‘NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD’
Luke 1: ‘Nothing, you see, is impossible with God’
Here we have Elizabeth, about 90 years old, pregnant.
Mary, a virgin, pregnant and the angel Gabriel responds: ‘Nothing you see, is impossible with God’
If you could ask God for one miracle knowing that it would be granted what would you ask for?
Healing for yourself or a loved one?
Change within your employment?
Help with your finances?
Restoration of a relationship?
For a loved one to come to Christ?
What would you ask for?
In your heart of hearts do you believe God still has the power to perform miracles?
Do you believe ‘Nothing is impossible with God’?
In Malachi we read: ‘I am the Lord and I do not change’.
In Hebrews we read: ‘Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever’.
If that is the case, and I believe it is, then, ‘Nothing is impossible with God’. He knows your hearts desire and mind and can and does speak directly into the situations we find ourselves in, in life. He is interested in everything that concerns both you and me and if we allow Him to He will move and breathe and have His being in each one of us.
I love this concept of God being able to do anything and think the image portrayed in Ephesians 3 is one I constantly want to claim for my life and hope you do too!
‘God can do anything you know – far more than you would ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us’.
Glory to God in the Church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!’
Seeking those willing to commit a lifetime to serving Christ in The Salvation Army UKT North Western Division, Major Glad Ljungholm (CLICK ON IMAGE TO WATCH VIDEO)
'Not called' did you say? 'Not heard the call', I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bi
"God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life..."
Thursday, December 22, 2011
CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY TO SKANGALI AND SEDA
… and so the day of days arrived, There was an air of anticipation and great excitement and that was amongst us, the adults when there wasn’t yet a child in sight! More presents needed to be wrapped … a few needed to be purchased as we struggled to find some for older children. So off we went for a quick visit to Vermeira...
There was the aroma of baking coming from the kitchen as homemade pizza was being prepared and several special Latvian sliced cakes,The mixture of aromas was wonderful. The smells and sounds of music and gifts being wrapped provided the perfect Christmas air.
All we needed was snow, but that wasn’t to be this year … well not for us anyway. They may have some by the 25th or even the 7th January, the Orthodox day for celebrating.
Eventually, after dark, we heard the noise of excited children as they began to arrive for their party. They waited for Sven , Derek and me to mount the stairs before they ventured into what looked like something from a film set and we heard a stifled ‘wow’ as they walked in and very quietly took their seats. To begin with it was almost as if they were dumbstruck but I’m pleased to say it didn’t last long!
Games began, excitement as 'pass the parcel' was explained in English and Latvian and the sense of delight when they received a lollipop between each wrapper … but then when they reached the bar of chocolate at the end they were ecstatic. Interestingly, I noticed those who won the chocolate shared it without any prompting from an adult... a year ago this just would not have happened.
We moved on to the game of oranges under the chin and passed down the line which brought about much hilarity but not quite as much as a balloon being passed over head and then through their legs, followed by musical bumps. The laughter was wonderful to hear and the broad smiles I think will be etched on our memories for a long time to come.
Food, glorious food … was wolfed down. It looked wonderful surrounded by candle holders and night lights that were later sent home to their families as a Christmas gift. Shiny red apples and sweet small oranges were obviously a real treat as the children took handfuls of them. As they ate the children watched a DVD of our previous visits over the last three years and loved seeing themselves on the big screen.
The music and the excitement began again until we heard a loud knocking from an outside door … much to the children’s delight and extreme excitement, In walked Santa throwing small gifts and the children leaped in enthusiasm to make sure they didn’t miss out. But then there was more … much more and the children were encouraged to sit down in their winter wonderland as Santa gave individual gifts to each child, all of these had been donated from friends in the UK and USA. The photos will tell their own story.
Throughout the evening, we rejoiced, we celebrated, we heard the children give thanks to God for His goodness and we were blessed, blessed beyond measure.
Major Glad
(supplement - unknown to the Major!)
Last night we hosted a Christmas party for our Latvian children- 40+- dancing, games, singing and a movie highlighting our 8 previous visits... then came SANTA! The children literally jumped for joy!
The children's toys and games were doled out, too slow for some, by Santa (Derek) and the childrens' faces said it all; "thank you American, British and Swedish donors"! All except one...
Natasha, top Sunday School helper/student at the Seda SA outpost, tearfully showed Glad the gift she'd received, and we realized it was intended for someone aged 4 NOT 14! NATASHA IS THE YOUNG LADY ON THE RIGHT,,,
All the gifts were distributed and Natasha had none! Glad gave her a loving hug and said; "Wait, I've got a gift for you I hope you'll like." She removed her favourite gold ear rings, a gift from her father some years ago and said, "I was wearing these in order that I wouldn't lose them and to not forget to bring them tonight; I brought them just for you..." And so that precious gift was re-gifted, a gift that meant so much to Glad because it had been gifted to her by her father.
That is the story of Christmas- God, the Father gifted us with that which was most precious to Him, His son- what precious gift are you re-gifting in love this Christmas?
I know what I'll be shopping for today, golden ear rings!
Happy Christmas!
… and so the day of days arrived, There was an air of anticipation and great excitement and that was amongst us, the adults when there wasn’t yet a child in sight! More presents needed to be wrapped … a few needed to be purchased as we struggled to find some for older children. So off we went for a quick visit to Vermeira...
There was the aroma of baking coming from the kitchen as homemade pizza was being prepared and several special Latvian sliced cakes,The mixture of aromas was wonderful. The smells and sounds of music and gifts being wrapped provided the perfect Christmas air.
All we needed was snow, but that wasn’t to be this year … well not for us anyway. They may have some by the 25th or even the 7th January, the Orthodox day for celebrating.
Eventually, after dark, we heard the noise of excited children as they began to arrive for their party. They waited for Sven , Derek and me to mount the stairs before they ventured into what looked like something from a film set and we heard a stifled ‘wow’ as they walked in and very quietly took their seats. To begin with it was almost as if they were dumbstruck but I’m pleased to say it didn’t last long!
Games began, excitement as 'pass the parcel' was explained in English and Latvian and the sense of delight when they received a lollipop between each wrapper … but then when they reached the bar of chocolate at the end they were ecstatic. Interestingly, I noticed those who won the chocolate shared it without any prompting from an adult... a year ago this just would not have happened.
We moved on to the game of oranges under the chin and passed down the line which brought about much hilarity but not quite as much as a balloon being passed over head and then through their legs, followed by musical bumps. The laughter was wonderful to hear and the broad smiles I think will be etched on our memories for a long time to come.
Food, glorious food … was wolfed down. It looked wonderful surrounded by candle holders and night lights that were later sent home to their families as a Christmas gift. Shiny red apples and sweet small oranges were obviously a real treat as the children took handfuls of them. As they ate the children watched a DVD of our previous visits over the last three years and loved seeing themselves on the big screen.
The music and the excitement began again until we heard a loud knocking from an outside door … much to the children’s delight and extreme excitement, In walked Santa throwing small gifts and the children leaped in enthusiasm to make sure they didn’t miss out. But then there was more … much more and the children were encouraged to sit down in their winter wonderland as Santa gave individual gifts to each child, all of these had been donated from friends in the UK and USA. The photos will tell their own story.
Throughout the evening, we rejoiced, we celebrated, we heard the children give thanks to God for His goodness and we were blessed, blessed beyond measure.
Major Glad
(supplement - unknown to the Major!)
Last night we hosted a Christmas party for our Latvian children- 40+- dancing, games, singing and a movie highlighting our 8 previous visits... then came SANTA! The children literally jumped for joy!
The children's toys and games were doled out, too slow for some, by Santa (Derek) and the childrens' faces said it all; "thank you American, British and Swedish donors"! All except one...
Natasha, top Sunday School helper/student at the Seda SA outpost, tearfully showed Glad the gift she'd received, and we realized it was intended for someone aged 4 NOT 14! NATASHA IS THE YOUNG LADY ON THE RIGHT,,,
All the gifts were distributed and Natasha had none! Glad gave her a loving hug and said; "Wait, I've got a gift for you I hope you'll like." She removed her favourite gold ear rings, a gift from her father some years ago and said, "I was wearing these in order that I wouldn't lose them and to not forget to bring them tonight; I brought them just for you..." And so that precious gift was re-gifted, a gift that meant so much to Glad because it had been gifted to her by her father.
That is the story of Christmas- God, the Father gifted us with that which was most precious to Him, His son- what precious gift are you re-gifting in love this Christmas?
I know what I'll be shopping for today, golden ear rings!
Happy Christmas!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
SURPRISE VISIT FROM YOU KNOW WHO!!!
Today has been a relatively quiet day in Skangali as we waited for the arrival of the Christmas presents for the children. We had already brought them to Latvia back in August but since then they had been in hiding from curious eyes.
We received them this afternoon when it was all hands on deck with Sven, Derek and Glad as we looked through what there was, sorted and began to wrap the gifts hoping and praying they will be put into the right hands for each child to get the best enjoyment out of them. Suddenly we had the arrival of more help that brought about a magical sense to the evening …
This was followed by a most enjoyable time of ‘food, friendship and fellowship’ as we were joined by Captains Sergey and Aizan, and Cadets Dmitri and Ilona for an evening meal in what has become our favourite restaurant in Valmeira; Latvia for that matter.
Plans were discussed and finalised for tomorrow evening as we ate and hoped that tomorrow night will be a very special and memorable evening for the children of Sakarni and Seda as they join together for a party.
Our prayer is that will have a few hours of joy to lift their thoughts from the misery so many will return to after the festivities are over...
We received them this afternoon when it was all hands on deck with Sven, Derek and Glad as we looked through what there was, sorted and began to wrap the gifts hoping and praying they will be put into the right hands for each child to get the best enjoyment out of them. Suddenly we had the arrival of more help that brought about a magical sense to the evening …
This was followed by a most enjoyable time of ‘food, friendship and fellowship’ as we were joined by Captains Sergey and Aizan, and Cadets Dmitri and Ilona for an evening meal in what has become our favourite restaurant in Valmeira; Latvia for that matter.
Plans were discussed and finalised for tomorrow evening as we ate and hoped that tomorrow night will be a very special and memorable evening for the children of Sakarni and Seda as they join together for a party.
Our prayer is that will have a few hours of joy to lift their thoughts from the misery so many will return to after the festivities are over...
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
RIGA to SKANGALI
Sunday morning found us at the Riga 1 Corps.
This was a first for us as we have usually been to Riga II on a Saturday and at Seda on the Sunday, so this was a really refreshing change. I was looking forward to worship, this fourth Sunday in advent and I was not disappointed.
As we entered the hall it was warm and welcoming as were the people. The Christmas décor was stunning in its simplicity. Candle lights dancing in the draft and there was an air of happiness and expectancy as together we gathered to worship Emmanuel, God with us.
H & S folk would have raised an alarm...
There was a mixed congregation, English, Welsh, Latvian, Russian and Swedish that I know of. A very real sense of:
‘They shall come from the east, they shall come from the west and sit down in the Kingdom of God’ and we did just that, young and old alike. It was encouraging to see a good number of young people, probably the largest part of the congregation who enthusiastically participated in the service.
A contemporary worship group provided the music for us. This was made up of both uniformed and non uniformed people. The translator was a non uniformed Salvationist and excellent in her ministry and she reflected what Lieutenant Sarah Ilster was saying to us in English.
Sarah has just been commissioned as a Salvation Army Officer this year and has been a distant learning Cadet coming across to the UK from time to time to help complete her studies. Sarah is an English, single spouse Officer, married to Alvis who is Latvian and SA soldier. 
Alvis works for Navigators, a Christian organization and uses his God given gifts specifically in the area of teaching discipleship and at times lectures at the training college in Riga. And so together, with their differing gifts they serve God along with their young son.
It was a delight to sit under Sarah’s thought provoking and challenging ministry. She is an excellent communicator and shared the Gospel message in a simple, expressive way that left us in no doubt how Elizabeth and Mary’s story is relevant to our world, our lives today in 2011
Some of you who read this blog regularly may be interested to know that Sarah has agreed for me to interview her and to share it here in the new year, and hopefully when she is over in the UK she will be able to meet with our ‘Explore’ group
(those who are exploring Spiritual leadership in Liverpool).
Today, Monday as we visited the Regional Headquarters an invitation was extended for some of you to come and meet the Army in Latvia, during the summer of 2012. Watch this space for further details.
Sunday, however brought its own challenges, its own encouragement, its own delights. Voluntary testimony from young students of what God is doing in their lives. The enthusiasm and youthfulness of some of the Cadets who joyfully worshiped God and as always the beautiful sight of witnessing people kneeling to pray at the Mercy Seat.
Thank you Riga 1 for welcoming us into your midst. Thank you Lieutenant Sarah for your ministry to us and may God bless you real good!
Major Glad Ljungholm
Liverpool - DHQ
There was a mixed congregation, English, Welsh, Latvian, Russian and Swedish that I know of. A very real sense of:
A contemporary worship group provided the music for us. This was made up of both uniformed and non uniformed people. The translator was a non uniformed Salvationist and excellent in her ministry and she reflected what Lieutenant Sarah Ilster was saying to us in English.
It was a delight to sit under Sarah’s thought provoking and challenging ministry. She is an excellent communicator and shared the Gospel message in a simple, expressive way that left us in no doubt how Elizabeth and Mary’s story is relevant to our world, our lives today in 2011
Some of you who read this blog regularly may be interested to know that Sarah has agreed for me to interview her and to share it here in the new year, and hopefully when she is over in the UK she will be able to meet with our ‘Explore’ group
Today, Monday as we visited the Regional Headquarters an invitation was extended for some of you to come and meet the Army in Latvia, during the summer of 2012. Watch this space for further details.
Sunday, however brought its own challenges, its own encouragement, its own delights. Voluntary testimony from young students of what God is doing in their lives. The enthusiasm and youthfulness of some of the Cadets who joyfully worshiped God and as always the beautiful sight of witnessing people kneeling to pray at the Mercy Seat.
Thank you Riga 1 for welcoming us into your midst. Thank you Lieutenant Sarah for your ministry to us and may God bless you real good!
Major Glad Ljungholm
Liverpool - DHQ
Monday, December 19, 2011
THE BUBBLE!
Day One: Friday / Saturday
‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year’ … I absolutely believe this and have been singing that line for weeks, I don’t know anymore of the song, but I certainly know the sentiment. The other day I was driving into the office singing at the top of my voice:
‘Christmastime, mistletoe and wine,
Children singing Christian rhyme.
With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree
A time to rejoice in the good that we see.
A time for living, a time for believing.
A time for trusting and not deceiving.
Love and laughter and joy ever after
Ours for the taking, just follow the Master.
Christmas time, mistletoe and wine,
Children singing Christian rhyme.
With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree
A time to rejoice in the good that we see.’
And so you can see, I was excited to put it mildly.
Advent, a time of preparation, anticipation, expectancy and I felt all of those things and much, much more as we planned to journey to Latvia to see ‘our kids’ and spend a few days with them just prior to Christmas.
‘I’M SO EXCITED’ … was another line of a song that I continued to sing at the top of my voice. I think I nearly drove Sven insane …lol!
But how quickly that bubble of excitement, anticipation, expectancy burst. We, along with Derek Lucas, one of our summer team from Cwmbran, left our home in Liverpool for the John Lennon airport for an afternoon flight, we waited, and waited, and waited until eventually Ryan Air announced our flight had been delayed until 6.00am the next morning. And so in a nearly eight hour period we had travelled no more than a few miles down the road and we were nowhere near Sweden in order for us to get our connecting flight to Latvia the next day. My bubble was burst and that sense of excitement was very quickly disappearing and changing into dread at the thought of not making it to Latvia on Saturday.
The alarm went off at 3.00am and so up we got, showered, dressed, had breakfast and headed for the airport. You should have seen the queues … but having a disabled husband does have its advantages at times and we were directed to the front of the line of anxious people eager to discover if we were going to get out of Liverpool at 6.00am We were assured we would and as we headed for the departure gate I could feel my bubble beginning to inflate again. I shouldn’t have allowed it to.
Eventually we arrived in Sweden and had to wait for what seemed like forever and a day for our connecting flight to Latvia, snow was beginning to flurries and I could feel my bubble getting lower and lower. Before too long it became obvious we were not going to make it in time to join ‘our kids’ at the circus and by this time it seemed like my bubble had well and truly burst. I even began to wonder if it could be repaired and if I would be able to feel some of that excitement again?
I should not have worried though because the moment I stepped out of our rental car in old town Rigaand walked towards ‘our kids’ waiting outside of McDonalds in Riga, and the children not knowing what they were waiting for; when they caught a glimpse of me walking towards them, they dashed towards me to greet me with hugs as if from long lost friends and immediately my bubble was inflated bigger than my bubble had been before.
Never had a McDonalds ‘Happy Meal’ looked or tasted so good, as we saw the happy faces on our kids, listened to their happy and excited chatter (even though Derk and I cannot understand the language) realized they had, had an amazing time at the circus and were absolutely on cloud 9 as for most they were out of their village for the very first time and with all of this excitement in one day they could hardly contain themselves and neither could we!
Glad, Sven and Derek
More to come...
Sunday, December 18, 2011
‘MARY STAYED WITH ELIZABETH’
Luke 1: 56
Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin had conceived in her old age. Everyone had called her barren, but here we find her six months pregnant – a miracle. An old lady, a barren old lady pregnant. Probably looked down upon because of her childless state and now possibly laughed at because of her present condition.
Mary, a child, a youth. Elizabeth well past the age of child bearing. Both carrying a miracle child given by God. Both experiencing their first pregnancy. Both well blessed by God. Both cousins and the fact Mary stayed three months suggests they were good friends.
What did they do during that three month period? I imagine what women who are close to each other do best … talk … talk to their hearts content. Share their hopes, fears, dreams. Confirm God in the other.
Tell it as it really was. Encouraged each other in their faith, their relationship with God. Hold each other up to God in prayer and get to know and love each other better than ever.
Sometime ago a best friend of mine bought me a card that read: ‘You will always be my friend … You know too much’! Smile we might, but as we look at the friendship between Mary and Elizabeth I think we are left with the challenge to choose our friends well and pray:
‘Help us to help each other Lord
Each others cross to bear
Let each his friendly aid afford
And feel his brothers care’.
SASB 662 v. 1
Charles Wesley
Major Glad Ljungholm
Friday, December 16, 2011
‘MARY’S RESPONSE’
‘Let it be to me according to Your Word’
Luke 1: 38
What words have spoken deep into your heart when you needed them most? Verses of Scripture. Words from the treasury of our Salvation Army Song Book. Pearls of wisdom from others …
For me the last three or so years have not been amongst the easiest. I have known some pretty drastic life changing experiences that absolutely turned my life upside down. To name but one, my now husband, Sven and I got engaged on 15 April, 2008 and on the 22 April, 2008 Sven suffered a massive stroke that to this day has left him disabled.
In those very early days of Sven’s stroke and hospitalization I was wracked with fear … fear of what had happened … fear of what I could see before my very eyes … fear of what the future might hold. I recall very early one morning sitting at the side of Sven’s bed as they allowed me to stay over night those first few days, words of a song came to mind:
‘For where I cannot see I’ll trust
For then I know Thou surely must
Be still my all in all.’
SASB 489 v. 4 Herbert Howard Booth
It was almost as if those words became a mantra as God helped them to penetrate my heart, my mind, my very being.
‘For where I cannot see I’ll trust …
For where I cannot see I’ll trust …
For where I cannot see I’ll trust …’
Trust God with the man I love … Trust God with the future that I had no idea how it was going to turn out.
… Trust God now everything was so very, very different to what we had imagined or planned. Then, when those words had sunk deep into my very being God spoke:
‘And may the peace of God
Which is beyond your understanding
Guard your heart and mind
And keep you safe in Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 4: 7
Let me encourage you to allow the Word of God to sink deeply into your heart, your very being and may your response and mine be like that of Mary:
‘Let it be to me according to Your Word’ in my life today and always.
Major Glad Ljungholm
Divisional Candidates Officer
Liverpool
Luke 1: 38
What words have spoken deep into your heart when you needed them most? Verses of Scripture. Words from the treasury of our Salvation Army Song Book. Pearls of wisdom from others …
For me the last three or so years have not been amongst the easiest. I have known some pretty drastic life changing experiences that absolutely turned my life upside down. To name but one, my now husband, Sven and I got engaged on 15 April, 2008 and on the 22 April, 2008 Sven suffered a massive stroke that to this day has left him disabled.
In those very early days of Sven’s stroke and hospitalization I was wracked with fear … fear of what had happened … fear of what I could see before my very eyes … fear of what the future might hold. I recall very early one morning sitting at the side of Sven’s bed as they allowed me to stay over night those first few days, words of a song came to mind:
‘For where I cannot see I’ll trust
For then I know Thou surely must
Be still my all in all.’
SASB 489 v. 4 Herbert Howard Booth
It was almost as if those words became a mantra as God helped them to penetrate my heart, my mind, my very being.
‘For where I cannot see I’ll trust …
For where I cannot see I’ll trust …
For where I cannot see I’ll trust …’
Trust God with the man I love … Trust God with the future that I had no idea how it was going to turn out.
… Trust God now everything was so very, very different to what we had imagined or planned. Then, when those words had sunk deep into my very being God spoke:
‘And may the peace of God
Which is beyond your understanding
Guard your heart and mind
And keep you safe in Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 4: 7
Let me encourage you to allow the Word of God to sink deeply into your heart, your very being and may your response and mine be like that of Mary:
‘Let it be to me according to Your Word’ in my life today and always.
Major Glad Ljungholm
Divisional Candidates Officer
Liverpool
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