The following is a testimony from a GYM visitor Anna. Anna is a student of a local school in Tokmok city.
Testimony| April 2022|GYM
Anna was born in 2006. She is 16 years old. She studies in the 10th grade, in one of the local schools in Tokmok city. She recently accepted Jesus, and is going through discipleship in the GYM. She is involved in the GYM ministry, step by step getting closer to the GYM’s community and receiving the love of God.
Anna shares her testimony.
For over three years I have been attending the GYM ministry. I visit clubs and Sunday meetings. Through these meetings, I can learn more about God and accept that I am a child of God.
Just a month ago I was going through a difficult phase in my life which almost led me to an act of suicide.
Almost everyone in my family is a "believer”. By this, I mean those believers who only talk about faith, but their lives don’t show God. I have always had a difficult and strained relationship with my parents, especially with my mother. It is very important for every girl to have a mother who understands and supports her in difficult situations. But in my case, I couldn't go to anyone in my family because no one would listen to me. I couldn't talk to my mother about any "girl topics". We fought all the time, she was always making complaints about me, and I constantly felt inferior and unloved.
One day after a quarrel with my family, I was so upset that I decided to commit suicide. The pain inside of my heart was tearing me up inside. I couldn't take it anymore. No one understood me. It was very painful and hard for me. I wanted to be happy too. I wanted this pain out of my life, but how? I was superfluous, unloved in my family.
I told my friend about my intentions, and she started actively talking me out of it. I told her that I would commit suicide later, but I would definitely do it. During my visits to the GYM, I started to hear about how much God loves man and how much He wants to take away man's pain so that we can all be at peace. I had a hard time figuring out how that works and whether it would work in my life. After my decision, many of the GYM team volunteers talked to me, and the spiritual coordinator had supportive conversations and prayers with me.
And literally after 2 weeks, I made a decision that I don't want to suffer anymore. I want to be at peace with God. I want to live and glorify Him. I really want to have someone who can understand, support and inspire me.
I came to Sunday service at the GYM. I came an hour earlier and asked spiritual coordinator to help lead me in a prayer of repentance. We prayed together, and I asked God to be my Lord and savior.
It has been almost a month since the most important decision in my life was made, and I am very happy. I am thankful to God for His forgiveness. And I am very thankful to God for the GYM ministry through which I have learned about God. It is a place where I am accepted and can receive help. Now I try to serve in the café at GYM. I really want to be useful, and I also want to learn even more about God. I will work on my relationship with my mother, and I believe that God will give me the strength to get through this phase and my relationship with my mother will be much better and stronger.
