THE CONCLUSION OF THE LEADERSHIP SEMINAR

Starbucks Makes Its Mark!

How do I explain what happened this evening? Better yet: How do explain today? The only thing easy for me to explain is that I forgot to close the lid on my Starbucks Coffee Mug and turned to do something on the desk and knocked it over. Not just on my Bible, my notebooks with all my teachings in them, but it splashed on the wall.

So I grabbed everything in sight and began to wipe. When I thought I had it all I moved the desk and to my greatest disappointment – more had escaped than I thought since there was a backstop to the desk. It had run down the wall in several directions from the initial splash. I am glad it was only a splash and not a “dump.” I did not discover what was behind the desk immediately and by the time I did, it had already soaked into the paint and stain Starbucks Coffee with Vanila had desecrated the wall.

Now I had to tell my hostess. When she returned I called her into the room, told her and pulled out my money to pay for the damages. She refused time and time again. She explained that she is going to paint the entire apartment in the next two years and what was on the wall was behind the desk and no one was going to see it. She did however, with a smile, comment on the new fragrance that filled the room – vanilla!

God Made His Mark!

I had a two hour counseling session with one of the leaders of the church in which my hostess served as my interpreter. The lady leader with whom I was counseling had trust in her and therefore it was made easy by the help of Luda, my hostess. I will only say, God showed up and made His Mark!

I enjoyed a, a, a, – I am not sure what it was. I think I had breakfast at 11:00, but it was fish, salad, and (my words since I cannot think of the correct Ukrainian word) little dough balls with meat inside oh now I know - varenyky --and sliced tomatoes. Then at 4:30, I had a pork steak (pounded pork, some solanka (my special soup) a salad made of cut up cheese, meat, with peas and other items and a cup of Americano (coffee) with a pancake filled with sesame seeds smothered in sour cream. And then the third meal when I got back to my apartment, home fries, two meat patties (of what I am not sure) a plate of sliced tomatoes and some Ukrainian DeCafe Coffee with my powdered vanilla to replace cream.

So you can understand, I am not sure which meal to call what. They make sure I am not hungry even though I am continually telling them I cannot eat that much. Somehow their graciousness gets the best of me and I try to eat it all, but I do not always succeed.

The evening and final service for the seminar was tonight. I was the speaker. But God was the ministering agent through the Holy Spirit. The entire plan I had was set aside this afternoon and I was led in a different direction, keying on what the pastor said last night and some of the areas I had shared. But all of this was directed by the Holy Spirit to wrap around the prophetic insight given to me about the Church, the leadership and their need at this time.

I cannot say more about the content of the message, but I say there was a powerful 60 minute ministry time that began with and was fed by the ministry of leader to leader in prayer and learning to bear one-another’s burdens – which meant opening up and letting others know what was going on in your life, what the pain is you are bearing.

The greatest need that seems to always surface in the former Soviet regime countries is that of rejection, verbal abuse, sexual abuse – male and female. There is such a strong feeling of loneliness among the people they are afraid to be open with one-another. But God began a work tonight I believe will continue. I was able to challenge the leaders, including the pastoral team to demonstrate this to all as they ministered to one-another in leadership meetings.

Now I await the services tomorrow! I am anxious to see what God is going to do!

I close with this statement: I am here, as was Marilyn, to fulfill a moment of destiny in the lives of pastors and their staffs. This was demonstrated in Dnipropetrovsk, in Crimea and now here in Khmelnitsky. Whatever the reason used, family seminar, pastors’ retreat, leadership seminar – these were only tools so we could meet a divine appointment with some desperately hurting pastors and wives and their ministry. I have never been more sure of this on any trip than I am now – regarding this trip.

God bless and thank you for investing in these lovely people,

Dr D