July Update 2022

The Lord is my light and my salvation;

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalms 27:1

These words have brought me much comfort in July, not because of the fear aspect but because of the truths that defeat fear in this verse. As I prepare to start my life as a missionary here in Finland, I am comforted by the fact that the Lord is the light in the midst of darkness. Jesus is the one that brings his presence to be known, as does light, to bring about the salvation of men. Jesus being the light for us brings comforts me because I can rest in Him, knowing that He is using me according to His will. As I respond to His grace and share His grace in my life and the world, He is the one in charge of cutting the light of salvation on in people’s life. Not Gabriel. He is my stronghold and where my life is found.

From the conversations I’ve had this month with Finns, I’ve learned that being a Christian for them boils down to having confirmation at the age of thirteen, being able to get married in the church, and paying taxes to the church. There is no mention of Jesus and the life found in Him. Faith is a private matter for Finns, much like our undergarments. You step into cringy territory when you bring up Jesus. That conversation with Finns would possibly cause them to walk away, avoid you if you crossed paths again, or even break your friendship.

Though that is the case, the reality is that God is in the business of saving sinners. Heaven rejoices when God’s children come home. If that is the Lord’s business, then that is what I want to be part of. Though the conversations are awkward, I will always take comfort in the fact that he is sovereign, in control, and sets us on a mission to redeem the youth of Finland.

In Finland, the month of July is when most people take off work for three to four weeks for the “summer holiday.” This typically means that a lot of youth and families aren’t around. Certain programs in the church break and resume in August. The youth program has been on pause due to family and sports travels. For the Byrd family, this has been a sweet blessing from Jesus to give us time to settle in well. Finland has been an adjustment. Our lifestyle, food, sleep, and friends are all starting from scratch. Now that August is here, we are fueled up and ready for the Lord to move. We look forward to sharing with you more of the ministry next month.

Updates

Seminary is part of our family’s missionary journey. One of the projects i've had this summer is a pre-seminary reading list. This list consisted of some great books that I have really enjoyed. I just completed the reading, and it has really flammed a fire for God’s word and what is to come. I am looking forward to this part of my time in Finland. If you are looking for a great book to read that can help you with your studies, check out The Story Retold by G.K. Beale and Benjamin Gladd

One of the greatest blessings I had in the states for the last six years of my life was a Wednesday morning men’s group. I and two to three other faithful Christian men would meet weekly to talk about life, struggles, our relationship with the Lord, and do a book study. With the move to Finland, one of my greatest prayers is to find another group like that here. I got the opportunity to meet with two of the men youth volunteers back in March and encouraged them to begin praying about this opportunity. We have met twice this month, and I am just so grateful for the Lord providing this so soon.

With this month functioning as a time to get adjusted to the culture, we have made a push to find a way to get plugged into the community we live in. I have joined a lifting gym near my apartment where I have made some friends. I have also joined a Jiu Jitsu gym near the apartment. My prayer is that the Lord would use these hobbies to allow me to meet people to share the Love of Jesus. An extra blessing on top of getting plugged in is that we live about five minutes from the church. This provides some convenience for those we invite to the church.

My wife is more famous than we all knew. She and Noah went to the women’s basketball national team game against Estonia. While there, she glanced at a table near the concession and noticed her face! It was a cool moment for her and Noah. She has found her ways of getting plugged into the culture. She has found a bible study, mommy and me class, and will try out for a top second-tier basketball team near where we live.

We officially do not have an American number anymore. If you have messaged Heidi or I, we can’t respond. We do have European numbers now. I will message you if you have signed up to receive messages. Do not be alarmed if you get a message from a 351 number. That is just us :) If you haven’t signed up for updates, now is a great time to do that. Scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up for updates.

Personal Insight

One thing that stands out for me as a missionary in Finland is that there are not many black missionaries here, let alone black individuals. By God’s grace, we are in a very diverse church and neighborhood with a higher population of foreigners than other communities. Nonetheless, with that statistic, it is easy to begin making an image of yourself in your head that you think others see you as. This is dangerous territory to embark on, mentally. One insight that has helped me stay away from that state of mind is to remember that I am standing out for the Lord in what he has called me to, not for what others perceive me as. I strive to keep my eyes focused on how the Lord defines me. During one of my study times this month, I came across this verse, which helps me restate my identity to rest in him:

John 15:13-15

"Greater love has no one than this that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you."

Have you ever found yourself in this kind of mind game? Placing what you think is someone else’s perception of you upon yourself? I pray that you find comfort in the fact that Jesus calls you a friend. He delights in meeting with you, and wants to be with you. Our identity is found in the merits and relationship we have in Christ Jesus.

Cultural Insight

One of the neat things about the Finland is the use of their transit system. It is safe, efficient, on time, and dependable. The transit system is the means of transportation for most Finns, especially in the city. Though it will also be our main means of transportation, we did purchase a very cheap car for our long trips. One interesting thing about the car insurance: Your insurance covers anyone driving your car, even if they are not on your car insurance. So, if you let your friend borrow your car and they wrecked it, you would be responsible for their bills, any damage bills, and your insurance is effected, not theirs. So, choose wisely who you let drive your vehicle.

Mcdonalds has the slowest service here. It was a bit of a cultural shock waiting eight to ten minutes for our food… In the drivethrough. I am use to the food being practically ready by the time you get to the second window. I guess the trade off is that the portions here are actually bigger/advertised size and the meat is actually fresh. You decide what you prefer...

#American Woe

As mentioned above, I found a Jiu Jitsu gym that I became a member of. The first day I went, I did not have a water bottle. I ran into the grocery store quickly to buy some water. I bought the first thing that said vesi (water in finnish) on it. After returning to the gym and completing the warm up, I went for a drink just to find out that I bought bubbly water. So, throughout my workout and class, I bet people were probably very confused why I was drinking sparkling water. No worries, I was confused too.

Prayer Request

1. The youth back-to-school bash

Students and parents are returning from summer holiday. We will have a social gathering party to hang out and get to know one another before school starts back. Please pray that the Lord would unite our hearts together during this time.

2. Seminary

Seminary starts at the end of the month. Please pray that I would start off strong and balance the family/work/school life well. I am grateful for my brother Richmond being a great example for me to follow this lifestyle well!

3. Apartment completion

Our apartment is still under renovation. We have been in transition for the last three to four months of our lives. Our family is ready for some stability and routine. Please pray for an on time completion and a smooth moving in.

4. Noah making friends and learning the language

Please pray for Noah’s ability to make friends. He doesn’t speak the language and kids his age do not speak English. This causes some frustrations for him. Please pray for patiences and God’s gracious hand in bringing him some people he can spend time with. He has made one :)