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In Their Own Words

Australian Man Chooses Baptism Over Alcohol

Slav, who lives in Australia, thought he’d stumbled upon Adventist World Radio by chance in late 2017, but we at AWR believe it was a divine appointment! AWR can be heard on 150 stations throughout Australia and stories like these happen all the time.

Slav had been listening to his usual radio station in his car when he decided he was tired of that kind of music, so he scanned through other local stations and happened upon Faith FM, an affiliate of AWR. He started listening to the Christian topics, and they captured his attention. Pretty soon, Faith FM became his new favorite station.

This came at a critical time in his life, as Slav was jobless and drank heavily to deal with his anxiety and depression. As he listened to AWR’s messages, he realized that he could better use his free time to research what he was learning about the Bible.

He also decided to respond to the station’s offer for a free copy of Steps to Christ. He anxiously awaited the book’s arrival and checked his mailbox often. Then, to his surprise, one day he heard a knock at his door and found Pastor Gavin, from the local Adventist church, standing on his doorstep. The pastor introduced himself and said he’d wanted to drop off the book in person.

Pastor Gavin gave Slav his phone number and invited him to keep in touch, promising he would follow up once he finished the book. A few hours later, the pastor received a text from Slav, thanking him for dropping off the book and letting him know he was already enjoying it.

A couple months later, Pastor Gavin was trekking in the mountains of New Zealand when he received a text from Slav, who wrote, “I think I’m ready to be baptized. When can that happen?”

Pastor Gavin was shocked—in the very best way! He soon learned that Slav had continued listening to AWR, and had quit drinking cold turkey. Slav told him, “I was drinking a lot, but once I made the decision to stop, that was it. God gave me the victory and I’ve never gone back to it or had the desire to drink.”

Pastor Gavin also learned that this wasn’t Slav’s first connection with the Adventist Church. His father had joined the church in the mid-90s. Back in those days, Slav would overhear his father’s Bible studies, but didn’t join him. For more than 20 years, his father would talk to him about his faith, but Slav didn’t really engage with what his father was saying.

But the seeds that his father planted did finally come to fruition. Slav said, “After listening to AWR on Faith FM, I connected with the message and understood what my father was trying to teach me. That’s what really led me to believe and find this truth. My heart was open and I was ready. I developed a special connection with God, and my father was so happy when I told him!”

Please pray for Slav as he continues in his walk with God. His wife, who is Catholic, would not let Pastor Gavin conduct Bible studies in their home, so Slav studied at the local Adventist church instead. However, Slav’s wife and their three children have really appreciated the changes they’ve seen in him. They are thrilled he doesn’t drink anymore, and they even surprised Slav by attending his baptism.

Thank you for supporting Adventist World Radio as yet again, through Slav’s story, we see how God works on the hearts of men and women to take them from broadcast . . . to baptism!

Mother and child listening to radio in front of simple home.

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