Why I Care About Ukraine by Elysia

Yesterday at the MN State Capitol at a rally to support Ukraine

Today as I was driving home from work, I was listening to the BBC world news report on the radio and thinking about Ukraine.  I began to cry again as I have done on and off over the past couple weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine about eleven days ago.  I have felt disbelief, anger, worry, and even a sense of “getting used” to the now present reality of a Russian war against Ukraine.  We have prayed a lot since we heard these reports and admittedly I have been obsessed with news from Ukraine.  We have tried to contact various friends and have talked with friends here in the U.S. who also worked in Ukraine.  For my friends who do not know me well or have only met me recently, I care about Ukraine because we made Ukraine our home for two years beginning in 2004.  Two years is a short time to live in a place, but we truly love the land and the people of Ukraine.

Though we experienced hardships when we lived in Ukraine, we remember our time there with much pleasure.  We worked with a missionary team from Calvary Chapel at a church plant in Pryluki, a couple of hours East of Kyiv.  We have so many memories of the beautiful friends we met there.  The brothers and sisters in Christ we shared our lives with at the church helped to strengthen our faith in Christ and were beautiful joy-filled Christians.  Many came from darkness into light when they met Jesus through the missionaries.  We shared meals, Bible studies, and prayer meetings together.  We sang together.  We worshipped the Lord together.  When our daughter, Elizabeth, was born while we were living in Ukraine, the ladies from church loved to hold and rock her.  They loved her.  I thank God for our friends in Ukraine.

We also loved the land of Ukraine.  We bought a house because we were unable to find a place to rent.  Our house was a special place that I will remember for my whole life long.  It had so many fruit and nut trees, a very large backyard garden, and a small Summer house and root cellars behind.  We made some improvements to the house by adding an indoor toilet, a new heating system, carpeting, paint, and a door to the bathroom.  We also upgraded the electrical wiring, brought in cabinets, and added security bars over the windows.  Many of these improvements were a team effort through the help of our fellow missionaries, especially Danny.  Our neighbor ladies on both sides were such hardworking souls.  They labored over their gardens and kept months of potatoes and cabbages and other root vegetables in their cellars for the winter.  Once our neighbor lady, Maria, gave us a Pippi Longstocking doll that her granddaughter had bought on a trip to Sweden.  The other neighbor once came over warning us that our two-year-old son was climbing the fire escape stairs to the attic above the house!  We talked about vegetables and weeding gardens, and we talked about why we came to Ukraine - God.  We felt their love.

Love is powerful.  Love binds people together.  I will always love the people and the land of Ukraine.  I pray now for their peace, freedom, and especially the opportunity to worship God for all their days.  I will continue to pray for Ukraine and check the news often to read about the war.  Lord, have mercy on Ukraine.

Sabbath

What a great Sabbath day!
Worship at Glory of Christ Fellowship with Special Guest Speaker, Mark Beck, from Josiah's gift.  Mr. Beck challenged us to memorized whole chapters or entire books of the Bible.  We were challenged by Pastor Charlie to memorize 1 Peter chapter 1 by May.  Lizzy and I decided to take the challenge. Let's do it!
Agape Meal afterwards with wonderful fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ.
The Settlers of Catan with my family.   Tomorrow everyone goes back to school!

Driving Home With God's Smuggler

Yesterday we braved the snowy, windy roads of Montana to return home.  Ethan drove the car in white, white difficult conditions.  Our family was tired, and admittedly, the two oldest children were bickering and angry several times during the trip.  Our nerves were on edge.  We put on an audio book edition of "God's Smuggler" by Brother Andrew and John and Elizabeth Sherrill written in 1967.  Andrew's world of 1930s and 40s Holland and then the post-world war Iron Curtain missionary work opened our eyes and our imaginations as we drove.  During the breaks, I read from my book "The Insanity of God" by Nik Ripken.

Brother Andrew traveling behind the Iron Curtain in his blue VW sedan.

The persecution of the Church is heavy on my mind after reading these books.  Brother Andrew told a story about Czechoslovakia where the government frustrated the Christians by sponsoring a new edition of the Bible then refusing the print it.  The other Bibles were not allowed to be printed, only the new edition. So without the new edition, no Bibles were available anywhere.  In one church in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, the congregation of people possessed only seven Bibles amongst them, so they would hold up their Bibles above their heads during the service so that everyone could crowd around them and share the word together.  They would copy the words to hymns on looseleaf notebooks and share those as well.  How may people in our churches even bring their Bibles to church let alone follow along with the reading of Scripture during the service?  We are so free yet so bound in our "Land of the Free."  We value little of what the historical Church has valued, and God's word is no longer precious to us.  Nik Ripken told countless stories of pastors who were tortured and imprisoned for countless years because they were Christian pastors and refused to denounce Christ.  Their families were persecuted and humiliated as well, yet they counted the cost of this and knew that Jesus was worthy of their suffering.  Cause us, Father, to treasure, love, and be devoted to Jesus Christ just as these persecuted Christians were.  You are worthy of our love. Amen.

Evidence

"We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.  For we know, brothers loved by God that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction." I Thess. 1:2-5a

When God has turned on the light in our souls, given us the gift of the Holy Spirit, and saved us from our sins through the blood of Jesus Christ, we belong to Him.  Jesus warned that there would be those who claim to have the rights as sons and daughters like true believers. They might try get to God some other way by climbing over the wall rather than going through the narrow gate (only through Jesus), but they are only thieves and robbers.  Jesus said some would act like Christians and grow around the true plants, the wheat, but they are weeds and in the end they will be pulled up and thrown into the fire.

But there are some who have entered through the narrow gate of Jesus Christ, people like Christian and Hopeful from John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, who are fully convinced that Jesus Christ is Lord.  They receive the gospel of Jesus when they believe.  They believe that He has removed the burden of sin from their lives through the sacrifice of His life and blood shed on the Cross.  Their lives are changed when they are transferred from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of His love and God's power has forgiven their sins.  They turn from idols to the Living God. They now worship the Father in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:23). Their faith in Jesus in evidence they are chosen by Him.  We do not have to wonder when they die that they are now with God worshipping before His throne in Heaven.  Jesus is their life.  Can I convince you to turn to Jesus, who loves you and gave His life for you, today?  You can have full assurance that your sins are forgiven and that you will spend eternity in Heaven with Him. All your shame will be removed because His blood washes away Your sins when you confess and believe in Jesus.  Nothing will be able to separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39).

Off And Running in May

Ethan returned from Liberia Sunday, and he has had little jet lag to contend with.  Ethan was very blessed as he taught at the college in Ganta. He had twice as many students as originally expected and the classroom interaction and participation was outstanding. The weather was very hot and humid, as this is the hot season near the equator. He said the food and hospitality were amazing!!  All in all, the trip was a success, and we pray will bring lasting fruit in the lives of the believers being trained at the college.

Teachers l to r: Eric Alexander, Philemon Yong, Ethan Larson, Liberian hostess, Howard Foreman, Liberian host

The kids and I were well at home while Ethan was away.  It was very busy while he was gone as is usual.  Ethan's parents and sister were in town to clean out their house in order to move to Arizona.  We put on a last minute garage sale Saturday, and were completely blown away by the success of the sale.  They sold all the furniture except the pool table, and most of the smaller items went very quickly including the antiques and many of the household items they were selling.  God blessed them so much!  We were also very grateful for the Christian friends who helped us.

We are still praying about our future as we prepare for ministry with TLI.  We are very excited to serve God around the world through theological biblical education.  We are still in the support-raising process and have raised approximately 60% of our monthly budget.  This week Ethan and I went to Maple Grove to visit a classical school that is also a charter school (free public school education) that all four of our children have been accepted to. It appears God is opening up an opportunity for an excellent education for our children there for this coming year, surprisingly because many children remain on a waiting list in order to be accepted at this school.  We are waiting, however, on the finances and housing that would be necessary in order to make this move down to the Twin Cities possible.  This remains a matter of prayer for us as we wait on God to provide and direct our path.  A missionary friend reminded me yesterday of how God directed Paul in Acts 16 with the vision of the man from Macedonia and how God had stopped him from going another direction.  Also, he reminded me of Proverbs 19:21

There are many plans in a man’s heart,Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

God has a plan! We continue to wait on God and trust in Him.  Please pray with us about these decisions.

Another noteworthy piece of news is that our church is moving into their remodeled building this weekend.  Ethan has been working hard all week getting the sound system up and running.  He is there now!  Gretchen, Lizzy, and I will be working in the nursery Sunday, and we are looking forward to having our own building after renting the YMCA for several years. I just hope my child with the stomach flu gets better by tomorrow!!!

The kids and I had a great time in Underwood yesterday for the 4H Jr. Garden Day. We scooped a lot of dirt for their potted plants, seeds, and terrariums.  I have cabin fever for summer! It has been so cold here! There is a chance of snow and rain today still! Haha!  But at least we are starting to get some green grass.

God bless you all!