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! :) :)
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