Dr. Lydia Istomina - author, public speaker

07/21/2025

Thinking of Rev. Frank Dorsey today and missing him deeply. Frank and Nancy were two of my dearest friends. Frank and I met in 1993 when I served as Director for the General Board of Global Ministries for Russia, and he represented Kansas. I regret not having the chance to say goodbye to Nancy before our move to the PNW.

Frank and Nancy moved to Kansas City, KS in 1968 to serve Central Avenue UMC — the same church I served in 1996. Frank was deeply involved in the civil rights movement, even working with the Black Panthers to bridge divides, and standing up to the local mafia to help build affordable housing at 12th & Central. Bold, fearless, and humble — that was Frank.

He invited me to preach at Asbury UMC in Lenexa, KS in 1994. The photo of us is from that day. Frank later blogged about science, faith, and the environment at www.ToThinkAgain.com, taught classes at St. Paul School of Theology and Grace UMC, and stayed active in justice work to the end.

Nancy gave me a beautiful bell and cross in 1999 — the first things I unpacked in our new home. I’ll always be grateful for their friendship. https://www.greatplainsumc.org/

06/23/2025

It just hit me—today is June 22.
After the long move and all the unpacking, I almost missed it. This date may pass quietly for many, but for those of us who grew up in the former Soviet Union, it carries a weight that still echoes through generations.

We all knew the song:
«Двадцать второго июня, ровно в 4 часа, Киев бомбили, нам объявили, что началась война…»
(“On June 22nd, at exactly 4 a.m., Kyiv was bombed, and we were told the war had begun…”)

My mother was just seven years old in 1941 when she heard those words: “Hitler attacked our country.” Her father was in the military. She remembered the fear, the silence, and the grief that came after. My father added two years to his age and got drafted—still just a boy. He flew American B-25 Mitchell bombers, delivered to the Soviets through the Lend-Lease program, from Alaska to Russia.

The Soviet Union lost over 20 million lives during World War II.
Not twenty men—twenty million souls. Soldiers. Children. Mothers. Entire cities and villages erased.

Before you go to bed tonight, pause for a moment.
Remember them.
And don’t forget what made it all possible.
Fascism begins by dehumanizing others. By dividing people. By lifting up one nation, one race, one voice—while silencing the rest.

Let’s never let that happen again. Not here. Not anywhere.

06/20/2025

🐾 What was our biggest fear before our 1,800-mile move to the PNW?
Packing? Nope. We’ve moved before. It was the dogs.
Luna—our dog—isn’t exactly a social butterfly. Alma—my son’s dog—barks at anything that moves outside her window. Now we were bringing Luna into Alma’s house and backyard. What could go wrong?

Everything. We expected barking battles, sleepless nights, and a rotating shift schedule just to keep the peace. My son installed gates on every floor. We even planned detours so Luna wouldn’t walk past that window—the one that turns Alma into a full-blown security alarm. And yes, we had Grisha the cat to consider—especially his sacred food bowl. Ironically, that was the one thing Luna and Alma had in common: they both loved the cat’s food. So even more gates went up.

Then one day, the dogs ended up in the backyard together—accidentally. We braced ourselves ready to act. They sniffed. Paused. And then… they played. No barking. No aggression. No fear. Just play. Acceptance. All our careful plans and barriers dissolved in one moment of curiosity and grace.
(Except Grisha’s. He still guards his food).

It made me think: we humans build fences too—out of fear, assumptions, control. But sometimes, peace finds us the moment we stop trying so hard to force it. Sometimes the real miracle happens when we simply let others in.

02/20/2025

Make Some Noise

Change for justice, diversity, and inclusion has always required people of faith to make “noise,” as the late congressman John Lewis would say, “get into good trouble.”

All people who care about justice, diversity, and inclusion, should look to the example of Jesus, who crossed cultural and religious boundaries to share meals and visit with the ostracized. He healed on the sabbath, including Gentiles, Samaritans, tax collectors, and neverq failed to include women and children. Lest we forget his declaration “To proclaim freedom… and set the oppressed free.” Luke 4:18 NIV

This Black History Month, let’s all have a sense of urgency to use our voices and make “noise” against injustice. Call your House Representative or Senator today at the U.S. Capitol Switchboard 202-224-3121. Call the Whitehouse switchboard at 1-202-456-1414.
Be Encouraged.
Bishop Julius C. Trimble

02/17/2025

❄️ Russian Blond vs. the Midwestern Blizzard ❄️
For four months, my very first car never saw a drop of rain or snow until the first ultimate driving test. Who knew that finding the windshield wiper button could turn into a survival story? 🚗❄️

Read the full adventure here: https://ligooshka.wordpress.com/2025/02/17/a-russian-blond-in-the-midwestern-blizzard/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0ADpJGCPOvKqOWJVLL5kWBRY6aNFmsbmNWvnmd_sMZd00tzy8fqfViGeY_aem_gwsyJNzGm8uKgjsqGwuQpg

My first few months of driving in America went almost uneventfully—aside from running a few red lights and accidentally driving on the wrong side of the road. Then, in September of 1996, a snowstor…

11/06/2024

The Serenity Prayer
by Reinhold Niebuhr

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next. Amen.

11/05/2024

Listen to Adam Hamilton on NPR, Mega Church And Mega Issues: Pastor Adam Hamilton

1A on NPR One | 34:40

11/03/2024

Today we celebrated All Saints Day, and in my sermon, “What If There Is No Heaven,” I talked about the importance of the only commandment that takes us closer to the Kingdom of God here and now: Love God and Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Now, as we get closer to the Election Day, I want to share Boris Pasternak’s poem “God Sends Us to Each Other.”

God sends us all to one another,
For joy or sorrow — none can say,
Until we’ve walked our given circle,
Until we’ve learned the lessons laid,
And passed the tests life sets our way.

We need each other till the end,
Though usefulness may seem unclear.
Our roles are rarely of true weight,
And tenderness may hesitate,
At times too distant, harsh, or near.

Who knows the reason we’re entwined?
What binds, connects, and holds us close?
Together, day by day, we find
Ourselves in one another’s eyes,
Unmasking what we fear and know.

The roads ahead still call us on,
And friendship on that path is grace.
So, let us not dismiss as vain:
GOD SENDS US ALL TO ONE ANOTHER.
And thanks to God — we are not few.

10/18/2024

Can we all stand by each other and play and work together like in this documentary? Playing For Change: Peace Through Music. Best musicians from different backgrounds around the world recorded by the Playing For Change team during their travels. This song continues to remind us that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people

🎶🌍 Pre-order our latest album Songs For Humanity now! https://shop.playingforchange.com/collections/songs-for-humanity 🎧✨From the award-winning documentar...

10/11/2024

Today my daughter shared a picture of the new Tesla Cybertruck, and I admitted to her that when I saw that monster on Highway I-70, my first instinct was to move one lane over—self-preservation kicking in! Its alien-like design turned me off. For a moment, I wondered, alien attack! 🤯

But honestly, it brought back memories of the Russian бронетранспортер (armored carrier) and the newer military trucks I’ve seen in the news used in Iraq and Ukraine БTP. That sharp, angular design clearly looks military, as if it’s built for more than just city streets. What else could I compare it to? Look at the pictures!
Would you drive one of these?

09/14/2024

Looking back, I feel lucky having teachers like Everette DeVan, Doug Auwarter, Rich Hill, Charles Beard, and Denise Knowlton. It has been quite a ride.