Irina Kozlova "More Precious Than Gold"

(Editor's note: Irina Kozlova is a dynamic young Russian Jewish believer in Messiah Yeshua. Along with her daughter, sister, niece, friend and other guests, she faithfully participates in Hope Of Israel Congregation and various Bible studies. Her testimony is translated from Russian.)

Learning The Hard Way

I was born in Kiev in 1973, into a Jewish family. I grew up in a communist and anti-Semitic country. But my family always celebrated feasts like Passover and Yom Kippur. My parents fasted on Yom Kippur because their parents did.

We gathered near the synagogue in the evening before sitting around the table with food and vodka. We wanted to see relatives and to show off our new clothes and gold items, to talk about money, to brag and then to go home and continue our festivities.

Mama always led the toast, hoping in Yiddish and Russian that everyone would live another healthy, wealthy and happy year. Then we celebrated.

We had Ukrainian friends whom we visited on the Russian Orthodox Passover. Their celebration was similar to ours.

Anti-Semitism did not harden my heart, and I never noticed another's nationality, even when I was mocked as a Jew for the first time. I was in the second grade during the war in Israel, the only Jew in our class. My teacher put me in the middle of the room and told everybody my name and about my nationality. After class, kids started to beat me, shouting, "Get out of here and go to your Israel!" One of Mama's non-Jewish friends had told me to protect myself and beat anyone who attacked me for my nationality. So, I practiced her advice that day. Interestingly, after several years, those who had beaten me became my best friends.

My husband and I met as children, and much later, I became his wife. I see in that the plan of God. I understand that nothing happens coincidentally in a person's life. God has His plan for everything.

Living For Hard Work

We immigrated in 1996. From my first days in America, I understood that here is only one law: money. Two weeks after arriving, I got a job in a Russian store. There I came to see the terror of real life. Praise God that I understand it now. But in that time, I determined to live only in that way. Going to work in this store, I began a very "joyful" life. My husband and I were divorced, and I rarely saw my daughter because she lived with my mom. I could only drop in late from my job, staying for a few minutes to kiss her. I thought that with my money I could buy all the world, including my family. This continued for three years, until I took some medical classes, which also failed to satisfy me. As I began my studies, my husband and I reconciled. But that did not bring real contentment either. I was always seeking - but for what? On January 29, 2000, I found the great, glorious, lovely Savior - Yeshua the Messiah! The Lord made clear everything that was blocked for me, or that I had chosen to block for myself. It happened in an interesting way. My mom had been a student in the Russian Community Life Center English/Bible classes for a couple of years. Arriving home from classes, she told me a lot about the Gospel. But I objected, "Why are you telling me all the time about Yeshua?"

During that same time, I met a lady who came into the Russian store every Monday night to buy meat and cheese for her home group Bible study. She always said, "Give me the best and please hurry because people are coming soon." I was amazed that she was so dedicated to this strange weekly event in her home. Eventually, she invited me to Hope Of Israel Congregation and now she is my Bible study group leader!

Looking For His Way

On my way to Yeshua I began to think that God was tired of my sin. He granted me the possibility to decide what is more valuable - God or everything bad that I had in my life.

At that time, I broke my leg and I lost my job because of it. That was great grace for me from the Lord. Then, when I first attended Hope Of Israel, I wanted to see what they were doing over there. This interest grew to complete repentance in tears for over two hours, and I am thankful to God for that.

As Pastor Greg preached, I sat and cried, wondering why other people had come, because he was speaking only to me. I understood why man is given life. He is to be with the Lord and committed to Him. Yeshua loves us very much and has mercy without end. I thank the Lord God for His beautiful plan of salvation for all people on earth, not noticing their nationality. Amen.

"And they sang a new song: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.'" (Revelation 5:9)