It All Started With Metal Music

So they say books change lives and in this blog post I will share with you a recent story were this very saying came to pass… But first some context. I have been virtually walking with Borys and Mikolaj two Ukrainian brothers in there twenties who have been working hard to find a place for themselves in this wild ever changing global world we find ourselves in today. Borys is a travailing language teacher who is currently based in South East Asia and Mikolaj is a university student who splits his time between Poland and Ukraine.

Before this current stage of their lives the Brothers were aspiring musicians. In Ukraine they found out like I did in North America there is hardly any demand for heavy metal music and no real money in being in a touring band full time. With this realization they decided to face the music and chase after more reliable paid work. Being fans of heavy music was one of the first areas we personally connected. This then grew into a curiosity of a more personal nature of the inter workings and why we do the things we do.

Then Borys and Mikolaj opened up to me about the hardships of their singular lives. They told me about the struggles they have to deal with living in a second world country were their little to no opportunities for young adults in villages, and small to medium sized towns. They told me they are no openings at good paying jobs or just no jobs at all. That's when they told me many people young and older move to the capitol city Kyiv to try and find work. But just like here in the USA living in a major or capital city the price of living is a lot grater then any other town in the nation. Unlike the USA young people in Ukraine move to different countries to find a happy affordable life.

After all these hard real life conversations and praying for the brothers a few times (After they asked me to.) I got this burning feeling I should send them a copy of the Bible that would speak to them on a more personal level and not just a Biblical and historic level… So I purchased for them the Metal Bible. This Bible has life stories from musicians and fans from the heavy metal community that turn their lives over to Jesus. They receive truth and freedom that only a relationship with Jesus and truth from the Bible can give. The stories range from healing from drugs / alcoholism, witchcraft, satanism and other afflictions that torment people here on earth.

In closing I will share with you some of the sentiments Borys and Mikolaj messaged me after spending time reading the stories and the scriptures. “Thank you so much John, I read it, its a great gift!” I then asked Mikolaj if he read it all as in cover to cover which he replied yes. Its amazing he read the entire 737 pages in about a months time. I pray it brings him hope and understanding as well as keeps the fire in his heart lit for Christ and the betterment of his life through walking with Jesus everyday.

Borys messaged me “Thank you a whole lot, my friend!” “The book has been finally delivered!” “Im beyond happy” “Its a masterpiece” “I already feel how powerful this book is!” As you can tell by his written reactions to what he was reading the stories and scripture were speaking to him on a personal level to illicit such a revelation within him. I pray it brings encouragement to stay the course in faith even when the darkness starts to circle or situations you find yourself in are less then ideal. I pray these words and helping prayers within the pages bring you peace and strength to overcome any obstacle.