Russia- My Journey Thus Far

Moving half way across the world to a country you have only visited once for a short period of time can be a little scary.

However, the Lord truly gave me an excitement to move to Russia. I can't explain it, but knowing that this is exactly where God wants us was the most comforting thought.

The first few days everything was so exciting and new. It was fun!

But then reality settled in.

I started to feel so overwhelmed by everything...

Allow me to explain.

Here are some things I don't take for granted anymore.

Talking to family. Saturday, I wanted to call my sister and family, but couldn't because it was the middle of the night. It was hard to not be able to call them when I wanted to.

Running is one of my favorite things. It's relaxing to get out and go for a run. And I can't just lace up my shoes and go outside to run. I have to put on ten layers of clothes because it's cold. I have to dodge mud (which hasn't been too successful.)  I can't feel my face or hands at times. It's just rough! And this is just the beginning of winter here... 

Then of course there's the language barrier. I can't just run to the store and buy groceries.

I can't drive to the nearest Starbucks and get my favorite iced tall americano with one pump of classic and extra caramel drizzle. (Which by the way is in Moscow 5,000 miles away. Someone told me the distance from LA, California to NYC is closer than Moscow to Krasnoyarsk.) My Starbucks app can locate the nearest Starbucks but when I try pulling it up is says location unknown. Go figure!

And just when I've hit the bottom, Pandora and Netflix don't work in Russia.

Insert sad face. :( 

All of this piled over the last 10 days and just hit me on Sunday.

I couldn't talk with the sweet girls who were playing with my hair and kissing my arm. I couldn't join in the conversation with the adults, so I went in the next room to try and be alone and feel sorry for myself for just a minute and pray. 

Then walked in this sweet little bubbly 3 year old blonde girl, Angelina. She came in and sat down right next to me and started talking. Of course, I couldn't understand her and just smiled. She probably wondered why I wasn't talking back to her. She was the only kid there at the time ( the others were coming later) so she was probably bored sitting at the adult table too. After not being able to find any toys for her to play with, I found the balloons that I had used for Jacob's party. So I blew up a balloon and we played! We laughed and played and her spirits along with mine were lifted!

Insert happy face. :)  

The next hour was the teen and children's church service and she sat down right next to me and wrapped her arm around mine and another little girl, Veka, did the same on my other arm. Angelina told me not to worry that she would teach me Russian. It was like the Lord telling me, that everything was going to be okay and He was going to take care of me. I read in Matthew 6 this morning about "taking no thought of your life but seek ye first the kingdom of God." In other words, Don't worry, God will take care of you! And I sure needed that reminder. 

Matthew 6:33,34

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these thing shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

What a blessing it was that the Lord used Angelina to lift my spirits right when I needed it. And then to again encourage me in my Bible reading this morning. It is so important that I am daily in the Word. I can't do this alone nor am I suppose to! I'm so thankful the Lord has called us here and that He promises to never leave us nor forsake us. 

I truly appreciate the prayers as we adjust to our new home here in Russia! I know it's Satan that wants to discourage me and get my focus off of God and the reason we are here! Please pray that we can find a tutor for me so I can learn the language! 

          Isaiah 26:3,4

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust though in the LORD forever; for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Stay tuned for more post about life here in Russia! This is just the beginning!  

My two little friends! Angelina is on the left and Veka on the right.  These girls just love on me and it melts my heart! They are so sweet!