Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits- Psalm 103:2

If you are like me, you are looking back over the past year and recounting the hills and valleys.  I wanted to document some very amazing things that took place in our family in 2014:

• Claire Deborah Crowe was added to our family, completely healthy!  This was no small event as many of you know.  Early diagnosis was pointing to DS, and we began preparing as best we could.  Although it was emotionally exhausting, it was a rewarding journey as we have gained a much needed appreciation towards those families that are ‘surprised’ with an extra chromosome.
• Russia – if you remember last year, I began to ask the Lord for some opportunities in Russia – to share His Word and begin physically moving into this country that has for so many years been on our hearts and trajectory.  God opened two doors, one on the western border (Rostov-a-Don) and the other on the Pacific coast (Vladivostok).   I am still amazed how that worked out.
• Lighthouse Cafe – After +2yrs of essentially non-stop documents, and physical rennovations, we legally opened!  It is difficult to describe the feeling of relief and joy I feel when I walk in that place and it’s filled with folks from all walks of life in Ukraine – teachers, students, mom’s, old grandpa’s.   I am thanked regularly by people I’ve never met for investing in such a place in our small town – the folks know it’s not a money maker, but they embrace it with gratitude.  What a natural place of relationship building – thank YOU for not giving up, for giving, and praying too.
• Cypress – My US web company has been a continual two edged sword since moving to Ukraine.  It’s been great to have seasons of work/income as we’ve certainly needed it over the years.  Yet, it’s been a major burden to oversee, limiting my capacity as a father, husband and missionary – especially because of time zones.   This year was incredibly hard, but needed to happen as we pruned things back significantly and no longer actively growing that side of the business – it’s a temporary band-aid and one that I continue to pray about, but the timing was AMAZING as literally the Cafe launched during the same month I was freed up more – God is good – but let me tell you, it took some major crying out to God for change, and for a long time – it taught me a lot about prayer, and trusting God in fresh ways (letting go of security and the ‘known’ is never easy).

Those are three major things I am personally thanking God for today as I look back.

What do you thank Him for?  I think the Psalmist David knew like the rest of us that forgetting is part of human nature – we have to remind ourselves not to forget.

Bruce & Deborah

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever – Heb 13:8

God cannot improve upon Himself.  His is perfect, the essence of goodness and light.  Scripture tells us that God’s character cannot change, His promises are sure.

I like new beginnings.  The older I get though, the more I see life through seasons.  We have our mountains and valleys, our seasons of rest and wrestling.  I’ve stopped trying to construct a life of predictability, but bring God into life’s seasonal rhythms.  He’s the one constant as we navigate this adventure.

Christmas Turkey Dinner (this is about 1/2 of our family…)

We’ve been in Canada this past week enjoying family, Christmas and now preparing for our 9,000km journey by van.  We’ll be heading down on Saturday to Pennsylvania and visiting a church in Harrisburg – close to where Deb and I were married 20yrs ago.  They have blessed us with two hotel rooms for our first night.

We’ll then be going to Memphis to connect with good friends (both in our wedding).  Chris is a pastor in Memphis now, and Matt is serving at Brook Hills in Birmingham.  Excited to bring our families together for first time in 20yrs and reconnect again.

After arriving in Texas we’ll be participating in our home church’s Prayer Advance Week – the highlight for us is two nights of foreign mission focused prayer – one evening we’ll be leading and focusing on Ukraine and the future work God would direct this coming year as a church.  We’re laying it all before Him, and believing God is going to work beyond our own limited imagination.

We also have scheduled visits in Oklahoma, and Florida, with several church visits/meetings lined up too before we head back to Canada.  The family is extra excited to see their cousins for the first time in +5yrs.. some of them have never even met (Deb’s brothers family) in Florida.

Noah and Clark enjoying the model train setup in the local mall.  I remember the same setup at their age.

My grandma. She is non-stop work and youth ministry.

Tomorrow night we have a visit with the Missions Committee and Pastor of my parents church here in Ontario, Canada.  It’s directly across from the public school I went to growing up.  God has really blessed this church, in spite of it being 50% full of my relatives (I jest).  We will be sharing a bit about ourselves to those that don’t really know why we are even in Ukraine, as well as ways they could pray and support.   We’re also wanting to host an evening for young couples/families to encourage them specifically – we’ll do this in February Lord willing when we get back.

I feel a bit like Frodo when I’m here among my Canadian roots.. so many relatives, schoolmates, memories at every turn of being a small boy here..this small community is like the Shire.. not many venture out of it.  It all feels so surreal when I think of the places God has taken us since leaving as an 18yr old for Bible School in Dallas, the people we have met and opportunities God has provided.

He is good, He is with us, and this excites me as I think of the New Year.  I hope you look to Him for this new year as well.  We can all do ‘better’ at things, lose weight, eat healthier.. but He is our satisfaction.. as CS Lewis said, “He Himself is the fuel our hearts were designed to burn.”

Please continue to pray for those in Ukraine – today the government passed some significant tax law changes – some are very good but will be difficult to implement.  As much as the potential outbreak of war is ever looming, there has to be short and long term economic reform for the country, and fast.

Our Cafe continues to stay open daily, but the students have left for holidays making our daily sales very low.  Thankful for Shane and Jem who are watching our house, and doing some repairs as well – keeping it warm.. already a few close calls.

Boys riding the 4×4 golf cart.. I don’t know what it’s called but it’s a lot of fun!

Had to show this for our Ukrainian friends.. any flavor of popcorn you want.. in whatever size bag or bucket.. freshly popped… all for ridiculous prices!

For any of our reader’s that would like donate in an ‘end of year’ fashion, we’d be very much willing to accept it towards our ministry in Ukraine.  You can donate online, right here on this website, any amount – just click DONATE at the top of the site – or click here.

We will be posting specific areas of need very soon, but if you’d like to know before January 1st, please email me at bruce@liftupyoureyes.org and let’s talk!

Bruce & Deb

Over the past year in Ukraine, the currency has lost 50% of it’s value.  Reading a report this morning from a cozy warm house in Canada, sites over 120 restaurants in Kiev have closed recently as the value of the Ukrainian currency forces prices to increase and folks to stay at home.

While our Cafe in Ukraine this past week remains busy, it’s a reminder just how difficult it will be to keep the business viable without outside support.  Folks do not have what we in the west would call ‘discretionary income’… it’s virtually non-existent.  We want the Cafe to be a blessing – yet we need to be sustainable and pay our bills.   We pray, we trust the Lord to provide wisdom, and resources to keep shining.

It usually takes 4-5 days too fully adjust to the time zone after travel from Ukraine to North America.  The rule of thumb is a full day for every time zone hour difference.  On day two, my heart woke up thanking God for what He’s done this year – increased ‘time’ to focus on the Cafe, my family, and what God is doing in Eastern Europe.

I had a nice chat with my daughter yesterday on a mini-date.   We marveled how vastly ‘different’ life is over here in Canada as we drove on the smooth orderly roads and looked upon the endless amount of shops lining the streets.

God is the great orchestrator.  He sees and feels the need upon His creation.  A stringed section is determined to swoop in and play, so He sends out a call upon the human heart.  Some hear the call to rosin their bow.  It’s a response of faith, to step out on the water, to surrender to an unseen work.  It takes us to unfamiliar places, sometimes changes our zip codes.

We believe God is working in Eastern Europe.  Shaking nations, opening doors.  Doors that lead into darkness, awaiting the Light of the Nations to bring truth, hope, and purpose.  It’s not about a Cafe for us.  It’s about faith, and obeying by the grace of God to play the notes on our sheet – and trust Him for the outcome.  He sees all, knows all.  Like Noah God calls us to build boats, swing hammers, even if we don’t understand what is fully ahead.  We are just one instrument, but we belong to a massive heaven inspired orchestra.

I don’t subscribe to a ‘last days revival’ in the context of biblical prophecy, but I do believe God is continually searching, looking for those that He can use in His great theater.  His Kingdom is moving, like Aslan.  It’s never defeated, nor stagnant.  God’s people are gathering in Ukraine and Russia, there is a sound beginning to anthem.  It’s been played before, through every generation.   Praying for this coming year – for more to hear the sound, to join in prayer towards the chorus – that many will hear, and put their trust in His name.

We feel the economic pressures in Ukraine, and the fractured relationship with it’s big brother to the East.  We too feel the music of God, the gospel longing to burst forward in this part of the land.  I suspect if you live in Canada, the US, or wherever you might be reading, if you are His child, you too hear it – The earth the Lords!

Bruce & Deborah
Missionaries – Eastern Europe

Cafe staff making pizza at our house during our little party this past weekend.

Packing for a 2 month adventure in our family is something to behold.  It’s sort of a evolving time-lapsed thing over the past 3 weeks.  Deb is amazing.  Suitcases appear, then move around from day to day.  Eventually the loads of laundry migrate to our living room.  It looks like a bomb went off, but Deb has it under control.  Being the practical husband that I am, I want to desperately throw things into the suitcases and be done, but there’s a system, a method to her madness so I dare not touch.

I need a bag to hold the passports for our family!

After 3 weeks of packing, planning, communicating, we’re finally ready to go!  Bags packed neatly by the door.. back packs being assembled with snacks and gadgets.  This time tomorrow we’ll be flying over the Atlantic, back to Canada where we’ll spend the Holidays.

On Jan 3 we will embark on our first ‘family missions trip’ across the US.  We have been lining up visits with friends, churches, and generally asking God to ordain and guide our steps.. and wheels.  We are going to spend a month in the US, including a week in Texas with our home church Crossroads.   The kids are excited, but they don’t really know what they are in for.. 9,000 km in a van is something we’ll all remember!

Please pray for a few things:

– Cafe: We are leaving the Cafe open, and have a semi-trained staff in place (4).  Pray for wisdom for Dema, for grace upon the difficult situation with heat and intermittent electricity.  We will keep it open as long as we can function and sell Coffee.

By the way, we are posting more photos and videos on our Facebook page – please check it out if you haven’t already, and LIKE our page… share it around to other believers and missions minded folks! – https://www.facebook.com/lighthouseukraine

– Ukraine: We feel for this nation.  It’s battled, weary, and economically fragile.  Folks are struggling to maintain hope that their nation will eventually be free in the political sense.   Pray for those churches that are on the front line, praying, giving, serving down in Mariupol and other areas where the sound of mortar and moving military equipment has become their ‘new normal’.   Pray for peace, for the winter to move by quickly for those who can’t afford heating.

– Our Trip:  We have a vision on our hearts for 2015 which includes more strategic discipleship.  We will be sharing more of this when we are in Canada/US.  Please pray God would connect us with partners, churches, friends that will share in this burden.  It’s an odd feeling knowing God has called you to something you can’t do on your own – you trust Him, but you are cautious to get ahead of yourself.   We’re stepping ‘out there’ even on this trip, the finances for it are minimal, but God is our supply and I am excited for my kids to experience God’s provision when you step on the water.  Pray God refreshes our hearts as well, as we seek to bless others too.

– Gas – Oh go ahead and pray one more time!  The gas line literally is within inches, but now we need more documents (why not!) for the pizza oven and boiler before they can switch it on.  Documents we don’t have, and can’t get.  Four guys came to Cafe last week at night from gas company and wanted personal documents from me as well.  I just smile at this point and in russian say, ‘talk to Dema’.   Things progress, but often backwards.. just part of life here.

Thanks for checking in, see some of your very soon!  We return to Ukraine Lord willing end of Feb.

Bruce & Deb