Thanks to my grandmother's faith, I have known about God for as long as I can remember. When I was ten years old, I used to sing Christian hymns, and my friends thought I was crazy. But when we fail to nurture our faith, our spiritual understanding can gradually fade. Looking back, I now realize that sometimes a person must reach a very low point before becoming truly broken before God and willing to surrender their life to Him.

As the years passed, I drifted further away from God. In 1987, after completing my military service, I decided to make a fresh start. Yet as time went on, I found myself sinking deeper into a life of sin. Hoping that alcohol would help me forget my troubles, I began drinking more and more. The deeper I sank into this destructive cycle, the greater my despair became, and the more I turned to alcohol.

Eventually, desperate to escape, I cried out to God: "If there is any way, please pull me out of this!"

In 1990, I bought a Bible and began reading it, even while I was still drinking and partying. Whenever my health improved, however, I would return to my old way of life. I also began sharing more and more of what I had read with my friends, but they challenged me: "First live the life you're talking about, and then you can preach it to us."

Only later did I understand that God was preparing my heart during those years. My despair continued to grow. I no longer wanted to live as I had been living, but I didn't know how to begin a new life.

During that time, two truths became clear to me: if I continued on the same path, it would eventually lead to death; and there was power in the name of Jesus.

In 1993, I turned to God and prayed: "I don't know which church I should go to, so please lead me to the right people. I will go with them and give my life to You."

God answered that prayer. I met some young Christians who were preaching the Gospel on the streets, and they invited me to a series of evangelistic meetings. It was exactly what I had been waiting for.

At the end of one of the meetings, an invitation was given to come forward and surrender one's life to Jesus. Deep in my heart, I knew that if I didn't respond at that moment, I might never take that step.

It was one of the hardest decisions of my life. My heart was saying yes, but my mind was saying no: "Don't be a fool. What if nothing happens?"

But thank God, something did happen!

When I left that meeting, I was a completely new person. In a single moment, an enormous burden was lifted from me. I experienced freedom from my sins, and a wonderful peace and joy filled my heart. Nothing around me had changed, yet everything within me was different. I had been made new. Thank God!

When we are born again, our hearts are transformed, and we begin to turn away from our old sinful ways, longing instead to live for God. Our spirit is made new in an instant, but the transformation of our soul—our thoughts, emotions, and desires—is a gradual process. As we spend time in God's Word and grow in fellowship with Him, He continues to renew us. This is a lifelong journey.

My life began to change remarkably quickly. I praise God not only for the transformation of my heart but also for the changes that followed in my everyday circumstances. Family difficulties began to be resolved, and material needs were met.

Since 1993, I have devoted my painting to Christian themes. For me, this is one of the greatest joys of being an artist. I can spend time in God's Word and, at the same time, express on canvas or paper what He has revealed to me.

The purpose of the Christian life is not to serve God for personal gain, but to live in fellowship with Him and become increasingly like Christ. As we grow in Him, we become more able to receive and walk in what He prepared for us even before we were born.

This is a lifelong process of transformation and growth, made possible by God's grace. I believe that only a life lived in Him can bring true and lasting fulfillment.

What we have today, and who we have become, are shaped by what we have believed in the past.

The purpose of our lives is to glorify God in everything we do.

If you have become a child of God, then whatever He has called you to do, He desires you to do it wholeheartedly, bringing glory to His name.

I believe God has called me to proclaim His Word through art. I believe these paintings will touch the hearts of many people. Scripture tells us that God's Word will not return to Him empty but will accomplish the purpose for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11). I believe that His Word, expressed through painting, can also touch hearts and fulfill His purposes.

"And there is salvation in no one else." — Acts 4:12

God has wonderful plans for each of our lives, but we can fully walk in those plans only when we surrender ourselves to His guidance. He longs for us to live the life He has prepared for us.

Perhaps you are wondering, "What must I do to make my life right with God?"

If you sincerely desire to be forgiven, to be set free from sin, to live a life under God's blessing, and to receive the gift of eternal life, I invite you to pray this prayer in faith:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I come to You in the name of Jesus, trusting that You will not turn me away, because Your Word promises that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).

I believe in my heart that Jesus is Your Son. I believe that He carried my sins on the cross so that I could be made right with You.

Jesus, You are Lord! Please come into my heart. Forgive my sins, teach me to walk in Your ways, and lead me into the life You have prepared for me.

Save me, Lord, and make me new.

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the gift of eternal life.

Amen.

The Bible reminds us that if we confess Jesus as Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9).

So I want to encourage you: seek God with a sincere heart. He hears those who call upon Him, and He will not turn away those who truly seek Him.

God bless you!

Ain Vares