Erin O.

Inspiring biblical passage of the moment: Ephesians 2:8 is my life verse because it is a constant reminder to me that it was through His grace and my step of faith that I am eternally saved. It helps me keep things in perspective about my own life as well as enable me to speak life into people who don’t yet understand His beautiful gift of grace.

Spiritual growth focus at the moment: Self-discipline is a big need for me. I haven’t been on a schedule in over sixteen years as a full-time mom. Now that my children are getting older, and now homeschooled, days seem lacking in structure for me. I know I can accomplish so much more if I would simply focus on being more structured, so I can be my best.

Profession: Full-time stay-at-home mom, blogger, author, Bible study teacher, lay leader in my church.

A one sentence bio of yourself: I am simply a woman chasing after Jesus trying to do my best each and every day to honor Him and serve my family and community.

When did you first encounter God and how did you encounter Him? I grew up going to church and knew who God was, but I didn’t encounter Jesus until I was 34 years old. God had been pursuing both myself and my husband for over a year, really intensely. I was a churchgoer and felt like we needed to change churches.

At the same time, my husband began doing business with some men who were evangelical Christians. They led him to Jesus, and shortly after that, I became under attack in my dreams at night. It was a super scary season for me… months of night terrors and fear during the day. I was trying to figure out what it all meant and I felt an urgent need to get to another state to meet the person who led my husband to the Lord. When we finally made it all happen, this person asked me, “What happened to you when you were three years old?” It was a question that had been haunting me all summer. I crumbled and with a weak, but desperate faith, said “Yes” to Jesus being Lord of my life. That night as I lay in bed, I had a several hour conversations with God about my life and said, “Anything and everything” and that I was tired of doing it alone.

It was in that moment I felt an electric sensation and a peace that overwhelmed me. I didn’t know until years later that people refer to this as a “baptism of the Holy Spirit.” I am so thankful I didn’t know anything about it because I truly believe that had I not had that conversation with God that night after saying the sinner’s prayer, my life wouldn’t look like it does today. Salvation is one thing, but living for the Lord all the days of your life is a whole different story.

“Salvation is one thing, but living for the Lord all the days of your life is a whole different story.”

What has helped you grow spiritually in this season? Time in the Word always helps me grow and be challenged. When I read the Bible, it always reminds that nothing and no one is out of His reach and control.

Just read/currently reading (and what has it taught you?): Church is a Team Sport by Jim Putman – reminded me that church isn’t about me or anyone else for that matter; it is all about and for the glory of God. We’ve got to stop competing within the Church, and we also have to treat those who are a part of the Church as if they matter.

“We’ve got to stop competing within the Church, and we also have to treat those who are a part of the Church as if they matter.” 

Top three essentials:

Sunglasses

iPhone

Bible w/a pen (does that count as four things?!?!?)

How did God speak to you recently? God has been continually speaking to me over the past year and a half about how to see people the way He sees people… fatherless until they know Him.

Hobby: Exercise and reading

Top three practical tips for staying spiritually strong:

Stay in the Word, always.

Keep a prayer journal so you can remember your conversations with the Lord, answers to prayers, requests, etc.

Attend church and be a participant instead of a spectator.

Favorite person in scripture? Abigail.

What do you want people to learn about God when they look at you? God saved a sinner like me.

Favorite season? Fall.

Favorite holiday? Thanksgiving – no expectation of gifts… just family and food and remembrance.

A dream you have? Speak at large conferences

A special tradition you and your family engage in or keep: Every year, my husband puts together a list of Christmas to-do’s around Thanksgiving… fun outings all month long to celebrate the month of December (he loves Christmas).

Question you will ask when you get to heaven? I’m pretty sure I won’t have any questions… only answers right in front of me.

Thing you want to raise awareness about:

I’m burdened by several things:

1)   The fact that many people are just like I was. I went to church for decades but didn’t know Jesus.

2)   The power available to believers through the Holy Spirit

3)   Any sort of abuse to a child… sexual, physical, trafficking… it has to stop.

“I went to church for decades but didn’t know Jesus.”

What do you usually do before 9 a.m.? Two cups of coffee, daily devotional, Bible reading, prayer.

What is on your nightstand? An antique compass a friend recently gave me to always remind me of True North, a picture of me and my grandfather from my wedding, a lamp, an alarm clock, a daily devotional to pray over my children, and always a bottle of water

Define Christianity in a sentence: Christianity is a way of life and surrender to Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and has nothing to do with religion.

Site: sandalfeet.org