Testimony of Luca

How God Changed My Life

I was very fortunate to have been born into an Eastern Orthodox Christian family. However, when I was younger, I did not fully understand just how blessed I was. Throughout my childhood, my parents tried to guide me towards God and teach me to turn away from selfishness and sin. Yet, like many young people in the modern world, I often failed to listen to their advice. Without fully realising it, I began to follow a path that led me further away from God. Everything began to change when I experienced a period of terrible suffering. I will not go into the details of what happened, but I reached a point where I desperately needed help. Not knowing where else to turn, I picked up the Bible and began reading several chapters from the New Testament. What happened afterwards was something I had never experienced before. I felt a sense of peace in my heart unlike anything I had ever known. Although my circumstances had not necessarily changed, something within me had. For the first time, I began to understand the comfort and hope that could be found in turning towards God. From that day onwards, I tried to read the Bible every day. I began praying the twelve morning prayers and striving to say the Jesus Prayer as often as I could: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” These simple practices gradually became an important part of my life. Day by day, through prayer and reading the Scriptures, I found myself drawing closer to God. At the time, I did not fully understand how much my faith was growing, but looking back, I can see how these small steps were helping me begin a deeper relationship with our Lord. Another important moment in my journey happened on a Sunday. My brother and my parents had a terrible argument, and afterwards, while I was in the car, I began praying to God for help. It was one of the first times I had turned to Him so sincerely in a difficult situation. The reason I was in the car that day was that I had finally persuaded my father to attend the Divine Liturgy. That day, I prayed more than I ever had before. Amid the difficulties and uncertainty, I experienced a glimpse of the joy that comes from serving our Lord and turning towards Him in prayer. It was a moment that helped me realise that faith was not simply something I had inherited from my family. It was becoming something personal to me: something I wanted to pursue for myself, not merely because my parents had taught me to do so, but because I was beginning to understand its importance in my own life. Another experience that brought me closer to God was reading the book *Father Arseny*. The things I read deeply moved me and filled me with joy. Through the experiences and faith described in the book, I was reminded of the importance of prayer, perseverance, humility and trusting in God, even during the most difficult times. Looking back on these experiences, I can see how God has been guiding me throughout my life. My journey has not been about becoming perfect overnight, nor does it mean that I no longer struggle with sin or temptation. Rather, it has been about learning to turn towards God, to seek His mercy, and to keep trying to follow Him even when I fall short. I am still learning, and I know that I have a long way to go. But I am grateful that, during a time when I was suffering and desperately searching for peace, I turned to the Bible and began to rediscover the faith that had been given to me from childhood. I now understand that being born into an Orthodox Christian family was a great blessing, but that I also have a responsibility to nurture that faith and make it a living part of my life. Above all, I have come to understand that I do not have to face my struggles alone. Through prayer, the Holy Scriptures, the Divine Liturgy and the teachings of the Orthodox Church, I have found a path that continually draws me closer to our Lord Jesus Christ. I know that I am a sinner, and I know that I still have much to learn. But I pray that God will continue to have mercy on me, guide me, strengthen my faith and help me to live according to His will. Glory be to God for all things.