Help to Renew Ukraine

This is for those who want to know the bottom line

QUICK VERSION! This is for those who want to know the bottom line, and especially for sharing in churches or small groups! PRAISE 130 people attended the seminar on Immanuel Prayer for Healing the Heart Almost everyone was totally engaged and participated. Upper 90’s but it finally broke with thunder showers on Wednesday afternoon to bring some relief even though we were over halfway through. God gave me (Diane) strength to teach 18 hours total during the two and a half days. Not even a headache despite the heat! PRAYER Pray especially for those who come in contact with or regularly work with soldiers and their families, that they will be able to help them find the peace that only our God who is Peace can bring. Pray for us as we recuperate. Thursday evening after it was over I got sick with a virus and was mostly in bed for the next 3 days. Recuperating slowly, but now Abe got sick yesterday, same virus. And so we go! COMMENTARY Get a cup of coffee! For those who have more time or a deeper interest! 😊 A huge thank you for your prayers for the seminar last week. There were 130 participants. The heat was incredible, in the upper 90’s which is 20 degrees hotter than normal. It was very hard for people to sleep at night because there is no air conditioning in those buildings, and little ventilation. The first day I took six cold showers in between sessions! Electricity was off for many hours each day but there was a generator which maintained mics and projectors and some air conditioning in the main hall. We finally began to have thunder showers Wednesday afternoon when we were more than half way through. But it definitely did bring some relief. The beautiful thing was that most of the people were totally engaged. People looking for healing of their own pain and trauma as well as those involved in reaching out and helping others. All of us are living in a country that is at war. Men are dying. Men are injured. And civilians are dying and injured. Children. Air sirens often sound. Power outages have become the norm, which adds another level of instability to life. Fear, anxiety, uncertainty. Yes, that sums it up for many people. I was amazed at how willing people were to participate. What I loved most is when people began to make connections themselves to Bible verses and principles that I had not mentioned. And all of this is done within the framework of brain science and how God has created us to function best. Hand in hand. What we believe about God is extremely important. Ukrainians are overall a very spiritual people. Despite all of the years under atheistic communism and oppression you would be hard put to find people who are atheists (compared to the “free” West!). But for most people God is far away, and He’s always looking at what we’ve done wrong. He is a God of wrath. Say you’re sorry. Light a candle. Get a blessing from the priest. And do it again next week. Certainly it is true that we have a holy God. But we also have a God who is good and loving and merciful. And a God who wants to be in relationship with us! Who wants to talk to us! Who is with us both in the good and the bad that we face in life. Always present. I guess one of my challenges is to actually help people act upon what they say they believe. One pastor came for the second time. He told me personally last time that he just couldn’t grasp what I was talking about in perceiving Christ’s presence with us—being aware of it—and then he did! This time he gave a public testimony that in the memory of a very touching moment with his son, he perceived Jesus being there with them. It touched a deep place in his heart as he works through wounds in his past. One of the main principles, and the basic one, that I try to make sure everyone is convinced of by the time they leave, is that we need to take time to remember positive experiences: find them, savor them again, and give thanks to Jesus for them as the Giver of all good gifts. In Immanuel Prayer for Healing the Heart this is the basis for connecting with people and praying for them, with them, and having them pray to God and experience His presence with them. It is the beginning of healing. And it also keeps you on the right track in your life! Here is a testimony sent in by one of the participants a couple days after the seminar: The Lord sent me to a wounded soldier, Ivan, at the hospital. He shouted that we had better not come there, that they were treated unfairly, life is unfair, etc. I prayed for him. And he ran out of the dining room in a rage. I quietly followed him, stopped, took his hand, with tears in my eyes... We met... And in thoughts Emmanuel prayer for the healing of hearts. - Share, - I say, - what is in your heart? He shared his grief for a long time... His wife cheated on him. She files for divorce. - And remember, - I say, - about something good that has happened in your life. My son. He smiled. He wanted me to pray He said, "Amen." He hugged me and said that he felt relieved. And I said that it was the Lord. And so my heart is good!!! Just one small example as these people move out, connecting with hurting people, listening to them, and bringing Jesus into their lives. So much to be done. So much pain and trauma. One young friend sent a memo yesterday that her friend’s fiancée was killed at the front. One of the things we encouraged in the seminar was doing breathing exercises to help calm the body. She said she did them many times yesterday to calm down, and then be available to comfort her friend. When this happens, every woman puts themselves in the place of that friend. “This might happen to my husband!” War is not far away. It is here. Do continue to pray for Ukraine. The politics of these things totally baffles me, but I know anyway that the Lord is the only one who can bring it to an end, however He chooses to do that. I did get sick almost immediately after the seminar. A virus that kicked in full strength Thursday evening! Coughing, coughing, sneezing, aching. We had stayed in Kyiv to take a break before returning home. That kind of wasn’t the break I was thinking of!! Monday morning I woke up feeling much better which was important since we had a five-hour trip home by bus. It was in the 80’s temperature wise and I figured that it would be miserable as usually there is minimal ventilation. Surprisingly! This bus had air conditioning! This is a company we travel with all the time! It’s the first time I knew they had any with air conditioning!! When these things happen I always think of all of the people who are praying. People praying--and my staying healthy and strong during the seminar. People praying--and the participants able to engage even though they were sleeping badly during the night because of the heat. People praying--and our having an easy trip home instead of the miserable heat we were expecting! Now Abe has gotten sick also! And so we give our weaknesses, which are many, to the Lord. It isn’t about us, it is about Him. And how it always heartens us to know that so many people surround us with their prayers on our behalf and on behalf of Ukraine.

22 Jun

Last week was quite intense for Abe

PRAISE AND PRAYER ALWAYS PRAISE Last week was quite intense for Abe but God sustained him through it. The last evangelism specific workshop until autumn for the group who already have Centers of Hope up and running. Different struggles. Many testimonies to God’s working. Following that workshop the next day Abe went to a pastors conference. It was held at a retreat center and Abe got this very strong impression that he should take along his own projector and speaker, and extension cord, even though all of the technical things were provided. There was an urgent knock on his door Friday evening. “None of the staff from the center are working on Saturday and we are not allowed to use any of their equipment!” Abe was to speak for about 3 hours on Saturday. No problem! Someone easily hooked up our equipment and everything went as planned! Amazing! He even had Ukrainian music videos because they could not use soundboard or anything for singing. God’s hand. Your prayers. When Abe got home Saturday evening we immediately left to go to a nearby hotel complex to rest for two full days. I knew Abe was tired before that week began. And as lovely as our place is, if we were at home he would be thinking about the painting he needed to do and the gardening—no longer in a relaxed manner because he was so tired. So we had two full days of nothing but peace and quiet and rest! When we got back home Tuesday he was again excited about his projects. And feeling much more rested! Thank You Lord for these opportunities. There are rotating power outages around the country. Priscilla said that they have them happen a couple times a day for a couple or so hours each time. But not according to the schedule which makes planning hard. And now when we go downtown there is the hum of generators again everywhere. And…we have had no outages. It is an ongoing wonder to us! And an extra thank You to the Lord! And, a huge praise which I have not mentioned yet. My energy levels have gone back to normal! I was tracking what happened after the medical checkups in February and my notes from mid-April show that I was coming back up to power. What an incredible gift from God!!! GOD, WE ASK YOUR HELP Russia’s attacks seem so intense. We have many air sirens going off. And yes, they are targeting energy facilities. And men are being called up. One of our leaders was called up last week which means, there will not be a Center of Hope there. Bogdan, who organized the pastors conference and has planted 7 or so churches, was stopped at a checkpoint on his way home and required to report for conscription. Another long-time acquaintance who is a professor at a seminary was called up. He went to the office and asked for a one-year deferment because there was no one else prepared to take over in his department and his groups of students would not be able to graduate next year. And they gave him an indefinite deferment! Praise God! He is 55. But, for many that is not the case. Pray for pastors and Christian leaders as they make appeals, and that they will rest in the knowledge that even if they have to leave their families and ministries, God wants to use them and will use them. Vera has put her trip to Crimea on hold. Ukraine has been attacking military facilities there. She is not afraid. But she is also not sure it is wise right now. Getting there is one thing. Getting back might be another. Such are the uncertainties of life here. Pray for her that she will find opportunities for a holiday here, and a companion to share it with. And pray that the Lord will open the door in due time for her to visit her family in Crimea. Abe is willing to let her go even in the autumn when the ministry starts back up. But things have to calm a bit. Pray that she will feel the Lord’s comfort and peace. Abe has another workshop starting Monday evening until Wednesday afternoon. I think he is very happy that it is the last one for now. He has planned a less hectic schedule in the fall, combining some of them, so is hoping it will be less strenuous for everyone. Pray for a special blessing on these people, and on him. In July and again August I will be doing a seminar on Immanuel Prayer for Healing the Heart. (That is why Abe can relax a bit!) With a special emphasis on the trauma going on here in Ukraine. So I am in intense preparation all this last week and this coming week. I need to have all the details pulled together by the end of June so that everything is in place for printing materials, updating power points and making new ones, etc… This week 10,000 text messages were sent out about it! This is being strongly backed by the Baptist Union leadership. It is possible we could have 200 people, which to be honest, I find very intimidating! But I know that whatever happens this is the task the Lord has laid before me and has been preparing me for. But, sometimes I have to quell the panic! 😊Pray that the Lord will continue to guide and provide above and beyond what we can even think to ask. Sometimes I have a day when I decide in the morning that it will be a thanksgiving only day. I will not pray and ask or intercede. Just constantly lifting up gratefulness, and even the people I would normally be praying for, instead I just thank the Lord for them and what He is doing in their lives. Today a special event will be taking place here. A friend asked if they could use our house to hold a bridal shower. They live in a somewhat crowded apartment, besides which she wanted to make it special. But there are not many options for a private party without paying some big bucks. So last evening even several ladies came to decorate. It gives us so much joy to share our home with others. We have always known it was God’s house. Yes, at one point we tried to buy it and it fell through. And then we thought we were going to be kicked out—but we weren’t. And so instead of worrying about the future we thank the Lord every day we have the privilege to live in this place with so many memories and which Abe has worked so hard to make beautiful. Among our memories are all the people we have shared our home with, usually when we have gone to North America. But sometimes when we are just gone here for a week or so. Usually it is a reprieve from apartment living. Sometimes a temporary solution for a family in between places. “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”Colossians 4:2

07 Jun

Good turnout at the workshop this past week

PRAISE Good turnout at the workshop this past week. About 70, plus children and team. This group has really bonded. Many testimonies of God’s provision, of leading people to Christ. (And Abe is training them young!) And the following is a testimony which I tried to record as Abe told it to me: One of the CoH leaders met a man who asked him if he was a Baptist pastor. When he responded yes, the man said. Oh, I want to become a Baptist. Right now! Can you baptize me right away! I'm afraid I'm going to be drafted and I'm taking care of my invalid mother who cannot even feed herself, so I don't want to go into the army! The pastor said, Well, that isn't the way it works. For one thing, becoming a Baptist won't prevent you from being drafted, and, you need to do something else before you are baptized. Here is a prayer card that explains what you really need. Take it home and read it and I'll talk to you in a few days. He met with the man again a few days later and the man said, "Yes, I want to pray this prayer! I want to believe in Christ and follow Him. And I want to do it whether or not I'm drafted. It doesn't even matter whether I have to go into the army!" So they prayed together and the man committed His life to Christ with all joy. Sure enough, soon thereafter he was called up to go into the army, so he went. And...lo and behold, a short time later they released him to return home because of his dependent mother! Interesting how God draws people in different ways, and that when they meet Christ, fear leaves. Praise the Lord as He moves and works in the lives of people! PRAYER Which brings me to what is an ongoing prayer request in Ukraine for these coming months: this issue of men being conscripted to serve in the army. Especially pray for the Christians who are facing this. In that area I see men who are preparing themselves for that possibility, not without fear, but with an understanding of responsibility and God’s care; others who are hiding, trying to slip through the net as it is being tightened, in fear; and the wives of all of these men, many of whom live in dread—not only how they will manage with them gone but, what if. This is not some war far away. This is a war that, at best, is only a few hundred miles away. And the daily reports are of men dying. Pray as each man faces this that he would be able to claim the peace of Christ and the knowledge that he is in the hands of a God who loves him. And that each wife would be assured that their Lord and Savior is able to care for their needs. They are not alone. Shorter term, Abe has two meetings next week. He leaves Monday noon and will return Wednesday evening and leave again Thursday morning, returning Saturday afternoon. The first is a workshop with the smaller group. Pray that they will be encouraged. These are the ones with fully operational Centers of Hope, and they are struggling with the task of building a team. Doing evangelism is one thing. Raising up people a whole other challenge. Pray also for Abe’s endurance. He is quite tired right now. The second meeting is a pastors’ conference and Abe will be speaking a couple times. Pray that the Holy Spirit would give him the right words. He will, of course, be speaking on evangelism and challenging them to go out into their communities and make a difference. And a final prayer request: Vera, our coworker, is from Crimea. She had to leave there after Russia took control in order to be able to continue ministering with Abe. Because of Covid and now the war, she has not been back for 3 years. Abe has been concerned because all of her family is there, and she is a single woman. Loneliness and homesickness can be an issue. Not that she would ever complain! It is a difficult journey, but she thinks she has found a bus. It will take 4 days of travel both ways and it is very expensive, so Abe wants her to leave soon so she will have at least 6 weeks to actually be there. Pray that the Lord would open up the way for her to go. We think it will minister to her soul. Vera is well loved by all of our people. Her work with them is invaluable as she phones, encourages, evaluates and strategizes with Abe. Thank you, Lord, for being our overcoming God! You knew better than any of us how difficult this world would be and how desperately we would need your peace. So you promised that we can have that peace if we would desire it and ask you for it. You overcame the dark powers of this world and provided your peace for us. Thank you, Lord! Pour your peace into me now that I might demonstrate your overcoming power to those around me. (Prayer from Harvest Prayer Ministries)

25 May

Here is a photo of our great granddaughter

PRAISE Here is a photo of our great granddaughter Melody Joy with her adoring 3-year old big brother. How precious is a little life. We rejoice with our whole family. It makes me think of the godly generations that came before this child. For the Lord is good and His mercy endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5 And Oleg and Ellie Khomenko have started their life together, joined in holy matrimony by Daniel before God and His church. It was a joyous and God-honoring celebration. And Abe held another workshop with after the festivities that we were so privileged to participate in. He always comes home with many stories of people seeing Jesus active in their lives in different ways. But…we have to be looking for Him. And always testimonies of people coming to accept Christ into their lives. Abe has prepared a small card with a prayer on it taking people step by step from turning their backs on satan and their previous lifestyle and accepting new life in Christ to walk in His ways. One of our men was on the road and saw a soldier who was hitchhiking. He drove past and then he felt he should really go back so he did. He asked where he was going and actually took him to his village. The man was limping and only has one eye but has been called to go back to the front. As the conversation was gently turned to the spiritual, the soldier said that he had some relatives who were Baptists. Our man read through the prayer on the card with him and the soldier said, “Can I pray this prayer--now?” And he not only prayed but asked if he could have more of those cards to share with other soldiers, which he was gladly given! Praise God! PRAYER One church that has begun to operate as a Center of Hope has had a prayer meeting for Ukraine every day since January. It is a congregation of about 60 people, but every day people show up to pray. The pastor uses the prayer materials that Abe has shared in the workshops. Not just “shared” but used to have times of prayer during the workshops. Pray for faithful believers to both pray and share the Good News that we have for people. One man is a pastor in an area in the east that is increasingly under attack. He already had to leave his church further east as the Russians advanced. He was asked to take this present church. It was bombed and 30 people had taken shelter in the basement. They did escape with their lives, but they had to rent another building, and he has also put up a tent to hold services in on the other side of the city (Izyum). He has about 100 people attending and is doing all kinds of outreach. Now the owner of the building wants to raise the rent completely beyond reason. And, in the midst of it, Russia continues attacking because it sits on a crossroads of a major highway that would give access to critical areas. Pray that the Russians would be repelled. Pray that this group can have a good place to meet, whether God allows them to continue at the present building or provides another place. The reports on the front are fearsome. The Russians are using mines now that have been nicknamed “leaves” because they are very small and they are spreading them everywhere—and they are lethal if stepped on. They are also using chemical warfare. As I write this the air sirens are going. I’m sitting outside. I hear them very little inside the house. A constant reminder. I listened to a video on prayer and they talked about “lament” being part of prayer. We know about praise, confession, thanksgiving, petition, intercession. But—lament. Crying out to God about the injustices, the evil, the difficulties. That has freed my spirit to lift up my laments to the Lord. It is not complaining, but there is so much sorrow. Evil is so black. So senseless. And death and destruction. A quote from desiringgod.org: “Laments turn toward God when sorrow tempts you to run from him.” Food for thought, dear friends. It comforts me

14 May

I realized after I sent

I realized after I sent the prayer update last week that I had not made any personal mentions, and this is a landmark week for us and our family! Our granddaughter, Vienna, graduated on Monday in Oklahoma! (Daughter of Sam and Melissa) A few hours ago our first great granddaughter was born in Australia! (Second great grandchild—Grandchild of Dan and Priscilla—Their son Jesse and wife Daniella for those who keep records! LOL) And on Friday our granddaughter Elizabeth will be joined in holy matrimony with Oleg here in Ukraine! (Daughter of Dan and Priscilla) Presently I am in their town for celebrations. Abe was here and will return again tomorrow night after the present workshop. Our two granddaughters who live in Australia have come for the wedding as well as Daniel’s parents. Yes, I imagine there will be a couple more pictures to follow. This is definitely a week of new beginnings for our family! TESTIMONIES I talked to Abe this morning and he said there were some wonderful testimonies. A couple of them were from ladies who come with their husbands. One wife did not come with her husband for a long time, but with everything happening she finally said – I need to go myself and see about this. Since she started coming she has brought 3 ladies to the Lord and they are ready for baptism Another lady has been coming with her husband for a year and said she has learned so much and is doing things she never did before—especially with her hands: reaching out and touching someone, lifting up her hands as she prays for someone. She feels so blessed by what she has learned how new ways of ministering to people. Just a couple things to give you a feel for the joy. That is the atmosphere at the workshops—one of joy! WAR Russia continues to bombard Ukraine, while Ukraine has run out of munitions. Abe’s translator, Andrei, thinks they may have to evacuate. He lives very close to the Russian border and their city and area is under heavy bombardment now and they have lost electricity. His wife is in early stages of Alzheimer’s. Please pray for wisdom for them and a place to go. Dan and Priscilla are receiving more refugees in their town. And so…joy and sorrow. But God writes the final chapter! Praise be to Him!!!

09 May

Well, Abe had a double header

Well, Abe had a double header a couple of weeks ago and came home energized by all of God’s good works. It was demanding to run workshops back to back, but was a very good time. Always filled with testimonies and with prayer. Those are the mainstays of every workshop. Because (1) people need to hear real stories of what God is doing. And (2) we cannot do anything without God’s power, strength and wisdom. And so, some of our people even have creatively set up points of contact in their cities offering “Prayer for Peace” Some of them even have opportunity to pray with soldiers as they reach out. They pray for God to bring them “people of peace” whose hearts are open to Him. And God is! PRAYER More workshops coming up. Next week from May 13-15, and the following week May 20-22. Thank you for bathing these times in prayer. These people are also lifting up holy hands to the Lord Jesus to bring a great harvest for the Kingdom of Heaven in Ukraine! Here are a few verses for your meditation: 1 Timothy 2:8 Therefore I want men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands…Leviticus 9:22 Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them,Exodus 17:11 So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.Psalm 63:4 So I will bless You as long as I live;I will lift up my hands in Your name. Psalm 28:2 Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You for help,When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.Lamentations 3:41 We lift up our heart and handsToward God in heaven; May the Lord encourage your heart as you pray for the salvation of souls, for the nurturing of these souls to thrive in the Kingdom of God, and for the Lord’s faithful workers in the harvest.

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