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Kārlis Baštiks
God’s will for my life
Interview with BPI student Kārlis Baštiks (see his profile), 2009. Tell about yourself – what are the most important events in your life?
The most important event is that I personaly invited Jesus in my life. I was born and was raised in a Christian family that loves God. Of course, there have been ups and downs but God has always been important to me. I had understanding about God from my childhood. When I was very little I liked listening to stories my Grandfather told from the Bible. But at that time I only realized that God exists. The most important was moment when I realized why Jesus gave His life, and I started forming intimate and personal relationship with God.
Second most important event was my entering BPI because it was a significant beginning to my desire to give all my life to God, and to serve Him. How would you characterize your relationship with Christ?
My entire life is like one big adventure with God. I have experienced many different things – some more difficult, some happy. But God more and more reveals to me the significance of all that I have experienced. Many trials, setbacks and personally very sad events have brought me to deeper understanding of God. My interests and life abroad in many ways have influenced the fact that after receiving my calling I am studying at BPI.
In my life Romans 8:28 has proven to be true that „all things work for good for those who love God”. Another great adventure with God was how He confirmed that I have to start studies at BPI. When I first started thinking about pastoral ministry, I prayed that God would confirm this call if that is indeed His plan for my life. I received confirmation in many different ways, and my calling became more and more certain. Sometimes I received confirmation reading the Bible, other times – through people He confirmed it in various and sometimes surprising ways. For example, a person who had known me for a very brief time once said to me, „You should be a pastor.” It was a great shock to me because God had already put it in my heart, and only later I understood what it is that God wants me to do. In what ministry are you involved now? Why?
I am the most involved in children’s ministry at Matthew church. I am one of the „Club 46” (4th to 6th graders) leaders. I got involved couple years ago when Evelīna Sproģe who at that time was children’s ministry leader at Matthew’s church invited me. I am in this ministry because I want to help. It is important for children to know more about God, to get to know Him, and to start thinking about their place in life, and we are trying to create an environment in our Club where that can happen because these children will be future members of our church, future ministers and leaders. Why did you decide to study at BPI? Why now? How did you make that decision? I decided to study at BPI because I received a calling from God. Before I had thought to go down this route later, and will start studying at BPI sometime in the future. That is what I thought up till December. Then I received „a hit on the head” from God. It was as if God was saying to me, „What are you doing? Why are you planning to do something else if you see where I am calling you?” Then I begun reconsidering everything I was doing, talked to several people in order to get support, and understood that I have to come to a decision. I made a decision knowing that that is what God wants for me to do, and that is why I was sure that I had to begin my studies at BPI this year. What have you gained in these first weeks of studies?
It was a great gain that my character is being changed during these first weeks. Character growth is very important, and I see that BPI will contribute to that in many ways. In order to succesfully study at the institute, I will need to discipline myself, and to order my life priorities. Of course, the greatest priority is personal relationship with God, and we always try to remember it at BPI. What do you do in your free time?
I have different interests and hobbies which I have not done in a long time, but like a lot, for example, drawing, tennis, soccer. From childhood I have had interest in science. I like to find out new things, and to understand how everything works in nature and mechanical world, and how many different and interesting phenomenon are possible. From four years of age I read children’s encyclopedia and many other books in order to learn something new. This interest has continued, only the reading material now is more serious. Recently I have gotten interested in the science of creationism that supports that the world was created like it is described in Genesis and denies evolution theory. I also like to research how secular science helps us discover truths that are described in the Bible, and also sometimes helps to explain why God sometimes gave specific directives, and sometimes forbid certain activities. How can we pray for you?
Please pray from all your heart and all your mind that God would show me the way He wants me to go on, and that God would give me strength to walk on this road. That God’s will would be done in my life, not my own plans.
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