Podcast Blog: S4 E24 – Ana Megrelishvili, From Poverty to Prosperity to Faithful Service

Imagine being impoverished and only wanting the opposite - wealth and possessions. But then when you actually work and achieve those goals, you realize your life lacks meaning. What's next?

This last episode of Season 4 of the Practical Faith Academy closes the season on a very high note. Ana Megrelishvili shares key elements of her story and her ideas on living her faith in this episode, and hers is quite the testimonial. It will move you and will inspire you to action.

Ana lives in Atlanta and is the founder of Christian Professionals Network Worldwide. She has an incredible life story and faith journey to share. Ana began life in a nearly homeless situation with her atheist family in Russia. She later relocated to the United States for a college education and a successful professional career, with wealth acquisition on her mind. But finding that goal empty once achieved, Ana became a Christian with a passion for serving those who are homeless, as she nearly was.

A theme you’ll hear on this podcast is “relational poverty.” Ana believes that a lack of relationship and community is the #1 factor in homelessness. It’s a situation that we Christians can do something about.

Highlights of the podcast: 

2:41 What does seven-day practical faith mean to Ana?

3:46 Ana shares her origin story, growing up atheist (“Every single one of the Ten Commandments was broken in my family”) and nearly homeless in Russia, and how she came to the United States, where she has prospered and become a Christian.

11:01 Ana explains how relational poverty almost made her family homeless, and how relational support rescued them.

14:54 How the lack of church community contributes to relational poverty, which also has an economic impact on the country.

20:06 About the Christian Professionals Network Worldwide organization and how its mentoring program helps the homeless.

24:56 How her own faith has changed while serving others.

27:57 The hardest part about putting faith into practice.

32:03 Her best tip to develop and maintain a seven-day practical faith.

36:41 How people can get involved in the Christian Professionals Network Worldwide by starting a local chapter.

The podcast is available on major podcast platforms (Apple, Spotify, Audacy, iHeartRadio, YouTube) and hosted on Podbean. Search on each platform for "Practical Faith Academy." You can also link to it from CecilTaylorMinistries.com/free-content.