4 Life Changing Lessons from the Last 4 Years

In October, we hit our 4 year completion mark on the mission field. It's crazy looking back - the feelings and emotions we had when we first left Colorado were so intense. It broke our hearts to leave our friends and family. And yet, just a mere 4 years later, we've experienced enough life to completely change our outlook and most things, and mold us into new people. Seeing that the last 4 years have been marked with personal growth, I want to dedicate this post to the things we've learned since moving onto the mission field. Поехали!

1) I'm Not Really That Wise

If we're honest, we all can probably remember moments in our lives when we really thought we were wise and mature, and then later looked back on the moment and realized, wow, I wasn't really that wise or mature! If I've learned anything over the last 4 years, it's that I'm really not that wise and I still have some growing up to do. The Lord has been teaching me that all good things come from Him, including wisdom and understanding. 

Proverbs 2:6 says, "For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

Any wisdom that I have, any of my maturity, it all comes from the Lord. Whatever wisdom/maturity that I do have, it's not from my own efforts - they're gifts from the Lord. Especially over the last 4 years, I've learned that I am totally out of my depth with most things in my life, but as it's promised in James, the Lord gives wisdom liberally to those who ask, and He gives it without reproach. I've learned that in all things, it's best to think of myself with humility, not with pride, and to recognize that I desperately need daily wisdom from the Lord to know how to minister to others. 

2) The Bema Seat Is A Reality

Bible Prophecy Timeline by Charlie Campbell

A few years back, Byron and I bought Charlie Campbell's Apologetics Library (which we highly recommend). We were watching a DVD about the end times and the rapture, and Charlie Campbell described the Bema Seat. That I could remember, I had never heard of the Bema Seat before, so what Charlie Campbell said really hit me hard. 

I had always thought that once I was saved, I was exempt from any judgement. And it's true, I will not be subjected to the wrath of God. My sins have been removed and when death comes, or when the Lord comes back for His Church, I will get to spend eternity in the presence of God. But, all Believers will still stand before the Bema Seat, not to determine their salvation, but to judge their works. 

Our faith is dead without works (James), but the motivation behind our works is just as important as the works themselves. When I stand before the Bema Seat, God will judge me (and all other believers) according to our motivations behind our "works." And if we were ministering with pure motives as unto the Lord, we will be rewarded. But if we were serving out of bitterness, anger, pride, etc., those deeds that were motivated by impurity will burn away. 

Here's what the Bible says:

"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has build on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." - 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

We will all stand before the Lord and give account for what we've done. In regards to the Bema Seat, I can pinpoint times in my life over the last 4 years when I know that I was serving myself more than the Lord, and I know some of the ministry I've done will burn away because I did it out of pride or bitterness. Of course, the Lord can still use that ministry, regardless of my shortcomings, but it's really sobering to know that ministry and service isn't enough - I need to be serving the Lord with a joyful heart. For me, it's the idea of being all in joyfully, or not being in at all. Give it my best as unto the Lord, or just don't do it. There is no middle ground - I can't just go through the motions. 

3) Jesus Is Coming Back Soon

This is an easy point to forget, especially being married. I am totally in love with Byron and super happy with my life here on earth. I love Calvary Chapel Zaporozhye, I have awesome friends and family, and I love the ministry the Lord lets us do. With all of that in mind, I often forget that Jesus is coming back, and maybe He'll even come back today! When Jesus' return isn't at the forefront of my mind, I forget to live life and do ministry with urgency. 

Here's the reality. Jesus is coming back. Judgment is coming. Hell is real. Heaven is real. And every day, I meet people who have never had an opportunity to hear about Jesus. It's not my job to make them Christians, but it is my responsibility to give them the choice. When I meet people, am I ministering with urgency? Is time, or the lack there of, always in my mind? Every conversation I have with someone could be the last one. That's the hard truth - life on earth is not eternal. Do I ministry with the kind of urgency that shows that I understand that?

I remember one time last year, I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to bring a Gospel tract and a Bible with me while I was walking around Kiev doing errands. But my bag was already pretty full, and I ignored the prompting. As I was making my way around the city, I met a woman who was really interested in church and Jesus, but my poor language skills prevented me from being able to invite her to church and tell her about Jesus. If I had had that Russian Bible with me, we could have opened it together and she could have read different verses in Russian for herself. And I could have just handed her that Gospel tract so that she would have had all the info she needed to come to Jesus, if that's what she wanted. We parted ways and I never saw her again.

You might be thinking, Wow Emily, don't be so hard on yourself! And you're right. I'm not telling this story to condemn myself, but to make a point. Of course, God doesn't need me to save that woman. But because I didn't have urgency in my heart that one day, I wasn't able to share Jesus with that woman, and I missed out on something that could have been super awesome and encouraging.

"Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." - 2 Corinthians 5:9-10

4) A Relationship With God Is Exactly That - A Relationship

Especially over the last year, I've been so busy, some days, it's hard to even find time to feed myself. And by the way, I know this is a problem, and it's something that Byron and I are actively seeking to change (by adjusting our schedule and delegating ministry demands). As demands on my life increase - both external and internal, I'm understanding more and more that just like any other relationship, a relationship with God needs work. 

How can I ask God to show me His daily will for my life and for ministry if I only pray once a week? To have a real relationship with God, I need to communicate with Him and hear from Him daily - through prayer and the Word. Sometimes, it's really hard to make this happen, but it needs to happen. My relationship with the Lord is more important than any other aspect of my life. And like other things, I get out of the relationship only what I'm putting into the relationship.

It's like trying to get in better physical shape. If you buy a gym membership, you don't become healthy. But if you go to the gym everyday, your body and your health will drastically change. If I go to the Lord with my needs or my praises every once in a while, nothing will drastically happen in my life. But if I go to Him daily, that's when I really hear from Him and will know how to move forward. 

I listened to a message from Pastor Dominic Dinger, and he was saying that "first thing's first." And that first thing needs to be our time with the Lord - before anything else, first thing's first. 

Over the last 4 years, the Lord has really been showing me the importance of a "first thing's first" relationship with Him. He has to come first. I have to go to Him first. I have to communicate with Him first, and often. 

What's the Lord been teaching you over the last 4 years? It's always a great idea to pause and reflect before entering a new year. Feel free to add your life lessons in the comments

section. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you, and may we all grow closer to Him, casting off every weight so that we can run with endurance. 

Blessings,

Emily

A Summer of Festivals

Our kids' fest team

It's hard to believe we've already been living in Zaporozhye for 5 months - and the time has gone by really fast! There have been different points in my life where time felt like it never moved. But these last 5 months have felt like a blink of the eye. I am absolutely shocked by the realization that it's already September, summer is over, and leaves are falling off the trees. And, as school beings, I am faced with the realization that our summer of kids' festivals has also come to a close.

It all started with one sweet young woman in our church. She felt the Lord call her to organize a two day kids' festival at Oak Park (here in Zaporozhye). The whole church was really excited to see her passion, and so we banded together, did our best to prepare, and hosted the festival.

We all prayed a lot for the festival and worked hard to prepare for the event. We were so excited at first, but once the festival began, various roadblocks came up, some of our planning unraveled a bit, and not very many kids came. As the festival came to a close, a lot of us felt a little disappointed. We had so much hope and faith, that the festival was going to be this huge thing with 50-60 kids. But, this just wasn't the case. We went home that night discouraged.

Inviting people to church and English Club

The next day, the Lord really spoke to me, and I think the other servants too - that success isn't in numbers, results, or even in our expectations being met. Those are just worldly standards. True success is rooted in faithfulness and obedience. The young woman that organized the festival was so faithful and obedient to the Lord, and the servants that helped gave their time and energy as unto the Lord. With all that in mind, I realized that the festival was a success, even though I couldn't see any immediate fruits.

Little did I know, the Lord designed this first festival to be far bigger than just a one time event. And not only that, but this first festival ended up opening up unbelievable ministry doors - all the more proving that God's ways are not our ways, and His ways are always SO much better.

A few weeks later, we were on the bus and the director from Oak Park was on the same bus, saw us, and recognized us! He got off at the same stop as us and started talking to us about Ukrainian Independence Day. As the conversation continued, he mentioned that he liked what we did at our first festival, and if we were interested, we could do another festival on Independence Day. We were totally shocked and blown away by God's faithfulness in this.

We started making plans and were able to organize another festival with crafts, songs, games, raffle prizes, an English Club and evangelism table, and we also shared the Gospel with the kids (and with many adults too!). There were tons of people at the park on Ukrainian Independence Day! It was such a cool opportunity and we got to invite so many people to church and tell them about Jesus. Honestly, I have no idea how many kids filtered through the festival, but we gave away tons of Gospel tracts, English Club invites, and got to serve our local community in Jesus name.

After our second festival, I was so excited! All of my expectations had been exceeded and I was satisfied. But again, the Lord wasn't done yet!

We were contacted this last week by the director and were invited to do one more festival. We didn't have very much time to plan this festival, but our team really banded together and worked hard. It was so cool to see our team work as the body of Christ. We had to organize the festival quickly, which meant all the planning had to be delegated, each team member trusting that the next team member did what they agreed they would do. And the super awesome part is, everyone did what they said they would do, we worked together well and in unity, and we were able to put on a third kids' festival.

We were all flexible and sensitive to the Spirit, and the festival was great. Truly, I couldn't be prouder of Calvary Chapel Zaporozhye and the awesome men and women at the church who just love the Lord so much and deeply desire to have a positive impact on the community here (in the name of Jesus!). People freely and willing gave their time and energy to this outreach, and I really believe the Lord already has, and will, use these festivals to further the Kingdom.

Ira sharing the Gospel with kids at the park

The Lord is so good and faithful! He used one young woman's faithfulness (the organizer of the first festival) to open the door for our whole church to reach out to people here in Zap and bring them the Gospel. As I look back and reflect on these festivals, I don't feel tired at all. I feel stoked that the Lord is doing a fresh work here in Zap, and I do believe that the best is yet to come -- the Lord has more crazy, awesome, amazing things planned for CCZap.


"Look among the nations and watch - Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe though it were told you." - Habakkuk 1:5


Blessings,
Emily

The Truth About Language Barriers

We're often asked the question, "What's it like living with a language barrier?" The answer to this has been different at various points over the last 4 years. Sometimes, it's barely noticeable. Other times, it produced frustration and deep set feelings of worthlessness.

As I was drinking coffee this morning, I was thinking about my different language barrier experiences and wondering if others could relate. I was also thinking about people who have never experienced a language barrier and are interested in traveling for the first time or going to the mission field. How do you prepare for a language barrier? How do you overcome a language barrier? How do you keep it from overwhelming you?

The first time I experienced a language barrier was in Colorado, circa 1998. My sister was studying Spanish and my mom wanted her to have more opportunities to speak. She also wanted us kids to be doing some type of local service for our community. We started going to a bilingual church once a week that had a food pantry. If I remember correctly, this church was somewhere down Colfax, and there was a classic McDonalds near it (which is really the only thing I can remember about the church's location!). 

After arriving at the church, we would go straight to the food pantry and start helping. My job was to hand food to the women who were packing boxes for people in need. There was always a long line of people, usually moms with a few kids who found themselves down and out and needed some help. We were blessed to give them literal bread, as well as offer them the Bread of Life (Jesus). 

Regardless of how special the ministry opportunity was, I remember being incredibly stressed every time we went to help at this church. My Spanish vocabulary was slim at best, so when a charismatic Latino woman would call out to me, "Necesito más pan!" my 10 year old self would just about pass out. I knew the words for bread, milk, and lettuce, and that was about it. So when she would ask me to bring her anything outside of my minuscule vocab list, I would be close to having a panic attack. Every time she asked for frijoles (beans) and I would bring her peas, she would sigh loudly, do a fast "Ay ay ay," and scurry across the room to grab actual frijoles. Then, she'd explain for the umpteenth time that beans and peas were not the same thing. But of course, this was in Spanish too, so I only understood what she was trying to say through her mannerisms, not not her actual words. She didn't speak any English at all. 

And I remember when my sister would come into the little food pantry. It was like the heavens opened and angels were singing, "Here she comes! Your translator!" Although my sister wasn't quite fluent in Spanish at this point, she was getting close. And she was always happy to translate for me and make my communication just a little easier for a few minutes. 

I actually dreaded going and helping this food pantry. The language barrier was just a little too much for my 10 year old self. I liked the ministry, I loved helping the people, but the anxiety caused from not being able to communicate was unbearable.

Little did I know, the rest of my life would be sprinkled with different languages, and a long lasting language barrier would be in the forefront of my adult calling. 

Yesterday, Byron and I met with a friend here in Zaporozhye. She is such a sweet woman - we absolutely love her. We had a great time having lunch at her apartment, meeting her extended family, and looking at her wedding photos. And she was so kind about the language barrier. She was happy to talk while we listened, and we'd chime in and say something whenever we could. But our understanding is far above our speaking abilities. After leaving her apartment and heading home, I really started to think about language barriers and why they are so difficult - not just for kids, but grown adults too!

I think it all comes down to being misunderstood (and on the flip side, misunderstanding!). As human beings, we greatly desire to be understood. And it starts from birth too. Babies cry because they need something, and they continue to cry until their mom or dad can understand what they need and give it to them. Pre-teens and teens also cry from being misunderstood, and that feeling of being misunderstood extends to feeling incredibly self-conscious. Adults fight about being misunderstood, desiring to be on the same page with their spouse or their children. And I'll admit, I cry sometimes too, because I so desperately want the people close to me to know what I actually think about something and to see my true character. 

I am slightly introverted, but I'm certainly not shy. However, when I'm in a group of people speaking Russian, all I can do is sit quietly and listen. Do I want to contribute to the conversation? Yes! I desperately want to contribute! I want to communicate! But usually, my contribution is either so messy grammatically, no one really understands what I'm saying. Or, I succeed in getting a statement out, only to discover the group hasn't been talking about what I thought they were talking about.

And this is the truth about language barriers - it makes you feel self-conscious. It makes you feel nervous and anxious and frustrated. It keeps you from feeling like people really, truly know the real you. And sometimes, it makes you cry, plain and simple. 

You might be thinking, where's the silver lining? It's true, there is a silver lining. There's always a silver lining. A language barrier might prevent you from communicating with words, but it does give you more room to connect to people on a spiritual, soul to soul level. 

I remember being with one dear friend here in Zaporozhye. She was really upset and crying, and I was pretty sure I understood what she was crying about, but I wasn't positive. Regardless of not knowing what exactly happened, I was still able to be there for her, to hold her hand, and to let her cry on my shoulder (literally!). And when my words failed me, which they always do when I'm speaking Russian, I was able to turn to the Bible. Her Russian Bible is the same as my English Bible. So, instead of speaking to her with my words, I just turned to different Bible passages and had her read them. Looking back, this was a really special time for me. Maybe I would have given her the wrong advice if I was able to speak, or I would have given her worldly comfort. But instead, the Lord took me out of the equation completely, and all I could communicate with was the Bible. That's actually pretty cool!

2 Corinthians 12:9

I've also learned how to serve people in a more "behind the scenes" way. Back in Colorado, my voice was a HUGE part of my service. From talking with people and offering counseling, to leading worship. But here, the things that I'm gifted with in English aren't things I'm capable of doing in Russian. But, I can do other things. I can play with kids so parents can fellowship after service on Sundays. I can clean and vacuum so others can focus more on praying for one another. And I can sing quieter during worship, not just so my accent doesn't disturb the people around me, but so that I can be sure my song really is just for the Lord - that I'm only singing for Him. 

This side of heaven, I may never be able to fully communicate in Russian. But, as I serve the God who transcends all language and understanding, I can be confident that He will accomplish everything He desires. I'm blessed to be His vessel, still faithfully studying Russian, but trusting that He will provide the increase.

Blessings,

Emily

I didn't come this far, only to come this far

A few days ago I was reading a few articles about methods of language learning. Most of these articles were similar in giving some helpful tips and ideas of how to study a language. As I was reading these articles, they revealed to me the human tendency in seeking out the easiest method to do something. Many of the articles were titled something like, "The secret to learning a language" or "How to learn a language in 3 months." These articles are attractive to people because so often we desire comfort and ease. However, during my Russian learning experience it has been everything but comfort and ease. Now, while some of these articles were helpful in giving me ideas of how to better study, what I realized was this: purposed work, persistence, and perseverance is what is needed to learn.



One article ended with a quote:

"I didn't come this far, only to come this far."

This quote really stood out to me. After hundreds of hours (and many tears!) of studying Russian, there are still hundreds of hours of studying ahead of me. It's time to persevere, to continue...



But isn't this the truth in our walk with Jesus as well? Maybe you've been walking with Him for many years, or maybe you just recently surrendered your life to Him. But wherever you're at in your relationship with Him, you haven't come this far, only to come this far. He still has work to do in you, in your heart. He still is calling you into a more intimate relationship with Himself. There is still more purifying work to be done in our lives, through Him!

This side of eternity, Jesus still has work to do in us. This side of eternity, there is still more of Him that we can know. This side of eternity, there is yet a closer walk with Jesus that we can have. And He is calling us to Himself, with purpose and perseverance.

James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and He will draw hear to you." What an awesome promise! And a promise not just for the new believer, but for the mature, spiritual believer as well. There is still room for you to draw even closer to Him. You can know His grace more. You can know His love more.  

To study a language you have to purpose in your heart to do it. There is no way to shortcut the learning process. There is no cheating when it comes to knowing a language because as soon as you speak, it will prove whether you know it or not. And of course, there is always more to learn.

The same goes with our relationship with Jesus. There is no shortcut to a deeper walk with Him. You are either pressing into Him or you're not. Are your purposed in your heart to seek after Him? Are you persisting and persevering in your relationship with Him? Time will tell if you are pretending or trying to take the shortcut in you walk with Him. The fruit in your life will prove the health of your walk. And of course, there is always more maturing work that Jesus desires to do in you!



Have you come this far in your walk with Jesus to only come this far? Or will you continue to press into Him with all perseverance and persistence?


"And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." - Hebrews 6:11-12



Blessings guys,
Byron

Where in the World are the Johnsons?

Our first visit to Zaporozhye (Nov 2015)

If you read our post about Zaporozhye in November (click HERE to read it), you might be curious about an update. It's been seven months since we initially visited Zaporozhye, so you might be wondering, what did you decide?

As we continued to pray and seek the Lord about Zaporozhye, we felt more and more strongly that we were supposed to be in Zaporozhye. It definitely wasn't the easy choice, but it certainly was the right choice. Saying goodbye to something comfortable/familiar and hello to something new/foreign is always hard. However, the moments in my life that have taken me out of my comfort zone and placed me into a new situation are always the ones that produce the most spiritual growth. 

Back in December 2015, we start to realize that the Lord was calling us to leave Kiev, but we didn't want to tell anyone until we were absolutely sure that the move would happen. We also had a lot of questions about the move that we needed hear from God about before announcing the move. The Lord had called us to do ministry in Kiev, but suddenly we also felt that calling to do ministry in Zap, and the two callings were mutually exclusive. We couldn't do what we were called to do in Zap while we were in Kiev, and vice versa. That left us with only one option - waiting. We had to wait and see how God would bring everything together. We had to wait for the Lord to release us from one ministry so that we could fully commit to the other. 

Our view from the train, heading to Zap with the girls (Jan 2016)

One of the biggest questions we had about moving was concerning our girls. What if they don't want to (or can't) move with us? We knew that God had called us to be a family, but how would that work if we weren't in the same place as them? And what about their studies? Was it even possible for them to come with us to Zaporozhye? As we waited, we prayed, and we asked the Lord to direct our steps. And, as always, the Lord did make our path straight. 

In January, the girls came with us to Zaporozhye to check things out and see if it would be possible for them to move with us. After much consideration, they both decided that for this stage in their lives, it was best for them to stay in Kiev. I think this was a hard realization for all of us to come to, that our time together, living under one roof was coming to an end. But, by no means did that mean our relationship had to end. The girls are still a really important part of our lives, and although I say "girls," they are, in fact, both very capable adults, and we're so proud of them! We talk pretty regularly, and it's cool to see that even though we're separated by physical distance, we're still a little family (which you can see, even down to our "fishki"). 

Byron getting ordained and stepping into the
pastoral role at CCZap

So, the girls moved out March 1st, and that gave us about a month to wrap things up in Kiev with our apartment, find a new apartment in Zaporozhye, and move. March was full of goodbyes, packing, cleaning, and planning. But the Lord brought it all together in the end. We were able to find an apartment in Zap a week before we had to be out of our apartment in Kiev, figured out how to cost effectively ship all of our belongings to our new apartment, and made it to Zap by April 2nd. 

Starting April 2nd, we began full-time ministry in Zap. Byron is currently the pastor, and focuses most of his time/energy on preparing to teach/teaching the Word on Fridays and Sundays, as well as discipleship and assisting with English ministry. And I am focusing on children's ministry, women's ministry, and English ministry. We're praying that we can start doing university and youth ministry soon too. 

Jesus loves Zaporozhye (and we do too!)!

And that brings us to today, June 29th. Things are starting to become really normal for us in Zap, which we're so thankful for. We've been praying for a place to be stable for a long time, and we see that Zap isn't just another dot on the map for us, it's an end-stop. We don't know exactly how long the Lord will allow us to remain in Zap, but we see that the Lord has blessed us with a place with a more permanent calling, and we look forward to finally laying down roots. 

More updates to come! 

Blessings,

Emily

11 Mistakes We've Made in Ministry

As we look back over the last few years of overseas ministry, we can see how much the Lord has taught us. When we first moved to Ukraine, we really didn't know what we were doing, and there was A LOT of trial and error learning. Just recently, we were sitting at a coffee shop remembering all of the mistakes we've made over the last few years, and we thought it might be beneficial to others to read about our mistakes. God can use the good and the bad, right? If you're new in ministry, or are simply curious about the things we've done "wrong," feel free to read! Hopefully, it will encourage you to see that you're not the only one who makes mistakes, and that the Lord can use those mistakes to teach you and to teach others. So, with that being said, here are 11 mistakes we've made in ministry:

1) Saying "Yes" Too Easily
It's not hard to admit, we are people pleasers. And when you're a people pleaser, it's almost impossible to say "no." When we first became missionaries, we literally said yes to anything, even if it made us feel overextended, or if it meant neglecting our own spiritual growth or marriage. This is totally wrong, and the Lord definitely taught us the importance of setting boundaries. When we used to say "yes" to absolutely everything, we were pulled in so many different directions, we weren't able to really give our all to anything. It also meant that sometimes we would agree to do something, and then have to back out abruptly, meaning our "yes" wasn't always our "yes." Proverbs 29:25 says, "The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe" (NKJV). Don't be afraid to say "no" sometimes. Trust in the Lord and make decisions based on Him, not the people around you.

-Emily

2) Saying "No" Too Easily 
After recognizing that we needed to set some boundaries in our lives, we went the other extreme and started saying "no" to everything. We were so concerned about being overextended, we became reluctant to agree to anything. Now, we understand that it's good to be cautious, but it's also important not to lose sight of why we minister -- to serve! If we always say "no," that means we are also always saying "no" to serving others and doing what the Lord is asking us to do.

-Emily

3) Trying to Make Things Happen
I like to dream big. I love praying about and planning new ministry ideas. I think the Lord blesses that and continues to give me vision and hope for what's to come, but sometimes I get ahead of the Lord. I remember when we first arrived in Donetsk, I was so eager to get things rolling with the church plant. We had started a small home Bible study... so small in fact, it was usually only three people including Emily and myself. But I wanted to see the church have a location in the center of the city so that we could reach more people and be more available for ministry.

I spent 2-3 months searching for a location, becoming more and more frustrated as nothing worked out. Finally, the Lord got my attention and I realized that the Lord did give me the vision to get a church location, but I was trying to make it happen in my own timing, not in His timing. Once I gave that over to the Lord, I felt so relieved. The Lord assured me that He would provide everything that was needed for the church. A few months later, we were signing a lease for an office in the perfect location in the center of the city - totally from the Lord. "Man plans his ways, but the Lord directs His steps" (Proverbs 16:9). I've learned that the Lord wants us to run with the vision He has given us, but not to run ahead of Him. We are to run behind Him as He leads.

-Byron

4) Dwelling on Discouraging Thoughts
Anyone in ministry can testify that things are not always easy. Also, the mission field can be a lonely and discouraging place sometimes. We are removed from our familiar culture, home church, and family, not to mention the added difficulties from having a language barrier. The enemy loves to prey on us while circumstances are difficult, lonely, and frustrating. For me personally, discouragement is always knocking on my door in one form or another (See my post on discouragement: "7 Things God Has Taught Me"). But the Lord is teaching me to take every thought captive (See 2 Corinthians 10:4-6). When the attacks come, when the discouragement arises, it is time to press into Jesus that much more, continually looking unto Him, the author and finisher of our faith.

-Byron

5) Being Consumed By Ministry
In general, separating your work life from your home life is really difficult. As ministers, it can be even harder. When we first started serving in Uganda, I would come back from Island Ministry totally wrecked. It would take me days to recover from the things I had seen on the islands. Is it wrong that I was so deeply moved by the suffering I saw? No. But, it was totally unhealthy for me to let the things that would happen on the islands keep me from enjoying my husband, or from relaxing at home. I often feel so invested in ministry, I become consumed by it, even to the point that I can't sleep at night.

Just recently, I was really struggling with this, and Byron came up with the idea of "office hours." Basically, Byron and I realized that our relationship was all about ministry, and we rarely just enjoyed each others' company. So, we decided that after 7pm (with some exceptions!), we wouldn't talk about ministry anymore. We can tell each other praise reports, and things we were thankful for, or pray together about ministry, but overall, we try to give our burdens to the Lord, and focus the evenings on investing in each other. And seriously, you wouldn't believe the freedom that this has brought back to our marriage.

-Emily

6) Being Too Task Oriented
When we first arrived on the mission field in Ternopil, we made a schedule for ourselves, with working hours. 40-50 hours a week, like we were doing our jobs back in America. We soon realized that ministry and a different culture would not work with a set schedule like this. The reality was that some days, we spent all day at the market trying to find the one household item that we needed for repairs in the bathroom. Or other times, the buses were running slowly (or we got on the wrong bus) and it threw our schedule off for the whole day.

We learned that, especially in the first few years on the mission field, one of our main jobs was to learn how to survive. Learning a new language, figuring out the market, understanding public transportation, living in the new culture... this was all work. It was preparing us to be better equipped ministers down the road (And even today, we're still studying the language and trying to better understand the culture).

Ministry, especially on the mission field, isn't a cut and dry job. It's not all about the tasks we need to complete (although important). Sometimes, it's settling down to study the language or spending hours chatting with a babushka over tea. Be open to what the Lord has laid before you each day, even if it's not on your schedule or isn't textbook ministry.

-Byron

7) Being Proud/Critical 
Pride is my biggest downfall, especially in ministry. It's so easy to want to take credit for someone getting saved, or for the awesome ministry event that just happened. My flesh loves to steal God's glory, and it's totally wrong and totally sinful. And because of that pride, it's easy to become critical. Criticism originates from pride. When we see other people's ministries, and we are caught up in pride, we start to think to ourselves, "Man, I could totally do that, and I could do it better!" But the Lord has shown me that these thoughts are sinful, and it's something I have to bring to the Lord regularly -- to ask Him to take my pride away and totally give Him the glory, and to not be critical of people around me. James 4:6 says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (NKJV). If you're a proud/critical person like I am, repent! Ask God to cleanse you, pray for grace, and that God would make you humble.

-Emily

8) "Muzzling the Ox"
In Deuteronomy, the Lord gives the command not to "muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." The Lord is telling the people to allow the ox to feed on the grain while it's working. It's important to take care of the animal so that it can work. Paul and Timothy both speak about this command in the New Testament as well (1 Cor. 9:9 and 1 Tim. 5:18). This principal isn't just intended for oxen, but minsters as well. Ministers are to be supported by the people they minister to, or in the case of a missionary, to be supported by partners (home church, supporters).

While it is important to be good steward of what God has given us, early on, Emily and I went to extremes. We felt guilty every time we used the money on ourselves. No eating out, not dates, no movies, even buying meat felt too extravagant. Needless to say, this began to wear on us quickly.

Eventually, we were given the advice to not "muzzle the ox" - or in our context, it's okay as missionaries to have a budget for entertainment, eating out, or buying the more expensive meat that doesn't make you sick. I found eating out occasionally, or saving up to subscribe to MLB.tv, or buying a new book, are things that we can really enjoy and be refreshed by. Ministry is a non-stop job and it can wear on us emotionally, but these things help keep us fresh and focused on the work the Lord has for us. It's important to remain a good steward and budget carefully, but for us we see the value in spending money on ourselves here and there.

-Byron

9) Thinking Finances and Support are God's Voice
We've heard it said many times, "where God guides, God provides." And it's totally true. God will never lead us out onto the mission field and then totally abandon us. However, just because money is coming in, or there is a lack of money, doesn't necessarily mean God is directing you one way over another, solely based on your bank account. Living on support mean that sometimes a month is tight, while other months are above and beyond what we need. But regardless of where we stand financially, it is so important that we are hearing from God Himself.

We used to think that if our support runs out, then God is telling us to come home, or if our support is above what we need, God is telling us to expand the ministry. While these could be confirmations from the Lord, we can't rely on our financial status to solely assure us of our calling - Everything has to come back to the Word of God. "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8, NKJV).

-Byron

10) Thinking All Open Doors are From God
We used to believe that every open door is from the Lord. Plain and simple, that's just not true. When we first came to Ukraine, we would often see different opportunities come along, and we would think, "Wow, it's an opportunity for ministry! This is totally from the Lord!" But now, looking back, we see how sometimes ministry opportunities came up to distract us from doing the things that we really needed to be doing. Not every open door is from the Lord. And not every closed door is from the Lord. The important thing is that we're trusting in the Lord and not leaning on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). And as we abide in the Lord, He will make it clear what doors we should be walking through, and often, it's one door at a time.

-Emily

11) Neglecting Personal Spiritual Growth
I believe this is the most important thing to remember, and my biggest mistake early on in ministry. With the demands of ministry, the exhaustion of language studies, and the time spend on marshrutkas (buses here in Ukraine), it's easy to push aside my devos. But this is the most important and precious time of the day. Taking care of my relationship with Jesus and spiritual needs are the best things that I can do for myself and for those I am ministering to.

Paul exhorts us when he says, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1, NKJV). We are to imitate Christ, but how can this happen if we have a distant relationship with Him? Jesus is our example and if He is to be our example, we need to spend time with Him. "He who says he abides in Him ought also to walk just as He walked" (1 John 2:6, NKJV). It's obvious that we need to abide in Jesus when serve others, but it's also a personal thing. To put it simply, ministry aside, if I dry up spiritually, I'm a goner. Even if I was living on an island totally by myself, I would still desperately need that source of Living Water daily. Now, add ministry to the mix, and I'm 100 times as desperate to have my cup filled.

-Byron & Emily (We collaborated on this one!)




If you have "mistakes" you'd like to add, feel free to comment below! May we all walk closer to the Lord as we look unto Him!

Blessings,
Byron & Emily

13 Practical Ways to Focus Your Prayer Life

Recently, Byron and I have been talking a lot about prayer. It's such a huge part of our lives, our ministry, and our Spiritual growth. As we walked home today, we were talking about different aspects of prayer, and I started feeling a bit inspired. That said, I decided to write a list (not all inclusive, but still pretty long), of 13 practical pieces of my prayer life that have helped me to be a more focused, diligent, and purposed prayer! With that being said, here we go!

1) Do Not Disturb

If you have a cellphone turn on the do not disturb feature, and then place your phone somewhere out of reach (i.e. across the room). For me, this eliminates 90% of my distractions.

2) Don't Fall Asleep

Pray somewhere that you won't fall asleep. Even the disciples struggled with this! There's no shame in it. If you're in a comfy position, wrapped up in a blanket, and silently praying to yourself with your eyes closed at 7am, it takes some serious will power to NOT fall asleep. If you're prone to falling asleep when you're prone, try praying while sitting in a chair, at the kitchen table. 

3) Set a "Prayer Timer" 

Usually, I try to pray for 15 minutes before I read my Bible. 15 minutes isn't the "holy" number, but for me, it's a practical goal. I wanted to become more disciplined in my prayer life, so I choose a reasonable amount of time to pray, and then set the timer on my watch so that I could see if I reached my goal. At first, I would make it 3-4 minutes before running out of things to pray about. But each day, I could pray a little longer, and now, my quiet time with the Lord feels shortened if I don't get to pray for at least 15 minutes. It's a lot like running -- if you want to be a marathon runner, you have to train. You set your goal (run a marathon), and then each day, you discipline yourself to run more and more, until you are able to run a marathon. Set your prayer goal, and discipline yourself to reach that goal.

4) Make a Prayer list

It's really easy to say, "I'll be praying for you!" and then never think about that person or situation again. It's no different for me. I have am unbelievable bad memory for prayer requests, but fortunately, the solution is simple -- a prayer list. A while back, I noticed Byron looking at a list of names as he was praying. Feeling inspired, I decided to make a list as well. Some days, I have so much to pray for, I don't even look at the list. Other days, I can't think of anything to pray for, and so I work through the list. It's a simple tool that really helps me to focus my prayer and reach my "timer" goal. 

5) Have a Thankful Heart

I think it's important to say, praying is no small thing. It's communication with the creator of the universe. That's big! So often, we begin our prayers by saying, "Thank you for this day." I think that's a great idea, but also, "this day" is not the only thing that we can be thankful for. The Word says:

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24 NKJV).  

I can't think of a better way to worship God in "spirit and in truth," than by worshiping God while praying. When I begin my prayers, I try to start by praising God for the things He has been doing. And during times in my life when I was really struggling with circumstantial depression, I found that worshiping God through prayer was pivotal in coming out of those dark times. 

"For You will light my lamp; the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness (vs 8)...As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is prove; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect (vs 30-32)...The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted (vs 46)...Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name. Great deliverance He gives to His king, and shows mercy to His anointed, to David and his descendants forevermore. - Psalm 18 (NKJV)

6) Ask For the Holy Spirit

Sometimes, I just don't feel like I know how to pray. But, praise the Lord, we are promised that the Holy Spirit will guide us as we pray. Romans 8:26-27 reads, "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" (NKJV). If you don't know how to pray, don't worry. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you pray. 

7) Get Right With God

For me, it's absolutely impossible to pray if I have sin in my life. And unfortunately, I'm a sinful person, which means that asking God to forgive me for my sins has to be a regular part of my prayer life. Since God is Perfect Light, if I have been dwelling in darkness, I can't have fellowship with Him until I've confessed my sins to Him. Here's the good news though:

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" - 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

This topic could be a blog post all on its own, but for the sake of keeping it brief, it needs to be said that if we draw close to God, He promises to draw close to us. Likewise, if we continue to choose the ways of the world, we are drawing closer to the world, not God, and it will begin to feel like God is distant over time -- but He's not actually the distant one, we are. 

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Psalm 66:18, NKJV). That may seem harsh, but it's the truth. However, the Lord ABOUNDS in grace and mercy. Check out what the next two verses say, "But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me" (Psalm 66:19-20, NKJV). 

8) Pray For Yourself

In John 17, Jesus prays for Himself, and as our ultimate example, that means that we should pray for ourselves too. One of my biggest prayers is for the Lord to give me wisdom. I ask for this almost every time I pray. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (NKJV). 

I also bring other needs, burdens, and requests before the Lord. Matthew 7:7 states, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (NKJV). Unless we ask amiss (James 4:2-3), the Lord will hear us and give us what we need, IF it's His will. I often ask for the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself more in my life, to work in my life, to teach me, and to show me how to better minister to and love people. 

The Lord also wants to know when we're hurting, and He desires to carry those burdens for us. At Jesus' feet, we can lay every burden (Matthew 11:28), and promises that "My yolk is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:30, NKJV). 

In the Psalms, David is constantly bringing his heartaches to the Lord, and David was a man after God's own heart. What an encouraging example, that we can truly bring everything before God, and that He cares.

"Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV)

9) Pray For Others

Going back to John 17, Jesus didn't just pray for Himself, He also prayed for others. In fact, the majority of His prayer was for His disciples. Same for Paul -- In his letters, it's clear that he is praying for people, churches, cities, and others in ministers. Intercessory prayer should be a huge part of our prayer lives. This is really where that "prayer list" comes in handy. Matthew 5:44 says, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven" (NKJV). So, if your enemies and persecutors didn't make it on your prayer list, you should add them. 

But also, remember Ephesians 6:18, "And praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (NKJV). This means we shouldn't just be praying for our enemies and persecutors, we should also be praying for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. 

We should also be praying for the Gospel to spread and for our friends and family that aren't saved. Romans 10:1 says, Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved" (NKJV). Paul was praying for Israel to be saved because He had a heart to see the lost be found. Jesus has the same heart. Throughout the new Gospels, Jesus is desiring for people to come to Him, and He asks the Father to not hold various sins against people as He is persecuted. Stephen also has this heart in Acts 7. God's greatest desire is for all people to come to know Him, and to be saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. And as believers, we need to be praying for the Gospel to be made known to everyone, including our friends and family members that don't know Christ. 

10) Pray For Laborers 

We need to be praying for laborers. Luke 10:2 says, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (NKJV). Jesus is asking us to pray for more ministers and missionaries to go out into the world to spread the good news of the Gospel. And I think this point can even double back to "Pray For Yourself." We should also be asking God if He is asking us to become ministers or missionaries to be His laborers in the Harvest. 

11) Pray for the Persecuted Church

In Acts 12:5, we see that Peter was in prison, but the church prayed for him constantly, and he was freed from prison. Whether we see it or not, there is a persecuted Church today, and as Christians, we should be praying for it. It might feel like an overwhelming task to pray for the persecuted Church, but there are some really cool resources to help guide us as we pray. In the past, Byron and I have used Operation World as a tool to help us pray for the world. On their website, there's a list of countries with various statistics that you can use to help you know how to pray. We know a few different people who pray for a different country every day, which is a cool idea. 

12) Pray for Your Time in the Bible

It's a fairly natural transition to go from praying to reading your Bible. I find that my time in the Word is the most fruitful if I've asked the Holy Spirit to help me to have understanding of the Word, and for the Lord to speak to me through the Word. The Bible says that we gain understanding through the Breath of the Almighty (Job 32:8), and it's fitting that we ask the Lord to give us understanding of His Word. 

Likewise, We can ask the Lord to speak to us through the Word. 2 Timothy 3:16 states, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (NKJV). God's Word is complete, holy, accurate, God inspired, untainted, unchanged, and unaltered. In my experiences, God will often answer my prayers through His Word by speaking directly to my heart when I read it. 

13) Be Encouraged

As we pray, we can also be encouraged by the fact that Jesus is also praying. He is constantly interceding for us, which is mind blowing and totally amazing! Romans 8:34 says, "Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and futhermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us" (NKJV). Jesus is interceding for us at the right hand of the Father! Hebrews 7:25 also says, "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them" (NKJV). If there is a friend or family member (or even a politician!) that you know isn't saved, and you think, "Maybe they'll never get saved," be encouraged. Jesus saves, and he lives to make intercession for that friend, that family member, and yes, even that politician. 

____

May it be said, this isn't a perfect or complete list of how to pray and who to pray for. These are just 13 things that have been really good for me to focus on as I'm praying. If you're looking for more ways to pray, or people to pray for, here are just a few more ideas:

-Pray for your family

-Pray for your friends

-Pray for your acquaintances 

-Pray for people you regularly encounter (baristas, coworkers, etc.)

-Pray for politicians

-Pray for celebrities

-Pray for pastors

-Pray for people who have fallen

-Pray for marriages (That there would be less divorce, adultery, etc.)

-Pray for people who are abused

-Pray for people who are drug and alcohol abusers

-Pray for people deceived by false teachers

-Pray for Jesus to come back soon

-Pray for wars to end

-Pray for missionaries

-Pray for people who feel like they might be called to missions

-Pray for believers to follow after the Lord with boldness

-Pray for believers to act in love, grace, and mercy

-Pray for people to be healed

I hope and pray ; ) that after reading this post, you'll find yourself desiring to pray more, and that you would draw closer to the Lord throughout 2016!

Blessings,

Emily