Finally...a vacation!

Our time in the states has been full of events, yet we have not had the opportunity to spend any length of time as a family, together, on vacation...until God fit it in our schedule! Just as we were gearing up to fly out, our departure date was delayed. There we were packed and ready. The kids had already said their goodbyes at school, we had mailed some things, finalized some things and ...to our disappointment we needed to wait another two weeks! Well, it was for our benefit. We packed our "other" bags and headed up to a family lake house for a week. We boated together (even Anna Katharine!), took walks together, played games together (even Monopoly!), hunted for gems together...it was a refreshing time re-grouping as a family. We also had the chance to visit with some very special people at a church in Wrens, Georgia. We praise God for this time to remember and look forward to seeing how He can use us for His glory in the days ahead.

Heading back...to Ukraine

Well, here we go again. Across the ocean to our home in Ukraine. We are all eager to get settled in our home there. The kids are anxiously awaiting the plane trip, yet with each new adventure we leave behind friends, family and things that we treasure. How has it been here in the US? It has been a blessing and a very special time for us. Recently though, it has been a spiritual challange for me. Why? Well, I can't quite tell you why. It just seems that the world has tried to creep in and suck out the importance of spiritual things and replace them with the things of this world. I told Kyle, " It just seems so much harder to worship, adore and experience God here" (than the past 3+years we have had in Ukraine).

I was also a bit stunned when a missionary's wife recently died of cancer. When we first heard of the illness I began praying for her husband and two children. I prayed that they would have strength and be comforted. Honestly, I did not see that she would live because the cancer had already taken much of her body. But, then I sensed God telling me to pray for her healing. So, I prayed. I prayed for her healing. I believed that the Almighty God can heal any ailment. I knew that He could. I prayed as if He had already healed her. Then... she died.

Everytime I asked, "Why God, why did you want me to pray for her healing??" I got the answer, "She is healed." Of coarse, that is not the way I anticipated it. God knew what I meant when I prayed for her healing. It didn't happen like I thought. Did I misunderstand what He wanted me to pray for? Did I lack in my faith when I prayed?
John 9:1 says, "And as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind? " Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him." " I pray that the works of the Lord might be displayed in the death of this woman and that the works of God might be displayed in me. We are here to be a vessel, carrying the cross to whatever place God leads us. It is for His divine purpose and not always our understanding.