My June Newsletter

 Below is an excerpt from my last newsletter.  If you would like to be added to my newsletter list, you can subscribe on my sidebar or email me your name and email at semkee@yahoo.com

I've had a really good time the last couple of months spending time in California.  In fact, I'm still here.   It's very encouraging to realize how many amazing people have come into my life the last thirteen years, not to mention the pretty awesome ones that I knew before then too!  I love hearing what others are doing or what is happening in their lives.  It has really helped me put some perspective on my life in Ukraine and it actually relieves some pressure as I sometimes feel life in Ukraine can really feel like I'm living in this tight space and am always focused forward with blinders on if I want to accomplish anything.

In our world today, I have noticed that there are a lot of people who genuinely care and want to help others.  This is an admirable quality and I deeply admire anyone who wants to make a difference in our world.   Some get on the conveyer belt of movements like, "let's save the world," "let's stop hunger,"  "let's bring about world peace."  These are all very admirable goals and some people are working very hard to accomplish these things and some even make incredible inroads towards these goals. I do think that it is what God is doing through us that really counts.  The movements he starts in our hearts could be something that is big and wonderful to many or it could be small and important to only a few.  It might be beautiful and it might be a bit messy.

I think that as Christians, we have to do things different from the world.  The Bible tells us to live "in the world but not to be of the world." We have something the world does not have and Jesus should be the one we are following.  His goals should be our goals and his mission statement should become our mission statement.

When we help people knowing we have something more to give them than what the world can offer, it's then that we can make a real difference in their lives. It's Christ that will change people, not a program or a movement.

I have been blessed to see this work first hand in our ministry over and over again:

Helping to counsel a young mother desperate for marriage support who rededicated her life to Jesus, went to rehab and now has a blossoming marriage relationship.

Meeting a young girl who is pregnant who has no clue how to interact in a healthy relationship with her baby's father and being able to encourage her and teach her life skills.

Watching at risk children blossom in a positive, loving environment where they can get emotional support as they grow up.

Praying for a mother with TB and teaching other mothers to give her emotional support and take care of her child while she spends two months in the hospital.

The absolute blessing of working with an Ukrainian ministry that can help a mom with two babies who has been living on the street for 11 years get proper help and support to change her life.

We are to not just give those hungry a loaf of bread, but we have to also give them the bread of life.  When we follow Christ and have open hands as we help others, that is when he can work best in the people's lives that we are trying to help. It takes more than good intentions.  We have to be humble enough to follow Jesus where he leads and not give in to the expectations or pressures of others.