Let It Go! Let It Go! Let It Go!
Dear family, friends, and those whom I don't know: I love you, miss you, and thank God for you! There is so much to fill you in on because the past three weeks of my life in Moscow have been so incredibly busy yet rewarding and fulfilling!
First things first. For anyone who knows me, you will know that I have never before been in a dating relationship, as I have been WAITing on God for that special girl (ask me about that sometime...it's really a really cool God story). Well, over the past two months, God has brought a tremendous blessing into my life when I least expected her: Leigh Sullan, an incredible girl who is a sophomore at Olivet. Through personal interaction over Christmas break, many exchanged e-mails and phone calls, and a bold pursuit on my part (sending some daisies to her on her birthday and sending her on a rather sentimental and romantic Valentine's Day scavenger hunt), we are now officially a couple! I praise God for His great gift at such a perfect time. He has confirmed over and over again through His word and through so many serendipitous situations that defy circumstance and point to Him, that His blessing is indeed on our relationship. Thank you, Lord, for bringing this amazing girl into my life! For those of you wondering if this oceans-apart relationship will be a distraction to my missional work here in Moscow, don't be dismayed. Actually, God has been using this relationship to teach me important lessons in priorities and letting things go (see the song at the end of this entry)!
Things continue to go well at the school, and I'm really beginning to find my niche there, which is a great relief. Teaching is definitely a challenge, but one that brings with it innumerable rewards and deep satisfaction, especially when the entire purpose behind it is for the advancement of God's kingdom! Please pray for me as I need continual wisdom for how to teach my students and particularly, how to work with the ones who are really struggling. There is a situation with one student that is looking quite grim right now, but I know God can work a miracle in it. Please join me in prayer for her.
Connections at church are becoming more and more solidified, and each week I anticipate our gatherings for prayer meeting on Wednesday and our worship service on Sunday (singing worship songs in Russian as a part of the praise team is especially poignant for me). I praise God that He has allowed me to connect with a young couple (upper 20s) whose names are Dima and Olga. They had never set foot in a church before December, and since then they have been coming to Moscow First faithfully with me! I asked Dima last week what he thought of God, and he replied, "God gives hope!" You bet He does!!!! Please pray that Dima and his wife would come to know Christ personally!
I am also requesting your prayers on behalf of a friend of mine, Luke Henry. Two years ago, Luke was a freshman while I was his Resident Assistant in Chapman Hall at Olivet. During that pivotal year in his life, his father suddenly died. It was devastating. He was broken. I just received news this week that his mother has just passed away. Such a tragedy!! Pray that God would comfort Luke in the deepest place of his heart and that He would send people his way to be the physical manifestation of Christ to him!
Finally, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about how I go about my life, and I realized how tightly I hold onto control. I further realized that the more tightly I grip all the aspects of my life, the more they slip away; the more control I "gain," the more I lose. In my contemplation, I remembered a jolly jingle that we hear every Christmas season, and I decided to change the words a bit to help me express what I've been learning lately. I think I might actually sing it in those moments when desire nothing more than to just keep on pushing through until everything is done and the pile is gone! With all that said, here's my rendition of "Let It Snow." Maybe it can bring a smile to your face and help you in your moments of perfectionism and struggles with control :) With this, I'll let you go!
"Let It Go! Let It Go! Let It Go!"
Oh the pile of work is frightful
But playing is so delightful
And since you really wanna go,
Let It Go! Let It Go! Let it Go!
Work doesn’t show signs of stopping
From the stress your veins are popping
Your energy level’s low, so
Let It Go! Let It Go! Let It Go!
When you’re laboring late at night
How you hate that internal storm
But if you really hold God tight
He’ll loosen you up as you form
Perfectionism’s slowly dying
And, my friend, it’s sweet goodbying
Because as long as God loves me so, I’ll
Let It Go! Let It Go! Let It Go!
But playing is so delightful
And since you really wanna go,
Let It Go! Let It Go! Let it Go!
Work doesn’t show signs of stopping
From the stress your veins are popping
Your energy level’s low, so
Let It Go! Let It Go! Let It Go!
When you’re laboring late at night
How you hate that internal storm
But if you really hold God tight
He’ll loosen you up as you form
Perfectionism’s slowly dying
And, my friend, it’s sweet goodbying
Because as long as God loves me so, I’ll
Let It Go! Let It Go! Let It Go!
6 Comments:
Luke!!!! Praise God!!! It is such a blessing to hear all the marvelous things the Lord is doing. Thank you for sharing those pictures. After all the prayers that were sent up last year and even before that about your future and God's place for you in the world, it brings such joy to see you in action, exactly where God wants you. I praise Him when I hear how He is using you to advance His kingdom.
I will keep the situations in prayer that you mentioned. The Lord is mighty and powerful; He is able to comfort, to guide, to help...
Once again (in addition to my facebook post), I am so happy for you and Leigh. I know you have been praying about this for years, and I know this is only happening because the Lord is working in your lives. Seeing a friend happy brings joy to me! May the Lord bless and keep you both.
Hey Luke! So amazing to see what the Lord is doing in your life over these past few weeks. I am so happy for you and Leigh, and the new relationship you are both embarking upon. Do not worry about the distance involved with dating someone across the ocean. Trust me when i say it can be done as long as the Lord has ordained the relationship, and since He has- you have nothing to worry about. My sister and her now fiance, who is a missionary in Israel right now, are living proof of this. ;) It can be done! May the Lord bless you and keep you both!
ps. Love the pics by the way! :)
what a cute class mascot! oh, and the lizard's not bad either! =)
talk to you soon!
*prov. 18:16*
I was so happy to get the email that Jake forwarded to me. You are an amazing man and God is teaching you so much. I loved your song; it really showed me how much you have grown in the past 5 years.
Good for you Luke...love the song. God bless.
Luke-
1.) Thank you so very much for praying for the girls on my floor, it really means a lot.
2.) I think I discovered God's calling in my life during the filming of "Thumb Wars" as I had the privilege of being camerawoman, and Molly's toe kisser:)
3.) I am very excited that my RA found her "my size boyfriend" It just makes me sad that she has to have a foreign affair, but whatev
4.) Peace Out Russia!!!!!!!!!!!
:o)
4.5) Today your girlfriend said "shnoz"
Your #1 fan,
Kalyn Klontz
kklontz@olivet.edu
Williams 334
Box 7449
Hometown: Washington Court House, Ohio
Favorite Corny Joke:
Once upon a time there were 2 muffins in an oven, and one muffin said "Whoa! It is hot in here!" and the other one said "Hey look a talking muffin!"
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