Where I am coming from...

May we arm ourselves with the mind of Christ
To rejoice in trials and be not surprised.
May our hearts be so consumed by You
That we never cease to praise!
--"Never Cease to Praise"

Did you ever have that morning where you just could not force yourself onto the elliptical machine? I am having that morning. I usually get up, spend time on the elliptical, take my shower, get S.B. up, and then have my quiet time. This morning, I just could not face the thought of the machine. So I'm blogging instead, and I'll do my exercise time tonight. I promise I will--I exercise every day except Saturday and Sunday. So for me, the rule follower of all rule followers, breaking up my routine is about as rebellious as I get. I know...you're speechless with shock over my wild rebellion.

I read those verses in Genesis a few days ago where the angel asks Hagar, "Where are you coming from, and where are you going?" As we quickly approach the one-year mark here in Moscow, I have really been thinking about that. Where am I coming from, and where am I going? Of course, only God knows where I'm going, but I think lately He's been dropping some clues. But in this blog, I'd like to spend a couple of minutes on where I'm coming from.

I'm still astounded to be here. Maybe there will come a point in my career where I am not astounded to wake up in Moscow, Russia, or wherever God leads, but I'm still pretty astounded by it. Not because it's Russia, although there are certainly moments when that's pretty weird, too, but just that God would call somebody so ordinary out of such an ordinary life to something like this. Talk about filling jars of clay! I am a pretty plain jar of clay, and I am still trying to come to grips with not understanding why God has called me to this. But as I look back over the last year of my life, I can definitely see ways in which He spent my whole life preparing me for my life here. What is especially compelling to me is how He uses those things with which He has gifted us to glorify Him. I didn't come here with any intention of teaching, thinking that life was behind me, but it is precisely that which He has used to give me ministry opportunities that are very satisfying to me, that help me to be content in this life that is so different from the life I once led. I love teaching at Hinkson. It is a wonderful part of my life. And I adore teaching the students in my English club every Thursday night. Many, many times, especially during May and June, which were the hardest months for us, English club was what kept us here. When Hannah cried about how much she hated her life here, it was English club that made staying worth it (that, and the hope and many, many prayers that contentment and joy would return to our darling girl).

I don't really have anything deep and meaningful to take away from this, except that God is faithful in all things, even in the ways He gifts us and prepares us for those things He has for us in the future. Oh, and this--if He can call me to Russia, He can call you somewhere, too. I'm not saying He is calling you to a "foreign" land, but the longer I'm on the field, the more I know that He calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things for Him. So watch out! :o) Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you take a few minutes today to think about where you are coming from, and that Hurricane Gustav did not cause too much trouble in your part of the world. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye