Homecoming in Eastern Europe

Someone once said that you could not go home again. Nevertheless, I feel as if I just returned home from our home away from home. Over the past two weeks, my dad and I ministered in Bucharest, Romania and Warsaw, Poland. Having traveled to Bucharest three years ago, it was a wonderful homecoming as we greeted our precious brothers and sisters in Christ. The dear friends we met in both of these countries have become family to me. This is why I am convinced, no matter where life may take you, you may be able to return home.

Home is not simply a building comprised of four walls. Rather, it is a place where you feel completely comfortable, compassionately cared for, and so very loved. This summer, I found myself at home, more than 5,600 miles from my hometown. As we were invited into the homes of such loving friends in Eastern Europe, it became clear to me that God had orchestrated this opportunity to share the Gospel and to encourage these kindhearted people. I am humbled that God would choose my dad and me for this incredible journey.

 

Our gratefulness to God began before we even left home. Due to pandemic restrictions and civil unrest in Eastern Europe, our original travel plans were cancelled. After much prayer, we were led to find some other way to reach Bucharest and Warsaw. Romania had opened to U.S. citizens. Poland was still closed; however, we booked the travel arrangements in faith that Poland would open. Revelation 3:7-8 says when we obey His command, God will open doors that no one can close. One week before our departure, God opened the door to Poland.

 

Our entire trip was filled with memories that will remain in our hearts forever. We will always cherish the sweet fellowship with dear friends. One pastor invited us to their home more than once for a delightful meal with his family. On one occasion, they even invited one of my close friends from the church to join us for dinner in their home. What a wonderful gesture, one for which I am very grateful.

Many of the church members shared delicious meals with us. We enjoyed scrumptious food, not only Romanian and Polish cuisine, but also delectable dishes from Myanmar, India, Lebanon, Italy, Thailand, and Moldova. The meals were some of the best we have ever encountered. The combination of spices and fresh ingredients truly made my taste buds sing. Yet, the number one ingredient was love.

 

Sitting in the apartment of one of the families in Romania, we listened and watched as one of their children played worship songs on the keyboard as some of their siblings sang along. Afterward, we all sang together, giving all of the glory and honor to the Lord. Our praise transitioned to prayer as we all bowed our heads. Everyone, including these precious boys and girls, prayed aloud to Jesus Christ. As I prayed over this family, I could not hold back the tears. My heart was literally overflowing with joy as I sat there, feeling the presence of God in the room. As Jesus said, “‘For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them’” (Matt. 18:20 NLT).

 

Throughout our time in these two countries, God opened the door for us to encourage others. Simultaneously, we were encouraged ourselves. The people God placed in our path took First Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV) to heart: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.” They continually encouraged us through their friendship and their prayers. How special it was when one of the pastors, his wife, my dad, and I all shared in praying for one another aloud!

 

Words could never express the magnitude of the love shown to us by our friends in Eastern Europe. The term unconditional love does not suffice. They shined forth the love of Jesus Christ to us in so many ways. In addition to their love, they gave us a priceless gift: their time. Even after each church service, these caring friends desired not to hurry home, but to fellowship with us, giving us the opportunity to know them better. Setting aside entire days to join us in ministry, I never once heard someone say, “I’m too busy.” They knew God had arranged a divine appointment for us to fellowship together and to proclaim the Gospel in their city.

 

Several times, some of these devoted Christians joined us for evangelism in local parks and market squares. I will never forget the people we met along the way, such as the woman in the park in Bucharest who told me she felt like an orphan, having lost both of her parents. The fact that God would provide me the opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ with her, as she stood there in tears, was truly humbling. Then there was the woman and her daughter in Warsaw whose family had made bird whistles by hand for multiple generations, as well as the man and woman who we witnessed to on two separate occasions. My dad and I sang on city streets, handed out Gospel tracts, and told people why we had traveled so far. We came to share the Gospel, just as Mark 16:15 tells us to do. God ordered our steps all along the way.

 

While I have memories that will last forever, my greatest desire is that someone will water the seeds we have sown. As the apostle Paul said, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” (1 Cor. 3:6-7 NIV). My dad and I planted seeds and watered others. Now, we pray God will speak to the hearts and lives of the men, women, and children with whom we were blessed to share the Gospel.

 

The number one reason we travel is not to see the sights, but to set our sights on Jesus Christ. He is the truth, the life, and the only way to salvation (John 14:6). May we all make the most of every opportunity we have to tell someone about Jesus before His soon return! Like our treasured friends in Bucharest and Warsaw, we pray that every soul we encountered on this journey will one day be our friend in Heaven, our eternal home (Luke 16:9).

Who's On Your Doorstep?

When I arrived home this afternoon, my first thought was, there’s the dog.  The light brown boxer sat on the porch, patiently waiting for us to return home.  There was one problem with this picture though.  We do not own a dog fitting this description.  Although my initial thought was, there’s the dog, I quickly realized that this dog did not belong on our porch, no matter how much he looked like he did belong there.  I began asking myself questions like, where did he come from?  Who does he belong to?  And why was he sitting on our doorstep?

After giving him some water, I called the neighbors to see if I could find out where he belongs.  Sadly, no one seems to know where he came from.  Inevitably, he must have lost his way while he was on some grand canine adventure.  While he seemed content to simply walk around our yard, I cannot help but think that somewhere, someone is calling for their lost pet to come home.  But, instead of returning home, he returned to our doorstep.
How many times has someone come to your doorstep, in need of a drink of water, a morsel of food, a pair of shoes, or a tank of gas?  Did you provide their needs, or did you turn them away?  When someone in need comes to you, how do you respond?  This “doorstep” could represent more than the physical stoop outside your door.  It could be a phone call, an e-mail, your office, or the door to your church.  Do you really stop to think about who is on your doorstep?  Or do you ignore those in need, never taking time to really look at what is going on around you?

In life, it is easy to become complacent.  We become so busy that we do not always notice the needs of others.  Or we may get to the point that we do not realize something has changed with a relative, friend, or colleague.  Even if we notice a slight change, we could possibly interpret it as something that has always been; in the same way that I first thought that the dog had always been there.  We need to make a special effort to be attentive to the needs of others, always doing unto others as we would like them to do for us.

Other times, we may find that we are the ones who need assistance.  We may call out to Jesus, wondering if He hears our requests.  Instead of paying attention to His answer, we may ignore the blessings He sends because we are waiting for the answer we expect.  Instead, we may receive an unexpected answer.  The answer could even be sitting on our doorstep.

I am reminded of the story of the man who was caught in a flood.  He called for Jesus to help him.  A truck came along, offering to take him to safety.  He refused, saying the Lord would rescue him.  Then, as the water was beginning to rise, a boat came along.  Again, he politely refused, telling the rescue team that the Lord was on His way.  Finally, he found himself perched on the roof of his home.  A helicopter flew in to rescue him from the dangerous floodwaters that were surrounding him.  Once more, he said the Lord was coming and he did not need to be rescued.  The man drowned that day.  When he arrived at Heaven’s Gates, he questioned why God never came to rescue him.  God answered, “I sent you a truck, a boat, and a helicopter.”

Sometimes, God may be standing on our doorstep.  Sure, He may not always be physically standing on our doorstep, but He will always send the answer to our prayer.  Even if He answers a prayer in a different way than we expect, we can rest assured that He cares about every little detail of our lives.  Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20 ESV).  Jesus will never leave us.  He always has our best interest at heart.  If we will only pay attention when Jesus knocks on our heart’s door, there is no limit to what joy awaits.  Jesus is knocking.  Will you answer the door?  Will you listen His call?  Will you take some time to see who’s on your doorstep?

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer

Looking Back; Moving Forward

As I look back at the last two and a half years, I realize just how far I have come.  The loss of my Mom was nearly more than I could bear.  I often wondered how I would get through the motions of each and every day.  While I had the desire to live life, I had absolutely no desire to sincerely enjoy life.  Since that time, I have found that I can enjoy life, even with the absence of my Mom.  My Dad and I enjoy many amazing experiences together, but through it all, there is always something missing from our daily life.  There are times when joyful times still have a bittersweet shadow lurking overhead, simply because my Mom is not there to share it with us.  Still, I want to remember the sweet memories I have of my Mom, with the assurance that I will see her again.  I suppose you could say the old adage, “Two steps forward, one step back,” is an accurate description of my journey to joy.  Some days are incredibly difficult, while others provide hope, strength, and happiness.  Even though I may be looking back, I am also moving forward.

During the times that I struggle to see the hope Jesus gives so freely, I am reminded of other moments when His hope was ever present, even amid difficulties I was facing.  While my Sweet Sixteenth year on this earth began with an All-Day Singing and Dinner on the Grounds, it ended in a much different realm.  My Mom was in the hospital at the time.  I walked into my closet to change clothes, so my Dad and I could go visit her that evening.  All of the sudden, I felt as if I had been stabbed in the side.  It was the most excruciating pain I had ever felt in my life.  I immediately told my Dad, who quickly ushered me out the door.  We went directly to the hospital emergency room.  I was evaluated, and it was determined that my colon had perforated and my heart rate was dangerously high.  The situation was extremely critical.

As they were preparing me for emergency surgery, my Dad was able to get permission to bring my Mom down to see me before I went into the operating room.  My Mom and Dad later told me that they wanted to see me one last time, in case I didn’t make it.  While I knew the situation was severe, I had complete assurance that Jesus would be in the operating room, guiding the surgeons’ hands.  Although I knew that peritonitis and all of the medical terms being spouted off by the nurses and doctors added up to a serious situation, I did not worry one bit.  I even recall telling my Mom and Dad that everything would be alright, and that Jesus would take care of me.  Even in the midst of what looked like a dire circumstance, I had complete faith that He would see me through.  I knew without a doubt that He would heal my body and restore my health.

I came through the surgery with a few complications, stayed in the Intensive Care Unit, and finally was able to come home several weeks later.  During the time I was in the hospital, my Mom was discharged from the hospital, so my Mom and Dad stayed by my side every day and night, except for the days when my Dad had to be at work.  I know it was a very difficult and trying time for them, worrying about their little girl.  Still, I know that my faith never wavered even once.  I knew that God would keep His promise.  In God’s Word, we read, “By His stripes, we are healed.”  I claimed this promise and I knew that I would prevail.  What I do not understand now is, how could I have had such a strength and faith at the young age of sixteen?  What was so different then?  While I have strength and faith now, there are times when I look back on August 2, 2008, and I wonder, why didn’t God intervene?

For me, I guess it was easier to believe that God would heal me and keep the faith, especially after He did heal me.  Now, I am left wondering why He did not answer my prayer for my Mom to stay with us.  Although I know He has my best interest at heart, I do not understand how the absence of my Mom is in my best interest.  Looking back, I can see God’s hand working in my life from the very moment I was born lifeless.  I realize the trials I had experienced up until this point were meant to make me stronger, to help me understand the will of God for my life, and to strengthen my relationship with Jesus.  What I have yet to figure out, as I strive to move forward, is how the loss of my Mom is meant to help.  Each step I take into the future, I have yet to determine how God will work this tragic loss for my good.

Romans 8:28 says, “All things work together for good, to those who love God, and are called according to His purpose.”  Perhaps I was born lifeless and then had the emergency surgery when I was sixteen to reveal to others Jesus’ healing power.  Quite possibly, some of the things that I have experienced throughout my life have been to show others the way I smile and shine forth the joy of Jesus, even in the most difficult of times.  But, what I have not figured out is how God will work this most recent trial for my good.  This loss has been devastating.  While I am not proud of this fact, I have not remained smiling and joyful 24/7 since my Mom went to be with the Lord.  And there was no healing about which to testify.  So, what is His purpose?  I don’t have all the answers, but I know that Jesus is the answer for every single question.

Inevitably, there are times in our lives when we will not know God’s purpose.  In reality, we may never know the purpose for some of the things that happen in our lives.  Even so, we must cling to the hope that we have in Jesus Christ.  As I look back on the way He has been so faithful to me, bringing me out of the toughest valleys and most raging rivers, I know that He will remain faithful.  Although it is difficult to move forward, I will press on.  I know that something better awaits.  It is my prayer that God will help me continue to live my life in service to Him.  And I pray that I can minister to someone’s heart through the message I bring.  That message is to tell you that even when life changes, there is joy around the bend.  I cannot explain the past, or the present.  But whether I am looking back or moving forward, I know the future is bright.  Because one day, we’ll be looking back at earth and moving forward to a Heavenly home.

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer