"I very like"

We had a fantastic time with Mark and Gleb Apollonov. They were with us for 10 days to share about their work and ministry with the Comfort Foundation. They work with orphans and street children in the Vologda Oblast. They work very patiently to help children know that they are loved, valued and special to God. The ministry is incredible. I am blown away every time I hear the stories. You can learn more by going to www.comfortfoundationusa.org

God taught me something very important during Mark's visit. It was a lesson about joy. Every time we went somewhere or did anything, Mark always told me how happy it made him. He said, "I very like your house." Then he told me, "I very like your church." Mark said this about everything! "I very like the homegroup." "I very like the meal." "I very like England."

Mark is a man of joy. He appreciates the gift of a relationship with a brother in Christ. He does not take for granted every day things or assume things about people. He tells them he loves them and tells them that God loves them. Over and over and over. The joy of his faith exudes through all of his words and all of his actions.

I want to be more like that. I want to learn to appreciate every situation as a gift from God. I want to see people for the loved, valued people that they truly are. I want to simplify my life so that the one thing that truly brings me joy is walking with Jesus ... because that will then bring joy in to everything else I do and in to every relationship.

God used Mark to shape me in a new way. I'm not very good at it yet, but I'm going to try. I'll start by looking at each person and each event in my day and saying, "I very like this!" Yes, I do!

Mark LOVED his ride in AJ's 1961 Triumph. He very, very, VERY liked this!