know me.
Who am I? What is it that defines me? Is it my photography? My religion? My title? My reputation? My character? Is it my personality type or Enneagram number? Am I defined by my past or my future? Maybe, it isn’t my photography, nor my past or my future or even a number that defines who I am but my relationship with God.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says this “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
The moment I gave myself to Christ I became a new creature, I gave up my old ways and pursued the greatest relationship of my life. I gave up a life full of selfish desires for a life that is completely dedicated to His calling and purpose for my life.
But how did I get here? What lead me to this point in my life?
It all started many, many years ago. I was extremely blessed with the opportunity to grow up in a household that was centered around Christ and with parents that knew the importance of a relationship with God and how that relationship was and should be the most important aspect in our life. My parents did their best not to push religion on my siblings and I but lead and guided by example. They showed us how important a relationship with God was by exemplifying characteristics of Christ in their own personal walk with God. They prayed, went to church and showed compassion to others. I am beyond thankful for parents that endured hardship and did their best train up their children in the way they should go.
You see, I was born in small town in the Ukraine and around the time of my birth my parents and grandparents experienced hardship like I would never know they were persecuted and attacked, it was during these challenging times that my parents made the decision to uproot the family and flee the country, we were refugees, seeking a way out. Looking for hope and an answer to prayer. God lead our family to the US and from that moment on our family knew nothing except God and our relationship with one another. Despite the language barriers and challenges that faced our way my parents did their best to home school and teach my siblings and I the importance of life.
It was at an early age that I accepted Christ into my life, I knew in my heart that I was sinner in need of a Savior and that Christ was the only way, so I asked Him to forgive me of my sins and enter into my life. << CHRIST CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE TOO >> From that moment on, I began to develop a relationship with God. I read my Bible, went to church and fellowshipped with other believers. My story seemed set, I was going to church, living in a Christian household and growing in my own walk with God. I wish I could say that it was all rainbows and butterflies from then until now but if you’re a Christian I’m sure you already know that a walk with God isn’t always going to be rainbows and butterflies.
You will face challenges, tribulation, temptation but God will be there to help you overcome. Let me just say how thankful I am that we have a God that does NOT give up on His children. We are all lost sheep, but God is our shepherd and He is looking for you. Despite what you’ve done He desires that you come home and find your way back to Him.
Luke 15:3-7 says this “And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
At the age of 17 that was me, I was the lost sheep. I attempted to have one foot in the world and one in my relationship with God but as Matthew 6:24 tells us, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” I attempted to do both and failed.
I saw what the world was like outside of my parent’s protective wing and desired a life that looked shiny on the outside but one that I soon would find out was only full of pain and hurt. One that my “friends” pressured me into believing was going to be “fun”. It wasn’t fun. Although I don’t regret anything in my past because I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for those decisions, if I could go back, I would have done my best to obey God rather than pursuing my own selfish desires and falling into peer pressure.
It was at my first job that sin met me and rather than ignoring the temptation I stumbled. I made a decision; I neglected all that I had learned and traded it in for what would soon lead to the greatest loss I would ever experience. It was a relationship that would forever haunt me and a moment that I would never forget. It was this very relationship and loss that caused me to hit rock bottom.
I wish I could say that the moment I hit rock bottom God lifted me up but when you’ve been at the bottom, you don’t really want help. I’ve been there, I know what it feels like and truthfully all I wanted was to numb the pain. I pushed everyone away who loved me and cared me but more importantly I pushed God away. How could He allow me to go through so much pain? I didn’t realize it then, but I know now that the pain was self-inflicted, had I not fallen into peer pressure or allowed myself to make those decisions I wouldn’t have had to deal with this pain but alas there I was. Broken. At rock bottom. Feeling hopeless and alone.
When you lose something or someone. You try and fill that void in your heart. I tried but no matter what I kept subsisting nothing was filling the void. Meaningless relationships, drinking, distractions, multiple jobs. Nothing I was trying, was filling the void of this broken heart. I was looking in all the wrong places.
Years had gone by. Yes, years. I nearly reached another rock bottom or at least I could have but a friend slapped me. Actually, physically, slapped me. It was a wake-up call. That was almost 6 years ago; I realized the life I was living, at that point, was going to get me killed and something needed to change. I was living with no purpose, lost, broken, feeling hopeless, making stupid decisions and endangering my own life. That slap woke me up and I knew something needed to change.
From that moment on God began working in my life, it was as though He was chiseling away at my life and molding me into the man I am today. I began giving up the things that I once used to fill the void and replacing them. This is important. We are human and we have needs. I couldn’t simply give up and move on. I had to give up and replace. It’s what you replace that with which you give up that truly makes the biggest difference in your life.
On August 15th, 2013 God gave me Mrvalography. He allowed me to replace those vices in my life with photography. He began to show me the world as I had never seen it. Yes, I always felt as though I had an eye for photography and would constantly carry a camera around and snap a quick photo, but it was on this date that photography was more than just pointing a camera and shooting it was there to help me heal. Exploring and adventuring with my camera is what brought me closer to God; it was my time with Him and something I truly cherished. At that point I began to get more involved at my local church, I tithed regularly and more importantly the Bible made its way into my daily life.
I cannot stress how important reading the Word of God on a daily basis is to a believer. There is no way you can grow in your relationship with God if you simply open your Bible on Sunday’s. Psalms 119:11 says this “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” The only way you’ll be able to stand against temptation and sin is by knowing the Bible so well that words fill up your heart and the only way we can truly know the Bible is by being daily in the Word. Yes, God used photography to bring me back to Him, but it is the Word of God that kept that relationship and continues to keep the relationship flourishing. Stay pressed in His Word.
I took every opportunity to read the Bible, whether I was on my way to work or before bed I made time for Him. I reached a point that caused me to take a step back and realize where God had brought me to and out of. I arrived at work one day and found out I was known as “the good Christian guy” and it baffled me because not too long ago I wouldn’t have described myself that way. It made me smile. My relationship with God was healthier, it was growing. Temptations and trials presented themselves, but I would think of Matthew 4 when Jesus was in the desert and how He was tempted by the devil. It was understanding of this chapter and hiding it in my heart that helped me in times of temptation. I knew if Jesus could deny the devils temptations then so could I because I am a child of God.
It was sometime at the end of 2014 that I began the hashtag #FaithFilledCaptions on Instagram and God began to bring my story together. I realized at that moment why I was given such a great gift. Photography wasn’t only there to help me heal but God began to use photography and my past as a testimony of faith. He showed me how I can use my faith as a way to encourage and inspire others. My success would not have been possible if it wasn’t for God’s miraculous work in my life. I owe it all to God. That is why I dedicate my work to Him. He created the earth I capture, He provided me with my first camera, He used photography to heal me, He gave me the words I need to write every caption, He saved me not just from rock bottom but for all eternity. The moment I gave up the vices that were holding me back and replaced them with ways to please God, my life was completely changed.
Years later, God is still working in my life as I continue to draw closer in my relationship with Him. That being said, I am not perfect and I’m well aware of that, but God can still use me. Every day He continues to work on my life and mold me into the man of God I desire to be. I know that I am a sinner, I know that if it wasn’t for accepting Christ into my life that I deserve eternity in hell, but I have accepted Christ into my life and even though I make mistakes GOD LOVES and HE FORGIVES! What a blessing and what an absolute honor to love and serve a God who despite my past continues to love me and forgive me.
Ephesians 2:4-10 says this “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
The Christian life is not an easy one. You will deal with trials. You will still be tempted. You will make mistakes. You will hurt and you will be hurt. Unfortunately, sinning is in our DNA. But your pain isn’t imminent, you don’t have to suffer or go through it alone. Don’t wait till you’ve hit rock bottom to turn to God. It’s never too late to give up your old ways and begin pursuing a relationship with God. There is truly nothing more important than your relationship with God!
So, who am I? My name is Valeriy Poltorak, I am a sinner, saved by grace and a child of the living God.
Who are you?