I never considered writing, especially poetry, especially in a foreign language. I was born and grew up in Kazakhstan. I didn’t know Jesus, but I knew from my grandfather there was a God. He taught me the words of a prayer in his Uighur language, which I prayed each night. Though this was my only prayer, God, in His lovingkindness, knew me and He started giving me dreams.
One most memorable was in 1989 where He showed me moving to another country. And He stamped that dream with peace that continued after I woke, which was utterly unfamiliar to me. That peace was the only stability I had in my life during times of chaos and confusion.

After five years of college I reluctantly agreed with my mom to visit our relatives in the US, where I eventually got married and settled.
In America, my aunt, a Christian woman, introduced me to Jesus and told me who God is. She was very instrumental in my growth in the Lord. Many years of our conversations about Jesus and how God speaks and listening to her poetry and songs for little children, led me to loving and praising God more and more. Although my aunt encouraged me in writing poetry, my response was "It’s way above my head".

One day in May 2018 during my morning time with the Lord, I asked God how and where could I possibly find the right words to describe His greatness and my gratitude to Him for His work in me. Then I heard a word in the spirit "Here" and my eyes peered at the Bible. And suddenly there came a hunger in my heart to read the Word again and find a right verse to praise Him. I picked up the Bible, and as I was reading, the words became a song that needed to be completed, and so I did, my first poem in English. Talking about being strong while weak, ha? How many times in life we forget that what is above our head, is beneath His feet. All glory to Him, Jesus the living God.

I write by His grace with the guidance of my companion Holy Spirit, Who is so gentle and loving and has a sense of humor. Today, my husband and I continue to study the Word and pray together. We’ve lived in Oregon for the last 28 years and attended a local church. We enjoy sharing the Good News and talking about all of His wonders.

If you are reading this and you don’t know who God is or if there is a God, I pray that He will reveal Himself to you as you seek Him, as you "...put away distractions of the mind,
all vacillations of the will and wait in silence.
To smell His gracious fragrance, to feel and hear divine whisper of His will.”

Shalom Shalom,
Vjera Shanéy