Learns

I met with Galina's daughter today. Marina was such a sweetheart. I was getting all her previous job experience down so I could make up her resume. She had a plethora of jobs to speak of and she's only a year older then me. She went on and on in Russian about the details of the jobs she's had and finally her interpreter let out a big "Ooooh." Then she explained to me that the reason is because every time that she started speaking about Christ they would find a reason to let her go or request her to quit. Isn't it surreal. I told them I have heard of these things happening in many other countries, but not so much in Russia lately. But they affirmed that the persecution and prejudice against Christians by the Orthodox in Russia is still very much a reality as it probably was during the Soviet Union days. They can't even hold a job in their supposedly free country because they love the Lord. They are grateful to be here, but the interpreter added her own comment that who knows how long that will last even in the States. I love these Russian gals. They encourage me so much with their faith and joy and testimonies.

I wanted to share a couple things that the Lord taught me this weekend through a friend that my folks had over. There were a couple things that really stuck with me and I've been thinking about them a lot.

Faith is a gift. We can't conjure it up or work it into being. I thought of things I've been "trying" to have faith for. I thought of particular moments of praying for healing where I was trying to conjure up the faith to make it happen. And I thought of things where I knew for a fact that I had genuine faith. (I guess the knowing for a fact is exactly what faith is all about). For example, I know for a fact that God is keeping this mole safe. I have this mole on my back and mom prayed over it when I was young and I've never forgotten it and I've never feared that I'd get skin cancer from it. Cause I just know that he's healed me past present future. And I have faith that even though I feel there's something missing spiritually that he's going to feed me, fill me up, and satisfy that emptiness. I wish it were right this moment, but still I just know that it's going to happen.

The other thing is that We are the Salt of the Earth. Salt does not serve to feed or fill you up. It serves to make you thirsty and wanting more. In sharing Christ with others perhaps as salt we serve to get them interested and hungry for more. We don't need to try to fill them up with food they can't handle by giving them the whole picture. They're liable to throw up.

Some interesting thoughts.

I'm so blessed right now. My totally awesome friend gave/lent me some furniture! She made my house a home. I actually have a place to sit in the living room now. And yikes she also threw in a TV and DVD player. So now y'all have to come visit me so you can sit on furniture and watch TV and let me be your hostess. I'll feed you. No charge... I promise. Be my guest. How fun is that!? This is a new thing for me, so as silly as it is, I'm going to enjoy it. Thank the Lord for the simple things in life like a place to rest your bum.

The new Pad

Here's some pics of my new place. nothin fancy as you can see. but its warm and dry and quiet. When you gonna come live with me Kel?

America Bless God

Are you in need of some encouragement today? Well I got some.

I met with my first Russian client yesterday. She doesn't speak a word of English, so her cousin Natasha was translating. Galina was such a sweetheart. She has a daughter my age. I wonder if she thinks it's weird to have me so young as her job counselor. Anyway, we went through all the paper work and I was so encouraged by her answer to the question "what do you want in your life for the future?" She said that she wanted to learn English well enough to get a job in her field as a dermatologist so that she can share Jesus with her patients. She's a Christian. And she was overwhelmingly blessed to hear that I am too! You don't need to speak the same language to share this spiritual connection. She loves the Lord and is passionate about sharing Him with others. I can't wait til she does speak English because God's going to use her as a missionary to this sad country of America. Not that she sees the U.S. that way. She is so happy to be here and loves this country and the freedoms it provides.

Being at this job is helping me to appreciate more and more that I was born here in America. I've heard many stories from my clients of the things they left behind when they came to America as refugees. I can't fathom what they've been through. I'm amazed every day that I get to work with them and help them adjust to this place where they are free. Sure, there are many other challenges they face in coming to live here, but they are nothing compareds to what they've escaped from.

Press In

So I'm finally moved into my new place. It's nothing fabulous, but it's a place to lay my head. I finally got a bed after sleeping on the floor for a week. I still don't have any other furniture tho. It's interesting. I'm not complaining tho. God's been so good to me.

I went to North Carolina for a week with my folks to visit my bro Joe and sis Eva. Good times. Got to hear Heidi and Roland Baker and they had some amazing things to say. They're so free in the spirit and free from religion. It's so refreshing to be in their presence.

We saw Heidi again just last Wednesday in Maplewood, MN at a healing conference. It was cool. So I decided to check out the church where the conference was held this Sunday morning to see what a Sunday morning service was like. It was pretty cool. I went by myself and just enjoyed worshiping the Lord.. I didn't really take the time to meet any one tho. Maybe I'll go again next week and stick around a little bit longer. It still has a religious feel to it, but I decided it's better to be a part of something where people are seeking after God imprefectly then to be a part of nothing and try to seek him completely on my own... I've already figured out that it's really HARD! Why it's so hard, I'll never understand why.

And that leads to what the Lord's been teaching me in big ways these last couple weeks. I realized that I give up really easily. I get frustrated fast and give up when I'm expecting a touch from the Lord and nothing happens... I get mad! I get frustrated, I compare myself to others, I get easily distracted, I get discouraged, and I give up. I just say, forget it, He's ignoring me, doesn't he want me to want him, what am i doing wrong.... yadda yadda... all that stuff. But the last few days expecially I keep hearing the phrases "Press In" "Seek with all your heart" "Persevere" "Reach" PRESS IN. I feel the Lord is telling me to not give up so easily. He wants to know how much I really want Him. How hungry am I? I do want him, but I get discouraged because I feel like finding him shouldn't be so dang hard. But I have to believe not according to my experiences, but according to His Word which is truth that when I seek Him I will find him when I seek him with all my heart. So I'm asking the Lord for more and more hunger. I don't want to give up anymore. He's worth my time and my pressing in.