Rich Adventures in Richmond

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you all have had a good weekend so far. Mine has been very refreshing. The weekend actually started on Thursday for me . My college was on Fall break which is basically a four day weekend for students to just take a break. Since one of my roommates is from Arizona and I'm from Florida we couldn't go home so we all decided to take a trip to Richmond which is about two hours away from our school. It was beautiful! Richmond is full of beautiful historic sites and all of the leaves are changing color. It was so awesome. We went shopping, bonded a lot, and went to a really cool cultural music festival. The coolest part of the whole trip were the awesome Jesus experiences we had. First when we went to the mall we stumbled upon this beautiful Christian clothing store called Altar'd State. It had beautiful modest clothing and was filled with worship music, awesome employees, and a Holy Spirit filled atmosphere. Not to mention I wanted their dressing room to be my bedroom. Along with that we went into Urban Outfitters and my roomette Megan was checking out in line, she felt led by the Holy Spirit to ask the cashier if he needed prayer for anything. He said he was okay but Megan said she could see a look in his eye of surprise. Who knows, maybe he was questioning God or if anyone cared about Him and God used Megan to step in. One thing I know is that the Holy Spirit will never prompt you to do something that is without effect. It doesn't matter if we see the results or not,God sees them. The next day we headed to downtown Richmond for the folk festival. Katarina (my other roomette) prayed that God would just open doors that day for us to share our faith with people. so guess what happened, we got to share our faith with people. God is so cool guys. We took a bus to get to the festival and met a married elderly couple, they asked us what grade we were in and then that led to us telling them how Jesus led us to go to Liberty and how much we love him. It was awesome. Then these two girls at the festival came up to us saying they were doing a project for school where they went around and interviewed people asking them what the meaning of life was. So of course me and my roommate's shared how the meaning of life was Jesus and how He makes everything purposeful. I can't forget to mention that we randomly walked into this tent and a Native American guy in a traditional costume was rapping about Jesus and  sharing the gospel. Come to find out his stage name is SupaMan and he was MTV Artist of the week and we got to meet him after his performances. You could just feel the love of Jesus coming from him and he asked us to pray for him which was so awesome. So basically Richmond was not only beautiful to the eyes but beautiful to the soul. God is amazing and the Holy Spirit will lead you to the coolest places to meet the most random people who's lives could be forever changed because you share the love of Jesus with them. Revival is happening, the last place I thought I would find it was my dorm room. But Jesus does the unexpected and I am so ready for more. Love you guys and hope you have a great week! "I am the way and the truth and life. No one comes to the Father except through me."- Jesus (John 14:6)

Riding Boots.

Happy Monday everyone! It's been so long since I've last posted an outfit and I've missed it! So today I got one of my lovely roommates to help me out and capture a new item to my closet. Boots. I am slowly turning into a Virginian and it feels so weird. I can't believe I'm actually wearing boots in September. I do terribly miss Florida right now and the nice sun and beach weather, but being able to have an actual Fall and wear cute riding boots is a plus. I actually just recently got these and they're from Walmart! I know it's hard to believe but the Walmart by my school is really nice. They were only $30 dollars!! I'm super excited about them and I can't wait to style them with more cute sweaters and coats. College has been great to me so far. I am learning so much about life, people, and Jesus. I couldn't possibly have imagined any of this and I am so thankful to our miracle working God who does exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine. Hope you guys have a great rest of your week. - Love Sofia. 

The Beauty of Submitting.

"Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church."- Ephesians 5:22-23

     Wednesday night at campus church (Liberty University college church service) I witnessed hundreds of college guys run to the altar, get on their faces, and cry out to God. All the girls in the room reached their hands out and covered these guys in prayer as we worshipped God together. The atmosphere was majestic. I could feel in my spirit the chains of addiction, lust, and pride being broke off of some of the young men's lives. It was breathtaking. The sermon was pointed toward the guys of Liberty calling them out and telling them to step up and be the men of God Jesus was leading them to be. The ladies were encouraged to not settle for a man of this world but to make sure the guy they are committing their lives to is committed to doing nothing else but loving and serving Christ. It was a beautiful night and it really got me thinking about this verse.

          

 "I'm an independent woman and I don't need any man in my life." "the bible is old fashioned and so are women that let their Husbands take the lead." To the world this might make sense, but to a woman of God we should run from these views. ( I am not saying in any way that women should put their worth in men and think they have to have a guy in their lives to be valuable!!!) You won't feel valuable with a guy if your worth is not yet found in Christ. The reason why wives submitting to husbands has become such a taboo in society is because society has warped what true marriage is supposed to look like. In the worlds view wives submitting to their husbands means being beaten and bossed around. It means being treated lowly. This is NOT what submitting means and this isn't what the husband being the head means. Another verse we have to check out is Ephesians 5:22. Right after wives are told to submit to their husbands as they submit to the Lord it says "Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy cleansing her by the washing with water through the word." Do we understand what loving wives like Christ loved the church means? Jesus died for the church! He gave His life, humbled himself, shed his blood, and washed us clean. Hello! This is the most beautiful, selfless love that their ever could be. And God is telling Husbands to love their wives in this way! That is so beautiful. There is no selfishness in this. The man isn't being told to beat his wife and rule over her life. He isn't being told to call all of the shots and deny everything his wife says. He is being told to passionately and sacrificially love his other half. He is being told to protect her, support her, love on her, and lift her up. Jesus didn't have an affair with the church, he died for it. Just think about that. Ladies when we are being told to submit to our husbands we aren't being told to worship at his feet and let him run everything and never speak up. We are being told to honor him, lift him up in prayer, protect and support him. This is what marriage is supposed to look like. This is the beauty of submitting. The world has clogged it's brain with images of  what they think relationships are, friends with benefits, sex outside of marriage, same sex relationships. This has corrupted what the beauty of submitting in marriage means. When we submit our lives to Christ His love is lavished out on to us in such a glorious and beautiful way. Marriage is nothing more than a representation of God pursuing the church. Now I know I'm only 18 and not even in a relationship but this is something that God has just recently heavily laid on my heart. On Wednesday night I was encouraged to understand this biblical principle and God has so greatly opened my heart to it. One thing the preacher said on Wednesday is "Marriage is when a single man who has glorified God to the highest with his life and when a single woman who has glorified God to the highest with her life, come together to glorify God even more." I think this will remain in my heart for a long time. Ladies we are precious vessels and beautiful daughters of God. Christ lives in us and we deserve nothing more than a man who respects, love, honors, and prays for us all while worshipping at the feet of Jesus. I pray that God continues to keep my heart while I'm in college and that He leads me to a man that loves Him more than he will love me. This is my prayer for all of you guys as well. Whether you're in a relationship or not I pray that you realize the beauty of submitting in a Godly way. I pray that you only pursue someone who is pursuing Christ, purity, holiness, gentleness, humbleness, and reverence of the One true God. You're worth it.  Love you guys and Jesus loves you even more. - Sofia

The Sweetness of God

Hunger for God is a beautiful thing, it causes us to experience the sweetness of His presence. I'm convinced there is nothing more beautiful and wonderful than being completely broken under the presence of God. When we die to our selves and in return receive this fullness of joy in the presence of God amazing things happen.  I know it sounds kind of strange to say that being broken and dying to yourself feels good, and sometimes it doesn't, but experiencing the presence of God is so much more than a feeling. Experiencing His presence is a eternal joy. It's amazing how God's presence is so sweet as if it's honey or a fragrance but it is also so strong that it can leave me face down on my knees crying out to Him. I live for those moments. The moments where I am completely drowned in the presence of Jesus to the point where standing isn't even an option. Oh to experience God in such a powerful way! Getting into God's presence is almost as if He is kissing your heart (I know that sounds so weird but It's so true!) In His presence there is no room for our annoying selves and heavy burdens to keep our attention. There is only room for God, for the Holy Spirit to fall and fill. His presence is the greatest escape. In His presence it's like God is reaching down to my helpless self and saying "my child I love you so much! dance with me, relax, breathe, cry, worship, soak in my love for you." God's presence is everything. Tonight I found myself on my knees crying out to God for more and more of Him. That's where this whole post tonight has come from.  I'm so hungry, so thirsty, for more of Jesus. I was watching King Jesus Ministry tonight and the pastor brought something to my attention that I never realized. The Apostle Paul wrote 14 books in the bible, his life was full of miracles, signs and wonders. He brought the Gospel to people all over the nations, escaped death and so much more. Yet he says this "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it." -Philippians 3:12-13.  Paul, who did so much, and saw so much never settled. He didn't reach a point where he said "Well this is as good as God gets." No, he wanted more and more. He kept chasing after God. I want to be a God chaser, I want to be so hungry for God that I never settle but keep moving forward. I want to keep experiencing the fullness of God knowing that I have yet to experience half of who God is. There is so much of Him. I never want to to loose this wonder that I have of God. I'm hungry and I just want more of God and less of me. My prayer for this post is that you and I realize that the presence of God is powerful and life changing. That it is so sweet and humbling. It is the most beautiful, releasing, supernatural, healing, thing to ever exists. Let's hunger for God together. Let's be a generation that is so hungry for God. God thank you for Your presence.Thank you that we are so unworthy yet you allow us to experience the power and sweetness of You. Thank you for the Holy Spirit that fills us, leads us to you, and speaks words out of our mouths that are not of this world. If we are in pain and trials, sickness or hurt, God is there in the midst waiting for us to cry out to Him so that we can be filled. I know that I've written a lot of post on Fashioanbly Faithful about the presence of God, but it is something the Holy Spirit insist on and it can never be talked about enough! "You're presence is heaven to me."  Love you guys! I pray that you have a blessed week full of God's presence. He is everywhere.

    "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
     Matthew 5:6


   

His love. His Word.

Hi everyone! I hope you all have had a great beginning to your week. These past few days have been crazy with school and one thing I'm learning is that Jesus is at the midst of our crazy schedules. We might not even realize it until the end of the day when we get in the bed ad instantly start to reflect on all that we've done. We look back and realize "wow that was a total God thing, He kept me, provided for me, saved me." I've also found that God is found in some of the smallest of things. For example  two really awesome things have happened this week. Yesterday my roommates and I went grocery shopping and we walked to the store (terrible idea) we thought it would be easy but we didn't realize the serious struggle of holding 20 pound bags and walking a few miles back to campus. Needless to say we were struggling just to make it out of Target with the bags. So we just began praying "Jesus please send someone to give us a ride back to campus." As we were praying a woman drives up , roles down her window and offers us a ride. It was amazing and my roommates and I just went completely crazy and praised Jesus like there was no tomorrow. It was such a a little thing but a huge blessing God is so faithful! The other day I was in the library for 5 hours. It was awful, but God gave me the perseverance and strength I needed to complete my assignments and in return glorify Him. While I was working I was listening to music and the lyrics that came through my ears were "You gave me life You gave me the Holy Ghost, You put Your word in my heart and that I love the most." Those lyrics just sank into my spirit and I began to feel the love and presence of God right in the middle of the library. It never fails to amaze me that God puts His word in our broken sinful hearts and repairs them with His love. The Bible is sacred and  I think sometimes we can forget that. Reading God's word is vital. It teaches, convicts, guides, and allows us to encounter God in a deeper way. Some of us have heard this over and over that The Bible is more than just words on a page, but it can honestly never be said enough. God's Word is alive and active. It is a weapon against the enemy and forces of this world. We need it. I know that sometimes it can be difficult to read the bible everyday but we must make it a habit. God doesn't expect us to do it on our own so let our prayer be that God makes us hungry for Him, His Word and truth. We are washed and transformed by reading the Word. We are strengthens and encouraged as we read the promises of God and are filled with His Spirit. Let God's Word be the foundation of everything you believe and do. My prayer is that God's Word is so deeply rooted in you and I that it overflows out of our hearts and into the lives of everyone around us. We are the aroma of Christ and God wants to plant on hearts the beauty of His unfailing Word. Love you guys! "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." - Psalm 119:105
      Sofia





My favorite book, skirt, and amazing shoes that make me feel like a Spanish Princess.