Reoccuring Theme, Stay in the Presence of God!

First, Happy Thanksgiving blog readers! :) I am thankful for so many things I could write an entire blog on just that. But, I will not. I want to write and share about something that has been on my heart a lot in the past month.
As some of you may know or maybe were wondering, I am praying through extending my stay in Latvia past the original two years. When I started this journey back in the summer of 2011 I had some feeling that maybe it would last longer than two years but I wasn't sure. There were moments last year I felt like I would stay longer and moments where I felt like 2 years was enough. However, the more I pray about, the more affirmation I receive to extend my stay. There have been two things recently that are playing a part in this affirmation. Latvia, Kuldīga, this place is becoming my home. I can feel it in my heart and see it in my life. The pictures in my flat have been on a slow processing of being replaced by the fresh new faces of dear Latvians. I have started calling HOG "my"church. The flat that I live in, it is my home. It feels like my home. It feels like a sanctuary where I can be completely at peace and rest. The once strange smells, sights, sounds of Kuldīga hae become something I treasure. Even when I visit Rīga, it is always a sense of home as soon as I step off that bus in Kuldīga. The people in my life here, oh how they have blessed me. Last weekend, closest friends made the trip from Rīga and Liepaja to join and celebrate Thanksgiving with me. They knew and saw that it was something important to me so they wanted to be there for me. You just can't force something like that, it is all by God's grace. My closest friend got married this summer and I thought this would only make us grow a part. To my surprise and delight, the exact opposite has happened. We started doing a bible study together, yes even over the phone, praying together, and being more intentional about our conversations. She has become more than a friend to me but a dear sister in Christ. She has seen my darkest side and secrets and loves me anyway. She has seen some of my happiest moments and shared in that joy. I can only think of 2 other people who know me like Lana does and love me all the same. God has given me the greatest support system here in Latvia and these relationships are among some of the best I've had in my 26 years of life. Latvia is my home. :) Of course, no one can replace my church family or my family and friends back "home" but God is opening my heart to see this as my current home and place of worship. :) I still love those back in the States dearly and can't wait to see you soon!!! :) :)
The second and I think even bigger affirmation is something that was started in my head back in September when I went to the JV conference in Czech. One man was talking about the Old Testament and how people would literally follow the presence of God. There was a tent and if God's presence was there, his people would stay there. If the presence of God left, then the people left. Then he asked, wouldn't it be great if we lived our lives like that today, just following the presence of God? At the moment I thought, oh yea, that would be cool and then didn't give it another thought. Then about a month ago I was Skyping with a dear friend of mine and she was talking about the presence of God. We were talking about ministry here and she said you need to stay where God is and follow God's presence in your ministry. Yes, there will be people outside of your ministry but if God is asking you to be in one place, don't leave until God leads you too. It was very interesting to me and it reminded me of this question back in September, living a life following the presence of God. The very next day I lead a girls bible study over John 1:35-42 where Jesus calls his disciples. There was instant obedience, go where God is going. Follow Jesus. Again, the thought crossed my mind, go where God is. Where God is leading you, that is where you need to go, not your own way. Okay, now I really started to think seriously about this thought. Obviously God is showing me something if this has come up three times now. But wait, there is just one more time that this has been brought up and I think this brings it full circle. Last Friday, the message at Connected was about being in the presence of God. Kristaps preached out of Exodus where Moses and Joshua go into the tent where is the presence of God. Moses went out from the tent and Joshua stayed. God went on to use Joshua to defeat many armies and to continue to lead the people to the Promised Land. Of course, Kristaps wasn't saying anything bad about Moses but his point was why did God choose to use someone like Joshua, a nobody? It was because Joshua was seeking the presence of God and stayed in His presence. Some people know this but many don't. When I was first praying about coming to Latvia and was in contact with Matiss and the HOG church leaders, someone told Matiss that he was like Moses and I was like a Joshua. It was interesting then but it seemed even more interesting now as God has been showing me the most recent thing. Be like Joshua, stay in the presence of God and follow where He leads. Stay where He stays. So with all this to say, here is what I feel like God is revealing to me. I must stay in the presence of God. As I look at Connected, as I look at HOG church in Kuldiga, as I look at this ministry here, God is working! God is doing some incredible work. The enemy is also fighting and thinking he can win this battle, but I can see a change for the better. It is a struggle, this is not an easy fight but when I think back to my first months here and I look at this place now, there is a difference, There is a change. God is working in far bigger ways than I ever imagined or thought. God has a plan and I believe God is asking, "will you stay and fight here longer?" God's presence is here. God is working. God is here in Latvia and something amazing is about to happen. I am ready and willing to fight and to stay in Latvia. Be encouraged dear readers, even if there are hard times and hard battles ahead of you the good Lord will win the fight! Will you join His army or fight against it? Jesus loves you! Be blessed! Have a great day, eat lots of turkey and cherish every moment spent with loved ones! :) :)

Adjusting....

I recently had a conversation the other day with a woman from my church. We talked about life here in Latvia and she asked me many questions. When I told her that I had "adjusted" to life in Latvia, she saw that as a negative thing. I have thought a lot about this and decided todays post would be about just that, adjusting. I decided to look up the definition of adjusting and this is what I found.  

Adjusting:

1.To adapt or conform, as to new conditions

2.To achieve a psychological balance with regard to one's external environment, one's needs, and the demands of others.

Let me put this conversation in context for you. She asked me if living in Latvia was hard for me. I smiled and with hesitation said, "Yes, but I am adjusting to life here". She then probed more and wanted to understand what I meant. So I proceeded to tell her that yes, there are hard moments, there are hard times, and last year there were a couple of hard months. But, I am adjusting to life in Latvia and it is getting better. I started to explain about my home church, South Community Church, and how community based it is. Every Sunday you are greeted with smiling faces, hugs, at least a minute of "quality time" in service, a meal together afterwards and you felt like you were a part of a great church family. Every week I was with my church family almost daily from worship practice, small group, youth group, being a nanny, not to mention the deep friendships I have. My life was filled with great community that challenged me, encouraged me, laughed with me, cried with me, and grew with me as we grew closer to God. My community group was a solid group of people that LOVED to spend time together. Even in our busy crazy lives, we knew that our group was a safe place to come, be vulnerable, be encouraged, and grow in God's Word. At the age of 25, I had found a church family that many go their whole lives searching for. But, this is not America and this is not SCC. I am living in a culture that is shaped by its past. I am living in a culture of people that has been depressed and oppressed by the Russians and Germans. I am living in a culture that doesn't smile very often and doesn't trust very easily. I am now living in a culture that is the exact opposite of life at SCC. That is something I need to adjust to. Of course, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying SCC is perfect and Latvia stinks, what I am saying is I need to adjust. Life looks different now than it did before. Let's talk about this culture. This past summer, I took a visiting friend to the occupation musuem. If you know me, you know that history is not really my thing, but my dear friend loves history so I decided we should go. I am so glad we did. I learned so many things about the Latvian people that I was able to gain a lot of perspective on the culture even today. So many times people came here promising help, only to make conditions worse. People came to offer freedom and all these great things but only gave enslavement and fear. People promised to bring about change for the good, only to once again bring change for the worse. Families were uprooted and sent packing to remote places in Russia. Familes were stripped of their belongings, their homes, their identities and forced to conform to communism. With each failed attempt at help, the more hardened hearts became. With each broken promise, came a heart of dispair. People were forced to live lives a certain way and felt no sense of freedom in anything. They would even communicate with whispers in their own homes as to not be heard by the wrong people or their neighbors. I couldn't imagine living a life like that but I can see the repercussions of it today. Still it is hard to earn the turst of a National. It is hard to bring a promise of hope and true freedom in Jesus, because it seems that you belong to a cult and they want nothing to do with it. It is hard to bring the idea of community to a place that wants to be so private. It is hard, but it is worth it! It may be hard but Jesus has still asked me to be faithful. So yes, there are times where I feel alone. The lack of 20 somethings in my city doesn't help either because there are no universities and no real job opportunites in the small town of Kuldiga. I would attend church on Sundays and almost feel invisible at times. I would say hi to some people and maybe 20% of the time get a response back. I am new. I am different. I am an outsider and I need to earn their trust. I have had to make the biggest adjustment of them all, going from being completely surrounded by great community to feeling almost invisible in my church. I have had to adjust. I have had to learn to rely even more on my relationship with Jesus. I have learned to be even more assertive in asking those dear to me for help. I have adjusted to living in an introverted culture by graciously loving like Jesus would. Trying my best to love without expecting anything in return. I am still adjusting and still learning but I know the reward is great! Now please, don't read this and think life is terrible here because it is not. As many of you know, I have have seen the great reward of perserverance in building relationships. Even though it may be hard to earn the trust of a National, once you do, it's the best feeling there is. I have a very dear friend who has been great in helping me adjust. In the past year, we have grown so close together we can almost know what each other is thinking in any given situation. It took me awhile to gain her trust, even as a believer, but the months of waiting, being vulnerable to her, and letting her see my weakest moments has brought about one of the greatest friendships of my short 26 years of life. We have had moments in the past year that I will remember for a lifetime. The best part about it is, I feel like we are just beginning our friendship but have known each other for years. I have seen the impact on my students as well. God is bringing about change to Latvia. Even as I adjust to Latvian culture and bring Jesus to the hard place, He is working to help them adjust to living a life that reflects Him. I have seen small changes in the church here. Slowly but surely God is working and for that I praise Him! Adjusting is not a bad thing. I believe adjusting, when done in a way that brings Glory to God, is exactly what our world needs. I can't expect to move to another country and demand the people to conform and meet my needs. I need to expect that God will give me the grace, patience, and love to adjust to those who need to hear about His love and redemption. As I adjust to living in another culture I need to live out 1 Corinthians 9:20-22 "To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some." If I want to help win the Latvians to Christ, then I need to adjust to life here and become like the Latvians. I promise you, it is an adjustment worth making and I have no regrets. I love the life God has given me here and I know that I know, I am exactly where God wants me. :) 

Mountain Top :)

This past month has been incredible!
Check out a video update HERE! :)

God is good, God is great! :)