Ukraine: Part 5, NLI

After Kiev we headed to London, then by bus to Coventry.  Next Level International has their head office there, and we were set up to meet with some of the staff.  As many of you know, we have been walking in the direction of working with NLI for the past few years. 

  In Kiev I had a song in my head, "Everything I am, everything I long to be, I lay it down at your feet"...over and over and over.  I wrote in my journal that , "I feel like some sort of change is coming. Like a right-hand turn on our path, something unexpected." I began to sense that I needed to lay down my expectations, my plans, hopes, dreams, and let God lead our next few days.  This was pretty scary, because we have some pretty big plans!  (I am, afterall, QUITE a planner!)  There is fear of the unknown.  But you know what the Lord told me?  That He is in my unknown, He HAS no unknown. This brought tremendous peace. 

   Our meetings went very well.  Lots of good discussion, ideas, questions and answers.  NLI is primarily an organization that facilitates church plants.  They connect with local leaders all over Europe, set them up with a supporting church, give pastoral training, and help those leaders in any way they can to get their churches up and running.  SUCH a great ministry!  So for us coming into Europe as foreigners, we have a few options where NLI is concerned.  We could work with the team in the office, supporting church plants, etc.  We could work under PAOC as missionaries, partnered with an NLI church project.  We talked a lot about our goals, passions, what we feel God is calling us to do.  We've had a mandate that's driven us the past few years, to raise up the next generation church.  This has taken a few forms in the past 10 years, but the idea remains the same.  Our passion is for youth and young adults, for music and worship.  The more we talked and narrowed things down, the more we realized, God is setting us up to do these exact things AT HOME.  WOW.  Did i tell you I felt change coming??  :)   We have such great opportunities in our home church to work with the youth this year!  This also involves music and worship!  and so....

We still have such a heart for Ukraine.  We still would love to serve with NLI.  We have some ideas of what that might look like in the future.  But for now, we are excited to see what this year brings!  Our church will be sending 2 more teams over to Crimea, which we will probably be involved in in some way over the next 2 years.  We are looking forward to the plans the Lord has for us as a family.  Did we make a mistake?  I don't think so.  We have learned and grown.  We have gained truth and clarity which is what we've been praying for.  Was this a necessary process?  I think so. 

Your path is laid out

Holy Spirit guides you

Through every twist, turn, up or down

No worry or fear

No hesitation

No regrets

Looking ahead to the goal,

the prize,

the end of the race.

Made into His image,

One day at a time.

Darcie.

Ukraine: Part 4, Kiev

Gabe and I left our team 3 days early and carried on to Kiev to meet with Pastor Igor.  Gabe spoke in his church on the Sunday.  The church meets at a cultural center, and has about 50 members.  Our translator, Masha, who'd been with us in Crimea happened to be in Kiev for a bit of a holiday and was gracious enough to interpret again while Gabe preached!



Pastor Igor

 

Gabe and Masha



We were fortunate to stay in a rented apartment while in Kiev for 3 nights.  It was very quiet after the noise of the village, and the busy house full of our team!  This was the time we really started to miss the kids, when everything calmed down a bit.  We had a relaxing morning on the Sunday, as Igor's church didn't start until 2pm.  Then we were at church until 6, between the service, visiting an teardown.  



Gabe and Paul, 17



we had some toy rings the little girls loved!

After the service we went out for pizza with Igor, his wife Victoria, our translator Masha, and Judith from NLI. 


Mmmmm...yummy spicy pizza!

 We learned more about the culture in Ukraine.  Interestingly, in Crimea, the teens HATE McDonald's, but in Kiev it is VERY popular- so much that we would have had about a half hour wait the one time we went in, just to get to the counter to order!  We were also told that their education system is difficult in the sense that if you want your teacher to care about your child and help them to do well, you must pay/bribe them.  Not to get false marks, but to get quality education.  As with any country there are governmental issues, many here look to be making things harder, not easier on the people.  I asked Igor, out of plain curiosity, why people don't smile in Ukraine.  He said that Russian's have a mindset: If you smile for no reason, you are stupid.  Hmmm...Guess it's pretty easy to pick out the foreigners! :D  Another thing that facinated me on this trip was the way people dressed.  Nearly every person we met was dressed to the 9's ALL THE TIME.  We were told 2 reasons: One, there are more women than men in Ukraine, and any sensible girl knows she needs to attract a husband. The other: they want, above all else, to appear rich.  Alena told us of one family they knew who sold their apartment so they could buy an SUV, which they LIVED IN.  Simply for the appearance of wealth.

me and my good friend Masha!

 We spent our time in Kiev with Igor and his family, touring the city, getting to know them a bit.  His eldest daughter (he has 4 girls!) Alena was our tourguide on the first day.  We did some shopping for gifts for our kids, and saw some of the city.  The metro was a little crazy, SO many people.  Kiev is over 3 million, so it was easy to feel overwhelmed at times, being a  small-town girl from Canada!


Kiev





crazy escalator into the subway




 

Friendship Monument, devoted to the reunification of Ukraine and Russia, was dedicated on Kiev's 1500th anniversary in 1982.

We spent the evening with Igor and his family at their apartment.  Lots of laughs- the older three speak English very well, as does Igor.  We introduced them to a Canadian (?) tradition: COKE FLOATS.  They had never heard of them before!

Gabe, Sasha, Alena, Igor and Victoria.

They were a little unsure at first, but as you can see, i think we won them over !  :D We really enjoyed our time with our new friends in Kiev and  are looking forward to seeing them again, possibly working with them in the future! 

 



Ukraine: Part 3, Mangup

We had a few adventures during our time in Crimea, but the one that tops them all was our trip to Mangup-Kale, a cave city on a mountain plateau minutes from Krasni Mak.
   We arranged rides up the mountain (it is possible to hike) from a guide and another man who was our driver.  We went up what we'd like to call a road in 2 old army jeeps.  It's at times like these that i'm glad to have grown up in the north, quadding in the bush.  Makes our adventure not so scary!  :)  So, needless to say, our ride was a little precarious. We had an older lady from Maxim's church, Nadia, along for the ride.  It didn't seem to phase her!  I told her after that she's a very adventurous lady. 

   So, we arrived at the top, seeing the ruins for the first time.
Mangup is a fortress city, built centuries ago during the Byzantine (Roman) Empire, when Constantinople was the capital city (renamed Istanbul in 1930).  There are many cave cities in the Crimea region, two of them being minutes from where we were staying.  Mangup was destroyed as a result of the Tatar-Mongolian invasion in 1475, when Turks invaded the peninsula.  Something the people of Krasni Mak are very proud of: it took the conquering army 5 months to take the fortress!

The land is shaped like a hand, with "fingers" stretching out and away from the main fortress.  These were used for farming and defense. 
You may be wondering who the Tatars are, or maybe not.  I myself needed a bit of refreshing on my history! (as I mentioned in my first post on the trip). The Tatars are Turkic tribes (Muslims) living in Russia and republics of the former Soviet Union- nearly 8 million people.  In WWII, Stalin accused the Tatars of being Nazi collaborators and deported the entire people group to Central Asia and other lands of the Soviet Union.  We were told he gave them 2 HOURS to leave.  Many died of disease and malnutrition.
Since the late 1980's, about 250,000 Crimean Tatars have returned to Crimea.
   It was really quite something to be walking on ruins over 600 years old!  The fortress is gone, but in the sides of the mountain are many caves.  Some were used for housing animals, storing food, and hiding from enemies.  Our team had a lot of fun exploring!

Mangup was definitely a hilight of our trip!
The return of the Tatars to the Crimea region is a big reason why we are involved in supporting this church plant.  Over 200 mosques have gone up in the past few years in Crimea, and we want to help Maxim and his church to be an Evangelical influence in their area.  God has big plans for Crimea and all of Ukraine!
Some of our prayer time included words about the valley of Krasni Mak being like the valley of dry bones, and God will breathe life back into those bones!  Jer. 1 talks about uprooting and tearing down, destroying and overthrowing, building up and planting.   We belive the time of destruction is over, and it is time to build up and plant.  We believe God has a plan for the women of these churches.  That they would be like Jael, stopping the enemy in his tracks. Also knowing their job as leaders and intercessors.  They play a vital role in God's plan for this nation!  God is big enough for their past, and can carry their future!

Ukraine: Part 2, Krasni Mak

the Club

Our time in the village was spent in a few areas.  Church, school presentations, prayer-walks, and touring/learning history.
 The second day we were there, we spoke in Maxim's church.


inside the Club

  He and his wife, Jenya, their daughter Anya (and the new baby girl who was born 2 days ago!!) pastor a small church in the village. The church meets in the village "Club", kind of like a community hall.  It is not heated, so in the winter they crowd into a smaller room that they can heat, to stay warm during service! The power went out in the building 5 min. into the service.  So we moved some benches outside and held the service basically in the driveway!  Worship was led by one man on his guitar.  We listened hard to the tunes for any we knew in english- there were a few!  It was a great challenge to worship the Lord without knowing the words!  There was a sweet purity to their worship, a good reminder that we don't NEED a full band in order to enter in.
Tony (our pastor) introduced the team.  A few of us (including me!) shared with the help of our beloved translator, Masha.  I was able to share about being fully convinced; i think it was encouraging! Two others shared as well, and I think we were well-received.  We prayed for each church member's needs and learned a bit more of the lives they lead.  One little boy we prayed for had recently been poisoned and recovered, but was still suffering with some side-affects and coughing.  His grandmother told us later in the week that since we'd prayed for him, his cough had disappeared! Healthcare is not high on the government's priority list.  Many have suffered from strokes, deal with chronic pain.  Women in their 50s are already quite debilitated in their knees, etc.  I think nutrition has a lot to do with it too.

The Orthodox church is predominant in the country, rooted in tradition and religion.  I think people mostly attend because of tradition. Orthodox means, "correctly behaving", or "correctly glorifying".  The church practices original ancient traditions, believing in "growth without change".  They even believe some Catholic churches to be heretical.  There are many people who don't attend church at all.  I think they find it difficult to have faith after what they've been through as a people.  It seems to be an uphill battle to establish evangelical churches in the area, where so much hope has been lost.

me and my little friend Sasha



Gabe doing a Canada presentation



Playing volleyball with the teachers- we received honey to give us strength to win the next time!

We visited the school on several occaisions, doing Canada presentations in their geography classes, playing volleyball, and talking with the teachers about how we raise kids in Canada.  The kids were so fun, very well behaved, respectful, well dressed.  The teachers cared a great deal about their students- it looked like a wonderful environment for them!

     We walked through Krasni Mak and 2 other nearby villages on different days.  Maxim would stop and talk to people we saw, sometimes we prayed for them.  Then we would go to a high point overlooking the village, and pray for the people.
 Some of what we prayed had to do with taking time to rest and rejuvenate.  Some was about hope, the fact that these people are not forgotton.  We had a great picture of Maxim being like Moses during battle, and we were Aaron and Joshua, holding up his arms, enabling victory!   Maxim was very encouraged by what God was showing us, and asked us to pray for wisdom for him, as he's unsure of his role.  One thing that was apparent to me as we prayed, was that this is not too big for God.  It seems like a HUGE job to reach these people, but nothing is too big, His arm is not too short!
     Some of our touring involved seeing some original Ukrainian homes, learning how people lived there many years ago.  Their history is built on tradition and symbolism.  Everything had meaning: from coins under the house foundation for prosperity, to the support beam of the house being passed down through the generations to pass down blessings. 

They had a saying, "Beauty saved the world".  Their homes had beautiful paintings on them, symbolic of many different things.  But because of the artwork, conquering armies did not destroy their homes! :D
That's all for part 2, I need to do a bit of research to continue with some of the history we learned! 
More to come,
Darcie.

  

Ukraine Trip, Nov. 2010

OK, there is so much to tell, and i'm not sure if it will all be put down here, but for those of you who want to know about our trip, here's the story! :D

We left our kids in Alberta with my parents, and flew from Calgary to London to Kiev to Simferopol, over 3 days.  We arrived in the village of Krasni Mak on the night of November 12th.  There were 10 people on our team, 4 couples and 2 men who's wives remained at home.  We were billeted in 2 homes in the village, with some lovely older Ukrainian women who housed us and fed us for the duration of our trip.  Our hostess, Zena, even did laundry! We had traditional foods, lots of cabbage in soups, salads, cabbage rolls.  We also ate a lot of bread/sausage/cheese, rice, chicken, pork.  Not a lot of vegetables, and very little fruit.
    Our first day was a leadership training conference for the Crimean churchplanters in Yalta.  But there was a matter of travelling space available, so only 4 of the men went, and the rest stayed to be shown around the area by a lady from the church, Nadia.  We had our translator, Masha, with us.  The men were able to go and teach, encourage and equip area pastors at the conference.  We ended up VERY glad to not have gone as the road to Yalta was very twisty-turny, and most of the guys were carsick!  lol.

(back yard of our hosts home)

      So we walked with Nadia for nearly 3 hours, through the valley where the village is, through old orchards, near some ruins, out to a Tatar village.  Let  me see if I can describe the village to you.  The houses are mostly small, made of bricks that are made from shells from the Black sea.  Their yards are mostly unkempt as they have turned them into mini farmyards.  EVERYone has at least one dog in their yard, barking away as alarm systems.  They rarely stop barking, actually. :)  Many people have small cows tied up grazing, usually milk cows.  Most of the yards also have chickens, geese, roosters, and cats.  (Needless to say, the noise level was such that sleeping at night was difficult, due to fighting dogs and some very confused roosters! lol)  There are many buildings standing empty, and the orchards are overgrown and unused.

(ruins we past on our walk)

    We asked a lot of questions of our interpreter.  What we realized is that the fall of Communism was a very difficult thing for people in the villages.  Where once they had the stability of government farms, orchards and vineyards which supplied them with jobs, they now had no way to earn money.  They don't know how to function outside of the old way of life.  We were told that people have very little hope, that they have given up.  Alcoholism is rampant among the men in the villages.  To the point that only 5% are employed.  Women are the directors of the schools, government workers, and church attendees.  Quite eye-opening and shocking to us, really.  People bought buildings in the village for cheap after Communism ended, and couldn't afford to put any business in them.  So they sit empty.  Strip malls, stores, greenhouses, factories.

roadside store

     We walked out to a Tatar village and learned a lot about them too.  I haven't done my research yet, but I believe Stalin gave them, the entire people group, TWO HOURS to leave the country.  He believed they were plotting with the Germans against him, so he exiled them.  They have returned to the villages they'd abandoned.  Russians/Ukrainians have issues with them being back, and you can sense tension in this area actually.  Old mindsets are hard to break!  That's a lot of history for our first day! 
       Ok, i think this needs to go in parts.  How's that for an intro? :D
more to come,
Darcie.

Are you made of clay?

Ok people!  We are counting down now, only 14 more sleeps til we begin our adventure!  God continues to do miracles with our finances in paying for our trip.  We received a call last week, from a great couple wanting to know how much we still needed for our trip.  We told them, and they DOUBLED it!!!  I am continually surprised at the creativity of God- just when you think you can guess what he's going to do next, or how He'll do it, something else completely different and new comes up!  I love it.  I am so thankful and blessed, and can't wait to see what He has in store on this trip..because He obviously wants us to go!  :D

I have been thinking lately of the journey we've been on, where the Lord has brought us, what we've come out of, what we've left behind and what we're still learning. 

The danger in becoming confident in one area of our faith-walk, is that we may think that we've ARRIVED.  That we have figured out, learned all that we need.  Amazing.  BUT....

I think the Lord teaches us where we're at, and once we've learned some great truth, HE BRINGS ALONG A NEW LESSON. 

And then we have a choice.  We can either learn the lesson, gain more truth and understanding and move on, or we can refuse to be teachable, malleable, and stop in our tracks. "Thanks anyway, Lord, but i'm good right here."  The only thing is, the Lord will keep bringing the lesson until we've learned it! Hmmmm....

I am thrilled that i have finally learned and ABSORBED some great truth. My eyes have been opened, i have seen the light!  :) I feel as though I have achieved something great, an understanding that previously eluded me. But I also know that with that truth comes responsibility to live out what I've learned,  to model it to those around me.  Will i be known as a person  of great faith, a woman after God's own heart?  How will people remember me, describe me?  I have no idea, but I bet it'll have something to do with the lessons i've learned, and how I've dealt with the process.

I'm learning to enjoy the process.  That the distance from planting the dream to it's reality requires a journey.

To plan less and rely on the Lord more.

I am learning that I cannot do even one day in my own strength without failing in some way.  That the armor of God is essential for success.

I am learning to fully trust the Lord. REALLY trust.  I have also learned that in order to do that, I'll be put in situations where I have no other choice. (yikes!) :)

I am understanding how to be built up as I wait, strengthened in my faith and not weakened by fear and doubt.

What a ride!  Not fun at times, not often easy, but oh, SO GOOD. 

I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Every day, one more piece of the puzzle put into place, and comfort in knowing Who created the final picture.

Be blessed, be teachable,

One day at a time,

Darcie.

one month to go! a few prayer requests...

I can't really believe that in 4 weeks we will be on the ground in Ukraine for our church team trip.  Financially we are doing great so far!  We have a little over half of our funds for airfare, and are anticipating being able to save most of what we need for the tickets, and are trusting God for the rest. We would love to have some extra to sow into the church in Ukraine too.  Please pray for us as we prepare to go!  Our expectations are high, and the enemy will try to knock us down in these next few weeks i am sure.  Pray for our funds to be covered, either by our income or otherwise.  Please pray for provision for our family as we will be gone for 2 weeks without pay.  Pray for some income we're waiting for by mail to come in time to pay for the tickets!  God is so good and i am amazed that we have been able to save most of what we need.  I am so thankful for my babysitting job and my 12 piano students..God's provision through this work is awesome. 

Please pray too for our time over there, for the church in Krasni Mak, for our team's unity, for safe travels and smooth flights.  We are flying from different places, connecting in different places, and are meeting in Kiev to fly to Simferopol together. 

We have a great opportunity to serve the church in Ukraine, to bless our friends there, and to begin a relationship with this church plant.  Please pray that we would be sensitive to their needs, attentive to Holy Spirit's leading, and willing to serve in any way. 

Gabe and I are excited to be meeting with a pastor in Kiev at the end of our trip, to meet him and his family, see his church and it's needs, and see if we could be helpful in working with him in the future.  We are also excited to meet with the NLI staff in the UK! Please pray that all of our meetings go well, and that God will begin to knit together close relationships that will carry us into our future in Ukraine as a family.

Trusting Him, FULLY CONVINCED,

One day at a time!!

Thank you for your prayers, i'll keep you posted!

Darcie.

I don't want to be Supermom

I have a slight addiction. I'll admit it.  I am addicted to Facebook.  I love to keep up with what my friends are doing, watch their kids grow, to gain access to lives that i could never have a part of because of distance or otherwise. 
Today my status update could have read something like this:
"Whew!  taught home school, did laundry, swimming lessons, taught piano lessons, made supper, took kids to AWANA club, hosted cell group, pick up kids, more laundry, .... DONE."
pretty impressive, hey? :)

I see a lot of great things happening on Facebook.  I also notice some not-so-healthy things.  In the lives of my friends, and in my own life.  I love to hear people say that they don't know how i do it!  How could one POSSIBLY lead my life and still be sane?  OR, ANY of our lives for that matter?  Mine is really no different from the next.  I am a mom who loves my kids and does my best for them.

Is this world a race?  Is it a contest?  What will the winner get, i wonder?  What must we do to WIN? 

Is there a prize for who puts their kids in the most activities?  Is there a special trophy for the mom who got the most done in the shortest amount of time? (I just might win that one! lol)

Life with 4 kids is busy. Goodness, life with ANY amount of kids is busy! It is not busy because of things that randomly fell into my lap, however.  I have the power to control what we do, how much we do, when we do it.  Activities, school, birthday parties, coffee dates, play dates, work, play- we choose how to divide our time. 

We know our limits- or do we?

  Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to DO?

Lord, I don't want to be Supermom.  I don't want to finish each day exhausted because i failed at finishing in my own strength.  I don't want to be worked to the bone, worn out, tired, spent. 

My desire is for You Lord, for the things that You would have me do. You say that your yolk is easy and your burden is light!  I cannot do this on my own.  I cannot do even one single day on my own.  Because as i attempt to, i fall into the race.  I give in to the competition.  I strive to win at something that is unattainable. 

There will never be enough of me to go around.  There will never be enough hours in the day to get it all done. There will never be a prize at the end because i got everything checked off of my list. 

In the end, there will be You.  My Lord and King, standing before me, and I will hear one of two phrases.  It will not be, "wow, Darcie, you are AMAZING! here is your crown because you exhausted yourself in your life!"  It will not be, "come in and sit down.  Supermom needs a break!" (well, at least that won't be the FIRST thing He says! hahaha!!)When it all comes down, we will hear either, "Well done, my good and faithful servant", or "Depart from me, I never knew you!"

Who are we serving today?

But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.  Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.  For i was hungry, and you fed me.  I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink.  I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing.  I was sick, and you cared for me.  I was in prison, and you visited me." 

Matthew 25:31-36 (emphasis mine)

In His strength, for His cause,
One day at a time,

Darcie.

Lies vs. TRUTH

It never ceases to amaze me how we are unable to distinguish lies from truth. How we so easily receive whatever thoughts come from the enemy and claim them as our own. There are times when we get so down on ourselves because we believe the lies that we hear: Ugly. Stupid. Fat. Incompetent. Worry. Fear. Alone. Blamed. Unloved. Words that tear down, hurt, destroy.

I think it's time to remember a little bit of truth. I am sure that if you were to ask God,

"Who do you say that I am?",

the answers would sound JUST a little different!

I AM/You ARE:

Chosen

Predestined

Redeemed

Forgiven

An Heir

Sealed

Accepted

Alive

Saved

His Workmanship

Blessed

Blameless

Adopted

Loved

Guaranteed

Purchased

Raised Up

Rich

Created

Reconciled

a Citizen of Heaven

a Habitation of God

Whew! Has a bit of a different ring to it, don't you think? The truth doesn't hurt, it fills. The truth is not hard, it completes. Truth is where you need to train you mind to rest, to live your life under the power of God, not the poisen of the lies of the enemy. Living in truth will enable you to be the most effective person you can be for God!

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14-19

(emphasis mine)

When in doubt, ask the Lord what HE thinks. You'll never be disappointed with the answer. :)

One day at a time,

Darcie.

Fresh Eyes

I have been contemplating something lately that was reinforced at church today. There are many passages of scripture that are familiar to us. Certain stories, like David and Goliath, Baby Moses in the basket, Jesus turning water into wine, the Rich Young Ruler. We know many by heart, and some have become, sadly, nothing more than children's stories. We are in danger of complacency! We need to see the Bible in a new light, asking the Holy Spirit to give us fresh eyes to see new truth in the familiar words.

One passage i've been thinking about this week is 1 Corinthians 13- the LOVE chapter.

Many people know this as the wedding chapter. Verses that teach us how to treat our spouse, to gain some understanding of how to keep our marriage intact and healthy and growing. I was reading it this week and with "fresh eyes" saw that this is not even a passage meant for the newly wedded couple. It is for the church! It comes after a chapter where Paul is telling the church how important each member is, each with its own part to play, each with their own gifts to serve with. And after talking about how we all fit together as a piece of the puzzle and are so important in our roles, Paul talks about LOVE. He's just finished explaining many of the gifts, and now he is explaining how to USE them.

"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing."

1Cor.13:1-3

We can't function as a healthy church body without love. We cannot follow the call of God on our lives and choose to skip out on loving people. It won't work!

Do these words describe the Church??

Patient.

Kind.

Not proud or rude.

Not irritable.

Keeps no record of wrong.

Rejoices in truth.

Never gives up.

Never loses faith.

Is always hopeful.

Endures through every circumstance.

(taken from 1Cor. 13:4-7)
The church is a reflection of Christ. We need to be aware that no matter what we do,we are portraying an image.

Paul was telling us how we can live together, growing in Christ, building each other up, and bringing in new believers! What messages are we sending out to those around us? How much are we allowing Christ to renew us, that we might change this world for Him?

"Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete , but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

Three things will last forever- faith, hope, and love- and the greatest of these is love."

1Cor.13:12-13

Loving people, beyond sight and circumstance. Loving others more than we love ourselves. Just think what we could achieve?

One day at a time,

Darcie.

YAY God!!

Well, the deadline is 2 days away, and we now have ... fifty dollars MORE than we need!!!!!!!!

Praise you Lord!! :D Thank you for your provision and for people who listen to your voice.

I love being fully convinced!

now onto airfare.....

one day at a time,

Darcie.

Fully Convinced

"[Abraham] did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform."

Romans 4:20-21

I cannot get these verses out of my head! There is such a profound truth here, that it bears stopping for a look.

I think that when we are waiting on God for something, the longer the wait, the tendency is to become weary in faith, discouraged, wanting to give up. But here's the thing: He's either God, or he's not. He's either going to do what he said, or he won't. Are you FULLY CONVINCED?? Are you convinced that He is able to do what He promised??

I had a realization this week: God is only incapable because I make Him so. In my finite mind, i determine what God can/can't do, what He is/isn't capable of. I box Him up into what i can imagine, and leave my expectations there. And I believe that I limit God in my unbelief! How much more would He do if we were FULLY CONVINCED??

We wonder why our lives are so different spiritually than those in Bible times. Where are our signs and wonders? Where are our miracles? I think that those people were fully convinced. They knew even by saying, "the sky's the limit", they were limiting God! He is not bound by human thought. We cannot even comprehend the word LIMITLESS. Just think about that word for a moment.

And yet, He IS! He is the Great I AM. Limitless. Incomprehensible.

There is no reason to waver, falter, or fade. Simply believe- be fully convinced- that God is who He says he is. And with that little mustard seed of faith, He can move mountains!

Ukraine update: at this point we have just about half of what we need to pay by wednesday. In 3 days we need to pay for the on-the-ground expenses of our trip, after getting a 3 week extention. We are believing!! Then it's time to save for the airfare....

I am FULLY CONVINCED!

One day at a time,

Darcie.

answered prayer..

Answered prayer!! :D We were supposed to have paid $675 each as partial payment for our trip to Ukraine by LAST friday. At this point, we have next to no money for the trip. Today we found out that our deadline has been extended to the 15th of September! Thank you Lord! We are trusting you, waiting to see what's up your sleeve!

Now faith it the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.

Heb. 11:1

Hebrews talks about the "great cloud of witnesses" that have gone before us, people of great faith. Noah, Joseph, Moses, Abraham, Jacob, the list goes on. Hebrews 12: 1 says that since they surround us, we can "lay aside every weight", looking to Jesus so we don't become "weary and discouraged in our souls" (v.3) Their recorded victories become a source for our strength! I'm sure when they were going through all of their hardships they weren't thinking of how it would help us, but God was! :D

Today, my goal is to be like Abraham:

"He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He has promised He was also able to perform."

Rom. 4:20-21

We have HOPE!!!

"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Rom. 5:5

Jesus is our living hope, we have no reason to doubt. He will not disappoint! 1Thess. 5:24 says, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it."

"Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments."

Deut. 7:9

HE is God, faithful, living hope.

Who better in whom to trust??

one day at a time,

Darcie.

Holidays and Back to Reality

Summer Holidays really are wonderful. Sunshine, family time, visiting friends, relaxation..BLISS!! We had such a great time with our kids, covering a lot of distance, seeing a lot of beautiful mountain/ocean scenery, and re-connecting. I was in such a relaxed state that time didn't matter and i had no idea what time it was for the most part! :D

And then the holiday must come to an end. it's back to bills, school, cleaning, work, and, well, LIFE!

I must admit that returning is a bit stressful for me, and many of my fears come back. For instance, in 3 days we are needing to hand in a deposit for our trip to Ukraine in November..a deposit that we do NOT have. You know, fear is proof that we cannot live our lives without God. Because in Him there is no fear, and the enemy uses fear as his greatest weapon against us! And, proof yet again that we need to arm ouselves with the FULL armour of God in order to stand!

we KNOW that the Lord is asking us to go, and we are believing Him to provide a way! and so, for today, i will be still and know that HE is God, HE has a plan, and He is always FAITHFUL!

Lord, remove my stress, fill me with your Peace, and the truth that you will complete what you started!

One day at a time,

Darcie.

LORD, give me Strength!

"I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength." Phil. 4:13

You know, i usually read the verse like this.."I can do ALL THINGS through Christ.."

I can DO IT ALL!! I can DO it ALL. I can DO ALL THINGS because i have Christ... ????

UMMM.... do you see what is wrong with this picture?

Every SINGLE time i try and try and try in my own strength, all i do is exhaust myself and FAIL.

For some reason i think that i am superwoman, able to accomplish great feats simply because i serve a great God!

Weeellll.....

I think i need to learn how to read a little bit better.

I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST who GIVES me strength.

Not my strength, but His.

Not my ability, but His.

Not my worry, but His concern.

Not my failure, but His VICTORY!

Our own strength can only take us so far, and THEN what?? How can I teach others to rely on Christ if i continually strive to DO in my own strength?

God didn't put us here so we could figure it out on our own, we need to learn to lean on HIM.

"Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. "

Matt. 11:28-30

One day at a time,

Darcie.

Search Me, O God, part 2

"You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver"

Psalm 66:10

In my previous post, this image of being refined kept popping up. Do you know the process involved in refining silver?

I read a story of a woman who had a similar question. So she met with a silversmith to get some answers. Watching the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames are the hottest as to burn away all of the impurities. He said that he must sit in front of the fire the whole time the silver is being refined. If the silver is left a moment too long, it would be destroyed. His eyes cannot turn away through the entire process. The woman asked him how he could tell if the silver was fully refined. He answered, "That's easy. When i can see my image in it."

There is so much purpose to the hard things in life! We are being continually changed, formed into His image, and it is certainly NOT an easy process! But the PURPOSE!!

"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness."

Mal. 3:3(emphasis mine)

Do you see??

The Old Testament speaks of the Lord's judgement, and offering acceptable sacrifices. Offering in righteousness and integrity, just, straight, innocent, true and sincere. We are not bound by the old law of sacrificing animals, etc. BUT we are a LIVING SACRIFICE!

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship."

Rom. 12:1

There is mercy in the refiners fire. He doesn't take His eyes off of you for one second, eagerly waiting for the moment He sees His reflection in you!

The purification process requires of us to lay down ourselves, our rights, freedoms, intentions, hopes and dreams. But what comes out of the fire is pure, holy, pleasing, innocent and beautiful. Just remember, He will never take His eyes off of you!

For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
Heb.13:5b

Allow yourself to be refined,

One day at a time,

Darcie.

Search me, O God, part 1

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." Psalm 139:23-24

We cannot spend our lives determined not to change. For reasons beyond our control, we cannot remain babies, children or teens. Once we reach adulthood, we have not "arrived". It is not our turn to become complacent about ourseleves simply because we have physically stopped growing.

The words of this Psalm are very familiar to me. And yet today they required some deeper inspection. There is a process listed in these verses that is instrumental in our walk with the Lord, to grow into who He needs us to be!

Search me, O God, and know my heart

The first step is surrender, allowing God access to our hearts. God cannot begin to change us if we won't let Him in.

Test me and know my anxious thoughts

This is not an easy concept, certainly not a welcome one! No one wants to hear that tests and trials are a NECESSARY part of life! But they are!! :D Tests allow us to grow, and bring out our character, our "anxious thoughts".

Point out anything in me that offends you

Offensive?? ME??!! Most of us would never intentionally desire to offend others. And if we did offend, we would want to know so we can fix the situation! As our character is revealed, certain "impurities" rise to the surface that need to be acknowledged and dealt with.

And lead me along the path of everlasting life.

As we desire to follow Christ, to live the life that He intended for us, we cannot remain the same. We need to follow His lead, which we are able to do when we have left behind our "impurities".

"My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Gal. 2:20

God desires the best life for us. We are a work in progress, being continually shaped into God's image.

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will contiune his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."

Phil. 1:6

To be continued......

Time to lighten up!

Ok, so this post is not so super-spiritual. That may disappoint my 3 faithful followers, :) , but you must know, it's time to lighten up.
The sad truth of being an adult is we forget how to PLAY. Our lives are filled with worries, concerns, responsibilities, stresses and duties. And it's as if we think that to let go of all of those, even for one moment, would cause life as we know it to end. HMMM???

I am so thankful that i have a great friend who will listen to me rant, complain, and vent the "uglies" as she calls them. And i am just as thankful that she doesn't leave me in that place. In fact, she won't leave me until she's SURE i have a smile on my face and a plan to leave all the ugly behind.
And you know what? It is AMAZING to me that i can be hurt, wronged, etc., and my CHOICE to forgive and walk forward BREAKS OFF the hold that those feelings have on me! It's my decision to stay mad, frustrated, hurt, or... to not. To simply drop it, focus on what i love instead of what drives me insane, and to have some fun in the process!!!

So, go ahead. Give yourself permission to laugh! Have fun! Drop what you're doing, take off the "adult suit" and play a little. Go ahead.. I DARE YOU! :D

"She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future."
Prov. 31:25.

If the Proverbs 31 woman can take time to laugh, i think we can allow ourselves to indulge a little bit too!
One day at a time,
Darcie.

So much to learn

You know, there are a lot of days when I think i have it all together. Kids are happy, chores are done, i'm relaxed and generally enjoying life.
And then there are days like today when i realize that i still have so much to learn! Today's realization came in the realm of parenting.
Being a mom is not an easy job, which i'm sure any mom will tell you. I LOVE being a mom, and my kids are pretty special little people, if i do say so myself!
I got really good at babies, having 4 in 4 years. I knew babies inside out and upside down! And now the baby stage is all a blur, and i have gotten really good at preschoolers. Boy, i have preschoolers down PAT! I even have a pretty good handle on young children, as in lower elementary. I think i have it all figured out!!
BUT.....my oldest will soon be NINE. And NINE is not FOUR. NINE is not six or seven even! NINE is a whole new game all over again and on days like today i feel like i'm losing before i even begin! after all, I have never done this age before. This older, more capable, more -mature- yet -still- a- child age.
I am ever thankful, on days like today, that i do not have to do this on my own. My husband, friends and family all have plenty of wisdom to share! The Lord probably knows a thing or two as well, and i'm thinking i should ask Him! :D
New stages in life are not easy. They are new, full of questions and lack of understanding. And like any new stage, when it is over, i will look back on it and think, MAN! do i ever know how to do NINE! but this teenager thing ...WHOA......

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.

Deut. 31:8

One day at a time,

Darcie.

VOORHEES NEWS

Here is a copy of the letter we are sending out regarding our trip in November.


Dear Friends and Family,
Greetings from the V-Crew!! We’d like to give you an update on all that God is doing in us where NLI, Ukraine, and missions are concerned!
Our trip to Spain in October 2009 was life-changing for us. Our eyes were opened to the incredible needs in Europe, and to the great work that Next Level International is doing to meet those needs. We would like to thank you again for your prayers and support that made that trip possible!
The biggest lesson we’ve learned this year is that the timing between planting the dream and seeing it come to fruition is not OUR timing, and that we needed to learn to ENJOY the process. And WHAT a process! God does not call the equipped, He equips the called! We believe these past 2 years have been all about being equipped. Part of this involves a project our church is involved in, currently partnering with an NLI church plant in the Crimea region of Ukraine. As part of that partnership, we are to send one team a year for 3 years to go and assist in any way we can. The first trip is coming up in November, and Gabe and I will both be going! (My first time in the country!) We will be in Krasni Mak with three objectives for our team of eight:
1) building relationship with the church planters and congregation through being on site for two Sundays, visitation with people, and social-type events.  2)  We will be doing some teaching/training as given opportunity, utilizing the gifts of those on the team.  3)  Exploration is another big one as we intentionally set about to discover what teams #2 and #3 can do.  This will range from opportunities for ministry as well as opportunities for service (such as renovations to buildings, community projects, etc.).
Gabe and I have a second set of intentions as we travel. We will be meeting a couple in Kiev who works closely with NLI in all that goes on in church planting in Ukraine, who we will be involved with in our ministry there in the future. And on our return flight we will be staying an extra 2 days in England, meeting with NLI staff, discussing our “job description”, where we will live in Ukraine, drawing up a budget, and setting a timeline for us to be in Ukraine with our family, serving through Next Level International!! We are thrilled to see our dreams becoming reality!! Our travel dates are November 9th to 25th, 2010.
Would you pray for us? For clarity, direction, safe travels, fund raising needs, and our kids as we’re away? Would you also prayerfully consider assisting us financially on our journey, present and future? To be a part of what God is doing in our lives and in the country of Ukraine? We are trusting God to provide all we need as we step out in faith. Thank you for your love, support and prayers as we take one step closer to our dreams!
Love,
Gabe & Darcie, Corban (8), Laura (7), Tase (6) and Jaxon (4).

some information

Ok, so i'm realizing that perhaps i should answer a few questions.
Gabe and I are heading to Ukraine/England for 2 weeks in November. This trip has 2 purposes.
The first is, that our church here is part of a church partnership in Krasni Mak, Crimea, Ukraine. This partnership is financial, as well as we are to send a team each year for 3 years. This fall is the first team, which Gabe and I will be a part of.
The second purpose is to meet with NLI staff in England to discuss/figure out what Gabe and I can/will do in Ukraine with our family, where we'll live, what our budget will look like, etc. Once we come back from this trip we will have a much clearer picture of what things are, and we will begin raising funds and prayer support to go to Ukraine. Our goal at the moment is to go for 2 years with our kids. We will continue to homeschool them in Ukraine, and be able to be involved as a family in ministry there. At this point it looks like we will be involved in helping with church plants, coordinating, networking, as well as organizing teams that come over. This is our idea, and it will all unfold in the coming months!

house

Ok, so this is our housing situation:
We own a house in Alberta that is currently being rented out and is up for sale. It has been like this for three years, not much moving in the way of houses in that small town.
We have been renting here for the past 3 years, and rent is NOT cheap!
We want to buy a house and land out of town, but realize that because we plan to leave the country, a good caretaker may be hard to find for a large property.
So, our idea is now to buy a house IN town, and possibly sell it once we are back from overseas.
We've been looking at homes off and on since our move here, saw another one yesterday. It's what we need, in our price range, and i'm PRAYING it's the one!!
Oh, how i long to set up my house, to paint, to decorate, to fix up! It's so hard to set up a nest when you don't own it. :(
I'll keep you posted on this one for sure!
but as i say,
One day at a time!!
Darcie.

The Simple Life

Do you ever get tired from the rush of life? Running around, getting things done, doing all the time! Do you find yourself running into the wilderness, to camp, unwind, relax during the summer? We crave simplicity!
The Bible has some very simple truths that may take your entire lifetime to ponder, dwell/meditate on, to learn from and understand. This was the message at our church this morning.

1. Father God loves me.
This is a simple statement, but is certainly not a shallow one!

2. Jesus died for me.
His righteousness covers all you do!

3. Holy Spirit transforms me.
We don't have to be perfect in order to come to Christ. The more imperfect we are, the more He is able to transform us, change our lives and make us holy!

Psalm 1:1-3 says,
"Oh, the joys of those who........delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do."

Meditate on the simple truths, and allow God to transform you, rooted deep in His word, to produce fruit!

One day at a time,
Darcie.

just in case you were wondering

ok, so I thought maybe i should explain the title of this page, "Not My Own". It comes from a song i wrote, with that title. this is the chorus:

I am here for you
My life is not my own
The Love of the Father
Has been written in His daughter
His purpose for me is clear
The needs of those who're near
Or far away
To serve and to obey
Cause my life is not my own.

This is my heart, and the heartbeat of our family!

One day at a time,

Darcie.

Follow Us as we Follow HIM!!

Well, this is my very first post! Feels a little silly as i write, not knowing if anyone will ever care to read, but i feel that we are at a point in our lives that some things need to be recorded. I guess it's a good way to keep a bunch of people up to date on what's going on in our journey!

My husband and i are working towards moving over to Ukraine for full time ministry for a few years, hoping to leave within the next 2 years. Our children are 81/2, 71/2, 6, and 41/2. We have been talking and preparing now for a few years, learning and growing as God shapes us into who He needs for this job! It has not been an easy time for us, but it has been necessary. I have learned so much about enjoying the process, and that God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.
I think that more of our story will unfold as days go on, so there's not too much need to put it all here!

Do you ever have a day when you just cannot get out of believing LIES?? Days when you feel fat, ugly, small, sad? These feelings are not put there by the loving heart of God! These lies are meant to bring you down and make you less effective for the Kingdom. I am becoming very aware that we cannot survive this world without a good suit of armor. The enemy takes EVERY chance he gets to pull us down a few notches! Ephesians 6:10-18 talks about the armor of God: the shield of Faith, the breastplate of Righteousness, belt of Truth, the shoes of Peace, the helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Ever notice how these are all DEFENSIVE pieces, except for the Sword? God's word is our only offence against the schemes of the enemy, and without it every other piece cannot exist! Because IN the word we find salvation, faith, righteousness, truth and peace. Don't miss a day without spending time in the word, or your defences will be down, and the enemy will prey on every weakness he can find! Don't give him even so much as a foothold in this battle we're in. Focus on the truth in the Word, and allow GOd's heart to speak to your own!

"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil." Eph.6:10-11.
One day at a time,
Darcie.