Faith Spotlight ~ Arielle

I love to hear people's stories, especially faith stories. I get so excited after hearing how God is working in another life. It's so encouraging and refreshing to share such a special journey with someone else. With that being said, I am going to start hosting a Faith Spotlight every month. My goal is showcase our Great God in the lives of ordinary people. 

For the first one I have a lovely guest, Arielle. She is a young newly-wed, new mom and photographer, as well as a devoted Christ-follower. I can see her love for God radiating from the words I read on her blog. Her posts are always an encouragement to me. Well friends, she is here today to share part of her journey in the faith and I am very excited about it! If you haven't already, you can read her story on A Beautiful Journey.

Just look at her adorable family!

Hello! My name is Arielle and I have a little blog called A Beautiful Journey... I'm so glad to be able to share on this blog. Jennifer is awesome and she truly has a beautiful heart for Jesus. I was going to write out my testimony but, when I sat down to start writing (or, eh, typing) I didn't even know where to begin :) So instead, I'm just going to share a very honest part of my journey...

It seems like all through out my life I have been a quitter. Once upon a time I moved to Texas for a ministry school and...I left. In other words, I quit. Then, I went to a Bible college and I decided college wasn't really for me so, I quit. A while after this, I decided to go to a cosmetology school and guess what? I quit. 

I don't think I can count how many times I have quit different things through out my life. It is quite humbling and it also shows how I needed to learn a big lesson on perseverance. You see, all through out my life I was waiting to hear God's will for my life. "Maybe I should go to this college...but is it His will?"  "I don't feel like this is where I am supposed to be, God is not giving me confirmation that I'm supposed to be here... so I'm going to leave." Instead of taking a leap of faith and sticking with something, I would be afraid that I wasn't doing the right thing, and just give up.

This is a part of my testimony that I am not very proud of. Quitting has taught me many, many lessons. I finally realized that I cannot always sit around waiting for a 'sign from heaven' to see where God is leading me. I can't always quit, or I'm not going to get anywhere, ever.

Sometimes, the Lord does not always show us with some clear sign what we are to do and where we are to be. However, He does give us wisdom, guidance, and dear friends and family to help make important decisions. From there, we have the choice to persevere and give it all we have or shrink back in cowardliness because we are afraid we have made the wrong decision.

I've learned that the Lord leads us and gives us different opportunities. Take those opportunities (even if they are small) and truly make the best of them. He wants to see if we are faithful in the small things, and from there- bigger things will come. Don't be afraid, but instead persevere in faith....and most of all, don't quit! ;)

Blessings,

arielle