Monthly Archives: March 2022

Here are some images from life in Ukraine, how our partners are helping, what’s happening in Budapest, and a surprise I saw yesterday.

“Я ж буду оспівувати Твою силу, вранці радітиму Твоїм милосердям, бо Ти став моїм захисником і притулком у день моєї недолі. Ти — моя допомога, Тебе оспівуватиму, адже Ти, Боже, є моїм захисником. Боже мій, Ти — моє милосердя! Псалмів 58:17-18 УТТ

“But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.” Psalm‬ ‭59:16-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

And here in Charlottesville…

Please pray!

Please stay informed!

Please give!

Thank you to all who have donated so far!

http://www.ceokids.org/give

In the Ukrainian Bible (a fairly recent version) like many Bibles the Psalms are a little different in number. This psalm came up in my reading just now. In Ukrainian it is Psalm 55, in English it is 56 and follows. The verse numbers are also different as they include the introduction as a verse. So for those of you who read Ukrainian, you’ll see a one verse difference. My wife and I found this text singing to us about Ukraine. Speaking of singing, keep reading and you’ll see and hear why I have tears on my face.

“На закінчення. Про народ, віддалений від святині. Псалом Давида — на згадку про те, як його затримали филистимці в Ґеті. Помилуй мене, Господи, бо по мені пройшлася людина, весь день гнітила мене, ворогувала зі мною. Мої вороги весь день нападали на мене з погордою, адже безліч тих, які нападають на мене від світанку. Вдень [не] буду боятися, бо на Тебе покладаю надію. Перед Богом увесь день віддаватиму хвалу своїми словами. На Бога покладаю надію. Не матиму страху, бо що заподіє мені людина? Весь день відчували огиду до моїх слів, усі їхні задуми — на зло мені. Будуть жити поряд і таїти; вони вистежуватимуть мою п’яту, оскільки з нетерпінням чекають на мою душу. У жодному разі Ти не врятуєш їх, у гніві, Боже, зведеш в могилу народи. Я відкрив перед Тобою своє життя, Ти поклав сльози мої перед Собою, — як і є у Твоїй обітниці. Того дня, коли я закличу до Тебе, мої вороги втечуть геть. Ось пізнав я, що Ти — мій Бог. Перед Богом віддаватиму хвалу Слову, у Господі віддаватиму хвалу Слову. На Бога я покладаю надію, тож не буду боятися! Що заподіє мені людина? На мені, о Боже, обітниці прославляти Тебе, які я виконаю. Адже Ти визволив мою душу від смерті, а мої ноги — від спотикання, щоб я у світлі живих був Богові до вподоби. (Псалмів 55:1-14 УТТ)

“Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”
‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭56:1-13‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Help us help those inside Ukraine.

Pray, stay informed and give. This is a marathon not a sprint.

giving instructions:

http://www.ceokids.org/give

Please subscribe, share, weblog and repost.

In the first century many Christians fled the war between the Romans and the Jews that took place in Judea in the 60s culminating with the obliteration of Jerusalem in 70.

Some of these refugees went south to Alexandria, many went north through Antioch, west through Galatia and into Asia. They fled destruction and threat. Read the letters of Peter and Hebrews to see the apostolic response to the question: How do we respond to trouble? (Spoiler: Hang on to Jesus!)

Frequently in my travels, the train from Vinnytsia to Kyiv would sometimes stop about 60km southwest of the capital in the city of Fastiv (it’s about the size of Charlottesville). I remember looking into the neighborhoods that lined the railways as we passed through.

This morning a neighborhood of Fastiv was struck by shelling or a rocket.

How do we respond to war?

In Vinnytsia, our partners are using the funds God is providing to care for people moving away from the shelling and rockets of the invaders.

Thanks be to God that this service in the name of Christ is bringing hope.

I was asked a little while ago, how can we pray for you? I answered “please pray that I and all of us abide in God so as to have His wisdom for decisions that must be made.”

Thanks be to God for those who have given for this effort. As of this mornings report, we can keep the funds flowing until next Tuesday! Glory to God!

You can give here:

http://www.ceokids.org/give

Here’s some thoughts from the book of Hebrews:

“Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews‬ ‭13:1-2, 20-21‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Glory to God!

Please keep praying: here are some suggestions:

How do I pray for Ukraine?