A lot has been going on in my heart and my mind concerning the school of Bibical Studies (sbs) in Taiwan. During the 3 months in Kona I began to feel strongly that an SBS would be a really wonderful step so I began to pray about where I wanted to do my SBS. About 2 months into my DTS I felt a lot of peace and confirmation about going to Taiwan in March.
Some days I can barely stand to be away from home one day longer. I miss my family and my CT family SOOO incredibly much. I love where I am at but I miss everyone. It was getting to the point that a one week trip home, to see everyone, and then 9 months in Taiwan was feeling unbarable. I started to question my decision and began to pray about it again.
Not long after praying about it, I met a girl here in Russia who just finished the SBS in Taiwan. She has INCREDIBLE things to say about it. I was thinking, praying, and counting the cost and decided to go for it in spite of how much I miss home.
I am so excited about SBS for the following reasons:
1)I constantly have questions that I can't answer about the Bible
2) I am craving to understand the context for scripture as I'm reading
3) I desire a bigger picture for the whole Bible
4) I want to recieve the strong foundation that SBS offers in how to study the Bible for yourself, so that I can apply this for the rest of my life.
5) When I teach the Bible I don't ever want to misinterpret or mis-use scripture
The list goes on and on and on... I asked for confirmation and I am overjoyed that it is given to me daily.
SBS Taiwan...here I come!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Russian Rehab
During my teams first week in Russia we had the oppertunity to visit a Christian rehab center in a village near Rostov, where we live. The rehab cneter is in the middle of no where and the scenery surrounding it was absolutely incredible. Upon arriving, my team spent about an hour visiting with and getting to know the staff at the rehab center. It is a 6 month period of intense Bible study and prayer. They never mentioned dealing with past wounds and hang ups but strictly focused on a disciplined life style. They believe that living a disciplined life of reading their Bible and working so that they don't have time to think about drugs and alchohol.
After visiting some with the staff we had a service for those in rehab. I was both extremely excited and sad. I was excited because the people were obviously hungry for God or a way out of their current life. I was excited because many of them were throwing their all into the process and in that seeking God. This also made me extremely sad because they are so focused on earning God's love that I'm not sure they really realized how much they are already loved. The women were all forced to wear head coverings and dresses.
My team shared testimonies, did skits about God's redemption, and then at the end I got to lead worship with my team member Katrina. We offered to pray over the people as we were singing over them and they all flocked to the front. My team didn't know how to pray specifically for their needs but then God began to give them specific words and pictures for each person they were praying for. God's presence was extremely thick in the room both times we went to this rehab center. The 2d tme we were there we even had multiple people make decisions to accept Christ for the very first time.
Back in the day that I got to lead worship and be apart of the Celebrate REcovery at Cross Timbers I remember thinking, "If I could lead worshi pat a recovery setting for the rest of my life, I would just love it!" Here I am a couple of years later getting to sing over and minister to those in rehabs in Russia. How crazy and awesome is that? I feel so blessed that God has me right where Im at!
After visiting some with the staff we had a service for those in rehab. I was both extremely excited and sad. I was excited because the people were obviously hungry for God or a way out of their current life. I was excited because many of them were throwing their all into the process and in that seeking God. This also made me extremely sad because they are so focused on earning God's love that I'm not sure they really realized how much they are already loved. The women were all forced to wear head coverings and dresses.
My team shared testimonies, did skits about God's redemption, and then at the end I got to lead worship with my team member Katrina. We offered to pray over the people as we were singing over them and they all flocked to the front. My team didn't know how to pray specifically for their needs but then God began to give them specific words and pictures for each person they were praying for. God's presence was extremely thick in the room both times we went to this rehab center. The 2d tme we were there we even had multiple people make decisions to accept Christ for the very first time.
Back in the day that I got to lead worship and be apart of the Celebrate REcovery at Cross Timbers I remember thinking, "If I could lead worshi pat a recovery setting for the rest of my life, I would just love it!" Here I am a couple of years later getting to sing over and minister to those in rehabs in Russia. How crazy and awesome is that? I feel so blessed that God has me right where Im at!
I love Russia!!!
Back in Kona while we were praying and deciding about which outreach location/team we would be on I had my mind and heart completely set on going to Cambodia and working with girls at a safe house. Out of all 5 possible locations I wanted to go to Russia and Turkey the least and was utterly disappointed when I found out I was placed on that team. I had absolutely 0 desire to go to Turkey or Russia. Once we started to study about the places we were going and praying for the 2 countries I began to get extremely excited about Turkey. I still could not wrap my mind around the idea of going to Russia.
I turned it over to God and just prayed that he would change my heart. Now I am extremely grateful that I was placed on this team. I have absolutely loved Russia nd could even see myself coming back here. I feel completely in my element here. God is so good!!!
My team has been staying at a YWAM base in Rostov and partnering with them in ministry. Even though the base has been around for many years they are currentely in a transitional and pioneering stage. I love the heart of the long termers here. It is not only to share about Jesus and salvation but to help the people in Rostov truly have their needs met and experience complete freedom.
During my stay in Rostov the ministry oppertunities have been endless. I have had the oppertunity to lead worship at 2 different Rehabs on a few occassions, to be the main care taker for 3 beautiful young children for a week, to teach at small groups, to pray over many people here (and even be a part of a healing), to go to orphanages and a couple of children's hospitals, and to put together programs/parties for churches and youth groups. I have also built some wonderful relationships with the Russian women here and have loved spending time getting to know them.
I turned it over to God and just prayed that he would change my heart. Now I am extremely grateful that I was placed on this team. I have absolutely loved Russia nd could even see myself coming back here. I feel completely in my element here. God is so good!!!
My team has been staying at a YWAM base in Rostov and partnering with them in ministry. Even though the base has been around for many years they are currentely in a transitional and pioneering stage. I love the heart of the long termers here. It is not only to share about Jesus and salvation but to help the people in Rostov truly have their needs met and experience complete freedom.
During my stay in Rostov the ministry oppertunities have been endless. I have had the oppertunity to lead worship at 2 different Rehabs on a few occassions, to be the main care taker for 3 beautiful young children for a week, to teach at small groups, to pray over many people here (and even be a part of a healing), to go to orphanages and a couple of children's hospitals, and to put together programs/parties for churches and youth groups. I have also built some wonderful relationships with the Russian women here and have loved spending time getting to know them.
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