Believe in You Page 3
After we moved to Los Angeles when most of us were teenagers, we experienced a lot of pushback from the entertainment industry for our values. Pressure came from our record label, from stylists, and from music industry professionals who told us we needed to conform to the industry’s values by dressing more risqué, singing songs with messages that went against our values, and conforming to the notion that women need to be sexualized to have success in the music industry.
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Although we are far from perfect, our faith has been the guiding principle to keep us on track in life.
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The immense pressure and constant trials drained us to the core. After five years, we were sick of it and on the verge of quitting music. Luckily, we moved to Nashville at just the right moment, and everything changed for us! With full creative control, we became a lot more positive and reenergized about making music and creating content. The common thread and core of our message came from our faith in God. Without our faith, we would not be who we are in every way. It literally informs everything we do.
In this chapter, we want to start sharing with you who God is to us. And because we know a relationship with Him is so important, we’ll talk about getting closer to God through prayer and developing a personal relationship with Him as well as connecting with people and sharing faith with those who don’t share the faith. God tells us, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV).
WHO IS GOD TO ME?
No matter where you are on the religion and spirituality scale, from “very spiritual” to “not at all,” you probably have your own ideas about who God is or isn’t. We think the best way to start thinking about your spiritual self is answering the question, “Who is God to me?” Here’s how we’d answer.
Dani
God is my rock. He is always there, even when I can’t feel Him. He is constant; He is love; He is forever within me.
I realize that God gives us everything we could ever need, but sometimes I don’t even appreciate it. I take so much for granted every day, but I should be waking up and seeing those beautiful pink flowers outside my window that the Lord blessed us with and thanking Him for that.
God is someone who loves me more than anyone else on earth does, but He is someone I struggle to love. Loving Him is a conscious decision I have to make. Praying, reading, and living out His Word is such a hard thing for me to do sometimes, but it’s worth it. There are times I don’t always feel He is there, but I always know He is. It’s crazy, because we can’t see Him, but somehow I feel more whole than ever when I feel close with Him.
I cannot describe how I got here, or how He created a whole universe, but I can describe the feeling of security I get from Him. It doesn’t last forever, because I am only human, but the times when I am praying, reading the Bible, listening in Mass, and doing all the things I love are the times I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Lisa
When I think of God, I think of an understanding Father. I think of someone who cares and hears me and wants good things for me. I’ve never seen Him as a mean, judgmental dude who’s gonna strike me down at any second or some invisible being that doesn’t care. I’ve felt His presence before, definitely.
I was at my uncle’s house on a warm July night in 2011, and I was outside, lying on their trampoline. The sun had just set, so it was still a little light, but I could see a lot of stars coming out. I was listening to positive songs on my iPod about what’s important in life and how I’ll never need more than what I have. I felt so grateful and happy to be alive, regardless of what was going right or wrong in my life. For the first time (I think ever), I started to cry tears of joy.
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When I think of God, I think of an understanding Father.
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I felt God all around me in that moment. And that’s what God is to me: peace. He’s an overwhelming sense of joy, a safe place. I don’t have to be perfect, because I am accepted, appreciated, wanted, cherished, and loved by Him at all times, regardless of what I’m going through. God truly is love.
The less I worry about worldly things (money, my looks, what people think of me, competing with others, comparing myself, work, things like that) and the more I focus my brain on loving myself and the people around me and just appreciating each simple moment, the more connected to God I feel.
The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
PHILIPPIANS 4:7
Christina
God is my source of peace, strength, and light. Simply put, God is love. When I broke down and finally admitted to myself that I cannot in fact carry the weight of the world on my shoulders alone, God stepped in for me and gave me strength to ask for help. God is a warm feeling of peace washing over me. He’s a light guiding my every step. He is love enveloping me when I need it most. God guides me, protects me, carries me, calms me, and loves me. He warns me, nudges me, redirects me, and sometimes keeps things from me. He is hope. He is more than our human conception of Him. He is the one thing above all that grounds me and gives me life. I know that no matter what happens in my life, I can always look to Him for guidance, peace, and love. With Him, I am accepted. I am fully known. I am loved regardless of my mistakes or my flaws. I don’t have to pretend or try to be anything with God. He is unconditional love. Ultimate acceptance. Radical mercy. God is a never-ending, life-giving source for me. He is my anchor. A fount of love. God is the one ever-present, constant, and unchanging thing in this ever-changing and unsteady world.
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God is my source of peace, strength, and light. Simply put, God is love.
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Lauren
God is the realist homie on the block. Haha. But for real . . . you could literally reject Him and insult Him and hate Him, but He would never stop loving you. God is really the only one I know I can count on. When everything is chaotic and horrible and constantly changing, He is the same. He will always love me no matter what. Sometimes I don’t understand why He loves me, because I am definitely not a perfect person. I go through a lot of spiritual down times where I feel very disconnected from Him. But every time I think I can get through things on my own and I don’t need Him or anyone else, I am always proved wrong. I cannot survive and thrive without Him; it is impossible. He is a comfort and refuge in a world where those things don’t even seem to exist. When I am able to let go of my pride and give Him control of my life, I am always amazed at how good He is. He wants the best for me and for every one of His children.
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I want God to speak and live through me, and I want my life to bring glory to Him.
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A lot of times I don’t understand why He lets things happen the way they do or why He made me the way I am, but I don’t know how I could ever expect to understand the Creator of the universe when I don’t even understand the universe He created. I want Him to be pulling my strings. I want Him to speak and live through me, and I want my life to bring glory to Him.
Amy
When I think of God, I think of a protector. I think of a guiding light that’s always got my best interests at heart. God is the one thing that keeps me grounded; when everything is feeling out of control, I can look to Him to have my back. Knowing that He is there for me brings me so much peace. Even if I feel like nobody is there for me in the entire world, I can take comfort knowing that He is.
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[God] is the Giver, and I have had to learn how to let myself receive all He has for me!
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God is my very beginning and everything up until the ultimate end. His love and direction give my life purpose and stability. I know He will always be there. I feel closest to Him when I am empty and broken and searching for His light, but also when I am overflowing with love and gratitude. I feel His presence when I’m in nature, while I am watching the sun set, or even when walking near a beauti
ful field.
To me, He is the reason for my life. He is the Giver, and I have had to learn how to let myself receive all He has for me! I firmly believe that God feels different to all of us. I believe we all have different views and experiences in how we relate to Him. How I relate to Him is going to be totally different from how anyone else relates to Him because we all have completely different life experiences that shape how we view Him. Remember that. Explore who He is, and He will reveal Himself to you! All you have to do is ask Him to meet you halfway.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in distress.
PSALM 46:2
Katherine
I remember first having an awareness of God when I was twelve. I experienced Him as a warm, love-light Being who loved and cared for me very much. As I struggled with insecurity, anxiety, family problems, self-esteem, and identity, I knew in the back of my mind that the Creator was present with me and I could come to Him as a safe place to rest.
I didn’t begin to understand God on a deeper level until I was seventeen. This was when I began having very real, personal encounters with Him. These experiences came during prayer, when I would feel totally washed in His love and freed from the usual constraints of my mind—anxiety, fear, and judgment of myself. For a few brief moments during these encounters, I could see myself as God created me—flawed but lovable. Not the best, not the worst, yet infinitely important and somehow precious to this omnipotent Being.
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When I experience God, there is no greater feeling. It is a definite knowing that all will be well—complete peace.
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When I experience God, there is no greater feeling. It is a definite knowing that all will be well—complete peace. It is an overwhelming, powerful feeling of love for all people—a tidal wave of compassion. It is being washed clean from sin, guilt, and shame—exhilarating freedom. To this day, nothing on earth has compared to the intense joy and fulfillment I have experienced with God.
PRAYER: HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH GOD
We’ve learned that the best way to start praying is just to start. Just do it, even if it feels awkward, and know that God isn’t judging you by how eloquent or “perfect” your prayer is. He really just wants to hear from you. Here’s how prayer plays a part in our lives.
Lauren
I’ve learned the most important thing is to be honest. If you’re not being honest with God, it’s kind of pointless to pray—especially since He already knows what you’re thinking and how you’re feeling.
Okay, so if He already knows, why do I need to tell Him? Because it’s about connecting with Him and making Him a part of your life. How do you do that? It’s the same thing you do with your friends. You tell them about yourself and how your day was and what’s going on with you (even if sometimes they already know these things). You talk to them regularly. You tell them how you appreciate having them in your life. You express your gratitude to them. If they’re a really big part of your life, you have them in the back (or front) of your mind most of the day.
That’s how it should be with prayer.
Give yourself some time before you go to sleep to tell God about your day. Tell Him how you felt about everything that happened and what you were grateful for. Ask Him your questions and tell Him your thoughts. Tell Him you love Him if you feel like it. If you’re mad, tell Him what you’re mad about. If you need help with something, ask Him.
I have the tendency to be a people pleaser and to try to appear perfect to everyone; so sometimes it’s hard for me to be honest in prayer because I think, I’m not perfect. I sin and offend Him, like, every day, so why would He even want to talk to me? He wants to because He loves us. He knows we’re not perfect and we never will be. All He wants is for us to try our best and to love Him.
Amy
Prayer is the root of our relationship with God. In my experience, I’ve found it’s important to be fully focused when I pray. God doesn’t require your whole day, just your full attention! Remember: God knows you deeper than anyone. He will never reject you, and He’s the best listener!
Meditation is another amazing way to pray. Clear your mind and focus on your breathing. Repeat a phrase or verse from Scripture, and really focus on it. There are all sorts of beautiful practices that help us in our prayer life. For instance, I love praying the Rosary, a Catholic practice. It centers me and calms me down. It’s also helpful when I can’t sleep!
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God knows you deeper than anyone. He will never reject you, and He’s the best listener!
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Explore your mind and your relationship with God. Anytime you use a skill or talent He gave you, it’s an opportunity to connect with Him. You are praising Him and enjoying all He has given you. Prayer is different for all of us, so try out different things until you figure out what you connect with most.
GETTING CLOSER TO GOD
In addition to prayer, here are a few more things we do to get closer to God. These habits bring strength and clarity to our souls, build us up, and make us stronger in our faith.
Christina
In my experience, getting closer to God is all about developing daily habits. As with friendships, you need to put in daily effort if you want your relationship with God to grow. This concept seems almost too simple, but if you apply it in your own life, you will see what I mean.
On top of daily prayer, here are some habits that could help you develop a closer relationship with God:
LISTENING
Set aside time, even if it’s just a few moments, to listen to God. This can be on a walk, sitting in your bed, or anywhere, really. Just make the effort to be in silence for a moment and ask God to speak to you as a part of your prayer time. Open your heart up to His voice and see what He has to say.
READING AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT HIM
God gave us the Bible so we could learn about Him. And we have not only this but whole libraries of books by wise people who tell us about Him and about their own experiences with God. Look around for a subject you’re interested in that has to do with God, and choose a book about it. You don’t have to read a whole book every week or anything crazy; just start out with creating a daily ritual of reading, for instance, five pages before bed. The practice of doing it every day will make a big impact.
SOME OF OUR FAVORITE SPIRITUAL BOOKS
Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis
Time for God and Searching for and Maintaining Peace by Jacques Philippe
Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott
Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
The Interior Castle by Saint Teresa of Ávila
The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas1
WATCHING YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF PEOPLE SHARING THEIR FAITH OR LISTENING TO BOOKS ON TAPE
This is another easy one. I do this in the morning when I’m making breakfast or while I’m cleaning or doing laundry. It’s so simple to just turn on the wisdom, listen, and get something else done at the same time.
MUSIC
Listening to praise and worship music (or any songs that make you feel connected to God) is not only fun but also very effective in strengthening your relationship with Him. I’ve made this a daily habit by listening to Christian music when I shower. Making it a part of another daily habit is a great way to help it stick.
OUR FAVORITE WORSHIP MUSIC PLAYLIST
“You Say” by Lauren Daigle
“Maybe It’s OK” by We Are Messengers
“Thy Will” by Hillary Scott and the Scott Family
“I Love You, Lord” by Matt Maher
“Speak Life” by TobyMac
“Need You More” by For King & Country
“Fearless” by Jasmine Murray
“O God Forgive Us” by For King & Country
“King of My Heart” by Bethel Music (the Kutless version is awesome too!)
; “How He Loves” by David Crowder Band
“Pieces” by Amanda Cook
“I Shall Not Want” by Audrey Assad
“Let Your Love Be Strong” by Switchfoot
“I Won’t Let You Go” by Switchfoot
“Hills and Valleys” by Tauren Wells
“I Don’t Wanna Go” by Chris Renzema
“Little Girl” by His Own
“No Longer Slaves” by Bethel Music
Katherine
Something I’ve learned the last several years is not to base my relationship with God on emotional highs. The truth is, in your walk with Him, you will experience many ups and downs.
Encountering a season of spiritual dryness (a time when you don’t really feel God’s presence) does not necessarily mean you did anything wrong. It especially does not mean you should give up on God—but even if you did, He would never give up on you. Your relationship with God grows through a commitment, and commitment cannot be based in feelings. Feelings come and go. But commitments are steadfast and devoted to enduring all seasons of life together.
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Something I’ve learned the last several years is not to base my relationship with God on emotional highs.
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Here are some of the things that have been really helpful for me in getting closer to God.
A DEDICATED MORNING ROUTINE