Amy A.

Today, Amy speaks to us about family unity, learning to pray without perfection and the night that changed her life forever. Thank you for sharing, Amy!

Inspiring biblical passage of the moment: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Spiritual growth focus at the moment:  I am going through the journey of trusting my journey and acceptance of the Lord in my life. Through my life, I tried to live a life with God, and also cheat my way into living a life of sin. But I realized that, who am I really fooling? The Lord has made me for a reason, and the miracles and blessings He has already blessed me with is just a little bit to the amounts He would give me if I truly let Him. So who’s really losing? That was the question I asked myself before I made the choice and knew that it was my time to really let God in. Strength, patience, guidance is what I pray every single day. Strength to let me see what I refuse to see, patience so I can let my blessings come to me at God’s timing, and guidance that the Lord uses me to help one or plenty in this world that lacks acceptance, love, and unity.

“But I realized that, who am I really fooling?”

Profession: Tax Prep Associate and Administrative Associate for NJ Division of Consumer Affairs.

A one sentence bio of yourself: I am a daughter, a sister, a woman, a future mother, a potential wife.

When did you first encounter God and how did you encounter Him? God has always been present in my life. I can’t really remember when my first encounter was. But the one that impacted me the most, is the summer before I turned 15. That summer, I almost died, and went through 2 different surgeries in the span of 10 days. The night I almost died, I remember every single detail of that night; what I heard, what I saw, what I felt, what I smelled. After waking up at the hospital, there was a prayer group surrounding me. I closed my eyes and just started to cry because for the first time, I realized there was a reason why God didn’t take me away that night. Before everything happened, I struggled with self-harm, depression, and feeling lost. But that night, made everything else quiet because of my purpose.

“But that night, made everything else quiet because of my purpose.”

What has helped you grow spiritually in this season? Worship helped me grow spiritually. I was always so afraid to pray, because I am an over-thinker. Someone who wants to “get it right”. But worship has helped me sink into the music, and let go of my mind and thoughts that take me away from serving God.

“I was always so afraid to pray, because I am an over-thinker.”

Just read/currently reading (and what has it taught you?): Currently not reading anything but focusing that my relationship with God is good. If that’s good in my life, everything else is, too.

Top three essentials: My journal, my headphones with my phone, and a good smelling candle.

How did God speak to you recently? “Let go of things that are out of your control, and trust me. What I have for you is much more than this.” My biggest struggle is letting go of things I can’t control, so I’ve heard this much more recently than ever.

Hobby: I like to hike and photography of sceneries. I don’t get to do it very often because I work a lot, but I find some peace when I think of previous hiking trails I’ve done, in the past. Also, enjoy sports and being with my siblings, when we are all in a good mood!

Top three practical tips for staying spiritually strong:

-Surround yourself with people, if you can find people around your age that will remind you of the love God has for you.

-Pray every chance you get that God takes away anything and everything that takes you away from Him. AND LISTEN.

-Listen to what God says. Sometimes we get too involved in this crazy, running world that we fail to listen. When God is in your life, everything is like slow motion, slow enough that you will appreciate what you have in a whole other level and see what’s from God and what’s not.

What do you want people to learn about God when they look at you? That God doesn’t care for the people we pretend to be in this world, but God loves us UNCONDITIONALLY for all the messy things inside of us. If we believe that in true faith, depression, lack of self-worth, weakness, doubt, insecurities, etc. will be gone, taken away because it takes us away from God.

Favorite season? Fall. SO many family oriented holidays, my birthday, and the change of colors in nature make up the reason why fall is my favorite season.

Favorite holiday? Christmas is my favorite, reason being our family traditions and building new ones.

A dream you have? To inspire young women, little girls, older women, that we are powerful. I believe in inspiring women to forget every single mold society has placed on us, based on race, age, religion, belief, personality. No matter what we do as woman, we will forever be judged. And we can’t change those who judge us, so why not change our sense to care [about] that judgment and believe in ourselves and dominate fences that keep us from flourishing.

A special tradition you and your family engage in or keep: One for all and all for one. My family goes to every single event, trip, or occasion together. Being present in each other’s lives is important in my family, whether it’s a soccer game, a choir concert, a drum assembly, an award ceremony, we always show up for each other.

“We always show up for each other.”

Question you will ask when you get to heaven? Did I do good, God?

Thing you want to raise awareness about: The lack of confidence we give young girls. The lack of empowerment we give women. The fact that females are structured to go through depression, self-hate, unworthiness, for some to become believers of strength, and power within ourselves, and some don’t make it at all and live on to fill a mold and unhappy.

What do you usually do before 9 a.m.? I get up to get my little sister ready for school, work out, make breakfast, or lunch for the day.

What is on your nightstand? A candle I bought at Marshall’s, make-up remover wipes (in case I am too lazy to get up to take my make-up off), my phones, and my journal.

Define Christianity in a sentence: The process in which we learn God is our Father, and His love and grace will be poured into us, for us to radiate the same to others in this world.

For more Amy:

IG: @amyadrianar

Until next time, keep witnessing!

XOXO