Women In Ministry

I’d like to introduce you to Anne Berezina–co-pastor of a thriving, vibrant Assembly of God church known as “Tree of Life” in Samara, Russia. This wife and mother of three is on fire for the Lord, and her passion is to disciple the women of their church to reach her city for Christ.

The Corona Virus pandemic is spreading into Russia now, and people there are getting nervous. Will their shaky-at-best health system be able to withstand COVID-19? Will all the businesses shut down like in the US? How will we survive with no jobs? (It’s already hard!) A few nights ago, Anne had a vision–and after she shared her vision on her Instagram page, six more women from different churches in different Russian cities told her they had similar dreams about floods, big tsunami waves etc. Every one woke up knowing that everything will be okay. May these words from the other side of the world bless and inspire you today as they did me.

“Friends, I want to share a dream, more precisely, a series of dreams (2 in a row). I believe that very often God gives true dreams. And through these dreams, He inspires, warns of something, protects and guides us.

“And it will come about … that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”  (Joel 2:28)

I believe the Lord speaks to His people through dreams especially in sad, difficult times, when the society is in panic and chaos, fear and disorientation, and really needs direction and protection from Him.

So here is my first dream:  I’m in our apartment, and suddenly the water out of the tap is getting out of hand and flooding the whole apartment up to my knees.  I’m certainly in horror 😱. I think, when Mom comes, she will be very upset, because 100 percent for sure it will fill the neighbors places! Then I am immediately out on the street near the house, and I can see all the approaching streets! My fear of flooded neighbors and flooding streets is changed by the desire to swim in this stream! And so I swim in this nice, warm, transparent clean water! Horror and panic from disaster changed into peace and grace.

In the second similar dream: I see many different fish in the water. Again, the water is clean and transparent.

My thoughts on what I saw in these dreams:  What the Lord has shown me in the first dream—He calmed me—100%.  Fear and panic, natural disaster–when you feel everything is out of hand—is what each of us is going through today. We can’t manage the situation. Nothing depends on us – it’s true! We are just weak people (I think everyone has felt this very much.) But God teaches us to trust Him fully and even…. relax! It’s like swimming! Life live and realize that He is keeping everything under control.

In the dream, I was visited by such thoughts: “Isn’t it too far to swim and too high in this situation when the apartment and streets are flooded? I probably won’t understand me! What did you think 🤗” I woke up with clear confidence that everything will be fine! With the Lord we will swim! And the second dream is the like first one, also related to water, where there are lots of fish. It represented a lot of people now in need of God, to hear the Good News of the Savior Jesus Christ, to learn about how He loves them and is waiting for them!  Without God there is no hope, no salvation, no joy and peace, no confidence in anything. Now is the time for all people on the planet to turn to Christ, to our only Lord and Savior. To repent of your sins, turn away from evil ways, understand the true values, the meaning of our being, and to live according to it!”

Don’t you love her vibrant faith and passion for Jesus? She is one of my many favorite people to spend time with when I’m in Samara. Never a dull moment with Anne in the room!