Faith Works
Hey friends,
We hope you're all doing well as we reach the end of January. Can you believe how fast time has gone by? It seems as though we were just celebrating the New Year. For me (Marissa), it also seems like just yesterday I was making Movement my home church. This October, I will have been here 10 years. WOW! Jesse has now been here for 3 years as of this week! As I approach my tenth anniversary, I've had lots of thoughts, desires, and hopes about my faith. I've hoped I'd be a better bible reader, that I would pray more, that I would serve more. All beautiful thoughts... that I have while scrolling on TikTok endlessly. *cue Oh No song*
Seriously though, do you ever make plans or have dreams for yourself of being rich, being famous, living large, or just having a cleaner room, yet you make no moves to get you there? Does anyone else watch countless TikToks that make you want to get up and get your whole life together when you should be sleeping for school the next day? It can't just be Jesse and me! You give yourself hope with this plan in your head - that you don't know how to get started. The pressure you put on yourself is overwhelming! It's tough. I used to think, "When I'm an adult, I'll have a nice house, and I'll never worry about money." Let me tell you, that requires lots of work. The good thing about these desires of your heart is they are all possible if you have faith. Here and now! This is the good news! Hoping means it might happen. Our living hope in Christ means we have it now. The word says God has a plan to give us hope and a future. Let's also remember what the Bible says, and our pastors echo - "Faith without works is dead." We can't just have faith and not do our part.
When Pastor Dre said how we want to have this stronger, bigger faith, but we don't put ourselves in a position to receive mentorship and get there, it really hit me. It hit both of us. What are we doing to put ourselves in the way of bigger faith?! Am I really just hoping one day I'll be a better Christian? I don't want to get to my 10th year and look back at all my broken, empty hopes of faith and ministry. I don't want to go 10 years further into my life and look around to see myself in the same place and in my same mess. I don't want to hope; I want a bigger faith. I want to have faith in Christ and follow His leadership. I want only the living hope in Christ Jesus, not hope in the world. I want to place myself in the way of the blessings!
We gotta do something different, friends. What are you simply hoping for instead of having faith for? Are you believing God for the provisions in your life, or are you just hoping time will allow it to happen? Change your words, your mindset, and your posture. Believe that God is in control and ask for an increased measure of faith! We want to pray with you for the things you have faith for. Let us know on Instagram how we can pray and believe with you.
We love you so much!
Jesse and Marissa
