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From
Celena Rustin:
My name
is Celena Rustin, and I'm from the San Carlos Apache Tribe. I would
like to take this wonderful opportunity to share my testimony with
you as well as how the Lord has been working in my life. As a very
young girl, I had Grandparents who loved to serve the Lord. My
grandparents knew Ann Murphy, who had Bible clubs at their place in
Bylas. My grandfather always encouraged me to grow in the Lord and
to serve Him because He is the only way. My parents took us there to
hear all the wonderful stories from God's Word and learn all the
songs about Jesus. The Lord sure works in great ways helping us to
grow in Him. |
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I learned about
the ministry of Regeneration Reservation at a young age because of
my grandparents, who were willing to take the time to stop by and
take me to church each Sunday to be with other Christian friends.
Even Miss Ann had shared with me from God's Word and stopped by to
see me at home. As a young girl, that was very special to me. |
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After coming to
Regeneration for many years as a young girl, I accepted Christ into
my heart when I was 9 years old. Each Sunday, I came with all the
other kids and attended Sunday School class. I really enjoyed
listening to all the Bible stories and singing praises to God. One
day, the Lord burdened my heart to talk with my Sunday school
teacher after class. So, she shared with me John 3:16, how the Lord
sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins and how He loves us so
much. There were some verses she shared with me from the book of
Romans that I had to think about too. |
I also heard about the Wordless Book and what the colors
meant: black for sin, red for Jesus' blood, white to wash away our
sins and make us as white as snow, and green to grow more in the
Lord as a Christian. I got saved that day and believed that there is
a God Who really loves me. That was very exciting for me, knowing
the Lord was the One Who is in control. I felt all alone going to
church at a young age, but I really wasn't because the Lord was with
me all that time. When we had AWANA, there were times to memorize
verses from the Bible to have the words hidden in my heart and to
share with other people, really putting smiles on their faces!
Many times, there have been challenges
in my life that would have taken me away from God, but the Lord knew
the situations I was going through and He took care of it. The verse
that I really like is Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through
Christ which strengtheneth me." That verse reminds me that whatever
I go through here on the reservation, the Lord gives me strength to
be a testimony and to share His word with my own Apache people that
have never heard about Him. I'm so thankful for having wonderful
Christian friends who are dearly praying for us.
After I finished high school at Ft.
Thomas, the Lord was leading me to a Christian college. I went to
International Baptist College in Phoenix. Those years were such a
growing process for me, meeting new people and being away from home.
God taught me a lot while I was there.. Now that I'm back here at
home on the reservation, I work at the San Carlos Apache Kid Child
Care Center. There have been some wonderful opportunities there to
be a witness for the Lord. Working with the ministry here at
Regeneration Reservation is very special to me because this is where
I mostly grew up at a young age. There are so many memories here. On
Friday nights, we have fun activities for the kids. Working with
these kids is really a blessing. On Sunday, Tom Lucatorta, Kari
Weldon, and I minister at the older adult centers, working with the
elderly in San Carlos and having service with them. It sure brings
joy to my heart to be able to speak my own language to the elderly!
Many times in my life, I pray and thank
the Lord for what He has done for me, especially having wonderful
friends that truly care and understand.
I'm so thankful that we have a God who can always be there for us
each day (Who gave us that free gift of salvation). The Lord has
been teaching me so much in my walk with Him. Once again, thank you
for all your prayers, and you will be in my prayers, too. The joy of
the Lord is our strength. He is in control. |
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