by Nedyalka Angelova
Nedy listened patiently as her neighbor talked about a Bible study class she attended. Nedy is a science teacher in Bulgaria. She had tried several times to read the Bible, but even though she had a keen analytical mind, she couldn’t understand it. So when her friend invited her to attend the Bible study class, she accepted. “I wanted to broaden my knowledge,” she said. “I wasn’t looking for God.”
Nedy went to the Bible class prepared to take notes. But as the speaker lectured, she was struck by the profound lessons this man drew form the Bible. She continued attending the class and soaked up God’s love. She told her husband, Nikolai, a retired military officer, what she was learning. But he responded, “You may go if you want but don’t bother me with religion.”
Nedy knew that Nikolai wanted nothing to do with religion, but she continued to share with him what she was learning. Nedy’s interest in the Bible grew, and she accepted her friend’s invitation to attend the Sabbath worship services.
When the church organized a health expo, Nedy invited Nikolai to go with her, but he made no promises. SO she was surprised to see him there. She learned that a friend also had invited him to attend, and he had agreed to go. The expo and the church members who sponsored it impressed Nikolai, and the following week he surprised Nedy by saying, “I want to go to church with you this week.”
Nikolai stopped drinking and smoking and started attending church regularly. As their faith in God grew, they decided to be baptized together. “I never dreamed that a simple invitation to a Bible study class would change our lives so completely,” Nedy says. “We’re so much happier now thanwe were before we met Christ. I thank God for the faithful Adventists who invited us and who introduced us to God.”
– Bible Study Guide, January 07, 2011 Inside Story
aveschordata 