Three Angels Broadcasting Network Devotional.
Deeper and Stronger

By Margarita Tarakanova

May 29th, 2026

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:6–7

In the Bible, the Lord says He will allow trials to prepare us for eternal life, and I can honestly say that I’ve been through many of them. When I was younger, I attended church but didn’t really delve into the teachings and the mission of Christ. Then, in 1996, I attended Bible courses and was given my first Bible; but I understood very little as I tried to read and understand it on my own. I was honestly in despair until I realized that it is better to study the Word of God with believers.

During that Bible course, I bought three books of a large, five-volume set, and I really liked them. But I was almost frantic in trying to find the two missing volumes, thinking I might discover the missing truth too late to be saved. But Jesus sent me a dream in which He calmed me down and let me know that I was not late.

I was trained as a graphic designer but had worked at a factory. My family life was unhappy; my husband drank, fought with me, and treated me cruelly. Later, he simply left our family, so in order to pay for my son’s medical studies, I worked as a conductor on a trolley bus.

One day while I was working, I met a woman who spoke about her faith and the church services she attended. She even promised to buy me the two books from that set that I was missing! I began to go to her church and thoroughly study the Word of God. My Bible filled up with notes, a lot of diagrams, and even maps I pasted in. I really wanted to understand it! After a year and a half, I was baptized, and my son was baptized, too. But just like me, he didn’t delve deeply into Bible doctrine and continued to drink and smoke.

Although I didn’t know it, a new and terrible test awaited me. My son became seriously ill and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He had to drop out of school, and at just 23 years of age, he spoke like an old man. He was dying right before my eyes, and at the same time, my husband contacted me, demanding that we sell and divide the apartment and get divorced.

Through it all, God did not leave me alone to face my problems, which seemed to pile up all at once. My new brothers and sisters rallied around me, and with their help, God wonderfully solved our housing issue. But most importantly, God healed my son, and his relationship with God became much deeper and stronger! Now I know that God has given each of us ten times more than we had before.