The desire to go to Russia has remained with me all the weeks following Nebraska up until this very moment. I have been encouraged by many scriptures, books, and sermons.
One sermon that was an inspiration to me was a rebroadcast of a message that Steve Furtick gave at one of the recent Global Leadership Summits. Steve's message was centered on the prophet Elijah and what God spoke to Him when He was about to send rain to the land after many years of drought. God told Elijah and the people to dig ditches because of the overflowing amount of water He was about to supply. Steve asked the question, "what are you expecting God to do and how are you preparing, in faith, for the thing He is about to do?"
I remembered back to a conversation in Nebraska I had with one of my roommates. The two of us had not spoken during the weekend at that point. Diane had arrived at the conference even later than we had and preferred to speak in Russian. We were both putting our makeup on in front of the bathroom mirror when she suddenly addressed me.
"Shannon...
there is an American couple who took a short mission trip to Russia and decided to leave everything in America and move there to serve. They have four children and spent a few years getting everything settled back in the United States before moving. Now they have bought houses in Russia, south of Moscow, and they bring children from the orphanages to live in the home. They ask people to come and raise the children in the house."
Ask Diane spoke, my heart started to beat excitedly.
"How long do they ask people to serve in the homes?"
"They will take whoever they can get. Some go for three months...some longer." There was a pause between us before she finished by saying, "I just felt like I was supposed to tell you that."
After that conversation, my three week trip to Russia was transformed in my mind into a "ditch digging" effort. The opportunity to serve long-term in Russia began to become a compelling (and unexplainable) desire- a desire which has continued to grow steadily.
One particular Sunday recently the church that I attend, Eagle Brook-Woodbury, had a service dedicated to the church's call in Mozambique through their partnership with World Vision. Senior Pastor Bob Merrit delivered a sermon on the calling of believers to give to and to serve the widows and orphans of the world, the poor who have not been given all that we have been given. The scripture verses that he used are precious to my heart and resonated as truth:
This is the religion that God finds acceptable: to take care of widows and orphans
To whom much is given, much is required
Whatever you do for the least of these you have done for Jesus
Beginning about halfway through Bob's message I found myself overcome with emotion. I began to ask the questions, "how could I not give all that I have for the privilege of serving God's children? What could possibly make me worthy of the calling to minister to Jesus by taking care of those less fortunate than I?"
Everything that I am and all that I have is because of Jesus. I am ready to give my life to serve Him where He calls. I have submitted myself to God and am dedicated to pursing the things He would like to minister through me and the things that will show His love, character, power, and supremacy here on earth.
One particular Sunday recently the church that I attend, Eagle Brook-Woodbury, had a service dedicated to the church's call in Mozambique through their partnership with World Vision. Senior Pastor Bob Merrit delivered a sermon on the calling of believers to give to and to serve the widows and orphans of the world, the poor who have not been given all that we have been given. The scripture verses that he used are precious to my heart and resonated as truth:
This is the religion that God finds acceptable: to take care of widows and orphans
To whom much is given, much is required
Whatever you do for the least of these you have done for Jesus
Beginning about halfway through Bob's message I found myself overcome with emotion. I began to ask the questions, "how could I not give all that I have for the privilege of serving God's children? What could possibly make me worthy of the calling to minister to Jesus by taking care of those less fortunate than I?"
Everything that I am and all that I have is because of Jesus. I am ready to give my life to serve Him where He calls. I have submitted myself to God and am dedicated to pursing the things He would like to minister through me and the things that will show His love, character, power, and supremacy here on earth.
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