God is good and His mercy endures forever.
The Word of God tells us: "Taste and see that the Lord is good!"
I believe, that during this program we can taste, that He truly is good,
that everything that He does is good
and everything He has created is good and amazing.
Anne-Ly Raukas is also a wonderful woman -
a child of God and His creation.
Welcome to our program, Anne-Ly!
Hello and thank you for having me!
You come from Tallinn and live in Tallinn,
being a child of God and His wonderful daughter.
He has called you by name and you are His.
What else can you tell us to introduce yourself a bit more?
As already told - I come from Tallinn
and I have walked in God's ways for quite a long time already.
I truly am grateful for that
for there have been all kinds of times in life as always
and there continue to be all kinds of times.
But same time I couldn't imagine a life without God.
As they say:
"Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is a double sorr"
Not double sorrow - praise God that that's not the case!
But shared burdens are easier to carry
and I've found a lot of support and encouragement from the Lord.
I always like to know the details...
You said you have known the Lord for quite a long time already.
What does that mean?
Well, this March it turned 21 years that I have walked with the Lord
or have been a believer or a Christian -
however you want to call it.
So I have walked this road for most of my life.
- Wau, that is just wonderful!
I remember the time, when I was a young person.
I was about 15 or so
and experienced God's calling in my life.
But that time I thought,
that I'm still too young, having all my life yet ahead of me.
I didn't want to become a Christian yet
as I thought that life would be so boring, serious and dull then.
I really didn't want to have that kind of life as a young person
and therefore postponed that decision
not daring to make that step, though the desire to do that was there.
But you dared
and most probably at the relatively young age.
Yes, that's true.
Yet, it is everyone's personal decision
to answer that call in their heart or not.
Many people and friends of mine were totally astonished, asking:
"How in the world? What happened?
Did something tragic or hard happened?"
People often think that God is the last person to turn to
and if to turn to Him at all,
then only when your head is already under the waves.
Yet, there were no tragic events in my life,
that would had made me to turn to God.
I also didn't have any fears or doubts
that I would need to give up something very special.
Or at least I wasn't thinking about it.
How old were you at that time?
I was 16 at that time,
so in the midst of average teenage years,
where all the world with its possibilities and doings
were opened in front of me.
But I can certainly tell as a confirmation and encouragement
that I haven't lost or missed anything in my life
due to committing my life to God or due to becoming a believer.
My life has been complete and filled with happiness and joy,
though as mentioned at the beginning of the program -
there have also been sad and hard times in life.
Coming to the Lord doesn't mean
experiencing heaven on earth all the time
or hovering somewhere above the clouds
singing only "Hallelujah!" and switching off from the real life.
That is not like that at all.
You live the life you have like everyone else,
but that life has a different weight and dimension to it
and I'm so very grateful for that.
I can also confirm,
that the best years of my life
have been the ones, that I've lived as a Christian.
Today I know, that it was a Satan's lie,
that hindered me from coming to God.
It was fear. Fear to lose something.
Fear about what people might think of me.
But fear is not from the Lord. Today I know that.
But I totally agree with you and can also confirm,
that life with God has been worth of living.
Even more than that.
It adds to your life so much more value and security
and brings along so many positive changes.
Just like you said.
When talking about choices in life
and especially young people and their choices,
then they might think:
"There's no way I will become a Christian
as I will miss out on life!"
Yet, by looking back at the choices made for God
we both agree, that it has been amazing
and we wouldn't trade it for anything.
I think it is interesting, that there are so many things in life -
not just spiritual things, but whatever other things as well,
that there are so many great things that we are afraid to reach out to
or take a chance on certain opportunities or challenges.
Whatever they are.
But once we have made that step and experienced that it was worth it,
though that first step might had been so hard or risky,
then yet - being in the midst of it and by looking back at our life
we are so happy over it.
I've heard many people saying:
"If I only had made that decision much earlier!
If I only"
That also concerns the question either we commit our life to God,
giving Him a chance to be involved in our life
and impact and change it and guide it towards better.
But it concerns all the other decisions in life as well.
Estonians have a great saying: "The bold wolf's chest is fatty."
To which more pessimistic people add:
"and also full of bullets."
Well, depends from which angle to look at it,
but really - it is more than worthy to give our lives to God.
That is your personal experience.
I would like to come back to your turning point for a moment,
because there is always something...
It's not that things just happen.
So there must had been something,
that made you seek the Lord and desire for Him.
Something, that made you to understand,
that Jesus is the only way to the Father.
I would like to hear about it,
because I believe,
that in the midst of our viewers there are also the ones,
who are looking to find out more about God
and to understand better, what is it we are talking about here?
Because you don't have a Christian background, do you?
- No.
So share a bit, how did it all came to your life?
Sure.
As already mentioned before - I didn't come to God
due to some kind of tragical event or difficulty.
Later, when we are already believers, we know based on the Bible,
that whoever turns to God - his story is unique and special.
So we can't say: "Oh, it just happened."
But same time I can say,
that it happened kind of smoothly - step by step and through a process,
where I started to feel, that I need something more in my life.
Or maybe even not more, but I felt in my heart...
I felt some sort of emptiness or some kind of feeling,
that I need God.
That was a sure knowledge in me.
I didn't seek it from anywhere else,
but there was this sure knowledge, that I need God.
And that desire truly did come like out of the blue,
because I had not thought about it before.
So I tried to find that God then.
My journey to Him was pretty curvy
as I sought for God from the places where I thought He was,
without really knowing much about Him.
So I spent some time with the Jehovah's Witnesses,
without finding there, what I was looking for.
I also went through several other places -
some spiritual groups and gatherings,
until the day some Americans visited our school,
who were Christians
and who told us straightforwardly,
that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of all humankind.
That He is our Redeemer,
wanting to give us complete life already here on earth with Him,
but one day also in eternity.
And that became my turning point.
To be honest, I still didn't get it all 100%,
but I certainly was interested and I went to talk to these men later.
They asked if they could pray for me
and at that moment, when they prayed for me,
something changed.
And such a peace -
well, I found out later, that it was God's peace -
but such a peace fell all over me,
that I had never experienced in my life before.
Something touched my heart and I started to cry.
Not because of the emotions, even though I'm quite emotional too
and not because of thinking: "Aaaaw, how beautiful it is!"
But it came from within me and I cried like a baby,
thinking same time:
"Oh dear, what are my classmates thinking of me?"
And same time it didn't really matter,
because it was such a special moment and encounter with God.
So that was the moment, that changed my life
and that guided me on the journey with God.
I found myself one youth group
and later the church, that I started to attend
and where I've stayed til today.
Already 21 years? - Yes.
I think the time also confirms something.
Because we are not so foolish,
that we would do something that wouldn't offer us anything.
That we would do it just out of habit for years and years.
So all these years are a sign, that what you found was a real thing.
- Yes.
And also worth it. - Yes.
And that, what you found,
wasn't just a new hobby or something, right?
- Nope.
Though I must admit,
that my family and closest friends did have an expectation
that it will pass and I'll become normal again.
Normal concerning the faith issues.
I can't really say, that I would had gone nuts
or walked on the streets, shouting "Hallelujah!" all the time
or smashing the others with the Bible or pushing my faith on anybody.
Both at that time as well as today I truly believe,
that faith is a personal matter in that way,
that you can't...
Just like you can't force anybody to love you,
the same way you can't force your faith on anybody.
It is a matter of heart.
When God touches someone's heart,
then He gives him an opportunity
to come and receive everything, that He has to offer.
And yet, God is also enough gentleman
not to force anything on us.
So, when my family and friends expected,
that "this phase" will also pass,
then their idea was, that I will leave all that "faith stuff" behind
and become normal again.
But it hasn't happened yet,
though I do believe, that I'm still normal.
But normal in God and through God.
So that's how it is.
Exactly.
Life is as it is, but you began your journey with God,
which didn't turn you into some kind of weirdo,
but you are still Anne-Ly -
that kind of Anne-Ly, who God created you to be.
And same time He has brought forward in you
the things He has already put in you.
I believe more joy and more freedom, when walking with Him.
More of everything, that He has put in you.
Yet you said your life hasn't been just a bed of roses,
but it has been a journey
and one thing, that we talked about before this show,
is that you have learned from God how to appreciate everything.
How to appreciate things, but even more so people.
Share then a bit about your life
and about the challenges and hard times you have had.
One thing that I've always had to share
concerns my dad, whom I lost in a pretty young age.
Well, already being a young adult, but still.
That was something, that made me think more about life
and even more so -
how much do we appreciate and value the people around us?
Starting from our family members
and continuing with our friends, acquaintance, colleagues
or whoever else.
I came to conclusion,
that I hadn't done it as much as I maybe should had.
As Estonians we like to emphasise,
that we are more uncommunicative than maybe some other people
and we don't express our feelings very much.
And on one hand it might be even true.
Yet, on the other hand it's sad, that we use that as an excuse.
It is so easy and comfy to hide behind the clause:
"But we are Estonians."
Meaning we don't express, what we think or feel.
There's a good joke about it, that is often used in the weddings,
when good wishes and advice is given to the newlyweds.
The joke is about a married couple, who had been married for 20-30 years
and the wife complains to her husband:
"You don't love me at all."
Husband asks: "How come?" - "But you never tell me you love me."
Husband says:
"I told you 30 years ago at the altar, that I love you.
If something changes, I'll let you know."
We as Estonians are pretty much the same way,
thinking that if we think or feel something about someone,
then they already know that.
But often they really don't.
So losing my dad made me to reevaluate the life
and to understand, how fragile it is
and also how valuable and precious life is.
And how important it is to value the people around us
and to walk and live our lives in a more deeper level,
not just running our own course and being so busy,
that we don't notice anything, that is special and precious around us.
I think that is one thing, that is also on our Father's heart
as He has created everyone to be very valuable and precious
and He notices us.
But He has given us His characteristics as well.
The ability to notice people around us.
And same time it was such a painful lesson,
as it is very painful to lose a loved one in our life.
Yet, God didn't leave you on your own.
You had become His already before that.
Though I can imagine,
that the pain that you experienced, was indescribable.
Yet God was with you. - Yes.
It's interesting,
that when we talk about encouraging, acknowledging and noticing people,
then some friends of mine say:
"Well, that sure is Anne-Ly's cup of tea."
And yes, I do talk about it often as I think it is very important.
But there's one more thing
that I have started to think about recently
or that has become alive in my heart.
Yes, it is important to notice, value and appreciate people
and also to express that.
But just as important as that, is also to value yourself
and to love yourself.
Many people have said and I have also felt that sometimes,
that it is so much easier to love and appreciate somebody else,
but not so much yourself.
Yet it would be so important and you said it so nicely before,
that for God we are all very precious and valuable.
Therefore I've been thinking how many people are out there,
who don't think much of themselves
and who feel very low and insignificant.
And maybe it's because they haven't been valued in their life.
Maybe they have never heard from anybody,
that they are precious or special
or that they are loved and appreciated.
So that causes that all.
Therefore I also sense in my heart,
that there are so many people, who are broken inside or lonely.
Yes, their outward facade can be nice and pretty
and they shine and smile
and yet there are so many people, who don't feel that they are loved
and they also don't love themselves.
So that is one place,
where it's awesome to know, that God loves us.
So when we give Him a chance -
when we go to Him and are as we are,
without making any faces and trying to be something we are not,
then it's just so amazing, how God comes,
wraps His arms around us, hugs us and tells us: "I love you.
Even when no one else loves you, then I do love you."
And that already gives another weight and value to our life,
when living it with God.
That's why I would like to wish from the bottom of my heart,
that when someone from our viewers, who watches us right now
and maybe feels lonely or feels that he's no one,
then may you know and understand, that God loves you
and you truly are very dear and precious.
So that is that other side to appreciating and valuing somebody
So sometimes you might need to pat yourself on the shoulder as well
saying: "Good girl!" or "Good man!" or "Good woman!"
"You did well!"
Actually, it's not even about doing something well or not.
Today's life is so based on our actions.
We think that our value is hidden in how much we do and accomplish.
It's not about that at all!
When true love comes along...
First of all God's love,
but also a true love and appreciation between people,
then all our deeds are totally secondary.
So that is one thing, that is special
and yet something, that we need to learn.
I think we all need to learn that.
Exactly.
Anne-Ly, I'm looking at you and you are so beautiful!
You are so very beautiful!
- Well, the spring is here.
- Yes, but God has made you beautiful.
But when we think about women,
then I think it is very hard for them to look at themselves sometimes.
But as you said, we need to learn to realize, understand and agree,
that: "I am also beautiful.
I have a right to exist and I can rejoyce over who I am."
But that doesn't come from somewhere outside of you
and you can't really learn it from the book either,
counting the steps 1, 2, 3 and then there it is.
Could you maybe bring some personal examples
of where God has comforted or encouraged you
in the situations,
where you have maybe been sad or unsatisfied about something.
Would you have any examples of that?
How to practically deal with it?
Because I think it is hard for the people, who don't know God
to understand, how does it work in life?
Let's say it this way, that humanly speaking
ladies aren't often happy about many things.
Either they are slim like a whip, a bit rotund or pretty large.
Or some have a long hair and the others have a short hair,
some have very thin hair and the others very curly hair.
It always makes me laugh,
how the ladies with the curly hair try so hard to straighten them
and how the gals with the straight hair wish: "If I only had the curls!"
So that shows, that we as humans are never happy.
And I think, that we as women - also as Christian women...
Yes, we do know our value in God
and we know,
that we are loved by Him no matter how we look like.
And on the other hand I think we still struggle with these issues.
And this is one place, where we ourselves can do quite a bit
or where our companions can do quite a bit.
Just when you said before: "You look beautiful!",
then that already lifts our self-esteem.
The fact, that someone notices that and dares to speak it out.
That we truly dare to say: "You look pretty!",
not thinking some negative thoughts behind the scenes.
Or maybe someone is envious, thinking: "Gee, look at her -
she put a pink dress on and tries to be such a star now!"
There are all kinds of people out there.
But coming back to that same thing - encouragement.
That we would dare to express, what we think of the others.
The other thing, that I'm thinking of based on what you said,
that we don't have any book,
where to find the different steps how to boost our self-esteem or value.
I sometimes think about our media
and a topic, that is not often discussed,
but what we can still sometimes hear about.
That concerns the same topics and the fact,
that media has created an ideal picture
of what a woman needs to look like
and that impacts us all.
Some more, some less, but it does.
Yet, when the reality is something totally different.
You can create anything in the computer.
To smooth out all the wrinkles,
to lose 20-40 pounds from the hips or whatever else.
But the sad thing is, that we believe such a wrong image.
Image, that the media has created.
And that might also be a reason, why it's hard to value ourselves
and appreciate ourselves the way we are,
because we see all these images around us;
the images of the "ideal" beauty.
But even more then
we need to come back to this "love yourself" topic.
Maybe sometimes we need to force ourselves to do that
or consciously to realize, that our value...
When I previously said,
that our value is not hidden in our deeds.
When talking about these things,
then it's not about how much money you make
or how great is your career
or whatever other things we think are important.
Our value is not in that, neither in our looks.
Even though I do believe
that we need to take good care of ourselves as well.
We can't just sit around arms folded, caring less how things are going.
I don't know now if it answered your question,
but I don't even think there would be only one answer to that.
We need to work on that
to believe, that we are valuable and worthy
and same time trust then,
that our companions come and say: "You look nice!"
That helps along a lot.
Based on your examples we can see,
how God speaks in so many different ways.
He speaks through other people
and sometimes straight to our own hearts.
And though we said we can't learn it from the books,
then we do have the Book of the books -
the Bible, the Word of God,
which brings forward our value
as God Himself tells us there:
"You are my precious daughter and I am so very pleased with you."
There are so many loving words in the Bible,
that comfort and carry and keep us and add value to us.
Our time is running out soon,
but I thought it would be good to pray for our viewers,
that each one of them could get confirmed,
that they are precious and valuable just the way they are.
Because when that thing is settled, then also the peace will come
and when we have peace with God,
we also have peace with ourselves and the others.
Could you please pray then? - Sure.
Dear heavenly Father,
we truly thank you, that each one of us is your creation.
You tell us in your Word, that you have created each one of us
to be so special, beautiful and unique.
You tell us, that you knew us long before anything was created yet.
That's why we pray,
that this knowledge would be confirmed
in each one of our hearts.
In all of us who we know you and in all of our viewers' hearts,
who have maybe thought, that they are not worthy
or that they are not this or that.
God, we ask, that you would come with your confirming and loving Spirit
and plant that assurance into everyone's heart and mind.
Either they are men or women -
may they know, that they are loved by you
with an eternal and unconditional love.
When people around us set us conditions;
when circumstances around us set us conditions,
then you, God, love us unconditionally
and we thank you for that from the bottom our hearts.
May that knowledge be deeply rooted in our hearts
and may your peace, love and joy
fill our hearts and minds every day and moment.
In Jesus name, amen.
Amen.
Thank you Anne-Ly for this time.
You - a beautiful child of God.
And thank you dear viewers as well that you have been with us.
Take these things into your heart,
that the Lord spoke to you during this program
and believe, what He has written
in the most amazing Book - in the Bible, that is His Word.
It includes the words of love, that are meant exactly for you.
You are His precious jewel.
You are the reason,
why Jesus went voluntarily to the cross
in order to pay for your mistakes and transgressions.
May God keep you and protect you
and more than anything else - may He comfort you and love you.
So be blessed and protected in Jesus name, amen.