Freedom - Irina's Faith Story | Short Documentary

In Touch Ministries

10 Apr 202204:52

Summary

TLDRThe speaker shares a deeply personal journey of faith, starting with being abandoned at a young age and growing up in an orphanage. At 10 years old, they first hear about God's love and accept Christ. After facing many struggles, including miscarriages, they experience doubt and distance from God. However, a booklet from a ministry reignites their faith, helping them understand that true freedom comes from God. The speaker encourages others to seek peace and freedom through faith, emphasizing that God defines who they are and what they can achieve.

Takeaways

🙏 The speaker describes striving through various spiritual practices like prayer, worship, and Bible study, but often feeling guilt when unable to do them consistently.
🇺🇦 The speaker was born in 1989 in a country that was formerly part of the Soviet Union.
👧 At around four and a half years old, the speaker and her sister were taken to an orphanage after their mother left and never returned.
💔 The speaker recalls feeling hopeless as a child, never having heard of God or knowing that prayer was possible.
🎁 At 10 years old, the speaker heard the gospel for the first time through a shoebox gift that communicated God's love and plan for her life.
👨‍👩‍👦 Two years after accepting Christ, the speaker was adopted by a family in Florence, South Carolina, which was a transformative moment.
💍 In 2013, the speaker married Stephen, whom she describes as a supportive husband, and later had their son, Peter.
😔 Despite the joy of becoming a mother, the speaker struggled with feelings of inadequacy and fear due to her lack of parenting experience.
💔 After three miscarriages, the speaker experienced distance from God and deep emotional pain, questioning why it was happening despite her faith.
📖 A booklet from In Touch Ministries titled 'Freedom' reminded the speaker of God's presence and that He defines her identity, leading her to experience spiritual freedom.

Q & A

What feelings did the speaker struggle with in their spiritual life?
-The speaker struggled with feelings of guilt when they didn't wake up for Bible study and a sense of striving to do everything right, including prayer, worship, and study.
What significant event happened to the speaker when they were four and a half years old?
-When the speaker was four and a half years old, their mother left to run errands but never returned. This led to the speaker and their sister being taken to an orphanage.
When and how did the speaker first hear about God?
-The speaker first heard about God at the age of 10 while living in an orphanage. They received a shoebox filled with toys and heard the message that God loves them and has a plan for their life.
What life event brought the speaker to Florence, South Carolina?
-The speaker was adopted by a family in Florence, South Carolina, two years after accepting Christ.
What new chapter in the speaker's life brought them joy?
-The new chapter that brought the speaker joy was getting married to Stephen in 2013 and later having their son, Peter.
What challenge did the speaker face after becoming a mother?
-The speaker felt terrified as a mother and struggled with feeling unprepared, especially given their upbringing in an orphanage where they lacked guidance on being a parent.
What scripture-related difficulty did the speaker face?
-The speaker struggled with understanding the peace of heart and freedom mentioned in the scriptures, as they were not experiencing it in their own life.
How did miscarriages affect the speaker's relationship with God?
-The speaker experienced three miscarriages after having Peter, which caused them to feel distanced from God and confused about why this was happening, leading to a low point in their spiritual life.
What pivotal moment helped the speaker feel God's presence again?
-A pivotal moment came when the speaker received a booklet from In Touch Ministries titled 'Freedom,' which made them feel strongly that God was with them and leading them toward freedom.
What advice does the speaker offer to others struggling with peace and freedom in their faith?
-The speaker advises others to go to the Lord and ask Him how they can be set free, as true peace and freedom are available to experience every day through faith.

Outlines

00:00

🙏 The Struggle with Faith and Guilt

The speaker shares a personal struggle with maintaining faith practices, such as prayer, worship, and Bible study. They express feelings of guilt on days when they didn’t engage in these activities, which suggests a deep internal battle to remain devout despite difficult emotions.

👶 Childhood in the Soviet Union and Abandonment

Born in 1989 in a country that was part of the Soviet Union, the speaker recalls a pivotal moment in their early childhood. At four and a half years old, their mother left home for errands and never returned. This abandonment led the speaker and their sister to be placed in an orphanage, marking the start of their life as an orphan.

💔 Hopelessness and a Turning Point

While living in the orphanage, the speaker remembers a night of despair, feeling like they didn’t want to face another day. At this point in their life, they had no knowledge of God or prayer, showing how disconnected they felt from hope or faith during this period.

🎁 The First Encounter with God's Love

At age 10, while living in the orphanage, the speaker received a shoebox filled with toys and was introduced to the gospel message for the first time. It was through this gift that they heard about God's love and the idea that He has a plan for their life. This marks the beginning of their spiritual journey.

👨‍👩‍👦 A New Family and Marriage

Two years after accepting Christ, the speaker shares the life-changing news of being adopted by a family from Florence, South Carolina. In 2013, they married Stephen, whom they praise as a supportive husband, and later welcomed their son, Peter, which brought new joy into their life.

😨 Motherhood and Fear

Despite the joy of becoming a parent, the speaker recalls feeling terrified about motherhood, especially given their upbringing in an orphanage and lack of parental role models. They express fear and uncertainty about knowing how to parent properly, highlighting their vulnerability during this new chapter of life.

📖 The Struggle for Inner Peace

The speaker found difficulty in understanding and living out the peace promised in the scriptures. Although the Bible speaks of a heart free and at peace, they admit to struggling to experience this in their own life, feeling a gap between the teachings and their personal reality.

💔 Loss and Distance from God

After the birth of their son, Peter, the speaker endured three miscarriages, which led to emotional distance from God. They express confusion and frustration at not understanding why these losses occurred, despite their belief in God's ability to work things out for good. This represents the lowest point in their spiritual journey.

📬 A Divine Message of Freedom

One day, the speaker received a booklet from In Touch Ministries titled 'Freedom.' They felt a strong connection, believing that God was guiding them toward spiritual freedom. This experience led them to a realization that God defines their identity, freeing them from struggles and insecurities.

🕊️ A Call to Seek Freedom in Christ

The speaker concludes by encouraging others to seek the peace and freedom that only God can provide. They emphasize the importance of asking the Lord to guide them toward freedom, which can be experienced daily, and end with a message of hope for those looking to overcome personal struggles.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Orphanage

An orphanage is a residential institution for the care of children who have lost their parents. In the video, the speaker describes being taken to an orphanage after her mother left and never returned. This event marks the beginning of her life as an orphan, a significant turning point that shaped her early experiences and challenges.

💡Adoption

Adoption is the process by which a child becomes legally part of a family other than their biological one. In the script, the speaker recounts being adopted by a family in Florence, South Carolina, two years after accepting Christ. This adoption brought her to a new life and played a key role in her spiritual and personal journey.

💡Faith

Faith refers to a strong belief in religious doctrines, particularly trust in God. The speaker's journey of faith is central to the narrative, as she describes her early encounters with Christianity, her struggles with maintaining faith during difficult times, and eventually finding peace in God’s promises of freedom.

💡Guilt

Guilt is the feeling of having done something wrong or failed in one's duties. The speaker expresses feelings of guilt when she struggled to keep up with spiritual practices like prayer and Bible study. This guilt contributed to her sense of inadequacy and difficulty in experiencing the peace promised by her faith.

💡Miscarriage

A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before the fetus can survive outside the womb. The speaker shares that after having her son Peter, she experienced three miscarriages. These losses deepened her struggles and created emotional distance between her and God, as she struggled to understand why this was happening.

💡Freedom

Freedom, in the context of the video, refers to spiritual freedom—the release from feelings of guilt, fear, and self-doubt through a relationship with God. The speaker finds freedom through her faith after receiving a booklet from In Touch Ministries titled 'Freedom,' which helps her realize that God defines her identity, not her past struggles.

💡Peace

Peace in this context refers to the inner calm and spiritual rest that believers seek through their faith in God. The speaker struggles with finding peace, even though she reads about it in the scriptures. It’s only later in her journey, after reconnecting with her faith, that she experiences true peace, realizing it comes from surrendering to God.

💡Suffering

Suffering is the experience of pain, loss, or hardship. The speaker's life is marked by several instances of suffering, from being orphaned to experiencing miscarriages. These hardships challenge her faith and push her to question God's purpose, though they eventually lead her to deeper spiritual understanding.

💡God’s Plan

God’s plan refers to the belief that God has a specific purpose and direction for each person’s life. The speaker first hears about this concept as a child when she receives a shoebox filled with gifts and is told that God has a plan for her life. Understanding and trusting this plan becomes a central theme as she navigates life’s challenges.

💡In Touch Ministries

In Touch Ministries is a Christian organization dedicated to spreading the Gospel and helping people grow in their faith. The speaker receives a booklet from this ministry that plays a pivotal role in helping her reconnect with God and understand spiritual freedom. The booklet acts as a divine reminder of God’s presence in her life.

Highlights

The speaker describes striving in all areas of life, including prayer, worship, and Bible study, but feeling guilty on days when they didn't engage with their faith.

Born in 1989 in a country that was once part of the Soviet Union, the speaker recalls a life-changing moment when their mother left them and never returned.

The speaker and their sister were taken to an orphanage after being left alone by their mother, marking the start of their life as an orphan.

At a low point in the orphanage, the speaker remembers feeling like they didn't want to start another day.

At the age of 10, the speaker first heard the gospel message in the orphanage during a special event where they received a shoebox filled with toys and learned that God loves them.

Two years after accepting Christ, the speaker was adopted by a family from Florence, South Carolina.

In 2013, the speaker got married to a supportive husband named Stephen, which brought joy and stability to their life.

After their marriage, the speaker gave birth to a son named Peter, which marked a new joyful chapter in their life.

The speaker struggled with feelings of inadequacy and fear as a mother, particularly due to their upbringing in an orphanage and lack of parental role models.

Despite reading scriptures about peace and freedom in Christ, the speaker found themselves struggling to experience it personally.

The speaker experienced three miscarriages after the birth of their son, leading to a deep emotional distance between them and God.

The speaker admits struggling to understand why the miscarriages happened, despite knowing the scripture that says God works all things together for good.

At a low point, the speaker received a booklet from In Touch Ministries with the word 'Freedom' on the cover, which they felt was a direct message from God.

The booklet helped the speaker realize that their identity and freedom come from God, who defines them, not their circumstances.

The speaker encourages others to seek peace and freedom in Christ by going to the Lord and asking how they can be set free, emphasizing that it's something they can experience every day.