FOCUS on The Future "CO"mpletely

First of all I lift up all praise to the Lord for the amazing opportunities of ministries that Kidz Lithuania could continue to invest during this past "CO"mplicated year.   I grew up under a pastor who often would say: ..."you are either part of the problem or part of the solution"....Pastor Oliver Dalaba is so amazing, focused on the prize, extremely creative, strong in his knowledge of who he is.  Both he and his wife Ginny were amazing mentors and I"m so blessed to have had them in my life.

Many a day while I prayed Lord what do you do when you can't even meet with your kids in person? Lord what will we do that will leave a fingerprint on the lives of those we are trying to connect with?  How do we honor the laws of the land and continue to share about our amazing Father in heaven.  As a child I learned we first PRAY and wait for an answer.  We started zoom meetings to simply stay in "CO"nnection with one another and I will say Kidz Lithuania team found out more and more during the "CO"nnecting this year how impersonal electronics can be.    It was tough to linger and "CO"nsole one another online while they had been online for 4-6 hours a day for school.

Here we are in "CO"operation with one another and we were able to film in different locations and actually edit and present an Easter program online for all the children who were unable to gather together.  We were able to prepare for our training camp not knowing if we could meet or not.   I'm stoked to say that Kidz Lithuania ministry team did an amazing job at running the camp with very little supervision.

Next week we have Media recording for our online station where we will do virtual summer camp!

A Game of Water War

Bible Verse

Skulis Think Tank

Living on the Edge of Mandatory Quarantine

People have been wearing masks for years and all of a sudden for their health governments across this earth are requesting us all to wear one more; and it seems like "chicken little" all over again.  Honestly, should we feel like the sky is caving in?  Like we are loosing control over what little we had?

So many have asked me what is like overseas right now....I think honestly our playing fields have been leveled in many aspects--we all have to figure out how to keep focused on our purpose.  Many things that seemed important no longer hold much value when we evaluate our realities.  There are so many things I think we all could dismiss and rid of our lives----So here's my current story.

Back in February I awoke from a very strange dream; the message lead me to have no peace about an upcoming trip to the states from March 9th thru 23rd; I just had no peace about going.  It was enough to catch my attention and for my heart to be obedient to this inclination pounding inside my thoughts and I canceled the trip that I was very much looking forward; and boy am I grateful that I listened.

TRANSLATION: LOVE THOSE CLOSE

In the beginning of March I was making plans to travel from Lithuania to Poland for a conference, March 4-8,  it was a simple excursion and I was checking with my parents about how they felt about the trip since I was hearing trinklings about a virus affecting southern Europe but was sprawling northward towards us.   One parent, said, "i'm sorry I can't let my son go"--she was a medical professional and very much felt it was not safe to go.....this honestly got my attention to dig further up and down our pipeline of safety.  I'm so grateful for my friend Asta, I heard her; however the rest of us went ahead with the journey.  I will say my decision making each day was based on what "Asta" had to say.

I adjusted our social participation and we left a day early heading back to Lithuania.  Upon arriving home, I had to instruct my kids to choose to "isolate themselves for 14 days"  Since we just returned from a conference that involved people from 40 different nations---"Living on the Edge".  Every day during our fifteen day countdown we prayed and prayed that none of us would have signs of illness nor that we would not infect others.  My oldest girl, Erika remained with me during this isolation; then the government implemented Mandatory Quarantine. 

It is currently April 25th, 2020 and we just received word that Lithuania was extending the quarantine til May 11, 2020.  More than likely most of us believe this quarantine will continue til mid summer.  Which lead to some very difficult phone calls to cancel US teams that were committed to come this summer.  In addition, in August I had some personal travels scheduled and more than likely these too will be cancelled.  So...one asks how has COVID 19 affected my life?

Just like you brother....same as you my dear friend.  I do find comfort in the truth that this virus does not nor did not take God by surprise so cling to him.  Honor those in authority of our lands and be a wise witness during these difficult times.  Maximize the tools we do have to advance the Gospel.

We are finding the treasures of the electronic evangelism and I'm surely learning more about the editing aspect--poor folks that have to live through my "learning curve".  Kidz Lithuania is recording new messages that hopefully will relate to young people and we have opened up our Youtube Channel.    Currently myself along with my youth leadership team are praying right now on how to pursue this summer with effective ministry.   Please join us in prayer as we are praying for each one of you to have the same experience as you serve Jesus! 

Disrupted Storms with the Grace of God

Theses past few months have felt like i'm hanging out in a wind tunnel with everything around me going crazy and yet there is some sort of peace that resides.  As a believer all I can say is Thank you Jesus!!!   

What can I say, we all face disappointments and i'm not exempted; our humanity is frail--"yet but by the grace of God".     I was so looking forward to some very special memories and a few of those were erased in an instant during my quick Holiday return.  Disruptions like illness,(thank God for hotel ice buckets),  people sometimes show up without the grace of God in action. (That can truly bring some disruption).  We just keep looking towards Jesus. 

Facing some medical issues in my life and still working on them--me and medicines don't mix very well.  A simple aspirin can take me for a loop--so can you imagine when you are put on a pretty intense regime to help symptoms.  Not fun---feels like a roller coaster ride---but it keeps going and going-- not permitting you to get off.   So the rollercoaster yippee feel, disappears.  I have peace and I'm so grateful for my Lithuanian friends and adopted family who have always been so incredible. 

Words cannot describe the loss of Jim Palmer my Ohio Ministry Network Assistant Superintendent.   Our Assistant Superintendents life was tragically ended in car accident;  Jim went on to be with the Lord.   Moments like these a missionary can get disappointed because you can't be there--however, the absence of location actually softens the reality of pain.  Through Christ we can gather the strength to uplift and encourage our brothers & sisters that are there and dealing with the loss most direct.    Those who are more intimately involved.  I ask for the Lord to heal the hearts of Jims' family, Colleagues, and Church Family.  Allow us to reach out to one another to bring strength and passion like Jim would want for us all to have.  Lord I pray for the other people that were involved in such an accident and that survived--give them peace of mind and hopefully they will hear of Jims' life and find more of Jesus' personal residue that will resinate from our great loss.

All has happened between ministry--which I can say is always growing and blooming.  This week Kidz Lithuania will finalize our first few videos for our VZTV you tube channel.  We also are preparing the discussion topics for VZ Radio which will be warming up the air waves soon this year. 

How do the disruptions keep coming?  Why do they come? Why don't they destroy us?  In the midst of this bitter spiritually stormy season I heard news that broke my heart about a young man whom I know God has called to ministry.   He is not making choices that honor Jesus and the Truth that is in Him does not reign over his heart and his situation has ended him in difficult times.  Your heart wants to fix it--yet our stepping in can only lead to a toxic responses.  There are times when people need to reach out for Jesus on their own and Trust the Master.   None the less, it still breaks one's heart. 

Have you every woke up and felt the presence of God directing you---well i had this experience at the end of last week and "woohoo"-----it was very scary.  Felt for a few hours I was living in a horror film.  I'm grateful for the Lords protection.  God was so faithful in leading me downstairs at the right time.

Then a few days later someone calls you,  claiming to be calling from the National Police that they need information from me because someone has stolen my passport, and bank information.  These are the moments where i'm grateful for loving everyone trusting very few.   Scary Scammers!  Praise the Lord for His wisdom--Winter Break is going well!

All I can say this weekend, we will be at the Vilnus Book Fair Sharing the Tiger with the children at the fair in helping the Good News Radijo Center connect with people. 

You can thank Bob Campbell my friend for this quote.    Also lets be keep close to our heart and mind that we are Over comers and always cling to Biblical Understanding:  Hebrews 11:17-19, " By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only son;  it was he to whom it was said, "In Isaac your descendants shall be called."  He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead.  In a sense, that's what happened when he received Isaac back, alive from off the altar."  Hold onto the promises!!  No matter the Storm.