Catherine

When I was five, my family moved from Kazakhstan to Germany. I finished my studies at the age of 22. Although I was a Protestant, Jesus had no place in my life. I was interested in tarot cards and enjoyed going to discos. I made my plans for the future without God. I met a man on the internet. He lived in Moscow and worked for the Russian secret service. I wanted to marry him and move to Moscow.

My love for him seemed to be compensation for my rather sad life. But Vladimir made it even worse. One day, Vladimir did something that would normally have meant death in the secret service. That's why he had to flee Russia. However, his changed life caused him to lose all courage to face life. After a suicide attempt by drunk driving, he survived seriously injured. I was desperate. But then I had the impression that a voice was saying to me: „Ask God for help!“ „God?“ I asked myself. So I prayed: „God, help me, if you exist. I can't go on. I don't want to live if Vladimir dies.“ After the prayer, I felt as if something powerful and holy filled my room. Deep in my heart, I realised that something significant and solemn had just happened: I had given my life to God.

I then received a visit from Jehovah's Witnesses. I poured my heart out to them. One of the two women explained to me that Satan was responsible for my misfortune and depression because I was using his help to predict the future with the tarot cards. She explained to me that Satan poses as a benefactor and offers people his „help“ in the form of scrying, card reading and necromancy. This brings them into his sphere of influence and they have to pay a high price for it. I realised with remorse that I had been asking Satan for advice for seven years. Now it made sense that I had also been haunted by misfortune for so many years. God then spoke to me in quick succession through a Baptist friend of my father's and a television sermon. I was very touched by it all. Then I got the news that Vladimir was feeling better. He would still be restricted in his breathing and movement, but his life was out of danger.

I was overjoyed and told Vladimir about my prayer. But he remained silent. Then I had to go to hospital because of a stomach infection. When I entered my room, a pleasant young woman called Kasa beamed at me. She had just had an appendectomy. I got on well with her straight away. She told me that she was an Adventist and that her husband, Bernd, was a pastor in the Adventist Church. At first, I didn't like his friendly manner and his attempt to start a conversation with me at all. I mentally rejected Bernd's offer to call him if I had any questions about my faith. I later learnt that Bernd and Kasa prayed for me. I later got in touch with them again and also attended the church service. What surprised me there was the friendliness of the people. I decided to find out more about faith and accepted Bernd's Bible study offer. In the months that followed, I came to know and love Jesus Christ as my Saviour. He set me free from occultism, depression and an unhappy love affair. God made me a new person. I sealed this renewal with my baptism on 4 April 2009.