“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. - Romans 4: 18-21 Look up the word faith in the dictionary and you’ll find this definition: “Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” As a Christian, I’ve learned a lot about faith over the years. Faith is absolutely essential in order to walk with Christ. It takes faith to believe that God exists and that He is all powerful, omnipotent, omnipresent, loving, gracious, and merciful. It takes faith to believe that this God hears me when I speak out loud to Him in prayer. It takes faith to believe that God has three personas, one being Jesus Christ who came to earth as a human and died for my sins. That’s a lot of faith! But all these levels of faith are elementary in comparison to the faith spoken of in the verse above, Abraham’s faith… The Bible says, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed…” I read this recently and it struck me. I was literally shook. What does this mean?? In short it means that in a situation that was hopeless, Abraham still had hope. So for those who might not be familiar with Abraham, let me paint the scene for you. God promised this man that he would be the father of many nations and that his descendents would be more numerous than the stars in the sky. And yet, by the ripe old age of 99 he still had not had children. His wife was barren – her womb was dusty and there was NO earthly hope that she could conceive a child. And yet, Abraham still believed in the promise that God had spoken. God’s word was enough. Against ALL HOPE, he BELIEVED. What does is take to believe God even when all hope seems to be lost? It takes F A I T H. Faith is the heartfelt and whole-hearted belief in something that hasn’t happened yet. Faith is the vehicle that God uses to work miracles. Faith is more about WHO you’re putting your faith in than it is the miracle itself. Faith is transformative – as you believe God, you grow closer to Him and your mindset shifts towards what is possible with Him versus what is possible in your own might. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” - Hebrews 11: 1, 2 If you’re like me, you probably see Abraham’s great faith, are inspired by it, and are wondering how can I build up my own faith? Here are a few thoughts.
I’m praying that everyone who reads this will have an increased faith, a faith much like Abraham had. I know God is able to do this, and He will. Keep on blooming and building your faith. <3 Beryl
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These days there’s a lot of talk about #quarantine15 and all the extra weight people are gaining while staying at home. Unlike the #quarantine15 trend, I’ve personally been able lose weight over the past couple months and I’m proud of myself! My weight and fitness haven’t always been consistent over the years, but I make a solid effort to exercise regularly and eat right. This lifestyle began for me sometime during college as I was studying physiology and the importance of exercise for overall health. At that time, I felt inspired to make exercise part of my weekly routine. It’s never been easy, and it especially isn’t easy now as a full time working mom, but I believe that with determination, consistency, and the right systems in place, it is possible. I’m here to inspire you to take your own health into your hands, and make lifestyle changes that will benefit your health in the long term. As part of this discussion on overall health, I do have a confession – I love anything and everything chocolate flavored AND I also love French fries. Those are just a FEW of the junk foods I like to reach for. The good thing is that even with my sweet and salty cravings, I also value a healthy diet. It’s all about balance. A balanced, healthy diet is so important, but we all deserve to enjoy ourselves from time to time with our favorite cheat foods. Let me briefly discuss the ways I stay physically healthy even with my busy schedule and hopefully you can incorporate something you read here!
These are just a few of my habits for staying healthy and staying active. None of them are easy but with time, if you incorporate them into your lifestyle you will see positive results! What do you do to stay fit?? Leave a comment down below! <3 Beryl |
Author - BerylBeryl has a passion for writing pieces that uplift, inspire, and encourage you to bloom. She's been blogging since October 2018. Archives
March 2023
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