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Let your song echo the fire of God.
Set your torch ablaze.
Head in the clouds, feet on the ground.
BLAZE
Satu Puputti, it's great to have you on our program. Welcome!
Thank you!
Which passage of the Bible you have chosen?
It's from the Gospel of Luke.
Luke 9, verses 25 to 26.
Can I ask you to read it?
"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world," -
"and is himself destroyed or lost?"
"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words," -
"of him the Son of Man will be ashamed" -
"when He comes in His glory."
Why did you choose this passage?
It feels so personal to me at the moment.
In my earlier life I have been ashamed of Jesus.
I can admit that.
You aren't ashamed anymore. - Right.
Aren't you afraid of mockery? - No, not anymore.
Have you been mocked for Jesus' name's sake?
Yes, I have. - Can you tell more about it?
Sometimes people ask in a mean way: -
"How does your God allow this evil thing to happen?"
"Why do innocent suffer?"
I hear these questions all the time.
The name of Jesus... 'Jesus' is a strong word.
People are afraid to say it.
I'm not afraid to say it. People say I'm a freak.
They usually say it behind my back. I hear it indirectly.
Doesn't it scare or hurt you? - No, it doesn't.
Where does your courage come from?
You walk head up and profess in public to be Christian.
Sometimes I wonder it myself.
The courage comes from God.
It's wonderful. Sometimes it's hard to believe.
What advise would you like give to those who don't have courage?
I think there are viewers who stand on the doorstep -
but they are afraid to open the door.
There are a lot of such people. I meet them often.
It's great to meet this kind of seekers.
It's hard to explain because it has happened on the quiet for me.
The Holy Spirit does it. Intercession is important.
If you ask somebody to pray for you, it helps a lot.
Faith is not trying or doing.
Faith is a matter of will.
You must have the will to take Jesus in your heart.
You said that you meet a lot of seekers.
What do they want from you from the faith point of view?
Sometimes people see I'm wearing the crucifix and they approach me.
It's a great work of God.
They may talk about spiritual matters in an individual way.
They do it one-on-one only.
I tell people that I can pray for them.
Many times people ask me to pray.
Sometimes they seemed to be people who don't care about faith.
I'm happy to pray for them.
Have some of these people made the decision for Christ?
Yes. I'm happy about it. I thank God for it.
I have seen it.
It makes me cry of joy when I hear of such thing.
There is a celebration in Heaven as well as on earth.
You are a mother of a little daughter, Senja.
Based on your experience, how can a little child -
express the relationship with Jesus.
How does a little child express faith?
Senja is our little princess. She's 5 years old.
She's an answer to our prayers.
I can see it every day in her, and it's a wonderful joy.
The faith has come into her life partly through me -
and through everything we do.
She got it at an early stage.
I became Christian before she was born.
Let's talk about it more in a minute.
It's an everyday thing for us.
She's with us in everything we do.
We go to church. Sunday school is important to her.
We read bedtime prayers.
We've read the Children's Bible.
The presence of Jesus was clear to her at an early stage.
She spoke about Christ's Cross in her own baby language.
When she learned to speak, -
she showed the cross on the church roof and said: "Christ's Cross".
I'm very happy about it.
How does her faith and trust show in everyday life?
What does she say to you?
Wonderful things.
I just lace fingers together and thank for this little evangelist.
I hope that her faith endures.
Anything can happen in the storms of life.
They are small things.
I have a fish sticker on my car.
I've explained the meaning of it to her.
She saw a same car as ours without the fish sticker.
She said: "Mom, they don't believe in Jesus."
The symbols mean much to her. She understands them.
She often asks about the Heaven and death.
We speak about death quite naturally.
Two of her grandparents died.
She asks often about Heaven: "Is it true that there are no tears?"
"There is no sickness?"
And how people can get to Heaven.
It's easy to say: "By believing in Jesus."
Senja says: "At least I believe!"
The evangelist Senja Puputti.
Perhaps we'll see her in this country.
If you think about children who haven't their trust in God -
and children who have their trust in God, -
what is the difference between them?
I'm not able to think what it would be like in child's world.
The bedtime prayer gives a feeling of safeness and security.
I can't imagine bedtime without prayer.
In a time of trouble, where else can a child put faith in?
The fear of death will come at some point.
Senja said about her friend: "She doesn't read bedtime prayer."
It was a shock to her.
She asked: "How can all the children get to know about God?"
It's a difficult question.
That's what we're hoping for.
I have a feeling that I'll ask for your permission -
to invite Senja to be our next quest.
She has a lot to say. - Yes, certainly!
Senja got the first touch of Jesus -
and her love for the safe Heavenly Father at an early stage.
At what point did you begin your walk with Jesus?
It was a long process.
It wasn't one extraordinary event.
I have sailed on a heavy sea.
My grandma taught me songs about guardian angels.
She taught me bedtime prayers.
I didn't know much about Jesus.
Before I went to confirmation class my aunt prayed for me.
It had a great effect.
The confirmation class was important to me, -
but the world took me astray.
I had a very superficial faith.
I moved to another town about 10 years ago.
Somehow my attitude changed. I started to seek God.
That was how it began.
Many people believe in God, but not in Jesus.
That's true.
How did you find Jesus?
The most important thing was the fellowship of Christians.
I had Christian friends before I became Christian.
Their encouragement, support and help was very important.
I'm part of a Ladies Group of eight women.
We meet once a month in somebody's home.
We share things we have in our heart.
We bring prayer requests and pray for people.
We discuss a lot. It's been extremely important.
If you compare life before Jesus and then with Jesus, -
what is different now? - A lot of things.
Now I understand, what it is to have real joy and peace.
I have peace in my heart no matter what happens.
I can trust the Lord in everything, -
whether they are small everyday things or big things.
I hadn't that kind of peace before. I was afraid of darkness.
Now there aren't things I'm afraid of.
"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world," -
"and is himself destroyed or lost?"
"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words," -
"of him the Son of Man will be ashamed" -
"when He comes in His glory." Luke 9:25-26
You mentioned the fellowship of Christians.
God has given you the gift of singing, among others.
Do you have opportunities to use this gift for the Lord?
Yes, there have been many opportunities.
I've sung in church choirs.
Now I'm searching for my place in music as well as in the church.
I noticed a huge difference in my voice -
when I sang worldly songs and spiritual songs.
My voice sounded totally different.
I have noticed the same thing when I write.
I have a long career as a journalist.
When I started writing about faith matters and Jesus, -
there was a certain easiness to it.
My voice sounded different.
I've been created to sing spiritual songs.
God helps us to use the gifts He's granted us, -
especially when they're used to glorify Him.
If you should choose a song...
There's a song, which has helped me a lot.
It's Muutoksen aika (Time of Change) by Juha Tapio.
It has a message for me.
What is the message? Could you describe it?
It says God never forsakes us. We don't have to be afraid.
You have been a new believer.
You were a seeker who found Jesus -
and who yearned and searched the fellowship of believers.
What do you think churches should offer -
for those who are new Christians?
There should be a lot of alternatives.
Not just one evening meeting or one service.
New Christians don't necessarily find there what they need, -
a conversational relationship with other believers.
Ladies' evenings, men's circles...
What was important to me was an Alpha course.
I warmly recommend it to seekers or new believers.
The Alpha courses are held few times a year in many places.
You recommend people to join. - Yes, I recommend it.
It's a place for discussions.
Satu, I know that you carry a heavy burden.
God has given you a burden for your unsaved neighbors.
Could you describe it? Is it heavy?
It's heavy, but God helps there, too.
The burden was given to me years back.
The current state of the world horrifies me.
Everything moves in the fast lane, people work, come and go, -
there is joy and laughter, -
but still people are missing the important decision in their life.
It's the question: "Who do I follow?"
For me the answer is very simple, yet it's hard to explain -
to someone who hasn't made the decision yet.
There are only two options.
There's no interspace. There're only two places.
Which are... - Heaven and Hell.
You try to save people from going to Hell.
I want to be an instrument in God's hand.
I share the good news. I hope that people give their lives to Jesus.
I try to catch as much fish as possible.
What do you do to lighten this burden?
I don't think I'm a good preacher, so I've given it up.
I think my own witness is the best thing.
When a conversation with an unbeliever opens -
I tell how my life has changed.
Some people notice that something has changed.
It's the joy and the peace.
When I share my experiences, many feel encouraged -
to ask how it happens.
I tell it gladly.
Prayer seems to be an important part of your life.
Who do you pray for? What kind of things do you pray?
All things between heaven and earth.
We can pray for both small and big things.
People often ask: "Can I ask for this kind of little thing?"
"Is it OK to bother God with it?"
We can bring all things before God.
We should also bring our thanksgiving.
I have received all kinds of prayer requests -
by text messages and directly in conversation.
I'm happy to pray for them.
We have a God who hears and answers our prayers.
He does it in His timing and way.
How have you learned that God hears and answers?
Or doesn't answer.
God certainly does things as He sees fit -
according to His own schedule.
We want everything to happen immediately.
God does things when the time is right.
We see afterwards that it was for the best.
Everything tends to go well. God answers our prayers.
Do you have examples from your own life?
My daughter, of course.
We didn't know if we'll ever be able to have a child.
She was born as an answer to our prayers.
It's a big thing.
God has helped in various ways in many needs.
Even when a close friend or relative has died, -
some seekers have opened a conversation.
Discussions have opened up even through sorrow -
to an area where we can speak of Jesus.
I'm sure you have seen many people in your circle of acquaintances -
who have chosen to serve something else rather than Jesus.
It may be even idol worshipping.
What kind of things people around you worship?
The first thing is money.
It's a huge idol.
People run after money.
Money runs the world.
Then people turn to all kinds of alternatives.
It seems to be some kind of fashion.
There are many ways how people try to nurture spirituality.
Turning to Jesus... Many people think it's risky.
It's easier to choose something else.
People are able to speak of a higher power, -
and even of the Heavenly Father and God, but not of Jesus.
People speak of angels, but not about the real thing.
People seek spirituality.
But they don't presume to receive the real thing, Jesus.
Do you have the courage to shake this kind of people?
You apparently refer to people who are involved in occultism.
I won't say directly: "You are wrong. I'm right", -
but I pray for them.
God has answered when I have prayed in this kind of situations.
Especially when I have told them that I pray for them.
It has startled, and maybe they've begun to think again.
Let's go back to the burden you carry.
It's a burden to pray for the unsaved.
What do you want to save the people from?
From perdition, from Hell.
What do you want to save them for?
For our home in the Heaven.
What kind of prayers do you hope for youself?
What is your prayer to God in these days?
I'm not sure if there's a special prayer request.
I pray that I would stay strong in the faith.
It's been tested a lot.
I pray that the seekers would have courage.
What do you pray for Finland?
And what do you pray for your home region, Savo?
Yes, I come from Savo. I pray for revival.
Revival of masses.
I hope the seekers will find the same Jesus I've found.
You have found a lot of silence.
You have taken retreats.
What happens during a common retreat in silence -
between an individual and God?
I have twice taken the retreat in the Monastery of Valamo, Heinävesi.
The retreat had a very calming effect.
The place itself is wonderful.
The Church in Heinävesi is a great and holy place.
In the retreat I'm alone with myself.
There are no phones, TVs, nothing which could disturb.
I'm alone with myself and God in conversation.
There is plenty of time for meditation and prayer.
The three days' retreat is very cleansing.
I must say that there is a godly peace, when I'm here with you.
It's wonderful. - Thank God for that.
It's a silence with voice.
Before we end our program, what is the passage of the Bible -
you would like to leave our viewers with?
It's Psalm 34, verses 5 to 7.
Please read it.
"I sought the Lord, and He heard me," -
"and delivered me from all my fears."
"They looked to Him and were radiant," -
"and their faces were not ashamed."
"This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him" -
"and saved him out of all his troubles."
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