Category Archives: personal

Testimony Tuesday ~ Kathy (a.k.a. Jack’s Nana)

This is my sister Kathy’s testimony. She is the oldest of 8 siblings. She was born in Tehran and immigrated to the U.S. with my folks shortly after World War II. Kathy is married to Len and she has two daughters Michelle and Melissa. Michelle is married to Ryan and has one son, Jackson.

 

Lana, Kathy, Ellen and Vera (sisters)

Growing up in our family, where our Mom was a Christian and Pop was a very religious man, was a real privilege.  Babushka Vera [our maternal grandmother] was a real prayer warrior and prayed for all of us especially Pop.  Vera [my younger sister] and I would go to Bethany Sunday School occasionally because of our friendships with Tamara and Milla Katkov.  We also went to a midweek meeting at Tamara Kushnerov’s [one of the teachers at Bethany].  I remember hearing my need of a Saviour at this midweek meeting, and then I went home and got on my knees and asked Jesus to come into my heart.  It is all a little fuzzy but I think I was about eight or nine.  Summer camps were a very important part of my growth and maturing in the Lord.  I started teaching Sunday School when I was probably about thirteen, and preparing for that helped me to grow as well.  We used to go to a Tuesday night youth group at YRCA (Young Russian Christian Association) which also added to my growth.  So many events and so many people were used by God to help me grow.

I am now challenged and refreshed by my family as they grow and walk with the Lord.

Thank you, God, for your faithfulness!

Kathy has a peacemaker’s heart and is very kind. She has a degree in teaching but more than that she has the gift of teaching.  Right now besides spending as much time as she can with Jack and substitute teaching,  she is caring for her 93  year old mother-in-law. May God bless her richly for all the good she does in obedience to Him. Kathy truly is an example of a Proverbs 31 woman who fears the Lord and does good for her household and others!

The Baby Whisperer

This is our oldest son Josh. Ask any of his friends with children and they’ll tell you that children and babies love Josh. Some people have even called him the “Baby Whisperer”. This picture was taken on Easter. Some children when being disciplined at home have been said to look at a Christmas greeting photo of Josh on the refrigerator and say ” I want Josh”.

Note: Photobucket is holding all my photos hostage and denying me access to them and blacking all the photos I’ve posted from 2007 on so I’ve had to update most of my many posts with new photos that have no link to photobucket. Bah humbug!

Testimony Tuesday ~ Svetlana

Svet gave me permission to post her testimony for Testimony Tuesday. She was born around the same time as my youngest brother and sister (twins) 13 years my junior. We attended the same Russian Baptist Church years ago. The following is her testimony in her own words.

“I’d learned about God at home, and from my grandparents who often spoke to me about God.  I heard my mom pray to this God every night…so I did too!

I was 7.  Miss Heidi (hi Heidi!) was the most beautiful Sunday school teacher, and she made me feel very important!  She had asked us before, so next time Miss Heidi invited us to “ask Jesus into our hearts”, I decided I’d raise my hand.  I believed that God was real, and, I thought I’d get struck w/ lightening if I waited any longer…I was shy.  Miss Heidi prayed with me and together, we asked Jesus to come dwell in my heart.  I felt great!  I was excited and felt a weight had been lifted…my chances of being struck by lightning had just been greatly diminished!  I went home that day and immediately prayed that same prayer again…and again the next day…and again…and again.  I needed to make sure God heard me, in case he’d been too busy before.  I just couldn’t grasp the idea of his omniscience/omnipresence.

Though I’d never been to summer camp as a kid, in my early 20’s, God orchestrated a series of events that landed me in a job as summer staff at Hume Lake.  It was there that I came to understand how very different Jesus and the Holy Spirit were, from the sovereign, (and distant), God that I knew.  The staff studied Philippians for the first month, and the Holy Spirit introduced himself to me as he used the Apostle Paul to teach me that God was not only a serious, punishing God, but a loving God who took joy, joy, JOY in me, his daughter!  I’d never been so encouraged as a believer as I devoured the book, again and again!

 

Hume Lake Christian Camp

For years my life verses were: Philippians 1:6 along with 2:13
“…He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus…for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”  These days, though it may seem cliché God’s word can never be overused, my life verse is: Jer 9:11 “…for I know the plans I have for you…”  It’s such a comfort to know that my Savior is always ahead of me and right around the corner!”

~ Svet

Flying South

Today “Dear” and I fly south to LAX. We had a wonderful extended Easter weekend celebrating our Savior with family and friends. “Dear” hadn’t been home to Seattle since January so his children were very happy to spend some face to face time with their dad. His close friends in the Seattle area were very happy to spend some time with him, also.  I always have mixed emotions when I leave one home for another. I know my children are being stretched and gaining a lot of experience and independence. The responsibility in taking care of our home in Seattle is on their shoulders while “Dear” and I are gone. These are all good things and good experiences for them, but my “mother heart” gets sore when I face being away from my children for weeks at a time. Then when I come back to Seattle and leave “Dear” behind, I’m torn in two again and “Dear” is left home alone. At least I’m in the position of being with him or with my children. This is where God has us at this time and we are all trusting God more and more for what we will learn through these experiences of separation and reunion. My time in the south with “Dear” will increase over the next year. This is more personal then I’ve ever been on my blog but this is where I find myself today getting ready for our 4:00 P.M. flight. Dear and I choose to trust and continue to be glad and praise God for all He has for us. Blessings on all of you and your families wherever God has you today!

My Testimony and a John Newton Hymn

HUME LAKE CHRISTIAN CAMP

Ellen’s simple version of her testimony, March 29th, 2007

I accepted Christ (was spiritually born) in the summer of 1963 at Hume Lake Christian Camp. I was a reluctant, stubborn, proud, follower of Jesus for many years. Similar to the birth process, I was comfortable in the womb (when God was calling me), but at birth when I had to get up and walk down an aisle and be singled out I howled like a baby. (Why do they say down the aisle instead of up the aisle?) I thank God He didn’t throw me back! I was a colicky baby. I fussed when anyone called attention to my bad attitudes, stubbornness, sin. I became more of a pharisee than a lover of God and my neighbor. I had my moments of obedience and peace. I had a long way to go and still do in the sanctification process. It has dawned on me what an amazing thing Christ did for me and the dirty rotten sinner I am. I still need to go deeper in this reality. I’m so glad God keeps after me. If my memory serves me correctly I cooperated more in the sanctification process after my baptism in high school. I’ve had periods of growth and periods of “being asleep in my faith”. BUT – GOD IS FAITHFUL and His promises are true. I want to follow Him for the rest of my life. Every day I want to say, thank you for saving me, I’m yours Lord. Every day I want to seek Him. More and more, I’m looking forward to seeing Him “face to face”.

I read this classic hymn by John Newton (In Evil Long I Took Delight) in Living the Cross Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney and felt it appropriate to include with my testimony.

In evil long I took delight
Unawed by shame or fear;
Till a new object struck my sight
And stopped my wild career.
I saw one hanging on a tree
In agonies and blood;
Who fixed his languid eyes on me
As near his cross I stood.
Sure never till my latest breath
Can I forget that look;
It seemed to charge me with his death
Though not a word he spoke.
My conscience felt and owned the guilt
And plunged me in despair;
I saw my sins his blood had spilt
And helped to nail him there.
Alas, I knew now what I did
But now my tears are vain;
Where shall my trembling soul be hid?
For I the Lord have slain.
A second look he gave which said
“I freely all forgive;
This blood is for thy ransom paid
I died that thou mayest live.”
Thus while his death my sin displays
In all its blackest hue;
Such is the mystery of grace,
It seals my pardon too.
With pleasing grief and mournful joy
My spirit now is filled;
That I should such a life destroy
Yet live by him I killed.

Olney Hymns, Book 2: On Occasional Subjects (London: W. Oliver, 1779).