During my last trip, I had 2 interactions that were unexpected…
…Interactions like these remind me of God’s active impact in my life. Life with God is so rich.

During my last trip to Moldova, I had the honor of meeting a 70+ year old man named, Valentin. The circumstances that led to me meeting Valentin is remarkable, but for now, I want to focus on what Valentin shared with me.

I reflect on celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas in Turkey, where neither holiday is nationally recognized, making traditions feel lonely and very different from those in the U.S. Food limitations, cultural misunderstandings, and the blending of Christmas with New Year’s created unique challenges but also shaped our family’s intimate holiday traditions. These experiences now inspire me to pray for Christians worldwide who celebrate Christmas in places where it isn’t publicly acknowledged.

Please join me in praising God for the opening of the Chisinau Turkish Cultural Center. Join me in praying for God to use it to glorify His name, to proclaim the gospel of Christ, and to serve the community. Pray for the international students who will meet at the center. Pray for the Turks who will gather to talk and drink tea. Pray for the Sunday church service. Please pray for Hakan and Luda as they walk in obedience to what God has called them to do. Pray for God's provision for the monthly expenses and for partnerships.

At the beginning of this month, I visited pastors in Moldova and Turkey. One of the biggest struggles they face is how to remain faithful to God while confronting injustice. I have a strong sense of right and wrong, and I am infuriated by injustice. I am working through what Paul calls us to do in Ephesians 4:26, where he advises us to be angry but not to sin. Here are some examples of injustice that I witnessed during my trip.

Charles Spurgeon has many great quotes about prayer:

“Prayer itself is an art which only the Holy Ghost can teach us. He is the giver of all prayer. Pray for prayer—pray till you can pray.”

“Prayer and praise are the oars by which a man may row his boat into the deep waters of the knowledge of Christ.”

“To pray is to enter the treasure-house of God and to gather riches out of an inexhaustible storehouse.”

Romans 12:10 says 'Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. ‘ In the US we struggle to understand what Paul is saying here to “outdo one another in showing honor.” Listening to the experiences of others, spending time in someone’s home, eating the foods they eat are all ways to show honor. Learning from someone first hand about their culture is honoring to the individual.

In many places the law allows the gospel to be proclaimed and for people to become Christian but in practice there is opposition; Turkey is an example of this.

Since the end of 2024, there have been over 60 people kicked out of that country.

I was so encouraged by my wife and I’s visit with Iranian friends, Babak & Eli, in South Carolina a few weeks ago. It was great to visit our friends, but I was most surprised by the church in South Carolina who had sponsored them to come to the US. The SC church has been supporting the church in Zonguldak, Turkey that we planted together for close to 10 years.