Q & A with tanyaremkiv

I asked my Instagram and Facebook friends to send questions last week and received a lot of fun ones. If I missed any or you have other questions, comment below!

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Any future plans you’d like to share, as far as life/changes/goals go?

This was probably the hardest question of all, especially since most of our trip-plans got postponed because of COVID19.

Postponed trips that remain in our plans are:

• Israel & Italy – ministry trip (with work)
• Ecuador – ministry trip (with work)
• Key West, Florida (vaca)
• New York, New York (vaca)
• Alaska summer trip (vaca)

Life changes/goals:

• To write a book (or a few) in the next several years.
• To release some of my music.
• We are looking at different housing options – where to next?  Our lease is up this December.
• Kids – not soon, but definitely someday!

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What are some key things you do to build a relationship? (Marriage or friends)

A lot of these I’ve learned recently and/or after getting married. I’m learning more every day and sometimes struggle in these areas, but I do my best either way! Whether it’s in my marriage or in my friendships, here are some key things I do to build relationships:

• Be genuine (keep it real and be open)
• Be straightforward, not beating around the bush (even if it hurts)
• Be attentive
• Be accepting of the person, whether you agree/disagree with their ideas/decisions.
• Ask questions and share your ideas.
• Got a problem? Talk it out. (What’s the worst that can happen?)
• And the Golden Rule: Do to others as you would have them do to you.

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What’s your love language? 

Acts of service & gifts!

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If you could change anything at all: generally/personally, in marriage and dating stages, what would it be?

• Generally/personally: I would change my insecurities… I sometimes circle the same mountain repeatedly. I understand it’s a process, but can it be quicker?!
• Dating stages: I would change my behavior during dating stages – be more modest and less “needy.”
• Marriage: I’d love for us to travel more!

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What did you like and dislike about where you grew up?

Liked: The outdoors (especially the woods and lakes), childhood friendships (many of which remained to this day), freedom to have bonfires, and riding bikes to our friends’ houses.

Disliked: The cold and being so far away from the states – it always felt like we were always behind 5+ years. Also, the dark. It gets too dark.

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Where do you work/how did you get there?

My husband and I work at Marilyn Hickey Ministries. I’m an associate director/producer and he is the video editing manager. We started working there shortly after we began attending Encounter Church. Long story short, God brought us there! Read more about it here.

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What are you interested in that most people aren’t?

Cleaning, organizing, and to-do lists!

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How many languages do you speak?

English and Russian. I can sort of understand Ukrainian.

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Who inspires you the most?

Definitely Jesus and my husband!

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What’s your favorite book (fiction/nonfiction/Bible book/story)?

• Fiction: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, or any books by Jill Eileen Smith.
• Nonfiction: Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst, Rise of the Truth Teller by Ashley Abercrombie, and Sitting at the Feet of Jesus by Ann Spangler & Lois Tverberg.
• Bible Book: Proverbs
• Bible Story: This changes now and then, but right now, it’s Luke 8:43-48.
  

Favorite hobbies? 

• Writing
• Reading
• Riding bikes
• Painting/drawing, crafting, all things creative
• Working out
• and playing board games 🙂

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What’s your favorite place in the world?

Black Sea!!! (Sochi, Russia)

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If someone was making a movie about your life, who would you want to play you?

Zoe Deschanel or Emilia Clarke. #favoriteactors

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Pet peeves?

• Dirty counters
• Food smells in the morning (while I’m still in bed, definitely not a breakfast in bed kind of person) #sorrynotsorry
• When someone hits “Reply All” to say “Thanks” or “okay.”

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What does your Bible reading plan look like?

I’m reading through Proverbs every month this year, but changing the Bible version/translation each month. Also, reading through the Old Testament and Psalms, then on to the New Testament.

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Do you have a favorite Bible verse?

Yes! I have a few 🙂

• Matthew 5:13-16 (you are the salt, light, a city on a hill…)
• Ephesians 3:20 (God is able to do more than we can imagine, according to the power within us…)
• Ecclesiastes 5:12 (the sleep of a working man is pleasant, with much or little…)

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What is God speaking to you now?

To be easier on myself – I sometimes forget that all I need to do is abide in the Lord, and not strive. He’s been reminding me constantly to simply abide.

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When did you graduate from high school?

I graduated a semester early in December 2014 but walked with my graduating class of 2015.

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Did you go to college?

I took college courses in high school but didn’t go to a college or university.

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Why do you write?

I’ve always enjoyed writing. I love the “documentation” side of it and looking back at my old journals or posts. I’ve been writing for as long as I could remember, I “wrote” before I knew how to write (scribbled, lol). I find it calming, it helps me process and is a way to let out some creativity.

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Hope you had fun reading through these! Let me know your answers to any of these questions in the comments, too!

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Blessings to you!

-tanyaremkiv