Turkey Update!!

Hello everyone, 

Our time in the country of Turkey is over now. Most of our time was spent in a very small town south of the Sea of Marmara. Istanbul is north of that Sea. 

 

I really want to be honest and vulnerable in my posts. It’s often not “rainbows and sunshine” overseas. There are times where it’s been hard! In fact, Turkey was one of the hardest months during my time overseas. However, it was also one the most spiritually growing and fruitful months for me too. There were many times where I went to my knees and I said: Jesus! I don’t have any more strength. I am drained and I NEED you! I’m crying and I’m on my knees. Everything seems to be going wrong. I look to my left and to my right. I’m trying to evaluate all that’s going on around me. I look back to my home. My family has been hurting. I haven’t been sleeping well. There were days I was crying because I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I was emotionally and mentally drained! It was one of the hardest months of my life. On top of that there is the topic of spiritual warfare. The Bible talks all about it. There is an enemy. A spiritual enemy that wants more than anything for you NOT to look to God. That would want more than anything to bring people away from God. However you look at the topic of spiritual warfare, it’s a reality:

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (??Ephesians? ?6:11-12? ?ESV??)

There is a book called “Live No Lies” by John Mark Comer. I wanted to share what he mentioned from his book: “The author in Hebrews says Jesus was tempted in every way just as we are. He knows exactly what it is like to be us. He knows what it’s like to be exhausted, worn thin, vulnerable, confused, to suffer, to doubt, to feel the pull of greed, lust, or apathy. But as a Rabbi. He’s also able to offer truth.”

Scripture is the LIVING AND ACTIVE word of God! God’s word does not return void. It is TRUTH! I want to make it clear too! God IS HIGHER than everything. EVERYTHING. Spiritual or earthly creation. 

In my life, I know God can use hard things for my good. No matter the reason for what I go through. God uses it for good!

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 ESV)

God has continually transformed my view of suffering since I have been overseas. The Apostle Paul suffered so much throughout his life. So much to the point where he says:

“I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but  had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians? ?4:10-13? ?ESV??)

I grew in this even deeper understanding and absolute need for God throughout that month. 

Now I want to share the amazing things God has done throughout my time in Turkey! Honestly, the hard things were amazing too. It definitely did not feel great in the moments. But It’s through the hard and uncomfortable seasons you go through where you grow a lot spiritually with God. Often, at least in my life, I may not see a fuller picture until that season is over or later down the road. It’s knowing God’s faithfulness in the past to know he will be faithful in the future. ALWAYS! 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (??Hebrews? ?13:8? ?ESV??)

It’s truly amazing to see how you can be walking down the street and someone randomly comes up to you and asks you the common: “Where are you from?” And the other common question is: “Why are you here?” 

I’ll say: America! And the response to the 2nd question isn’t always the same. People will ask me something like “Why did you leave America for this place?” It’s a great opportunity to share why I left my comfortable life back home in America to visit these places. I get to know each person more and more throughout each country. I’ll share a couple different stories. I will switch the names up. Just know the story is what’s important and praying over them is important too! Even if you don’t have their real names.

1.  There were 2 people who we met. They are college aged students. A guy and a girl. The guy was “Sam” and the girl was “Lydia.” A few of us from my team met them a few days before they left for college. We probably spent 2 days worth of our time with them. We got to share the gospel with them. We prayed over them before we finished our last time with them. They cried. We were the first people they had met that showed so much love and care for them. Who had made them feel seen and loved. Who loved them and didn’t look down on them. Who desired to spend time with them. They had never met people that loved and showed it like that before. I teared up a bit then and even now as I’m typing this out because it touched me. In their life they hadn’t felt that or been shown that. It was the love of Jesus that they saw through us. It’s the most beautiful thing and I definitely miss seeing them.

• I ask that you pray for them. Pray for their salvation. That God would continue to work in their lives and draw them closer to him. That God would continue to lead other believers into their lives and they would TRULY know the love Jesus poured out for them in the cross!

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (??1 John? ?4:7-12? NIV)

2.) Another story is actually full of multiple different people! We went to different villages and got to meet the different people there. We handed out Turkish bibles and gospel tracks. My friend Brett leans over to me and says: “Lee, I feel like we’re supposed to talk to those 2 guys over there.”  There were 2 guys around the college age. They were between 20 and 22. They were “Thomas” and “Chris.” These 2 guys knew a bit of English but it wasn’t much. THANK YOU LORD FOR GOOGLE TRANSLATE!! Haha. Sometimes that app becomes your best friend. I got to share more of why we left our lives back in the states to come to a random village in the middle of nowhere in Turkey. Their Response: Shocked! 

There were different people that we got to meet at Markets and on the streets. Some of the older generation were definitely a bit confused about foreigners. Christianity and the concept of church is somewhat newer to the area we were in mainly too. It’s such a new thing to them. I know God is doing a mighty thing there. It’s amazing hearing stories about how people have met Jesus! Please pray for the people in B!ga!

I mean there are so many stories I want to share. I am so thankful for technology because you can get people’s contact info. WhatsApp and Instagram are pretty common overseas for most people to have. It’s truly amazing and I’m so thankful that we get to keep up with these people even after we leave too! ALL because of technology!! 

 

NOW I am in the country of Georgia. We have been here almost 2 weeks. We are always continually growing in our life in our relationship with Jesus! I know that was a very growing season for me. I have another blog coming up in the coming days! It’s about this crazy thing that I had been praying about and working through with God for a while! It happened towards the end of Turkey

 

GOD HEALED ME OF INSOMNIA! A struggle I’ve gone through most of my life. I look forward to sharing this story of what God has done in my NEXT blog!

 

Love you all!

 

Prayer Requests (ALWAYS SO IMPORTANT):

1. Pray for the people in Turkey. There are very few believers where I was in B!ga. Probably less than 10. Pray for strength for them. Pray for God’s hand and spirit to be poured out over the people there. Pray that people would know Jesus! That God’s church would GROW!

2. Pray for me and my team! Pray for Gods to continue to put people before us that we can pour into! 

3. Pray for me in that God would bring ways to mind that I can serve and love my team well!