy Spirit has revealed to me how incredibly selfish, me-centered my prayers are. I am constantly praying for me to be COMFORTABLE, to be SAFE. To be what I want to be.   God did not call His people to live cozy, enjoyable lives. He has called to a life that glorifies and pleases HIM, whether that be in comfort or in persecution. He has called us to HIS will, not ours. So that means we may endure hardships. We may live very uncomfortable, tough lives.  And if this is what brings Him more glory, then so be it! Which do you prefer?

Living an easy life yet not knowing your Creator & Maker in an intimate way? 

Or living a radical, crazy life and knowing and loving your Savior in a way you never could before?

Laura Story is a perfect example of a modern day believer who understands the concept of this:

We pray for blessings

We pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

We pray for wisdom

Your voice to hear

And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love

As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

All the while, You hear each desperate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You’re near

And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us

When darkness seems to win

We know that pain reminds this heart

That this is not, this is not our home

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy

And what if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise

Francis Chan writes:

 “We are consumed with safety. Obsessed with it actually. Now, I’m not saying it’s wrong to pray for God’s protection, but I am questions how we’ve made safety our highest priority. We’ve elevated safety to the neglect of whatever God’s best is, whatever would bring God the most glory, or whatever would accomplish His purposes in our lives and in the world.” –Crazy Love

 

Whoa. "We've elevated safety to the neglect of whatever God's best is." Yikes.

 

So, will you be willing to pray with me like this?...

 

•  God, bring me closer to you…whatever it takes! 
• If you are best glorified by a tragedy while we’re on this trip, so be it!
• If you want me to be in this tough work situation for a LONG time, if that’s what brings you more glory Lord, so be it.
• If this pain causes me to draw closer to you Lord, let me rejoice in the pain.
• If this trial is causing others to seek your name, Lord let me be in this trial so that others may be saved.
• Lord, sometimes your blessings come through rains, storms, hard nights. Lord, thank you for blessing us this way.

“People who are obsessed with Jesus aren’t consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God’s kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.”

 –Francis Chan

THAT is what I want