By Alena.

In church we often discuss this topic and can share with each other’s different experience. And it’s very important to encourage our sisters and brothers, but for this we need to go into the field and be involved in some ministry.

My experience of hearing God’s voice is mostly around orphans and with my calling in life. Also of course God whispers to me how to be a good wife, mother, and daughter. Sometimes God tells me through people in church something about my critical situation, and this word can be so practical and useful. Before my husband, I was asking God about another young man. I felt that this situation is very dangerous for me and can separate me from God forever. So I was fasting a lot, wrote questions and answers in my notebook about him, and I tried to be accountable and communicate with leaders in church. I found some answers in the Bible, but I didn’t find peace. One Sunday when I was going to church with my roommate Ira, she told me that I can ask a lot of wise people about advice but God will show me direction and He is the one who will give an answer. In these words I felt power and peace. In a few weeks I reminded her of this situation. She said that it was for sure a word from God. But soon I met my husband and we started to search a lot advice from wise people, and this confused us a lot. The main thing that we had in our relationship from the beginning was a word from God, when we tried to serve together and to each other. I was asking God that He showed me something like lighting on a clear sky if I needed to trust to this stranger. One such request was about our meeting with my pastor in Kiev. He already knew about Joey a lot and he was against a lot of facts: his tattoos, piercings, culture difference, his past, metal music. But after the meeting he said that feel peace about this situation.

In ministry I sometimes also can hear strange answers from God and also need to wait to understand what is it means. Since I graduated from my art education I was going to serve through art. I moved to very artistic city, but it took 2 years to make another step. I cooperated there with few churches and orphanages. I begged God to not ask me to build a team, in Kiev it was too difficult. So for 2 years I took some youth from different churches and we made events in an orphanages and I was always distracted by finding an apartment or job. But in my heart and in my mind was one picture of paintings walls in the orphanages and through this project attract different people to see kid’s needs. I saw this so clear. That because of something big and interesting can be gathered a lot of volunteers, believers and not. In this case it is easy to make relationships and share you faith. And of course motivational discussions about orphans in Ukraine. So when I started this project it was pretty scary and everything was not so easy and colorful like the picture in my head. So a few volunteers joined me and we made beautiful paintings on the walls. Of course it was a struggle with money, and with thoughts that I’m a horrible administrator, critics, etc. No parties, no discussions, no kids around. But it was one boy, Taras. He came to that orphanage to talk with the director and in a few days was helping us. He lived there already 10 years and in holidays usually return to his moms house. God told me that just because of this teenager it was worth it to start this project and I can make some impact in his life. He was a broken child and we had a few talks after work. I gave him my number when it was the last day of painting and felt that it would be something better. He called me just in one year after that project and we still have sometimes meetings and sometimes he visits church with me. He already knew a lot of my friends saw other kids. I think its worth starting some project even for one soul and even if you don’t have any results. That last day, when Taras took my number and just disappeared it was very confusing for me. One volunteer said that he saw him in the corridor crying. I just knew that God gave me words and I will make some impact in Taras’ life. It’s took just one year.