Hello friends and family!!
We’re slowly but surely making our way to South Africa. So far, it’s been quite the journey! We had a 10-hour flight from Atlanta to Istanbul, and now we’re in the middle of a 9-hour layover. After this, we’ll be on an 11-hour flight to Johannesburg, where we’ll have a 6-hour layover before our final flight to Port Elizabeth. Thankfully, that last layover is only about 3 hours!
Since I have plenty of time before my next flight I figured what better time than now to share my testimony of how the Holy Spirit guided me towards my initial decision to follow Jesus.
My Testimony
I grew up in a “Christian” household where we would go to church regularly, however, God wasn’t a priority at home. I knew who God was, and I loved Him, but I didn’t fully grasp what it meant to have a genuine relationship with Him.
That began to change about three years ago during my first mission trip to Belize. I had always had a place in my heart for God, but It was there that I realized just how much bigger God is than I had ever imagined. It wasn’t just about following rules or doing the “right” things, it was about understanding that the Lord desires a real, genuine relationship with each of us. For the first time, I discovered a deep connection that I had never experienced before and a peace knowing that what I was doing, spreading the good news, was fulfilling my purpose in life.
A big part of that transformation came through a friend of mine who was truly chasing after the heart of God. Watching their passion for Christ and the way they listened to the Holy Spirit in their life opened my eyes to how much of God that I was missing!! It wasn’t just about knowing about God; it was about walking with Him daily, experiencing His presence, and hearing His voice.
Going forward since my mission trip my relationship with the Lord has blossomed and I grow to love God more with each passing day. However, this doesn’t mean I don’t go through struggles, I quickly realized that saying yes to Jesus meant saying no to the world. There’s a constant pull between living fully for God and the distractions and temptations the world offers. But every day, the Holy Spirit helps me choose Jesus, reminding me that what He offers is so much greater than anything the world could give. I was no longer content with just knowing about God—I wanted a true, genuine relationship with Him, one that shaped every part of my life.
As I’ve grown in my relationship with God, I’ve had to wrestle with some important questions, questions I know many people have. I think it’s important to acknowledge that faith isn’t just about feeling close to God, but also understanding who He is and why we can trust Him. Here are a few of the common questions I’ve encountered and how I’ve come to understand them through Scripture.
Why does God allow suffering?
The Bible teaches that we live in a broken world due to sin, but God uses suffering to shape us and ultimately promises to restore all things. Romans 8:28 assures us that He works all things together for good, even when we don’t understand how.
How can we trust the Bible as true?
The Bible’s consistency, historical reliability, and overwhelming amount of fulfilled prophecies show that it’s more than just an ancient text. 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us that “All Scripture is God-breathed,” meaning it’s directly from Him and trustworthy.
Who is Jesus, and why did He have to die?
Jesus is the Son of God, who came to rescue us from sin by living the perfect life and dying on the cross. His death wasn’t just a tragedy, it was the ultimate act of love. John 3:16 shows us that through His resurrection, we have the promise of new life.
Even as I grow in faith, new questions still come up. But I’ve learned that God doesn’t shy away from our questions and neither should we. He encourages us to explore, dig deeper, and come to Him with our questions. Through prayer, studying the Bible, and being part of a Christian community, I’ve been able to find answers to many of the questions I’ve faced, and I know I can trust God for those I don’t yet fully understand.
Below I included both the link to my Newsletter as well as a link to subscribe and receive future Newsletters!!
Link to subscribe:
https://gmail.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=36396eafda6fdb6635b7e0b5c&id=08160fcd29
Link to this Newsletter:
https://mailchi.mp/08af1b2939ab/adventures-in-missions?e=b72997c17e
Thank you all for your continued prayer and support! I look forward to updating you once I arrive in South Africa! Once again, thanks for reading.
-Faith <3
