Pastor Jerry takes us deeper into their first days in Ukraine...

Last Wednesday night I was asked to share at the evening service at Central Baptist Church.  It was a very tender time and many were moved by God's Spirit to tears by His Exhortation to remember and do again what they had forgotten from the days of their 'first love'! (I talked about impossibilities in our faith!) I was moved as well and I was the one speaking!  Funny how He can minister to our own spirit, even when we are doing all the talking! 

Rolfe and I arrived last Thursday evening at the National Youth Conference in a beautiful ski resort just outside Ivano-Frankivish, Ukraine.  The cost was amazing- $30 each, including food and lodging for two days!   It was kind of a surprise addition to our schedule but a great blessing!  It was so fun to see leaders that I have walked with for 20 years from all over the Country now leading others in wonderful, life changing ministries!  

I was asked to lead a seminar on the work of the Holy Spirit which I thought would only include a few people in one of the classrooms but they put it in the main hall and virtually all 300 people at the Conference showed up!  I shared about God's love, the Voice of the Lord and the abundant fruit the Holy Spirit Always bears! I told them that God is not looking for people with a lot of ideas, He is looking for people who know how to follow Jesus, instead of trying to lead Him! And, that He has given us the Holy Spirit to accomplish everything our Lord has commanded us to do!   I also included some stories of how God has made this real in our domestic and International ministries, including Ukraine! They were fun stories of God's power and faithfulness, but I was totally caught off guard by all the tears! Many said they felt like they had a whole new life and ministry in Christ- that by God's Spirit, their hearts were burning for Him! I spent a good part of the next 20 hours meeting with people from all over the Country who wanted to know more and where to begin... and of course, I told them to meet with Jesus and He would give them His Spirit to love and lead them for the rest of their lives!  

Rolfe volunteed to do a seminar after Pasha heard him speak about the subject of pornography among brothers! It's a topic that almost everyone tries to avoid confronting but it is a terrible roadblock for many men- especially in the church! It was a packed room and everyone there was either a pastor or youth minister!  Rolfe did an amazing job addressing this very personal and debilitating issue!  Many tears and much encouragement followed the Lord's work there!

It was a pleasure to be able to meet with longtime friend Vlad Vozniak and his new wife Tanya. He is head of World ministries in Ukraine. His wife Katya died in 2020 of breast cancer and Tanya's husband was killed in a tragic home accident in 2019. They both love the Lord with all their hearts and were married this past January!  What a merciful, kind and faithful God we serve!

I wanted to apologize for falling behind on the blog entries!  The schedule has been full from top to bottom day after day and then trying to stay on top of the speaking prep and writing has been a challenge! I was pretty cold and tired several days in a row and picked up a chest cold, but it seems to be passing already.  I haven't missed any events yet, but it has all been by His grace and the many faithful prayer partners who are constantly covering every step of the way!  "How can we thank God enough for you..."!!  I Thess. 3:9    I love you very much! In Jesus,  jerry