On the next episode of The Sacred Connections Podcast, you'll hear from Wendy, a mother of eight from Anchorage, as she opens up about her journey through the Healing the Wounds of Trauma training.

Wendy shares the deep fear and vulnerability she faced, acknowledging the raw wounds that nearly destroyed her, and how the process of healing required confronting these pains head-on.

Through her story, Wendy reveals how she’s not only learning to heal herself but also hopes to lead her family and community toward restoration.

Join us as we explore the powerful journey of hope, healing, and leadership.

Listen in as we dive into a powerful testimony of finding hope and healing through scripture.

Wendy shares how being surrounded by wisdom, the support of others, and access to God’s Word transformed her life during a time of deep searching.

She opens up about how the Bible became her constant companion, offering life-giving guidance that took root in her heart.

Tune in to hear how scripture became exactly what she needed to not only speak truth but live it in a way that brought healing and hope.

Listen as Wendy reflects on a powerful message from the book of Esther.

Wendy shares how the verse, “You are here for such a time as this,” speaks deeply to her, reminding us all that we are here for a reason, at this very moment, by God's design. She beautifully connects Esther's journey—from a young girl who lost everything to someone who protected God’s people—with the idea that no matter how humble our beginnings, we can all be part of something miraculous.

Join us as we explore the grace, humility, and purpose found in this timeless scripture.

Listen to Wendy share how her life has transformed since attending the healing group. She opens up about waking up each day with overwhelming sorrow and pain but describes the shift that came from seeing her journey laid out on paper and being encouraged through deep connections. She talks about the confidence she’s gained, realizing that, even when she felt lost, God had a purpose for her all along. Her story is a powerful reminder that healing and hope are possible, even in the darkest moments. Don’t miss this episode of reassurance and newfound strength.

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My name is Verda. I live in Busby, Montana. My Indian name is Ma’óhkééná’e, and that means red feather woman.

And my favorite verse is Proverbs 3: 5 and 6. And I'm going to read it in my language.

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And that's just trust in the Lord with all your heart.

And why is it your faith?

It has helped me throughout my struggles. It's always going back to trust in the Lord. And that's how I was brought up. My grandmother always said, it depends on God. That's who we turn to. And she laid that foundation for me. So that's why I refer back to God all the time, keep him in the center of my life.

What was this like for you?

To be honest, I didn't know what to expect. I didn't really understand. But I came because I know that we have a need in our community, and I felt like I was struggling to come, but I'm glad that I did.

I have learned so much, and the staff has encouraged us and given us confidence to be able to better help our own people.

And that's what brings joy to my heart, knowing that there is help available for each and every one of us, that everyone has a story.

And so what's different now?

I'm more confident because of going through the whole thing and where the staff has walked us through step by step. If we had any questions, they were there. And it brings me confidence that we can do this to help our people.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I want to thank you guys for taking that time to come to our reservation and to share your knowledge. Appreciate that.

We love you too, Verda.

My name is Suzette. I am the pastor in Busby, Montana, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.

And do you have a favorite verse?

I do. It's from Isaiah 53. Says,

"We despised him and rejected him. He endured suffering and pain. No one would even look at him. We ignored him as if he were nothing. But he endured the suffering that should have been ours. The pain that we should have born. All the while we thought that his suffering was punishment sent by God."

And this is precious to me because that is how I have felt most of my life. I felt rejected and despised. I had a lot of pain. But coming to know Jesus Christ has totally changed my heart. And that's one thing that we need to take care of and guard. But we can only do that through knowing who Jesus Christ is and what he has done for us on the cross.

Suzette what was this like for you?

Empowering. Very empowering.

I've been walking with Christ since 2007. But the material in this, the way it's laid out and how it walks you through the process and is grounded in scripture, is life changing.

And so it's easy, it's applicable, it's soft, and it's gentle, and it's loving and kind. And that's what people need. That's what I needed to heal, and that's what I want for other people here, our Cheyenne people, they need kindness and love, and to be grounded in something that is the truth. And Jesus Christ is that truth.

So what's different now?

As I shared earlier, I've always had a longing in my heart to help our Cheyenne people since I was 19 years old.

And now, I knew Jesus Christ was the answer through my journey of life, but I didn't know something tangible, something that I can have that helps walk through the process of that healing, and this is the tool that will do it.

When I had that longing when I was 19 years old and I came back, I still didn't have something that I could say, this will help.

This is laid out, and it's open that other people can come when they're ready for that process. And it's like I said, it's so soft and gentle, and it's not forceful. It's just all out of love.

Would you like to share anything else?

I would just like to share that the Lutheran Indian Ministries team was very loving and kind, and they modeled such gentleness. And in my experience, most of the time, things are learned from what they see and not from what you hear. And through all of their interactions with each other and with myself and the other participants, they modeled that well. So thank you.

Thank you, Suzette.

My name is Tommy. I live on the Cheyenne reservation. I'm a member of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, the Crow Nation, the Oglala Sioux, and my Indian name is Ho'évááno, which means swift talk.

And favorite verse?

My favorite verse is Mark 10:27. “With God, all things are possible.”

Why?

Because in the humans world, things are impossible. But with God, all things are possible. And I'm experiencing it in my life every day.

What was this like for you?

This experience was one of the best experiences I've had in my life. I accomplished a lot of things in my life. I've been through a lot of things. And the thing that moved me the most is to help somebody. And I believe this program has not only equipped me, but the ripple effect from it is God's touch.

And what's different now?

Now I feel equipped and ready to go and help the Crows, the Sioux, the Cheyennes, and any other Native American that wants the help. God has his hand out for all of us.

You have a heart for people?

Yes, ma'am.

Anything else?

I just like to put out there. Our instructors were the best, and thanks to them, we are equipped. Awesome. God bless you.

Thank you, Tommy.

My name's Andrea Means. It's "Maget" in Cheyenne, which means "little woman". And I’m from Lame Deer, Montana.

And Do you have a favorite verse?

I do. It's romans 8:14-17.

"For who are led by God's Spirit are God's children. For the spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves and cause you to be afraid. Instead, the spirit makes you God's children. And by the spirit's power, we cry out to God father, O father. God's Spirit joins himself to, O spirit, to declare that we are God's children. Since we are his children, we will possess the blessings he keeps for his people. We will also possess the price that God has kept for him. For we share Christ's suffering. We will also share his blood.”

Why is that?

I just think that we are all God's children. And that we're all equal. And that we sometimes don't understand why bad things happen. And we have to know that God has our back in whatever we're doing. And that even though we don't understand sometimes that he's got control of it and we just gotta trust in him.

What was this like for you?

This was awesome. It was awesome, I didn't know what to expect when I came. I was, of course scared, just nervous. You meet new people, and I love all the people I met.

You guys made me feel so welcome, and I really enjoyed it. And not only that, what you guys did, and the program itself is teaching us how we can help our people, and it's coming from us, and I think it will go so much further, and it's what we need for our people to prosper. And that's what I love about it. And you guys didn't just fill a bunch of papers and, like, here you go.

You know, you guys set us up to succeed, and I really think we will.

And so what's different now?

Now I feel like, God's doing work. I really feel like this is where I'm supposed to be. This is what I'm supposed to be doing. And God has opened so many doors for me. I just feel his power. And we have an awesome team. I thank you, all of you guys. It's awesome.

Thank you, Andrea.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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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A most wonderful thing in my life is he brought me a woman into my life who actually helped introduce me to my father. I would see it in the Bible and I would actually break down in tears. And it was a longing that I wanted, that I didn't know that I already had, with the help of my wife reintroducing me to the Lord. I can say Abba, because to me, that's an all consuming love that he's been able to show and help me to where I am now. I didn't know how I was supposed to be. But now, looking at the Bible and the Lord's heart, the love he has for me, he's been showing me, you need a raise and be just like how I am.

Support transformative journeys like Max's by donating today. Help others find guidance and connection in their spiritual paths. Your gift can make a profound difference—please donate now.

And that is actually a gift, because I've found the harder I work at loving my wife, the more I love her. Just like now, I've learned the more I work towards loving God, the more I love him. I didn't know giving love is a lot easier to receive the love from others and God, and that's just me inside. I found that now it's a personal relationship between me and the Lord. He's working through me and on me, on the steps that just have opened a lot of doors for me. I try to get presentable, but I don't have to have the fancy clothes, the flashy car, beautiful house, because the things that I've seeked for in life, I've received as family and friends.

Do you have a scripture that has helped you either through a difficult time or that the Lord has placed upon you to refer to? In fact, I do. it was given from a lady that we knew years ago. And it has always stuck in my heart and my mind. and it's Ephesians six through 19. It's the full armorment of the Lord, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the sword of the word of the right. I didn't realize how important the fullness of that full armor. He didn't speak until it was shown, and that was with spirit the Lord. He kept the faith, what he was supposed to do, and he walked in peace and he showed peace. I feel like I'm probably only a 10th of each one of those, and especially trying to combine them into one where I should be, that's like a whole new journey for me.

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 Max Dolchok reflecting on his personal journey of transformation through faith.

Born in Alaska and of Athabaskan and Yupik heritage, Max shares his life story, and the pivotal change to reintroduce himself to faith with his wife's support.

He shares candidly about learning to express love, and the importance of family and humility over material possessions.

Max emphasizes the ongoing journey of learning to be more Christ-like, acknowledging his struggles.

He finds peace and guidance in Scripture, particularly Ephesians 6 verse 2-19, which underscores the importance of the full armor of God in navigating life's trials.

Max recognizes that the spiritual path embraces loved ones, highlighting the transformative power of God's love and forgiveness in overcoming life's challenges and finding peace and purpose through faith.

Support Max's journey of faith and help others find their path. Donate today and share the transformative power of love and faith.

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