It is such a beautiful day today, I mean so nice that I’m sitting outside in the same sun I’m usually running away from! I feel breeze and I’m taking advantage because it is so scarce in Gainesville. One thing (of the million kajillion) things that the Lord has been revealing to me lately it to be grateful about all things, no matter how great or small. And to abstain from complaining … [pauses]... YES complaining, the thing I’m so used to indulging in. I think complaining became such a habit and characteristic of myself, that I hardly saw the wrong in it.

“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” Phillipians 2:14-15.

Now some verses I have to ponder over and ask God to reveal what he really wants me to take from them, but this one is simply stated. STOP complaining. Not sometimes when your blessings are visibly smacking you in the face, but also in those times when your wondering, why should you be struggling or is this worth it!
When we complain we’re stealing God of his glory. I think it’s so much easier to point out all the wrong in people, on situations, and in our lives rather than give God the glory he deserves. But who said anything about the walk with Christ being easy! But it is sooo worth it.

An hour during the week I speak to a man from Baghdad, Iraq to help him practice English. He was reading me an oral speech in which he told a story of how his parents lived in harder times and how he and his family are blessed to live an easier life now. In the midst of living in a war stricken city, something that's not even imaginable to many of us, he is quick to count his blessings! That’s what I’m talking ‘bout. So when my flesh is crying out, “Stephanie you’re crazy, it’s hot, you’re tired, go home.” (In an animated voice and all). I just simply enjoy His sun, His nature, His people, His beauty!
-Stephanie

I walk into a room and automatically check out the scene in my head. I first search for the my girls. As I walk to them, my eyes scopes out the room and starts to rate everyone in the room. "She's cute, shes alright. Hmm who is he! And ah his friend alright." Outside, I say hi to everyone, and greet my girls. But inside, I boost myself with confidence, as I compare myself to others. As I socialized, I am abound to be introduce to someone new. And thats when the little diva's voice in my head gets louder.


If I I am introduced to someone who I think is on my level, or had looked at me the wrong way when I came in, is whehn her voice is all I hear. I give her a fakishly hello waiting to see how she will respond. She could either respond what seems as genuinely nice and we could end have a really good first conversation. And if we do I later feel bad because of all the negative thoughts I had about her, and even start complimenting her even more. "Man her hair was really pretty, I wonder where she gets it from, and I really liked her dress. I need to wear more dresses." lol But is she responds dry and brushes me off, then the Diva in my head says "WOW, she a lil rude huh? I was soo nice? I mean what is her problem"

But really Faith, do you even know how you came off to her?

Or, its a Saturday night and with my girls. We are all having a good time until, one of them says something. That the Diva in me can not just lets go. I dont respond outwardly but the Diva in me is fussing up a storm, and sending the friend who said something to me, glaring eyes. How fast a couple of young ladies can reach their climax when someone turns into the antagonist. Yet, how quick one can reach the resolution, if they brush it off, and respond with love.

Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.


Moreover,some many friendships, and relationship are broken because we take EVERYTHING personally. If someone has a bad day and they just brush you off, the next day you want to do the same thing to them. Because what did you ever do to them for them to treat you that way. If someone blows out on you, you want to hold that grudge and always keep it in mind of what they have done. WHY? Why fight fire with fire. I know so clique but so true. You don't get bigger but instead make the FIRE BIGGER. I know personally, I always had that mentality. When I first meet someone, I see what vibe they give off to me. If its dry, then I think to myself "wow, she's lil rude." Or you feel that they are unapproachable. But maybe boo, its not all about you.



What if they are having problems, and just left from an argument with their parents. What if they just lost their job. Or they had one of those days that EVERYTHING just kept going wrong. So meeting someone new and showing their personality inst on their mind. Your not on their mind. They might not even have registered your name, because they are just so lost in their thoughts. So really its not you. It's not me. So what if your bestfriend just blew up at you. Obviously, this is out of character. Maybe, there is something rooted from her lashing out you. I mean you dont call her your best friend for no reason. It is your job, to find our what happen, then instead be OFFENDED. So, we really need to look above that, and stop reading to much into peoples body language, tone of voice, or facial expressions when you talk to them. But to genuinely have AGAPE love for everyone. Because remember at the end of the day-"It's not always about you boo"

"We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." 1 John 4:19-21

~Faith

These days I feel like our world's image of love is not whole, always missing something. Whether it's a broken friendship, marriage, or love for yourself, it sort of seems ridiculous to count on love to hold our lives together! Now I can attest to being an amatuer on relationships and a novice on love, but someone has gotten this idea of "love" correct. Love seperated from God has pleasures that are short lived. "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9. It is when we let Jesus into our hearts that it is filled with good! His love is kind, pure, and selfless and he offers it fully to everyone as if they were the only man on this earth. I don't know about you but that is one offer I cannot refuse!

Just this summer the Lord has sturred up my passion to seek his love, and everyday I wake up wanting more! Love has been so perverted that now adays it is almost cooler to be a "hater" then to just extend love to one another. I don't want to fit in with the norm, I rather be crazy in love, His love. Cry out for his love, its endless.
-Stephanie

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." 1 John 4:16.

Where do I even start? This summer, I have been spending my life in Gainesville, Fl studying at University of Florida taking Chem 1 and Calculus 1. Therefore, all I do with my life is study, study, study, and study. I seriously wish I can emphasized that more. Literally this is all I do with my life. But, the one thing I was trying to put back in my life was my daily devotions. I use to do devotion every morning and night. Yet, when I started to attend UF I felt like I never had time. Really to do anything but to study and of course go to church. So, I gradually started implementing devotions in my life, and small group which is a like bible study with young ladies my age that meet every Monday.

Now can I just say that when I started making HIM a priority in my life, I could honestly say that I have never heard the voice of God any clearly in my life then I have heard this summer.

The first time I went to small group was the first week of summer A. And the topic was, "What are some things in your life that you think could be hindering you from your relationship with God." Of course right away school came to my head. Robin, the small group leader, responded by saying "dont you think if you put God first, that he will make time for everything else." I thought to myself, she is so right. God is amazing, all powerful, in control. So why do I think That I can control my life, like obviously I always feel overwhelm. Why havent I realize that my God is greater then my work?
As I started putting God first, he slowly started cleaning up my life. I was what you would call someone who calls themselves a Christian because I go to church, I try not to curse, I try to do the right thing. Yet, you know I'm not perfect. BUT THANK GOD FOR HIS GRACE! You know the music doesn't affect me at all. I can listen to music that degrades women, because I got the dance in the club that goes with it. I would never buy the song, but I got to know the dance. I was the type of christian, who believe that my surrounding doesnt TRULY affect me. I was the type of Christan that believed that I if my friend is living the wrong way, who am I to judge. Why try to force my "religion" down them. If they dont want to trust in God, what can I really do?

Basically, I was someone who read the Bible but always reasoned with EXCUSES.

Yet, this summer, I have finally realized that it is not cool to tell God "you know I don't try to curse, I don't drink, I don't sleep around, and no matter what I wake up and go to church". That its not cool to give God half of my life. In fact who am I to Bentley live that way. IT IS COMPLETELY WRONG. God deserve all of me. If I pray for his help, I don't want GOD to help me out halfway and be like well you know, I only got half you so you get half of me. I want God to do the whole job.

Thus, who am I to cheat God?!?!
No one!!!

I am so gratefulthat God has OPEN MY EYES with grace. That he continues to speak to me with his word. Its funny because I grew up in the church always memorized verse. Yet, it wasnt until recently that I truly understand why we memorize verse. We memorize verse to use in our life. His WORD is so POWERFUL!!!!!
Through every test and trials, I call upon his name. And read his words for comfort. Hebrews 13:3 "He will never leave you nor forsake you" God's sovereignty...just saying those two words are as if God is hugging me and telling me "Faith everything is okay, I am taking care of it." When I truly understand that, Faith Umoh can not do anything on her own, is when I finally nailed by burdens, my sins, on to the cross. Every failure that I named "failure" has now changed to "sovereignty". To the world, they may see it as failure, and try to comfort me with "better luck next time". Yet, I can not say, that God has a BIGGER PURPOSE FOR ME. God is in control. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrew 11:1.


I use his words of promises, whenever I worked hard and devil tells me. "Look at all the work you put into studying, and you still haven't gotten an A." "Look at she treats you, when you always gone above and beyond. or Faith you weren't suppose to be at UF. Your don't have a 4.0. and your barely making it, even with all your studying." Before, it was really hard to swallow my reality. Yet now I fight it back with his words "He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Ephesians 3:20. I even admit, that I cried when I receive a C on my chem test today, because I really thought God was going to deliver me from that test. Yet, in the mist of my tears, his names was always on my lips. In the midst of the devils attack, I continue to recite Hebrews 11:1 Now Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see!!!" This is my test of Faith that I am now dealing with. To become a doctor I need have a good GPA, and starts NOW!!! lol right? Yet, giving my life solely to Christ. I trust in him. I trust that my God is my provider. He WILL supply all my needs. He is IN CONTROL.... His sovereignty is amazing. "IF a man love me, he will keep my work; and my Father will love him, and WE will come unto him, and make our abode with him" John 14:23
He is Almighty, and I just trust COMPLETELY trust in HIM. Because I am not my own!!! and I all things are TRULY POSSIBLE. Through CHRIST WHO STRENGTHS ME.

Through his words, my tears stopped and his sovereignty kept me in his arms, as I fell asleep in HIS sovereign arms।
~Faith