Here’s My Heart, Lord

In the mid-90s, at almost 15, I immigrated from Eastern Europe to the United States. I came to reunite with my biological father after spending over a decade in family foster care, followed by several months in state foster care before leaving Czechia.

Raised in the Catholic faith, I attended Bible studies as a young girl and learned about Jesus. However, my understanding of the Gospel was limited, and moving to the U.S. to live with my father—an atheist—caused me to quickly lose whatever faith I still had. Since my father did not follow the Word of God, I suffered the consequences of his choices and, in turn, followed in his footsteps. This led me down a path of reckless and destructive lifestyle.

After finishing college, I became entangled in the Florida nightlife scene, drugs, and a cycle of bad decisions. Looking back, I like to say, “I was just working on my testimony.” 😆

But even though I had given up on God, He never gave up on me.

For years, I lived in rebellion and became deeply involved in the New Age movement. By my late 30s, I was living alone with my cat, feeling lost and hopeless, teetering on the edge of rock bottom. One evening, desperate for relief, I stepped outside for a walk in nature. In my heart, I whispered a silent prayer:

“Jesus, if You’re real, I need to know!”

Shortly afterward, two women—whom I had never met before—approached me. After a brief introduction, they looked at me and said, “Jesus really loves you!” Their words left me stunned. That moment stirred my curiosity, leading to more divine encounters over the following weeks. Soon after, I surrendered my heart to God and gave my life to Jesus.

This happened in 2020—while the world was spiraling into chaos during the global pandemic, I was experiencing true peace for the first time. Since then, my life has been transformed in ways I never imagined. I have been blessed with a kind, loving, and caring husband, a wonderful stepdaughter, a supportive family, and a strong church community filled with friends and like-minded believers. My life has flourished in ways I never thought possible.

As a young girl, my dream was to become an artist. When my father wanted me to pursue engineering, I chose to study art instead—even though it meant doing so without my parents’ support. I graduated summa cum laude from the Art Institute, yet I continued to struggle with self-doubt and, eventually, abandoned my childhood dream.

But our God is a God of resurrection—He brings dead things back to life.

After my spiritual encounters, I wanted others to know that God is real and that He is good. So, I picked up a paintbrush once again, but this time, my art had a purpose: to glorify God. My spiritual experiences became the inspiration for my work, and painting became an act of worship—a way to express my gratitude and share my testimony.

At the same time, I began building an online platform to help others reconnect with God through creativity. My goal was to support fellow Christian artists in sharing their testimonies while creating additional income from their gifts and experiences.

And that’s how Spirit ArtVentures was born!

This journey has been entirely guided by the Holy Spirit and God’s grace—not by my own strength. I still fall short, and at times, I struggle with old habits. But His mercies are new every morning.

As it is written in Lamentations 3:22-23:
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

Although I still experience fear, anxiety, stress, and moments of sadness—just like anyone else—studying the Bible has deepened my understanding of what it means to be a child of God. Now, I find it easier to step into His presence and be reminded of His unwavering love. I know that He is always with me and will never forsake me.

Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.
Giving my life to Christ and choosing to follow Him has been the best decision I have ever made.

I have countless stories of God’s miraculous healing and answered prayers throughout my spiritual journey. If you’d like to hear more, feel free to reach out and say hello! And if you’re local to the Portland area, let’s meet up for tea.

For now, I leave you with this verse:

Philippians 4:8
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.