Replacing storm debris

I've definitely broke my promise to post something every week... Forgive me folks! I'd love to tell you a really fantastic excuse for not posting but I don't have one. Simply said, I haven't really had much to say. And I've been lazy.

That being said, for the past few weeks I've been in this weird funk. Even though life is going great (I've been celebrating my birthday all month!) it just seems like every morning when I wake up, I'm already tired. I go to bed and I'm still tired. Even after taking almost a whole week off to relax a little (one weekend in San Diego and the next weekend in Mendocino) it seems like I can't get rested. It's just this constant run, run, run, and do, do, do. The list of things to do never gets annihilated. It only seems to grow. With each item that gets crossed off, at least two more show up. It's a never ending cycle and I often feel like a hamster in a stationary wheel.

In addition to all of that, I make promises to myself that I cannot keep. I tell myself I'm going to go to sleep early today. Only to find myself climbing into bed well past midnight. I promise myself I'll wake up early to read the Bible before going to work and I end up hitting snooze 30 times. That's not even exaggerating. So what's going on? Why is it that the simple things in life cause our world to seem out of control?

I wish I knew. But I don't. All I know is I want to be lost in the embrace of my Father and just rest. Just find peace. So, this is my prayer this morning (in poetry form):

My soul is weary, yearning peace
There's nothing I can do
This boat is crumbling underneath
Splintering my bare feet

But Jesus, you are Prince of Peace
So calm this storm in me
just as you did in Galilee
When darkness, wind prevailed

Please call me into your embrace
Strengthen my feeble knees
That I may walk atop those waves
That aim to swallow me

I want to feel the gentle springs
Of living water flow
Deep into my thirsty soul
Replacing storm debris

Celebrating the Risen King!

I woke up this morning with these lyrics ringing in my ears: "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow!" Isn't that glorious? Because we have a king that is sovereign and eternal, we have no fear of the future. Jesus is risen! Yesterday, today and tomorrow, he remains the same. The "official holiday" is over but the news of his resurrection has no limits. Let us celebrate the risen King all year long!

Crazy enough to trust

About 6 months ago, I got this crazy idea to go to grad school at Dallas Theological Seminary. I say crazy because at the time it was just a distant dream - one that was too big to fathom. But, here I am registered for classes for my first semester. I still can't believe this is happening. It's still crazy.

Over the course of these past few months God has been teaching me a lot - everything from patience to humility to surrender. The biggest lesson has definitely been on trust, which goes hand in hand with surrender (my One Word Resolution for this year - more on that later).

Trusting God isn't something I'm good at. But, I'm not sure many people are. We tend to trust God for a little bit, then take matters into our own hands, and what do you know, we fail. We fail miserably. Yet, for some reason we do it all over again.

Take the Israelites for example. For a long time, I found the story of Moses freeing the Israelites from Egypt kind of weird. I mean, why would God send Moses to Egypt and then harden Pharaoh's heart? Ten times! Wouldn't it be much easier for God to soften Pharaoh's heart so that the Israelites could go free right away? Why the plagues? Why the back and forth charades? But, it seems like every time I read this story in the Bible, I missed the point.

God didn't harden Pharaoh's heart to teach him a lesson. God wasn't playing the role of a magician either. He wasn't displaying His power just for the fun of it. You see, while the Israelites were in slavery, they had become hopeless. They didn't see redemption on the horizon. And, they didn't know what it even meant to trust God. God was distant and silent, as far as they knew.

But the Israelites only saw their side of the story. They had no idea God was plotting their redemption all along. So, to teach His chosen people trust and total dependence in the desert, God had to prep them in Egypt. He displayed his omniscience and omnipotence so that their faith may be awakened and their trust renewed.

I've been watching the History channel Bible miniseries every
Sunday since it came out...  Definitely the inspiration for this blog post!

Imagine if this didn't happen. Imagine if Moses waltzed into Pharaoh's palace, shouted the famous "Let my people go!" and Pharaoh immediately melted in his presence, freeing the Israelites from their bondage. What would have been the reaction of the Israelites? Do you think they would have instantly developed trust in God?

The truth of the matter is that trust in God takes time. It is developed through trials, misunderstandings, pain, helplessness, confusion, and so much more. We know this is definitely true when we fast forward the story of Moses and the Israelites just a few chapters. We see that even all the miraculous wonders performed by God in Egypt were not enough to stifle the Israelites' grumbling against Him in the desert. They were not quick to learn. But the miracles sure helped. When the Israelites doubted God, they were able to look back and remember. It gave them a foundation for their trust in God.

This makes me think of my journey with God. When I look back on my life, I see how He has shown me His grace and mercy over and over again. I marvel at the way He used every experience in my life to bring me to the place I am in now. I look at where I am now and can't help but think of it as precise preparation for what is ahead.

God had a marvelous plan for the Israelites, even though they failed to see it. God has a marvelous plan for me, and I pray that I may see it. See it, not with physical eyes, but see it with my heart. See it by trusting God completely - fully confident that He is slowly leading me into the Promised Land. Now, that's crazy!

His Heart Trusts in Her

I came across a beautiful article this morning that I decided to share with all of you. It's from the March edition of Tabletalk Magazine, a ministry of R.C. Sproul. Read it here.

I've read a lot about the perfect Proverbs 31 woman. The woman who does it all and still manages to dress herself and her family in brilliant purple and scarlet. Men love her. Women want to be her.

But like many other women I've talked to, I've wondered, "How does she do it? Where does she find the time?" Some people claim that the Proverbs 31 woman is the "ideal" woman and not the realistic woman. They say being a Proverbs 31 woman is impossible. They say Proverbs 31 is simply poetry and it should remain as that.

Call me an idealist, but I believe otherwise. Yes, I'm not married nor do I have children. But, I believe that it is possible to be a Proverbs 31 kind of woman - married or not. What are the characteristics that set apart the Proverbs 31 woman? Taken directly from the above article, a Proverbs 31 woman is characterized by:

1. Her service
2. Her success
3. Her sacrifice
4. Her savvy
5. Her strength
6. Her supremacy
7. Her spirituality

In the article, the author writes that a wife possessing these strengths becomes one in whom her husband is able to confide in and trust. I agree with him. But, I want to add my own variation. I believe that as a single girl, it is possible to strive for and possess these same characteristics. In fact, I believe that working on these strengths as a single girl is the ingredient that makes it possible to be a Proverbs 31 wife in the future.

Young girls often think that marriage is the solution to all their problems. That as soon as they get married, they immediately become godly, wise and loving wives. They believe that things will miraculously fall into place. No more struggles. No more worries. Only love and romance. Sorry ladies, but reality check! If you are not a woman of noble character as a single girl, you will not be a woman of noble character as a married woman. Simple as that.

But you will say, how can I exhibit the strengths of a Proverbs 31 woman if I don't have a husband? How do I serve him, if I don't have a "him?" It's actually not very complicated. Think of all the men in your life. Your dad. Your grandpa. Your pastor. The guy leading your small group. Can you think of ways you can serve them? Be generous to them? Make their life easier? Maybe it's cooking dinner for your dad once a week. Maybe it's taking your grandpa to the doctors (and if you're Russian, translating for him!) Maybe it's clearing the table after a time of small group fellowship. Whatever you do, do it with joy and gladness without drawing attention to yourself. Do it in humility. The thing that sets apart the Proverbs 31 woman from other women is the spirit in which she does her work. Instead of demanding praise for herself, she looks to bring praise to her husband. The really neat thing is that when she does that, her husband comes back and praises her.  Win-win.

So ladies, whether you're single or married, let me encourage you to strive to be a Proverbs 31 woman. May this be true of you: "She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." Proverbs 31:12.

Highlights...

OK, I think I've broken my promise to post something on here every week. I sincerely apologize! I don't have a good excuse except that I've been pretty busy trying to figure out my life.

Here are some highlights from the last two weeks:

A few weeks ago, I got an email from DTS that I'm not qualified to receive any of their scholarships. That came as a hard blow. One of the big reasons I chose to go to seminary in Dallas was because DTS promised scholarships to "most" of their students. Apparently I didn't fit into the "most" criteria so therefore, I was out. Major bummer.

That's when I began exploring all my other grad school and seminary options. I looked into Biola University, Western Seminary, Azusa Pacific, Simpson College, Master's College and even Princeton Seminary. After spending a lot of time browsing through all their websites, attending a Biola dinner, and sitting in on a class at Western, I was back at square one. DTS was still my number one choice.

But, all that searching (and praying!) was not fruitless. I ended up changing my intended field of study from Media and Communication/Worship to Christian Education. And, on top of that, I decided I want to pursue a PhD once I'm done with my Masters. Yes, I realize this is a high and lofty ambition that will take years and years to accomplish, but I figured, hey why not? If I'm going to reach for the stars, might as well aim for the moon! My registration for DTS classes is this Thursday and I can't wait!

Visiting DTS in November last year

Chapel! 

Sitting in on a lecture class

Beautiful campus

The best example of humility... Love this so much!

Preach it!

The pretty DTS bookstore used to be an orthodox church!

Can't wait to go here in 5 months!

Another thing that I'm really excited about is my new role as an administrator/assistant for Missions Worldwide! I recently blogged about one of Mission Worldwide's outreach events, the Citywide Gospel Campaign. It was such a cool event and I'm really glad I got to be a part of it, even if it was a small part. Now, I'll be stepping into a bigger role, helping the guys plan events and just get more organized. The main reason I'm so excited about this new ministry opportunity is because we're already seeing the fruits of our labor. Because of the Citywide Gospel Campaign, there's a small group of people completely from the world who are now attending weekly Bible studies! God is doing His work and it's incredible being in the middle of it!

In other news, I am officially an auntie! My sister gave birth to a healthy, precious little boy 11 days ago. I fell in love with his sweet little face the moment he smiled at me in the hospital. How can anyone resist a face like this? He is going to be so spoiled.

Baby Noah

Auntie Inna holding Noah for the first time

Of course there were a million other things that happened during these past few weeks. But, alas that's it for now.

Citywide Gospel Campaign Recap

Recently I blogged about something called the Citywide Gospel Campaign. Maybe you've been wondering what became of that event. Well, here's an article that I wrote for the Missions Worldwide blog that should fill you in on all the details... (Sorry for the poor photo quality!)

Tucked away behind the stage of the auditorium, the San Juan High School dressing room became the unlikely location for prayer. With arms lifted high and hearts heavy, a team of prayer warriors interceded to the Lord for the people of Citrus Heights.  As the team prayed, people were just beginning to file into the old auditorium for an unusual neighborhood outreach event. Along with the band on stage, an illuminating screen welcomed guests to the Citywide Gospel Campaign.

As guests made their way to the theater-style seating, volunteers from various Sacramento churches hustled about making sure everything was ready for the start of the event. The sound team checked microphones one last time, the security team directed traffic in their bright yellow vests, and greeters took their places, holding open doors with radiating smiles. The smell of brewing coffee and chocolate chip cookies filled the air.

For some, this was an ordinary night and simply an event that piqued curiosity. Seeing many unfilled seats, they may have questioned the motives behind such an event and snickered at the seemingly unresponsive results.

But for others, this was the first time they’ve stepped into a building even remotely resembling a church. This was the first time they heard lyrics exalting God instead of money, drugs or lust. This was the first time they heard the message of the Gospel.

 The Citywide Gospel Campaign was organized precisely for this demographic.

While some churches focus on keeping church members from leaving the church and others focus on reaching the poor and hungry in foreign countries, it seems that little is done in our own neighborhood. When outreach is mentioned, places like India, Mexico and Africa come to mind, yet we often neglect our neighbors living across the street.

When the outreach department at Missionary Gospel Church was established, there was consensus that outreach needed to start in our own city, the city of Sacramento, and it needed to start now.

The men of God responsible for organizing the event.

With the help of countless volunteers, ministry partners David Mazur and Petr Smolin worked hard to plan and organize the four-day event that came to be known as the Citywide Gospel Campaign. Influenced by the citywide evangelism model David witnessed during a trip to South Africa, the outreach team chose Citrus Heights as the first city to be reached by such an event.

In the month leading up to the event, close to 30,000 flyers were printed and distributed door to door, enthusiastic volunteers stood at busy intersections with banners announcing the event, and trucks with mounted banners drove around the city acting as moving billboards.

SomeOneElse jammin for Jesus!

Thursday, January 31, 2013 marked the first night of the Citywide Gospel Campaign. The band SomeOneElse opened the evening with their rendition of Lincoln Brewster’s “Today is the Day,” inviting everyone to unite in praise and worship of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When the music died down, David stood up to preach the Word using the story of Jesus resurrecting Lazarus to reveal the truth about Jesus still having the power to resurrect those who are spiritually dead today. After presenting the compelling Gospel message, David invited those who desired to repent before God to come to the front of the room for prayer. As the Holy Spirit moved in the hearts of those present, several young people made their way to the front and bowed their knees in prayer. The prayer team that had been praying consistently throughout the evening joined David at the front of the room to pray for those who responded to the altar call.

The audience the very first night of the Citywide Gospel Campaign!

As the event came to a close that night, David encouraged guests to return the next three days and invite friends and family to come along. In the meantime they could grab a cup of coffee and enjoy a time of fellowship in the foyer.

Just some of the awesome volunteers from the first night.

Petr introducing Ruth before her stellar performance.

The next two nights featured a similar program. There was music, the Gospel message, prayer and fellowship. Friday’s service began with Vadim Zanko’s band leading worship. The sermon was presented by Petr who preached the Gospel message and shared his personal testimony. During the altar call, more people came forward to dedicate their lives to Christ.

By Saturday, the word about the Citywide Gospel Campaign had spread and Saturday night drew a larger audience than the previous two nights. At least 300 people were in attendance, some of which had never been to church.

David preaching the Gospel!

After a moving testimony and hymn by Ruth, a dear sister in Christ, David preached the Gospel, this time referencing the story of Zacchaeus and Jesus. During the altar call, several young people who had been sitting with a group of high school students came to the front for prayer. For some, this was the first time they made such a bold step in faith. One of the guys said the last time he went to church was when he was a kid.

Seeing God moving in the hearts of new believers and those who had fallen away strengthened the faith of those who were already saved. Along with the 20 or so people praying at the front of the auditorium, they lifted up their voices and praised God for His goodness and grace. Surely the presence of God was felt that night!

 Early the next morning, unfazed by fact that it was Super Bowl Sunday, the Citywide Gospel Campaign leaders and volunteers got ready for another service at San Juan High School. This time the event was structured to be more like a typical Sunday church service. While there was still a time of praise and worship in the beginning, more time was allocated for the sermon titled “God is…” presented by Vadim Krasnodemsky. Vadim spoke about the true identity of God and invited guests to come to the newly established English service at Missionary Gospel Church on Sundays at 2 p.m. (This later was changed to 10 a.m.)

Vadim speaking the truth.

As the band played the last song that afternoon and people slowly walked out of the auditorium, hope lingered on every note. Even though the Citywide Gospel Campaign was officially over, there remained this sweet assurance that it was only the beginning of something much greater. Over the course of four days, God had been working in the hearts of guests, leaders and volunteers in a mighty way and He wasn’t finished yet.

Several people from the prayer team calling on the name of the Lord...

With that assurance burning deep in their hearts, the prayer team that spent more than half a dozen hours praying during the Citywide Gospel Campaign walked out into the brilliant afternoon sunshine confident that their prayers had been answered. God was listening after all, even from within that little dressing room behind the auditorium stage.

It's been several weeks since the Citywide Gospel Campaign... And it's true. God has been doing some amazing things at MGC because of this initial outreach event. Yesterday was especially blessed! More details on that coming soon!

We'll pass on the karaoke

So I have this friend... Her name is Yana and she is pretty amazing. 

Last night we decided to check out this coffee shop that we both heard of but never visited... Since it was open until midnight, it seemed like a good choice. Or so we thought. Immediately when we walked in, we were met by a white, gangster-looking dude singing karaoke to none other than country. It was awful! His friend was even worse. I really don't understand why anyone would want to voluntarily humiliate themselves in this way.

The lovely Yana and I last summer at MGC Kids Camp

Anyway, we got our drinks and headed back to the car for a nice long chat. Yana is seriously the most optimistic person I know and since I consider myself more of a realist, sometimes it can be challenging to find common ground. But, not that night. We were totally on the same page. Yana is graduating college this semester and has a heart for "something more." It was wonderful hearing all about her dreams and ambitions. I know God is going to do incredible things through her creative, artistic abilities.

Our whole conversation was very uplifting and inspiring, and it turned out to be a lovely way to spend Valentine's Day. This morning I opened up my email to find this little note from my dear Yana... It nearly brought me to tears. Thank God for friends like this!

Hi friend,
Thank you so much for a lovely evening. I am so encouraged and inspired through your friendship towards me. Thanks for just being with me tonight! And for enduring the terrible, terrible karaoke singers :) 

I am so thankful that you're my friend. That we are on this journey together (for now). My prayer is that we can always share common ground, regardless of where life may take us! That we may be united in the one pursuit of our heart... Christ. That we may be able to encouraged each other wherever we may be, whether on the same road, or on completely different spectrums of life because our greatest ambition will be the same.

I love you, Inna! I am so very thankful that you are willing to share your heart with me, that you allow yourself to be vulnerable. I admire you for that. So much. I am also very encouraged by your blog posts. Keep it up.

I hope you have an exciting/beautiful Friday at work. Let's do life together more often.

Sincerely,
Yana

To check out Yana's incredible photography and design work, visit her blog: http://www.beforeiblink.com/