The Date that Came and Went

Today, May 31st, was the day that we were supposed to return to Donetsk, Ukraine. Six painful weeks ago, we evacuated from Donetsk (which you can read about here and here). As we prepared to leave, we prayed so much about what day should be our return date to Donetsk. We came up with May 31st as a tentative return date. Now, you might be thinking, ok, so you’ve been in western Ukraine, waiting for your return and doing ministry there. Well, it’s actually been much more complicated than that. We were in western Ukraine for a time, but now, we’re in Europe - and the way that the Lord brought all of this about is pretty amazing, and we want to share it with you to bring Him glory. 

Last November, we had planned on taking a week vacation with my mom to Europe, and then return with her to Donetsk, to show her the ministry and our home. As the trip came closer and closer, we started to feel concerned about her coming to Donetsk, but all of the plane tickets had already been bought and a place to stay had been booked. We had no way to change anything without incurring steep airline fees. 

About two weeks ago, we were praying, and we felt like the Lord was telling us we shouldn’t bring my mom to Ukraine at all, not even Kiev or western Ukraine, and that we needed to change our return date also. 

This was hard for us to followthrough with at first. We felt like May 31st had been such a perfect date for return - that it was enough time for everything to cool down and that it was six days after the presidential elections, giving the new president time to bring peace to Ukraine again. 

I was struggling over this so much, I was at a total loss - as was Byron. In the back of my mind, I felt like I needed to call my sister and talk things over with her. And when I talked to my sister, before she even knew that much of the situation and all of the thoughts running through our minds, she sent me these words in an email:

I was praying now, a verse came to mind immediately, "There is a way which seems right to man...".  I hate to share it, b/c it seems so negative to me...but seriously just part of it came to mind and I didn't remember how the verse ends, I looked it up and was surprised by the end of it b/c I forgot what the end said, "but in the end it leads to death." (proverbs 14:12  I have no idea if that means anything to you, but if not just disregard it.)  I wonder if this is a word regarding you and mom's safety and something with the trip?  Or is it something to do with you and Byron's plans? I have no idea--I'll let you pray and decide if that means anything. Proverbs 12:15 showed up in the margin when I looked up the other verse.

As soon as I read this email from my sister, I felt like it was a word from the Lord. I shared it with Byron, we prayed about it, and we felt like we needed to find a way to change our plane tickets and to also cancel the portion of my mom’s trip to Ukraine, and to stay in Europe with her. 

After much prayer and consideration, Byron and I felt like we should both stay in Europe through May, and then Byron would return to Donetsk, by himself, on June 14th. During this time, I would stay in Europe with my mom, and then after Byron sought the Lord for a few days in Donetsk, and if the Lord confirmed that it was safe for me to also go back to Ukraine, then I would leave for Donetsk on June 17th - which is also the day that my mom heads back to America from Paris. 

And, if the Lord showed Byron that I shouldn’t be with him in Donetsk, then I wouldn’t go to Donetsk and…………actually that’s as far as the Lord has shown us, so we have no plan past that.

Not that an explanation is needed, but I just wanted to share some of our reasoning behind Byron going back to Donetsk without me… If you’ve read my testimony (click here if you haven’t), then you already know I am a type 1 diabetic (which is a genetic autoimmune disorder - type 1 diabetes is not caused by poor eating habits, but from white blood cells attacking islet cells in the pancreas). With that in mind, I have been 100% insulin dependent since I was 4 years old, and I can only go a few hours without insulin - I would say 8 hours tops, before I die. Because of this, our decisions concerning Donetsk have been extra complicated. My insulin also has to be refrigerated. So, even though I have plenty of insulin stockpiled in Donetsk, if electricity turns off in parts of Donetsk and our refrigerate turns off, all of my insulin would spoil. And then, well, you can imagine the rest. And this is just one of many things that could happen that we’ve felt the Lord want us to be wise about. 

We know that the Lord can do anything and work through anything, and we have even wondered if maybe the Lord will choose to heal me from diabetes during this time so that we wouldn’t have to think about insulin anymore and for His glory. But, we don’t know what the Lord’s plan is, so we just keep going, step by step, and doing our best to walk in wisdom, as the Holy Spirit guides our lives. 

So, as you can see, there was so much to consider when we were thinking about our return date to Ukraine. And when my sister wrote in that email, “there’s a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death,” we felt like we couldn’t ignore that verse, and we had to seek the Lord about Him wanting us to choose a new date. And He lead us to mid-June. 

But remember those huge airlines fees? They were one of the things keeping us from changing the dates of our trip. 

Well, my mom called the airlines, and they made a mistake in the original booking of our tickets, and because they made this mistake, we were entitled to change any portion of our trip, absolutely free. And actually, while we’re talking about how amazing the Lord is, He also blessed us with free plane tickets through another crazy situation - there just isn’t enough time to write out all the awesome things that the Lord has been doing in our lives. 

So, we made the change, then and there, and looking back, we can really see how the Lord worked everything together, even in that time of confusion and uncertainty.

Over the last 6 months, and especially the last 6 weeks, we’ve been completely leaning on the Lord. We are so dependent on Christ for everything right now, we can barely look two weeks into the future. On June 17th, if the Lord doesn’t permit me to go back to Donetsk, we have no idea what we will do, where we will go, how long we will go there for. But, we are confident that the Lord wastes NOTHING, and He cares for every little detail of our lives. And, even in this time, wandering in the wilderness, He has given us a place to sleep, food to eat, and encouragement from His Word every step of the way, we know He will continue to do so.

After looking back at everything that the Lord worked out to keep us from going back to Donetsk today, it’s just amazing to me. And reading the news today, I feel even more confident in the Lord’s ability to care for me. Byron was just talking to one of our neighbors back home, and he told Byron that there was looting and shooting happening just a couple bus stops away from our apartment. Who knows what would have happened if we had gone back home today to Donetsk. The Lord kept us from our original plans, and although we don’t know what will be the result of our new plans, we know that the Lord will guide us through it all.

During this time, we’ve really leaned into the Lord, reading the Word and praying, seeking Him for everything. I don’t even know words that can completely describe my heart’s brokenness over Ukraine, and specifically Donetsk. The only thing I can really share are the things that the Lord has been speaking to me through His Word lately that has really ministered to my heart. 

“For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness.” - Deuteronomy 2:7

“But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God chooses." - Deuteronomy 12:5

“For the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies to save you” - Deuteronomy 20:4

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” - Mark 13:31

“Love the Lord, obey His voice, cling to Him - for He is your life and the length of your days." Deuteronomy 30:20

“In the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

 “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” Romans 8:24-30

No matter how bad things get, the Lord is Good, Just, Holy Righteous, Loving, Kind, Caring, Strong, Powerful, and All-knowing. We are incredibly blessed to call ourselves servants of the Living God. 

Please continue to pray for Ukraine, and pray for Donetsk and the Donetsk region. Pray for the Gospel to continue spreading in Ukraine, and pray that people would turn to Jesus. Pray for Christians in Ukraine, and for civilians, military, and politicians. And please continue to pray for us, that we would have wisdom from the Lord about each step we take. 

Blessings,

Emily