Restoring Years in Marriage by Building a Strong Relationship with Christ
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A Journey From Family Strife to Spiritual Renewal
“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten”
My name is Tanya Dolchok. I was born Tanya Lynn Amidon. My mother is Elva Ahmasuk, originally from Wales, but raised in Nome. And my Inupiaq name is Ahlvanna, but we are the Kingikmiut people from Wales, Alaska.
Tanya, can you tell me when you first developed a relationship with Christ?
I was a young teenager about the age of fourteen. It was a really hard time in our home, in our family. My parents were going through a divorce, and there was just a lot of chaos. And my mom became born again first. And she prayed for all of us, including my dad, and they remained married until my mother's passing a few years ago.
Tanya, many times in our life, God will give us a scripture that has a lot of meaning to us. What is the scripture that God has placed upon you?
One of my favorite scriptures that used to be for my children is Joel 2:25, where he promises that he will restore unto you the years that the locusts have eaten. And I prayed that over my children. And it hasn't been until just this last year and a half where the Lord has said, it's also for me in my marriage. I've been with my husband since I was 14 and he was 16, and we've had a lot of good times, but we've also had some really hard times. And his promise to me that he's restoring into me all the years that the locusts have eaten throughout our marriage.
In All Things: The Intimacy Of God's Guidance
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Tanya, if you were to share with someone what a relationship with Christ means to you, including you mentioned having some hard times and some good times, what is your walk with Christ like?
It's a deeply personal relationship that's as real as the relationship with you, with the girls in my Bible study group, with my family members. But it's a very quiet relationship. It's not one that's blaring in at me. It's one that I often have to find myself centered and quiet and open to listening to him and sometimes reaching out to him. And it's just very real. He's very involved in every detail of my life, from the smallest of details to the biggest of details. And he continually shows up in ways that can't be explained.
Divine Whispers
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
You mentioned that God speaks to you. How does he speak to you? I mean, how do you know what God is communicating? What's that like?
It's often that small, quiet voice where something just impacts you. And, you know, if I've ever questioned something that my mom always taught me was that it will align with the word of God. But he'll always confirm if I'm questioning whether it's him. And he's done that in many ways, whether it's through somebody else speaking to me or something that's shared over the radio or through maybe something I'm watching, something that will hit home or just confirmation through the word of God or through church services. There's a lot of ways that he can minister to.
Seasons of Strength: Navigating Life's Ups and Downs with Faith
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
Tanya if you had a word to share with someone going through a difficult time, what would you like to share with them?
Just hang on. Hang on during the hard times. Praise them through the hard times as much as you praise them through the good times. Because life is full of seasons. And sometimes when I felt like I couldn't hang on any longer, I knew a new season was coming. I just had to wait through that hard season because a good season is coming next. He promises that we know that as native people because in our world we're continually reminded about seasons in life. And we have seasons in life in our walk with Christ as well. So you mentioned that you began your relationship with Christ as a teenager, and your mother had prayed your family through. What is your walk with Christ now? He still speaks with me and he's still working on things. I've had. Aha. Moments where I've had breakthroughs, especially in my marriage, where he continually. Two years down the road from that breakthrough, he's still feeding me new insights, or I call it meat. Where he feeds me meat that I get to chew on for a while that just reconfirms what he's already done for us and that he wants more for us. And as a parent, I know that because I want things for my kids and he's my heavenly father, and he wants good things for me too. So no matter how old I get, he's still wanting good things for me.
The Full Episode: Restoring Years in Marriage by Building a Strong Relationship with Christ
Welcome to Sacred Connections: A dialogue on how the Gospel resonates within Native American and Alaska Native traditions and values, exploring themes of God’s creation, community, and healing through a blend of interviews, teachings, and storytelling.
At Lutheran Indian Ministries, we look forward to the day when all are in the light of Christ “…from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb…”
Today’s discussion features Tanya Dolchok, originally Tanya Lynn Amidon, who shares her deeply personal and evolving relationship with Christ, beginning from her teenage years. Tanya opens up about finding faith during her parents' divorce when her mother turned to Christianity and prayed for their family. This conversation shows the significance of scripture in Tanya’s life, particularly Joel 2:25, which speaks to the restoration of lost years, a promise she holds onto not just for her children but for her own marriage as well.
Tanya describes her connection with Christ as quiet and deeply personal, emphasizing the importance of being centered and open to listening. She explains how she perceives God’s communication, which often comes as a small, quiet voice that confirms alignment with the Word of God including church services and personal reflections.
Tanya offers encouragement to those enduring challenges, reminding them to hold on and recognize the seasons of life, a concept deeply ingrained in her as part of her Native culture. She closes by reflecting on her ongoing spiritual journey, and how these experiences reinforce her faith and understanding of God’s plans for her.
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