It turns out encouragement comes in a flat-rate box from the US Postal Service...who knew?

Hannah and I went to the salon and had our hair cut yesterday. Doesn't she look grown up?!?!

Boo Boo and I being silly after John John's Christmas party.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light... I Peter 2:9

There are some pretty excited kids in our apartment this morning, because there is a pretty good amount of snow on the ground, and it is still coming down at a good pace. Okay, it's not just the kids who are excited...Marc and I are loving the snow, too. The only one who isn't excited is Sarah Beth, who hates the snow. Her first words to us yesterday, when she woke up to find it snowing, were, "Okay...who prayed for snow?" But the rest of us are loving it! The high today is 20, and the forecast is calling for snow the next four days. Sweet!

I was thinking this morning about an old friend of mine. During a very dark and difficult time in her life, when we had taken her children somewhere or done something for them, she wrote us a thank you note. In her note, she said something I'll never forget. She thanked us for our kindness, and she said that when we did something for her children, we did it for her. I thought I knew how she felt then, but it wasn't until we came to the mission field that I really understood what she was saying. We have recently been the recipient of just this sort of kindness, and now I truly understand that when you do something for my kids, you've done it for me.

It has been a truly difficult six months since we moved to Prague. While we have no doubt that we are exactly where God means us to be for this moment, it is not home. We live in someone else's apartment, with someone else's cats, and though we are grateful for the roof over our heads and the companionship of their pets, those things are theirs, not ours. For the first time since we came to the field, we have very little money, because we took a cut in our field parity to come to Prague, but our expenses rose (due to things like electricity, internet, etc.) drastically. We do not have plans for the next year or two nailed down, yet, which is disconcerting. And though I cannot believe I am going to say this...we miss Russia. In fact, we pretty desperately miss Russia. God has definitely used this time in Prague to make us know for certain that our hearts are fitted for Russia and for Russians. He has used our ministry to Russian speakers as a way to confirm that, and we are grateful for that ministry, but it does not make us long for Russia less. So...it has been a difficult six months here.

So imagine how we felt as Christmas quickly approached. Very little money, homesick for America, homesick for Moscow, lonely...you name it. We were feeling pretty down and blue. But then something amazing happened. My dad would call and say, "I just put money in your account from so-and-so. Just wanted you to know." Or, "A Sunday School class has adopted you guys for Christmas, and they need a list of things you'd like from home." Or my sister would call and say, "My Sunday School class has collected money for a gift. What would you like me to do with it?" Then, last Friday, seven boxes arrived from our home church. SEVEN! The nice young man who is our delivery person for the Czech postal service even clapped his hands as the kids danced around and shouted to each other. The boxes were full of presents and treats for Christmas. I had so much fun letting the kids put presents under the tree and enjoy their Christmas socks and Christmas cups. What a great time!

But it's not the boxes that made a difference in our feelings. It was being remembered. Imagine the fun of looking at the names on those gifts and recognizing people from home. How would you feel if you were far away from home, if you hadn't seen people you loved in a couple of years, and you knew that someone at home had gone to the store and bought something especially for you? Imagine the joy of imagining someone at Walmart thinking to themselves, "John Hooks would really love these cars." To be thought about, to be remembered, to know that you are prayed over...these are things that far surpass boxes and gifts. I have received several notes in the last two weeks--words of encouragement and love and support--and they have lifted my spirits in ways I don't even have words to describe.

Imagine the joy of watching my children be encouraged. We were able to throw a surprise Christmas party for John with money donated to us by Sunday School classes. I was able to surprise Hannah with a haircut at a salon yesterday with money donated by a Sunday School class. The fun of watching them look through those presents under the tree, shaking and listening and wondering...indescribable. And because folks did these things for my kids, they have done them for me.

Do boxes of gifts from home and notes of encouragement change any of our circumstances, make us miss Moscow any less, make it any easier to be here? Nope. But there is something about knowing that we are loved and missed, thought about and prayed over, something about a tangible reminder of these things, that makes it easier to deal with the discouragement, the loneliness, and the homesickness. It makes it easier to face the next eight months and finish well. It really does.

So here is my challenge to you. Find someone who serves somewhere to encourage today. Maybe your pastor or youth minister or worship minister is going through a tough time and could use a little love. Maybe you know of a military family who is experiencing separation this Christmas. Send them a note. Remind them that they are loved. Thank them for their service. Pray for them. Above all, pray for them. I promise you that, just like the boxes blessed the Czech man who delivered them, when you give and encourage and pray for someone, you will be blessed, too.

Well, it's time to make breakfast for my hungry crew. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are encouraged by those who love you and are praying for you, and that there is snow in your forecast, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

Yellow cake and icing

Yellow cake:
Cream together:
1 cup softened butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Sift together:
3 3/4 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tsp baking soda

Mix wet and dry ingredients and pour into greased caked pans (or cupcake holders). Bake at 175C until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. This was the best, moistest yellow cake recipe I've found.

Buttercream Icing (thank you to Stacy Dyck)
1/2 cup solid shortening (we used butter last night, and it was fine)
1/2 cup butter softened
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar (again, we have used Russian and Czech before, and it's fine)
2 Tbsp milk

Cream butter and shortening. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time. When all is added, add milk and beat until light and fluffy. Add food coloring for desired color.

This icing recipe has worked great for us. Leslie, you might also ask Frances for her cooked frosting recipe. We've had great luck with that, too.

For the rest of you, who came looking for a blog post--I promise I'm working on it. But trust me, when you find a good recipe that works here, you have to share with your pals. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Kellye

Breadmaker Roll Recipe

I've had several people ask for my roll recipe. Here it is:

Add to the breadmaker in this order:
1 cup water
2 beaten eggs
1/3 plus 2 TBSP oil (I've been using olive oil lately)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt (In CZ, I add an extra 1/2 tsp., since our salt isn't very salty)
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. yeast

Set for the dough cycle. When it's finished, roll it into whatever you want to make--I use this recipe for dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, hot dog and hamburger buns--then let it rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 175 C for 10-12 minutes. That's it. Enjoy!

Thankful for His faithfulness

Goofy, goofy children. John and Hannah in Karlstejn, Czech Republic.

Some of my favorite people on the train to Karlstejn, Czech Republic: John, Marc and Hannah.

I will sing of the lovingkindness of the LORD forever; to all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth. Psalm 89:1

Although it is 5:30 (the cats woke me up a couple of hours ago, and I got up at 4), I don't have tons of time this morning. Thanksgiving for our team is at our house, which means there are still many little things to get done before 2p.m., when we are expecting people. However, I wanted to take just a minute or two and tell you some of the things for which I am thankful. So here is a list, in no particular order:

• Of course, my kids and husband. Yesterday was a truly awful day in a thousand ways (the shower broke and the washing machine flooded, just to mention two of them), but by last night, when we were on our way to a worship service with friends, they had me laughing out loud on the street. Funny and entertaining and loving and caring...these four people never cease to amaze me. Gifts from God, each one of them.
• My amazing immediate family. I've written tons about my parents and sisters and their love and support and encouragement. Suffice to say that when God was handing out families, I really got the cream of the crop.
  
• Amazing friends all over the world. I thought I knew what friendship was before I came on the field. After two plus years away from home, I can honestly say that I understand friendship, have experienced it, and am a better friend now than I have ever been in the past. I could not exist without my friends.
  
• Our home church, First Baptist Church of Middleburg, Florida. Lately, it seems they have an endless supply of encouragement for us. We are honored to be their missionaries.
• Southern Baptists...you pay my bills and make it possible for me to be here. Please give generously to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
• Our church here. I understand maybe 60% of every sermon, but I adore worshiping in Russian, and these sweet people have made us feel very, very welcome. They are proof that the family of Christ is, indeed, a family...in whatever language.
• My preschoolers. You have never seen anyone backpedal as quickly as I did when I found out I would be teaching ESL to preschoolers. PRESCHOOLERS!!!?!?!?! You know what? I love it. Love it, love it, love it. Love cutting out the little stuff for them, love making play doh for them, love teaching them, little by little, about Jesus' love...love it. I never thought I would say this, but there is little in life that is better than when they run up to me and call me "uchitilnitsa" (Russian for teacher). Who knew I would be so crazy about little kids? Turns out...God knew.
  

Maybe you are looking at my list and thinking that I could not understand your situation, your hard times, your struggles. And maybe you're right. In many, many ways, my life has been a charmed one. Loving family, great husband, fabulous kids, a sense of purpose and mission, a career I have loved...blessings all mine. But I want you to know that the last five months, since we moved to Prague, have been some of the toughest of our time on the field. When we moved here, we took a cut in field parity, a significant cut. But our expenses (especially in terms of our utilities) quadrupled. Suddenly, we have found ourselves--like many of you--struggling financially to pay our bills and feed our kids. We have not known financial hardship since coming to the field--until now. But it isn't only a financial struggle to be here. We love Prague--it is absolutely one of the most beautiful places on earth, and the surrounding countryside is gorgeous. In comparison to Russians (very generally speaking, by the way), Czechs are friendlier and less likely to yell at us when we do something culturally wrong (like unzip our coats at the wrong time of year). We love our team, we love our church, some of our very closest friends live only an hour and a half away...from the outside, our life is as close to perfect as anyone has the right to expect. Yet we long for Moscow. (Not all of us--Sarah Beth longs for Texas!) We are homesick for snow and ice and the crowded, smelly Moscow metro...but we know we are supposed to be here for this moment in time. Why? I have some ideas, but none I'm ready to share with the universe at large. Suffice to say--God knows what He's doing. He knows us better than we know us. And He is showing us some things so clearly right now...things we could not have learned in Moscow, things we could only learn here. And so, despite the hardship and the longing for "home," I am thankful that God is not done teaching me stuff. I wish He could find an easy way to do it, but that is not evidently in the cards for me. Today I will enjoy this moment, with these people, in this place, but I will thank Him that He has created something within me that longs for another place, a place that only He could give me a heart for in His immense love for me.

Well, friends, there are sweet potatoes to mash up in the kitchen, so I need to run. (Yes...sweet potatoes...and I only paid maybe $6 for them! Unbelievable.) Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are thankful today for the good and the bad in your life, the easy and the difficult, the beautiful and the ugly. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

When did cat hair become a metaphor for my life?

Honestly, I don't know what to say about this, except that it's a typical day at the Hooks home. Sarah Beth looks pretty normal, but John is touching his nose with his tongue, and Hannah is...well, I don't know for sure, but I think she's trying to touch her nose with her tongue. Let's just say this...they aren't boring or dull.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Okay, okay. I know it's been a while. Would it matter if I told you I've been really, really busy? Or that I've had so much going on that I just didn't have much to say? It wouldn't make a difference? Well, then I'll just have to apologize and try to do better. How's that? (That was for Mom.) Things here are fine. It's been a bit warmer in Prague, and that's nice. School is rolling along, and we have been able to get Sarah Beth mostly caught up with where she would be if she hadn't gone to the States. Marc is leaving this morning for an editing retreat, and the kids and I are getting the house ready for Thanksgiving. Pretty much just normal life.

We had a teen girls' Bible study over last night for dinner. Sarah Beth goes every Tuesday to study with this group of girls, and it was our turn to host last night. We had a truly wonderful time. I am so thankful for colleagues who are willing to give their time to invest in my child. So thankful. It was fun, and Sarah Beth cooked a great meal--vegetable lasagna, garlic bread and apple crisp--that left the whole house smelling like heaven. I spent the day (when I wasn't homeschooling) scrubbing different parts of the house to make sure it was just perfect for guests. And, of course, as I do every day, I spent some time working on the cat hair.

The cat hair is my nemesis. It is the arch-enemy of my life. (Actually, that would be Satan, but forgive the hyperbole for a moment. I'm making a point.) I'm not sure I've said this before, but we are staying in an apartment that is usually occupied by a family who is on stateside assignment this year. Since their stateside and our year in Prague were the same time, they asked if we would hold their apartment for them, which we are glad to do. They asked if we would keep their cats, which we were also glad to do. And they are precious cats. Precious. We love them very much. I talk Russian baby talk to them all day long, cuddle with them, they sleep with one of us every night...we really love the cats. So don't walk away from this thinking it's the cats who are the nemesis here. No. It's their hair. You see, the cats shed like no other cats on earth. I'm not kidding. Tumbleweeds of cat hair roll down the hall like something out of High Noon. No matter what I do, no matter how many times I vacuum, no matter how many lint brushes I use per day, there is always cat hair somewhere. And this, my friends, drives me insane. Insane, I tell you. Every single day, I vacuum all the floors and the furniture in the living room, and then I take a lint roller and clean the furniture and the rug in the living room. Every day. And still, by about noon, the tumbleweeds of cat hair are rolling down the hall. Do you hear what I'm saying? I, Kellye Hooks, type-A personality, controller of all things domestic...I am losing the battle with the cat hair. In fact, it's really not even a battle, because there is no chance that I am going to win. Ever.

So imagine for a moment my determination to have a cat hair-free evening last night. I vacuumed, and then I had Sarah Beth vacuum and lint roll everything in the living room. And it looked great. I'm telling you, I felt really good about the lack of cat hair last night. And then, as I was sitting in my favorite blue chair, one of the cats jumped into my lap. The girls were discussing something, and as I listened, I absentmindedly stroked the cat's fur. Then, in a moment that can only be called metaphorical, I looked down to say something to the cat, and as I looked at her, I noticed cat hair literally drifting through the air right before my eyes. My pants...covered with white fur. The arm of the chair...coated. And you know what? The girls continued to talk. The Bible study went right on in spite of the cat hair. No one turned around and gasped in horror. In fact, I'm pretty sure no one but me cared enough to notice. They also didn't notice that I'd scrubbed behind the toilet or underneath the kitchen table. You know why? Because they were focused on each other and relationship-building, and I was focused on...cat hair. Hmmmm....

Maybe you are always focused on that which is eternal, but I have to tell you that I am often focused on the goofiest, silliest things around me. I struggle with the cat fur as if I am going to win some kind of prize for best Mom if it is gone from the house. I focus on what I perceive to be flaws in my children but sometimes overlook the great qualities they possess. I sigh heavily because Marc leaves his laundry on the floor but forget that he treats me like a queen even when I am at my worst. I focus on the burden that life on the field can sometimes be but fail to praise Him for the great joy that it often is. I pray for this decision or that, for guidance and direction, but forget to praise Him for today, for my family, for the now that He has given me in spite of myself.

And so this morning, I am not getting out the vacuum. I'm going to wait until later in the afternoon. (Baby steps, people. I can't go cold turkey.) I'm going to enjoy an easy day with the kids, a day when all we have to do is school. We might even have a movie night tonight, complete with homemade pizza. Because all too soon, our family will send Sarah Beth off to start her own life, and these days and nights, full of fun and laughter, will be what she takes with her. And Hannah and John will follow her right out the door before I know what has happened. I am much more concerned about what they take with them when they leave than that they leave without cat hair clinging to them. So this morning, I am asking God for a more eternal view. A small glimpse of the big picture. And maybe just a little Divine help with the cat hair. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are looking at the eternals in life, and that the apple cinnamon candles you found on sale at Tesco are making your house smell good, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

Always on time

I like taking pictures of Marc with all his equipment. Does that make me weird? This is him on top of the mountain near Hitler's Eagle's Nest.

The church and part of the castle at Berchtesgaden, Germany. There is something really awe-inspiring about walking around centuries-old buildings and thinking about the events and people who strolled in the same places. I have always been a history buff, but after living in Europe for three years, I am definitely even more interested in history.

Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17-18

It is a dingy, gray morning here in Prague, but I am not thinking about that today. I am enjoying my second cup of coffee, the quiet that envelops the apartment when everyone else is asleep, and the thought of my beloved Gators stomping all over the Georgia Bulldogs this afternoon. Florida-Georgia is always fun, though it does, in truth, make me homesick. They show all those shots of Jacksonville on tv every year, and I always want nothing more than just to be there. But this year, I'm not. This year, I'm in Prague, Czech Republic. Who knows where I'll be next year? Wherever I am, I can promise you that I will drop everything to cheer on my Gators, especially against Georgia. (In all fairness, I actually really appreciate Georgia's coach, Mark Richter, and his outspoken Christianity.)

It's been a rough week here. Do you ever feel like your life is spiraling into the blues, and you can see it, but you just can't stop it? That's the kind of week it's been here, not just for me, but I think for all of us. I have to be honest--we clearly felt that God was moving us to Prague from Moscow. Clearly. No doubt about it. But since we've been here, it seems like nothing will go right. Not ministry--that's going well. But in terms of our personal life, it has been a hard four months, with bad news seeming to come from every corner. Every time we turn around, something goes wrong. (Case in point--7 weeks to get our new internet installed, and several charges we didn't expect.) It started when we'd been here for a week and the desk fell on Marc's mouth, an issue that still isn't resolved and which still causes Marc a good amount of pain. Marc's trip to Russia the last two weeks was the hardest, most difficult trip he's ever taken. Illness, financial struggling, loneliness...it has not been easy to be here. Add to that a homesickness, both for the States and for Moscow, and weeks of nothing but gray skies, and it's a recipe for sadness. On top of that, we're still unclear as to what our next step should be, adding frustration and impatience to everything else. Not a good week.

But He is Lord. And He answers when I call, every single time. Has He made any of this go away? No. But to be honest, I haven't asked him to change anything...just to show me how He is at work. I don't need to see the big picture, but I need enough light to get to the next step. And I need enough of His grace and mercy and lovingkindness to keep walking on this path that He has designed for me. He is always faithful to give that to me. Sometimes, it is through my family. Nobody makes me laugh harder than my children and husband, my sisters and parents. Sometimes, it is through the kindness of people on the field. The school I have been subbing for offered to pay for Hannah to attend their retreat this weekend, something we simply could not afford. Often, it is friends on the field. A chance meeting at the park that turns into a long conversation, a call from my closest friends, pictures of a ladies night in Moscow where I was missed, even the smack talk of colleagues who, for unknown reasons, are Gator-haters...these all bring encouragement. And sometimes, as we face the uncertainty that surrounds us, it is people from home. Maybe it's a package with goodies we can't get here. Maybe it's a check slipped into my Daddy's hand at church to be deposited "for the kids." Maybe it's a Sunday School class asking what we'd like for Christmas. Whatever it is, it is always done at precisely the moment we most need it. Inevitably, when I am most discouraged, God provides encouragement through people who are willing to be used by Him. His goodness is amazing.

And so, this morning, I am not thinking about the gray outside. I am not thinking about the bad news of the economic downturn and what that means for us. I am not worrying about money or college choices or friends for my kids. I am simply basking in the glow of a God who loves me more than I can imagine, a God who is always right on time. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you know how much He loves you, and I challenge you to trust Him no matter what your circumstances may be. And I also hope you are going to spend the day getting ready for gametime, when your team, the mighty Gators of the University of Florida, will completely stomp (and chomp) the Bulldogs of the University of Georgia. Go Gators!! Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

There goes my mother-of-the-year award

My little man

The best way to deal with sin has never been to attempt reform but to adore the Savior. We win over our lower nature through adoration. While we worship the enthroned, inner Christ, we cannot be controlled by our negative preoccupation with sin. --Calvin Miller

I know! Two posts in one week after a month-long silence--weird! But something happened last night that I wanted to share. Nothing earth-shattering. Just a reminder of how God works in our lives.

Let me start by saying that I am overly tired. I am homeschooling my three kids, teaching a class at the local Christian school, teaching ESL to Russian-speaking preschoolers, and starting a Sunday School class at my church. On top of that, I am working through a Bible study with friends, trying to keep up with housework, cooking, and a husband who travels a lot, and when he's not traveling is perpetually on deadline. I am hoping to be done with the class at the local school in a couple of weeks, since that is not something I am committed to in terms of ministry here--I am just filling in for a teacher who hasn't come, yet. One of the things I am learning to do is say 'no' to things that are good, but not the best that God has for me. It's hard, though--I want to help. I want to make things better for others. But my family is definitely suffering as I try to do too much, and teaching the extra class is definitely the thing that has to go. Marc and Sarah Beth have also been gone for about 10 days, and they don't return until Sunday night, so that adds to the stress of my life at the moment. So--I'm tired.

By the time I got home last night with Hannah and John (we teach preschool ESL at our church on Tuesday afternoons), I was really worn out. When Marc is out of town on Tuesdays, I don't even attempt to cook after we get home, so I take the kids to McDonald's. And then, because we were there, and when you carry your groceries you are ALWAYS picking things up, we went by Tesco, which is as close to a Wal-mart as we're going to find here. Add 15 minutes standing up on the crowded tram, and it was a recipe for a grumpy Mom. And I was definitely feeling grumpy. When we got home, I had to grade tests, read an assignment, and type out assignments for the extra class I'm teaching, and so I basically ignored my children while they occupied themselves. I didn't finish doing those things until around 10:30 (see why the class has to go?), and then I realized I was late getting them to bed. Hannah is never a problem to get to bed, but John is ALWAYS difficult to get to sleep. We never have a night where he doesn't come out with "just one question" or some other excuse to get up. He just hates going to sleep. By 10:45, when I was still asking him repeatedly to get his teeth brushed, I was annoyed. By 11:00, when he yelled from his room that the music was making a funny noise, I was beyond annoyed. When I went in to turn it off, I pulled the covers around him and sighed as I walked out of the room. He said, "Mommy, are you okay?" And without thinking, I replied, "Yes, I'm okay, John. It's just that you're so difficult, and I would love to have just one night where you were easy to deal with." As I closed the bathroom door, I heard his little voice say, "But you love me that way, right Mom? You still love me that way?" Ouch.

Of course, I ran in to kiss him and assure him that I love him any way he is, that even when I am tired and grumpy, I love him just the way he is. He smiled, turned over, and pretty quickly went to sleep. But I was up for a while. I was upset with myself for being so careless with my words. It reminded me, too, of the many times I am confronted with my own sin, and in my own little voice I say to God, "But you still love me, right? You love me even when I'm like that?" He always does the Godly equivalent of pulling the blankets around me and covering me with kisses, just like I did with John. And it reminded me, too, that while I am looking at the twig in someone else's eye, I might want to examine the log in my own. I'm not exactly low-maintenance myself. I might want to calm down on the "you're so difficult" talk, since I'm pretty sure my husband and children (and maybe anyone else who knows me) could say exactly the same to me.

I don't have any grand conclusion to draw for you from this incident, except that I am grateful for a Father who loves me in all my high-maintenance, type-A personality, difficult-to-deal-with glory, and I'm thankful for the chance to wake up on a new day and try again to be the mother God created me to be, and not the stinky, careless Mom I can sometimes be without thinking. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are waking up to try again to be all God created you to be, and that you are only a few days away from your husband coming home from Russia. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

What's next? Only God knows

The gorgeous view from the Alps above Berchtesgaden, Germany. This is where Hitler's Eagle's Nest is located. Literally breathtaking.
Moon over Salzburg, Austria. This is now one of my favorite spots on earth. So beautiful!
The two of us at a lake--Mondsee?--on our way to some sights related to The Sound of Music. Yes, Marc was a patient, good guy, and let me drag him around to different spots from the movie. It was a great trip!

Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days--you would not believe if you were told. Habakkuk 1:5

Well, my friends...it's been a while. I am usually a more faithful writer than I have been since I wrote last a month ago! But between our trip to Austria, Marc and Sarah Beth's trip to Russia (leaving me as a single parent), and my teaching schedule, which has me out of the house teaching something most days...well, I've been busy. I'm only able to write this morning because I let the kids stay up kind of late last night, and they are still asleep. Those of you who know John certainly know that once he's up and going, there is little time (or quiet) for thinking reflectively and writing.

I'm working through a Bible study with some of the ladies here in Prague which focuses on God's greatness. I'm enjoying the study, which is written by James McDonald, and I'm daily amazed at the things I'm learning about God that I thought I already knew. It's not that there are big revelations to me, but more that at a time in our lives where we are constantly seeking God's will for what is next for us, I am in a position to see how God is above all and in charge of all. When we decided to come to the field five or so years ago, it was a major shock to our systems, because the future suddenly didn't look like we thought it would look. Now, as we wind down this term (our leave date is August 10) and contemplate what God has for us, we are, again, faced with a future that may not look exactly like we planned. And it's not that we weren't listening to God when we made plans, because we were. I just think that maybe we don't always dream big enough or see the world in the way He does. We see the world and the future through human eyes, because that's what we have, and it's hard to see through His eyes.

I would be lying if I said thoughts about the future haven't stressed us out a little. Not knowing exactly what's next...well, I'm a type-A girl, and not knowing makes me CRAZY! But there is comfort in this--we've said yes to whatever He has for us, and He has a plan. And His plan is better than anything we could dream up for ourselves. It might not be easier than anything we could dream up for ourselves, but it's definitely better. We know, because we've been on the front row for the amazing things He's done in the last five years of our lives, and He never fails us nor forsakes us. It turns out when He said in the Bible that He wouldn't do that...He wasn't kidding. Those weren't just nice words. He's a God of His Word. He can be trusted. So we trust and obey. And we try not to think too much about where we'll be this time next year, because we know He has a clear view of what we cannot see right now.

Well, Hannah is awake, so it's time for me to get going. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are trusting the God of Everything with the things you cannot see, and that the forecast for your part of the world does not include snow. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

Making a case for the hard choices

My precious babies. Love them.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

Let me start by saying this: This isn't what my life at 42 is supposed to be. First of all, by now I should be a principal of some school. I should live in a house. I should be on the praise team at my church, singing every week with my friends. I should be visiting colleges with Sarah Beth. I should be with my Mom and Daddy. That's what my life should look like at 42, according to the plans I made for myself way back when. Of course, my life looks nothing like that. I'm not a principal of any school. I volunteer at the local international school by teaching 10th grade English until their regular teacher makes it to Prague. I volunteer at my church by teaching English to preschoolers. I live in an apartment that isn't mine. I definitely don't sing on the praise team at church. In fact, I struggle to understand 50-60% of what goes on at my church. In the 2+ years since I left my home church, the only time I've sung in public was at Bella Notte at the kids' school last fall. I did not get to visit colleges with Sarah Beth, and I'll barely be back in the States in time to take her to college next summer. And though I saw my Daddy last Christmas, when he came to visit us in Moscow, I haven't seen my Momma in 2 years. Yep...life has definitely not turned out the way I planned.

Lest you think this is my version of a pity party, let me tell you that all of those things were my own choice. I chose to come to Europe. I chose to learn another language. I chose to leave my parents. I chose to leave my home church. I chose to leave my job. No one forced me to do any of those things. I chose all of them. We could go to an international church here in Prague (lots and lots of English speakers here), but we choose to go to Russian church. Not because it's the easier choice, but because it's the right choice for us. I long for and miss Russia very, very much, but I know that Prague is the right choice for us right now.

So why would I make these choices, which seem to go against the grain of everything I thought I wanted for myself and my family? Simple. The call of God is unavoidable. It's compelling. He's nothing if not persistent. Beyond His sacrifice of His own son, His grace and mercy and overwhelming love for me compel me to obedience. And obedience, for right now, means that we are often faced with the choice of what's good and what's best. None of the things I mentioned above are bad things. They were all part of the ministry I had in the States. And I firmly believe that if I'd stayed there, continuing in those things, God would have blessed them as He had for years. But I would have missed out on having a front-row seat for the display of God's miraculous nature that I've had since coming here. I would have missed out on knowing Him the way I know Him. The work here would certainly have gone on and prospered without me, but my life would be less, somehow...less than what it's supposed to be. Less than I was created to be. Less.

And so, this morning I am making a case for the hard choices. Make one choice today that you know He's asking you to make, and then watch what happens. I promise you the blessings will come. Not financial, and certainly not ease of life, but something far greater--you'll know Him more. You'll trust Him more. It doesn't mean the hard choices will get easier--that hasn't been my experience--but it does mean that you will, more and more, become the person God created you to be. That doesn't mean that He'll call you overseas, so don't panic. It also doesn't mean that what is God's best for you is God's best for someone else, so don't get too wrapped up in what other people should do, because that's probably not any of your business. (For my family, I'm channeling Miss Louise--take care of yourself, and you've got a mighty big job to do.) But it does mean that it's probably time to talk to the guy in the next desk about your faith, or the neighbor, or the kid in homeroom with you.

On a totally separate note, the leader of our company announced his retirement yesterday. Our company is infinitely better because we've been led for the last 17 years by Jerry and Bobbye Rankin, faithful folks who are the embodiment of servant leadership. My favorite story about "Uncle Jerry," as he's affectionately known among those who work with us, is that early in our training he came for a three-day session on spiritual warfare. In the middle of his first day there, he was taking questions, and he pointed to someone at the next table from us, calling him by name. At first, nobody thought anything of that, because we all had nametags. But you could feel the shock spread across the room as we all, one by one, realized that the young man who had asked the question wasn't wearing his tag. Dr. Rankin knew his name because he'd prayed for him. He'd prayed for all of us. We knew then that he was someone worth following, because it was clear who he was following. We are sad at the thought of not having the Rankins at work on behalf of the millions of people who don't know Christ, but I am confident that God will continue to use them in significant and amazing ways.

Wherever you are in the world, I challenge you to make the hard choice today, and I hope your husband is coming home from Russia, too! Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

Tearing down some statues

. This picture in front of Lenin's tomb really says it all, doesn't it? Hannah and Sarah Beth are giggling, John is making some kind of strange gesture, Marc is trying to look normal, and I look like I'm going to kill someone. (I was trying to look stern and Russian...but crazy was what I came up with, huh?) We are an interesting group.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. II Corinthians 10:3-5

It is downright chilly this morning in Prague, and the cats and I are enjoying a rare quiet morning together. Our friends took John and Hannah yesterday to their house, and we are meeting them in Plzen this morning, so the house is VERY quiet. It's pretty nice, I have to tell you. Actually, the cats are sacked out on the couch, curled up with John's jacket that he left there yesterday, so I'm pretty much enjoying this time to myself. We went out to dinner last night (a rarity for us), and we just thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I pray I will never become so accustomed to the beauty of Prague that I fail to be awed by the city at night. It truly is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Today we will get on a train to Plzen and enjoy the Czech countryside outside our window. Not a bad way to spend a morning. Of course, the big news today is that it's the start of college football season--yes, for those of you who know us, Marc IS making his famous chili for us tonight. We have plans made for an entire afternoon and evening of watching football with our friends. It's not a bad life.

Marc and Hannah returned from Poland on Tuesday, and they had a wonderful and productive trip. We are headed back to Poland for Thanksgiving, and I can hardly wait after seeing their pictures. It's gorgeous. It is definitely a perk of this life that we get to do some traveling around Europe. I began teaching English lessons on Tuesday afternoon (that is a tale for another blog), and on Friday I agreed to help fill in for an English teacher at the Christian school three blocks away. (I can't help myself. It's a sickness, really. All you have to say to me are the words 'English' and 'teacher'--it's like Batman's signal in the sky. I gotta buy a cape.) Again, that's a topic for another blog. Something interesting happened with John this week, and I really want to share it and tell you how God used it in my life.

If you have been a reader of this blog for a while, you know that John is hyperactive. Now, if you haven't dealt with hyperactive kids, you probably think that means he just has a lot of energy. He does have a lot of energy, but there are a host of other issues that come along with hyperactivity. Let me go on the record as saying that I firmly believe God created John for a purpose, and that his hyperactivity is part of that purpose. John could be the guy to cure cancer, because he does not see the same world you and I do. He has John-vision, and I thoroughly believe that some day, that is going to be a tremendous blessing not only for John, but for all of us who love him. It does, however, come with some challenges, one of which is a tendency toward obsession. John is not a let-it-go kind of guy. And the things he can't let go are often strange to me. For example, this week, it was his "statue."

John's "statue" was a plastic cup filled with water and a McDonald's toy that John put in the freezer as a science experiment. John loves science, and he often asks to "make an experiment," and as long as it isn't going to hurt him or blow anything up, I generally agree. You cannot imagine the many things that have been frozen in my freezer over the years. So when he asked to put this in the freezer to see how it would freeze, I agreed. What I didn't know was that we would spend two days checking on it every ten minutes. In the middle of math. In the middle of reading. "Can I check on my statue?" was the question of the day. I finally asked him, "John, do you think you're becoming a little obsessed with this?" "Yes, Mommy. But I just can't help myself." Finally, in what was a pretty big moment of growth for him, John came and asked if he could destroy his statue. "I just think I can't stop thinking about it if I know it's there, Mom." I agreed that this was a wise decision on his part, and then we had the fun of watching it melt and seeing how long that took. I was proud of John. It's hard for him to let go, and he did it on his own. That's big and giant for my little hyperactive boy.

It occurred to me later in the week that I could use some statue tearing down of my own. While I don't have anything in the freezer besides hamburger at the moment, there are some pretty persistent things in my thought life that keep me from being who God created me to be. Things like my perception of what I "bring to the table" on the field. Things like who I think I'm supposed to be as opposed to who God created me to be. Things like what the next step in our lives is. Those are some pretty hefty "statues" that have been keeping me metaphorically checking the freezer every ten minutes instead of focusing on this moment, on what God has laid in my lap in terms of ministry, on what my family needs from me now instead of next year. I don't know about you, but in my life, sin creeps in through my thought life. I'm unlikely to do something outrageously sinful in the eyes of the world--murder, adultery, theft--I'm probably going to leave those alone. But God sees my thought life, and His word says He is just as mortified by what He sees there as He is by those "obvious" sins. It's those things that keep me from Him, that keep me at a distance from the person I am supposed to be. And I really want to be that person. I really do.

Well, it's time for me to jump in the shower and get going. Marc is still asleep, and I have cinnamon rolls in the breadmaker to surprise him. Today is a big day for all of us--we are truly college football fanatics. I'm going to enjoy every second of it. Wherever you are in the world, I challenge you to look around at your own statues that need tearing down, and I hope that your husband is making his fabulous chili for college game day, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

Who are your Russians?

I love this picture, not just because it's a good pic of the girls in Moscow, but because you can see the outline of the African continent that S.B. has embroidered on this shirt. She is passionate about Africa like I am passionate about Russia.

For God so loved the world...John 3:16a

What is this story you would lay down your life to tell? Steven Curtis Chapman, "No Greater Love"

It's another gorgeous day in Prague, and I am up early with the cats, one of whom is literally sitting across my forearms as I type. They are not our cats, but they are sweet, and we really do love them, although waking up at 5:30 every morning to the sandpaper tongue across my cheek is not my favorite thing. We spent a lovely, wonderful weekend in Plzen with our friends, enjoying the beauty of the city and getting to know our new country a little better. We can take the train and be there in about an hour and a half, so I'm sure we will do more of that as time goes by. We are blessed to be close to people we love so much.

Plzen is on the way to our favorite place in Czech Republic--Karlovy Vary. It is the most beautiful place on earth, in my opinion, and we can't wait to visit it again this fall. It is surrounded by beautiful hills, and the natural beauty coupled with the grandeur of Czech architecture is nearly breathtaking. But it isn't the beauty of Karlovy Vary that makes it our favorite place in Czech Republic. It's who lives there. You see, Karlovy Vary is so Russian that its airport has daily direct flights to Moscow. It is a favorite vacation spot for Russians, and many of the workers are also Russian. The signs outside shops are often in Russian, German, English and Czech. (It's very near the border with Germany.) It is, at its very core, a Russian town in the Czech Republic. We fell in love with it the second we stepped foot in it almost a year ago. Some day, we would love to live and work and minister there.

You don't have to know us very well to know that we are passionate about Russians. One of my very best friends said to me recently that it only takes being in a room with us for about an hour to know that we are deeply committed to Russian people. Talk to us for very long, and we will bring the conversation around to Russia and Russians. We go to church every week and only understand about 60% of the sermons--all three of them--because the church is ministering to Russian-speaking people and seeking to evangelize a Russian-speaking neighborhood. Russian phrases pepper our language, we speak Russian often in our home, our children study Russian as part of school...because we love Russians and want to be able to communicate with them. We now live in a city where we could speak nothing but English and do ministry...but we seek out places where we know Russian-speakers will be. Why? Certainly not because it's the easiest road we could take. But God has placed in us a burning desire for Russians to know Him. He has placed within us a burden for Russians to know the truth that will set them free. I read a Time magazine article Sunday about the levels of alcoholism amongst the Russian people, and I went outside and sat and cried, because it broke my heart to think of these people I love so much, who are literally drinking themselves to death. I am not a selfless person. I am not naturally inclined to think of anyone but myself and my family. I am as self-absorbed as the next person, I promise. But when God gives you a burden for a group of people, He makes it unavoidable. Talk to our friends who are passionate about Czechs, our friends who are passionate about Serbs, about Brazilians...God-given passion is inexplicable and unavoidable.

So maybe you think that kind of passion is only for missionaries. I don't see anything in the Great Commission that says, "If you're a missionary, collect the funds and go tell the world about Me." Nope. Pretty sure it's for all of us who call ourselves Christ-followers. In doing some research for Marc on Unreached Unengaged People Groups (UUPGs), I visited a website the researcher for our company sent me. It was staggering. Page after page of people groups who have never heard the name of Jesus, who have no access to the Bible in their language, who have no known evangelical presence. Four pages for Russia alone. (Yep, that's the first country I looked at--I can't help myself.) Twenty-eight pages for the U.S. (though in fairness, many of those are not totally unengaged). Whoever you are and wherever you are, there are people who desperately need to know the good news about Jesus Christ. They live next door and across the street from you, just like they live next door and across the street from me.

So here's my challenge to you--if you are already passionate about a group God has laid on your heart, do something about it this week. Pray for them. Find out about them. Figure out a way to minister to them. And if you aren't passionate about any particular group, ask God to lay someone on your heart. If you ask and honestly seek His passion, I promise He'll be faithful to give you what you seek. The more I know Christ, the more I know for sure that His gift of salvation was meant for everyone, and the more I'm convinced it's my responsibility to share it with others. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that God has given you a passionate burden to see others know Him, and that you are trying out a really good recipe tonight, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

There's a sweet, sweet spirit....

John and his "friend"--he was supposed to greet kids as they came into the ministry event on Saturday, but was soon distracted by the other children. He mostly played with everyone he saw.

But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, to those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them. Psalm 103:17-18

The bells are ringing as I write this, which means it is 7 a.m., and I must get moving. I've been up since 4:30, but stayed in bed until 4:50 in an effort to sleep until the alarm went off at 6. And as is the usual story, the more time I have to do stuff, the further behind I get. Something weird about my personality, I guess. I should already be exercising in order to get my shower and have the kids up by 8:15, and clearly I'm not exercising while writing this. So I need to get a move on in order to stay on schedule on this, our first day of school.

Things here in Prague continue to go really well. We are in love with our new church, a small Russian-speaking church plant across town from us. It takes us about 45 minutes to get there--which is about half of what it took us to get to church in Moscow, so I'm not complaining. We had a great event on Saturday, with lots and lots of children from predominantly Russian-speaking homes showing up to play games and make crafts. What was really exciting for us was that the church members came and stayed--it wasn't a 'missionary-only' event. The church members seem excited about and really committed to their church, and it's fun and very rewarding to be involved in something like that.

Yesterday, Marc preached a sermon on church history and its impact on the 21st century church. It was really interesting, which surprised me. Not that Marc was interesting--that didn't surprise me at all, since I've found him interesting for about 20 years, now. But the topic seemed a little dull to us at first, and involved a good amount of research. It was honestly really interesting to listen to the connections between church history and the church today. It was a great day at church. I'd judge that I understood somewhere in the 50-60% range, which is great compared to what I sometimes can understand. (I read and write Russian pretty well, but my understanding and speaking have definitely lagged behind.) I was able to hold conversations with other people, and I even picked up most of the announcements (except I missed one critical word--baptism-- which made one announcement confusing). No person on any field anywhere struggled with language as much as I did, I promise. You try learning a new language while homeschooling three kids--it's almost impossible. And I can remember days when I would just cry at the thought that Irina was going to show up and make me talk my way through some scenario in which I had to use verbs of motion (don't ask, they're a nightmare). But I am so thankful that we were given language that has enabled us to follow God's call on our lives to minister to Russians. It's still a struggle every day, and I know that I'll NEVER feel like I'm fluent in Russian, and after three sermons and lots of music all in Russian we come home pretty exhausted...but I'm grateful that I can hold a conversation and understand a good amount of a sermon.

Something that really touched my heart as a Mom yesterday was the lady who sat behind John. It was SOOOOO hot in that room. Poor John (whose Mommy wasn't really thinking) had on long pants and a short-sleeved shirt, and he was sweating to death. (Russians are really superstitious about drafts, so there was no air flowing through that room, I promise.) Add to that three sermons, two sets of songs, and the Lord's Supper all, of course, in Russian...and my hyperactive little boy was really struggling through the 2.5 hour service. At one point I looked over at him, and he had laid his head against the back of the chair, and the sweet woman behind him was just stroking his hair to help him stay calm. She did that through the whole service. After the service was over, she hugged and kissed him and me before leaving. I thought she was just really precious. There is a sweetness to the fellowship between believers, regardless of differences in culture, age, and language. It is one of the best things about this life. No, my kids don't understand a lot of what goes on in church...but I think they know they are loved by the people there. So we love our church...but I'm definitely praying for cooler weather next Sunday!

Well, it's time to exercise, shower, make breakfast, and get the kids up for their first day of school. John was not very excited about starting this morning, but Hannah is ready to go, so hopefully, it will be a great first day. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are thankful for the sweet fellowship of other believers, and that you found ready-made blinis in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

Being encouraged

We have had the chance to see some amazing things. Here is one of my favorites--Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. This picture was actually taken from a boat on the Moskva river.
Statue of Jan Hus in the middle of Old Town Square, Prague. Jan Hus was a 14th century reformer, burned for heresy about a century before Luther nailed his theses to the door. He was from Bohemia, which is now part of Czech Republic.
Beautiful Prague. So different from the beauty of Moscow--lots of beautiful spires everywhere, because the churches here are mostly Catholic. Very different from our onion domes in Russia--the hallmark of Russian Orthodox churches. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the domes a little.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

It is a gorgeous, blue-skied morning here in Prague, Czech Republic. I am enjoying mug number two of "real" coffee, after drinking (and being thankful for!) the instant stuff for a week. We arrived home yesterday evening from a week-long camp in the mountains along the border of Czech Republic and Poland. Absolutely beautiful. I cannot imagine being there, seeing the incredible beauty, and not knowing for certain that some power higher than mere man created all of that. Chaos and randomness look nothing like those mountains, trust me. Chaos looks like my living room at the moment, which is full of the laundry I am desperately trying to get done in order to pack Sarah Beth's suitcase for her trip to the States this week. We enjoyed ourselves very much, but we were definitely glad to be home. This next week will be spent seeing Sarah Beth off on her trip and preparing to start school with the other two the next week. We are also going to be finishing up putting the house together--we still have not a single picture on the walls, and our stuff is definitely not as organized as it must be for Marc and the kids to work here. So it will be a busy week.

The English camp we worked at this past week was very interesting to me, very different from the kind of ministry we've done in Russia. Although many people on the field in Russia are working with the Russian Baptist Union, we did not, at least not in Moscow. It isn't that we avoided them or anything like that, but Marc's job didn't entail a close relationship with the RBU in Moscow. Now, he has several extremely close, important relationships with RBU churches outside of Moscow, places he has been as part of his travels around the country, churches he adores and where he is mightily adored. There are some really exciting things going on around Russia, great partnerships between folks in the States and churches on the ground. But because I stayed in Moscow and didn't travel with Marc, I never really got a feeling for what that kind of partnership could be--beyond going to church every week and trying to understand the sermon.

This week was really interesting for me, because although there were Americans there--four families working for our company and a team from Montana--we were definitely not in charge. A wonderful, loving Czech Baptist church was in charge. What an encouragement they were to me--just watching their passion and their clear sense of mission to reach their own people. And the love they showed us--amazing. We spent the first night at the home of one of the families in the church, and we were treated so well. Then a great day Sunday in church, where there weren't enough seats for everyone. Then a delicious lunch provided by the church. And even the folks who couldn't speak a word of English (my Czech is currently limited to 'yes' 'no' 'please' and 'thank you'--all of which I say like a Russian) were so friendly and wonderful. Marc has had that kind of partnership experience, so I don't know that it was a big deal for him, but it was for me. It was just an encouraging week all around.

I'll be honest with you--I have no clue where we'll be in a year. Could be coming back to Prague, going back to Russia, or headed home to the States to stay for a while. I just don't know. But I do know this for sure--the experiences we have had in the last two years, the things we've seen, the people we've met--I wouldn't trade a single minute of any of it...even the hard minutes. Just when I think I know God, have Him figured out--He does something else amazing, and He shows me some other aspect of who He is. I knew God in Middleburg, Florida. I really did. But the way in which I know God now...worth every hardship of the last two years, every stupid language blooper I've made, every tear I've shed for my children...worth it all. You know why? Because He is worth everything I have to give. I knew that before. But I KNOW it now. And I'm thankful for that knowledge.

One last thing--this week marked the anniversary of my Mimsey's death. I never get past August 6th without a few tears, and I guess I never will. She was a precious, priceless woman with a gentleness and a kindness that I can only vaguely hope to attain some day. I don't think I'm much like my Mimsey, but oh, how glad I am that I had all those years with her in my life. So last night, while Marc was getting McDonald's to take home for the kids, I bought some peach ice cream and cried a little, thinking of all the times I sat on her back porch, turning the hand crank of the ice cream maker, listening to her hum a tune in the kitchen. And because he knows me better than I know me, Marc came up and whispered, "They'd be so proud of your life." So I smiled and cried a little more...and walked home to the kids I know she would have been so crazy about if she'd lived long enough to know them. So even though August 6th always makes me a little sad, I am so thankful for the idyllic summers I spent with both sets of grandparents in Clarksville, Tennessee, for the relationships with my grandparents, and for the Godly influence they had on my life. I am, indeed, a blessed woman. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are thinking about the ways God is encouraging you, and that you don't have a pile of laundry calling your name. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

Clearly, we're too young to have been married this long

My beautiful kids...amazing to think how they have grown in the last two years. Time has definitely not stood still!

Not to us, O LORD, no to us, but to Your name give glory because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth. Psalm 115:1

It is a beautiful morning in Prague, and I am settling in to write with a delicious cup of German coffee, courtesy of friends who brought us a treat from their trip to Berlin. One of the joys of living in this part of the world is the ability to travel easily (borders are open between EU countries) and see a little more of the world than we could from Russia (not an EU country, and definitely not an open border!). To be honest, we could do nothing but travel around Czech Republic and see some amazing things--this is one of the most beautiful places God created.

We are settling in slowly but surely. The boxes arrived from Moscow on Wednesday, and while there is still a great deal to do in order to be done unpacking, we are definitely heading in that direction. It is good to have our pictures and the things we have collected in Russia--it makes this feel more like home to us. We have spent some time with friends, which is wonderful. It's a blessing to have some built-in relationships, but also fun to build new ones. Prague is a much smaller city than Moscow, and even the folks who are "way out" from the center aren't more than an hour from us, and many people are only a few blocks away. (In Moscow, it took us right around an hour to get to the homes of friends...that was the norm.) So we feel like we can see anybody we want without making a big production out of it. That's fun. There are a good many kids here, and our children are definitely enjoying that. Hannah spent the week with our friends, the Lewises, in Plzen--about an hour or so by car from Prague--working in an English camp. She had a wonderful time. Hannah loves to go and work...she is definitely not content to just "live life" and have that be her ministry.

Tomorrow is our 19th wedding anniversary. That's just bizarre to even think about, frankly. (I hope you just thought, "Wow! They must have been teenagers when they married." C'mon. Be a little surprised that we have been married that long!) We were young--22--when we married...and so stupid. When I look back and think about some of the decisions we made over the years that were just idiotic...well, I'm amazed by God's immense grace toward us. We ran for years from God's call on our lives. And it isn't like we didn't live a fulfilling, fun life as we ran from that call. But on this side of the call, having finally listened and obeyed, I can definitely testify that God's best for us is infinitely better than the "good" lives we were living. Even when this life is hard, it is far better than what I would have chosen for us if left to my own devices. Safe, secure lives are fine, but living this adventure with my very best friend...so good.

It hasn't been all sunshine and roses for the last two years, though. It's been hard. Really, really hard. For one thing, change of any kind stresses a marriage. Add to that children who are transitioning and a country that isn't your own, and it could be a recipe for disaster. But God has been faithful and gracious, and we've survived. You know the hardest thing about the last two years, at least for our marriage? Marc's happiness and success. He came to the field and thrived. I came to the field and completely lost who I thought I was. Every single thing I counted as mine--my career, my success as a teacher, my ability as a student, my ability to communicate, my singing--gone. Wiped out in one plane trip to Russia. I would love to say that I stepped into Moscow, donned my apron, and became a quiet little wife. That, of course, would be a lie, and I am contractually obligated to tell the truth. In my own defense, I tried. But oooohhhh...how I failed. Failed at being the perfect wife, the perfect mother, the perfect missionary, the perfect language student...the perfect anything. And that was hard, my friends...on me, on the kids, and definitely on Marc and our marriage. Over time, I have learned that being successful in this life looks different than being successful in my former life. I've learned that being a missionary might look a little different for me than for other people, but that's okay. And I've learned that nobody on earth, not even my parents and sisters--who are completely biased about me, thank God--nobody believes in me more than Marc. Marc, it turns out, never wanted me to be anything but exactly who I am. It is one of God's greatest blessings--having someone who loves you exactly as you are, warts and all. Just one more blessing to add to the list of the many, many things I don't deserve, but am oh, so grateful for on a daily basis.

Normally, I would end this by saying something like, "So this morning, I am thankful for my husband," but that would be too little. There is never a morning that I don't wake up and thank God for Marc. Literally. Before my feet hit the floor. It's the first thing I say to God every morning. I hope I never get over the blessing of being married to Marc. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are amazed by the person God has given you to love best, and that you get to spend the day with one of your closest friends, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

Thank you, thank you...did I mention, thank you?

My babies on Red Square. They have certainly grown in our two years on the field, haven't they?

Many a soul begins to come to God when he flings off being religious, because there is only one master of the human heart, and that is not religion but Jesus Christ. --Oswald Chambers

It is a cold, rainy, gray morning here in Prague, and if I'm really honest--I'm glad. It was super hot a few days this week, and it was miserable. Eighty-five may not sound that hot, but when you live on the top floor and don't have air conditioning...it's a little sweatier than I like to be! So we're enjoying the cool a bit, and we're definitely not complaining about the rain, no matter what it does to my hair. I am enjoying a cup of Starbucks and listening to the quiet. Not a bad way to spend the morning. We are keeping our friends' children--a four-year-old and three-year-old twins--so quiet has been quite the rare commodity for the last few days. We must have worn them out yesterday, though, because they are still asleep this morning.

It's been quite a week here in our new city. Hannah has had two different sleepovers--one at our house, another at a friend's--and headed to Plzen (pronounced Plizen in Czech, which is notorious for its lack of vowels) with our friends Larry and Melissa yesterday. She will be working with them at an English Camp this week along with a team from FBC Forney, TX. Sarah Beth and John have been helping me with the kids, and Sarah Beth is getting ready for (and very excited about) her five weeks in the States in August and September. We spent some time at the park near us, which is the most amazing park I've ever seen, and I met several women who spoke English and were very friendly. (Parks are great for meeting people, but I could never get much conversation going in Russia--a combination of my so-so Russian and a general distrust of strangers in that culture.) But the big event of our week was, unfortunately, Marc's accident.

Marc is working from home, and in order to do so, he needed a desk that can accommodate his equipment, so the office here gave him a large, heavy metal L-shaped desk. On Tuesday, he was in the loft putting it together (the living room has a nice-sized loft in it), and I was below him making a call to the States when I felt a vibration in my feet and heard him scream. A metal beam from the desk had fallen on his face, and a second beam had hit him across his arms and chest. Of course, this did a pretty good amount of damage. After an emergency trip to the dentist and a series of x-rays and a root canal, he has a splint on his top right teeth and a lot of pain. He fractured his front right tooth right under his nose, and the other teeth moved inward. The dentist is still not sure if the teeth will remain "viable," but we're hopeful. Above all, we are grateful to God for the little damage that was done in comparison to what could have happened. After I looked at what fell on him, I began running different scenarios--what if it had hit an inch upward, or what if he hadn't turned his head when he saw it coming--and realized that our situation is about as good as it could be given the circumstances, and it could have been a thousand times worse than it was.

So, we're grateful this morning. Grateful for a God who looks out for us in every detail of life--even the accidents that happen along the way. Grateful to work for a company that takes ridiculously good care of us. Grateful to every Southern Baptist who has ever put money in the plate for the Cooperative Program or for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Maybe until now, that was just something you did "for the missionaries"--that nameless, faceless group of people somewhere in Africa. And don't get me wrong--there is nothing wrong with that. But I hope the next time you contribute, the next time you tithe and your church gives part of that money to the CP, I hope you will remember that your offering isn't going to nameless, faceless people, but to my family in Prague, to pay for our home, our homeschool materials, our salary so we can buy food, and yes, in some cases, our emergency root canals and dental work. Your offering is going to our friends in Plzen, our friends in Brazil, our friends in very dangerous and closed parts of the world. We aren't nameless or faceless, but real people living everyday, real lives across the world, praying that God will use us to impact the darkness of a world that doesn't know Him. Sometimes, in the midst of those real lives, desk parts fall on us--and you make it possible for us to not worry about the financial aspect of the accident. You make life here, in one of the most atheistic nations on earth, possible. We could not be here without you.

So this morning, my family says thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. For every dime you've given. For every prayer you've said. For just remembering us. Thank you. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are grateful for the people who make your life possible, and that no desk parts fall on you this week. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

Good morning from Prague!

Me and my man by the Aegean Sea. Not a bad life we lead, is it?
The family posing in front of the Aegean Sea. Sarah Beth had a worship service she had to attend, so she couldn't be in the picture, but otherwise, I think it's pretty good. Not real sure what John is looking at, though. No telling, really.

I am here not to realize myself, but to know Jesus. In Christian work the initiative is too often the realization that something has to be done and I must do it. That is never the attitude of the spiritual saint, his aim is to secure the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances he is in. Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

It is a rainy, cold morning in Prague, and I am thoroughly enjoying a cup of Starbucks House Blend. My wonderful husband brought me some from a trip he made yesterday. It's my one extravagance on the field--I like to have really good coffee every morning. Things here are going well--we arrived on Monday afternoon and have been working on settling in ever since. Our boxes are on a truck still in Moscow, so that's not ideal, but it worked out okay, since now we will have everything ready before our stuff arrives sometime this week or next. Hopefully, that will mean that when it does arrive, unpacking will be a little bit easier. It's never easy, though, is it? But we are settling in to life here, which is very different from life in Moscow. We are enjoying the new apartment, which has a good amount of space, and we are getting to know the neighborhood. It's really nice to have a neighborhood--definitely something we missed in our part of Moscow.

One thing that has been particularly great about our week is the incredibly warm welcome we have received. We really feel like people are glad we are here, and that is such a blessing. It was not an easy decision to come here--we love Russia and Russians, and we really struggled with the idea of leaving both. But God has confirmed for us, again and again, the decision we made to be here. That doesn't mean I don't miss my friends in Russia, because I do, or that I am not a little overwhelmed by Czech, because I am. We have already begun to seek out places where Russian-speakers are. Sarah Beth came home from buying shampoo earlier in the week with the good news that the owner of the store was Russian and very nice. I am looking forward to heading in to meet her some time in the next week. The great thing about speaking some Russian is that there are pockets of Russian-speakers everywhere in the world. We are definitely not limited to Russia. I cannot help but think that is not a coincidence, but rather a Divine design. I don't really believe in coincidence, anyway.

So what does any of this have to do with the Oswald Chambers quote above? I've been reflecting all week on my time in Russia, on my life for the last two years, the victories and struggles, and I've come to realize that many times, the struggles were God's way of bringing me back to a desire just to know Him. Not to do anything for Him. Not to learn Russian for Him. Just to know Him. I am a worker bee, and I definitely enjoy when I feel like I am doing something. But sometimes, the best, most important thing I can do is sit still and worship. Sometimes, rather than always trying to be busy doing things for God, I need to shut my trap and listen to God. I am praying that my time in Prague will be a time to renew my mind, renew my strength, and renew my joy in serving the God of Everything. All of those things are wrapped up in knowing Him more.

Well, I am going back to get a second cup of coffee, and it's time for me to grab the clothes out of the dryer before they get all wrinkled. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you would take time today to stop and listen to the God who longs to know you and be known, and that you are going with your husband to Bohemian Bagel for breakfast, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,

Kellye

Saying farewell

A statue of Karl Marx overlooks a block of the center of Moscow. His philosophy formed the basis of communism, which had and continues to have a profound impact on the people of Russia.
General Zubkov's statue outside the entrance to Red Square. He is trampling a Nazi flag beneath his horse. Russians are extremely proud (and rightly so) of their involvement in defeating the Nazi forces.
Probably our city's most famous landmark--St. Basil's cathedral on Red Square. It is said that Ivan the Terrible had the architect's eyes gauged out so that he could never create anything to rival the beauty of St. Basil's.

Blessed be the LORD, for He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city. Psalm 31:21

You're the God of this city

You're the King of these people

You're the Lord of this nation

You are

You're the Light in this darkness

You're the Hope to the hopeless

You're the Peace to the restless

You are

"God of this city"

While it is only Tuesday and we don't leave until Monday morning, today is likely the last chance I will have to write before our big move to Prague. The apartment is mostly empty. Our belongings are on a truck between Moscow and Prague. We are taking care of last minute things, spending time with friends, and saying our final farewells. This morning, I have spent some time reflecting on what God has done in the last two years as we have lived in this massive city--Europe's largest, and the third largest in the world. The latest calculation I've seen puts the population of Moscow at 15.1 million people. Eleven million people ride the Moscow Metro each day, including the five members of the Hooks clan. So what has God been doing as we have lived in this large place, as David says earlier in Psalm 31? More than I could have imagined two years ago.

• He has grown me out of my comfort zone. It was extremely difficult for me to live in a place where nothing anyone said to me for the first six months made any sense whatsoever. I was accustomed to being a smart person. Suddenly, I had trouble communicating with small children, who had a much broader vocabulary in Russian than I did. My first reaction was complete frustration. But it was clear that God had called us here, so I just kept plugging along at the language. I still am not nearly where I want to be with Russian, and Marc is way, way more advanced than I, but God has definitely used this time to grow me out of the idea that I had to rely on my own "smartness" to get by. Now I know--I have only to rely on Him.
• He has taught me to pray constantly. I literally have an ongoing conversation with God all day long. I could not possibly have survived the first year on the field without a true sense of His constant presence. I have learned that nothing is too small to bring to Him.
• He has made me understand that He doesn't need me to do anything but be obedient, even when it doesn't make sense. When I came here, I genuinely wanted to offer God all of my skills to use as He saw fit. I believed my God-given abilities would certainly be useful to Him. But I have spent the last two years feeling like a failure because I couldn't seem to accomplish anything for God. What I have come to understand is that it isn't about what I can do for Him, but what He can do through me if I just respond in obedience to Him. That means saying yes even when I don't want to or when it doesn't make logical sense to me. No matter what--yes, Lord.
• He has taught me that home is wherever the family is. It was a shock to me the first time I called Moscow "home." But it's where we all are, and so it's home. There are certainly people I miss in the States, and I'd give my right arm some days for a Chik-fil-a sandwich, but home is where Marc and the kids are. And for now, they're in Europe. So Europe is home.
• He has given me a heart for this city and these people. Never in a million years could I love Moscow and its people without fully relying on God. I am not a city person. My Russian is not terrible but not great, either. The culture here is 100% different from my native culture. Yet when I think about leaving on Monday, it's hard. Not because I don't love Prague and all its beauty, but because my heart breaks at leaving Russia. My heart remains here. I will find ministry in Prague, because that's in my nature. But I am praying already for Russian-speaking folks to be involved with in ministry. That, my friends, is completely and totally a God thing.

Goodbyes are never easy, and I seem to have done nothing but say goodbye the last couple of years. But in the midst of this goodbye, I can honestly say that wherever I look, I see the fingerprints of God's lovingkindness to me in this besieged city. I am thankful for a God who remains faithful, compassionate and merciful no matter what city I am living in, or in what part of the world. I am also grateful that He loves this city and these people more than I can fathom, and that His heart remains steadfast in His desire that they would each come to know Him personally. That will continue to be my prayer for Moscow, even as I say, "Dos vedonya." Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you have a heart for whatever city God has put you in for this moment, and that you are having dinner with some of your favorite people tonight, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,

Kellye