Yesterday, at our home, we enjoyed family, feasting, and football. We are a long way away, or so it seems, from the difficulties others are currently facing in many parts of the world. The following was written by a friend in Ukraine who served in ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ until Russia invaded. He was then conscripted to serve in the military. Regardless, he continues to look to the Lord, who is his strength and his refuge.

As we continue to thank the Lord for every blessing, I would ask that you also pray for those, near and far, who are facing days fill with agony and grief. I’ve told Zhenya that my prayer, in regard to Ukraine, is that enemy forces will be confused and frightened and will retreat.

Finding Your Value In Loneliness, by Zhenya Yazvinskyy

War is solitude. The eerie loneliness. Loneliness from which everything hurts inside.

Although you are surrounded by brethren who are ready not only to insure, but also help, give rest, and undertake hard work for me, I am sure they are ready to sacrifice their lives.

But still, war is loneliness and pain. At least in my case. No matter how close we are with brothers, this is not a family or a Christian community, a church. Nothing can replace family, wife, children...

Well, sooner or later you realize that we are so different and our values are slightly different. Loneliness is terribly overwhelming and torturing.

This reminds me of the Brotherhood of the Ring which was truly an example of a strong community where everyone was willing to sacrifice for each other... but at one point, Frodo realized that there was a path he had to take himself. As much as it hurts... No man can walk this path for himself alone.

Each of us in this war has a path that we will have to walk alone. And no matter how good friends they are, they won't walk this path for us. They can’t share what you’re going through. Because it's not about friends at all, it's about the depths of a complex human soul created by The One who is not the author of the war and the mission that the Creator has placed on you in life and specifically in this war... It's not necessarily something big. It could be helping your children, and loved ones, volunteering, paying taxes, etc. Or just to save your heart, your faith, to preserve the image of God within you...

We can resist this loneliness and reject it. But sooner or later we need to recognize and accept it. This painful loneliness opens our eyes to what is truly valuable. And what we will discover will be what or Who we should live for. And the main thing is that in this loneliness we will be able to find the Creator of our soul.

But even when Frodo had to leave the brotherhood of the ring, his loyal Sam stayed by his side.

This condition reminds me of the biblical parable about the lost sheep. A sheep that was lost and left all alone. Easy prey for any predator. Helpless, scared, and tired. You would think her end was already known. But there is a continuation to this parable. This sheep had a Good Shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep in the paddock and goes looking for the one that got lost. He looks for her day and night, in good and bad weather, despite his fatigue, and does not stop searching until he finds her. And when he finds it, he rejoices with it. Because this lost sheep is of great value to Him.

May you find what is really valuable to you in the loneliness that you go through. Understand the mission that only you can accomplish. And even in this loneliness, the Good Shepherd will find you, and you will find Him. Understand what value you are to Him, and He will become valuable to you.

John 10:11: "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. "

Matt 18:12-14: "If anyone has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains and go and look for the one that is lost? and if he happens to find her, verily I say unto you, he rejoices over her more than the ninety-nine that is not lost. Thus, it is not the will of your Heavenly Father that one of the little ones should die. "