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
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