Have you ever had those moments where you just stopped and realized that little else mattered in life except for that very present moment you were in?
The past three weeks have shook me to my core. Challenging me to be PRESENT. Living each moment as if it were the most important moment of my life.
As I continued to grow in relationship with our Ukrainian friends our last few weeks there we began to realize just how hard it would be to say goodbye. My team and I led several kids camps, taught bible stories, played games, cleaned and organized ministry sites, visited more gypsy villages, helped serve at a feeding program, shared the Gospel, and prayed with pastors, translators, ministry hosts, and friends.
(The Pastor and youth leaders of one of the churches where we did yard work and cleaned)
(Danielle teaching the bible story at kids camp in Pastor Vasily's village)
(My beautiful friends!)
(MY SISTER NATHALIE!! Our contact, Nathalie, was a true BLESSING and JOY to be around all month! Thank you for ALL that you did for us!!)
(Gathering for a bible story in a remote gypsy village. We had over 100 children and adults who came to hear the Word!)
(Look at this face…how could any one deny that God exists?! He knit her together in her mothers womb!)
(Entertained by markers and coloring on herself. Haha, its the simple things in life that are treasures!)
(Our Ukrainian friends escorted us on an all day hike through the Carpathian Mountains! Up at 4:00 AM to catch a three hour train ride, all day 12 mile hike, climbed three mountains, hitch hiked the rest of the way down, almost died mud bogging in the back of the truck, entertained by songs with guitars and accordions on the train back home, packed our bags to leave, slept for a few hours, and headed out at 5:00 AM the next morning! #onlyontheworldrace)
The week before we left Ukraine was so emotionally draining because we had made such deep connections with so many. We all especially dreaded having to say goodbye to our beloved gypsy friends with Pastor Volodya's church. As we sat with them knowing this was our last chance to fellowship with them we took in every second of it. We laughed and played and worshiped and shared stories from our lives.
(Me and Maria taking a break for cleaning and washing the fabric on the chairs at the church!)
(Being silly with my new little brothers!)
(AHHH, HOW I LOVE THEM!!)
(Holy Spirit filled couple who truly love God AND each other!! What an example they are!)
(This didnt make saying goodbye any easier!! They chased the car down to the end of the road waving! :((
As Pastor Volodya approached me I could see the tears in his eyes. Overwhelmed, i let the tears fall freely. He embraced me and gently put his hand on my face and said "I touch your face and its like touching God. Your heart is so big." I cried even harder at the thought of leaving such a Spirit filled place and people. As I sat by the pastors wife, Maria, I did not say a word as she held my hand. I just wanted to be in her presence. Just to sit as if I were sitting before the Lord.
Do you know people like that? The people that have such a strong sense of the Holy Spirit that you just want to be near them? Do you ever scoot a little closer so you can touch them in hopes that the same Spirit they have will just rub off on you a little bit?
What's crazy is that the same Spirit is available to us all. It is simply up to us and how open we are to letting it consume our whole being. Our whole life. Our thoughts and desires. Yes, it can be scary! It means I won't live for myself anymore. It means that everything I have ever wanted and thought was important will die. Isn't that what Jesus asks of us though? To abandon everything to pursue Him. Is that asking too much for our Creator, Savior, and Giver of eternal life?
Jesus said, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:26 NKJV)
Sound harsh? Yeah, maybe.
But maybe we need to be spoken to harshly because of our own selfishness.
Do I think Jesus wants us to literally hate anyone? No.
But I do think Jesus wanted to make it clear that nothing, not even our own selfish desires, should come before His righteousness and God's glory.
He continues on, "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ (Luke 14:27-30 NKJV)
Have you counted the cost?
Jesus wants ALL of you.
Not half. Not some. Not just what you are able to spare.
He wants it ALL.
He is worth it and worthy of it.
Are you willing to give it?
The Spirit is waiting…
Waiting to be poured out.
What are you doing while the Spirit waits?
