Happy Thanksgiving--Weekend... I promise this post was written on Thursday! Cue my time to explain myself (probably poorly), I have had many things to share, but experienced technical difficulties posting blogs, so please bear with me as I post older thoughts and ponder on new ones!

If I ever have a daily thing to be thankful for, I would like it to be these verses--

Colossians 1:13-14 "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."

God is magnified, because there is no way I could have accomplished this great feat on my own!

My testimony used to go something like this... I was lost in the world, in its ideals of shallow companionship, empty fulfillment, and selfish idolatry. God has freed me from bondage to my hyperactive ever changing sensational feelings... Of course I would sprinkle in my personal details and accounts, but over the past two years, accounting what God has done for me has lost much of its verbiage.

In short, I was a sinner damned to spend eternity in Hell; unable to fulfill the Law nor pay the price for my sin. I was in dire need of a Savior, and Jesus Christ being my substitute bore my sins and has granted me eternal life.

The change in how I see my testimony is not due to a diminished view of what God has freed me from, but I am realizing the now more than ever the importance of God's salvation plan in its entirety including but not limited to my personal salvation.

Jesus' act on the cross changed history and eternity thereafter. So for the cross not simply being my point of conversion but continual strength I am so thankful!

Have a great weekend, Nashville, nephew, and picture updates will be given soon!

Love Steph!

I don’t know how long you have been following Steph’s and my blog but two years ago I wrote a blog called “What do you do when God says no”. I wrote that blog at one of the lowest points of my life. I honestly don’t know how I got through that situation without God. For four months after, I wrote that blog I was a bomb ready to burst into tears at any second. Life was hard and I just held on to my little faith believing that Jesus is a good God; he is faithful to those who love him! Even when I couldn’t feel his presence, favor, or faithfulness I held on to His Word! I remembered life was so hard that the only time I felt peace was when I worshiped him in song. Several times, when I would tell God “I can’t do it, you just want me to suffer God” The next moment he would send a disciple to encourage me and remind me that our God is a faithful God!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”- James 1:2-4

For most people those three verses are not comforting during a trail but honestly its soooo true! My hurricane/trial taught me how to pray, brought me to a point that only Jesus can satisfy me, brought me to a point where I only want to follow God’s lead and not myself.

A year later, Januray 2011, I found myself once again crying and broken in God’s presence. Life once again wasn’t going the way I believed it should go. I was so broken and hurt that God would put me through another trial/hurricane again! Yet, it once again tested my faith and produced perseverance. The Lord had to bring me to my knees so I can fully submit my hopes and dreams.

As I submitted my hopes and dreams to the Lord, he didn’t take my dreams and throw them in the garbage like I was afraid he would. Instead, he quadrupled my passions for global health and gave me directions. He opened doors for me to travel to Haiti on a service trip, to travel to DC to attend a Global Health conference where many prominent people in the global health world like the Minister of Health for Liberia. He has given me the opportunity to be a part of UNICEF Campus Initiative National Council which consists of six members that represents the whole United States. These doors were not open because Faith Umoh had the G.P.A, the funds, or the qualification. In fact I had none of it but only faith in Jesus that if this was his will he would open the door!

In the midst of all these great opportunity, he has shown me that I did not go to these places just for my passion of global health but instead for His glory! Wherever we are there we find our mission/ministry that God has given us to proclaim who he is! He has given me opportunity to share my testimony, the Gospel and exemplify what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ in each setting! Glory to God!

I look back at 2009 to 2011 and even though I know there was sooooooooo much crying, I would not ask God to change it! The brokenness took away the pride and replaced it with humility; which affirmed to me that what I do is not because of myself or for myself, but it is for the Glory of God!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”- Jeremiah 29:11

-Faith

As I reflect on my teenage years, I was mostly depressed. I can recall many times that I have cried myself to sleep. Many times, my sinful actions have gotten me into a lot of trouble. There were even times when I wanted to run away or even just die. Yes, I was a troubled teenage girl.

Flash forward to today and I am the daughter of the Most High. Yet, being the daughter of the most high doesn't mean my life is perfect. My friend, my life is far from perfect. There have been events in my life since I have decided to follow Jesus 100% that have left me in a pool of tears. The only difference between me being a teenage girl and now is who I cry to.

When I was a teenager I would cried and feel utterly hopeless. But now when I do cry, I cry with hope. I cry asking for my Lord and Savior to come and rescue me. For Jesus is my rock and my savior. For in him I have found my hope.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears are attentive to their cry;

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;

he delivers them from all their troubles.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

The righteous person may have many troubles,

but the LORD delivers him from them all;

he protects all his bones,

not one of them will be broken.

-Psalms 34: 15, 17-20

Thus even when my tears fall I have hope. I hope because my God is not a God who lies. He is a faithful God and things will truly be okay.

With Love,

Faith