A Life Lived in Faith

By Ruth Bohling Brunsvik

Ruth Bohling Brunsvik was born in the mountains of northeastern Tennessee at the beginning of the Great Depression. For the first ten years of her life, her family of seven children lived in a small home without running water or electricity.

God brought her family to Northern California during World War II, where she met her first husband. After several tumultuous years, she and her husband served the Lord as evangelists, while their family expanded.

After her first husbands death, the Lord brought her and her second husband together. God then led them on miraculous missionary journeys to Norway, Alaska, and Siberia.

Join Ruth as she shares her story, which repeatedly demonstrates God's love, faithfulness, and guidance.

Today, Ruth lives in Santa Rosa, California.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 29, 2011
• ISBN: 9781449718954

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Copyright © 2011 Ruth Bohling Brunsvik

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All scripture was taken from the New King James Version Bible

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-1896-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1895-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011931395

Printed in the United States of America

WestBow Press rev. date: 6/27/2011

Dedication

I dedicate this book to the ongoing, everlasting memories of my precious husband, Olav, who suddenly—without any warning—went to be with our Lord on August 10, 2008.

Olav helped to create many memories for me, so I have added some inserts of his own experiences into this book. As I have recently laid him to rest, I feel almost overwhelmed with grief. I know he would say to me, Honey, don’t let this stop you. Continue on; our Lord will help you.

Ruth Brunsvik

Santa Rosa, California

June, 2011

Acknowledgments

I am indebted to a number of people for helping get this book into print.

To my daughter, Narda, for the many hours of going over papers to create this manuscript and for filling in the gaps in areas I could not do myself, such as printing everything on your computer—plus much more. I am grateful.

To my daughter, Nan, for cooking meals for me so I could write. You were kept very busy, paying bills and keeping track of what needed to be done. I could fill a page with all of the things I asked you to do that you did. I am very grateful.

To my son-in-law, Michael, for helping to add the pictures that help complete the book.

To my precious husband, Olav, who always encouraged me to continue. I had certainly thought we would finish this book together.

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. From Death to Life

2. Born Again

3. Warfare—Flesh Against Spirit

4. Living with Leon and Leo (Twins)

5. Twelve Years of Prayer, Then Came the Answer

6. God, the Multiplier

7. Vision of Jesus

8. The Last Time Together This Side of Eternity

9. Going Home

10. Leon’s Funeral

11. Next Step

12. Richard’s Death

13. Olav’s Testimony

14. Olav’s Ministry to Guyana

15. Missionaries to Norway

16. July, 1992—Norway or Russia?

17. Anya and Tanya

18. Vadim’s Story

19. Larissa’s Testimony

20. Ruth’s Letter to Olav, June 20, 1994

21. September, 1994

22. Nome, Alaska

23. Elena

24. Olav’s Notes from Russia

25. Visit to Israel

26. Olav’s Death

27. Moving Forward

Introduction

Many years ago, I felt as if I heard the Lord speak to me, saying, You are getting too physically exhausted trying to share my wondrous works on a one-to-one basis. Write a book, and you can reach many more people without tremendous stress on your body. I was very sure that I could not write a book. The Lord put in my heart the assurance that He would help me. I only had to listen to His voice and follow His instructions.

As I thought about where He would have me start, I knew I needed to start at the beginning. With that thought in mind, I realized that the place to start was with my birth.

My heart’s desire is to bring the reader’s attention to the wondrous works and mighty acts of the miracle-working God.

I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness (Psalm 145:5–6).

1. From Death to Life

To start at the very beginning, I shall tell you about the first miracle the miracle-working God performed in my life.

It was August 2, 1931. My mother was due to deliver her third baby—me. Mother had arranged in advance for her Aunt Rose Ann to be present at this birth to work as the midwife. When Mother’s birth pangs started, Aunt Rose Ann came as agreed. Then the unexpected happened. Mother’s labor began with great difficulty.

The labor became increasingly painful, and the baby was not coming forth. It was discovered that the baby was in the breech position. As the hours passed, the situation grew more dangerous for mother.

As was usual at the time, Mother was to deliver her baby at home. There was no doctor present. After many hours of heavy labor, it was obvious that Father was about to lose Mother and the baby. He knew he needed to get a doctor quickly. To this day I don’t know how my father was able to track down the doctor and get him to our home in time. When the doctor did arrive, he worked rapidly to help Mother deliver.

After much difficulty, I was finally delivered. My precious parents suffered even more anguish when the doctor told them I was dead. He laid me on a nearby table and then went back to my mother to try to save her life. Praise God; he was successful. As the doctor worked with Mother, Aunt Rose Ann and my father simply could not accept that I was dead. Instead, they chose to work with me, to urge life into my body. Finally, in desperation, my father picked up my lifeless body and threw me up in the air. On the way back down, I gasped for air, and God allowed life to come into my body.

Of course, even though I was truly there, I was not aware of what was going on. I am able to share this story with you because it was told to me by my parents. Growing up, I heard about my death at birth countless times. I believe that the Lord allowed me to live because before He formed me in the womb, He knew me. As Jeremiah 1:5 says, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations. He also had work for me to do. Jeremiah 29:11 declares, "For I know the thought that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope"). Amid the eventful delivery, the doctor failed to record my birth in the Vital Statistics at the courthouse in Erwin, Tennessee. I suppose that in the confusion, fear, and trauma, he did not remember that detail.

Years later, in what was perhaps the last birthday card I ever received from my precious mother, she teased me about what I had put her through as she tried hard to bring me into this world. She then said, And I did it all cold turkey, without any ether or anything. But remember, I am Miracle Woman. Ha ha.

2. Born Again

I am glad Jesus included me when He said, Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 19:14).

When I was seven, as I sat in a pew near the front of the church and listened intently to the message being preached, I felt the touch of the Holy Spirit on my heart. Even at that young age, I knew that I was feeling the Holy Spirit convicting me of my sins. As the speaker concluded the message with an invitation to come forward to the altar of prayer, I felt a real tug in my innermost being. I leaned towards the place where my father was sitting and asked him if I could go forward. He seemed happy to tell me that I could.

At that age, I did not realize that it was unnecessary to have my earthly father’s consent to accept the free gift of salvation from my heavenly Father. It was a tremendous love gift in the form of salvation through the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus—crucified, buried, and arisen.

I arose and walked forward to an old-fashioned altar of prayer. I did not realize how this simple act would affect the rest of my life. With the joy of the Lord overflowing in the form of warm tears, I asked Jesus to come into my heart and be my Savior. At that very moment, I experienced that which Jesus spoke about when He told Nicodemus, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Thus began my life in Christ, after being born again by the Spirit of God.

I realized that I was a sinner. Romans 3:23 states, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. This means that, even as our spirits yearn to be close to God, we cannot approach Him due to the sins in our lives. Romans 6:23 tells us, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thus, the price we have to pay for our sins is death. But, that would mean that we would not be able to ever be with God.

John 3:16 tells us of the sacrifice that God made in order for us to be able to approach Him. For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

This is a gift that God has provided to us in order that we will be able to spend eternity with Him. He longs for us to accept this gift and to truly be our father.

Picture number 1 Ruth Age 6.tif

Ruth, Age Six

Shortly thereafter, on May 28, 1939, I was baptized by immersion in a creek near a small settlement called Evergreen, just at the fringe of my hometown of Erwin, Tennessee, in the mountains of northeastern Tennessee. Martin’s Creek was an appropriate place to experience baptism. Its pure waters flowed over a rocky bed, where the surrounding trees and other foliage offered a thing of beauty and tranquility. It all spoke clearly of the Creator, for all things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made (John 1:3). Oh, His mighty power is magnified in nature!

As an adult, I had an occasion to return to the place of my birth and baptism. I could hardly wait to visit Martin’s Creek. Upon my arrival, I was told that the creek had dried up, and my heart sank. That beautiful creek, all dried up? It just couldn’t be.

My cousin Charles graciously consented to drive me there. I was relieved to see water. I jumped out of the car with camera in hand and walked around to the side of the creek. There I could take a picture that would encompass both the creek and the old Helton home on the opposite side. I observed how the little remaining water appeared muddy, murky, and polluted. I was disappointed.

My sisters yelled something to me from the car, and sensing alarm in their voices, I turned to see Charles coming after me. He knew there were copperhead snakes in the area. Apparently he had expected me to take the picture from the side of the road. When he saw me walk off into the area of the creek bed, he expressed concern to my sisters and then came after me. When I insisted on getting a picture from my chosen spot (due to my stubbornness, I am sure, even when faced with danger), Charles decided to stay with me. He explained to me how the snakes in that area were prone to come down to the edge of the water. Since he had on high-top shoes, he offered to go before me as my protector.

The Lord showed me how easily we can tread into the territory of that old serpent called ‘the devil’ and ‘Satan,’ who deceives the whole world (Revelations 12:9). But Jesus, who knows the enemy territory much better than we, will come after us to offer Himself as our protector. Jesus made me notice the area from which pure, clear water was flowing into the creek; but I could not discern from where it came. It was as though the creek came to a dead end.

Later in my life, I learned the lessons of the creek. The precious Holy Spirit ministered to my heart in a special way. He showed me how the lives of Christians can become much like that creek. Jesus, when conversing with the Samaritan woman who had come to draw water from Jacob’s well, said, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that asks you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water (John 4:10). As the conversation continued, Jesus told her that Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst (John 4:13–14a).

Later in the book of John, we find Jesus secretly attending the Jews’ Feast of the Tabernacle. Now, about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught (John 7:14). He concluded His teaching by saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:37b–38). Jesus was speaking of the Holy Spirit, whom those believing in Him should receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (John 7:39).

Just prior to Jesus’ ascension, He told the disciples not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He, said ‘you have heard from Me; for John [the Baptist] truly baptized with water but you shall be baptized with Holy Spirit not many days from now (Acts 1:4–5).

The lives of Christians can become much like that stagnant creek. They come to Jesus to drink the living water, but then they fail to allow it to flow out as rivers of living water, seeming unconcerned with the salvation of lost souls. Gradually they give up sharing their life in Christ with others, fail to assemble together with other believers, and on and on it goes, until lack of movement of the living water causes it to become a murky, muddy creek. Those who observe this type of life must surely feel as I did looking at that stagnant creek—somewhat disappointed.

The Holy Spirit also brought to my mind that Charles had expressed an unselfish love that day as he offered to go before me to protect me from the serpent. This, of course, reminded me that I had experienced that type of unselfish love before, only to a much greater degree. Jesus loved me so much that in protecting me from the old serpent, the devil, He gave His very life.

I was very happy that in my adult life, the Lord brought me back to the place where I had experienced baptism. It brought back to my mind some of the experiences of my childhood in Erwin and Evergreen. Although I am now a woman in my seventies, life in Evergreen is still very vivid in my heart and mind, and I am sure it always will be.

3. Warfare—Flesh Against Spirit

My hometown was Erwin, Tennessee, in the eastern part of Tennessee. At almost eleven years old, I was totally content, and I never would have imagined that I would live any place else but in Erwin.

In my opinion, our family’s life in Erwin could never have been better anywhere else. All of our activities centered on our church—the Free Will Baptist Church in nearby Evergreen—and, of course, each other.

Our school was next door to our church. Mom would often tell me to come to the church basement as soon as I got out of school. I would find her there with several of the ladies of the church. They would be busy making beautiful quilts to be sent to the missionaries who were serving in foreign countries around the world. This activity was a good portion of the ladies’ social life. I loved my mother very much. She was a precious, godly woman. I never wanted to be very far away from her. When I was old enough to start school, I dreaded even the thought of it. I couldn’t imagine how I could get through the entire day without being with my mother. Now I look back and wonder why it was so difficult for me. It seems that she seldom had any time for me personally. Living in the country without electricity or running water made everyday chores take even longer to accomplish. Mother was also very involved in church work which, although important, did take time from her family. I longed to have her just touch me or to hear her say, I love you. I can’t recall ever in my life hearing my mother say any loving words to me. Sometimes I would think, Maybe if I got sick, she would show me some attention. Well, I certainly had my share of sickness, but still very little attention.

Because there were seven children in my family, I didn’t get much (if any) individual attention. Mother didn’t pay any extra attention to my siblings, and her attention was also in demand from many sources. I know my mother did the best that she could, but she was very busy. I would sometimes think, Maybe if I died, they would notice me; perhaps someone would say they loved me. I became very shy and didn’t know how to act if I was shown any attention.

Now that I am a parent and am older and wiser, I am able to look back to understand that my precious mother may just have been the best mother in the whole wide world. I remember days when she would be washing a ton (so to speak) of clothes in a copper kettle that was set over a fire to keep the water warm. Her children would help her carry the water