Ministry Beginnings in Riga, Latvia

Friday Morning I was wide awake at 3 am so I decided to have devotions. It was a good time in the word, I read about the temptation of Christ in the desert and the beginning of His ministry in Galilee. Comparing all the gospel accounts it was interesting to see how Jesus did not sin against the word of God as he answered each temptation with “it is written”, and when He went to Galilee he fulfilled Scripture “A light will shine in Galilee…” As we are just beginning here, I want to be obedient to the word of God, like Jesus was. I want to fulfill God’s plan for me by letting my light so shine before men and lead my family where he has foreordained that we should walk.
Later, we all had breakfast together and after Lily’s morning nap, we went out for a walk together to town (about a 30 minute walk), I took Lena to the center and we had lunch at TGIF and watched people walking by. And were getting familiar with where things were. After the kid’s napped, We found a good grocery store called Rimi, I felt like we were in an American grocery store because of the variety, abundance and organization of all the food, they even had cream cheese for Caleb.
The phone situation was kind of disappointing. We have a phone jack in our apartment but no phone, and the landlord said it will be impossible for us to have a working line there because we are foreigners. I was able to make a call from the landlords office but Dagnia was not home so I left a message inviting her to come over at 8pm for prayer and fellowship. Around 8, I went out to find a pay phone and call Dagnia to invite them out to lunch the next day, She informed me that she couldn’t come but her room-mate Ilza was on her way over to our apartment to meet us.
Ilza is Latvian-American (she grew up in the States and learned Latvian from her parents). It was good to hear her share her perspective about what is going on spiritually here, and how there is not really a church that she feels comfortable inviting people to. She was really interested to hear how God lead us here and what our vision was for church planting. It is good to have another friend who speaks English and Latvian and we are glad the Lord led her to come over to our house without even knowing us. She is a good contact and continues to show us around, help us find important things, answer questions and if she doesn’t know, she can connect us with people who do.

Saturday, we went out to lunch with Dagnia, William and Ilza at Chili Pizza, it was Latvian style pizza, but not bad. We got to know them a little more and decided to get together in the evening for our first home fellowship. It was a special worship and prayer time. I led worship, we interceded for Latvia and at the end they prayed specifically for Lena and me. God gave them each an encouraging word concerning our mission in Latvia, which they later wrote down for us to keep. Here is what they wrote:

Dagnia – Prayer and Exhortation

Do not dispise the day of small beginnings. Not only does this mean that you are
starting our here but also your children. They have been called here; watch them
as the Lord uses them. They are anointed.

William - Prophecy for Brenten and Lena

You are like a tank; strong, powerful, going into enemy territory, taking ground,
possessing the land. God is your protection – he is your Shield, when you go
through the rough ground (enemy fire) It will not harm you, you think it might
but it won’t. Trust Him. It is “not by might nor by power but by My Spirit” says
the Lord.

Ilsa - Heb 3:17-19 Amplified version

Though th fig tree does not blossom and there is not fruit on the vines [though] the product of the olive fails and the field yield not food, though the flock is cut off from
the fold and there are no cattle in the stable, Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hind feet and will make me to walk [not stand still in terror but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering or responsibility]

God is putting you into turbo gear to get “up the mountain” You are (on) an all terrain vehicle. He’s called you to go on rough terrain (barren lava like, lifeless) but you are WELL EQUIPPED. The 4 wheels = all the members of your family.
Worship is the key! He makes your feet like hinds feet on high places. Meditate on the “lava terrain” I think there’s more there…