Summer's Almost Over!
доброе утро!
Really missing Nadya and Tanya today. I want to make borsh with Nadya in her kitchen, and talk about everything that comes to mind. We always did talk about the most random things. Thinking back, I'm not sure how I actually understood enough Russian to talk about communism, family problems, working, life, etc. It must have been the Holy Spirit enabling me to understand her, because I definitely was never close to fluent...
And speaking of Russian, I miss Tanya teaching me. It won't work out for me to take Russian at Belmont this semester, so I'm searching for other ways to study. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. It's not so easy to teach myself!
It's hard to believe my summer is a week and a few days from being over. It was well spent, I think, and I packed a lot of life into it. But now I have to transition into school mode? 8 am Greek all year? Ew. And getting back into college life is making me realize how much my mindset has changed since last semester. American 20-somethings tend to think about life inside their own bubbles and stop there. It's been quite exhausting for me to be around some of my friends since getting back to the States. I'm just dissatisfied with the way we all live here in Nashville - with the world at our fingertips and yet little thought of how to steward our blessings. We are so charitable, but lack real relationships with the hurting. We are insulated here, and we know it. But it's easier to focus on our dreams, our music, our education, our plans, than for the radical things God would love to lead us into. We - Nashville's college-aged men and women - would be a powerful force if we only decided to change our focus...
I've been praying recently for my sophomore year, that God will provide for me a group of friends who are willing to live with an eternal perspective, and who are walking more closely with Him than I am. I am in need of relationships that challenge me spiritually. I so want this year to be significant, not just educationally, but in every way. And especially not just about me; I want it to be about relationships. Relationships with people I never would have come in contact with before. People who aren't like me. And maybe people who can speak Russian? :)
I have some prayer requests for you today. First of all, I'm meeting with some awesome guys from Fellowship next week to talk about my trip and about our ministry partner - Dinislam with New Life Church - in Russia. Please pray for this meeting. Pray that I will be able to gather my thoughts and emotions well beforehand, so that I faithfully relay what I have seen and heard and felt. Pray that I will be able to bring good suggestions to the table about how to better serve and support our friends in Karachaevsk. Above all, I want God to use my summer - what I've learned and observed about their lives and culture - to positively affect how we interact with them as ministry partners. I'll need the Spirit's help to be transparent and share my heart.
Also, I received some heartbreaking news from Natasja yesterday. One of the older girls from the childrens home died a few days ago. We know very little information, just that she disappeared for a few days and then was found in the river with various wounds suggesting she was killed. Her name was Nadya and she was 16. Please be in prayer for all involved, especially her mom and sister and the other kids from the orphanage. I can't imagine what it must be like over there right now for all of them.
But God is still on the throne, and I pray she is in heaven with Him. I never talked to her one on one, but saw her many times...it's such jarring news to hear regardless. Thanks for praying...
Really missing Nadya and Tanya today. I want to make borsh with Nadya in her kitchen, and talk about everything that comes to mind. We always did talk about the most random things. Thinking back, I'm not sure how I actually understood enough Russian to talk about communism, family problems, working, life, etc. It must have been the Holy Spirit enabling me to understand her, because I definitely was never close to fluent...
And speaking of Russian, I miss Tanya teaching me. It won't work out for me to take Russian at Belmont this semester, so I'm searching for other ways to study. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. It's not so easy to teach myself!
It's hard to believe my summer is a week and a few days from being over. It was well spent, I think, and I packed a lot of life into it. But now I have to transition into school mode? 8 am Greek all year? Ew. And getting back into college life is making me realize how much my mindset has changed since last semester. American 20-somethings tend to think about life inside their own bubbles and stop there. It's been quite exhausting for me to be around some of my friends since getting back to the States. I'm just dissatisfied with the way we all live here in Nashville - with the world at our fingertips and yet little thought of how to steward our blessings. We are so charitable, but lack real relationships with the hurting. We are insulated here, and we know it. But it's easier to focus on our dreams, our music, our education, our plans, than for the radical things God would love to lead us into. We - Nashville's college-aged men and women - would be a powerful force if we only decided to change our focus...
I've been praying recently for my sophomore year, that God will provide for me a group of friends who are willing to live with an eternal perspective, and who are walking more closely with Him than I am. I am in need of relationships that challenge me spiritually. I so want this year to be significant, not just educationally, but in every way. And especially not just about me; I want it to be about relationships. Relationships with people I never would have come in contact with before. People who aren't like me. And maybe people who can speak Russian? :)
I have some prayer requests for you today. First of all, I'm meeting with some awesome guys from Fellowship next week to talk about my trip and about our ministry partner - Dinislam with New Life Church - in Russia. Please pray for this meeting. Pray that I will be able to gather my thoughts and emotions well beforehand, so that I faithfully relay what I have seen and heard and felt. Pray that I will be able to bring good suggestions to the table about how to better serve and support our friends in Karachaevsk. Above all, I want God to use my summer - what I've learned and observed about their lives and culture - to positively affect how we interact with them as ministry partners. I'll need the Spirit's help to be transparent and share my heart.
Also, I received some heartbreaking news from Natasja yesterday. One of the older girls from the childrens home died a few days ago. We know very little information, just that she disappeared for a few days and then was found in the river with various wounds suggesting she was killed. Her name was Nadya and she was 16. Please be in prayer for all involved, especially her mom and sister and the other kids from the orphanage. I can't imagine what it must be like over there right now for all of them.
But God is still on the throne, and I pray she is in heaven with Him. I never talked to her one on one, but saw her many times...it's such jarring news to hear regardless. Thanks for praying...
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