Desperately Seeking Sleep

There is a day, during most every mission trip I’ve been on, when I hit a wall. I get so exhausted that I feel as though I have nothing left to give. That happened to me yesterday. Thus, there was no blog update last night. My one goal when we got back to the hotel was to climb into bed as quickly as possible. So, before I leave this morning I am taking a few minutes to write about our day.

Yesterday we packed up our bags and headed up into the mountains near Yerevan to a small village called Tsaghkadzor. As far as I can determine, it is next to impossible for an American to pronounce the name properly. As we drove in it reminded me of a little Swiss Village. Mind you, I’ve never seen a Swiss village, but this is what I imagine it looking like; simply a beautiful area.

A few of the women who were at our conference in Jermuk are also here in Tsaghkadzor. One of them seems to, as she puts it, “have a special love” for me. She is very sweet. When the team was introduced yesterday and it was my turn to stand up she waved at me from the back of the room. It was so cute and reminded me of how my dad used to wave at me from the audience during my elementary school programs. Of course, then I was humiliated, in a proud kind of way.

I learned a few important things yesterday. First of all, I learned that when you spill some of your breakfast on the tank top under your jacket, simply turning it around and wearing it backwards will suffice, and make it look like you just pulled it out of the suitcase.

I also learned that when you are really tired you can close your eyes in a way that makes it look like you are praying for the speaker, when in fact you are sleeping. Of course, if your mouth falls open, your head bobs, or you start to snore, you will be found out. And, it’s not advisable to do this while standing up. I will not divulge how I learned this information.

Most importantly, I learned that God is faithful. That in our weakness and fatigue He is strong. This morning I read Psalm 23 and this verse jumped out at me. Psalm 23:3 says “He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” And so, I go out today, knowing that He will give me strength for whatever is in store for this day.

Beyond Blessed

To say that I’m exhausted would be an understatement but it’s a good kind of exhaustion. We were up early today to start a two and a half hour drive to Jermuk – a little town northeast of Yerevan. We were tempted to catch up on our sleep during our drive but the countryside was so beautiful that we didn’t want to miss it. The mountains are peaked with snow, and we made some pretty tight hairpin turns as we weaved our way to our destination. We stopped once for water and I was trying to take a picture of the scenery when one of the merchants called for me to come into what appeared to be her apartment. I wasn’t quite sure why she wanted me to come in but I followed her knowing that the whole team was watching me and waiting for my return. (I put that part in for my mother – she worries.) When we got to the other side of her room I realized why she had beckoned me in. She had a deck in the back with a gorgeous view of the mountain and the river running right past her back door. I was so touched that she chose to share it with me.

Once we arrived in Jermuk we were told that the women here have never had any type of women’s conference before. They were so excited for our arrival and welcomed us in for tea, with more cookies and fruit than we could possibly eat. All of the women who served us were so very gracious.

When I walked into the worship center before we started I looked down and saw the handouts for my talk printed out in Armenian. I was so overwhelmed that God would use me to teach these women that I literally went in the bathroom and wept. (Well, I needed to use it anyway, so I figured I might as well get the weeping out of my system while I was there.)

Before we started the conference today I had a chance to go around the room, accompanied by my translator, and meet some of the participants. My husband always tells me that I can work a room like a politician but it was so much fun to meet the women. Armenians are a very kissy bunch and when they greet you they will usually kiss you on your cheek. At least the women do that; I’m not sure about the men. I think I was kissed more today than I’m generally kissed in a year. It would be impossible not to love them. What a sweet group of women. They all shared how grateful they are for us being here but, I knew even then that the blessing would be ours as much, if not more, than it would be theirs.

Two of us spoke this morning. Lisa spoke on Becoming a Woman of Destiny and I spoke on Hearing God’s Voice. During the break after our morning session we had the opportunity to spend some time ministering to the women. It was easy to see that Armenian women aren’t all that different from American women. Their hurts, concerns, fears, wishes, hopes and dreams are very much the same as the women I talk to back home. Women talked to me about how their children had walked away from God, or about how they wanted to be used by God in ministry, or their depression, or their marriages. I was so grateful that God gave me words when I didn’t have a clue what to say.

The day ended with Carol Lund, the director of Women’s Ministry for the Assemblies of God in Minnesota, speaking about the treasures that God puts in our lives followed by more time for prayer with the women. I feel beyond blessed as we head back to the Bed and Breakfast tonight. There is so much more I could share but I’m sure you’d get worn out reading it all and besides, these hairpin turns and pot holes are starting to affect my typing.

Tomorrow we head to Tsaghkadzor (just try to pronounce that) to start our retreat time there. If you are so led, I know our whole team would appreciate your prayers; especially Lisa, who is still waiting for her luggage to arrive.

I Think it's Tuesday

I think it’s Tuesday. I always get a little confused when I change countries. But, according to our schedule, and my computer, it is indeed Tuesday. We spent today touring around Yerevan. At this current moment, my feet feel as though we walked every square inch of the city, but I’m fairly certain that we only saw a small bit of it.

Our first stop was a coffee shop/bookstore where we had an orientation brunch with our host. It was truly quite humbling to hear how excited the area churches are about us being here. One of the churches we’ll be speaking at has even cancelled their regular Sunday services to invest in their women! I think I even heard that the men are making dinner for us that night!

It demonstrates for me, once again, how much I take for granted in the United States. If I chose to, I could most likely find some type of Christian women’s conference or event to attend every weekend. I might have to leave the state of Minnesota, but I’m sure it could be done. That is not the case here in Armenia. It is a rare event, and a privilege for these women to be able to attend. That God would choose me to be a part of this blesses me more than I can express.

After our orientation, we visited a few shops, saw the Republic Square and eventually made our way around to the Cafesjian Center for the Arts. The art exhibit is housed in a building called the Cascade that was started during Soviet occupation and left unfinished for many years. It’s hard to describe this building. It basically fits into a hillside. Each layer (of which there are several) represent a time in Armenian history. If you’ve ever been to the Minneapolis airport you may have been on the extended escalator that takes you from the tunnel level, past the baggage level, up to the ticketing area. It’s a long escalator that basically “skips” a level on the way up. That is the approximate length of each escalator we took, and we rode on five of them. There were a total of seven, but five got us as far up as we needed to go. The other two escalators continued to take you to the top of the hill and they are used to connect one part of the city to the other. Once we reached the top we had a fabulous view of the city and of Mt. Ararat. Unfortunately, at the exact moment we got to the top it started to rain and hail.

As an interesting side note, Mr.Cafesjian is also part owner of D’amico and Sons restaurants and foods, and he owns the carousel at the Como zoo in St. Paul;.

We finished off the day with a traditional Armenia dinner at our host family’s home. The main dish was called dolma which consists of ground beef, rice, and spices wrapped in grape leaves. It was quite delicious.

And now, it’s time for bed. Tomorrow will be a long, but fulfilling day.

Oh, one more thing. I forgot the cable for my camera to upload pictures so you'll have to wait until my return home for a few photos. - Sorry, kind of, Pictures take a long time to load so maybe it's best.

Incredible Opportunity

As I write this blog, I’m sitting in the Paris airport waiting for a connecting flight to Yerevan, Armenia. I’m with a team of five women traveling together on a mission trip to do leadership training for the Armenian women.

As is my modus operandi, I was up late last night finishing up the packing, trying to figure out what kind of clothes I’d need, where I’d put my European converter, how much would my suitcase weigh, etc. I seem to travel quite a bit so you’d think I’d be good at packing by now, but not so much. As it turns out, the temperature today is 43° F. I am woefully unprepared for that temperature so hopefully it’ll be a little warmer once we get to Yerevan.

By the time I finally crawled into bed last night (well, technically it was early this morning) my mind was still racing when my body was supposed to be settling in for a few hours of sleep. I got to thinking about the incredible opportunities I’ve had to travel on mission trips. If you had told me ten years ago that in a few short years I would have visited Southeast Asia, Swaziland, Mozambique, South Africa, Russia and now Armenia, I would have scoffed. Never in my wildest dreams would I believe God would call me to these amazing countries.

It was two and half years ago when God first called me to go to Armenia. When I told my husband, John, about God’s call he said, “Is it safe there?” Well, I had no idea. Truth be told I didn’t even know where Armenia was located. All I knew was that God had called me and I planned to go. When I contemplated this last night I realized that even if it wasn’t a “safe” area, I would still follow God’s call. This kind of thinking scares my mother. But seriously, how could I possibly say no to God? That doesn’t seem very smart. In the book of Isaiah the Lord promises that if we follow Him we will be His light and we’ll have His protection. Isaiah 58:8 says “. . . then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.”

As it turns out, Armenia is a fairly safe country. In fact, during our flight I read through the Team Manual (which I probably should have read sooner) and found out that Armenia officially accepted Christianity as its national religion in 301 AD, making it the first Christian nation. They celebrated 1700 years of Christianity in 2001. Imagine the history! It is even believed that two of Christ’s apostles, Thaddeus and Bartholomew, planted churches in Armenia on their missionary journeys.

As for where Armenia is located; it’s an itty-bitty country located east of Turkey, north of Iran, west of Azerbaijan and south of Georgia. It also borders Mt. Ararat, which as you know, is where Noah’s Ark landed after the great flood.

As I mentioned earlier, while we are here, we’ll be doing leadership training and helping with some worship nights for women. I am so excited for what God is going to do. I will, hopefully, be blogging throughout the week so please check back to see what’s happening. In the meantime, the team and I would covet your prayers.

A Dream Fulfilled

I first met our friends, Jay and Leslie, through a Life Group at our church. Our group consisted of a bunch of us who are over the age of 40. Truth be told, most of us were over 50, but there were a few from the younger crowd who joined us as we met every other Wednesday night. Over the course of a couple of years we discussed any number of things and one week we found ourselves discussing the dreams we had for our "second half" of life. (It's really only the second "half" if we plan to live to be 100, but that's a topic for another day.) Last Thursday, April 22, Jay and Leslie achieved their dream. (I’m sure they’ve got more, but I’m referring to the one they shared at our Life Group.)

It’s possible (read probable) that the dream belonged primarily to Jay in the beginning, but Leslie followed along and eventually, she was working just as hard. What was their dream? To complete the education needed to become pastors. In our particular denomination there are education requirements that must first be fulfilled. Then there is a test and an interview process. Personally, the whole thing seems a bit daunting to me. To have to take a test after the age of 50, well, that’s just inhumane. But, Jay and Leslie were up to the challenge.

With their tests and interviews completed all that was left was the ceremony at which they’d receive their license to preach. In our denomination there are additional requirements before being ordained, and that isn’t even a possibility until you’ve served as a pastor for a number of years. (I’m explaining this to the best of my knowledge only AFTER having it explained to me at least a half dozen times.)

We were thrilled to attend their licensing ceremony on Thursday and be a part of this very special moment in their lives. It only goes to show, you are never too old to start something new. When God has given you a dream, don’t think about your age, your race, or your perceived lack of ability. As the slogan goes, “Just Do It!” You never know where God might take you.

So proud of you, Jay and Leslie! Congratulations on achieving your dream!

If we look like we are about to get into some mischief, we probably are. Leslie may be a pastor, but she knows how to have a good time, too. Some days we are a dangerous combination! On this particular night, however, we did keep our laughter contained to a reverent roar.

Bridging the Gap

I received an email today from my friend, Leslie. Whenever I go more than five days without posting a blog, she questions my commitment. And occasionally, she gets a little whiney about it. (I’m sure she’ll read this so just for her; I’m kidding, Leslie.) I really don’t mind because then I know that at least one person is reading my posts and waiting for an update.

So, here’s the deal on my lack of blog posts. It’s not that I’m not writing. I have been asked to do some “humor” writing for a newly launched website, Bridging the Gap, and there are just so many hours in my day (which can be significantly shorter than some people’s due to the fact that I’m not a morning person.) Bridging the Gap is a women’s ministry here in Minnesota, but the website is applicable to women worldwide (at least for those who read English.) I feel quite honored to be asked to write for them and I love doing it. The truth is, the short little articles I write for the website, are quite similar to what you usually see here. In fact, a couple of them have actually been here a year or so ago so if you go to check them out, you might be thinking, “Gee, I’ve read this somewhere before.” (Shhh….don’t tell. Sometimes when there is a deadline, I don’t always feel particularly funny.)

Let me tell you about the website. It’s so incredible. In addition to my articles, which by the way, can be found in the Laugh/Create section, there are articles on life issues, relationships, taking care of your home, leadership, finances, health and wellness, spiritual issues, book reviews, and so much more. In addition to that, there is a video that changes regularly called Café la Vie with encouragement, information, and devotionals. Oh, and speaking of devotionals; there is a whole devotional section, a section for Bible Study materials, and a prayer wall to share your prayer requests.

If you happen to live in Minnesota, there is also a section where you can check for upcoming events. You can search for them in order of the date they occur or by putting in your zip code to find the events in your specific region. By the way, if you see any typos in the events area, well, let’s just say someone whose blog you read, messed up at her job.

This website has been in the making for over a year. It’s still getting off the ground, but it’s a great resource for women everywhere and will only get better. Check it out and let me know what you think. In the meantime, I’ll try to get more posted here.

Fifteen Minutes of Inconvenience

A year ago, Paul Scanlon from Abundant Life Church in England, spoke at our church. Pastor Scanlon is an engaging and humorous speaker with a challenging message. Last year he encouraged us to be willing to give up 15 minutes a day to be inconvenienced by God in order to do something nice for someone. We didn't have to tell them about Jesus, or beg them to come to church with us, we were just challenged to do something nice.

Well, how hard could that be? I mean, what's 15 minutes? But right away I had a problem. I had no idea where to start. After great consideration I decided that the best way to go about this was to let God show me what I could do. Of course, I was excited at first and every day I'd wake up and pray, "Lord, show me how I can be inconvenienced today to do something for someone else."

I don't know, maybe I wasn't paying attention, but nothing obvious came up right away. I try to be kind to people on a regular basis so maybe I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, but didn't notice it as different. And, as ideas like this often go with me, I soon forgot to ask God to show me who to help.

But, one summer day, I remembered the challenge and can still show you the exact spot I was standing in a building in downtown Minneapolis when I silently prayed, "Lord, you still haven't shown me anything about this inconvenience deal. Really, I'd like to do something."

I left my meeting in Minneapolis and headed home, stopping at a friend's house along the way. It was a Tuesday night and I left her place about 6:30 p.m. thinking to myself, "it's only a half hour drive from here which means I'll be home just in time for NCIS. Perfect!" Side note: I LOVE NCIS. It is one of my favorite television shows but if you miss the first five minutes you never really know what is going on the rest of the hour because it's all based on the "incident" that happens at the start of the show. Another thing you should know about NCIS is that you don't want to be eating while you watch those first five minutes. Fair warning, enough said.

As I drove down the little back road out to the highway I decided that I'd call home and check my voice mail messages. Sure enough, there was a message from a woman who wanted some Creative Memories products. I used to sell them and apparently she hadn't gotten the memo with the information that I was no longer in the business. As it turned out though, the item she wanted is one that was no longer being made and I happened to have a couple of extra that I wasn't going to use. And, as is most often the case, she needed this product right away. (I refer to these incidences as "scrapbooking emergencies.") The caller told me that she was "in town" right now (that's Cannon Falls slang for "I'm in the city limits and I'm trying to get everything done so I won't have to drive the 10 miles back in from the country tomorrow.") I told her that I was on my way home and if she could wait 30 minutes she could have whatever she liked. So, we agreed that she'd wait in town and meet me at 7:00. That settled, I hung up the phone.

It was at that very moment that I realized; if this person is going to come to my house at 7:00, I'm going to miss the first five minutes of NCIS; the CRITICAL moments of the show. Admittedly, I got a little pouty and then a still, small voice rattled around in my head and said, "Well, you asked me to inconvenience you." RATS! I hate when that happens. For the record, though there may not have been a booming voice coming out of the sky I knew that the thought in my head was clearly from God. I laughed and said "Yes, well, I didn't mean I wanted to be inconvenienced in my inconvenience." If it's possible to hear God chuckle, I did.

As it so happens, Paul Scanlon will be at our church again this weekend. I can't wait to see what his challenge is this year. But you can be sure, I'm going to be more careful about what I pray for!