On the 16th of April 2024, YEF Romania Member Ilinca Fleศner teaches Betty, a 21-year-old History of Art student, in the park. The Bible study went very gracefully, despite the distractions that were around.
The student had arrived earlier than the Member, and as they were speaking before starting the Bible study (since it was pretty early and more people could be expected to join), The Member was amazed by the perfect timing of Betty’s finding out about YEF. When asked about how she decided to come to Bible study, she said that she looked on Facebook and the first result was the most recent post about Group Bible Study that the Member posted. Betty has a very similar background to Member Ilinca, coming from an Orthodox cultural Christianity and having questions regarding faith. Her journey started around 2 years ago and she confessed that she is still struggling a bit to shape her faith according to the Word of God, to “take off the old things”.
The Bible Study session went very well, and what surprised the YEF Member was that, when she commented on the music from one of the picnic tables which became louder at that point, Betty said “The evil one keeps trying…”. Moreover, a very familiar Christian terminology could be identified in the vocabulary the Bible student used: “spiritual attack” (referring to a friend that was supposed to join her on Bible study next Tuesday but seemed now to be changing her mind), and other terms probably, plus the fact that some sins are worse only from the human perspective, not God’s. The Member could feel the Holy Spirit working even after the Bible study, when the student story told her past and even confessed the sin that she sometimes falls into and really regrets it: gossip. The Member reassured her and emphasized the two things that are essential for her now: to keep coming for Bible study and not let the evil one intervene (“Oh I have time today, but I am so tired”, “Yes, but I can read Bible on my own as well”); and to not torture herself. The YEF Member even gave her a very small preview on sanctification. When asked about church, she said she is not going on Sundays to any church, but that she wants to eventually take this step as well, yet she takes it bit by bit.
The Bible Student’s reflection reads:
“Today’s message came at an ideal moment, during which I am committed to a transition process (often overwhelming) from my old life to the truth of our Lord. Reviewing and studying today’s chapter, I obtained a better emphasized perspective on the nature of God and His feelings for us, as well as on the necessity of accepting the Savior’s sacrifice (+the consequences that His rejection brings)”.ย [ I believe she was referring to our rejection, not God’s].
The YEF Member’s reflection reads:
“I am. So. So. Happy. So grateful and happy. God worked so amazingly in order to bring Betty to Bible study. While writing this reflection, I realize more and more how perfect His timing is. I was surprised that I finally came across a student whose mother is together with her on the same journey! I was also surprised how much Betty shared actually. She shared about her loneliness in school and now in University, about wanting to have a community, Christian friends (I felt her on that note). She shared about her struggle with gossip and, on the way back home, as we were approaching the metro station, I had asked about her spirituality and I was amazed and very touched that she said that it helps her a lot (I do hope I remember the exact words) that I told her today not to torture herself because she tends to do that regarding prayer and pressurizes herself like “You are going too slow” (growing spiritually too slow she meant, I think) because the words don’t flow during prayer and so on.
I am absolutely touched by the trust she has put in me, sharing so much, and I pray and hope that I can be a good shepherd that would guide her according to God’s plan, allowing me through the Holy Spirit, time and time again as today (since, somehow, as she was sharing certain things, I was reminded of things that my own leaders used to regularly tell me or that they told me literally just once or twice a long time ago even! It was like coming out of nowhere almost!) to say the right words at the right time, helping her to grow in the truth and in the love of God, in the love of Christ. Truth is… I never taught everything that I taught Betty today. Another reason why I consider her to be such a big blessing who came out of nowhere is because yesterday, when I was upset (the reason doesn’t matter that much), I remembered about my first Romanian Bible student and I felt so sad about losing them, blaming myself and thinking that… I am just slowing down the whole work. Satan can attack like this. But today, God blessed me with this Bible student (she sent message yesterday evening to ask if today’s study is taking place). So I truly need to pray hard and give everything I got, and I need to do it out of love… Thank you, God!…ย
Please pray that Betty can keep coming, that her heart can be set on fire for the Word of God, for sharing the Gospel with other people (she wants to do that, but finds it difficult), and that she grows more and more in the Word and feels truly alive, and even come to church eventually and realize that she has just found the community she was looking for, formed out of people of God, that she has found the true friends… Pray that she becomes true fruit… Amen”.