Victory (How a tattoo can display God's amazing love)

Happy Saturday everyone! I hope you all have had a good weekend so far. Today I just wanted to write a short post on tattoos. Not just any tattoo but my best friends tattoo and the beautiful story behind it. God has allowed me to be apart of Courtney's life and watch her go through some terrible things all while fighting and giving her life to Christ. Being friends with her has been one of the most rewarding things because I have gotten to see the healing power of Jesus displayed in an amazing way. Seeing  your best friend struggle with self harm, seeing the terrible physical scars, and the spiritual damage, and helping them carry that burden is one of the hardest things to go through. It was even harder for her! But seeing her get a tattoo that reads "Victory"over the scars is the most amazing thing in the world. I know you might be thinking "It's just a tattoo why are you getting so emotional." But it is so much more than a tattoo. It is a display of the wonder working power of the cross. This tattoo is a testimony of how Jesus literally takes our brokenness and heals it with His love. I love the cross!!!!!! Jesus came to defeat our enemies and because of the cross my best friend can get a tattoo over one of the most painful and darkest parts of her life that reads Victory. I'm weeping as I write this because I'm so overwhelmed by Jesus' love. It doesn't make any sense other than to say God is Sovereign and His blood defeats depression, self harm, anxiety, suicide, and every other attack that the enemy brings against us. I hope this can inspire you guys and touch your hearts. There is no one greater than Jesus. God I'm so in Love with You. Thank you for healing my best friend, thank you for the cross. Here's the verse that inspired the tattoo and her heart.
 "You give me strength for the battle and victory over my enemies." - 2 Samuel 22:40

New Seasons. Same God.

Beer Lahai Roi

           Happy Saturday everyone! I can't believe it's November! October went by so fast and now I only have 20 more days until I go home. I am so excited! College has been so amazing and God has covered me in His grace to the utmost. My beautiful roommates are so fantastic and I have grown immensely in my relationship with Christ since being at Liberty. My passion for ministry has sparked beyond a fire and is full ablaze. I just get so overjoyed when I sit back and realize that there is no other explanation for this other than it was all orchestrated by God who created the universe and yet still sees me. And that's what today's post is about. Beer Lahai Roi means "well of the living one who sees me."  This phrase appears in Genesis 16:14 when God responds to Hagar's fear and pain
             She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered. (13-14)
  Hagar was being mistreated by Sarah, the woman in charge of her, and so she ran away in pain and fear. She stopped next to a spring (it's funny how God did that because the Holy Spirit represents a spring of living water) and that's when she encountered the Angel of the Lord and made a statement that gives me strength everyday. God sees me. He saw Hagar in her distress and confusion and he sees me in my distress and confusion. God is a well of living water that fills us constantly with His Spirit and through His Son Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can walk in the truth a woman thousands of years ago did. God sees us. It's such a humbling statement for me, to know that the God who rules over all things sees me. I'm one person out of the billions of people in the world yet He personally knows me, created me, and knows every single detail of my life. It's mind blowing and it makes me fall so deeply in love with Him. To be in love with Jesus is amazing but to know that He is in love with us even more is the most beautiful and powerful thing to ever know. I find myself greatly relating with the Apostle Paul when he says, "Yes, everything is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." (Philippians 3:8)   Know that you're not always going to feel like God sees you. You're not always going to feel like knowing Jesus is the best thing ever. Feelings come and go and are always changing, that's the result of living in a fallen and sinful world. But also know that God's Word never changes. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The same God that met with Hagar next to that spring is the same God who wants to meet with you and bring you to the the spring of living water. God loves you so much and He wants you to bring Him your pain, confusion, tiredness, and burned out heart, so He can lift you up and wrap you,fill you, with His loving presence. When you do, you to will have a Hagar moment and be able to say, "I have now seen the One who sees me." - Love you guys.  Sofia

P.S- Watch this amazing video and just worship and enjoy the sweet,restoring, presence of God.