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Let your song echo the fire of God.
Light your torch on the blaze.
The sky is the limit. Feet on the ground.
BLAZE
Katariina Latokartano, you are warmly welcome to the program.
Thank you.
Which passage of the Bible sets you ablaze?
1 Thessalonians 5:18.
"In everything give thanks" -
"for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. "
Why did you choose it?
If I forget that passage, I lose my hope.
It relates closely to another passage, -
"all things work together for good to them that love God".
There was a time in my life when I forgot it.
I lost my joy, and everything with it.
It isn't always easy to remember for we are just humans.
I try to remember it, because it gives me hope.
If we think about this present day, -
what are the circumstances and situations, -
where you feel gratitude and joy?
The thing I'm most happy about is that I'm saved.
I'm chosen by Jesus.
My heavenly Father takes care of me.
In addition there are many things.
I can have the abundant life Jesus promises us.
In addition to the salvation I've seen many things, -
such as healing, joy, wonderful surprises...
Sometimes I feel as if the Father smiles at me.
He has shown great love and all wonderful things.
It seems as if I've been able to taste in advance -
what the Heaven will be like.
How do you show your gratitude to God?
I praise Him. I listen to worship music.
I praise Him in solitude.
I praise Him in gatherings, where people praise Him.
I also try to thank God in everyday life.
I thank Him for water.
I thank Him for all good things. Every good thing comes from Him.
Every good thing comes from God.
Many great things come from the people around us as well.
Do you have a people group or certain persons in your mind?
There are many who pray for me.
They are the ones who come to my mind first.
When there has been difficult times, -
these people have kept praying for me.
They have given me words of comfort.
Firstly, I think of the intercessors.
You mentioned it hasn't always been easy.
There have been quite dark moments.
What brought darkness in your life?
I have been seriously mentally ill.
The situation was sometimes desperate.
I was even in hospital care.
I was suicidal.
I didn't believe that there would be hope for me.
I didn't believe that I would ever get better.
It was darkness.
I lost my hope because of the illness.
I have physical illnesses, too.
For instance, I have had cancer.
I've been sick for years.
It was darkness.
Was your life brighter when you were a little girl?
The first thing that comes to my mind is my father.
He was a very optimistic person.
Now, that I've found the heavenly Father, -
I recognize in Him the same optimism that was in my father.
He passed away in 2000.
He took me swimming.
He was fun to be with.
My dad was a sunny person.
Now that you are a happy, active and thankful person, -
can you analyze what took you to the darkness?
There are stress factors in everyone's childhood.
We are different. Some are more sensitive than others.
Some are stronger.
I'm very sensitive.
If the same stress factors repeat later in life, -
then we can get sick.
I started to think for instance that I'm a bad person.
My life started to go downhill.
I guess there were same stress factors, -
which I've suffered from in my childhood.
Many experts say -
that the experiences in childhood can influence the adult life.
You are a living example of recovering.
What brought you into the light? What healed you?
Again I go back to the intercessors.
When I didn't have the strength to pray, -
they kept praying.
And of course God is faithful.
He saw me and carried me when I was too tired to pray.
He loved me then as much as ever.
He decided to give me a new joy and a new chance.
When did God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit come into your life?
Did you receive them in your childhood family?
My parents weren't believers.
I made the decision to follow Christ, when I was 19.
After that I fell ill.
I encountered Jesus in a mighty way, when I was 19.
It was back then when I started to feel gratitude.
Through the gratefulness I found Jesus and salvation.
I didn't have the strength to hold on by myself.
I'm glad God didn't let me go.
You said you thought you were a bad person.
How did your self-image begin to change so that you could see -
you aren't bad but you are valued by God?
Let's say that...
There were people in my life -
who convinced it clear enough and long enough.
I believe that the heavenly Father sent them into my life.
I started to confront the darkness inside of me.
I began to confront it at the foot of the Cross.
When I felt forgiveness, mercy and the cleansing power of the Blood, -
the whole thing began to unravel.
Now I understand that God sees me through the Blood of Christ.
In His eyes I'm beautiful. He loves me. I'm His Child.
How do you see yourself now?
I don't see myself as a bad person.
Sometimes this thought tries to come back, but I don't allow it.
Katariina, what would you like to say to those viewers -
who struggle with a low self-image?
I encourage them to encounter Jesus, -
to receive mercy and to visit the well of Blood.
Encounter the love of Jesus.
No valley is too low that Jesus is not there.
I think it's the solution.
Encounter Jesus. Read the passages in the Bible -
which speak of mercy.
It is the very key.
1 Thessalonians 5:18: In everything give thanks; -
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
We already mentioned your family.
There were some issues which ultimately developed into sickness.
What is your relationship with your family like right now?
It's quite good. I meet them regularly.
My dad has passed away, and so has one of my sisters.
But I meet with the rest of the family regularly.
Your childhood family was wealthy, wasn't it?
My father was a bank manager.
He was involved in the communal politics.
He was a well-known person in the region we lived in.
That is my background.
Is it a sin to be rich? Have you thought of that?
Yes, I've thought of that a lot.
It's not a sin.
The Bible says you shouldn't set your heart upon riches.
This is the key.
Have you struggled with it?
No, I haven't.
Do you think it is a punishment of God if one is poor?
I wouldn't say it's a punishment.
I think there are many things in this world we don't understand.
I've decided that I won't try to figure them out.
I trust the Almighty God knows better than me.
We may think some things are wrong, -
but we don't see the big picture.
How would you describe your source of wealth at the moment?
In which ways are you rich?
I'm rich because I'm saved. I have faith.
Recently, I have begun to see the richness of miracles.
I have felt that one should keep hold of the faith -
that God still does miracles.
He's the Creator. All things are possible to God.
I'm rich because I can expect wonderful things.
What kind of wonderful things there are in your life at the moment?
I would say the greatest miracle of all -
is that I trust God more and more each day.
I think it's the greatest miracle.
My trust in God has increased.
How important is the Bible, the Word of God, in your life?
It is truly essential.
Sometimes the circumstances are difficult, -
and I'm about to lose hope or joy.
The Bible brings hope and joy back to my life.
All I need to do is find a quiet place and read the Bible.
This way I find again what I have lost for a moment.
Sometimes I stare at earthly circumstances, -
but when I read the Bible, I get a glimpse of God's possibilities -
and remember what really matters most.
It has become obvious that you've been healed from a sickness.
Actually there has been many serious sicknesses.
What do you think of God who heals and sets free?
God truly is our Healer and our Redeemer.
Jesus bore our sins and sicknesses on the Cross.
We can ask God to heal us, -
as we may as well ask Him to forgive our sins.
We can hope and believe that God wants us to bring glory to Him.
We can do it by being healthy.
We bring glory to God when we are healed.
It brings joy to us as well. Healing is wonderful.
Above all we bring glory to God by telling others -
that Jesus bore our sins and sicknesses on the Cross.
What does prayer mean to you?
It's very important. It's like breathing.
I try to pray first thing in the morning.
I have certain topics I bring before God each day.
One of the topics is Christian fellowship.
The prayer is very important.
If I don't pray, I feel not so good.
In addition to the morning prayer time, -
I try to arrange time for the Bible and prayer later during the day.
This way I'll have time to pray more widely -
for example for my loved ones who struggle.
Prayer is a very big part in my life.
When you speak of praying for the needs of others, -
you refer to intercession.
It has become clear that you are a great intercessor.
As mentioned earlier, people have prayed for you.
What do you think of intercession?
Often when I know that someone goes through difficult times, -
I feel burdened in my heart, -
before I bring the needs of the person before God.
After I have prayed I know it's in God's hands.
There's nothing more I can do about it.
I leave it in God's hands and feel relieved.
Sometimes you have to pray long, before the relief comes.
The importance of intercession has become clear to me.
That's why I want to pray for others.
Apparently it's the school of God.
What about the earthly school? What is your professional background?
What are the future prospects?
I'm a Business College graduate.
Before I fell ill I studied music as well.
I hope that now when I feel myself fit and stronger, -
I can start something in the spiritual field.
I hope to make my own skills available for God's use.
I hope to work in the spiritual field -
and express what I have to give.
It's not all clear to me what I'm going to do.
I have asked God and said that I'm ready for His use.
There are tens of thousands viewers out there -
mostly in Finland, but also elsewhere.
They have now met you and want to pray for you.
What prayer requests do you have?
I pray that God could use me.
He has given me so much.
I hope to find the place where God wants to use me.
Katariina, I feel that you have a lot to give -
through your own experience to those -
who right now walk in the valley of darkness.
There seems to be no way out.
Could you please give them a word of hope?
I encourage them to trust in God.
I encourage them to leave everything in God's hands.
God has promised to hear us if we ask help from Him.
He has promised to hear us.
When you pray, what kind of things do you pray for -
regarding Finland, the world and people?
I think it is important to pray for the Christian fellowship.
Could you please explain it more?
According to Jesus all will know that we are His disciples, -
if we have love for one another.
It's important because Jesus has said that.
Many times we Christians are short of love and fellowship.
That's why I think it's important.
As for Finland, I pray for the believers.
I pray that the believers would live according to God's own mind.
I pray for our leaders.
I also pray daily for the so called class B citizens -
who feel themselves less valued than others.
If we think globally, it's very important to pray for Israel.
Sometimes when I hear from the news about a disaster -
it becomes a burden for me.
The topics vary.
Then there are permanent topics, such as the Christian fellowship.
You sound spiritually well-nourished.
How do you gain this spiritual well-being?
Where do you find your spiritual nourishment?
Recently, there was a Jesus-festival in Turku, Finland.
The guest speakers came from Africa and Sweden.
The atmosphere was wonderful. It was wonderful last year, too.
In Turku there are many different spiritual gatherings.
I don't even have time to go to all of them.
I don't have a certain church.
I go to the place which has an interesting program.
The Word of God has always something new to offer.
It was a good advertisement for the city of Turku.
What are the greatest delights in your life at the moment?
I say one more time, and hopefully it doesn't begin to sound boring.
One thing is a great delight for me.
Last winter I was physically very ill.
Mentally I've been well.
It's great to gain strength. God hears and heals me.
Also my close friends and relatives are a delight for me.
And of course my cats.
Before we say 'meow' -
could you please read a passage in the Bible -
which you would like to leave the viewers with.
It's Mark 12:24.
"Jesus answered and said to them," -
'Are you not therefore mistaken,' -
'because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?'"
The passage tells us how important it is -
to value both the Scriptures and the power of God.
Subtitles: Marianne Tenetz