A few insights about the present and the past, shared by Diana Anton, or DU (how many of us know her), both from BIG Impact, and from the ministry with girls and women involved in discipling young girls, with whom she works for many years.
This summer came all of a sudden – not the heat, not the swimming pool days, but the emotion and intensity of long days, when the sunset is late at night, charming but also tiring. The days are full, not from planning a national event, but from planning bridal and baby showers, birthdays celebrated with an evangelistic purpose, weddings where many participants do not know Jesus, spontaneous travels to the mountain or to the sea, with people from small groups, or people who are seeking Jesus, camps for kids and adults…
This summer is emotional, fool, magical – because it is lived with a purpose.
Today I thought of girls and women from around the country ministering right now in evangelism or discipleship camps, organizing VBS clubs for kids in their own home, in the neighborhood or in a secluded village, far away from the busy city life. I thought of and I prayed for the difficult and personal things shared right now, in walks through parks, coffee houses, apartments… and I thought at the way I know Jesus touches, transforms, invites to repentance, brings healing and hope.
The Gospel is alive! And this summer, lived in the light and motivation of the Gospel, is charming and full of life!
One of these days, when only God can connect two different individuals, from different cultures, with different histories and backgrounds, but with a heart willing to know and serve our King in a better way, he made it possible for me to share the room with an American woman, at one of the conferences organized by Crown Ministries. It was over 5 years ago. We talked about our relationship with our Lord, we shared joys and questions, we asked God to give us husbands, and we dreamed of what only he can do among the girls in Romania and USA… it was a rapid and holy connection. This was how I got to know the ministry of Lifesprings International. Through Cristina, I received a scholarship and the student status at a 2 year course in Switzerland. This course, strongly anchored in the Word, focused on the Great Commission, equips women from Europe, Africa, America and Asia, to be discipling disciples in the context God put us in. After 2 years, I celebrated together with my colleagues the faithfulness of our Father, who opened our hearts more towards him, towards one another, towards the needs around us and pushed us more into embodying the Good News of salvation.
Then, in 2014, a new course was proposed. This time I could obtain more scholarships for girls in Romania. God made it possible that, in the past 2 years, 4 women from our country could travel 6 times to a course where we were exposed not only to quality content, but also to other women who are mirroring our Savior!
I learned (this was modeled to me) first of all to listen and to respond through prayer, instead of an immediate advice! I learned to ask for the Spirit’s guidance about how and what to speak. I learned to accept, in humility, that I depend on he who knows the hearts in order that I might give a wise advice, which is at hand, because my Father wants to communicate and does communicate! I was and I am loved by my sisters in Switzerland, Africa, America, Europe and I know they are praying for me and for us each week, they write me to ask me if my cold has left me, if I have a good relationship with my husband, if there is anything I need! I pray to be able to love the same way, because I am loved exactly how I need, by my living Lord and Savior.
Following you can read two testimonies of the participants, and a small part of the way they were blessed through Lifesprings Ministries ministry school.
Daniela Marinache:
Lifesprings was a complete experience for me, because I felt equipped with very useful tools for my personal walk with God, but, also, for a better ministry to people. Aside from the sessions that were extremely rich in teaching, a real blessing for me was the fellowship with women from various environments and contexts. I feel I grew up through their life stories, through their encouragements and prayers. Under their influence, I made a step through faith, a move from “my mission” to that of being part of “God’s mission”, from ambition and personal life plan, in which I was only “inviting” God to take part, to a desire to be moved by God’s heart for people, to be able to serve in his restoration plan. I experienced this thirst for God and the desire to be closer to him, inspired by the real, authentic, simple and wonderful way in which the women who organized the school have embodied the Gospel.
Cornelia Sbîrcea:
For me Lifesprings was the place where I learned what it means to give grace. Every time I went to the course I received a lot of grace and love. Of course, I learned a lot of useful things, but I learned the most not from the theory that we received, but from the interaction with women, participants or organizers. The time outside the sessions was also rich in teaching. I am very glad for the friendships formed among us and I cherish them.