From Brokenness to Purpose: Tamika Rybinski’s Story of Redemption, Faith, Art, and Service with EEM
Life’s greatest transformations often arise from our hardest trials. Tamika Rybinski, a graphic artist and missionary, has walked a journey of profound faith, healing, and purpose. From surviving a devastating car accident, cancer, and a stroke to becoming an integral part of Eastern European Mission’s (EEM) creative ministry, Tamika’s story is one of redemption and God’s restoration.
EEM continues to fulfill its mission of spreading God’s Word across Eastern Europe, and Tamika’s contributions serve as a testament to how ordinary people can partake in extraordinary Gospel-centered storytelling.
Finding God in Suffering: The Journey to Healing
Faith often grows deepest in life’s valleys. Tamika’s journey has been shaped by profound suffering and undeniable divine intervention. While it could have shattered her spirit, it instead became the foundation for her personal relationship with God. Her story is a beacon of what it means to witness God’s restoration firsthand. Yet, these hardships were not the end of her story. Instead, they became sacred turning points.
The Accident That Changed Everything
Tamika’s journey began with a foundation of faith, growing up in a church-going family and attending a Christian school. However, it was a life-altering car accident during her freshman year of college that truly solidified her personal relationship with God.
In college, Tamika was involved in a serious car accident that nearly took her life. That moment shifted her understanding of faith from inherited belief to a deeply personal relationship with God. Amid the wreckage, a Bible remained untouched on the dashboard—a sign she interpreted as God’s direct presence.
Finding God in Suffering
Rather than viewing tragedy as punishment or abandonment, Tamika began to see suffering as an invitation to intimacy with God. Each hardship led her deeper into dependence on His grace and provision.
The accident’s severity was undeniable; even the ambulance crew was shocked anyone survived. In the wreckage, the only things left unharmed were Tamika, her friend, and the Bible they had been reading. This experience served as a powerful moment of clarity, convincing Tamika that God’s hand was at work and igniting a personal faith that was entirely her own.
Embracing Healing as a Calling
Tamika’s survival story doesn’t end there. Years later, Tamika faced cancer and a stroke, each challenge fortifying her belief that God’s restoration knows no bounds. The healing journey after her accident, and later, from cancer and stroke, became not only physical recovery but also spiritual awakening, finding herself in the arms of a faithful God. It led Tamika to reconsider her life’s purpose and eventually to ministry and creative service through EEM.
Tamika’s healing was not only physical but spiritual. These experiences inspired her to join EEM, using her gifts as a graphic artist and writer to bring hope and God’s Word to communities across Eastern Europe. Her faith and creativity now shine through in her impactful ministry work.
A Foundation of Faith in Action
The move to Vienna marked the beginning of Tamika’s creative ministry with EEM. Initially helping with tasks like book cover design, her role gradually expanded. Today, she plays a vital part in the print and production department, using her artistic skills to create resources like scripture coloring books for families.
Tamika’s resilience is steeped in a faith that is lived, not just believed. Her story echoes the truth that even when brokenness feels final, God’s restoration is always at work, weaving purpose through pain.
Serving through Creativity: A Ministry of Design and Storytelling
Art holds a unique power to communicate beyond words. Tamika’s role at EEM embodies this truth, as she channels her creativity into projects that engage families and spread the Gospel. After relocating to Vienna, Austria with her husband Bart, who now serves as EEM’s Vice President of European Operations, Tamika began applying her gifts in visual arts to a new mission: using creativity to serve the Gospel.
Designing for Ministry Impact
One of Tamika’s most cherished projects is creating Scripture coloring books for children which have been distributed by EEM’s ministry partners such as in Varbilau, in Slănic Prahova, Romania and other parts of Eastern Europe. These books, featuring Bible verses and illustrations, serve as tools to engage entire families. From teaching children scripture to introducing parents to God’s Word, the books are making a lasting impact.
Working with EEM, Tamika designs book covers, creates visual resources for Christian camps, and most notably, illustrates Scripture coloring books for families. These books are not just artistic products—they’re tools of evangelism, designed to make Bible distribution more engaging and accessible to children and parents alike.
These Scripture coloring books include translated verses and Bible illustrations tailored to various cultures and languages. They help children learn to read while also introducing the Word of God into their homes. Parents are often drawn into the experience as well, making it a truly family-centered discipleship resource.
Creative Ministry Beyond the Page and a Collaborative Effort
Creating resources that resonate across diverse cultures and age groups presents unique challenges. Tamika emphasizes the importance of cultural sensitivity and seeking wisdom to ensure her artwork effectively communicates the intended message.
Tamika’s work reflects gospel-centered storytelling in visual form. Each design decision, from color to character, is made in close consultation with local communities to ensure the materials are respectful and effective in diverse cultural contexts.
Working with EEM’s production team, Tamika ensures each resource is culturally resonant and spiritually uplifting. Her attention to detail, from selecting colors to crafting relatable imagery, bridges cultural differences and makes the Gospel accessible to all.
Testimonies that Reflect Eternal Impact
From Roma communities in Slovenia to refugee families across Europe, Tamika has heard countless stories of how a simple coloring book opened the door to faith, literacy, and community. These Christian testimonies serve as a reminder that art can be an act of worship.
Tamika feels privileged to witness the impact of EEM’s work and the many ways God uses even small contributions to make a difference. Whether it’s a Bible reaching someone in a war-torn region or a book cover sparking a connection, she recognizes that every effort plays a role in God’s larger plan.
A Missionary Life Rooted in Faith and Obedience
Beyond the creative desk, Tamika lives out her missionary calling by remaining open to the quiet invitations of God in everyday moments—whether in a grocery store or a church hallway. Through her work at EEM, Tamika has witnessed firsthand how God’s Word transforms lives. From refugee communities to families in remote areas, her designs have reached people in ways she could never have imagined.
Finding Strength in Faith Amidst Challenges
Living as a missionary in Austria is not without its challenges. Living and serving abroad comes with its own set of issues, including loneliness and the constant process of adjustment. Tamika candidly shares the loneliness of living abroad and the cultural adjustments that come with raising a family far from “home.” Yet she sees each difficulty as part of her refining, part of God’s sanctifying work.
Tamika’s faith provides a grounding force, reminding her that she is part of something bigger than herself and that even in challenges, there’s an opportunity to witness God’s work.
The Importance of Community and Lament
Community plays a crucial role in navigating the complexities of life abroad, offering support and a sense of belonging. Tamika also highlights the significance of lament as a powerful form of worship and connection with God, particularly in challenging times. In her book, Liturgies and Laments for the Sojourner, she expresses these deep emotions in beautiful verse prayers. .
One of Tamika’s ongoing prayers is for deeper community. As she pours into others through ministry and motherhood, she remains grounded in the desire to be poured into as well. Her vulnerability underscores that even the strongest in ministry need connection.
God’s Faithfulness in Every Season
Through every high and low, Tamika’s story is a testament to God’s unwavering faithfulness. From surviving a car accident to finding purpose in creative ministry, she has learned to see God’s hand at work, turning brokenness into a beautiful journey of redemption.
Whether illustrating a Bible cover for Ukrainian refugees or writing laments for women struggling in faith, Tamika believes that saying “yes” to God’s call in small ways is how big Kingdom work gets done. Tamika’s story is proof that faith, when tested, can become unshakeable. Her life is a living witness to the power of obedience and the joy found in trusting God’s plan—even when it includes suffering.
Conclusion: An Invitation to Say Yes
Tamika Rybinski’s journey from brokenness to purpose is a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness and restoration. Honest conversations with Tamika and her testimony invite us all to reconsider how we see suffering, healing, and purpose. Her work at EEM not only reflects her artistic talent but also her unwavering commitment to spreading God’s Word. Through her ministry with Eastern European Mission, she has demonstrated that redemption is not just a spiritual concept—it is a life lived in full color. Her story encourages us to listen closely for God’s invitations and to use whatever is in our hands—whether a paintbrush, a prayer, or a platform—for His glory.
Through Scripture coloring books, Bible distribution efforts, and Gospel-centered storytelling, she is making an indelible impact on lives across Eastern Europe and beyond. As Tamika continues to combine her creativity with ministry, her story invites each of us to see how God can use our lives, no matter the circumstances, for His greater purpose.
To learn more about EEM and support projects like Tamika’s Scripture coloring books or Bible distribution efforts in Eastern Europe, visit www.eem.org.
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