Doesn't seem to be there? Always with you!
On April 7, 2022, Christianity Today published an interview with Ivan Rusyn, the president of the Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary who lives in Bucha. Many of his seminary colleagues, professors, church leaders, and students were brutally murdered, and various Russian military atrocities took place right in front of his eyes. Faced with this tragic situation, he spoke candidly about his struggle in faith and expressed his emotions towards the enemies who had used excuses to invade them. When faced with such an extreme conflict, he said that many discussions on theology and faith in the past, as well as the photo historical materials of the World War II massacre that he had visited in the Kiev Museum and seemed to have nothing to do with him, suddenly had to be experienced vividly. Anger, grief, and an inability to forgive are constant struggles. One of his words shocked me: “I don’t know how to explain it, but sometimes in God’s silence, I hear His voice. It’s a very paradoxical statement—in His absence, I feel His presence .
I remember a few months ago, I accidentally browsed the news from a major British newspaper on the website. We have just crossed the threshold of 2022. The newspaper’s headline seemed to be prophetic. It published the following headline: “The World in 2022: another year of living dangerously” (The World in 2022: Another year of living dangerously) year. ) The summary below reads: “Climate, pandemic and tensions between countries mean the year ahead is likely to be as volatile as the past 12 months.”
I sincerely hope that by the time you receive this issue of the magazine, the Russian-Ukrainian war has ended, the epidemic has slowed down, the weather in the northern hemisphere has entered summer, energy is no longer so scarce, there will be no food shortages, and the economy has recovered. Even if not, I hope to still rejoice and rejoice in the Lord, and to be able to run steadily on high places with the strength He gives me. After all, in the end, God's presence is the only meaning of human existence.
April 7-10 is the first time in three years that KRC has resumed its physical spring retreat. Brothers, sisters, co-workers and friends who have not seen each other for a long time can come together to worship, share, discuss and learn together, which is particularly cherished. Although physical camps have been unable to be held for such a long time, co-workers are still faithful and dedicated in continuing to improve on written and online camps, magazines, and future course design. Therefore, this summer, KRC will launch its first-ever music workshop and Sunday talent workshop, and a writing workshop will also be held in autumn (see pages 2-3 for details). Please stay tuned for the latest news on the KRC website (shen-guo.org). KRC English Ministry Project Arctos also has many new plans, please go to https://www.projectarctos.com Read articles and the latest news.
In order to fully advance the ministry, KRC must have professional and full-time staff, especially the input of the younger generation. In addition to creating the magazine and various training workshops that have been ongoing so far, we are actively planning theology-related courses that are connected to faith culture, as well as digital platforms, all of which need your support. This year's budget is US$400,000, which is an astronomical figure for the KRC team. But with faith, I believe that as long as we follow the Lord wholeheartedly and do our best, the Lord will provide for us. Please join us in witnessing His riches and faithfulness.
The theme of KRC 2022 is"Pay attention to the truth, carefully observe the times, and observe knowledge and behavior.".
My prayer is:
May the Lord of the way, truth, and life lead you and me to adjust our vision and focus on the truth; may the Father, whose eyes search the whole earth, be powerful in helping you; may we all raise our drooping hands, straighten our sore legs, and repair Keep your feet straight, pursue a holy life, and enjoy His wonderful presence.
Lily Yang
Lily is the founder and CEO of Kingdom Resources for Christ. After spending many years as an executive in large companies, she now serves in full-time ministry, often speaking, teaching, and leading retreats throughout North America and Asia. She also founded and runs the natural and ethical skincare and cosmetics company, LordnLily.com.