My 13 year lesson on boys...Happy birthday, Noah!

Today is my son's birthday. We already celebrated it but I thought I would write a post in honor of him.
From his beginning Noah was easy. His delivery was quick and easy and that was just a foreshadowing of what life in general would be like with Noah. He has been our easy-going, fun loving boy from the start. Always able to take bossing from his sister and endure wounds without a tear. And it seems that I just looked away and when I looked back he had turned into this young man.
I never had a brother and boys have been quite the mystery to me but having a son has given me an up close and personal lesson on the joy and struggles of boys. I am now a more understanding and compassionate woman to my dear "brothers" in this world! All I have to do is think about my own son and it gives me a greater sensitivity to their plight.
When Noah was 4 he said he was going to live with me forever! When Noah was 6 he said he would build a house right next door and live but he would not get married. When he was 8 he said that he would probably get married and live next door. When he was 10 he said that he would probably not live next door. Now he says, he might not even live in the same country. Having boys is both exciting and heartbreaking for a mom. God made it so they naturally pull away from mom to be mentored by dad...and mom just gets to cheer them on from the sidelines and put in her advice here and there. The pulling away is happening and I am rejoicing that my boy is growing up and learning to be a man from one of the best men I know, his father.
God gave me an incredible gift in my son Noah, and along with that a new perspective of "boy"...they are fascinating!

Love Your Neighbors

I took up running again in January. Long distance running, which for me is anything over 200 meters and has been a thing I have tried to stay away from...I used to love to sprint when I was young..er...*smile*(I am only 39 you know). But now I am embracing the discipline of truly running. It is quite the addiction once you get past the painful stage, and the wonderful endorphins kick in. I live in a rural neighborhood and so I have great choices of running routes to choose from, on dirt roads free from traffic and other then having to dodge pot holes, face-off with the occasional loose guard dog, and pause for sheep crossing, it is very peaceful with pleasant scenery.
We have lived in this area for 3 years now and you know that everyone has seen the Americans that live in the neighborhood (we are those people that wave and smile as we go by) and if they haven't I think they have now. It is hard to hide while wearing a Dr. Pepper baseball cap and a Michigan Wolverines hoodie. I stopped trying to blend in years ago... the accent, clothes, maybe my features and the fact that I don't have the gift of walking with a "runway-model" sashay, (like so many of the beautiful Russian ladies) give away that I am a foreigner.

We pray for our neighbors and not long ago in prayer time with the kids we asked for more opportunities to share God's love with them. Alas, not three days later one of our neighbors, Sergei, wandered over looking for help to lift some heavy things that his wife was unable to help him lift. He had been searching for a while and couldn't find anyone,and was obviously distraught by his predicament. Pointing to a house close by he said, "the man that lives there is not a good person!" (There is a prejudice among many Russians against Armenians and Sergei is Armenian). I think we were his last hope...not sure about those Americans? So, after chatting about what state we were from and the weather, I offered him the best I had and since Mark was gone that was my oldest son, Noah. Sergei was thankful and as he left he said, "People should be good, thank you for being good, I wish you goodness and happiness!" Noah came back 1 hour later with a bounce in his step and a bag full of cherries in his hand.

Sharing Jesus is more than words it is a radiant presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives,and just like I can't hide the fact that I am a foreigner, with my red Dr. Pepper cap, so it is for the christian "alien"...we are (hopefully) obviously different than the world around us and others feel it, see it, want to know it.

I noticed a lady on several of my runs, taking walks on my route, I am almost sure that she did this on purpose and so when our paths finally crossed I stopped to greet her. Lena, from, Samara, with 2 small children. I now pray for her by name as I run by her house and hope for more opportunities for my family and I to share the love of Jesus with her and all my neighbors.

Perspective

It has been a long time since I have sat down to write, I have needed some time to heal, to listen, to grow. It has been a dichotomous year, challenging my faith in ways I never have felt before while building an amazing trust as I weather the the waves of pain and hang on to the anchor I have in Him. I have been here before, I never do like it, but I always look back and think, "that was the hardest time and the sweetest time." Intimacy comes in those times of being stripped naked of our comforts, our "blessings"...thank you, Lord. Along this same thought I would like to share with you the faith of the church we are so privileged to be working with.
Easter is a big holiday here for most nationals, it seems to be the one thing that tradition has thrived in the wonderful symbolic things they do to honor Jesus. I have always enjoyed it more here than in the states. Our church is a large one, and has to rent a large facilities every year to house the congregation of 4000,this year it was to be held in the sports hall. There was an attempt to discourage the meeting on Good Friday, but with some solving it seemed to fail. Sunday morning, yet another attempt took place, a bomb threat...so when arriving we were told to go home, the service had been canceled. My heart broke and I could not hold back the tears as we drove home, disappointed in not being able to celebrate and worship together with our church but more than that, for our church, this country, and my Jesus.
The next week our church met in a smaller facility and had 2 services for a late Easter celebration, and I asked a friend about his thoughts on the whole thing. I told him how I felt, how awful it is to have such adversity, his reply to me was, "In other countries not far from here, people are being put in prison for their faith, some are dying."....Perspective. I tell this story for the purpose to highlight the faith of the church here not the adversary, because it is not about the trials but about the victory...the victory that is ours, no matter what and
the resilience of a people whose faith is challenged and built on a long history of "disappointments" but has stood, (Matt 16:18 "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it...") because they know, (Ephesian 6:12) "... we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against...the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
May our perspective be influenced not by what we see, but what we know, what God says to be true and by a faith that believes in moving mountains.

We have arrived back in Russia! It has been 2 months now since back and we have been busy with many birthday celebrations (Noah, Jonah, Haillie, all have summer birthdays) and all the work of getting settled. Our team has been very helpful and we have seen a lot of great things accomplished through joint efforts.

I have struggled in my grief and last week I made a choice to take the extended hand of Christ, crossing over the threshold of anger and fear of a seemingly weak and/or mean God, while trying to reconcile myself through any thoughts of failure in faith concerning my mom and her last days. I must admit that I was too scared and angry to grab hold before now, feeling like David felt when Uzzah was slain by God for touching the ark of the covenant when it was being brought to Jerusalem.What was a celebration turned to anger and fear of a powerful, almighty God, who does as He wills.
When all that is in me wants to run, I have decided to cling to the faith He has proven to me over all my years, there is no turning back now, we have history. I keep building up that monument of faith that has brought me through the years and add another stone.
This summer my garden has been my therapy. I sweat in the hot sun, weeding, digging,watering,binding up, pruning away dead and unhealthy branches, and the Holy Spirit comforts me with thoughts of my Lord laboring away on me in the same way and sometimes having to inflict pain. I embrace the wounds of a faithful loving God who scars me for the purpose of growing a more beautiful plant and an abundance of fruit Such love, care, and patience He puts into me, so much more than I do over my small little garden.

Hope in the Valley

We didn't realize when we came home, in a swirl of bittersweet emotion of anticipation, of seeing our family at such an important time of year as Christmas, and frustration ,by the circumstances of being forced to leave Russia because of visa problems, that God was blessing us.

We spent precious time with both of our families and enjoyed the chaos of having the Broberg Clan all together for Christmas. The day after Christmas, Mark's father, David Broberg, suddenly. passed away due to an aneurysm. We walked through pain and heartache we have never felt before but praised God for His mercy in having us here and allowing us to have such a beautiful Christmas memory. Our purpose seemed clear, we were meant to be here.

Not only were we here, but we had planned on living with David and Jean while home. So, again, our purpose was confirmed and we hoped to be a comfort to her during this time of adjustment to living without David. In my mind I thought I was there for her, but now I know she was there for me...to show me how to live in God's grace and joy everyday, even in great heartache, excepting and acknowledging the sovereignty of God in all things.

Last week I lost my mom. A few days after enjoying a wonderful Easter celebration with my parents, my mom got very sick and so we rushed her into the ER. The diagnosis was pancreatitis, which at the time didn't seem to be life threatening. After a couple of days we were told that her case was very serious and on her third day she was put on sedation to be intubated (respiratory support) which meant lots of tubes down her throat and nose. Little did I know that, that would be the last time I would be able to converse with my mom, even through her struggled breathing. I was in constant conversation with God arguing that it would be too much for us to lose another parent, another grandparent, another person out of our already disjointed life, but 3 days later, after haunting reminiscent scenes of updates from doctors, hospital hallways, and serious conference room talks, I was saying goodbye again to a parent. I never thought I could go through the pain of losing someone I have loved, learned from, and needed as much as a parent, but as I walked through this nightmare again, I realized the ironic cruel yet sweet way God had prepared me in our first loss to accept His sovereignty in good and bad, having faith for a miracle and grace to trust Him even in death.

My mom was a fun loving, joy! She always took time to speak life into me with passion, inspiring me to do more then I ever thought possible. She cheered me on in all I did, as my biggest fan. She was my friend, confidant, and personal prayer warrior.

When I was little I was very sick with asthma and spent a lot of time in the hospital. I would cry to my mom about not being able to run and play with the other kids because I couldn't breathe. My mom, being a new Christian then, was ready to put her faith in action and prayed healing over me. The next day before she went to work I was showing signs of an asthma attack. In the midst of her doubt she felt the Holy Spirit telling her that I was His and He was in control. As she left that day she released me into His hands once again in prayer, and fear and doubt left her. When she returned home I was running and playing outside with my friends and I have never had another asthma attack. I was healed through a prayer spoken in faith by my mom.

Mark's father, David, and my mother, Mary, spent their lives passing on faith in Jesus, not just to us but to everyone they could, in words and by example. A son has lost his father and now must be the baton carrier of faith for his own sons. A daughter has lost her mother, and I too have been given the baton of faith to pass on to our children. I am running to win the prize.

Job, in the midst of great loss and pain said, "Though he slay me yet will I hope in him. " I may never understand, but in the river of tears and at the center of my pain I too say, though you slay me I will trust and hope in you, Lord. This life is a blink compared to eternity so I will continue to have faith to move mountains like mom taught me and rejoice in the thought of my mom enjoying her prize.

Just a short video showing some of the things we have been up to recently.

Created and Posted by our team mate, Steve Hayes

season of growth

Well I know that I have been neglectful in my communication but then I got slapped into reality and out of my lazy summer lifestyle! It was a very, well...sometimes lazy, sometimes busy, a little lonely, and always pensive for me. It seems that when I think I am being lazy that God is always prodding me on in showing me new things that need to be done in my life. Just like the house is never organized but always in a state of being organized over and over again, so my life is always being reflected on, the good and bad in me fighting for position...cleaning house inside of me is tough. Oh I am so thankful for grace.

I wanted to show you what was growing in my garden/yard all spring and summer. I had more pictures but.. these will have to do.
Krasnodar has the right climate and land to grow lots of produce! So we enjoy the wealth of fruit and veggies in the summer months. I had fun trying my hand at growing a garden and to my surprise it turned out pretty good. Although, it is September we are still harvesting some things in the garden. Next year I will try my hand at some other types of vegetables.






My boys enjoy their freedom to play outside and I enjoy the ability to say, "boys go outside and wrestle, not in the house!" they run around and have a lot of creative play time. I love to listen to them make believe and discover new things! Every insect and animal that they find is a treasure! To my advantage I am not too skweemish when it comes to that kind of stuff, I enjoy helping them capture an occasional lizard.
We are blessed to have such a great haven in our yard! I love to see the clematis growing and the grapevines and ivy that go wild in the summer months. We have lots of fruit trees in our yard and we enjoy being able to go outside to grab a snack off the tree.













My, Noah is a big help with keeping up with the grass cutting. Mark is so ecstatic about this.

I love Peonies and am so glad I have them in my yard in the spring, I want to plant some tulips, daffodils and lily of the valley for next spring.

As we anticipate the winter I am enjoying the cool down of fall. I am thankful for the constant growth and cleaning that takes place in every season of my life. I know that He loves me and that his discipline is out of love for me.
We appreciate your constant prayers and want you to be assured that we feel we are here, 'for such a time as this' what good is a life if not spent for Christ?