Category Archives: seeking understanding

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?

God is faithful. He is working! Thanks to generous friends, this is happening…

Kind and generous friends have sent in about $3500 so far. We’re able to send about $500 per day since Friday. That means that, at present, we can continue helping at this rate through this coming Friday.

Join us as we help those in need inside Ukraine…

http://www.ceokids.org/give

Today is Transfiguration Sunday. It celebrates a wondrous event when three disciples were witness to Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah, the Father proclaiming His Son, and then Jesus turning into blazing light!

This event is a big deal. It is found in all three Synoptic Gospels, here’s Luke’s rendering…

“Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.”
‭‭(Luke‬ ‭9:28-36‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Jesus is the light. Soon after this event, Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem and the cross.

Now, for we who are in Him, we are his light to the world.

There are some dear friends in Vinnytsia, Ukraine who are being lights to people fleeing Kyiv and the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine. They are housing, feeding and providing for these refugees as they pass through on their way west.

I’ve just received video from Ukraine of a protest happening right now in Minsk, Belarus. They March against war at GREAT RISK to their own safety in this authoritarian state.

You too can be part of that light.

Thanks be to God, we have the ability to get $500 a day into the hands of these servants of God in the middle of Ukraine. Please give whatever you are able. This is a relief effort for certain. But with this practical help comes the light of Jesus.

Please pray for protesters in Russia and Belarus who are literally risking their own safety for that of others.

Please pray for our colleagues who are literally risking their lives to help travelers. They are being the light!

Please join the effort and share this with those you know.

Please give here: http://www.ceokids.org/give

Thank you.