Hope is alive

Up on the hill, where the Gypsies live, we walked towards the home of a woman named Gulistan. 

The local workers have become great friends with this woman. They have visited her month after month and sometimes week after week, to share the love of Jesus and to build relationship with her. 

For the past 5 years they have prayed that the seeds they have sown would take root, and that Gulistan would give her heart to Jesus.

  We walked the rocky soil, passing by goats, and homes holding together from scrap materials. 

We passed by a woman cleaning her linens and hanging them out to dry. We passed by the children running and playing. 

  As we made it to the door, Gulistan greeted us with kisses and welcomed us into her home. It's Turkish custom to leave your shoes at the door, so we walked into a small room that was assumed to be the kitchen/living room. 

We made ourselves comfortable, sitting on the cushions draped over with linens. 

My friend interpreted for Gulistan, saying she hadn't known I was coming with them. She had prepared gifts for the two woman I was with, but had something different for me. 

She was so kind to even have us in her home. She didn't need to give me a gift!

I was humbled as I watched Gulistan reach for one of her shelves in her kitchen and pull down a decorative camel covered in colorful rhinestones. 

She handed it to me, saying this was a special gift, since camels are a historic piece of her homeland. 

I was overwhelmed with gratitude, yet my initial response was to refuse - "no, I couldn't possibly accept this! It's far too precious - and it's her own possession. Just being here is gift enough!" 

I was also afraid I would insult her by refusing her gift. I was torn! 

My friend interpreted that she wanted me to have it. 

This small act of kindness spoke volumes to me. 

As the rest of our time went on, we realized that Gulistan (who was fasting for Ramadan), had spent her whole day preparing for us and cooking a meal. 

She laid a table cloth that was covered with butterflies onto the ground by the cushions we sat on. 

This sweet woman who was fasting, plated our food and served us tea. She refused every one of our offers to help, as she wanted to serve us! 

Yalangi (stuffed grape leaves), Biber Dolmasī (stuffed peppers), yogurt, Tuzlu Kuru Pasta (Turkish Savory Cookies), a few finger foods, and Turkish tea. 

I was overwhelmed by the acts of this woman. From the moment she greeted me I felt I was her friend. How freely she gives! I was challenged by her generosity and it caused me to look inward and honestly ask myself: Do I give this freely? 

And I have JESUS... I should be giving just as freely, and MORE! 

 "...Freely you have received, freely give.”

Matthew 10:8, AMP

The rest of our time went on, and the conversations became more serious as Gulistan shared her deep feelings of despair. It had been four months since her father's passing. She told my friend that there was no hope after death. 

I sat there with deep pain for this woman! 

How terribly painful to lose a loved one, and to endure such pain apart from the hope and comfort of Jesus. I could only imagine the depth of her sadness. It overwhelmed me and my heart felt her pain. 

I wanted her to know the hope I knew! There was so much I wanted to say to her. But how could I? My friend could interpret for me, but I didn't how to form the words. 

I resolved to pray:

"Lord, open her heart and her eyes to your hope! May she see You for who You are!" 

My friend, who has spent the last four years developing a friendship with this woman, once again told her of the hope of Jesus. 

As we left, we prayed that the Lord would open her heart to Jesus. We prayed for dreams and that she would see the Lord's hope. 

One week later, a different woman, who was friends with Gulistan, came to her saying that she'd had a dream about 'Isa,' (in Turkish, 'Isa' means Jesus)! She was perplexed and desperate to know what the dream meant. 

Gulistan called my friend (who speaks Turkish) and asked if she could come and explain the dream. 

 When my friend arrived to Gulistan's home, there were three women present - Gulistan, her friend that had the dream, and another friend. 

 These woman were curious, and they were troubled, but they were hungry to hear truth. My friend told them about Jesus! Two of the woman gave their hearts to the Lord that day, including Gulistan!!! 

When my friend returned with this news, our entire team was overjoyed. 

We had just prayed a week ago that the Lord would show himself in dreams and that they would see His hope alive. And here He's done it!

My eyes filled with tears knowing my new friend, who was so downtrodden just one week ago, has finally found the hope of Jesus, just as we had prayed! 

My new friend now sees that hope is not dead, but hope is ALIVE!!! 

Praise the Lord!!! 

This camel, my gift from Gulistan, will always be a reminder of my friend, and what the Lord has done. It will always remind me that HOPE IS ALIVE! 

"We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone." Psalms 33:20-22

My First Experience in a Turkish Village

  Last week, our team had the opportunity to go out into a local village, with the intentions of meeting the local people, praying for them as we were able. Justin Beal and I were paired up, and we decided to just walk down the main street of this village and try to start up conversation with everyone we came in contact with. 

It was difficult at first, since we only know a few basic words and phrases in Turkish, and with this being a small farming village in the mountains, virtually none of the locals spoke any English. Despite that, we still wanted to do our best to reach out and start up conversations with the people we saw, trusting that God would direct our steps. 

After a few brief conversations with several people, we kept walking and praying our way down the road, until we passed a small restaurant that looked more like someone’s home and beautifully kept garden. We both looked at each other as we walked by, and inside knew this was where we were supposed to stop, so we went in.

There was just a man and an older woman eating breakfast at a table, along with a woman preparing food in the kitchen, and a man watering the plants in the garden (presumably the owners). We decided to take the table right next to the 2 people eating, in hopes that we could strike up a conversation, and ordered some tea (definitely the most popular drink in Turkey). 

We said hello to everyone, and the man at the table next to us began talking to us in very broken English, but enough for us to communicate the basics across, stating that we were from America, and were happy to be visiting their beautiful village.

 After a little bit, the conversation died down, and Justin and I looked at each other and just started praying for them in English since they really didn’t understand it, and it would just look to them like we were having a normal conversation. 

We got our tea, and just sat back taking in the scenery, and then decided to try conversing again, this time with the aid of Google Translate (a must have phone app for international travel, if I might add). This allowed us to really get to know more about the man and woman next to us, which were actually a mother and son enjoying breakfast together.

After exchanging stories, we decided to ask if either of them had any pain in their bodies that we could perhaps pray for. For me, it’s always been a struggle just to openly come up to someone and ask if there was anything I can pray with them for, just because it can feel so awkward and uncomfortable, that it is easier to avoid than to just do it. Nevertheless, we proceeded to ask, and the man (named Ali) seemed to light up and said yes, pointing to his kidney area. After several minutes of trying to diagnose roughly what it was he was trying to explain, we realized that his mother was having kidney issues and they were happy to have us pray. We prayed a very simple prayer in English, just asking that God would heal her kidney, and that He would bless them both and show His love to them, and then we finished. 

After that, they thanked us, and actually invited us over to their table to have breakfast with them. He even called the owners over to sit down with us, and we all ate breakfast together! It was such an awesome experience, and is really nothing like I’ve ever seen back home in America. Despite the language barrier, in that moment, it felt like we were all friends just enjoying each other’s company, eating together. It was amazing!

We sat and talked (or mainly listened) for a while, trying to understand some of the Turkish conversation, but we were really just happy to be sitting there eating breakfast. Ali actually ended up letting us know that he owned a market in a nearby town, and invited us to come by anytime, and even gave us his cell phone number to contact him. He and his mother had to go, but the restaurant owners insisted that Justin and I finish our breakfast, so we sat there and finished eating, while the shop owner went back to watering his garden.

 The owner's wife was still at the table eating with us, and I just thanked her for her hospitality and for the wonderful food. We decided to ask if we could pray a blessing for them and their business, to which she agreed and called her husband back over so we could pray together with them. We prayed another simple prayer, just asking that God would bless them and their business, and again that he would just show His love to them. 

We finished, and went to pay and go back to walking around the town, but when we asked how much the bill came to, they informed us that it was free of charge, and that it was their pleasure to share with us. We tried again to pay for the meal, but they would not accept, and so we thanked them again and said our goodbyes and left.

It was such an incredible experience that would have never happened if we had just kept walking and decided to stay in our comfort zone. We were able to not only be a blessing to others, but to also be blessed. It was such an encouragement to me as well, because even though there is a language barrier, God is still able to move. Even if it means that there will be awkward moments, and extra time spent trying to communicate through Google Translate, it’s worth the time and even the momentary awkwardness. I just have to be willing to share his love, to step out of what’s comfortable, and be a light.

Mark 5:21, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.”

-          

-     - Matthew

He is strong

It was 11:59 on March the 31st, 2017.  Then suddenly it wasn't. I sat next to my husband, realizing the past 60 seconds, just like that, had transitioned us from one month to the next. And it was a big transition. "April the 1st." My eyes widened. I leaned over to Matt and said, "we leave THIS month for the mission field!"

And this was no April fool's joke!

As we plan and prepare for our upcoming trip, it's moments like these that awaken Matthew and I to the reality of this life change. And the moments seem to be happening more and more frequently.

A few weeks ago a question struck me. It started as a thought, just lingering back in my mind, and finally, it made itself plain: 

"Why me? I'm too weak. Everyone is only going to see how weak I am. I'm not bold enough. I don't have enough to bring to the team. Why me?" 

I continued with my devotions for that morning. I was reading in 2 Corinthians 3 when verses 17-18 caught my eye: 

"But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." - 2 Corinthians 3:17-19

 It's so like the Lord to deliver exactly what you need at exactly the moment you need it! My bible included footnotes on this scripture which only delivered more encouragement to my pondering heart. It reads:

 "As our knowledge deepens, the Holy Spirit helps us to change. Becoming Christlike is a progressive experience. The more closely we follow Christ, the more we will be like Him." 

And isn't that what I want and need? To be more like Him?

I heard the Lord answer: "Stay close to Me. You may not be strong enough, but I am. My power works best in your weakness."

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 AMP "but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough--always available--regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.10 So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength]."

It's okay that I'm weak. It's okay that I mess up. I will fail at times, and that's okay. I'm learning, I'm progressing. Incapable as I may be, He is all-knowing, all-powerful, all sufficient and that's what matters! HE is the Great I AM and HE is strong enough! 

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:13

 Greek through the onewho gives me strength.

In one of my recent journal entries, I wrote to the Lord: 

"I am loving this season, because as I'm recognizing my weakness, I'm holding onto Your Strength. I'm thankful for my inability because it enables me to see You, in all Your greatness and all Your goodness. And I'm falling more in love with You all over again."

May our weaknesses be a testimony to His strength and His glory as we stay close and cling to Him!

- Mckenna 

Here We Go

 We are Matthew, Mckenna, (and Avery) followers of Christ and passionate about spreading God's love.

 Over the course of the past 10 years we have both felt burdened with a desire for the Mission field. With no particular location in mind, we felt unsure of where or when, or even how to. With friends in the mission field, and even family, there was really no reason to delay this pursuit. The advice, wisdom, and help was all there. Our hearts have been aching to go, to pursue this calling. We began to make our plans, trusting the Lord would direct each step, and my how He has. In February we joined Touching Nations Today, a non-profit missions organization, as full-time global missionaries.

"And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.'" - Mark 16:15 

That's exactly our vision, to go into "all" the world and preach the good news to everyone, making disciples for Jesus! We are beyond thrilled as we step into this new season and are so thankful for all the doors that have already been opened.

We are passionate about raising up a team of individuals willing to stand with us in support and in prayer. We look forward to sharing more with anyone who is interested in meeting face to face and hearing about our vision. 

Psalm 96:2-3 "Sing to the Lord; praise His name. Each day proclaim the good news that He saves. Publish His glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things He does."

If you are interested in partnering with us for monthly support or a special gift, please visit:

http://www.touchingnationstoday.com/#/donate

If you are interested in receiving our monthly newsletters, feel free to send us your email address to mattandmckenna@gmail.com