Revival

The writer of Ecclesiastes says, "Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of pregnant women, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things." That used to bother me a lot more than it does now. I wanted to know the "why" every time something monumental happened, especially when it was hard. I still do to an extent. But my friend Hanne once challenged me with this: instead of always asking why, ask how; how can God use this?

10th Anniversary at Revival Church

It is a challenge, but one that helps us to focus in a new way. Last month, Sergei  and our friends at the Revival church in Zolotonosha celebrated their 10th anniversary as a church. I saw some photos and was reminded how Sergei and I were talking about the need for a youth-oriented fellowship that reached out to outsiders. Six months later, 10 years ago, Sergei started that fellowship. Rather than asking "why" no one was doing it, Sergei asked "how" and this is the result.

Dimka helping at the celebration

Last year, we met Dimka at the juvenile colony in Kremenchug. Dimka was an orphan and had no place to go when he was to leave the prison. The director asked Sergei if Dimka could come to live at the rehab center that Rob and Shy, Lisa and Steve, and Dan and Tracy helped us to buy quite a few years ago. Dimka has been there since this past summer and now has something he never dreamed of-a home, a church and a chance at a new life.

The church and the rehab center are called "Revival". The American Heritage Dictionary gives this meaning to the word revival "A restoration to use, acceptance, activity, or vigor after a period of obscurity or quiescence." That's the how.