6.17.07 – Sunday morning…

I woke up feeling rather lousy.  The flight over was 9 hours with an hour delay.  My head felt heavy and my brain was fuzzy.  It is funny how jet lag can affect you.  In the early morning hour, I had heard very loud numerous popping sounds outside my window which sounded like gunfire.  Jolted by the noise that night, I began to pray and intercede for our team.  Then, at 4:30a someone was outside knocking on my door.    

My lousy feeling quickly changed as we entered our devotional time after breakfast.  Tim B. read from I Cor. 2:2-4 and reminded us as we were brought here to do missions that it wasn’t from our persuasive speech or words that people would know Christ, but by a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.  As Paul goes on to explain the reason why in I cor. 2:4, “…so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.”  

We are His living letter and His mouthpiece to bring others to Himself.  It would not be on our strength or our own words, but by HIS spirit.  What an honor and excitement to serve and make Him known.   There are people from all over the United States on this trip stepping out by faith trusting God to use them.   I would like to share with you the life of one who has come to serve in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

Dale S. said, “I had always dreamed of going to Russia, but never thought I would make it here.”   This is her first mission trip to Russia with Global Aid Network.  Dale s. has been married 16 years and is a mother of a 9 and 11 year old.   She first heard about Global Aid Network through members of her church telling about their time in Russia.  She said, “I have always had a heart for missions.”   Dale said she remembers how God used her little nieces and nephews to make Jesus real in her life.  She said they would sing songs to her they had learned at church.  As they would sing songs like “my God is so big, so strong and so mighty there is nothing my God cannot do…”  These songs moved in her heart and prompted her to go to church where she became a Christian.  Now she would like others to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.

When she first heard about this mission to trip Krasnoyarsk, Russia, she wanted to go, but with the costs and concerns with family, she decided it would not come to pass.  Then to her amazement God moved in some incredible ways.    First, some one she knew called and said, “Do you really want to go?  If the funds were provided would you go? “   They were willing to provide for her, but needed to know her decision within 24 hours.   At 6am she called her boss to ask off.   He said, “If God is leading you to do this, ok.”   Other measures of confirmation from God came through additional financial gifts, her family’s blessing and her boss’s provision of finances while she would be gone. 

God was demonstrating His power in Dale’s life confirming for her to step out in faith and go.  She feels like He has something in store for her and is looking with expectation and excitement to see what He will do.  Please pray for Dale that she may display God’s power as she shares the Good News of Jesus Christ and many might come to know Him!