How to Have Courageous Faith as a Christian
"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Apostle Paul, Epistle to the Romans, Romans 8:24-25
Just a Name
It's been a few weeks since the launch of this blog. It's finally on Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Word Press reader. One thing I noticed is as the posts kept getting pushed out, the name of the blog appeared to be just a name. A title that appeared on a page. It hadn't been explained yet, let alone details of the struggle to be where it's at. It was just a link that was clicked on to learn more about Jesus. And that's the purpose of it. To be an evangelical tool to help others see the real reason they are alive. To know they have a purpose only they were destined to live. But for others to know that they too can have a blissful faith, even in life's most tragic moments.
Without a story, this blog is just a tool. And if any have felt the prodding of the Spirit, that familiar feeling something should be done is known. It can't be shaken. It keeps you up at night when you would rather hide from the thoughts, to turn over and go back to sleep. This blog is the response to that prodding for me. This is how Blissful Faith was made and how you can also have courageous faith as a Christian.
Past Turbulence
Let's start from the link my testimony left out. How I got here and why this blog exists. If you would like to read my testimony, check out the article "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear." It's at the end of the article. Rewinding a few years, I was seven years old. I didn't know fully who my father was and my mother wasn't fully in the picture. I was living with my grandmother who was diagnosed with schizophrenia and a grandfather who would much rather blame the other half of my family for all of their problems.
They called themselves Reverends of a church they helped build. I was very involved in that church as my grandparents were leaders in it. Singing in the choir was a must. Going to every single Bible study was a must. If I didn't do something right, it was screaming matches. This atmosphere was all I had. I developed a little of the Stockholm syndrome. I hated my life, but I loved the ones who were caring for me. Little did I know at the time, God was using this to bring me to Him.
Beginning of the Unveiling
As a child, I was never allowed to dress up or do things most girls were allowed to do. I was failing in public school. When I was removed from public school and homeschooled, my grandmother did all the work for me so I wouldn't learn. I think, in part, all of this was due to my grandmother rejecting my father and aunt. She was compensating for not having a son, or a daughter. With this said, she forced me to be someone I wasn't. As a seven year old, I was impressionable. I believed what was told to me.
When I was nine, the court case started. My father and step mother ended up winning the court case and I went to live with them. But these demons that my grandparents had allowed into my life traveled with me. God was still using this to develop a blissful faith in me. Even before conversion.
No One to Adopted Child
Social situations like school and talking to people in general were awkward for me. The social skills I desperately needed in my childhood years weren't given to me. I had to learn all of that at a later stage in life. At a young age, my father and step mother put me into counseling since they stated I was still having difficulty coping and believed I had personality identity issues. I had developed a deep hatred for myself, and others. Especially God.
I called myself a Christian because I generally wanted to do good, but that's all it was. A general desire. Truthfully, I didn't care who I hurt. I was baptized around 13 or 16 and thought I had changed, but there was no inward conversion. Just false outward mockery. I truly became born again after my life fell apart and I reached the end of myself and no amount of hatred or self-preservation could save me. It was just God and me now. I couldn't run, couldn't make excuses any longer. After God heard my prayer to be rescued and saved, I finally became an adopted child and started living the life of blissful faith. I was 21 when I became a true Christian.
Doubt is Faith's Twin Brother
Blissful faith didn't happen overnight. When I became a Christian, I begged God to kill me. I fell into fits of depression and thought that if only I wasn't born, people I hurt in my life wouldn't of had to go through what I put them through. Forgiveness truly is a beautiful thing. I did get the chance to reconcile with a few people I had hurt and amends could be made. Not all of them, however. I eventually become acquainted with an aunt and cousins my biological mother hid from me and I eventually did finally get to talk to my mother.
God allowed this season to show me that even though she abandoned me, this portrayed how the relationship humans had with God in the beginning. God allowed me time to witness to her and try to win her to Christ, but her heart was closed to His gospel and we eventually fell out of touch again.
In the military, God allowed me to go on a mission trip and share my testimony and aid others who were far worse than I was. I witnessed a gypsy camp that was so poverty stricken that they burned the new clothes the church we were aiding in the country brought them to stay warm. Sores covered their bodies. Yet, there was a glimmer of hope that could be seen in the children's eyes when we told them about Jesus and the hope of eternal life and not having to endure suffering forever.
How to Have a Blissful and Courageous Faith as a Christian
When I was sent on a medical detachment in the Navy, God allowed work situations to become unpleasant. The honeymoon phase as us veterans call it, was disintegrating and the true intentions of people were starting to show. God knew this had to happen due to what occurs next. When I went to escape work and came to a program that allowed Marines and Sailors to decompress, it was here I met my husband. I didn't know it at the time, but that's who he was. We talked over a game and he later invited me to church and lunch. 10 months later, we were married. 2 years later, we're still married. My husband became the first one who believed in me. He believed in me with every broken and stubborn part as I believed in him in spite of his shortcomings
Several years had passed at this point. The Holy Spirit had laid it on my heart to use the writing gift I used to believe was a curse to reach other people. I put it off for a few years, but He kept bringing me back to it. This is the birth of the blog, Blissful Faith. And believe it or not, you can have a blissful faith as well. Having courageous faith originates with true conversion and a healthy relationship with God. Consistent obedience fosters the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Not Alone
There are some who are reading this, believing they are alone and that no one hears them or even recognizes them. I tell you now that that is false. There is a God who knew you before you were even born or fashioned in the womb.
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." (Psalm 139:13-16)
There is a God who loves you and chose His son to die on the cross so that all may have a way to escape eternal suffering. He has the ability to meet people where they are at, and He is there just waiting.
Below are resources.
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Story Behind Blissful Faith
Human Trafficking is Today’s Slavery
The numbers of the victims of human trafficking and the stories behind the numbers are why Blissful Faith is partnering with nonprofit organizations to help fund rescues and recovery programs for those entrapped in bondage. Each number is a person. You can be the one to help make a difference by purchasing a shirt (coming soon to the blog in a few weeks) or by ordering a downloadable product currently in the store, in which proceeds will go to nonprofits that seek to give a voice to the voiceless. See more on human trafficking from my previous articles below:
The Price of Freedom
Knowing Freedom
The Fight to Preserve Freedom
Blissful Faith started as a lifestyle and branched into a blog to help others hear about Jesus Christ and how they too can develop a blissful faith through knowing God. This blog’s purpose is to be an evangelical outreach to further the kingdom of Christ. Furthering the kingdom means stretching outside of the comfort zone, comprehending and working towards meeting the needs of others. Putting faith to action keeps it from becoming stagnant.
Blissful Faith Merchandise
The Blissful Faith Merchandise store helps both this blog to grow and to meet the needs of others. About 8-10% of the proceeds will go to The Exodus Road and Agape International Missions to help combat human trafficking. The funds will help assist in rescue operations, providing shelter, and recovery programs to those in bondage.
The Heart Cry
Below are links to organizations combating human trafficking around the globe.
Website for the video above: Destiny Rescue
The Exodus Road Site: https://theexodusroad.com
Donation link: https://pages.theexodusroad.com/donate
Agape International Missions website: https://agapewebsite.org
Donation link: https://agapewebsite.org/give-monthly/
Join Blissful Faith in raising funds to
give to nonprofit organizations to help
combat human trafficking. You can be
the helping hand that gives a voice to
the voiceless and hope to a damaged
soul.
The Merchandise Store is now officially open.
8-10% of the proceeds from all items sold will go to nonprofit organizations to help combat human trafficking.