Tune TONIGHT at 9pm EST to hear Will Reagan and crew perform songs from Endless Years, live from the Banks House
www.unitedpursuit.com/live
Album debuts TOMORROW! -Faith
PS: I'm seriously on a roll! lol
Tune TONIGHT at 9pm EST to hear Will Reagan and crew perform songs from Endless Years, live from the Banks House
www.unitedpursuit.com/live
Album debuts TOMORROW! -Faith
PS: I'm seriously on a roll! lol
I know ...two blogs in a day!!!
Yesterday, I had to opportunity to have lunch with an older and wiser couple from church. I needed some council that I knew I couldn't get from my age group. After our lunch, I realized how important it is to surround yourself with at least two to three older and wiser adults in their faith. I mean, it is important to be in community with people your age. But let’s get real; most of those people are two to six years in their faith. We also need people who have been walking with Jesus for 15 to 30 years. They can give your valuable wisdom and guidance to help you overcome different struggles and trials in your life.
-Faith
Yesterday, I had to opportunity to have lunch with an older and wiser couple from church. I needed some council that I knew I couldn't get from my age group. After our lunch, I realized how important it is to surround yourself with at least two to three older and wiser adults in their faith. I mean, it is important to be in community with people your age. But let’s get real; most of those people are two to six years in their faith. We also need people who have been walking with Jesus for 15 to 30 years. They can give your valuable wisdom and guidance to help you overcome different struggles and trials in your life.
-Faith
It's about that time again when finals hit and I'm just over it all!
I'm burned out...
But it's my last EVER UNDERGRAD FINALS WEEK!!!
Now all I just need is some strength, dilegence, and knowledge to finish strong!
So if you ever wondered what to pray for me...pray that I finish strong!
Thanks!
-Faith
During my quiet time this week, I stumbled upon three awesome worship songs by William McDowell and I thought I would share.
I hit an amazing climax when I was seeking the Lord during these songs. The lyrics of these songs really connects with the verse
With Love,
Faith
I hit an amazing climax when I was seeking the Lord during these songs. The lyrics of these songs really connects with the verse
He must increase, but I must decrease.- John 3:30He must increase in all aspects of our lives and we (our flesh) must decrease. Personally, as an ambitious, planning, and driven girl, I have to ALWAYS remind myself who is in charge and who is in control. I have to continuously surrounded everything to the Lord because at the end of the day...He is truly all that I want.
With Love,
Faith
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!
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!
"For the Sake of the World" is new worship song released from Bethel Live. Listening to the lyrics, were so refreshing. In this fast pace life that I live, it is so easy for me to loose focus on what I am living for.
This song was a beautiful reminder of the ultimate reason of why I wake up everyday, of why I my heart is for the lost and less fortunate, why I am want to raise the voice for the voiceless. It's not only because they need someone to care but it's for the Glory of the Lord.
I pray that each day the Gospel will continue become the vision and the purpose of why I get up, instead of constantly thinking of the everyday things I have to do. I pray that I live with more purpose to glorify the Lord than myself.
With Love,
Faith
This past week the Lord has so wonderfully thrown a massive curve ball of an academic trial in my life. I rather not go into details because it is a long story but needless to say I found my self in tears for two days due to injustice.
At the end of the first day, the Lord reminded me of the verse James 1:2-4
These past few days, I have not experienced joy but instead devastation. I felt as if the world was out to get me, but that is looking at my situation from a worldly mindset and not a heavenly mindset. If I believe God loves me then I must trust him in his sovereignty. I must trust that his ways are better for me. I need to stop looking at my situation without faith and thinking that it is hopeless but know that God will never leave me nor forsake me.
Jesus ALWAYS provides for me! He has taken me out of some impossible situations and has provided so much favor on my life. Seriously, my life is a testimony of the power of Jesus.
Thus, reflecting and remembering his goodness is how the Lord provided peace to me.
Also, in the past four days, the Lord has reaffirmed me through songs, bible verses, messages, facebook status, blogs, and quotes that he is going to get me through this trial. I am simple blown away at how the Lord has truly given me peace and reassurance through all the different avenues of my life.
Even just as I was driving back in town with my friend, I told her I was still stuck on the beginning of James 1:2-4. Like how can I truly have joy in the midst of trials. Later this evening, I was reading an African blog I follow and BAM the answer:
At the end of the first day, the Lord reminded me of the verse James 1:2-4
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, 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: 2-4Originally, I was annoyed that the Lord put another trial in my life. I felt like I just couldn't get a break. But then the Holy Spirit brought attention to those verses. Trials come into your life because it produces spiritual maturity. Also, James starts out the verse by saying consider it JOY when many trials come to you.
These past few days, I have not experienced joy but instead devastation. I felt as if the world was out to get me, but that is looking at my situation from a worldly mindset and not a heavenly mindset. If I believe God loves me then I must trust him in his sovereignty. I must trust that his ways are better for me. I need to stop looking at my situation without faith and thinking that it is hopeless but know that God will never leave me nor forsake me.
I basically need to grow up!
Jesus ALWAYS provides for me! He has taken me out of some impossible situations and has provided so much favor on my life. Seriously, my life is a testimony of the power of Jesus.
Thus, reflecting and remembering his goodness is how the Lord provided peace to me.
Also, in the past four days, the Lord has reaffirmed me through songs, bible verses, messages, facebook status, blogs, and quotes that he is going to get me through this trial. I am simple blown away at how the Lord has truly given me peace and reassurance through all the different avenues of my life.
Even just as I was driving back in town with my friend, I told her I was still stuck on the beginning of James 1:2-4. Like how can I truly have joy in the midst of trials. Later this evening, I was reading an African blog I follow and BAM the answer:
There’s so much more to joy than just feeling at peace, or feeling happy even when things are sucky.
Joy is state of celebration, a celebration of what God has done.
So when I say, “Choose joy”, that literally means “choose to celebrate what God has done” instead of being sucked under by circumstances. And what has God done? Well, God has given us a gift of salvation through Jesus. God has given us a promise of an abundant life here on earth and an eternal life to come. God has given us the ultimate expression of love by leaving his son, Jesus, to be tortured and killed just so we can have the right to fellowship with him again.
That’s what God has done. That’s what I’m celebrating today. My car’s impounded. My cash flow is stagnate. I’m thousands of dollars in debt and my eye sight is crappy.
And yet.
But still.
Choose joy.
-Afrolicious
I started to tear up after reading this blog post. Because Jesus really does loves me and he is going to get me through this trial. Plus, I didn't even know this blogger loved Jesus! It's truly amazing how God literally meets his children where they are at!
With Love,
Faith
