New Life and a Vision

We attended New Life Church with Becky, Nadia, the Storms, Zhenya and Vera on Sunday morning. What an amazing day to worship! New Life is an evangelical Christian church that holds worship service in a university auditorium in Kyiv.  The music was contemporary, or appeared to be, and we could make out several Hallelujahs. It was apparent that the congregation was worshiping the one true living God.

Worshiping at New Life

Our attendance at New Life on this specific day was definitely God ordained.  The message was about children, the role and impact parents (and especially father's) have on their upbringing. It was great to be with new friends, especially the Storms who are also adopting. Some points from the message include:

• What do you desire for your children - health, education, prosperity? Or do you pray they know and love Christ in a powerful way?
• Do your children see you in the Word on a regular basis?
• How is your prayer life? Do you go to Christ for prayers and thanksgiving?
• Is Jesus Christ real to you? If Christ is not real to you, He is not going to be real to your children. They need to see you living in Him.
• Is Christ sufficient for you, or are you left wanting more? (The Pastor referenced the Israelite's leaving Egypt God sustaining them on manna.  Desiring more and rejecting God and His provisions, they plead for meat, which God provided. Then God's wrath struck and the people were struck with a severe plague. Numbers 11.)
• Do you live and seek God on a daily basis, or only on Sunday?
• Is it your desire to have your children follow Christ, to know Him and love Him? He, Christ, must be real to you for Him to be real to your children!

Wow! What a convicting message. And, this comes to us in the Ukraine with OUR Zhenya beside us! God is good, all the time.  But, it was not done!

A second Pastor, The Closer, came in for the final out… What is your vision for your children? Have you put down on paper what you want for your children to be in the future? He preached on the topic of a Vision Statement for your children and invited families with children to the stage. Six or seven families were presented to the congregation, three of which had their Vision Statement read. Each family was given the opportunity to pray for their child in front of the congregation! Each spoke from their heart and shared their desires. What an amazing testimony to God’s goodness!

How do you answer the questions posed above? Our children have such tender hearts, seeking to follow someone… will it be you, the Dad, or someone else? We can risk losing them, failing to make a positive impact on their lives. With an impending adoption, my role becomes that much more critical. I pray that I can demonstrate a Christ-like love and be the role model God has called me to be.

New Life started about 21 years ago, shortly after Ukraine's Independence. I pray the message of this church and others within the great City of Kyiv flourish and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is heard!

That was the start of our day... Our day continued with more time with friends, taking a tour of the Kievo-Pecherska Lavra (Monastery) and dining.

Psalms 9:10 reads: "And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you." (ESV)

Thanks for your continued prayers. God Bless!