Sami
Sami is one of best friends from church and High School. She is someone who is so patient, kind, and has such a strong heart for the Lord! She has such a big heart for her friends and family. She truly is the reason that people believe in the goodness of God, is by the way she lives.
What does life look like and mean to you when you are fully remaining in Jesus?
So many people believe that if you read your Bible every day, go to church every Sunday, and worship with your hands in the air you are fully remaining in Jesus, and for a while, I believed that too. I felt I had to be the “perfect Christian” on the exterior, but it wasn’t until I truly put all my trust in God that I began to feel God’s presence more than ever before. There was a point in my life that I had my own vision on how I wanted my life to turn out and thought I knew all the steps to get there, and of course, by the end, I was just disappointed and so mad at God for not giving me what I thought I needed in my life to be happy. A close friend of mine shared a song with me called, “Different,” by Micah Tyler. I can remember playing this song over and over again as a prayer for God to change the way I prayed. Before, my prayers consisted primarily of “God do this” or “God does that,” but this song shifted my heart to ask God to do His will and not my own. Reading the Bible, going to church, and worshipping to God is all-important in learning about God and creating a relationship with Him. However, these actions can only take your relationship so far if your heart's not in the right place and surrendered to God. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ Matthew 22: 36-37
In what ways do you connect with God on a daily basis?
I wish I could say I was better with my habits on how I connect with God daily. I don’t have a specific routine I go through every day, but instead, I try to keep my communication and worship to God open-ended. Growing up I believed in order to talk to God I needed to have my eyes closed and fingers crossed, but as I have gotten older I realized that is not the only way. I began to be more intentional to talk to God whenever I’m in a moment of silence or stillness. Yes, I have had to be fairly unique on where I find these times, such as, while I’m driving, while I’m walking to class, or even while I’m in the shower. These may sound silly but I truly believe God does not care where I am or in what state of mind I am when I reach out to Him but instead is happy I am reaching. Another way I like to connect with God on a daily basis is through worship. I have found worship music to often be the words I am trying to say but can’t form or the words of encouragement to surrender all my pain and suffering to God when it has become too much for me to handle. There have been worship songs that I may have easily heard over fifty times, but out of nowhere I will listen to it one more time and it will take my breath away and move me to tears. God shows up in the most unexpected, but most perfect times because He is so good.
What are you currently doing to connect with God in the midst of what’s going on in the world and having to stay at home?
I can’t say I have been doing anything significantly different through the craziness that is going on within the world due to the virus. However, I have been more and more intentional with the time I give to God and how I speak to God. If I am being completely honest it has been difficult to keep all my faith in the goodness of God. I have gotten mad with God for ending my freshman year of college and taking my job away, as well as been angry for the rest of the world because not one person is not being affected by the virus. It wasn’t until I changed the way I spoke to God and asked for peace in the midst of the chaos that I found comfort that God is still so good and will provide in the ways we need Him to. Without God calming my heart as I pray and worship to him my anxiety about the situation would be unbearable.
Favorite Bible verse right now
Greater is He. -1 John 4:4
I’m always amazed by God’s timing of everything. I was scrolling through Pinterest one day of quarantine when I ran across this verse. It is only three words but took my breath away. Just before reading it, I had been thinking about all the craziness that is going on in the world. There is an abundance of fear, anger, anxiety, and hate that is filling every person in America. The virus has shaken up peoples’ lives. Not only did it close schools, take away precious memories from the class of 2020, canceled weddings, concerts, sports, but it also caused the loss of jobs, the isolation of people, and worst of all taken the lives of many. These three words reminded me that even though the world may feel like it is falling apart at its seam, God is so much greater than it all. We can’t forget that God is the creator of all things good and has a plan for each and every one of us. We may not understand or we may be angry with God for everything going on but this verse reminded me that God has, is, and always will be good and faithful.
♡ Sami
Sami is 19 years old. She goes to Azusa Pacific University. Her favorite place is the beach. Her guilty pleasure is freshly baked chocolate chip cookies!
Follow Sami on Instagram @samanthabonaldo
