From sunrise to sunset. “It is interesting that in our life there was a period of dawn—the beginning of our paths and work in God, and now with beautiful and rich, multi-colored sunsets. They are even more beautiful than dawn, so it is our life in God, where the end of our life is better than the beginning.” In the story below you will read one side of a conversation between myself and Lyuda, the wife of an SGA-supported pastor.

Lyuda is a beautiful testimony of faithfulness. She and her husband have been planting a church in Israel for the past few years with support from SGA. This is a challenge in and of itself, but God has also allowed another trial for this couple to walk through just as they began serving others.

Lyuda was diagnosed with cancer at the same time they felt called by God to begin the church plant. This became a daily physical battle for them. But they followed God’s calling. Rather than darkness in the middle of a physical battle, their spiritual faithfulness has shone as bright as the sun! She has been a true and humble pastor’s wife even through the worst of pain. She has served side by side alongside of her husband as they have built up a church body, served meals to those fleeing the destruction in Gaza after the tragic terrorist attack, and now she is sharing the Gospel with those who are experiencing the same illness as she is.

I have tried to encourage Lyuda in these past weeks, but instead I find myself being encouraged by her words that she wrote to me. She has been a true testament of living as Christ lived. I pray that you will be encouraged as well. Please pray for Lyuda, and per her request, pray for her husband Yura as well. This missionary couple represents the beautiful sunsets that she describes. They are so faithful, but still suffer the pains of this world.

From Lyuda . . .

August 24, 2024 – This Wednesday was my 32nd chemo (at the time of writing this, it has now been over 50 rounds of treatment). Pray that God gives strength to endure and continue to serve in whatever God gives me to do. You are already helping by praying about it, the most powerful help is “the fervent prayer of a righteous man can do much.”

January 23, 2025 – Kristi shalom, please pray that God will give wisdom during the treatment and show whether to continue the treatment or to refuse chemotherapy. Pray that we would understand God’s will. We do not know what will happen on Wednesday. We will talk to the doctor. Heartfelt thanks to you and everyone who prays for Yura and me. Pray also for my heart, so that I grow in love for Jesus and for my neighbor, and will be faithful to the end. Write how you are doing and how to pray for you; to everyone who knows us, convey shalom and God’s blessings to you, much grace and joy . . . with love, Lyuda.

Thank you very much for your encouragement, I really appreciate dear Kristi, I want to clarify, the main thing for me in this process is to understand His revolution. From the day of my repentance until today (I am 27 years old in God) I always wanted to get to Him in heaven, it is much better . . .  I have a choice, as the doctor said—I take chemotherapy until the moment when the body can no longer withstand it, then that’s it . . . to my Father; or I stop chemotherapy, and temporarily the body feels good, and then the disease develops, and I also quickly go to my Father . . . in my cases both are good, because I am going to Him, so it is important for me to understand God’s revelation, Yura and I accept this and pray for it; now there is no question of life or death, there is a question of His will. I think you understand me. The doctors themselves are surprised that from the moment of treatment, which I lived for almost three years. They themselves offered this treatment and did not think that I would live any longer, which indicates the magnitude of my diagnosis . . .

During this period of illness, we saw that God does not always heal as He can, and does not yet take me to Himself, but decided to keep me in weakness. I continued to pray, and God gave His Word, (2 Corinthians 12:1-10), and I understood: 

1. That this illness is a gift of grace, 

2. It is enough for me to serve and endure weakness. 

3. I can observe the power of God, and see how it works in me.

4. I can boast in Jesus. 

I thank God very much, seeing how God works deeply with my heart. I realized that passing through the valley of the shadow of death that all my idols die. God reveals my religious self-deceptions, He cleanses and works, and my soul is very good, and this makes me very happy that He, as a Parent, took care of me. I always said that there is nothing better than when God takes care of my heart . . . and now, when the pain is constant and I am faced with a choice . . . I want to understand His will . . . thank you for your heartfelt participation in my life and our life with Yura

The pain has been constant for the last three months, around the clock, painkillers help little. I see how God regulates all these processes, does not give me super strength. It makes me very happy and helps me endure the pain when I think about what Jesus experienced on the cross, and the truth helps that this pain is temporary while I am in the flesh.

Yes, please share, but I am not a strong woman. Thanks to this weakness I have understood a lot about myself, I am very weak . . . if not for God. Then God forbid . . . please pray for Yura. It is hard for him to bear this, seeing that he is powerless in this. Pray that God strengthens him, so that he does not become emotionally exhausted and pray for the qualitative growth of our church, and quantitative growth, so that God works in the hearts of people and so that believers devote their lives even more to God and His Kingdom and to carry the Word of God about Christ

February 4, 2025 – Shalom beloved sister, thank you very much, tomorrow I’m going to my chemo treatment. Pray for my heart to love and testify and pray for strength to endure, with love Luda, Yura is now in session in Romania. 😘

Thank you for the encouragement. I am a very frail and weak person. God through your prayers gives me strength to endure. This treatment is once a week on Wednesdays, and it’s already 50 chemo treatments.

February 13, 2025 – I was feeling bad so I missed the treatment. Yura flew in. He was nearby, thank God

Heartfelt thank you for your prayers, I really appreciate how your health is. How are you? I am very interested to know about your knowledge of God, if possible share this. It contributes to my growth of faith. Blessings to you, I pray for you and your family. You are special people dedicated to God, an example for us 😘

February 18, 2025 – Shalom beloved Kristi. Yura will go on Wednesday to talk to the doctor that we refuse this chemotherapy and want to take a month off so that the body can recover, and then we will see. Maybe he will offer something else, or we will refuse. We do not know yet. Pray that God gives wisdom in this treatment process. Yura came back from the session, now he is at home. We travel, serve, he conducts seminars, so far so good, It is warm in Israel, lots of sun and light, everything is blooming, very beautiful, we believe that you will come to us in Israel. God’s blessings to you, much joy, strength, and grace. With love, Lyuda

February 24, 2025 – Shalom beloved Kristi, thanks for the prayers, I feel a little better. I am coming to my senses. The pain has subsided, but my body still aches, twists, but not like before, much better. This Wednesday we will go talk to the doctor, and then we will see, we are praying that God will give wisdom to Yura and me, what to do next, whether to give up or continue, we don’t know yet why and took a rest to recover …Yura flew home today. He was in France conducting a seminar.

In Israel there is a lot of light, sun and everything is green, beautiful. Here, in Israel are the most beautiful sunsets near the sea. It is interesting that in our life there was a period of dawn—the beginning of our paths and work in God, and now beautiful rich multi-colored sunsets. They are even more beautiful than dawn, so is our life in God, where the end of our life is better than the beginning. This is why in the messages, especially to the Jews and revelations “be faithful to the end” is very beautiful, because His faithfulness will lead us to a victorious end, because Jesus is our Chief and Finisher of faith. He walked this path to the end, and we in Him also go to the end . . . this is the beauty of God’s faith, which God gave us. Here are such small joyful reflections on Him and His faith, which is in us and the end of our life here is better than the beginning, and the continuation of our life in Him is even better, there is eternity with Him, 

Shalom with love to all, Lyuda