Ukraine

 I've had this on my heart for a long time and I've finally decided to post it. As many of you already know, Ukraine is going through a time of civil struggle. A country is protesting against itself. The results are revolting and most of all depressing. 

 Ukraine is a country that I love - I've lived there for 8 years now and I call it home. Even though I'm on furlough, enjoying peace and quiet, I would much rather be in Ukraine, trying to spread the Good News that Jesus has to give us! The only way that peace in Ukraine can ever be reached is if the Gospel is spread.

 It's hard for me not to cry when I know that hundreds of people have been killed in these protests. Hundreds who may have never even heard of salvation.

 This is why Ukraine needs your prayers. Please, put aside a couple of minutes in your week to remember the growing crisis in Ukraine and ask for God's hand over the government there. Christ provides peace!

~Naomi

Change

 Hello. :)

As you've noticed, I haven't been on LP for quite awhile. I've been praying a lot and have decided that I want to make my posts a bit more personal. The reason being, if I were a reader, I would want to know more about the writer and his or her life. I hope I will be able to post more often with snippets of my day-to-day life, small quiet thoughts, Bible verses that have encouraged me, and my adventures as an MK.

This doesn't go to say that I will stop blogging "formally", but I wanted to have a bit more of a connection with the readers. :)

I whipped up this post very quickly, so excuse its blandness!

Expect more from me soon.

~Naomi

PS:

Here's a verse that has been on my mind - (photo creds to my father)

50 Random Facts About Me Tag

 Hello, everyone! I was tagged by Rachelle at Beloved Bluebird to do this post. :) I thought it would be a good way to get to know my readers a little bit better. 

 I tag any other bloggers to do this tag if they please. :D

On to the main event!

1. I love any Japanese food.
2. I've been to more countries than states. 
3. I take tennis lessons.
4. Autumn is my favorite season.
5. I've been in a public school two years, a private school two years, and homeschooled five. :)
6. My middle name is Maria.
7. Rachelle is my cousin. :D
8. I've visited the Parthenon in Athens, Greece.
9. I aspire to have a career in children's ministry as a missionary.
10. I used to have two pet fish named Jacque and Gemini. :)
11. When I was in first and second grade, I wanted to be a soldier.
12. I've broken my wrist once. :P
13. I'm double-jointed. 
14. I'm a perfectionist. :)
15. I asked Jesus into my heart when I was 5 years old, after AWANA.
16. For some reason, I'm not very fond of shopping.
17. I'm very fond of reading, on the other hand. :)
18. I hope to visit Japan someday.
19. Some of my favorite authors are Charlotte Bronte, J.R.R. Tolkein, Jane Austen, and C. S. Lewis.
20. I'm still not quite sure what a Nintendo is...
21. My favorite beverage is hot apple cider. 
22. I absolutely love literature!
23. I'm definitely very far from adept concerning fashion-related topics. ;)
24. Our family is flying to the States in less than 1/2 month!
25. One of my favorite books of the Bible is Psalms.
26. My favorite color and flower is lavender, hence the name of this blog.
27. I ride a unicycle for fun.
28. In my opinion, being a missionary kid is a blessing and I love it!
29. I spent most of my toddler days at my grandparent's house. :)
30. I'm a Whovian and Sherlockian. 
31. I used to take ballet class.
32. When I was 7-8 I put up an iced tea stand and earned money for an American Girl Doll.
33. I could organise things all day just for fun. :)
34. I'm allergic to feathers, dust mites, and cats...
35. The church that I attend here in Odessa is called Hope For People.
36. My birthday is the same day as Neil Armstrong's.
37. I was a teacher in an English club at our church.
38. I would love to live in a small, simple cabin in a pine forest somewhere on the seashore...
39. I've once sorted my friends by continent!
40. I love watermelon and anything watermelon-flavored.
41. One of my favorite Bible verses is Psalm 36:5.
42. When I was younger, I would obsess over Nancy Drew mystery books. :)
43. I drink a cup of Earl Grey almost daily.
44. I'm extremely bad at figuring out computers and how to work blogs, etc...
45. "Come Thou Fount" is one of my favorite songs.
46. Once, when I was about 2-3, I ate a worm in my grandparent's back yard.
47. I asked my brother and sisters to describe me using one word, and they all said, "Nerd." :)
48. Culture shock is something I highly dislike.
49. I would rather be by myself than with a large group of people.
50. Christ is the center of my life, and I would have no hope without Him.

Wow! If you read all of that, you have certainly earned my respect. :) This tag was harder than I thought. 

 Once again, I tag any other bloggers who desire to do it. :D

Blessings!

~Naomi

Guest Post: What Every Girl Should Know About Relationships

Hi, my name is Christina Suko. My family lives and serves as missionaries in Ukraine. My husband, Caleb, and I are a part of young local church "Hope for People". (By the way, you may better recognize me as Naomi's mom ;D )

There are some questions that are easier to answer and easier to discuss when boys aren’t around.

This past Sunday our youth group kicked off the new school year with a girls only and a boys only fellowship.  The topic was

“Are There Boundaries in Boy/Girl Relationships?”

I had the privilege of speaking with the girls and helping them answer their questions from a Biblical perspective.

About 20 girls showed up for this time of questions and answers.

Here are some of the questions the girls asked and a brief summary of how I/we answered them.

• Is there is there one specific guy that God has predestined me to marry?

Too many girls worry that they have missed their chance because that one guy has slipped through their fingers, however the Bible never says that there is one predestined spouse for each person.

Rather than looking for the one guy that you’re supposed to marry look for that one type of guy who has a strong faith, Christian character and lives by the principles of God’s Word.

• All my friends are dating and I’m still alone. I’m afraid that I might never get a date or get married and be lonely for the rest of my life. What should I do?

This is a fear that many young women deal with but they don’t have to. When you fear loneliness you are saying that you don’t believe God can give you the companionship that you need, you are saying that God is not enough, you are saying that a husband or boyfriend can do for you what God can’t do for you.

The sad reality is that many girls would have been much happier if they didn’t rush into marriage with a man who was less than godly.

Instead of fearing loneliness learn to focus on building a deeper relationship with the God who is always by your side, start serving others, which will help you get your focus off of yourself.

• Is it ok to kiss before we get married?

While the Bible doesn't give specific instructions on kissing before marriage it is wise to wait.  The physical aspect of the relationship is meant for marriage and when young couples start pushing the limits it can quickly progress beyond a “harmless kiss”.

• If we kiss before the wedding do we lose a blessing?

The best way to think of this is like a present. Say your parents bought you a new dress for Christmas. They wrapped it up and put it under the tree. You wanted to know what was under the wrapping paper so badly that you sneaked in at night and opened the present to take a peek.

You were excited to see the new dress, but you had to put it back in the box and pretend you never saw it.

When Christmas day comes around you once again open the present. You’re still excited to have your new dress but the initial euphoria has already passed.  You may even fake a little excitement so that your parents don’t know that you had already peaked at the gift.

No, kissing before marriage won’t ruin your future marriage, but it will change your experience as you stand at the wedding altar and share that “first” kiss!

~Christina

Leave a comment if there are any questions you would like me to answer!

FAQ: What's It Like To Be a MK?

Hi everyone! I'm very sorry for not blogging more often. I've been pretty uninspired lately, so if you have any ideas for new posts, please let me know in the comments!
 Alright, on to the main event...
I get asked this a whole lot. Don't get me wrong, I am not annoyed with the questions at all! But to make things just a bit simpler, I've decided to write a post on this certain topic - hope you enjoy.

My sisters, Anastasia and Noelle, and I celebrating Ukrainian Christmas.

Q: What's it like to be a MK (missionary kid)?

A: First of all - it's absolutely amazing to be the child of missionaries because you know that you're doing exactly what the Bible says in Mark 16:15 ~

And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation."

 Now, that is one cool career.

 Second of all, I am very fond traveling. "Fond" might even be an understatement. I mean, seeing new lands, visiting foreign countries, touring famous sights... I could go on and on - what's not to love? (Besides the occasional car/airplane/sea sickness, of course.)

 Along with all the long trips, you get the chance to meet loads of new people. Making new friends is always fun. I've once even tried to sort my friends and acquaintances by continent! Unfortunately, Antarctica didn't make the list. Let me know when one of you decides to move there, alright? ;)

 Once you decide where you're going to be a missionary, it would probably not be a bad idea to try to learn the official language of that certain country. If you become a missionary to an English-speaking country, you've got it nice and easy! :) Learning a new language is sometimes always a challenge. You need to dedicate time and hard work to be able to have everything down pat. I loved trying to learn Russian and Ukrainian, and now I can speak to all my Ukrainian friends freely!

 Okay, guys, this is the fun part - the food. I'm not picky when it comes to food, but when you see a plate of shark meat in front of you while visiting Bulgaria, well, let's just say that you're not particularly excited to dig in. On the other hand, sometimes you taste something totally new and it ends up being your new favorite food! Trying out new exotic foods was always something that I looked forward to.

 To sum things up, I'm so glad that I'm a MK! :)

 Here are a few questions for you guys:

• If you were to become a missionary, where would you go?
• What sorts of odd foods have you eaten?
• What countries have you traveled to?

 I would love to hear from you in the comments!
Have a blessed day,

~Naomi