The View From Here

My mom (or grandma? or both? somebody ....) used to say, when explaining why it was hard to get letters written (yes, in the day before email OR blogging people actually wrote letters...on PAPER...with PENS or PENCILS...imagine...) that there was "nothing that big that forced her to write and too many little things that kept her from writing". Oh how I can relate...

But in the spirit of this new, more often, (hopefully) shorter blogs, here are some of those more notable "little things" that I didn't get around to telling you all about when they happened...

Planting Seeds...

 Books for *Babushki (*plural of Babushka) :    AT THE HOSPITAL......When my friend Marilyn was in the hospital the "Babushka" (older lady) sharing the room with her was really sweet and talkative. She seemed very scared of her condition (which we could never quite figure out what it was). We offered to pray for her and she asked if we could write what we prayed down because she thought that her grandkids could "really benefit from prayers like that". She was Orthodox and they typically (as far as I know) have their prayers written out and memorized rather than just freely from your heart as we in protestantism are used to.

She told us all about her family; her kids and grandkids, etc. So I gave her some books for all of them. A children's Bible for the grandkids and a Bible for her, "Married and How to Stay That Way" by Steve Carr for her kid's and their spouses, "Why Grace Changes Everything" by Chuck Smith and a couple of novels ("Stepping Heavenward" and others by Christina Roy) and she was overwhelmed. She just kept thanking us over and over. During the time my friend was there she had read two of the Roy  novels and was quite a ways through the book on grace. We also gave her a tract with the gospel and an invitation to church. She said she lived too far away to come to our church (Kyiv is quite big and can take an hour to get across town on public transport.) That was fine and we didn't push it. The books and the Holy Spirit are more than enough tools for God to do whatever He plans at this season in her life.

AT THE OFFICE...Recently our "*dezhornaya" (*door-lady) was sitting in her little "office" in the entryway of our building  reading the Psalms. I asked her if she was a "Believer" (a common way to refer to Christians...typically people answer "of course! Everyone is!") She answered slowly and said, well, the Psalms were very interesting and inspiring and she figured by reading them she could get closer to God but that she didn't really know and she didn't really go to church (for most Orthodox people being a Christian is equal to going to church. If you don't go to church you are suspect and if you go to church then it is without question that you are a Christian. From what I have observed your beliefs and consequent expression of life has really no relevance on the question.)

I asked her if she would like to learn more about what it meant to be a Christian and she was very enthusiastic. I brought her Chuck Smith's book on grace (the aspect of salvation it seems that Orthodox people most need to hear about, since I have seen little or no concept of it in their works based system of faith....good people, but burdened under the fear of not knowing if you have done enough, are good enough, etc. to be accepted into heaven when you die...how sad!)....and the novel based on the biblical story of Bathsheba by Francine Rivers.

She said it was too much to give them to her and was relieved when I explained that they were from our library. She was reading away at one the next time I passed by and I have seen two other of the "dezhourni" reading them, too (they work two separate overnight shifts a week to "guard" the entryway and have to spend their whole time either in their teeny tiny little room with a cot or somewhere right there in the entryway.) They have asked if they can get new books once they finish these! Of course!

"Be ready to give an answer to every man that asks the reason for the hope that lies within you..."

I often have a book or cd or something with me to give out to anyone where the "door" seems open. Now with the van that's even easier to have something with me. Our church goes to a baby-hospital to help change diapers, rock babies, etc. and I asked if they could find out if we could donate a little three-shelf bookshelf and some books for a little "library" for parents that are anxiously waiting to hear news of their little ones that are sick. Please pray that we might have the chance to offer some words of encouragement and hope, via these books, to these families during such stressful times.

Oh...and BTW, today I got a phone call for another 10 books from the woman that bought 10 at the weekend book faire recently!  She is from an international Christian institute here in Kyiv. She knew nothing of the book or the author, but just saw it at the faire (that wonderful cover again - that I'm  still TRYING to download a picture of here!) and then liked what she found inside even better than the cover!  

Yea...that's what I like to hear.

"...Bring forth its fruit in season..." Psalm 1:3

Last weekend I saw some encouraging fruit from seeds planted quite awhile ago.

Last year in May Tree of Life received from the printer our inventory of the Russian language version of Steve Carr's book "Married and How to Stay That Way". It had been promised in March when Steve, his wife Susie, and a crew from Calvary Chapel of Arroyo Grande, CA came for a marriage conference here in Kyiv. The conference (and really the whole time with that team) went GREAT! By the end of the conference local CC Kyiv leadership was already asking when Steve and Susie could plan to come back for another conference! But still the books were not ready.

Finally, in time for our national conference in May, the book was ready. I don't even remember when we first started the long and involved process of translating, editing, second editing, cover design, proofing, printing, etc. A year before? Maybe. Tree of Life had already done other books in cooperation with other organizations, but this was our first title that we did start to finish. What a learning process! (The marriage conference was the first conference that we organized, too...a lot of firsts with that book!)

BREAKING NEW GROUND 

But last weekend TOL, our friend Pasha who makes and designs t-shirts, and In Lumine publishers (a project by my friend Jake Knotts) had a table at the monthly Christian book faire here in Kyiv and the results were great! (FYI, we had never done that before because the cost for renting a table is simply prohibitive when compared to what we sell our books for and it took awhile before Jake, Pasha and I could get coordinated to take a table together).

 One mail-order Christian Book Distributor / Publisher took 50 copies and another took 10 (saying they would want to get more soon.) We sold all but about 4 of the books we had brought to the faire!

This may not seem much to you, but one of the reasons I am so excited is because these were to people outside of our circle of churches and who had no clue who the author was! They had, however, read the sample copies that my staff had given out the minute the book was available. It is a comprehensive book (translation: you could use it as a door stop! Sorry, Steve, but you have to admit the thing is meaty!) :) so it took folks awhile to get through it, but when they did they had nothing but praise for it!

This is a big deal. Not just because we have some hope of getting rid of all the 3000 books we printed and paying off the loans that we took to pay for the printing, etc. but because (as I had believed it would) this book cut across denominational lines! It is just a good solid Biblical book that anyone from any denominational background can appreciate.

...a little rant 

Denominationalism, to the point of territorialism - sigh. ....some churches that I know of actually have lists of other churches that if their members are known to visit those churches they will be "dis-fellowshipped"...ie. kicked out of their own church for simply going to a concert, Bible study, drama performance, etc. of another CHRISTIAN church. I'm not talking cult or false religion, I'm talking another Christian church that maybe just doesn't agree with them regarding the issue of how long you wait before you can be baptised....or if it is necessary to have a church membership list or not....or if non-baptised people can take communion...I realise that to some people these are serious issues (whether they should be or not - biblically - is a WHOLE other blog), but to dis-fellowship someone because they simply visited another church which, (the afore-mentioned issues aside), is a biblical Christian church in regards to their doctrines of sin, salvation, deity of Jesus, etc.? I will let God judge that, but personally, it makes me ill...(particularly when I see it in myself!)

Back to our regulary scheduled programming... 

Anyway, now that I'm through (for the time) ranting...that's why the sales of those books were so exciting! People aren't liking this book because of its denominational association, or a well-known author but because the truths inside are spiritual, biblical, and therefore they recognize the power of them to change lives and heal broken marriages! Awesome! (Although I do think our WONDERFUL re-design of the cover might have helped, too! ha!) :)

So...there ya go. Good things do come to those who wait. And I know that with this book, the best is yet to come. Thanks for writing it, Steve.

...until they know how much you care"... is how that saying goes. Although I like the update my friend Jake made recently when he said "People don't care how much you know, until they know - do you know Cara"?  I thought that was pretty hysterical.

All puns on my name aside (believe me, over the years I've had more than enough), that saying (the original one, of course) is so true. Stay with me here....there will be a point to all this, eventually....

 NOT THE PROMISED UPDATE

I was going to give the "real" update on Tree of Life publishing stuff, but that takes brain power and it is late, so this is just going to be a little rambling. 

Monday night I was at a interdenominational women's meeting here in Kyiv. It is a varied group of women that meets once a month and the only thing we have in common is that we are all fluent in English (even though it is not the first language for some), we are women, we are Christians (of all shapes and flavors, I like to say) and we live in Ukraine. We call this meeting "a rest stop for English speaking Christian women on their journey in Ukraine". We pray, worship, network and overall try to encourage one another.

WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE?

This last meeting my friend Michelle that works with street kids shared about the ups and downs of her ministry and life. She said many really simply profound (or profoundly simple?) things but the overall idea that really stuck with me is that it is NOT about programs and charting results, etc. etc. but about people and about God and about sharing His love and care for them.

BIG SIGH....does that bring peace to your soul? It does to me.

Michelle encouraged us (or this is my "cara-phrased" recollection of what she said) to be on guard to not fall into the trap of just "keeping the machine running", but to stay focused on the transforming truth of God's love, grace and forgiveness for us manifested in the death and resurrection of his son Jesus who paid our debt of sin and therefore reconciled us to God for all who believe.

BREAKFAST CLUB 

The next morning Tanya and Cheryl from Rzhshiv and Jeanne from Kyiv and I went to breakfast (my favorite place where you can get the closest thing to an American style breakfast for under $5!) and spontaneously had the kind of time together that most Bible study leaders and pastor's do everything under the sun (but maybe not everything under the SON? sorry, couldn't resist!) to achieve with their people and often don't....we just shared what God was doing in our lives and encouraged one another. I had brought my bible and one or another of us would grab it and read a verse, not as some religious duty, but just in the course of conversation, just as one might read something from the newspaper that had been interesting to them that day. Only this book is alive and it wasn't just interesting to the one who read it but it touched all of us deep in our hearts.

We shared about our struggles, God's victory in the midst of them, but most of all we did what my friend Jake and I agreed is the secret to walking with God (another "cara-phrase"...lemme know if I misquoted you, Jake)....when the focus is on God and His majesty, His all encompassing glory and holiness and yet at the same time His limitless love and grace for us....well, when you do that, it reaches past your mind, even your emotions and strikes at your very soul It is the truth that we were created to know and to live. It opens up your heart and you are at once struck with your black depravity and your spotless redemption! Both are as sure and unquestionable to you when you look at Him.

One verse that is dear to me these days is "the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life". I have spent this last year with my mind set too much on the flesh, both in the allowing of sin in my life and then in the guilt and over-analyzing of it in the aftermath. What a waste! The mind set on the spirit, on God himself is the secret.

So, we had a great cheap breakfast (and that always makes me very happy) and found out how much God knows when I took the time to focus on how much He cares. Hope you're able to do that, too, today.

(I know, I know...this wasn't very short...but the next one will be...HONEST!) 

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