Advice from a stranger: “Trust in the Lord”

AUTHOR: Yulia Sagaidachnaya

We’re thrilled to share the latest blog from Yulia Sagaidachnaya. We get to hear from Yulia first-hand about her experience as an orphan who has been part of Last Bell’s community for many years, including our Stop the Cycle program for orphan moms.

“Don’t worry about money…”

I am happy to be married! Praise the Lord we have the leaders on our side!

I have so many ideas I never had before. Every minute I change my letter to all of you, rewriting. I want to shout about my joy, to share my happiness with everyone, and to assure all the young women how wonderful it is to be married – to do right in God’s eyes.

Prologue: I had been living with my now-husband for five years without being married. I thought I could call it an unofficial marriage, but now I know the word “marriage” can’t be used in this case.

Before, I was fine with that. As a single mother, I received money from the government and had some advantages at work; at the same time, the father of my daughter lived with us.

During those five years, we broke up four times! Like all couples, we fought and couldn’t compromise. Both of us are proud people. With our harsh words, we humiliated our other half. We didn’t feel responsible for each other, even though we had a child together.

I had many conversations with Oksana, and the Shelter leaders also gave me friendly advice. It seemed Oksana was tired of telling me the same things.

I felt ashamed, but comforted myself, saying I couldn’t stop getting government money. In my prayers, I told the Lord, “God! You understand me, I can’t survive without social help as a single mother!”

After these prayers one night, I was lying in bed, unable to sleep. So I decided to browse through people’s pictures on a social network. I saw a picture of a young couple, just married, the marriage certificate in their hands. I visited the young woman’s page.

I had never talked to strangers on this network before, but I wrote and told her what was on my heart. She shared with me about her child and why she got married a second time. At one point she sent this message: “Trust in the Lord and don’t worry about money.” So this woman was a Christian! I didn’t answer, but continued thinking, and asked God to help me make the right choice.

This was my difficult dilemma: we should either get married or break up. If you believe in God you have to trust Him with such an important matter.

But it finally happened – we are husband and wife!

At least once a week, our daughter says, “My mom is a wife and my dad is a husband!” It makes us smile and softens our hearts.

We have changed. I can’t even call our arguments “quarrels” now. Before, my husband couldn’t solve problems calmly. He left our home in anger. He never came back to our arguments to discuss and solve them.

He reacts differently now. We discuss the situations and together try to look for a compromise or find a solution.

I don’t forget to thank the Lord every day! And I keep praying for my husband to change for the better. I dream for him to realize that those positive changes happened only because of God, who sent me wise people and gave me wisdom too.

And after my prayer, God gave me that conversation with a stranger, who told me that I needed to trust the Lord!