We are tourists, right?

Minsk, Belarus – Saturday, October 31, 2009 – 10:08am local time

Over all the times I’ve been here in Minsk, one of my favorites things has become the late-night walks.  One of my teammates and I have gotten into a routine of finishing out each day by walking around the city, talking over the day’s events, and just digesting everything together.  I love the camaraderie, I love the exercise, and I love the brisk, cold night air.

Minsk is really an interesting city with an attraction of its own.  It most definitely has that staid, oppressive Soviet feel with blocks and blocks of big, heavy buildings.  Oceans of concrete must have been poured to re-build the city after WWII.  Yet, there is a character.  All cities have a feel and a character of their own, and in Minsk it feels like a struggling teenager—so proud to have its own identity and thoughts, growing up, maturing, while at the same time living under the shadow of its older brother who every once a while steps in to smack it on the head to remind it who’s boss.

Last night, about 10:15, we walked along the river and into the city center.  It was about 30 degrees, and the cold air stung our ears and faces.  But, we had a great time of talking about the day, assessing our work, and discussing plans, philosophy, and theology (I know.  You wish you were with us for that part.  Admit it!).  It was a rich time.  These walks I’ve come to treasure as experiences God gives me to learn much.  I learn about myself.  I learn about my teammate.  I learn about the Lord and His plans.  In the midst of our going and our serving, our teaching and our mentoring, God is always teaching us about His Kingdom.  It can be a difficult but so rewarding place to be.

 

More to come…

Peace continued…

Minsk, Belarus – Saturday, October 31, 2009, 7:32am local time

…picking up from where I left off…

 

I had spent my time in preparation for my lecture on biblical economics focusing on an overview of the subject…and trying to cram 50 pounds of potatoes into a 20 pound sack.  How can I possibly cover the topic of biblical economics in short time, including translation?!  Nevertheless, I was set to talk about the ideas of God’s ownership of all, the dominion mandate, scarcity, private property, division of labor, etc.  Then, Thursday night, after the praise and prayer service, I accidentally left my notes at the church when the team went back to our hotel.  I realized it about 10:30pm.  I fretted for about a second, and then it was as if the Lord tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Why don’t you let me take this one?  Peace is not just for you.”  You can hardly imagine the relief and release that came.  The mighty hand of Providence was steering my ship of thought!

 

So, on Friday, after I was re-united with my carefully planned out notes, I figuratively threw them out and stepped before these people that I've come to love so much.  I greeted them and tried to express a little just how much being among them is a blessing and honor for me and our team.  Then, I simply tried to bring peace and encouragement.  Romans 8:19 says, “Creation eagerly awaits the revealing of God’s children.”  Can you imagine?  All those people shuffling down the sidewalks of our towns.  All those politicians from both sides of the aisle that frustrate us to exasperation.  All those Hollywood celebrities who produce the culture-shrinking drivel that passes as entertainment.  All those churches that are shriveling and dying from the spiritual dryness that has invaded them…or that they’ve embraced out of a desire to escape from the world.  All of creation is just waiting for us to reveal to them the Lord’s plan for their lives in all areas.  Economics isn’t some arcane field of science that people can’t understand or hope to grasp.  It is the every day.  How do I feed my family today?  Why do I get up early and go to work again and again?  What is the purpose of these giftings and abilities I think I have?  Why does there never seem to be enough of this resource to meet society’s needs?  That is economics and God gives believers the keys to understanding.  He also gives the ability to rise above the muck of this world when we follows His principles.  Economics is simply another way to show the love of Christ and bring peace by restoring man to right relationship with God.

 

Boy, did I learn a lot yesterday.  I wonder what today will bring!  After all, this corner of God’s creation is eagerly awaiting the revealing of God’s children.

 

More to come…

My peace I give to you

Minsk, Belarus – Friday, October 30, 2009 – 10:43am local time

It’s an interesting thing that happens when you attempt to really discern the will of the Lord and try to walk it out. Prior to my departure, a few people asked me how they could pray for me and my family while I was away. As I thought about it initially, the word that kept coming to me was ‘peace.’ When peace reigns at home, my children are calm and my wife can function each day. I can leave in peace knowing that Lord is taking care of my family. So, I responded that way to the people that asked.

We arrived yesterday afternoon and then attended a worship and prayer service last night. While at that service, I really felt the Lord impressing upon me this idea of peace, and He began to expand it in my mind to go so far beyond my concept of peace for my home and peace of mind for myself as I was away. Our team makes these trips out of a sense of call. And that call is not just to bring a message of some sort but to serve. Last night, the Lord showed me that my service this time is to be an instrument of peace here.

It has been a really tumultuous year back home in the States. In many aspects of public and societal life, Americans have been struggling. There is a real lack of peace and a real sense of tension. I arrived here yesterday, and began to feel the same is true of the believers here. Imagine if you can, a society that lived under a brutal and repressive system for 70+ years. Falsehood after falsehood was piled upon them until they simply broke. There was no hope in daily life. No hope that a change would be possible. Then, to everyone’s shock and amazement, the powers that had been in place all those decades went away overnight. “Freedom” rushed to fill the void and the people caught the faintest glimmer of hope for the first time in their lives. Now, fifteen years later, much of that promise and hope for a brighter future has not materialized. Economically, they haven’t succeeded as they thought they might. Politically, they don’t have the freedoms of most other nations and can’t choose their representative leadership. Spiritually, believers are repressed and consigned to the fringes as ‘sects’ and ‘cults.’ No wonder there is a little anxiousness and a lack of peace here!

…interrupted by the day… More to come…

We're here!

Minsk, Belarus – Thursday, October 29, 2009 – 3:53pm local time

 

We made to Belarus without a hitch.  All of our luggage arrived with us this time (it helps to only have carry-on luggage!), and all us got good rest on the flights over.  Our good friends B and V were there to meet us at the airport as usual, and it wonderful to be with them once more.

 

After a bit of rest this afternoon, we’ll jump right into things.  I’m looking forward to seeing all of our friends here tonight and being a part of a great worship and prayer time to kick things off.  Good to be back!  More to come…

 

We’re here

Minsk, Belarus – Thursday, October 29, 2009 – 3:53pm local time

We made to Belarus without a hitch.  All of our luggage arrived with us this time (it helps to only have carry-on luggage!), and all us got good rest on the flights over.  Our good friends B and V were there to meet us at the airport as usual, and it wonderful to be with them once more.

 

After a bit of rest this afternoon, we’ll jump right into things.  I’m looking forward to seeing all of our friends here tonight and being a part of a great worship and prayer time to kick things off.  Good to be back!  More to come…

Hard to believe…again

He will post watchmen once more on the crumbled walls…

I’m sitting alone at my kitchen table this morning.  It’s still dark outside, and everyone else in the house is mercifully still sleeping.  I didn’t have to get up early today—no work today for me—but I decided to anyway.  Today is a big day, you see.  Once more, I’m suiting up and getting into the pitched battle that is eastern Europe.  Time for the annual fall trip “over there.”  Because of what has transpired both here and there over the course of this year, I have to be even more cautious than before about identifying where I’m going and who I’m going with.  Those of you who have been such faithful supporters and friends know, though, and  continue to be amazed by the Lord’s grace and your generosity in enabling me to continue in this work.

 

Please pray for our safe travels today.  One of our team members will take his wife to surgery this morning for a broken elbow…and then scurry to the airport to join the team while his wife is tended to by friends and family.  Another team member has a son with a suspected touch of a mild strain of Swine Flu.  A third team member has never been to eastern Europe and is in for shock, I’m sure.  Then there’s me.  God has protected me and my family in the lead-up to today, but you just know that the enemy would love to see that come crumbling down.  I know, though, the my God is more powerful and will overcome!  The word that has been on my heart over the last week of preparation has been ‘peace.’  I ask for your prayers for peace—for our travels, for our friends that we’re going to see and work with, for the country we’ll be visiting, and especially for my family while I’m away.  This will be Karen’s first time with me away when she is juggling four kids (sometimes literally) and homeschooling.  A normal day is a challenge.  My departure, if only for a few days, won’t make that any easier.

 

God continues to do great things, and I look forward to sharing with you what He has knitted together this year.  It’s very exciting.  Let’s talk soon!  More to come…