Wednesday, October 26, 2011

I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart

Yesterday has to be one of my favorite days here so far. I was sick for a lot of it- I have a cold. But there were a few things that happened that made me forget that I was even sick.

Every Tueday Rachel and I go to the Carr's apartment after school and are there through dinner. I love being there because they have become like family. I went home last night with a feeling that the day had gone pretty well. I was happy.

Not long after we got home, our landlady came by to get our rent money, and her babushka (grandmother) came with her. She spoke to us a little bit in English and invited us over some day for chai. This made us so happy that we have decided that she is our babushka now.

Now to the best part! Heather, who is like a sister to us, accepted Christ yesterday!!! It acutally happened while Rachel and I were meeting with Chris, but we didn't find out until we got home that night. That doesn't really matter, though. She is now a follower of Christ! I am so excited for her and to see what the Lord has in store for her!

Monday, October 10, 2011

The Gift I Didn't Deserve

Tonight was such a great night and a humbling one. Something happened that is going to be very hard for me to forget.

There is a man that comes to one of the English clubs I help out with. He is a painter. When I first learned of this, I began to hope that one day I would get to see some of his work with the possibility of buying and bringing a painting by a Russian artisit home.

Tonight was the night. He brought some of his paintings to English club and gave the Americans in charge of the club two paintings. I was looking at them and was interested in a few. One in particular reminded me of a place I went just a few days ago. I looked at it, and he told me the price, but there was no way I could buy it. He was willing to give it to me in the moment and said I could pay him later. I didn't feel comfortable with this because there was no guaruntee that I would have the money later. Then he did something that I definately did not deserve. He gave it to me as a gift. It was hard to accept, but I did.

I got home and began to reflect on this. This man was a picture of Jesus to me tonight. I didn't have what it took to get this painting, and I wouldn't. But he gave it to me anyway. There is no way that I could ever be good enough to earn God's love because I have dishonored Him. I don't have what it takes. I don't deserve what He did for me. But He did it. Jesus paid the penatly for my sins. All I had to do was receive this gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

I thank God for this man and for using this experience to point to Christ.