Catching up on news from both Moscow and Krasnodar...
Pastor Jerry "hit the ground running" in Russia, but was able to take some time today to catch us up on some wonderful stories and insights...
On Monday the 11th, I was able to go to the Gym in the morning. For the first 25 of the almost 30 years that I have been traveling, my workouts were under stadiums with old cement weights, in children's playgrounds and back alley gyms used by a hand full of outlaws- usually a different crowd but one I really like! There is sort of an international respect for 'gyms rats', that I have been welcomed into...weird, but it is very comfortable for me. But in the last few years exercise has gone from weird to the 'in' thing. People pour into these "fitness" spas and pay a ton of money to work out or at least to be seen there! My hosts have taken me to their gyms which are fancier than anything I have ever used before! Our friends are so kind in everything we have done together, they hold my hand as we cross the street, carry my bags and pay for my gym fees- not excepting any arguments or exceptions! My independent spirit gets bruised a little but I have been just bathed in love and kindness here...
After the workout Monday I had lunch with a dear friend and business man in Moscow whose business is spreading out all over Russia. It was a great time of sharing our faith, asking personal questions and refocusing our faith on Jesus. Afterward he took me to his Bible Study group of young disciples who live in a young men's house and a girl's discipleship house where they live out their faith, share resources, and serve in various ministries. An amazing group of young people! They asked me to share and again with worship, prayer, teaching and questions a 1 1/2 hour meeting stretched out to almost three hours with great tenderness as we departed!
Tuesday morning I was asked to return to the center of Moscow's business district to meet with a bunch of leaders there who have come together for a Bible Study every week for the last few years.
Most of them own companies, are in financial investments, one is in full-time employment as the head of a Russian National team, and others lead a variety of companies like the VP of a large Oil Company...
But in the meeting they are just brothers. They also are leading the National Prayer Breakfast for which I have been asked to delay my return so that I can attend. While we were together Tuesday I was asked to share and felt like God wanted to address the issue of what a true disciple is...our 1 hour meeting went on for two hours until we broke for some breakfast and then returned back to the meeting room to continue what this looks like practically. Again, God was with us in an extraordinary way, so the last guy didn't leave until four hours after we started!
I went to lunch with some of our old young leaders who are wonderful servants of Christ in that difficult arena of business and also volunteering in their churches and youth programs like they experienced some 20 years ago. It was so fun to reminisce and dream for the future even in the midst of the increasing difficulties with situation here...
Afterward I returned to my dear host's apartment and another crowd gathered for three more hours to talk about the challenges of Russian society now and re-examine what it means to truly follow Jesus as a disciple and not just one as a believer who as made worldly accommodations for convenience.
It is not a casual topic nor are the decisions made about this without cost but there is only one way our life and service is acceptable to God- by surrendering with our 'whole heart'- Numbers 32:11,12 / Matthew 22:36-40. Everything will get tested but only the Silver and Gold will withstand the flames...I Cor. 3:11,12
On Wednesday the 13th of November I flew from Moscow to Krasnodar near the war zone between Russia and Ukraine- it continues to be a heartbreak all the way around!
My dear friends Kolya and Lena picked me up at the airport and we made a quick stop at McDonalds on our way to the first home group. I started out kind of weary but everyone is so hungry for God's Word and to be more authentic in their walk with Him and each other that my spirit was just soaring! We talked about integrity and surrender, then what it means to listen to the Lord and obey.
I have found that when these most basic things are overlooked and forgotten, we often find ourselves wondering why our walk with Jesus seems so estranged and empty... But God touched us with His sweet spirit and there was more than a few tears of renewal that night...
I was exhausted when we finally reached my host family- Vova and Luda, who have been praying and encouraging this return trip for nearly two years now!
They gave me their bedroom and they are sleeping with their boys on a cot and one of the bunk beds while the boys share a bunk. I have a queen size bed with slippers and bathrobe like a fancy hotel! To be honest this is really difficult for me and I have asked several times to take the cot but they are not budging...yet!
Thursday morning I was up early and feeling much refreshed, I had some good time with the Lord and He warned me about being faithful to a Sabbath rest or I wouldn't be able to finish this trip well- so my dear friends made some adjustments and Saturday has been cleared for a day with Him and rest...
After working out in an amazing gym I found out that the community of believers had anticipated my regimen and paid for the guest fees already- just one kindness after another! Kolya and Lena picked me up again and we had lunch and sharing at their house before they took me to the next home group. They kept extending the length of our meeting so that we could talk more about following Jesus, obedience and learning to celebrate challenges, and even embrace the mundane for all the discipline and purpose that God draws out of it! Sometimes people would ask a question and then slide forward in the edge of the couch and pull their chairs tighter together even though we were already close, just not to miss a thing...for me I imagine this kind of spirit must be what heaven is like!
Another late night and my dear host family was waiting at the door and anxious to hear all about the day, amazing hunger here! Today, Friday, I had a chance to spend a little more time reading and praying- which is like living water for me, both refreshing and healing! I was able to catch up on the blog some and then we went with a couple families to the park to talk, ask questions and do some dreaming together. These families love being together and so we headed home to have a special Christmas dinner a little early because of the occasion. Again we spent probably three hours talking about all kinds of topics regarding our faith and life together! There is so much sincerity and hunger for God's Truth from His Word that it is hard to stop! Finally they could tell I was waning a bit, so they told me to go rest until I had to leave for the next home group. It seemed like a good idea to me and I asked how long before we needed to take off, "well" they said, "you have about 12 minutes!". So, I am off again, so grateful for all the fruit of these days and the hunger God has put in these leaders hearts, and not only for their sakes but because they are all reinvesting everything God gives them back into others who in turn are ready to serve...