"As if you should do things my way..."

Beautiful song of surrender. I especially love the line "as if you should do things my way". So often I want God to do things my way. How safe it is to surrender to the God of love and allow him to have things his way. And his ways always happens to be the best ways in the long run! I need to be reminded of this truth these days when my perspective is clouded and my head and heart seem filled with doubt, unbelief and fear regarding the future. He knows what he is doing "and I surrender to Your ways"

A quote about love

"Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket -- safe, dark, motionless, airless -- it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable."

C.S. Lewis


How hard it is for us to love. How precious and wonderful it is when we allow ourselves to love. In this weekend of Thanksgiving in America, I've been reminded of how thankful I am that God has given me the courage to love. Or rather that he is loving through me. He knows that I'm afraid, but I'm so glad that he loves people through me.

I'm so happy that God has given Jeannette and I the courage to be vulnerable and open with each other. What a wonder that is!

Thank you, God! - are there any readers out there??

When God doesn't make any sense...

We have been richly blessed these last couple of months here in Kiev with a wonderful young man from a Muslim nation who has been here studying. He has a wonderful testimony of what Jesus has done in his life. I had tears streaming down my face when he was sharing his story of how Jesus found him. Jesus is truly the hero of his story. Mohammed (not his real name, but he does have a brother with that name) was born into an all Muslim family. Everybody in his family, and every single person he knew was a Muslim. To believe in God was to be a Muslim for Mohammed. There was no other way, no other religion. But Jesus had a different idea. He found Mohammed. Mohammed was crying out to God in his frustration: “God if you’re really there, please show up!”. And Jesus, the true living God, did show up. He met Mohammed in his dreams and talked to him about coming to him and experience rest in him.

Mohammed had no idea who Jesus was, but Jesus kept showing himself in Mohammed’s dreams. Jesus sent a local, Christian missionary to speak to Mohammed and after a while Mohammed gave his life to Jesus Christ.

And he was never the same again.

It’s an incredible story of how Jesus found and completely transformed Mohammed’s life. I have never met a young believer, Mohammed has only been a Christian for four years, with such a clear understanding of the truly important things of God. He understands very well who God is and who he is in God. I’ve been amazed of the clarity of his faith every time I’ve had the privilege of talking to him.

He has been a huge blessing to me these weeks. I have a heart for Muslims and want them to meet Christ and get to experience real life, truth, peace, joy and love. And it has been so encouraging to see how Jesus has met Mohammed. It shows me that there truly is hope for all Muslims. There was no good reason that Mohammed would meet Jesus. But Jesus found him, and he can’t find anybody. Even those who seem far away from him.

And now Mohammed has to leave again. He thought he was gonna be here for nine months, but now he has to go after just a couple of months. Circumstances didn’t work out. Some people didn’t do what they promised to do, and he couldn’t get the right visa. And he has to leave, and it doesn’t make any sense.

It doesn’t make any sense that he isn’t gonna stay here. He doesn’t think so either, but how encouraging it was to hear him say: “those who hope and believe in God will renew their strength”. Mohammed will go and make a difference no matter where he goes. Jesus has changed him and will continue to change him. And Jesus will meet other people through Mohammed.

I will continue to pray for my friend, and I’m looking forward to seeing him again some day whether it’ll be here on this planet or on the new earth someday.

I know that God’s plans are higher and better than ours, so I’ll trust in him. And I’ll look forward to hearing how God’s plans will look like for Mohammed.

“I’ll praise you in this storm, and I’ll lift my hands. You are who You are no matter where I am. And every tear I’ve cried, You hold in Your hands, and though my heart is torn, I’ll praise You in this storm”, Casting Crowns “Praise You In This Storm”