Clerissa H.

Inspiring biblical passage of the moment: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” John 14:1

Spiritual growth focus at the moment: Self-care; my own relationship with God before anything else.

Profession: Baker! Yes, I love baking. I have a humble online business that specializes in chocolate tarts.

A one sentence bio of yourself: Yet not I, but the grace of God within me.

When did you first encounter God? I would say around the age of 14? I have been going to church since I was about 10, but truly experienced God, I would say, around 14-ish.

What has helped you grow spiritually in this season? Definitely my @graceandchocolate Instagram page, and all my new friends there. Every day, I scroll through my feed and feel encouraged by all their posts and captions. It’s very important to have a supportive community that helps you grow in Christ.

Just read/currently reading: Currently reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan. Loving it! I will be blogging about it, real soon.

Top three essentials: Phone (With a Bible app in it, of course, *laughs*), headphones and wallet.

How did God speak to you recently? As weird as it sounds, through song lyrics. I know it may sound absurd, but He does it quite so often nowadays, and I’m loving it!

Hobby: Baking, cooking, singing, photography and reading.

Top three practical tips for staying spiritually strong: First, you gotta know His promises for you, through reading His words. I believe that is important because you need to be able to declare His promises over your situations. Second, surround yourself with supportive and encouraging friends that edify and speak truth over your life. Lastly, always appreciate the little things. A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles (and other awesome things, trust me).

“A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles”

Favorite person in scripture? I would say David. I love his heart of worship for the Lord. As a worshiper at church, I admire him so much. The way he worships the Lord and just sings psalms to glorify the Lord, even when things are not as easy.

What do you want people to learn about God when they look at you? I have always think of making my life an open Bible. I once read a quote that goes something like this: Many people may not have the access to a Bible or simply the Truth, but we can always live our lives like an open Bible – filled with His values, His wisdom and love so that other people will experience Him through our lives.

“[W]e can always live our lives like an open Bible – filled with His values, His wisdom and love so that other people will experience Him through our lives.”

Favorite season? I live in Indonesia, where there is only one season throughout the year–summer. But to be honest, I love autumn.

Favorite holiday? Of course, Christmas!

A special tradition you and your family engage in or keep: I am half Chinese, so we keep Chinese traditions. I don’t really enjoy them because sometimes they’re just a hassle, but hey, they make our families grow closer, so why not?

Question you will ask when you get to heaven? This is a question that I never ever have thought of, to be honest. But now that I am asked, I would say, “Where is Jesus?”

Thing you want to raise awareness about: Racism. I know this is a very sensitive topic. but coming from a minority, even in my own country, I just can’t stand racism. Being a Chinese/Christian in the largest Moslem country ain’t easy, so I would really like it if I could raise awareness about stopping racism and religious discrimination.

What do you usually do before 9 a.m.? Before 9.am, I usually pray first, then check my Instagram, and get ready for my baking!

Define Christianity in a sentence: Christianity is not so much of a religion, but it is a relationship between us and God.