Motivated by the Impossible | Ceitci Demirkova | EP 129

Refresh, where we talk about the impact of prayer in God's Word. Welcome to another edition of iRefresh. We have a guest, Satsy Demirkova, that has an incredible book and an incredible story. And we wanted to just greet you and say thank you so much for coming. Thank you so much for having me. I'm really, really excited about being here. Well, you have several websites and several books out, and this is your recent one called The Motivated by the Impossible, and I would love for you just to share where it came from and some of the backstory of what is in this incredible book. Absolutely. So I came to the States 30 years ago and at that particular time of just flying by myself over the Statue of Liberty in New York City and thinking, oh my goodness, like this is the first time I'm coming out of communism, seeing America, thinking I'm going to change the world with absolutely no money, didn't speak the language at the time, didn't know anybody. And I really felt like I'm motivated by the impossible. And I thought The Motivated by the Impossible was about changing the world. And years passed. I didn't write that book. I wrote a previous book prior to that. But The Motivated by the Impossible in 2017, the Lord spoke to me when I was in Seattle, still living there. And he said to me, I'm finally ready to write this book because The Motivated by the Impossible is about you changing the inside of you, becoming more like me so that you can actually influence the world around you. And it's about recognizing our invisible mentors, all of the circumstances, the hardships, everything that we have gone through of how they have served to motivate us to press through. And sometimes we get stuck. Sometimes we go forward. But in either case, the motivated by the impossible is for every one of us to look introspectively and to realize we have something to offer to this world. We're bigger than our circumstances. And Christ is with us along the journey. So you have a definition of the invisible world. mentors. Yes, I do. So describe that if you want to even pull that out. Oh, sure. When I was thinking about how to describe it to people, I came up with this particular definition that says an invisible mentor is each impossibility past or current visible or invisible, sometimes created by our own choices due to ignorance or arrogance, and at other times because of pride and naivety, perhaps dependent or independent of our decisions, yet somehow present in our reality. Its presence challenges our core beliefs, desires to undermine our values, exposes our weaknesses, silences our voices, and eliminates our dreams. It carries a specific voice and it has an undermining purpose. Sometimes it screams loudly through fear, regret, or shame. It tries to define us or imprison us to surrender to a life of mere existence and defeat. We are faced with a choice to either allow its existence to destroy us or define our future and recognize it as an invisible mentor placed in our life to deepen our faith, overcome our fears, develop inward resilience and authenticity, build through internal strength and character. That's a lot. Yes. If you were to summarize that in just a couple things, like what is it you're wanting people to be able to go away? Like, okay, how does that impact my life? Oh, easy. Every single person that's listening or watching us right now on the podcast has certain circumstances that have been shaping their life all along. Sometimes it's things that have happened without us wanting them to happen. We didn't even have anything to do with the circumstance. Yes, but they happened to us, and they can either define us and imprison us to live as slaves to that circumstance, or we can look at it and say, I have God. He lives on the inside of me. And I will be able to overcome the circumstance, but I will look at it as my invisible mentor. Rather than pushing it away and being afraid of it, I'm going to embrace it as my friend so that when I talk about it, it's not a bad memory that I'm thinking about. It's actually a part of my life, and it's a safe memory so that I can move forward and empower other people to overcome their challenges. You know, when I think about when you're talking on a way of where we have our circumstances, I think a lot of times what I see is we can use those as a crutch. Like, I've went through this experience, therefore I am identifying myself when we give ourselves a label, and then our behavior emulates things. that role we gave ourselves. Yeah. And that's where I believe when you talk about that entrapment, that we're in prison, really because of our own mindset of what we think that those circumstances, that may not have been where we could control them. But allowing the Holy Spirit to come and to guide us and realize, I don't want you to stay in this place. That every day the Lord has something he's wanting to offer us to bring us into freedom, into peace. And it feels like our world right now is so trapped by a lot of the anxieties and worries and stresses. and the condemnation of where we have been in our past. Tell me, what is it your heartbeat is on what you're wanting to use this to help other people? Well, I wrote it primarily because every person is on its own journey. It's not just my journey. So this is really like a book of how to introspectively for every reader to look into their life and ask themselves the right questions. I believe in the right questions because when we give a right question with the right answer, we move forward. When we ask the wrong question, we get stuck. And so I have, after every chapter, various questions that they can fill out, even pictures that they can draw into and write something. because vision and visionary experience is very important for our subconscious to grasp and to actually not just type something onto the computer, but to write it by hand because it connects neurologically to our mind. And it moves us forward to connect with the pain, but also connect with the future and with the hope that God has given us. I actually, when you were talking about invisible circumstances and invisible crutches, I have an amazing story, if I may share. Yes, that would be great. When my mom passed away, I was about 24, 25. I was not there. I was here. It was Easter morning. I was getting ready to speak. And the Lord has spoken to me that she was going to be resurrected. So I was expecting the real resurrection, but she was resurrected on Easter morning. Wow. And I saw her just entering heaven and being there. My sister passed away when I was seven. And so they were just reunited. It was this beautiful picture of just heaven and my mom. And it gave me this assurance. But because I was not there personally to see her in the grave and to see her, you know, that she is gone, in my mind she lived for a long time. I would call my dad and because I lived here and he lived in Bulgaria, I would feel like my mom is still alive. So I had this invisible crutch in my head that my mom never died. And so I actually realized several different people that I held in my head, though they were no longer a part of me, I was afraid of just letting them go because the space was going to be empty. And some of those memories I call good memories, but then there are certain people in our life that we hold as a crutch. It could be a bad relationship with someone. And maybe somebody is listening to us right now and is holding on to a person with a bad relationship that broke off, but they're still holding on to that invisible crutch because they're afraid of the world alone. And as I was in bed praying, the Holy Spirit spoke to me at that time and he said, you know what, Saiti, you're not just mad at me, you're mad at yourself, but the most important thing is that you're afraid and you're not afraid of somebody leaving you. You're afraid of aloneness, not being lonely, but alone. and not having anybody to think about. And so I just want everybody listening right now to think what are we actually holding onto that's filling the space that God actually should occupy in our life. And we're filling it with people, we're filling it with circumstances, we're filling it with money, and we're hoping that we're not alone in that circumstance. And a lot of times those circumstances are detrimental for our growth, but we wanna stay in them because it's a comfort zone. And I had to do something practical. The Lord gave me this idea to go to the ocean, because I still was in Seattle at the time, and to go over and to pick several different stones and to label them the different crutches that I was holding onto, and to just drop them off of the bridge and to see them sink into the water. I wrote about this experience because I really want the readers, the listeners, anybody that's right now part of this podcast. to do something visible to disconnect from the negative circumstance, from the negative people, from the negative past, to let it go. Sometimes it could be something that you flash away in the toilet. It could be a stone like you drop in the river. It could be something, little paper that you write all of these different names on and you burn them so that they disconnect all the labels that people have labeled you with. shy, insecure, not good for anything, never going to amount to anything. Those are my labels of my childhood. And they're no longer a part of me. I'm free of them because I let them go. And it is not impossible. Anybody can do it. I was free that day. And I really believe that anybody, these invisible circumstances can serve us good, but they can also harm us. And so we need to be able to understand which ones are good and which ones we need to let go to. And now moving into 2025, a new year of great opportunities, great growth, great strength. I believe that people can really receive just new, fresh vision and hope from the Lord. That is so powerful. You know, it's really a way for us to come to a place where we can help each other, propel each other towards a place of freedom from wherever we are at in our lives. And, you know, one of the things I would like to in this other part of our segment is what God has done through your life. This is a great place where we can get our freedom. And I think it's powerful. But I also want people to understand of your life was not easy, even with the loss of loved ones, as they are, that by itself is hard. But we want to, in this next segment, just to highlight some of the ways in which God has used your life to literally help you to go back and make a change and a difference in other people's lives in multiple ways. And so we have several different books, and I would love for you just to share in detail. Right now we have one I have in my hand. It's If You Have God. Yes, that was my very first book that I wrote. I was early 20s and I really felt like I needed to write a book about my life of growing up under communism, coming here with nothing and being able to move forward, start a nonprofit organization. So this is really my faith journey. It's great for even young people, teens and anybody really. It's a quick read. It's on Audible. I read it in four hours so anybody can read it in four hours. And it's just faith building with scripture and a lot of stories. So that's the very first book. And then I have three devotionals called A Cup of Inspiration. There are three volumes because there are 21-day devotionals. And people can just sip their coffee or tea in the mornings or afternoons and just read a little devotional every day, be inspired and encouraged. And then I have this one, Exposed to Hope, which is the stories and highlights of our Bulgarian children from our program. We have a nonprofit organization called Changing a Generation. I started it when I was 19. We're going to turn 30 years old next year in May 2025. And we have saved thousands of kids and been able to help kids really get out of poverty, have a better life, better future, working with their families, working in the neighborhoods. And so these are the different stories of the kids. And then it has a little bit of information of our country, Bulgaria. And it's like a coffee book, really. It's just a lot of pictures and beautiful drawings. So it's fun. your life is everything that you've been doing is intentional is I take what the Lord's showing me and I'm going to comply with what the Lord has because he has my good in mind. Yes. our good in mind. No matter what we walk through, we want to blame God. And yet God's like, here, I want to guide you. Because man makes mistakes and errors. And it's not God's fault. But God, what he wants to do is walk alongside us and to bring us to a place where we're restored. Yes. But now I'm grateful when you talk about motivated by the impossible. It's because of the story. And I would like, you know, you're like, well, I don't really read people's stories. But I have to tell you, I love a story where it helps me to really reflect endsward. I'm like, okay, what have I done to make a difference in the story of my own personal story? No matter if you've gone through a whole lot of things or a few things is... We can be inspired by other people's stories. And this one I have to say is, I looked at her website. You'll need to really go into it. We'll have it in our show notes because you have incredible, I want us to quickly highlight, but I wanted us to see that you make an opportunity to see the Lord, invite the Lord into your spaces. Like, okay, I'm going to be inspired by other people's stories. Yes. What I may have lacked in the past, now I want to help others where I lacked. And that's the goodness of God. Yes. That's the biblical principles in motion. So can you tell me a few things from those outlets where you're talking about what exactly are you doing to change that generation, especially in Bulgaria and Uganda? Yes, yes. Well, first of all, thank you for noticing that and thank you for acknowledging it. It really means a lot to me. because it takes someone to recognize that it's never been an easy journey, but it's a powerful journey. And even say it, my life is amazing, not because everything came easy, but because everything became a part of my life, and it was really, really hard to get to. Because in the hardships, we see God's power and His anointing in our life. I actually have been running this nonprofit organization for all these 30 years, starting with those $100 that I arrived with. I only had $50 left from that, and I said, I have to start with what's in my hand. I'm going to support an orphan with $1. And I collected $12 that first year, and that was all I could give. But I started it and now we have 35 different locations in Bulgaria that we work with. This year we were approved by the Ministry of Education in five of our programs and curriculums to give to the school system and work with all of the different schools in the country. We also work with mayors and municipalities. We come and build playgrounds. This year we just completed our 18th playground in just three years. and go in different cities, we see where the kids don't have anything to play with, we give them a playground and then the mayor usually asks, what do you want in return? And I tell him, I want you kindergarteners and I want all of your schools. And we want to be able to help these kids have a better future. And if their life is not changed, we shouldn't continue. But if their life is changed, we want to have a lasting relationship here with you, with your community, with the people, with the parents. And so we like to transform one life at a time, one community at a time, one nation at a time. And so I look at the whole community. that every person needs Christ, every person needs to know that they're loved, that they have value, that they have purpose. And that's what we bring to the kids in Bulgaria and to the communities. In Uganda, I work a little bit differently. We have an actual orphanage that is also a school. We have over 300 children there. And we even have it in a fenced area with a well and with the electric system so that Anybody that tries to intrude and do some kind of a damage to the kids or to the school would not be able to trespass. So we have had, we've worked there since 2008. Amazing, amazing ways of just seeing kids who are homeless, who are on the streets, come in, stay with us, graduate high school, go on to college, become doctors. We have just amazing stories of how their lives have been transformed just by people donating $30 or $50 to a child's education. And that's exactly how we do it in Bulgaria as well. So little stones make big waves when they're thrown in the right direction in the water. That is so good. So in conclusion, why don't you just talk to our audience? What would you like to share with them to inspire them? Well, I just want to encourage you, wherever you may be right now in life, don't ever feel like this is the end of your life. This is just a part of the journey. And God's hand is upon your life. He has not only a plan, but it's an exceptional plan. You are unique, and God's plan for your life is unique. So don't ever compare yourself with me or anybody else. Just stick to what is already put in your heart, because the gifts and the callings of God are without repentance. And whatever you have desired, God is willing to answer, but you'd have to step out by faith. You have to say, God, I'm here. I'm willing. Do something new in my life this year that's unfolding. I don't want to do the same old thing like in the past, stay in my comfort zone. I want to get out of the comfort zone. try and set a small goal and a bigger goal and move forward by faith because God is with you. And this is an amazing, amazing opportunity to see incredible things that God will do in your life, not just this year, but in the years ahead, because you have put your faith and trust in him. So just want to encourage you with that and to say, bless you. And may God's face continue to shine with radiance and with glory and joy over your life. Amen. Stacey, thank you for coming and speaking and sharing your testimony. Thank you so much for having me. Really appreciate it. It was a joy. And we will also have in our show notes all of her links, how you can connect with her and learn how her life is such an inspiration. You can take everything you've walked through and turn it into the good that God's promised and find out where God has you right now and where he wants to turn things around to impact and influence people in such an amazing way.