My story with God started long before I even knew Him.
I was born in Russia and adopted at 18 months old by my incredible parents here in Canada. As I've gotten older, I've come to realize that God had a plan for my life long before my biological parents even knew I existed.
I grew up attending Catholic school and church, where prayer, Bible stories, and learning about God were part of my everyday life. I've always believed in God and felt His hand guiding me through different seasons, but believing in Him and having a relationship with Him were two very different things.
When I moved to Medicine Hat at 25, I was coming out of a season filled with loss. After years of attending funerals for family members, friends, and loved ones, I remember thinking that I didn't want the only reason I walked into a church to be because someone had passed away. I knew God was so much bigger than that, and I wanted to know Him more.
So I started attending Holy Family Catholic Church, sometimes multiple times a week, and began developing a more intentional prayer life. But while I loved God and knew He loved me unconditionally, I hadn't quite figured out how to fully surrender and trust Him. (Anyone else like to have a little control over their life? 😂)
Over the next few years, I felt God calling me to build deeper connections in Medicine Hat. I joined a networking group, started hosting events, and really began making this community my home. Little did I know how many pieces He was putting into place.
As my faith grew, I also felt called to experience different churches. I attended The Link, where I remember sitting through an entire service sobbing because I could feel God moving something in my heart. I began praying daily, attending worship nights, and finding so much joy in being surrounded by people who loved Jesus.
Around this time, Jordan (who is now my fiancé! 🥹❤️), whom I'd met through that networking group, invited me to Hillcrest Church. For the first time, I felt comfortable opening up and talking about my faith and everything God had been doing in my life.
Hillcrest became my home church, and today I have the absolute joy of volunteering with Alpha, our youth girls, and our Grade 5 & 6 boys.
But God wasn't finished opening doors.
In April 2026, I attended REND with the Hillcrest youth group, and something really shifted in me. I felt incredibly close to God, free to be myself in His presence, and so overwhelmed by His love.
Jordan had previously attended Youth With A Mission (YWAM), and I'd heard so much about his experience. I started praying about whether God was calling me to attend a Discipleship Training School (DTS) myself.
I actually picked up an application at REND, filled it out, and then left it sitting on my desk for months. I wanted to go, but I wasn't going to make that decision without feeling God's confirmation.
My YWAM Journey
Well, about three weeks before school started, He gave me the very specific confirmation I'd been praying for!
So, naturally, I went shopping for school supplies (which is my fav!) 😂 I put my business on hold and started my DTS with YWAM Selah in September.
On our very first evening together, I was standing at the back of the prayer room when I felt God tell me something I will never forget:
"I waited to send you the confirmation because the room wasn't ready yet. I had to finish curating the room before I put you in it."
That statement has continued to mean so much throughout this experience. God wasn't withholding something from me. He was preparing something for me.
When I started school, I knew I was committing to three months of learning and growing closer to God, but I still hadn't felt confirmation about participating in the international outreach portion.
So I prayed, and I waited. In early October, I began feeling this incredible peace about going, even though we didn't know where we were being sent! Again, if you know, my type A personality was screaming.
And then we found out.
Technology Integration
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