Faith in Christ has always been a part of my life. Unfortunately, you'll notice that I didn't say an important part of my life. I grew up in a family where Christ was the most important thing. My parents set an incredible example for me and my brother of what it looked like to trust Him with everything. I was in church every Sunday and Wednesday, went to a Christian school from kindergarten through 12th grade and then went on to have 4 years at a Christian university.
I was immersed in Christianity from the time I was born, but that still didn't guarantee that my faith was my own. I know that because it wasn't.
Until I headed to college, I wasn't personally aware of my need for Jesus. I thought He was great, called myself a Christian, would pray intermittently (and mostly when I needed something), had random quiet times, and would come home recharged and on fire after church retreats and camps. But that on-fire feeling would only last for a few days, maybe a week at best, and I'd be back to my normal behavior.
College was really the first place where my faith became real to me. My sweet roommate, who is also one of my best friends, is one of the most faith-filled people I know. I got to see her make time in her schedule every single day to spend time with the Lord. This was the first time I'd ever seen someone who wasn't an adult have a daily quiet time and really seek the Lord's will and guidance in her life. I remember thinking that if she could do it, then surely I could too if I put the effort into making my faith a priority. It impacted me greatly, so much so that I haven't forgotten about it ten years later. Today, Sara is still one of the greatest spiritual encouragers in my life. She has spoken truth over my life multiple times and has walked alongside me through some really tough stuff.
Marriage was the next big kick in the pants that I had regarding making my faith my own. Marriage threw a big, ugly mirror in my face and has showed me just how wretched I really can be. There have been lots of smooth and wonderful patches over the last 5.5 years, but some rough and bumpy ones too. Isn't that typical of a marriage? But through it all, I've learned that I have a huge need for my Savior. I am a hot mess without Him and that comes shining through brightly when I'm spending time with Him... and when I'm not. The sweetest times in our marriage have been when I am walking closely with the Lord and open to what He wants for me. I don't believe for a second that that's a coincidence.
When Griffin was born, the significance of who I had become hit me like a ton of bricks. I was someone's mother. It wasn't my responsibility to make sure that Griffin had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ someday, but it was my responsibility to tell him about Jesus and model it for him. That's the kind of responsibility that I don't take lightly. As he's grown older, I'm seeing so much more of myself in him... my expressions, my tone of voice, the things I say, etc. At two years old, he is a little parrot in every sense of the word, and my GOODNESS, it's been humbling.
I want Griffin to have the kind of example set for him that I did growing up. I want him to see me reading my Bible, reading good books that encourage and strengthen my faith, and mostly, in my actions. I want him to see me loving people well and working every day to keep Christ on the throne of my heart.
Bringing my faith to life has been a very hard thing for me. I'm just being honest, but I do like to think that anything worth anything usually isn't easy. It is hard work, but it is so worth it. I never feel so at peace as when I'm walking daily with Jesus, even in the midst of horrible circumstances and seemingly unending storms.
So how do I do it? I do it with heaps and heaps of grace. I have stopped beating myself up when I miss time in the Word and with God each day and ask for help in making time and putting aside my selfish desires the next day. To me, the most important thing is spending time in the word of God. That's my first priority in my quiet times-- to read scripture on a daily basis and learn what God's character is all about. I'm reading through the Bible in a year and I'm learning a lot of new things and being reminded of a lot of the "basics" of my faith. Here are some other things that have helped (and continue to help) bring my faith to life.
- Read good, solid literature by authors who love the Lord :: One of my favorite books is actually by my pastor, Brad Bigney. His book, Gospel Treason, is changing my life as I read it. We are discussing it in our small group. It is good stuff and I would highly recommend it! I'm also currently reading The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson and it's been very impactful. A friend recently gave me Jesus Calling by Sarah Young and it's fantastic! It's short enough that you can read it before your feet even hit the floor in the morning. I'm excited to start reading it daily because so many of my friends just love it. Some other great authors are Beth Moore, Jerry Bridges, Ann Voskamp, and Francis Chan. There are more and if you would like more suggestions, please feel free to shoot me an email at rnoelhaney AT gmail DOT com. I'm no expert, but I'm happy to share what I've loved.
- Memorize scripture :: I can't tell you how many times I've been in a hard situation and wished that I knew where to find a verse, or better yet, had said verse committed to memory. I am not good at this, but I am working on it. I have been trying to memorize scriptures that talk about the character of God and His heart for his people. I write mine on a spiral from the drug store and keep it with me in my purse, diaper bag, etc.
- Listen to music :: Obviously, it's impossible to be able to sit and read your Bible all day everyday. That's why I believe memorizing scripture is so important-- you can recite it to yourself anywhere, anytime. But I also love Christian music. Some of my most precious moments with God have been while I'm listening to music that talks about His love and goodness. It's so easy to just open Pandora on my phone and listen to the Passion station or the Aaron Shust station. Some of my favorite Christian artists are Passion, Hillsong, Chris Tomlin, Aaron Shust, Laura Story, and SO many others. If you need more suggestions, please feel free to contact me!
- Get involved in a church :: We can't say enough about our church. It is full of authentic people who love the Lord and are striving to please Him-- not to be perfect. We are so thankful for the community of people in our church who love Jesus and love each other, but that are also transparent about their sins and how they struggle. It's not a church of perfect people and we love that.
- Participate in a small group or Bible study :: We have a group of friends that we meet with weekly and we discuss a different book chapter by chapter. We also have a small group from church that we meet with weekly. During the summer, I'm involved with a group of women from my old school that work through a Beth Moore Bible study. Each of these groups has helped me to grow in my faith. It's also so important to have friends who encourage you in your faith and who speak truth to you even in the really difficult times, despite what your reaction might be. Some of my very best friends have been made through these groups and they are women who speak truth mightily into my life.
Those are some of the things that work for me. What works for you? They are all of equal importance, but many days, I just have enough time to read my Bible... and that's okay. Nothing about my faith in Christ is based on my works, even though I often think that's the case. I'm learning to give myself grace and rely on Him to give me the strength and grace everyday to be a child of God, a Godly wife, and a Godly mother.
