Tailah

Today, Tailah speaks to us about how caring for foreigners is biblical, speaking life into others, and how our hearts are like pitchers.

Tailah

Inspiring biblical passage of the moment: “Delight in The Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

I have been dissecting this verse for over a month now, by going to back to the original Hebrew text and seeking The Lord on its true meaning.

Spiritual growth focus at the moment: Discovering my identity in Christ, and who He created me to be. Not who I want to be or try to be. 

Profession: University student, music artist, intern at Redjett artist management, blogger, and writer.

A one sentence bio of yourself: Hey! I’m Tailah. I was born and raised in Nashville, and love to lead worship, paint, write songs, snuggle cats, and blog!  

When did you first encounter God and how did you encounter Him? I grew up in church, but my first significant encounter with God was on Oct 9, 2011. The day I was baptized. I remember coming out of the water and feeling indescribable peace, and complete purity. I began so laugh and cry. But it didn’t end there—I got home from church later that day, and my mother, grandmother, and friend prayed for me to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit! This was the game changer, ya’ll. The Holy Spirit made His home in my heart that day, and I felt a wholeness that I didn’t know existed. I heard God’s voice for the first time, and daily after that. It felt like my whole life before that was in black and white, and suddenly turned to color.

What has helped you grow spiritually in this season? Staying in the word and asking the Holy Spirit to fill me daily. The Bible says that we are vessels. I think of my heart as an empty pitcher. If we are not being filled with God and his Spirit daily, we run on the world’s water and resources. I notice that when I am running low or on empty, I become aggravated, short, or annoyed with people. Or my pride starts to rear its ugly head; things like that. But when we are filled to overflowing with Him, we exhibit the fruits of the spirit and are actually a blessing to those around us!

Just read/currently reading (and what has it taught you?): I recently read He Already Put a Ring On It by Shari Loveday.

This book is phenomenal and illustrates what having an intimate relationship with Christ looks like as the bridegroom. It taught me how to be fulfilled and content in my relationship with Him alone. It brought me to a deeper level with God and opened my eyes to the gift that singleness is. We live in a society that tells you that you are picked over or unwanted if you are single, but in reality, God wants to romance you and sweep you off of your feet first, so when love does come, you can identify it correctly.   

“In reality, God wants to romance you and sweep you off of your feet first, so when love does come, you can identify it correctly.”   

Top three essentials:

1.    iPhone

2.    Wallet

3.    MacBook

How did God speak to you recently? We speak daily, but a theme lately has been boldly speaking life into others. I think many times, we can get caught up in worrying if something was just a thought, a feeling, or the voice of God. We are insecure and because of this, we are reluctant to give words of encouragement from God to others. I have been stepping out of my comfort zone in this area, and as a result, have touched the lives of many friends, family members, and even strangers!

Hobbies: Singing and writing songs, baking, painting, playing guitar & piano, fashion, and photography!

Top three practical tips for staying spiritually strong:

1.    Wear your armor daily! (Ephesians 6)

2.    Stay in the word. When we know scripture and the nature of God, we are not easily swayed by opinions, false teachings, doubt, and confusion.

3.    Pray in the Spirit. Sometimes, we don’t know what to pray for, but our spirit does. The Bible says that praying in tongues edifies the spirit, and a prayer that is empowered by the spirit of God is effective and powerful. I know this area gets a little controversial, but scripture is clear that this spiritual gift should be exercised personally, not on a stage or in front of people (unless someone is present with the gift of interpreting tongues). *see 1 Cor:12

“Sometimes, we don’t know what to pray for, but our spirit does.”

Favorite person in scripture? Oh man, this is a hard one. I feel like Jesus is a given, so besides that, it’s got to be a tie between Ester, Deborah, and Paul. I love how bold, brave, and full of faith Esther and Deborah were. They were strong women leaders who were empowered by God in a culture that degraded women. And Paul is just a legend! All of the miracles and crazy stories of imprisonment and preaching salvation to the masses—wow. I hope to be as bold and full of faith as Paul.

What do you want people to learn about God when they look at you? I want people to see and learn about the wisdom of God when they look at me. I have a deep desire and love for teaching the word of God, and that’s what my blog focuses on.

Favorite season? FALL.

Favorite holiday? Easter or New Years! I think I love the idea of rebirth and new beginnings. New Year’s is full of the excitement, promise, and endless limitations of a brand-new year! And Easter is our spiritual reminder that we have been born-again and completely made new because of the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross.

“I think I love the idea of rebirth and new beginnings.”

A dream you have? To look out into a crowd and hear people singing songs I wrote to connect with Jesus.

A special tradition you and your family engage in or keep: We always play Dirty Santa on Christmas day, and it’s actually SO wild and fun because my family is massive.

Question you will ask when you get to heaven? “Is salvation predestined, or up to our own free will?

Thing you want to raise awareness about: Immigrants and refugees in the United States. How caring for foreigners is biblical, the heart of Jesus, and relevant in 2018.  

“How caring for foreigners is biblical, the heart of Jesus, and relevant in 2018.”  

What do you usually do before 9 a.m.? I have quiet time! I love to start my day in the word. I read, talk to God, journal, and pray before I even look at my phone or start getting ready.

What is on your nightstand? Pumpkin scented candles, an essential oil diffuser, my Bible, journal, and a chocolate cake recipe from my best friend!

Define Christianity in a sentence: Christianity is a personal, raw, and real relationship with God.

For more Tailah:

Instagram: @tailahj

Website/blog: www.thechosengirl.info

Until next time, keep witnessing!

XOXO