Anna Faith Fuller: Hello, I’m Anna Faith, and welcome to Faith Talks. Well, this podcast is taking place at the end of our time in Fiji. And wow, I’m so thankful for the opportunity the Lord gave Charity, Abby and I, to take an almost three-month mission trip here to Fiji.

And if you want to hear more about that, I think a couple of podcasts back we talked about specifics of Charity and just what she and both of us have experienced here in Fiji. And yes, God has given us so many amazing opportunities to minister and also to be encouraged ourselves in our faith in just so many ways. And one of those encouragements was spending time here with the pastor’s wife at Nassari Baptist Church, Mrs. Christine Rokuduru.

And I cannot even begin to express how thankful I am for all the time and energy she has poured into all us girls as we’ve stayed in our home and followed her around everywhere. We said we’re her little ducklings just following her all around town and everywhere. And we’ve done so many fun things with her.

She definitely has spoiled us so much. But another thing that she has done is just shared her heart with us on so many different occasions. And we couldn’t leave Fiji without getting her to share with all of you listeners the work that God has done in her life.

So sit back and enjoy this special treat to hear from a woman of God here in Fiji. Well, thank you so much for joining us. We’ll just start.

Maybe you can share with us just a little background about yourself, just who you are, your family, things you enjoy, just anything like that.

Christine Rokoduru: All right, Bula, everyone. First of all, I’m so humbled and thank the Lord for this great opportunity. It’s a privilege indeed to talk on this platform.

And thank you, Ms. Anna Faith, for allowing me to do this. So my name is Christine Rokonduru.

I’m married to Malachi Rokonduru. We have three beautiful children, Brandon, Lydia, and Zachariah. My husband is the pastor of Nosori Baptist Church.

The church has a couple of ministries, and one of the biggest ministries is the Christian schools that consist of 150 plus students. I’m a teacher and a supervisor of the high school that consists of 38 students. I enjoy teaching, spending time with the family, fishing, and kayaking.

Anna Faith Fuller: Kayaking is fun.

Christine Rokoduru: Yeah.

Anna Faith Fuller: We still have to do that on the new trip. All right. How about you share with us how your journey of faith began?

So get your salvation testimony and just the work that God started to do in your heart from that point.

Christine Rokoduru: Well, year by year, I stood and watched the goodness of God in my life. My Christian journey started when I first attended Nosori Baptist Church. The first time I heard and listened to the Word of God, actually I was so shocked because I have never heard that kind of preaching before.

It was inspiring, encouraging, and powerful. It made me want to come back to listen to it more and want to know more. So the message that has changed my life around was the message of the cross.

The salvation message was so clear and well presented that has convicted me of my sinful life. I was so convicted of my sins and I was too proud to admit that I was a sinner heading to hell. Well, the next Sunday, I was hoping the preacher won’t bring back that message.

But to my surprise, he preached the same message again and more on hell this time. Now the convictions were much more stronger and I know that that message was for me. I know if I don’t make the decision now, if something happened to me and I die, 100% sure I’ll be in hell for eternity and don’t want to regret that decision.

When it’s time for the altar call, the preacher asks if anyone that have not accepted Christ as his or her personal Savior to come forward, I know I was one of them. I felt like a whole sum of weight was upon me that made me difficult for me to go up. And I know that was the devil stopping me from making the most important decisions of my life.

and I wish that the preacher will end his altar calling. But he kept on going. It was not the longest altar call I have ever experienced in my life.

And I understand why. Because God wants to save my soul from hell. And at that moment, I know I have to make a choice.

So I decided not to listen to self or to the devil, but to listen to the Holy Spirit. So I went up, and the pastor led me to one lady in the church, and she shared the gospel to me. The gospel message was so clear and so simple.

I confessed all my sins and asked the Lord to forgive me of my sins. I believed in my heart that He is the only true God, that He came to die and rose up again in the third day, and I asked Him to come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. After I prayed, I felt this weight that I was carrying was lifted away from me, and I was a new person in Christ.

This is where my journey of faith begins after I accepted Christ as my Lord personal Savior, I was so hungry and wanted to know my God more. I cannot wait for Sunday or midweek service or any kind of activities held in church. I make sure that I attended and I really enjoyed, especially hearing the preaching and the teaching of His Word.

As I learn and understand more the Word of God, I was so convicted about baptism. And this is my next step of faith, is to be baptized and added to the church. And I was so scared because I was, you know, I was the type of person that doesn’t like to be in front of people.

So I battled with this for a while. And I know it’s what God wants me to do, as it says in Acts 2.38, to repent and be baptized. I know it’s a command for me to take, but it was my pride that hold me back.

I thank the Lord for His Holy Spirit that take hold of my heart. In the year 2000, I got baptized, and that’s when I started to see God working in my life.

Anna Faith Fuller: Amen. I loved in your salvation testimony, just how clear the gospel was and how powerful it was in your heart. Just that conviction of the Holy Spirit.

So encouraging to hear every time. Different salvation testimonies, always so encouraging to see what God’s doing. All right.

Can you share with us your journey of how God led you to your husband?

Christine Rokoduru: All right. Well, I was in my last year of high school. I was 18 and I had everything planned out for me.

After high school, go to college, get a job and support myself. Marrying someone at an early age was not in my mind at all. I know I’ll get married at some point, but not at 18.

So let’s backtrack a little bit. After I got saved and baptized, I knew that God was working in me. My relationship with the Lord was sweet and I was in tune with Him.

God started to show me and taught me through my personal devotions and the preaching and teaching of His Word. And also there was some temptation that came my way, that I was thankful for the Lord that helped me overcome it. One of them is an opportunity for me to go to America.

So my dad lives in the U.S. with his other family. So they decided to move to Fiji for work and also to be close to his other children that live here.

So out of all his children living here in Fiji, He asked me to stay with him, so I agreed and moved in with him. While living with him, he told me that he’s going to take me to the U.S.

So I thought about it, and it didn’t cross my mind that he was too serious about taking me with him because I knew the kind of man and father he was to us, but not until there was some complication with his work, and also my half-sister was not adapting to the weather and really affected her skin. So my father begged me to go with him. I don’t know what happened to me that I decided to say no.

I mean, who in the world, especially who lived in a third world country, would say no to such great opportunities? And I know it was all God who was working in my heart that made me say no to my dad.

Anna Faith Fuller: Was that before you were saved or you were already saved at that point?

Christine Rokoduru: I was already saved. Okay. And also I praise the Lord for the decisions I made because I don’t know what kind of person I’ll become and I’ll never have what I have now if it wasn’t for the Lord.

So I never regret that decision. So yeah, leading to know how I met my husband. I remember clearly my Sunday school teacher, Sister Wendy Mears, and I can be so emotional just talking about this, taught us youth girls about staying in our castle and waiting for our prince to come and get us.

So the lesson that struck me, and it made me to make a commitment to God to keep myself pure till my prince comes. And also she reminded us that it’s okay to start praying for your future husband. I was 16 at that time.

So from that day onward, I started to pray for my future husband. I don’t know who he is, but I’m going to start praying for him. And my prayer was that he is saved, that he will love the Lord with all of his heart.

And he’ll be a faithful young man that loves the Lord with all his heart, mind, and soul. And that he will not like my dad. And if he is a pastor, that will be so great.

So I even mentioned that to God, and that was my prayer words and request. So God started to lay in my heart about this young man in our church, which I have no idea he likes me or even praying for me. His name is Malachi, very faithful, handsome, loves the Lord.

He was an assistant pastor and a youth pastor. So I was open about it to the Lord and told God, if he’s not his will for me, I am perfectly fine with it. I know he’ll bring the perfect one for me.

I remember a young lady in our church even came up to me and said, pray with her. And of course, she’s praying for Marla as well. And it didn’t bother me at all because, you know, I was open about it.

And I told her, of course, I’ll pray for you. So Marla and I only meet in church. Our conversation was more like saying good morning and bye.

That was it. And I have no idea that he was praying for me. And the same way with him.

So till 2002, one of the nights of our revival meeting, my pastor wants to meet with my mom. So she sends us home and I have no idea that meeting was about me. She came home that night and wanted to talk to me.

So we went up to my room. I knew that this was something serious and she started asking me these questions. So the first question she asked was, am I praying for someone?

And the second question she asked was, who am I praying for? I was reluctant at first because my mom and I never had this kind of conversation or close relationship to talk about these things. But I knew she was serious.

So I answered her questions with what I have been praying for and no idea if this person is praying for me too. So anyways, I told my mom, yes, I’ve been praying for someone and his name is Mala. And straight away, I saw a smile on her face.

And I knew from that smile that I had said the right name. And she said that he’s been praying for me too. You know, that I felt so happy and excited after my mom told me because I have no idea that he was praying for me.

So, of course, you know, and I just couldn’t believe it that God would answer my prayer that quickly and how he brought us together. So we started courting. I was 18 and last year of high school and August 4, 2002, we were engaged in the same year, December 14.

We were married and 22 years later, we are still together, serving the Lord together with our three beautiful children.

Anna Faith Fuller: And I’ll just throw in here, it’s fun to hear, we call her Auntie Chris. It’s fun to hear her talk about her husband. And I remember especially one walk that we took and you’re asking her like about him and she was just going on and on and on and how thankful she was for him and all the things he does for her.

So it’s been really fun to watch, just be in their home and watch them.

Christine Rokoduru: Yeah, so it was all God who brought us together. And I’m just so blessed, thankful and humbled for what the Lord has done and still doing in our lives.

Anna Faith Fuller: I was going to ask, could you just share a little bit, just more telling that people, just the home that you grew up in, just the different about your dad and your mom and a little bit more about that so they can just understand where you’re coming from before you were saved and everything?

Christine Rokoduru: Well, I grew up in a broken home. My mom and my dad were separated when we were very young. So my mom have to go to work and be a breadwinner for all of us kids three.

And my dad married a couple of ladies, and my mom had no idea about it. So when my mom found out about it, she decided to divorce my dad. And we were very small at that point.

And so she has to look for someone to take care of us. So one of my grandmother and grandfather took care of us when we were small. So yeah, grew up in a broken family.

My mom and my dad was not always there for us. My dad will come. If I have to remember my childhood, I can remember I can only see him probably three times.

Three times. Yeah. The other day when they decided to come back to Fiji, that’s when I stayed with him for a couple of months.

Yeah. So, yeah. So I grew up in a broken home.

But how the Lord brought me here is just a miracle. How God used me in many ways. Even when my dad mentioned about taking me back to the U.S.

Yes. Yeah. So, I mean, just imagine if I have to say yes to that.

Anna Faith Fuller: Right.

Christine Rokoduru: You know, I have no idea where will I be.

Anna Faith Fuller: So different. Yeah.

Christine Rokoduru: So different.

Anna Faith Fuller: Yeah. And just, I don’t know, even just the strength that the Holy Spirit gave you at that point. Because you were just a baby Christian.

I know. To like just have the strength to say, no, I’m not going.

Christine Rokoduru: And I always think about it, you know, when I think back and I just remember, I said, wow, you know, it’s just all him. It’s all the Lord. It’s not about me.

It’s him. So, yeah.

Anna Faith Fuller: Yeah. So you said you got married and right away you were like the pastor’s wife.

Christine Rokoduru: Yes.

Anna Faith Fuller: So that was 22 years?

Christine Rokoduru: 22 years ago.

Anna Faith Fuller: Yeah. So let’s talk about a little bit now about just the ministry and being a pastor’s wife. Can you just share a little bit just some of the things you’ve worked through, maybe some trials that God has used that has just encouraged, that would be encouragement to us in our faith?

Christine Rokoduru: I can just say there’s a lot of trials that I face, a lot of things going on in the ministry, but I can share what I have learned from these trials, to always trust in the Lord with all my heart, and that God is the center of my life, not these trials. My focus is on Him, and it’s all about Him and not me.

So I will not allow these things to rob me from doing what God wants me to do.

Anna Faith Fuller: Amen. All right. Well, in thinking of our theme this year, could you just share with us what fears have you had in your life, either growing up or in ministry?

And how has God given you victory over these fears? Maybe share some Bible verses that he’s used to just strengthen your faith.

Christine Rokoduru: Fears growing up would be what’s going to happen to me and my siblings. What will be our future like? Knowing that my mom and my dad were not there most of the time and also the relationship they had with others.

Will they abandon us and go and be within your family? So that was the fear that I had when I was growing up. And fears in the ministry is losing my family and what God has planned for us to do.

So Proverbs 3, 5, 6, this is my life verse that always encourages me in good times and especially the bad times. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lead not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.

So whatever happens, I just need to trust him. I may not understand it, but I know if I just trust him, I know he will always direct my path. And Romans 8, 28 says, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the call according to his purpose.

Anna Faith Fuller: Amen. well what encouragement would you give to young men young women who are looking to serve the lord in ministry just even thinking of how young you were right away you were just thrown in that deep as a pastor’s wife at 18 yeah i can’t imagine well serving the lord in the ministry is not

Christine Rokoduru: easy years past i have a i have learned a lot and still learning and god always reminds me of these few things to always humble myself, have a good intimate relationship with him, always put him first in my life and self last and delight myself in him. As I’m reminded in the book of Psalms 37, for delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires. Amen.

Thank you. Well,

Anna Faith Fuller: thank you so much for sharing with us and just sharing your story and what God’s done in your life and just how you’ve taken those faith steps at key moments. Obviously thinking of when your dad was asking that, well, salvation, then that decision to stay in Fiji and God bringing you to the right one and just so many more since that point.

But maybe you could just leave any nuggets with us, any concluding thoughts of application to our listeners that they can just take away from everything that you’ve shared this morning.

Christine Rokoduru: Well, my concluding thought is that, my God, Jesus is the best thing that ever happened in my life. He is worth serving. He has changed me tremendously and being the person that I am today.

So without Him, I don’t know where will I be. So the least I can do is to come under His objections and do what He says and obey Him. And learn to surrender my life daily to Him and let Him take control of me.

I’ll end with this verse. 1 Samuel 12, verse 24, it says, Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart, for consider how great things He has done for you.

Anna Faith Fuller: Wow. Thank you so much again just for sharing and so much to just thank the Lord for, even from seeing the testimony of your life and just what He has done in your life. And I just want to leave with you girls, just realizing that Jesus is the center, should be the center of our lives.

And he is the best thing that’s ever happened to each one of us. And if you know the Lord, if you’ve trusted in him, go ahead right now and just thank him for saving you. Thank him for everything that he’s done in your life.

And just stop and take a second and just think about everything that God’s done for you. Maybe you’re going through a trial right now or confused. maybe you don’t know what’s ahead, you’re fearing the future, just stop and thank God for what he has already done in your life.

And maybe some of you listeners have not trusted in Jesus. And, you know, she gave a very clear just description of how of her testimony. But if you’re not saved, I’d encourage you to go to maybe a pastor’s wife or somebody in your church and ask them to share that gospel with you for you to make that decision.

That’s the start of our journey of faith. And that’s just the most important decision you could ever make. But the rest of you that already are saved and you’re just taking the next steps to grow in your relationship with the Lord, just encourage you, is Jesus really the center of your life?

Maybe are there things in your life that you know that aren’t pleasing the Lord or that aren’t helping you grow in your relationship with the Lord. I’d encourage you to really just evaluate your life and ask God to change your heart and to grow you.

And even thinking of Auntie Chris’s testimony, are there maybe big decisions in front of you that you know could change the rest of your life that you need to just stop and ask God, God, what do you want me to do for this decision? or even just thinking of marriage. Are you trusting God to bring the right one to you?

So I just encourage you, just go before the Lord, say, Lord, I am trusting you and I thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I want to fear you and I thank you for the work that you have done in my heart. And just we’ll end with her theme verse, her life verse, Proverbs 3, 5 and 6.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge him and he shall direct my paths. Remember this week, faith doesn’t just talk, faith walks.

Christine Rokoduru: Thanks for joining us for this episode of the Degeneration Podcast. If you’re serious about living a life of total surrender and total dependence, please consider signing the Degeneration Pledge. It’s not a promise of perfection, but a declaration of direction.

To join hundreds of others who have signed the commitment, please visit thegeneration.org. slash pledge. That’s T-H-E-E generation.org slash pledge.