When true faith takes hold of your soul, your entire body reacts. You become rigid with resolve to do what's right and to do your best. You reach out to those in need no matter the cost to your personal comfort. Yes, true faith brings you closer to God, but even more importantly, it brings you closer to your fellow man. May you be blessed with true faith.

 

 

BUT THIS ISN'T WHAT I WANTED

 "I decided that no matter the outcome for me, I was going to declare God's goodness until my lungs gave out."

 

by Hannah Brenchner

Let's start off with some honesty this morning: I used to have some pretty rigid expectations when it came to my relationship with God. I was absolutely one of those people who prayed the "thy will be done" part of the prayer after every request I made known to him but I was also secretly thinking to myself, "But yea... that really needs to happen on my timeline." I had limited faith in God. I had bigger faith in myself. I trusted I could do it better. As I said, we are just being honest this morning.

And then my expectations crashed all around me in October 2014. A lot of you know the story already but I was 6 months into living in Atlanta. I'd packed up my entire life and moved there on a whim. I secretly believed that if I moved to another city then maybe I would finally meet the guy who would later become my husband but I didn't dare let that reasoning show. I was unsettled with where I was and I thought geography would be the cure.

I didn't know God wanted to draw me closer to him. I didn't know that was the point of being someone who believed in God-- believing the best thing that could happen to you was a closer relationship with God. I expected God to show up big time (operating within my parameters). I expected the transition to a new city to be easier. I expected an instant community and an instant boyfriend. But I didn't expect a crippling depression to take over my life. I didn't expect that mental illness to be the very best thing God had for me in 2014.

Now I want to be clear: I don't believe God caused my depression. I don't think God causes awful things to happen as punishment. It's not in his nature. It's not his character...READ MORE

 

 

 

Please pray urgently for my children Ceaira, Russell and Sydney living in fornication. My inlaws who are prideful and unforgiving and tearing their family apart...Pray for my brother Mike who is addicted to pills crack cocaine and he is shooting up drugs,my mother Edna suffering from mental illness she has been in and out of mental hospitals,my niece Keva for attempting suicide last week and getting beat up by her ex boy friend this week who my sister is now living with and for my sister Tracey she is on drugs and her marriage is in trouble both her and her husband have been unfaithful in their marriage and are separated and now my sister is living with her daughters ex boy friend who is also on drugs. Their actions are destroying the family. Please pray for them to humble themselves before the Lord and repent and forgive each other. Pray that the attack on my family ends and the generational curses would be removed. Pray that this ungodly relationship between my sister and her daughters ex boy friend ends. Pray that my brother in law Doug would have courage and wisdom to be the leader and protector in his marriage. Pray that the drug addition and alcohol abuse would end and that they will be healed in all areas of their lives. Please pray the enemy would be defeated and salvation,righteousness and holiness would be restored to our family. Also pray for me and my husband we are weary of it all we have spoke the truth in love to all of them...