Growing in Faith Series
rooted in Christ
As the winter season is soon coming to an end and spring is beginning, I hope you find clarity within your relationship with the Lord. In recent months, I have been continuing to devote more and more time to not only my photography business, but also my faith journey. To some people, faith may be very close and important to them, and to others it may be something completely out of their vision, something they have never thought about before.
I have always been a writer; whether I was writing down notes for a class, or jotting down ideas and thoughts I had in regards to new ideas, emotions, or opinions about a subject or situation I was dealing with. I recently started writing down messages for myself to reflect on while going through tough times. About a year ago, I began to share those messages on Instagram, and have received great impact from peers and members of my church. I have been greatly encouraged to share those messages, and to continue to write them for others.
My hope is that each letter I write impacts someone on that given day they read it. God has such perfect timing, and like you'll read in one of my short passages He often helps us through others, and that's what I'm here for. If you are ever at a place where your heart is heavy, your mind is full, or you're just looking to gain some perspective in a situation, I hope you can find what you're looking for in these short passages!
there is beauty in hope!
situations and decisions we make in our lives sometimes lead us to a feeling of hopelessness, and its a feeling that can often times be hard to shake. through it all, you have to remember that even in hopelessness there is mercy. hopelessness is an emotion that worries our minds and our hearts. life throws a multitude of things at us, but it is God's way of working on our minds and in our hearts. He is always working on you to shape you into the person you're meant to be. remember that "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" phillipians 4:13. to gain back your sense of hope, incorporate feelings of strength, compassion, and hopeful thinking in your everyday thoughts and struggles, for He is with you, writing on your heart endlessly!
reference romans 15:13
the Lord's strength
at some point in your life you may reach a point where you might become stressed, overworked, or deprived (or all three), but this is something that every person deals with, some far worse than others. It sometimes becomes inevitable, but when we "look to the Lord and his strength," chronicles 16:11, we will push through and come out stronger than ever! on days where you feel a lack of motivation, weak strength, or even just stressed, seek the Lord and his never closing ears, He is always there to listen! You will find so much clarity and understanding from prayer and studying the Lord's word. remember that God looked down on the world and knew you needed to be a part of it.
finding joy in your prayers
in any season of change, we need to allow ourselves to trust in the Lord with what he has planned for us next. but how do you do that exactly? you pray, you talk to the Lord (and this looks different for everyone btw). my way of praying could be completely different than yours, but if it works for you, there's nothing wrong with it. In the moment of praying you might think "why?" or "what for?" or "what's this gonna do to help?" but you have to allow yourself to trust His timing. For he knows what is coming next for you. "Jesus replied, you don't understand what I am doing, but someday you will," John 13:7. You have to be able to look your future in the eyes with excitement instead of worry or dread. you should be excited for what comes next, and if you're not, talk to the Lord, pray for Him to find out what you should be doing instead. find JOY in your prayers. The Lord has such perfect timing, from putting special people in your life, to allowing events to happen in a certain way that just makes sense. find what makes you happy and run with it. live your life with no regrets, and no what ifs. you never know what Jesus has in store for you, but I promise you its something good! take new relationships and new ideas with a blessing, you won't regret it!
"so be truly glad, for there is wonderful joy ahead." 1 Peter 1:6
trusting in the Lord's timing
when difficult circumstances arise, we tend to keep to ourselves, hold on to our thoughts, and rely on our mind to keep us sane; but if you're like any other human, you know that this isn't the best way to deal with uncertainty. when you feel alone and untrusting of others, always know that the Lord will always be there to pick us up and place us back on track. trust in the Lord to allow yourself to persevere through difficult times. build endurance to carry you through life's battles and to find "glory in life's sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts..." Romans 5:35.
God's good grace
in times where you feel like you're crumbling under pressure, or you don't have enough strength to carry on, remember this verse: "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me," Corinthians 12:9. The Lord can lift you out of your sufferings, but you can't give up the battle. You are meant to be a loving, joyful, faithful person, and you can't let your battles take over you. Let the Lord in, let Him take control for you. Fight the battle on your knees, through prayer. Accept His grace, raise your hands up high, and let Him work on your heart through your sufferings.
embracing selflessness
you will come across hard times in your life whether it's a tough situation, a new change, or a long day. some situations come easy to others, and difficult to some. we all have so many individual qualities to offer to others; to leave our mark on families, friends, and strangers. when making that lasting impact on someone else, two qualities that stand out the most are the willingness to help others, and to be selfless through situations.
what if being more selfless could make you a happier person? life more meaningful? enhance relationships? in 1 Peter 4:7-11, He says "above all, hold unfailing your love for one another." God calls upon all of us in our own ways to show our gifts to others. use your God-given gifts to influence those around you, help others, and to make your mark on the world!
the Lord working in our hearts
in life's events we could all agree that it is often times hard to see the good over the bad in life, but yet we're always told to remain hopeful. that the rain is what brings the rainbows, the sun follows the storm, and to be patient, to "wait for the Lord, be strong, and take heart." psalm 27:14 . remain hopeful and optimistic, because believe it or not, in those times of worry, sorrow, trouble, and unprecedented times, that's when the Lord is working on your heart the absolute most. even though it may not feel like that in the moment, hold on to your hope like it's the last thing you have left, and don't let it slip through your fingertips.
your strength
your strength will benefit yourself, but also others you surround yourself with. you cannot let the opinions of others weigh you down. don't let your surroundings spin you around in circles, and treat others in a way you'd like to be treated. is staying strong tough sometimes? of course it is! but just remember, the Lord will never put you through more than you can handle. He knows your strengths, He knows you. He created you. He is endlessly working nd striving to build and mold you into the person you're truly meant to be! He is building your strength for your other stages in life that are yet to come.
what if the tough times now is what's going to leap you into your future? what if you find your true self through your sufferings? don't just accept the reality around you and don't lower your self standards. don't just get comfortable in a place you don't want to be. the world we live in is an ever-changing place, just as you are individually. open your eyes to the world of possibilities, they're everywhere you look!
your story, your journey
in the book of life, you are the author. create your story how you would like for it to be written. God has a plan for all of us, but we are the authors of our own story; the journey to becoming who you are truly meant to be. every little thing that you do, from talking and interacting with others, eating certain foods, and the way you treat others are often overlooked things that can mold us into the person we're meant to be. whether or not you are actively aware of a decision you make; no matter how small, is a part of our journey to becoming us. Find the joy in your journey. the Lord places people, events, and things in your life for a purpose. In Jeremiah 29:11, the Lord says, "For I know the plans I have for you ... to give you hope and a future." trust what the Lord has in store for you, but don't forget to be the main character in your journey. It's your life to live, not anyone else's. take advantage of the little things in life, and remember that everyday of your journey is like a paragraph in the book of life.
1 corinthians 1:17 "only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and which God has called him. "
being called by Jesus
what is your “saving grace” in life? your mission? Jesus created an abundance of things in life from opportunities, love, friendships, etc; but He also created abundance in the human heart. throughout your life you will be a learner, a player, and a coach; not necessarily in that order, and possibly with more than one role at a time. I often times find myself a learner and coach at the same time! use your heart’s abundance to get real about your faith, to educate yourself, and to share your story! play hard and dream big; knowing that Jesus is written on your heart! as a learner make your own story, as a player live your story, and as a coach help others climb inside their story. when you know your mission in life, what other people have to do and say about you does not matter. take your time to learn Jesus by heart and share your knowledge & faith with others. we have all been “called” to live out our God-given gifts in life. tap in to your heart, and you’ll begin to see God everywhere you look, in everything you do, allowing yourself to experience His presence. you are my beloved, you bring me great pleasure.
“I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well.” psalm 139:14-15
washing away worry
living in the present moment can be so difficult at times when we are constantly thinking about what's next, or what happened yesterday. we think about the tests we have coming up, the nervousness and anxiousness leading up to events. we ponder about the "what if's" or what we could have done differently in the past. I bet all of us have thought or said "well what if I had done __ differently? what would happen then?" well, the simple answer is we don't know. we don't know how our lives would be if we would've taken that job offer, gone to school at a different campus, taken that opportunity we turned down. we don't know what life would be like other than what has been handed to us. there's things in our past that we cannot change, there are events that happen in our lives that are completely out of our control. we are living our lives just the way God wanted us to, with Him by our side every step of the way. take a deep breath, indulge in your surroundings, be thankful for the good people in your life, and rejoice in your happiness around you. live in the present moment, be joyful in the little things in life. let today be what it is, take in the good and learn from your mistakes; improve on your successes.
no matter how tough of a time you're having, no matter how overwhelmed you may be or how frustrated you are, you are never alone. God will never abandon you, He loves you!
"surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" psalm 23:6
you are enough
you have what it takes to fight the toughest battles; strength.
you have what it takes to stand up for yourself; bravery.
you have the ability to move forward; resilience.
when you feel weak, know that God gives you strength. when you question your worth, know that God gives you opportunity. when you feel incapable of being loved, know that Jesus loves you. when you are sad, worried, or angered, know that you deserve better. because of Jesus, you are enough. you are secure. you are the salt of the earth. you are cared for, you are seen. you are forgiven as you are free. you have hope. God is so much bigger than your anxieties and fears. pray, trust, and keep moving forward. know. your. worth. God is who He says He is, and He made you to be His beloved.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "my grace is sufficient for you, or my power is made perfect in weakness...for when I am weak, then I am strong."