Ukraine: We Must Intercede

The tragic turn of events by the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin has already brought incomprehensible pain and destruction. This inexcusable aggression grieves our hearts.

Ukraine is not a distant unknown country to Larry and me. From first-hand experience, we view Ukraine as one of the strongest countries for CRU® ministry, with over 120 Ukrainian staff.

During the years of leading the Eastern Europe ministries of CRU®, Ukraine was, indeed, “one of our countries”, and over the course of time, from our headquarters in Budapest, we repeatedly visited that amazing nation. As a result, we know many national staff personally and are receiving communication which keeps us up to date on their dire circumstances. All of them stand courageous in their faith. Some of them are leaving; some are staying. And, others leave while family stays.

My friend and colleague Svetlana writes:

Emotional toll is huge. One day there will be book written on everything we are going through and what God is doing. Right now is just gratitude for one more day, for 3 more rescued families, for opportunities to help. I don't have illusions. I am not sure if it is not the start of something much bigger than Ukraine ( all signs are there) I have a whole spectrum of emotions, yet there are two things that keep me running: Prayers of multitudes and His grace in the times of trouble.

We are going through a lot, and we need your constant prayers for our emotional health. Pray God would continue working in our hearts, we are like an open nerve. Please, pray for God's mercy and grace for us. Thank you all.

My friend and colleague Audra writes:

Defending Ukraine with Prayer

Desperate Prayer Needed

From a human perspective, Ukraine is going to be annihilated. The invaders have no concern for human life, they will continue to target civilians even when they occupy a place.

PLEASE join us in prayer and ask God for a miracle that the evil and the enemy would be destroyed and would flee.

Pray for the guys fighting, Roma, Valentine, Max, Ivan, Matthew, Dima, Zhenya.

Pray for our ministry staff guys who have not been able to leave Ukraine; right now they are organizing themselves to help with humanitarian needs.

Pray for children to be protected spiritually, emotionally, physically.

Pray for each of our staff families to know and do what God wants of them.

Please pray that weapons and air support would be provided to Ukraine.

Pray for the people in the cities Kharkov, Irpen, Mariupol cities which are facing the worse right now.

Pray for our staff lady, Oksana. We waited three days to hear that she is alive and well. Praise God that she is! BUT we need to pray for her extraction. She is a true warrior for the Lord.

Please pray that God would keep our staff emotionally, spiritually, and physically strong through this. The tolls of trauma are seen already.

Please pray for the displaced families, the wives, moms, and children without their husbands.

Pray for a miracle that this would end!

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So, dear reader, please note that both Svetlana and Audra gave their permission for this content to be shared with you. The ongoing reality in this horrific war—in the face of such unprecedented evil—no place is safe. May God have mercy.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

Please join us in urgent, fervent prayer before The Throne, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (reference Hebrews 4:16)

‼️ At any moment, you can join people gathered from around the world and pray for Ukraine. ANYTIME. Let me explain: Using this link Ukraine 24-hour Prayer—click. 1. Next, just hover on the link located on the spreadsheet underneath where the yellow date is shown. 2. Then, click when you see http://staff web.zoom.us/ 3. Click and JOIN

Or

To sign up for a thirty-minute slot in the 24-hour Prayer Room Link: If you or friends or church members want to sign up for prayer, we offer this same strategic, ongoing Ukraine 24-hour Prayer, Link. https://tinyurl.com/yh5854at

And, if you feel led, please share with us in the Comments how God uses this prayer opportunity to enlarge the borders of your own heart to fight for His Kingdom in Ukraine.

“Throughout Ukraine’s history, the sunflower has been used as a symbol of peace.” Perhaps you want to purchase a bouquet to serve as a reminder to pray.

National Anthem Day, Not a Big Deal?

In honor of National Anthem Day, March 3rd, I invite you to travel back with me to a day long ago; it must have been in 1980.

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, perfect for SEC football, Larry parked our borrowed car, and we gazed about. For a moment in time, we found ourselves back on campus at Mississippi State University. Already serving Christ as missionaries in a clandestine assignment behind the Iron Curtain, this pause seemed surreal.

With the birth of our third child just around the corner, my pregnant body slowly climbed the concrete ramp into the stadium as we moved toward our seats. The generosity of the MSU athletic department made this opportunity possible; every detail held significance.

Once in place, we sighed and savored the moment. In front of us towered the chapel where we first met. Only a short distance beyond stood the monument where we shared our first kiss. And just over the ridge behind us rested the bed of daylilies where, on his knees pulling weeds, Larry first experienced a vision of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union being set aflame with the Gospel. Indeed, this unique piece of academic geography would forever hold a beloved place in our hearts.

Still dazzled by the surroundings of our rich personal history, Larry and I rose on command with the other thousands when we heard the announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for our national anthem.” My husband removed his cap, and we respectfully placed our hands over our hearts. Then, our eyes turned to gaze upon Old Glory as she waved in the gentle autumn breeze. Solemnly, we listened with appreciation as, line by line, the selected celebrity brought incredible talent to the strains of our nation’s national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.

Say, can you see

By the dawn's early light

What so proudly we hailed

At the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars

Through the perilous fight

O'er the ramparts we watched,

Were so gallantly, yeah, streaming?

And the rockets' red glare

The bombs bursting in air

Gave proof through the night

That our flag was still there

O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave —

But as the last words,

O'er the land of the free

reverberated in the air with crystal-clear magnificence, something totally unexpected occurred. A moment transpired that marked us forever. Looking over at Larry and reaching for his hand, I realized that he and I stood alone in a world all by ourselves.

With tears pouring down our cheeks, we wept. Way beyond the musical grandeur, we wept over the significance of our freedom.

The land of the free . . . and the home … of . . . the . . . brave.

As never before in our naïve American lives, my beloved and I sang (and felt) our national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, differently. It took an assignment behind the Iron Curtain in communist Poland to grip us with the priceless value of our heritage as free citizens of the United States of America. Yet, on a football Saturday afternoon lost in a crowd of fanatical fans, a lesson in patriotism changed our lives in a riveting way we will never forget and from which I hope we never recover.

Oh, yes; for these two, our national anthem is a very big deal.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

What do you think about when you join a crowd and sing our national anthem?

When is the last time you genuinely thanked God for your freedom?

How can you bring meaning to the upcoming holiday, National Anthem Day?

12 Great Questions Leaders Ask Other Leaders

Guest Post -by Bob Tiede

Click HERE to listen to 12 Great Questions Leaders Ask Other Leaders, Chapter 26 from the book Now That’s a Great Question.

When you connect with other leaders, what do you ask them?

Have you ever had the opportunity to spend time with another leader that you would love to learn from, and felt tongue-tied? These opportunities can happen spontaneously, like during a refreshment break at a conference, or finding yourself seated next to a leader on an airplane.

Or maybe you are scheduled for a one-on-one breakfast/lunch/coffee time. Perhaps you have had the opportunity to hear a great leader speak who then opened it up to Q & A and you didn’t know what to ask. (Did you know that every speaker I know is always very grateful for the person who instantly raises their hand to ask the first question?)

Here are my “Baker’s Dozen”:

You might want to start by asking, “May I ask you a question?” (I have never had anyone say, “No.”) You might also preface your question with, “I’m curious”, then ask one of the questions below:

1. What are your favorite questions to ask those you lead?

2. How did you get your start?

3. What is your “Secret Sauce”? i.e. what are the 3–5 leadership principles that you have discovered and executed that have contributed to your success?

4. What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment?

5. Who opened doors for you?

6. What role does God play in your life & leadership?

7. What has been your greatest failure? And what did you learn from it?

8. Can you please talk to me about execution? What do you do to ensure that your strategic plans actually become reality?

9. What do you do to keep your family Priority #1?

10. What do you do to take care of your staff?

11. What are the keys to developing the next generation of leaders in your world?

12. How do you continually deepen your personal relationships with your clients/customers/staff/peers/ leaders?

13. What questions are you asking yourself lately?

If their answer to any question leaves you wanting to know more, go ahead and ask:

“Can you please tell me more about that?”

And, of course, you will want to thank them for their answers and time.

Head’s Up! Don’t be surprised if, after they answer your question, they return the favor by asking you the very same question(s).

If you are asking your questions in a meeting or over a meal, be mindful of the clock. But also be aware that many times they will enjoy the interaction so much, they will extend the time.

Benefits:

• You will gain valuable insights.

• The leader you are interacting with will appreciate how your thoughtful questions actually provided an opportunity for them to explore more deeply their own thoughts.

• You will almost always come away with a new friend or will have deepened your relationship with an old friend.

• You will no longer feel tongue-tied!

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

Which question do you find most intriguing from Bob’s list above?

When do you imagine yourself using this question in the near future?

What question would you suggest Bob add to this group of questions he listed?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bob Tiede has been on the staff of Cru for 48 years. He currently serves on the U.S. Leadership Development Team and is passionate about seeing leaders grow and multiply their effectiveness. Bob's blog, LeadingWithQuestions.com is followed by leaders in over 190 countries. Bob and his wife, Sherry, live in Plano, TX, and are blessed with 4 incredible children and 6 remarkable grandchildren. You can reach Bob at bob.tiede@cru.org.