TestimonyTalvi HeldeTalvi Helde


“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (Philippians 3:12).

I am from a family where many generations have already served the living God. My personal story of getting saved happened when I was just a little girl. I have believed that there is a God my whole life, so I have been able to be a part of the many works of God. I believe that God has called me to encourage and build up others.

This year my husband Allan and I celebrate 23 years of a happy marriage. Allan is also a servant of the Lord. We have 3 adorable children in our family: 21 year old Joonas, who has just become engaged to Roosi, 17 year old Koit-Siimeon and 11 year old Eliisabet. Through the grace of God all of our family members are believers.

I have a degree in midwifery and have recently studied to be a school nurse and through this I have had the opportunity to share God’s love and care in the school. I am also a first-aid teacher at the Red Cross of Estonia. As a health care giver I want to emphasise the way of living a healthy life to the women I encounter. I want them to keep everything they have, their spirit, soul and body healthy. 2 Timothy 5:23,

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Psychotherapists say that the most known complaint they have is the one of loneliness. It’s not unusual to hear people say: ‘I feel so lonely…….nobody understands me……’ There are people in our community and family who all need attention and support! Being born into the family of God means being made a new person, our spiritual part becomes alive and our thoughts and actions are changed through studying the Bible. Past experience shows that what has been destroyed in our lives as unbelievers need lots of cleansing and healing.

Some years ago, when I was serving the Rapla Free Church with a pastor’s wife, I felt in the summer of 2008 that I couldn’t carry the burdens of the women of the church on my own. While praying, I gave my burdens to Jesus and I received a message for the women: “You are not alone!” God’s desire is that no-one would feel that they are deserted or on their own. That message was also for me, but most of all I felt the need to share this message with the other churches. So I feel that it is important to share and teach this to all other women! This message means surrendering to God, sharing the workload, noticing people around us and loving with the gifts and resources that God has given us.

The society around us is losing more and more of its morality. The numbers of broken people are growing. People come to church with different health issues, relationship problems, our children are being led into a self-destructing lifestyle. We need wisdom and knowledge to lead other women. “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children.” (Titus 2:3-4). People are dealing with very delicate and difficult situations, for example, perverse sexual orientation, domestic violence, addiction problems, psychological problems and marriage crises which women need to be warned and taught about; for that to happen we need reliable Christian teachers. The hidden carriers of the burdens of the church (pastors’ wives and loyal helpers) also need to be served with love, encouragement and given their worth.

Only God knows if our vision and the goal we are headed for will be fulfilled. Our work and service in the women’s work is all done by voluntary work. The women I do this work with do it aside from their everyday lives so it’s no wonder we can’t achieve as much as we would like. The need for love is endless.

Trusting in God’s grace and your continued prayers, With love,


Talvi Helde

Talvi Helde is the new leader of the Estonian Women’s Union.