Overlooking Old Town in Tallinn, Estonia

March is almost over. Interestingly April is right around the corner. Our family traveled to Tallinn, Estonia, last week. We had to exit and reenter Russia for registration purposes. The children finished another grading period in school, and we were able to take a spring break, even though it still seems like winter here. We received a new blanket of snow last night. Oh, how I am ready to see a few flowers pop up! There is hope for April, though, as Luke and Amielle noticed some buds on the oak and birch trees near home.

We thank the Lord that we had a great trip in Estonia as we traveled by bus for eight hours across the border. Even though the ride was a long one, our family had a great time together. We took the kids swimming at an indoor water park, watched satellite TV in English, had coffee at a few European cafés and just hung out together.

Thanks for your prayers as we are on our last grading period for the homeschool year. Buck continues to travel, so please keep me in your prayers as I guide my little ones while Daddy is away. Actually notice Ashlyn in the picture. She is not so little anymore, and the rest are catching up with her.

Also, please be in prayer as our family is involved in teaching English as an open door to witness and disciple others at our local church. We meet on Wednesday nights. The entire family is participating in this outreach. We thank the Lord for His faithfulness and your faithfulness to remember us as we partner to share the Gospel to those that the Lord brings near. God bless you, and we pray that you had a great Easter. We will observe this wonderful holiday next month in our churches.

Do you find yourself doing what you do well to relieve your grief?

I jotted down a passage that relates to this question: As soon as they landed, they saw a campfire with fish cooking and some bread. Jesus said, “Come and eat.” None of the disciples dared ask “who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. -John 21:9, 12

Peter had just denied Christ. Therefore, Peter, possibly hoping to relieve his grief, did one of the things he knew how to do well. He fished. Yet he toiled.

We may think our ministry comes natural for us. We have great results. Generally we do our jobs well. However, there are times when we strongly struggle in our work or times when we work in vain. I have felt this way often. In this scripture reference Peter fished all night. Sometimes we try to “do” a great deal for God in the ministry. Maybe the Holy Spirit pleads for our attention, and we are just too busy to listen. He may already have prepared for us a huge catch. If Peter had been paying attention, he would have known that all the fish he needed was waiting for him.

I find myself often reverting to what comes natural. I teach. I write. These things we do are even good things, but sometimes God is calling us just to listen and see what He has for us. Unfortunately sometimes I busy myself with good works when God is calling my attention to be on Him. He is the only one that can help me with my grief. And, look he has a huge catch already prepared!

Please comment if you desire and share your thoughts with others. Just click below. Do you find yourself doing what you do well to relieve your grief?

Devotion of the Month- "Nurturing"

Read Isaiah 55
Key Passage: In the same way that the rain falls, like snow from heaven, and doesn’t go up without watering the earth and making it produce growth to provide seeds for the farmer and bread for the table, my Word will also go from my mouth. It won’t return to me without accomplishing what I want, and it will meet with success wherever I send it. -Isaiah 55:10-11

During the nurturing process of winter, I watch and wait in order to see what the land will produce in the spring. Through the long winter months, I look out my bedroom window and see a beautiful blanket of snow covering the ground. Contemplating the process of nature, I patiently wait to see what is to be revealed in the next season as the ground is being nourished underneath the snow. Autumn left many, fallen leaves to die and decay. As winter fades, the snow and leaves become water and nutrients replenishing the soil.

The same can be compared to our spiritual lives. Just as the process of nature continues and the various seasons appear, so does various seasons of our lives. With much prayer and meditation, God’s Word can provide the nutrition we need as the Word infiltrates our lives. During moments of our missionary journeys, we may feel drained and stripped of everything. But God’s Word replenishes our soul as the leaves do the soil. God makes us ready and prepared to work in the harvest fields.

Path Application: Let us pray that when people see our lives that they see purified and cleansed fields as white as snow because of Jesus. Pray for your field of service no matter the stage of harvest. Stay in the Word so that you stay in season.

Walk Farther:
1. How often do you spend time in God’s Word? How could you deepen that time?
2. How could you compare your own spiritual life to nature’s seasons?
3. What are some ways you could be an encouragement to someone experiencing winter in their spiritual walk?
-L.Burch, A Woman’s Path to God, path 42

What do you think you could do to add more of a godly, positive attitude to your life?

Thought we might start something new…I have received much positive feedback about the blog and so many encouraging personal notes from you. Thank you so much for your prayers and kind words! I have been informed that these testimonies and requests are used to spur discussions in your church groups as well as to share our news with many prayer warriors. Wonderful!

Maybe opening up with a thought provoking question at times will give us an opportunity to participate in a light forum. I have been motivated by your responses to me, and I am sure others will benefit from your thoughts, too. If you would like to share just tap on the comment section below the post, the responses will appear in my section, and I will add accordingly.

a positive attitude
Passage of Encouragement: And Caleb got everybody settled down in front of Moses, and said, “Let’s go now, and take over this land, because we’re capable of overcoming it.” - Numbers 13:30 (Background reading: Numbers 13:25-30)

Commentary: At the end of forty days the spies came back from exploring the Promised Land. They approached Moses, Aaron and the whole Israelite community. They brought back some of the rich fruit and told that the land was plentiful with milk and honey. They also told of the powerful people that lived there. They knew that they would have to face these powerful leaders. And Caleb spoke and said, “Let’s go now, and take over this land, because we are capable to overcome it.”
Reflection: I wonder sometimes how others see me reacting to a seemingly impossible situation. Do I find myself being more positive or negative? One of the most positive people in my life is my mother. She always views situations optimistically and takes things as they come. I know she is this way, because her relationship with the Lord is solid. She places her trust in Him totally. We can certainly do anything, forbear anything and accomplish anything because God is with us. I want to have the same positive attitude as Caleb and my mother. I want to seek God’s will on all matters. He will help me be victorious (L.Burch, A Woman’s Path to God, path 25).

What are some things that Christians can do to add more of a godly, positive attitude to their lives?

Grasping a Vision in Zelenogorsk

Here is a sight we don’t see in South Georgia on our coastal shores! Buck is standing on broken ice that the waves formed and pushed onto shore in a town outside of St. Pete on the Gulf of Finland. He visited a church planter’s conference in Zelenogorsk that was held by one of our IMB teams in European Russia. Please pray with us that the pastors and church planters in the Northwest region of Russia will grasp a vision for multiple churches, especially with the ever changing Russian laws.

Just be Faithful

Read Luke 16: 1-13
Key Passage: Whoever is trustworthy in little things can be trusted with big ones… -Luke 16:10a

The past few weeks I have been struggling with the desire to see more people come to the Lord. Maybe this desire has felt somewhat like a burden. I look around at the mass of people in my neighborhood that do not have a personal relationship with the Lord. The average person on the street would answer positively if asked the question: Do you believe in Jesus? Their response would be, "Of course, I 'believe' in God".
We live on a block that houses about 10,000 people in high-rise type apartments. I look out of my kitchen window and just wonder about the many families that live in the windows across, above, and below me. The burden for lost souls becomes so heavy. I often ask Lord, "What can I do about this lostness, when I am so small, Lord?" I walk the streets and see the drunkenness. I see men and women sleeping off the alcohol while the curb serves as their pillow. I see black eyes and punctured faces on public transportation. I hear the stories of volunteers that come to give love to orphan children. I see children in gangs that meet right outside my home. My children have even walked over spilt blood where no body was left to be seen. We watch as street kids do manual labor for a "boss" down the street, who knows their every move. I often think, "If they only knew You, Lord."
The burden is too great to carry! As I have been having a home Bible study with one lost friend the past few weeks, the Holy Spirit lightened this burden I have been trying to carry alone. If I remain faithful in the small ways, He will allow me to be faithful in much. My friend began a relationship with the Lord this week. Last night, God brought me to this scripture again as I read the parable of wise management. Just be faithful with the one. Be trusted with very little. The one. The little. He will be faithful with the masses. Because of your faithfulness with the little, the one, you are faithful in your service for Me, and I will bring the masses of St. Pete through the one. You ARE faithful in much when you first obey and do the little!
Application: Tell the one.
-L.Burch, A Woman’s Path to God, path 40

Month of Love

February is celebrated as the month of love, not just in America but in other countries now, too. My daughter, Amielle, sent me this drawing just to tell me she loves me. I remember something she said at six years old. My older daughter, Ashlyn, was baptized, and we were discussing the topic. Amielle said that she was not ready for baptism because she was scared of the water. However, she quickly informed me that she knew Jesus was in her heart. She said, “Mama, it is like this, I place my hand over my heart and feel my heart beat. It tells me that Jesus is there.” Then she asked the most interesting question: “Mama, when my heart goes up and down, I think Jesus is telling me that He loves me. Is that right?”

The things kids say. They are so innocent and sweet. Everything is understood so simply. As an adult, I must accept God’s love so openly as well and never forget my first love. Try it: Place your hand over your heart today and sense His presence as you hear Him say, “I love you!”