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stephitchka
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Name: Stephanie
Country: Ukraine
Birthday: 2/22/1984
Gender: Female
Interests: Jesus - My desire is to know JESUS, my God and Savior, more intimately each passing day and to mirror Him in all I say and do - Jonny..my best friend and the love of my life!!! my awesome family, my doggie Dover, the color green, traveling, Russia, Ukraine, New Zealand..I'll go one of these days:), clouds, photography, children, coats/jackets, Pride and Prejudice, tennis, egg rolls, coffee. |
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Persuasion
By Sally Hawkins, Alice Krige, Rupert Penry-Jones, Anthony Head, Julia Davis
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Check out Jonny's instrumental/devotional blog!
http://melodiesatdawn.xanga.com
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| Yep, that's the big new here! A lot has happened within the last month...we moved here to Ternopil at the end of October and then just last week found out that we're expecting! I really feel it couldn't have come at a better time. The Lord knew It's just such a relief knowing the major move is behind us - I would have had trouble packing up all our stuff in Kyiv if I was feeling like this. Ternopil is such a peaceful place, the perfect place to rest for my first trimester.
I'm a little over 6 weeks now...not feeling too sick yet...just super tired all the time and more emotional (if that's even possible for those of you who know me  ). I had a feeling I was pregnant about a week before we found out. I mean, yeah, I'm known to be a cryer but not always during movies. Well I was watching the movie 13 Going On 30 and seriously two times during the film I just lost it! It cracks me up thinking about it now. Then I think it was the next day that I cried during a Gilmore Girls episode. HA! So the theme is: Lots of tears over here in Ternopil 
Things are going really well here. Jon has been super busy as he's taken over all of his brother George's responsibilities here in the church. He's teaching and leading worship every Sunday. I may be a little biased, but I think he's doing an amazing job! This is a totally new experience for him, and he's handling it all so very well. We both feel honored and blessed to be here these 2 months while George and Sharon are away. It's been so great to get to know the other team members here and work alongside them. I've been a few times to the English Club on Wednesdays nights. It's a time where Ukrainian students, who already study English in school, can get a chance to practice the language through games and dicussion. Last year one girl came to the Lord through English club, and we continue to pray that the Lord will give more opportunities for us to share Him with these students. I can already see it's such a great way of building relationships within this city. Pray for fruit from this ministry.
Yesterday morning I got to help babysit for the Mom's Meeting that Christina started up. It was great to see 3 moms and 5 kids there! I know it's a huge blessing for these moms to have time to fellowship with one another and spend time in the Word and in prayer. I'm glad to help watch the little ones.
So we have another month or so here and then we fly to the States!! We got our tickets. We'll be flying out January 4th. Our first stop will be California, where we'll be at the Calvary Chapel Missions Conference in Murrieta. Both Jon and I have never been to this conference, let alone to CA! George will be one of the main speakers there. It will be great to be there with them to represent CC Ternopil. Jon's mom, Pam, will also be there. We're looking forward to this time of refreshment with family and friends. Next stop is Indiana. Looks like we'll be flying into Indy around Jan 12th. We'll be visiting family and friends in IN and KY for the month of January. I'll be flying to Florida on the 26th, and Jon will get there February 5th. Wanted to get there a little earlier so I don't miss the birth of my niece!! My sister, Emily, is having her first child in February. I can't wait to see my family again. I haven't seen my parents in a year and my sister in a year and a half! That's a really long time for us. It will be so great to get to hang out with my family and little niece for the month of February. I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully I'll be feeling good enough to travel by then since I'll be entering my second trimester. I'm praying that's the case!
Can't believe Thanksgiving is tomorrow! We're planning to hang out with the team for the day. Marilyn is cooking the turkey...Christina's making squash casserole and pumpkin pie...and I'm doing an appetizer, mashed potatoes and green beans! We're planning on bringing out the puzzles and holiday movies and just chilling together. Got to run out to the store and grab some more stuff for tomorrow. I know that would be unthinkable in the States - all the good Thanksgiving food would probably be out of stock the night before..lol Well not here...it's just another day in Ukraine. I hope to take pictures tomorrow and post them soon. I think that's all the news for now.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!
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| So today I had my very last Russian class here in Kyiv...hard to believe! I'm a little bummed about it because I feel like there is so much more I could have learned there But again I know that nothing is in vain, and the Lord had me there for a reason. I really was only there about 4 months total..but I loved my class and teacher. It was a great place. Thank You Lord!
Now that I don't have anymore homework assignments I have a lot more time to pack up our apt. and get things organized. This Sunday will be our last in the Kyiv church, and Jon's last Sunday leading worship. Kind of sad when you think about it :( It'll be good though that he'll be able to come back frequently to Kyiv..for his lessons at the music conservatory and hopefully for the midweek service on Tuesday night. Jon was just saying how it's crazy to think that Markeys have been in Kyiv for 16 years...and now the last ones are leaving. The Markey occupation of Kyiv has finally come to an end folks! Of course Jonny grew up here and most of his childhood memories are from here. In that regard it will be hard moving away from this place. We're officially starting another chapter in our lives. New city...new church...new ministry.
I'm really looking forward to the change of pace in Ternopil...a much quiter, gentler place. It will definitely be refreshing. It's just chaotic here..well it's the capital..and a city of over 5 million..what can I say :) We're still looking for an apt. in Ternopil - would appreciate your prayers for that. For sure we have a place to stay initially, at George and Sharon's, but we'd like to find a place soon so that we can go ahead and move all our stuff. It's going to be a great blessing for us that rent in Ternopil is a third of what it is here in Kyiv!! This city is so expensive to live in these days. Financially speaking, it will be nice to live in the country :)
Ternopil
.......here we come!!!
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| I can't believe it's been 7 months since I last posted. SO much has happened this year. I can't fit it all in this one post, but I can tell you that Jon and I are doing really well. God is working mightily in our lives and He is working here in Ukraine. We spent over a month this summer in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan...helping the church and team there. God really used that time in our lives. Physically it was probably the worst month in my life...I was constantly sick with everything under the sun. That was hard for sure, but spiritually it was a real time of growth for me. I learned so much observing my sisters in law as they serve there. Melanie and Renee are such great examples of wives and mothers in ministry. Their hearts of love and service truly impacted me. It was also while we were in Bishkek that the Lord put Western Ukraine on our hearts. It's funny that it took us traveling all the way to Central Asia for the Lord to show us we need to stay in Ukraine. Of course this whole past year we've been involved in the church in Ternopil -going once a month or so. We loved Ternopil, but didn't feel that the Lord was calling us to move there...until now! So we're going west :) We'll be moving around the 22nd of this month. As I look back on everything...it's totally the Lord's perfect timing. We needed to be in Kyiv this last year. It was not only our first year of marriage, but my first year in Ukraine. It was challenging for sure..but the Lord has taught me so many lessons here. Our God is faithful...His ways are not our ways...but His ways are always better :)
As I read in Jeremiah this morning....
O Lord I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
Jer. 10:23
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