Although I made the decision to believe in Christ at a young age, God has continued to grow my faith in the years since.

A few years ago, I was on a mission trip surveying homeless people to find how we can best serve them. Our team was able to bless two homeless men with lunch and shelter. Before we left, we asked one of the men how we could pray for him. He requested we pray that he would have hope. A few hours before this, our team devotional focused on the verse 2 Corinthians 3:12:

“Therefore since we have such a hope, we can be very bold.”

This simple conversation opened my eyes to the power of the Gospel, the sovereignty of our Savior, and the importance of effective communication.

We are able to find hope in the midst of stress, chaos, fear and confusion by spending time with God. We can get to know God, our Holy Creator, by reading His word, the Bible, and conversing with Him through prayer. We can also find hope through community and fellowship with friends and family who also believe in God. We can share our burdens and joys together and pray for one another. Galatians 6:2 reads, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

I grew up surrounded by other Christians, and my mother was the children’s pastor at our church. For years, I would attend church on Sunday morning, leaving the house before sunrise and getting home late in the afternoon. It was not a typical childhood, but it provided me with the opportunity to learn many Bible stories and attributes of God.

However, as I grew older, I realized I did not have a relationship with God. I knew about Him, but I did not personally know God. I did not love Him the way He loves me.

When I was twelve years old, my mother resigned from her job as children’s pastor, following a calling that the Lord placed on her heart. And two days later, my father’s position at his company was terminated. Though stress and worry crept into my mind about how our family could survive, I learned to rely on God. He revealed himself to me in ways I have never experienced. He gave our family peace and showed me His provision.

During this transitional time, my family decided to become missionary staff with Cru, Campus Crusade for Christ. This journey led our family on global mission trips, connecting us with Christians all around the world. I have grown tremendously in my faith through this experience.

Similar to the lawyer testing God in the book of Luke 10, I found myself questioning God and growing towards a deeper relationship with Him.

“And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? How do you read it?’ And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’ And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” -Luke 10:25-28

As I have grown in my faith, I have learned the importance of talking to God through prayer and reading His word, the Bible. It is critical to listen and talk to God because He loves us. He loves us with an abundant, everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).

Today, walk in hope. Remember that you are not alone in this journey. There are many other women seeking the Lord and His mercy and love, similar to you. Draw near to God through prayer, His word and, most importantly, love. Abundantly love your God, who created you and fills your lungs with each and every breath. Above all else, believe in the Lord and have hope only in Him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emma Lown is a Communication student at Lancaster Bible College. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends while hiking, traveling, taking photos, writing and running. Often nicknamed “Smiley” or “Smiley-Eyes,” Emma radiates her faith and joy. She loves new adventures and has a desire to always learn more. She has traveled globally with Global Aid Network and Jesus Film Mission Trips to capture the stories of those she meets. She is passionate about spreading love and kindness to everyone. She has been published in her school’s newspaper, the Focus, and the Conscious Magazine.