Thanksgiving Weekend in Kiev

Happy belated Thanksgiving, everyone!

It's been a little longer than usual since my last post, but I have had an amazing Thanksgiving weekend here in Kiev.  :)  I love sharing my favorite traditions with new friends who have never experienced them before, and who appreciate them as much as I do.

My Thanksgiving traditions usually included turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sparkling apple cider, and other such delicious foods.  However, since I became a Christian, I've loved also spending time with God and telling him how grateful I am for how he has changed my life and given me more than I could ever have imagined.  I also love sharing this gratitude with my fellow believers and church family, which I was able to do here in Kiev.

We usually meet on Thursday nights as a small group for a little talk about the Bible and fellowship.  This week, I asked if I could host a Thanksgiving dinner.  I had already asked my mom to send some of my favorite childhood food recipes (thanks, Mom!), and I looked some new ones of my own up for those I didn't have.  It was amazing!  Not all of the ingredients are common here in Kiev, but with the help of one of the gals in my group, Nastia (who always cooks amazing dinners for our group on Thursdays), we were able (with our limited ability to communicate) to get everything, even a turkey small enough to fit in the oven! (Ovens here are half the size as in America.)

It was perfect!  Everyone loved my Mom's famous mashed potatoes, which I've made traditionally for almost every Thanksgiving dinner or potluck I've attended as an adult.  When I asked if anyone wanted seconds, nearly every plate shot out.  I laughed out loud, I was so happy they enjoyed them as much as I did!

We poured out the Zhivchick (a sparkling apple drink here that is marketed more as a soda, but tastes just like sparkling apple cider, to me), and I made a toast.  I shared the origin of the Thanksgiving holiday and why we celebrate it, and connected with how I relate to the pilgrims.  They had come to a foreign land by faith, and though they suffered, God provided for them and gave them new friendships and new abundance.  They had given up everything, not knowing what future awaited them.  Like them, I have felt scared and alone, yet I have been amazed at how God has provided for me in unexpected ways.  And I have made incredible new friendships that I believe will only grow stronger as I keep giving my heart and walk by faith.


Thank you, my true and faithful God.  Though the world may not recognize you, or realize it is from your hand their blessings come, you are the source of all good things, and I honor you in my heart this weekend, and say, "THANK YOU!" for caring for me and providing food, shelter, and friendship, even on the other side of the ocean.

Thank you, everyone, for being a part of God's blessing to me.  My family, my old friends, and new Kiev relationships...

Thank you.  May God bless and provide for you and your loved ones, and may you also experience the joy of giving thanks to the true source of everything we have to be grateful for.

God's Rollercoaster Ride

Life is a roller-coaster. This has been an exciting week for me, personally.

Why, you ask?

I am beginning to feel the sunlight at the end of the tunnel of doubt and fear. That's right, perseverance does indeed develop character, and character hope, which does not disappoint us.

I truly am realizing what a blessing this story is that I've been swept up into. It hasn't been easy, but it hasn't been impossibly difficult, either. It's life, I'm learning, and I'm learning to enjoy it--ups and downs included. After all, ever since my sister tricked me into riding one (thanks, Briana), I love roller-coasters. Makes me feel alive!

Of course, I want my adventure and thrills to come while riding the roller-coaster God designed for my life, and accomplishing the tasks he's prepared for me along the way. Not the illusion of ups when I try to do things my way, then the inevitable fall when I realize it just doesn't work.

I have been attacking the language here (much more than I was previously), and am happy to say that I finished 1 of 3 Rosetta Stone courses for Russian. I need to move much faster through course 2 and 3, especially since I will be leaving the Russian-speaking world for a month in about 5 weeks.

Yep--I'm spending the Holidays in South Africa with my roommate, visiting my boyfriend's family along with his best-friend, and touring the countryside's most unique attractions.

Today I started my first mini English class with my 5-year old student and 2 of her playmates.  I felt like a teacher again!  We all had a great time learning to English video lessons for children.  I'm grateful that God is expanding my work in this age-group and area.  I'm growing attached to the little monsters. ;)

Okay, I'm off to enjoy some time with our small group at church.

Until next time!

Summer Winter

Would you have ever imagined that a place which normally gets snow in November would get weather more suited for spring or cool summers? Not only is Kiev experiencing such weather (61 degrees F. now), but I hear that L.A. has had 95 degree days recently.

I'm not sure if this is global warming or some fluke, but I have to ask you--do you believe God can change and control the weather? Do you believe he would if you asked him to?

Sounds crazy, huh? I think there was a guy in the Bible who fits that description--what was his name again?

James 5:17 (New International Version)

17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

Okay, that sounds like serious faith, right? I mean, Elijah was a prophet. He was special. God gave him supernatural prayer ability, belief, and...well...back in those days, God did more miracles to show people He existed. He doesn't do that kind of stuff anymore.

Really? (Mt 17:20, Mt 13:58, Numbers 23:19)

Am I special because I prayed God would help someone find what they had lost within the next 5 minutes, and they found it within the next few seconds? NO! It's God who performs the miracles, who has the power, who does good things for us, and helps us when we ask--even for something as "small" as finding misplaced keys.

So, what's my point with all of this?

I experienced a breakthrough in my faith last night.

First, I was recently facing losing an English student I've been teaching for the past 2 months here, my only source of income. The situation seemed bleak, but I convinced her mom to work with me and find the best decision for her and her daughter before making a final decision. I honestly felt like the situation was lost, but I went through the motions of prayer.

Second, I've been trying to find a stable home here in Kiev for the past 4 months without success. Each closed door chipped at my faith, but still I prayed.

I just did a follow-up study with Julia, teaching her about prayer from a series I received from my home church, the Turning Point. I was so convicted during the study, that I asked if I could say a quick prayer about these 2 things right then.

This prayer was so different! I prayed expecting God to fulfill my request, as if there was no other option--it was just going to happen, and that's it. I felt so hopeful and excited to see HOW God would answer my prayer, that the worry and fear was GONE. I really believed God wanted to give me what I asked for.

"But what if he doesn't?" Yeah, that's the doubt that kept me from really having faith at all. No wonder faith isn't related to logic AT ALL.

I believe, therefor it is. Of course, like Jesus, my heart is to surrender if God should answer "No" to my requests, but if that's the case, it's only because it's even BETTER than what I was asking for. (Ro 8:28) You just can't go wrong with asking God for help!

Anyway, after praying with Julia and seeing her off, I checked my email to discover that my student's mother wants to continue lessons for her daughter once a week, for which I'm so grateful.

Also, there's another possibility to move into a great apartment here with some amazing sisters. It hasn't happened yet, but I'm so faithful that it will happen according to our prayers, that I'm already counting off the days to when I can finally unpack.

I'll keep praying and asking God what's best, and keep believing that He is as good and willing to help me as He claims He is!

Maybe I'll start praying for snow, next.

Naaaaaaah.... ;)

___________________

What desires have you given up on praying about? Can you pray again, banishing every doubt and expecting that God has already said a joyful "YES" and is working on it?

Nightmare Before Christmas in Kiev

Every year back home in L.A., a few of my friends who are fanatics for the movie "The Nightmare Before Christmas," would throw a Halloween party in which we would decorate both for Halloween and Christmas, and watch the movie together while singing along with subtitles.  It's my fondest Halloween tradition to date.

Since they don't really celebrate Halloween here in the Ukraine, I thought I would carry on the tradition and throw a "Nightmare Before Christmas" party for my friends and their guests here.

It was so fun!  We carved pumpkins, had bloody fingers (cocktail wieners wrapped and baked in tortilla strips with a dab of ketchup on the end), and a costume contest after watching the movie.  One of the brothers, Roma, who speaks English fairly well, translated for the others.

We all had a great time, and about 6 guests enjoyed the party with us. 

As soon as I get the pictures, I'll post them up.

Until then, just wanted everyone back home to know that I'm with you all in spirit, even though an ocean separates us. Happy belated Halloween!