Thank you for praying! I just pulled up to my house at the same time as the UPS truck and signed for a package from the government... it was my new passport!
Not only did it get here on time, but a day EARLY! Wow, what a reminder of God's faithfulness.
Also - I was just at the grocery store and as I was getting checked out, realized I left my wallet in the car. I explained that I would need to run out to my car and the woman behind me didn't miss a beat and said not to worry because she would pay for them.
I am overwhelmed with God's goodness and provision, even despite my lack of faith!
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
News from Moscow
Here is a little insight into what's happening in Russia RIGHT NOW:
[from Lauren, who is currently in Moscow on STINT with Cru]
Anton's fun and easy going personality can light up the room. When Zach and Anne, two of my teammates, met Anton the first day on campus, none of us had any idea what God had in store for this young man. He has come to our weekly English clubs, parties, and both retreats we held this semester. While sitting around a table in Ped's cafeteria one afternoon last month, after a year of many conversations about man's need for a Savior and a strong foundation in life, Anton prayed with three of the New Life male staff members and asked Jesus to forgive him of his sins and come and make His home in his heart! What an amazing day this was, especially for Zach who has been here for two years now and Anton is the first male he's seen trust in Christ. Zach is meeting weekly with Anton and teaching him more about the Bible, as well as encouraging him to share his faith. Anton has already shared this good news with his sister Dasha. Please pray she receives it, too!
Lena has been a believer for 2 months now! Each week, I have the privilege of meeting with this precious friend to teach her more about the Lord. Last week, we spent three hours together looking at how to live life by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lena prayed at the close of our time and asked God to help her choose to live her life everyday for Him. what a beautiful sound it must be to our Savior's ears to hear this precious one's prayer - thanking Him for the work He's done in her life. We go to the same church now! This girl LOVES her new Christian family. She is truly a picture of a transformed life.
[from Lauren, who is currently in Moscow on STINT with Cru]
Anton's fun and easy going personality can light up the room. When Zach and Anne, two of my teammates, met Anton the first day on campus, none of us had any idea what God had in store for this young man. He has come to our weekly English clubs, parties, and both retreats we held this semester. While sitting around a table in Ped's cafeteria one afternoon last month, after a year of many conversations about man's need for a Savior and a strong foundation in life, Anton prayed with three of the New Life male staff members and asked Jesus to forgive him of his sins and come and make His home in his heart! What an amazing day this was, especially for Zach who has been here for two years now and Anton is the first male he's seen trust in Christ. Zach is meeting weekly with Anton and teaching him more about the Bible, as well as encouraging him to share his faith. Anton has already shared this good news with his sister Dasha. Please pray she receives it, too!
Lena has been a believer for 2 months now! Each week, I have the privilege of meeting with this precious friend to teach her more about the Lord. Last week, we spent three hours together looking at how to live life by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lena prayed at the close of our time and asked God to help her choose to live her life everyday for Him. what a beautiful sound it must be to our Savior's ears to hear this precious one's prayer - thanking Him for the work He's done in her life. We go to the same church now! This girl LOVES her new Christian family. She is truly a picture of a transformed life.
******
Please continue praying for Anton and Lena! As well as for the current STINT team, as they are transitioning back to the US.
Reading the stories of Anton and Lena make my eagerness and anticipation for going to Moscow and ministering to college students grow tremendously. I can't wait to experience whatever God has in store for this next year! I'm praying that God would use the next two months to strengthen my faith and prepare me for this new season of ministry.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Passport/Visa
Here's the situation:
I sent in my passport to the US Passport office about a week and a half ago to get renewed. I knew that it would take about 4 weeks until I got my new one. What I didn't know is that I need a scanned image of my new passport in order to start the Visa process... and I need it by Friday. :)
The customer service representative at the Passport Office was VERY nice and helped me expedite the process. We made a request to have the new passport by Friday, which to me seems like a bit of a stretch. ;-) But I know that God is bigger than policies and passport offices and set timelines.
Please pray with me that the new passport would arrive by Friday (which would be a miracle) so I can start the process of applying for a Visa! Thank you!
I sent in my passport to the US Passport office about a week and a half ago to get renewed. I knew that it would take about 4 weeks until I got my new one. What I didn't know is that I need a scanned image of my new passport in order to start the Visa process... and I need it by Friday. :)
The customer service representative at the Passport Office was VERY nice and helped me expedite the process. We made a request to have the new passport by Friday, which to me seems like a bit of a stretch. ;-) But I know that God is bigger than policies and passport offices and set timelines.
Please pray with me that the new passport would arrive by Friday (which would be a miracle) so I can start the process of applying for a Visa! Thank you!
Friday, June 13, 2014
First Big Move
Hello, from Oregon!
Wednesday night marked the "first big move" in preparation for STINT in Moscow, Russia... moving back to where I grew up to raise support full-time this summer. Even though the quick trip from Boise to Portland is rather insignificant in comparison to the looming USA to Russia transition coming in just two short months, change is still change. And change is hard, even when it's good. That's the thing about hard stuff - every situation is multifaceted, and even in the midst of feeling the pain, you can acknowledge the goodness and faithfulness of God.
I invited friends to a Popsicle Party at the park last weekend for a final "goodbye." It was great to laugh and talk with such incredible friends before I left. What a beautiful reminder of God's faithfulness; I remember praying for friends when I first got to Boise! He provided above and beyond what I even dreamed of.
Leaving Boise was a very sad day. I said goodbye to the family I was a nanny for throughout all four years I spent in Boise. It's okay, I've been away for less than 48 hours and already talked to the kids on the phone and sent many imessages-including pictures and videos-back and forth. (Thankful for technology!) I think we'll be just fine. :)
On the brief flight from Boise to Portland I had a horrible stomachache that was not cured by my Moxie Java airport dinner of deli sandwich and smoothie OR by my usual in-flight drink order of ginger ale. This didn't help to improve my mood. Also - in the packing and moving frenzy, somehow I left out only shoulder duffel bags in Boise for the final trip to Portland. All of my normal rolling suitcases were already here in Oregon. I had a backpack, a shoulder laptop bag, a small duffel bag, and a large duffel bag, which got me a few funny looks and laughs at the airport as I waddled, short of breath to go find my Dad outside the baggage claim at the Portland airport.
Yesterday I focused on spending time with my grandparents and getting settled into my new room -- creating my own space. Today I started what I hope to be my new routine - quiet time & coffee, bike ride, phone calls & appointments for raising support. Then when mom gets home from work we're going to have a movie night and make popcorn. I'm looking forward to the kite festival at the beach next week and many nights making dinner for my grandparents. I really am thankful for this sweet time with my family before I leave.
In spending time with God the past two days I've been reminded that my life goal is not comfort, affluence, prosperity, or to reach the top of some proverbial ladder of success. I live for eternity and I never want to find myself lost in the current of today's popular culture. I want to constantly keep my focus heavenward and be ready to go where God says to go, speak what He says to speak, love who He says to love, and do what he calls me to do. I want to live in a ready position to obey, not a settled position of stagnant complacency. It's about priority. Comfort is nice, but not necessary, in the way that our North American culture defines it.
To be "sent" doesn't always mean packing up and moving to a different country.
We're called to make disciples as we go about our daily lives, in whatever context God has placed us.
Are we living as "sent" ones into the mission field of our workplaces? Families? Neighbors? Classrooms? Even church communities?
It is too easy to be "settled" into what is comfortable or normal, but I pray that time never comes. I pray that I will always live in such a way that faith is required because I am following so closely to Jesus and so far away from selfish desires.
---------------------------
As you can see, two days into the first big transition, and I'm full of emotions, questions, hope, and definitely learning many lessons. I tried to keep is reasonably short (a definite fault of mine!), but informative. This is where I'm at and this is how you can pray! I am so, so, so very thankful for this team of partners that God has provided - and continues to do so. I'm encouraged by your support and kind words! Thank you, thank you!
Please feel free to contact me by email or phone any time. I'd love to hear from you!
 |
| Flowers from Grandma in my new room. |
Wednesday night marked the "first big move" in preparation for STINT in Moscow, Russia... moving back to where I grew up to raise support full-time this summer. Even though the quick trip from Boise to Portland is rather insignificant in comparison to the looming USA to Russia transition coming in just two short months, change is still change. And change is hard, even when it's good. That's the thing about hard stuff - every situation is multifaceted, and even in the midst of feeling the pain, you can acknowledge the goodness and faithfulness of God.
I invited friends to a Popsicle Party at the park last weekend for a final "goodbye." It was great to laugh and talk with such incredible friends before I left. What a beautiful reminder of God's faithfulness; I remember praying for friends when I first got to Boise! He provided above and beyond what I even dreamed of.
Leaving Boise was a very sad day. I said goodbye to the family I was a nanny for throughout all four years I spent in Boise. It's okay, I've been away for less than 48 hours and already talked to the kids on the phone and sent many imessages-including pictures and videos-back and forth. (Thankful for technology!) I think we'll be just fine. :)
On the brief flight from Boise to Portland I had a horrible stomachache that was not cured by my Moxie Java airport dinner of deli sandwich and smoothie OR by my usual in-flight drink order of ginger ale. This didn't help to improve my mood. Also - in the packing and moving frenzy, somehow I left out only shoulder duffel bags in Boise for the final trip to Portland. All of my normal rolling suitcases were already here in Oregon. I had a backpack, a shoulder laptop bag, a small duffel bag, and a large duffel bag, which got me a few funny looks and laughs at the airport as I waddled, short of breath to go find my Dad outside the baggage claim at the Portland airport.
Yesterday I focused on spending time with my grandparents and getting settled into my new room -- creating my own space. Today I started what I hope to be my new routine - quiet time & coffee, bike ride, phone calls & appointments for raising support. Then when mom gets home from work we're going to have a movie night and make popcorn. I'm looking forward to the kite festival at the beach next week and many nights making dinner for my grandparents. I really am thankful for this sweet time with my family before I leave.
When I walk through those moments of sadness and grief,
do I use them as an opportunity to press into God?
In spending time with God the past two days I've been reminded that my life goal is not comfort, affluence, prosperity, or to reach the top of some proverbial ladder of success. I live for eternity and I never want to find myself lost in the current of today's popular culture. I want to constantly keep my focus heavenward and be ready to go where God says to go, speak what He says to speak, love who He says to love, and do what he calls me to do. I want to live in a ready position to obey, not a settled position of stagnant complacency. It's about priority. Comfort is nice, but not necessary, in the way that our North American culture defines it.
"I do not have to know why everything happens since I know God is good,
He loves me, and life on Earth is not the whole story." - Rick Warren
 |
| http://blog.joshstannard.co.uk/ |
To be "sent" doesn't always mean packing up and moving to a different country.
We're called to make disciples as we go about our daily lives, in whatever context God has placed us.
Are we living as "sent" ones into the mission field of our workplaces? Families? Neighbors? Classrooms? Even church communities?
It is too easy to be "settled" into what is comfortable or normal, but I pray that time never comes. I pray that I will always live in such a way that faith is required because I am following so closely to Jesus and so far away from selfish desires.
---------------------------
As you can see, two days into the first big transition, and I'm full of emotions, questions, hope, and definitely learning many lessons. I tried to keep is reasonably short (a definite fault of mine!), but informative. This is where I'm at and this is how you can pray! I am so, so, so very thankful for this team of partners that God has provided - and continues to do so. I'm encouraged by your support and kind words! Thank you, thank you!
Please feel free to contact me by email or phone any time. I'd love to hear from you!
~
kailene.power@cru.org
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)