One Step at a Time

Dearest friends and prayer partners,

Thank you so much for your prayers! God has been working, though it has been within my own heart that it has been most evident to me. He has been refining me and drawing me ever closer to Him. Please pray that He molds me into a vessel fit for His purposes, and that I will be fully surrendered to and dependent on Him.

Over the past few months, I have been struggling quite a bit with homesickness. I know that He has not called me to stay in America, but I miss my church family at my home church. They have been such a blessing and support to me. When my friend (Grace) came to visit, they sent all kinds of cards with her to wish me a happy birthday and encourage me. They are now hanging up in my living room as a reminder of God’s goodness through them. Please pray that the homesickness will get easier to deal with, that I will lean into Christ when it is hard, and that I will continue to do the next right thing.

It was wonderful to spend time with Grace and Jeremy (her brother) from my sending church. Grace was able to spend a couple days here in Slovakia, and we explored several things around Kežmarok, took a trip to štŕbske pleso, spent time with individuals in the church here, and just enjoyed each other’s company. Then Sunday after church, we took the train down to Budapest and met up with Jeremy. While there, we spend time exploring things around the city and just having a wonderful time of very sweet fellowship. It was such a tremendous blessing to spend time with both of them.

On March 23rd, we were able to witness and celebrate the baptism of two young ladies in the church here. We praise God for what He has been doing in their lives and pray that He will continue to grow them into the women He wants them to be.

My remaining time in Slovakia for this term is starting to become very short. In only 5 months, I will be transitioning back to the US. There are so many uncertainties ahead, and that is hard for me. It seems a lesson I’ve had to learn over and over is to be content with knowing just the next step and trusting that God knows and is taking care of the rest. I know His plans are far better than anything I could come up with, but I still struggle not knowing what is coming. Please pray that I will be content in Him and in knowing just the next step that I need to take. Please also pray for wisdom to know what the next step is when it is time to take it. In addition, please pray that God will be working out the details of my transition back to the US including housing while I am there.

The BMM doctrinal questionnaire has been completed, and I am currently studying for the doctrinal interview which will take place over Zoom on May 15th. Please pray that God will be working in the midst of the preparation and in the interview. In addition, pray that things will go according to His will.

Don and LeAnne were able to get to and from Rivne, Ukraine without any issues. Things have become increasingly hard in Ukraine. Please pray that God would be the strength of His servants in Ukraine, that He would encourage them to continue pressing on, that He would give fruit, that there would be more souls bound for heaven because of the work He is doing there, and that if it is His will that this war would come to an end.

I’ve not been able to spend nearly as much time as I would like on my Slovak the past month, but I have continued to improve nonetheless. I’m able to read out loud more smoothly and am able to have more conversations comfortably. There was even one instance recently where if the lady picked up that I wasn’t Slovak, she didn’t show that she did. In town, I’m often mistaken for being Slovak, and people I don’t know will come up and start conversations with me. Usually, it’s asking directions or to take a photo or something similar. If I’m not expecting these conversations, it is hard to understand what is being asked because I’m not paying attention. Normally, I have to ask for the person to repeat themselves. With this lady, I was out for a short walk and she asked where the street I live on was. I was able to understand her and point her in the right direction, which was the same direction I was going. She continued to tell me how it was the first time she was visiting her family in the apartments. She was very sweet and it was encouraging to understand and be understood without issue. Please pray that God would continue to allow me to improve so that I can better be used by Him.

Don and LeAnne are leaving for a short furlow this Sunday, May 4th. They will be gone through July. David and Ellie Luethy will be coming on June 4th and stay through July. There are several individuals within the church here who are capable of taking care of a good number of the things, and we have asked them to manage those things. Please pray that they will manage them well. In particular, LeAnne is hoping to be able to pass the baton on teaching the kids Sunday mornings on a more permanent basis. 

There are a few additional things that I will be taking care of while they are gone. On May 16th, I will be teaching the ladies’ study. We’ll be studying Psalm 139. It has been a tremendous blessing to me the past several weeks. Please pray that God would give me the words He wants said, that He would be working in hearts, and that I won’t get in His way. On June 1st, I’ll be teaching the kids on Sunday morning. There is a prepared lesson in Slovak that I need to spend time studying so that I can communicate it clearly. Please pray that God would give me the ability to say the words clearly and use me to accomplish His purposes. In addition, I’ll be doing some additional cooking and taking care of Don and LeAnne’s dog, Major. Please pray that God will use me to be a blessing even in these small things.

Please also pray that God would provide opportunities to share Him with others with my English students and others that I come into contact with. 

Your Sister in Christ,

Shae Zabel