2024 UPDATE
Greetings from Latvia!
I am very happy to be able to share with you what God is doing in my life here in Riga, Latvia. These past four years have been quite a rollercoaster of emotions, struggles, and victories. I would have never guessed that I would be where I am today, following God in this quiet corner of the world, but here I am!
From the beginning of my calling to ministry, I knew God had gifted me with a love for people and a love for music and creativity.What I did not anticipate was how difficult it would be to adjust to new ways of living, thinking, and engaging the people I was sent to serve. The passage in Isaiah 41:10–13 has held me up and gives me hope when times become dark. I have been blessed with the opportunity to share this hope in a place where, historically, evil forces working through people have conspired in every avenue to dismantle and destroy the will of the people. By systematically turning the population against itself, the oppressors' goals were to destroy any cohesion, community, unity, and hope. Fortunately, the people of Latvia are strong and resilient. They have, for centuries, endured oppression but have courageously fought, directly and indirectly, to keep their identity, culture, and way of life. Latvia has only been free of these oppressing forces for about thirty years, but the relatively fresh and deep wounds of occupation continue to affect all aspects of society and culture today.
Despite all that was endured, hope was never extinguished and lives on deep within the Latvian population. A major way people were able to hold on to hope was by expressing themselves through the arts and creativity. As believers, we know that the source of all hope comes through Jesus Christ. Because he laid down his own life, He made a way for us to be reconciled with The Father. So the gift of hope itself is a reminder of the goodness that was, is, and is to come through reconciliation and ultimate unity. I believe God's plan for me is to be a champion of hope and to help people draw a line from the hope they find in creativity to the ultimate hope that comes with a relationship with Christ and love for God the Father, who is also the source of creativity itself. I am praying that God will bless me as I search for creatives and build communities that unite around a shared love for creativity. Communities like these are great platforms to share Christ’s love, hope, and message of reconciliation creatively. Through workshops, concerts, home gatherings, dinners, and even small groups, my plan is to foster community and work to heal the wounds of mistrust and suspicion of others inflicted by oppressors of the past. I am also encouraging fellow believers who share the same love for creativity to partake and take advantage of new opportunities to minister to like-minded creatives.
I am so thankful that God created me with such a love for music and art. His gifts are not only for my enjoyment but also tools that can be used to further glorify His name and bring hope and joy to people's lives. I am also grateful for the gift of knowing people like you who have given me so much and are willing and able to support me in ministry. With donations from ministry partners and charitable gifts, I am one-third of the way to raising my annual budget of $25,000. Please pray and consider blessing this ministry by becoming a monthly partner. Monthly donations help me with long-term budgeting and event planning. One-time charitable gifts are also very welcome, and all financial gifts will be tax-exempt thanks to Mission Coalition, my non-profit sending agency. Most importantly, I hope that you will join me in prayer and petition as we present our requests to the great provider!
Pray that God will stir up the hearts of his followers to take advantage of the opportunity to use the gospel to impact this country as it is developing and reestablishing itself in this world.
Pray that God will give his followers the boldness to live out the gospel and practice loving others as themselves.
Pray for God to open my eyes to seek and identify like-minded partners to build a ministry team with.
Pray for my mental and physical health as I learn how to navigate a new culture and contend with six months of darkness, coldness, and aloneness. (an extrovert’s worst nightmare)
Pray for humility to "lean not on my own understanding" and courage to open my mouth and trust the Spirit of God to speak through me.
Below will be links to my website, donation page, and ways to keep up with the ministry and my everyday life on social media. Thank you all so much, and I am so excited to see what God has in store for us.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father, who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
Web links below!