The fact of God's help from Olga 29.06.2024

Hello, dear brothers and sisters! I want to share my testimony about prayers to the saints and the help I have received from our Lord. I learned about prayer in agreement in 2019, seemingly by "chance." I was baptized at 30 but did not become truly church-going—I continued to sin foolishly, occasionally stopping by a church to light a candle or attend a service on major feast days. In 2017, on Western Christmas, I was diagnosed with cancer. A year later, again on Christmas, I got into a car accident. That was when I began to reflect on my life—what was wrong, why was I being given a second chance? I started coming across the sermons of Father Vladimir, and in May 2019, I began praying the Akathist. A year later, by "chance," I discovered a German church where a Ukrainian Orthodox community held services (I am Russian from Siberia). I started with the Akathist to the Mother of God, "Softening of Evil Hearts." Since childhood, I had resentment and misunderstandings with my mother. At first, I prayed for her heart to soften, completely unaware of my own sins—my pride was enormous. One day, my mother, my children, and I went to a children's event. On the way there, we argued again, and I blamed her for everything. After the event, while other children were playing, one of them accidentally hit me in the face with a soccer ball. (But nothing happens by chance!) My mother didn’t even come over to check on me. At first, I felt hurt, but on the way home, I realized that I was the one truly at fault. I then began praying for myself—for my own heart to be softened, for pride to be removed. There have been changes. My mother and I rarely argue now, but I continue to pray because I still lose my temper with my children and raise my voice at them. Of course, I pray to other saints as well, and I constantly feel their help. It has now been three years since I started praying and attending church. My family doesn’t always support me, but I don’t want to stop. When I first began praying, I had a dream: I was standing in darkness, feeling terrified, but above me, I saw light and a church. And I knew I never wanted to be in darkness again. Every time I leave a church service, I think, "Lord, it is so good with You—I don’t even want to return home to the daily hustle and bustle." Thank you all for your prayers in agreement! Cherish and love one another. Glory to God for everything!