Rebecca P.

Today, Rebecca speaks to us about faith in a new season and the importance of devotional time.

Tell us a bit about how you grew up and your childhood: Growing up my dad was in the Navy. He retired when I was in 7th grade, so up to that point in my life we were moving with Naval orders every three years or so and lived everywhere from Guam to Groton, CT. No matter where we were, my mom always found a VBS for me to go to and a church to be involved in. I know, I am blessed that even with all the moving, I was given the gift of a strong foundation in my parent’s love and faith. 

Inspiring biblical passage of the moment: My husband and I are in a season of work, not just the normal day-to-day but projects that we won’t see progress for months maybe years, and without the right motivation it could be soul-crushing. My husband has taken a leap of faith and started a new career, while I also continue to grow my business and, after much prayer, we decided to build our home by ourselves so daily I cling to Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It is the reminder I need to continue to push through the long hard days. If we continue to pray before acting and do our best to follow the path He paves, we can do all things with Christ!

“If we continue to pray before acting and do our best to follow the path He paves, we can do all things with Christ!”

Spiritual growth focus at the moment: I am working on growing my spiritual voice. Not sure if that is a thing exactly, but I am an introverted person by nature and don’t usually like to speak up and share, let alone share my faith. But, in recent years, I have realized I have a platform and gifts that the Lord has given me, and I need to share them for His mission. I need to do my part as a member of the body of Christ to spread the gospel and be a light in the world. So, I pray to try my best to work more intentionally so that my voice whether in person or online can plant seeds of faith or help others capture the joy they had miss placed along the way. 

“I need to do my part as a member of the body of Christ to spread the gospel and be a light in the world.”

Profession/Mission: I am a full-time watercolor artist, I create a variety of collections mainly based on flowers, fauna, memories, and places inspired by my life in the South, especially life in South Carolina my current home. But my faith is a big part of me and my life here in the South, and so I have started to include more as I focus on using my platform in a better way for God’s kingdom. 

If you wrote a memoir, what would the title be? A girl, A Corgi, and A Paint Palette. Currently at 30, if I was ever to write anything I would write about my mid-20s, a girl that claimed to be a Christian, believed in God but yet was so lost in the world around her. But with Jesus, she found her path leading not only out of a very unhealthy place mentally but to a dream career, a forever kind of love with a man that loves Jesus as much as she does, and a corgi pup that was there for all of it like a little gift from God on the darkest of nights. 

When did you first encounter God and how did you encounter Him? I was 25, on my couch, in my Birmingham, Alabama apartment, days after a breakup that made me question everything, and I heard through all my cries “Go Home.” At that moment I decided I needed to quit my job and move back to SC. I had gotten too far from God’s path and in His mercy, He gave me a clear message in the right direction. The next couple of months were not easy by any means, breakups are hard but imagine going from independent to living with and depending on your parents, I am so grateful for them and all their sacrifices. But through it all, I know 100% that it was what God wanted me to do. 

“I had gotten too far from God’s path and in His mercy, He gave me a clear message in the right direction.”

How would you describe Jesus? He is my best friend. I love Jesus and live in wonder knowing the sacrifice He made so that I can have eternal life. I am a sinner, an imperfect person but He who is perfect died for me. He is the definition of unconditional love. 

How has your relationship with Him changed you? Having a personal relationship with Jesus makes every day better because I know that there is no reason to worry with Christ on my side holding me up I can do anything. It’s like seeing life through rose-colored glasses to some degree, do I ignore the devastation in the world? No, but I pray and know that my God is in control, leaving me with so much joy and internal sunshine!

“I pray and know that my God is in control, leaving me with so much joy and internal sunshine!”

What has been the darkest time in your life, and how did you see God in it? I mentioned the time in questions 5 & 6 but my mid-20s were not the best, I wasn’t my best. I lived in a dark mental state but when I encountered God that night on my couch I clung to that. And knew I was going to find my path again, and I focused on being present every day and finding daily what I like to call God winks, a certain song playing on the radio, an extra pretty rose in the garden little things that even when my life wasn’t going as I thought it needed to I found a glimmer of joy. And now I realized my life was going exactly how it was supposed to so that I can be who I am and where I am out today. I still enjoy finding joy in “God winks” They help me stop, refocus my energy and give Him the glory in my life full of blessings but chaotic life. 

What has helped you grow spiritually in this season? Always ask for help. I had a wonderful Christian counselor that helped give me the tools I needed to get through my mental blockade and gain clarity to dive deeper into God and His plan for my life. 

Just read/currently reading (and what has it taught you?): During that time I wonderful friend of my main gave me 100 Days to Brave by Annie F Downs. When I moved home, this devotional helped me become brave and do things that made me uncomfortable. If you are someone or know someone that is in a season of self-doubt I encourage you to read it. I may have not started my business and have taken so many leaps of faith without the push the book gave me during that pivotal time. 

Top three essentials: Bible, Husband Alec, and our corgis (counting them as 1) We do our best to keep God at the center of our household and I thank God every day for creating this man just for me. And the corgis give me so much joy throughout my day and I truly think dogs are God’s gift to us.

How did God speak to you recently? Recently, I realized I had started a bad habit of scrolling through social media apps. And if I spent as much time in the Bible as I did on my phone, I would be way better off. So, I am making sure to take intentional time to read the Bible daily and lessen my screen time. 

Hobby: I love a good DIY project or gardening! 

Top three practical tips for staying spiritually strong: First, set aside time for a daily devotional. Second, have an accountability partner, I am so blessed to have a friend that we pray for each other but also will remind each other when our focus may be off. A friend that doesn’t mind when you ask or you don’t mind when they ask you, when was the last time you have taken a moment in God’s word? Third, check what your input is. Are you only listening to secular music, podcasts, media etc? I am not saying cut out all secular things but you have to find a balance to make sure your mind and heart do not become numb to the world around you. 

Favorite person in scripture? Peter! Peter’s journey with Jesus has many twists and turns but Jesus loves him anyways and even uses Peter in amazing ways for His ministry. And that some love and grace are extended to us!

What do you want people to learn about God when they look at you? I want and hope that they see the joy that living with the Holy Spirit brings. A sense of peace that only can come from God. Hopefully, it will plant a seed of self-reflection and further interactions to get them to know God themselves.

How do you engage with your community? Locally, I am very involved with our church and church events. But I have been blessed with an online community that I engage with in many ways, through words of encouragement individually on DMs, glimpses into my life, and thoughts on stories, and sometimes when I post I try to encourage others to find the joy in their day or present a Bible verse. During the Easter season, I shared the Easter App with my followers to spread the Gospel and teach them about another devotional resource for April.

Favorite holiday? Easter is the most important holiday, and Christmas isn’t a celebration without reading ahead. That being said, I love the lights, music, foods, and decorations of Christmas time! But boiled down to what the holiday is about, Easter is the best!

A goal you have? I have a couple going at the same time right now… first, I am working on getting healthier physically, spending more time focused on what I am eating and how much I am moving my body so I can serve the Lord at my fullest potential. Secondly, I am in the process of renovating a horse trailer to make a mobile shop for the business so I hope to continue to grow my small business as big as the Lord wills it. And thirdly, I want to get our home built and start our family out on the land within the next couple of years. 

A special tradition you and your family engage in or keep: My husband laughs at us, but my family and I have loads of traditions. Moving so much with the Navy we had traditions to cling to when in a new space without extended family during the holidays. For example, every Christmas morning we have Shrimp and Grits before opening presents. My husband and I have started creating traditions as well, every time we travel to a new place we get an ornament for our Christmas tree. 

Question you will ask when you get to heaven? Oh, I don’t know, I have never thought about it. I live with peace and understanding that I just don’t or won’t understand everything and that’s okay. I just live with faith. 

Thing you want to raise awareness about: We need to check in with ourselves and what we are consuming. What we watch on tv, scroll on our phones, and listen to on the radio can have a way of tarnishing our hearts and numbing our souls from receiving the Holy Spirit. Everyone needs to take time to read the Bible and worship God (not just from a church pew on Sundays). 

What does your morning routine consist of? I wake up, and if my husband hasn’t made his lunch, I will help get that together for him, feed the dogs, make breakfast, make my to-do list for the day and get dressed then start the day! I am a devotional-time-in-the-evening person so my mornings are pretty simple and boring. 

What is on your nightstand? My ring box, reading lamp, and my archeological Bible (I love the archeological footer as a history nerd)

Define Christianity in a sentence: Christianity is more than a religion and rituals, Christianity is an individual, personal relationship with He who made the heavens and earth through Jesus Christ our Savior. 

For more Rebecca:

www.southernspirations.com

@southernspirations on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and TikTok.

Until next time, keep witnessing!

XX