Cassandra I.

Today, Cassandra speaks to us about some beautiful reminders to stay spiritually strong and a key lesson from David’s faith.

Tell us a bit about how you grew up and your childhood: I grew up on the small tropical Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. Back then, in the early 90’s, life was much simpler, so I spent most of my time outdoors, exploring and playing with my friends and cousins. From the age of 3 or 4, I became a regular churchgoer after my aunt and her husband, whom I lived with at the time, gave their lives to Christ through baptism. Although I detested having to wake up even before dawn to have our regular family morning worship and sometimes fell asleep during bible study since my young mind hadn’t developed an appreciation for God’s word as yet, all these things helped shape my life for the better. As I grew older, so did my love for God and my desire to serve him with my gifts and talents.

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 submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV. I love this text because it reminds me that when I choose to trust God wholeheartedly, He will make my “paths” straight, meaning that every area of my life will be under His direction. It is reassuring to know that God is interested in all things concerning us, His children. All we have to do is surrender to his leadership.

“It is reassuring to know that God is interested in all things concerning us, His children.”

Spiritual growth focus at the moment: My spiritual focus for the year is obedience. God has shown me the way to go. He has revealed countless truths to me through His written and spoken word that I must first believe and apply to my life. For many years, I was disobedient. I chose to believe fear and self-doubt over what God’s word continuously told me. But this year, I am choosing to obey. Obedience is better than sacrifice, and I am committing to be obedient to God’s calling on my life.

Profession/Mission: I am a Grow and Glow Mentor/ Inspired Educator who is on a mission to empower people to believe and embrace liberating biblical truths to live an abundant life in Christ.

When did you first encounter God and how did you encounter Him? When I was eight years old, I attended a series of evangelistic campaigns hosted by my church. When the pastor made the altar call one Friday night, I felt like he was speaking to me. I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to walk up to the altar to publicly say yes to God and commit to Him through baptism. Since I was only eight, I went to my mom and asked her permission for baptism. Sadly, she was not in agreement. She felt that I was young, naive, and not sure of what it meant to get baptized. Thankfully, an older lady who was standing behind her eavesdropped on our conversation and decided to encourage my mom to allow me to heed the call of God. I was crying and distraught. My mom finally gave in. She gave me the nod of approval, and I made my way to the stage and was baptized the following day. After I got out of the water, I felt like a new creature, ready to build a new life in Christ. And now, in retrospection, my mom is confident she made the right decision and is so grateful for the eavesdropper who gave her the encouragement she needed.

How would you describe Jesus? WOW! I do not believe there are enough words to describe Jesus to me. But I would like to coin it this way: He has been a friend that sticks closer than a brother. He is definitely a confidant who never tells your secrets and empowers you to live the life that God designed you for.

“He has been a friend that sticks closer than a brother.”

How has your relationship with Him changed you? The more I learn about Jesus and deepen my walk with Him, the more I see my need for Him. By beholding Him, I am molded into His likeness. And so, I’m not as fearful, worried, or ignorant as I was before. I am more cognizant of my identity in him, and He empowers me to walk in it daily. I am far from perfect. He is still molding me to develop virtues like obedience, faith, unconditional love, and discipline, but it is a work in progress, and I am enjoying the journey.

What has helped you grow spiritually in this season? Scripture and Christian Literature- the more I learn, the more I realize how much I do not know and how dire my need for Christ is. Scheduling time to sit and talk with God daily through prayer and scripture has been a life changer.

Just read/currently reading (and what has it taught you?): I am currently reading “Destiny”, by TD Jakes. I love this book because it reminds me that we all have a destiny. While some components of my destiny may be akin to that of others, my journey is unique. That being so, I must never compare my journey to my neighbor’s. Neither should I be jealous or envious when others win, because their win in no way impedes mine. There is room for all of us to win in Christ.

Top three essentials: Three top essentials for me are my Bible, growth journal, prayer journal

Hobby: Singing, writing, exploring nature.

Top three practical tips for staying spiritually strong: Believe that God works all things for your good ( the good, the bad, and the ugly) Romans 8:28

Hide God’s word in your heart by making time to read and meditate on scripture daily. 2Timothy 3:16-17

Make God your best friend. John 15:14-15

Favorite person in scripture? Apart from Jesus, my favorite person in scripture is David. My favorite scene in David’s life was when, as a young man, he volunteered himself to fight Goliath even when trained soldiers cowered in fear and hid away from him. While the other men were focused on their insecurities and how big the giant was, David was unphased because he knew that God could defeat the giant through him. And because of his faith, Israel won the victory that day, and David remains a beautiful reminder for Christians of what faith in God can do when we surrender totally to Him.

“While the other men were focused on their insecurities and how big the giant was, David was unphased because he knew that God could defeat the giant through him.”

What do you want people to learn about God when they look at you? That He is faithful and He can be trusted.

Favorite holiday? Christmas. Although I know Christ was not born on Christmas day, The holiday holds so many wonderful memories for me. I love the music, the feeling, the food, and the atmosphere of love that lingers in the air

A goal you have? God has blessed me with the gift of writing. I am in the process of writing my first book and I desire to become a bestselling author.

Question you will ask when you get to heaven? God, what is the exact reason you created me and did fulfill it?

Thing you want to raise awareness about: Growth, I want people to know that they were designed by God to grow.

What does your morning routine consist of? If you expected something fancy, I am sorry to disappoint you. My morning routine is quite simple. It starts with me contemplating why I have to wake up so early. Then, I sing or say a quick thank you to God for waking me up this morning. Afterward, I do my morning devotion, shower, and get ready for work.

What is on your nightstand? Too many things! I have my morning devotional book, a book called Destiny by TD Jakes, my Bible, the AC remote, and my journal.

For more Cassandra:
Instagram: @courageous.cassie
Facebook: The Grow and Glow Tribe
Linkedtree: linktr.ee/cassandraisidore
Subscribe to her Free Growth Newsletter

Until next time, keep witnessing!

XX