“For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall see my glory…”

                                                                                    Isaiah 66:18

            I’m learning to appreciate that the God I serve speaks all languages and understands all peoples and tongues. It’s especially beautiful to attend church services in a language I don’t understand and see people who are my brothers and sisters worshipping the God who created us all. I may not understand it all, but He does.

This week we had a miscommunication (which is the story of my life lately) about a Bible study group which was supposed to meet at a different location than we were accustomed to. As a result, only one student showed up. This student does not speak English. We don’t speak Russian. Thankfully we live in an age when online translators are easily accessible and we were able to somewhat communicate with this student. It was a little awkward at first, but we were able to all laugh about it and hang out for a few minutes while we tried to figured out what was going on. I’m starting to think that God has a sense of humor—really and truly. He’s compassionate and merciful, righteous and holy, but I also think he likes to laugh. There are some moments as I try to do life here when really all I can do is laugh; and I think He laughs with me.  

            I have to try really hard not to be frustrated with myself for not speaking the language here. How am I supposed to share? How is this fair? It’s difficult…. and then, I make friends with people who are already questioning and already seeking and I’m reminded that it’s not about how much I can give these people, because I can’t give them anything. It’s all in God’s hands. And he’s moving…I just have to follow and be willing to work the fields and sprinkle seed in the places where he has already prepared the soil. Continue to pray and seek the Lord’s mercy for the people of this city. God is drawing people to himself, and they will see his glory.

February 28, 2015. What are you reading?  What are you about to do?  What have you been doing this past week?  How has your day been?  All of these questions are drenched with the effectiveness of curiosity in our lives and how addicting it truly is to draw in information from sources around us.  As people continue to get to know one another, the curiosity increases until the addiction has become a habit without any point or force of stopping it.  People want to know “how”, “when”, “what”, “where”, or even “why” people do/say/act upon in daily routine and in general, life.  A compulsion of being curious is in everyone.

Have you ever seen an open bag of salty, tangy, tasty, and crispy potato chips on a kitchen counter, or maybe even an uncovered jar or bowl of assorted nuts sitting out in the open?  What is it that draws us to reach in or reach over and grab a handful of these delicacies and begin munching on them? But it doesn’t stop at just one handful, we are then compelled to grab another and another and another, until the bowl or bag is almost empty.  Were we really that hungry? Do I even like potato chips? Why am I not satisfied with only one handful? These are questions we then use to analyze our own actions after such a dramatic act of compulsion.  However, this example is not only for bags of chips…

I love coffee shops.  I can relax, have good conversations (no matter the language), and truly talk to people in an environment where I don’t feel threatened by ambiguous “getting to know you” questions.  I also love to read and to write, I would say arithmetic but unfortunately I have not calculated anything recently.  I have made many good connections and have had many more good conversations at several different coffee shops here in Ufa.  I am like an open bag of chips to the people full of curiosity.  They will ask questions and I will give them answers, and I will also take part in asking questions and seeking answers.  However, I only give them enough, so as to not fully satisfy their curiosity, but instead to be able to come back and have them ready for more questions.

I have seen this happen with my own personal life as I read through the Word of God.  I will read through a passage in scripture and God will give me what I need for that moment, but enough to have me coming back with a more urgent curiosity than before.  This has resulted in me being left with an addiction of curiosity, of which, I don’t plant to try to curb.  I seek and desire God on a daily basis because of how good His Word tastes, as I read through moral enlightenments, stories of grace, stories of mercy, stories of redemption, and pure truth.  God keeps me coming back for more and more…just like a bag of chips.

Kevin S. 

Today is my birthday. While I haven’t spent my last five birthdays with family because of my university studies, this year is different. Today I celebrated my first birthday abroad. In many ways it’s easier and more difficult than I expected. So far, this is definitely a year of firsts….

If you had told me a year ago—even six months ago—that I would be celebrating my birthday away from my home country, I would have disbelieved and/or laughed at you. I didn’t think it was possible and I didn’t really see how it would ever fit into my plans. I’ve had a lot of plans over the years, and I think God has laughed at, and changed, almost every last one of them. Really. Ask my parents. But I’m learning that the Lord is so merciful and His plans infinitely better than any I could have come up with (it’s a work in progress, because I’m very stubborn). This morning during my time with Jesus I read Isaiah 52 (Just go read it, it’s so good). In churches we hear a lot about verse 7, which I love—“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns,’ ” but I think we forget about the next few verses, especially verse 9.

“Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.”

 “The Lord has comforted his people…” You know, I see reflections of myself in the people of Israel as I read through the Old Testament and I can’t help but marvel that God can take “waste places” and redeem them. I’ve seen it over, and over, and over again in my life and I couldn’t help but think that today, on my birthday, this chapter was more significant than before. I am constantly reminded that God can take my mess and use it for glory. So today I’m just thankful. I’m thankful that I’m counted among those whose feet bring good news. I’m thankful that God’s plans are bigger and better than my own, even when I don’t understand them. I’m thankful for the life and adventure I’ve experienced thus far. I’m thankful for new cities and even newer friends, and being part of a family that spans continents because of the blood of Jesus. I’m thankful for slightly broken, yet incredibly sincere happy birthday wishes in English from fellow students. I have so much to be thankful for.

Jennifer G.