A little over a year ago the Lord told us told us to move to Ternopil, Ukraine. However, we didn't go alone. He gave us a promise to hold onto as we stepped out in faith. From His Word, He said, "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses" (Joshua 1:3). Just like the Lord promised to go before Joshua into the Promise Land, He promise us that He would go before us into Ukraine. God gave us the strength and the courage to step out into the unknown and follow after Him. And God has been so faithful to us this past year in Ternopil. We've really learned how to lean on Him and seek Him in all our ways... and what an amazing place it is to be in, fully trusting on Him.
The Christian life, the life serving Jesus, is a very interesting and exciting life. We've learned that God is always wanting to grow us, stretch us, and use us... and that is going to continue. God has called Emily and I to move from Ternopil to Donetsk (a large city in Eastern Ukraine). We have been praying, fasting, and seeking the Word faithfully about this decision over the last few months. This past week we received the clear and strong conformation for the Lord that it is time for us to move.
We are excited, nervous, scared, happy, and sad. But whatever our emotions are, we know that we are extremely blessed to be called to serve the Lord in Donetsk.
We are still holding onto the promise that the Lord gave us from Joshua 1:3. We feel like this is our general promise/calling to Ukraine. This is the promise that gave us the courage to move here in the first place. Now the Lord is getting more specific with us.
Why is He calling us to Donetsk? A few among many conformations that God gave us:
"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" James 1:27. The Donetsk region has a huge need for orphan care. God has laid that heavily on our hearts.
"For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, O Lord, Do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judge in your sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men" Psalm 9:18-20. Donetsk is not a spiritually healthy city. Emily and I have a huge burden for this city's spiritual health. God is calling us to go there to point people to Jesus instead of man.
"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in your will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" Philippians 1:6. God began this work in us in Ukraine last year, and He will be continuing it in us as we move to Donetsk. He has gone before us and He is continuing in us!
We believe that when God tells us to go, we go. There is no reason to wait any longer. So, we are moving to Donetsk by September 1st (a little over two weeks away!). At this point we do not have an apartment or many of the details worked out, but we know that they are all in the Lord's hands.
The Lord has given us a vision and purpose for Donetsk that we are very excited about:
1) Orphan ministry. We have made a connection with a Christian orphanage that is starting a new work with older orphans. We are excited to begin working alongside them as soon as possible. God has also given us a vision (and He's opened our eyes to see this need) for opening a transitional home for aged-out orphans (16-20 years old, most likely girls). This may take some time to get established, but we know it is from the Lord.
2) Church planting. There are no Calvary Chapels in Donetsk and there is a real need for more solid Bible teaching churches there. Again, this may take some time, but we know that this is a vision from the Lord that we will be pursuing once we reach Donetsk.
Please be in prayer for Emily and I, as we have a lot of details to work out as we leave our apartment in Ternopil and find a new apartment in Donetsk. Please pray that the Lord guides and directs as He wills.
Be blessed,
Byron
The Christian life, the life serving Jesus, is a very interesting and exciting life. We've learned that God is always wanting to grow us, stretch us, and use us... and that is going to continue. God has called Emily and I to move from Ternopil to Donetsk (a large city in Eastern Ukraine). We have been praying, fasting, and seeking the Word faithfully about this decision over the last few months. This past week we received the clear and strong conformation for the Lord that it is time for us to move.
We are excited, nervous, scared, happy, and sad. But whatever our emotions are, we know that we are extremely blessed to be called to serve the Lord in Donetsk.
We are still holding onto the promise that the Lord gave us from Joshua 1:3. We feel like this is our general promise/calling to Ukraine. This is the promise that gave us the courage to move here in the first place. Now the Lord is getting more specific with us.
Why is He calling us to Donetsk? A few among many conformations that God gave us:
"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" James 1:27. The Donetsk region has a huge need for orphan care. God has laid that heavily on our hearts.
"For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, O Lord, Do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judge in your sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men" Psalm 9:18-20. Donetsk is not a spiritually healthy city. Emily and I have a huge burden for this city's spiritual health. God is calling us to go there to point people to Jesus instead of man.
"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in your will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" Philippians 1:6. God began this work in us in Ukraine last year, and He will be continuing it in us as we move to Donetsk. He has gone before us and He is continuing in us!
We believe that when God tells us to go, we go. There is no reason to wait any longer. So, we are moving to Donetsk by September 1st (a little over two weeks away!). At this point we do not have an apartment or many of the details worked out, but we know that they are all in the Lord's hands.
The Lord has given us a vision and purpose for Donetsk that we are very excited about:
1) Orphan ministry. We have made a connection with a Christian orphanage that is starting a new work with older orphans. We are excited to begin working alongside them as soon as possible. God has also given us a vision (and He's opened our eyes to see this need) for opening a transitional home for aged-out orphans (16-20 years old, most likely girls). This may take some time to get established, but we know it is from the Lord.
2) Church planting. There are no Calvary Chapels in Donetsk and there is a real need for more solid Bible teaching churches there. Again, this may take some time, but we know that this is a vision from the Lord that we will be pursuing once we reach Donetsk.
Please be in prayer for Emily and I, as we have a lot of details to work out as we leave our apartment in Ternopil and find a new apartment in Donetsk. Please pray that the Lord guides and directs as He wills.
Be blessed,
Byron
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