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You wanted to spend the rest of your life with this guy. God wanted you to have more, but He also wanted you to have this experience. This guy made you feel wanted, loved, valued, and seen. You enjoyed his company. No one loves, values, or sees you more than your Father. Now you are questioning your own worth. Yet, the One who created you knows what a treasure you are. You were crafted by His very hands. Why? Why are you questioning your worth, sweet friend? Sure, maybe there are some things you should assess and process within yourself. We know that as human beings, there is always room for improvement. Yet, you are basing your identity in a boy who let you go. If there’s one thing I want to say to you, it’s this... your value is not rooted in a relationship status. Simply because someone broke up with you does not mean that you are less than. It only means that it was not meant to be. Sometimes in the midst of our heartbreak and our grieving over a relationship that we thought would work, comes forth a massive blessing. I know you felt as though you were meant to be with this person, but there is a greater source that is overseeing every aspect of your life. This overseer is our Maker, our friend, our Father. He knows what is best for His daughter. And He genuinely only wants what is best for you and your relationship with Him. He possesses so many amazing attributes that ensure— we can fully trust Him and His will above our own. I know that what you’re going through is not an extremely fun time; however, you can rejoice in the midst of your sadness. You can cry out praises of thankfulness to the Lord for protecting you from what you thought you needed. His redirection is so so sweet my friend. The heart has its own desires, but God establishes your steps. I can reflect on so many times when I have wanted and I have desired for something to go my way. I prayed and I prayed for the Lord to please just let this one thing happen to me. Please God, allow me to walk in this season. God, please let this this one thing flourish within my life. Now, when I look back on those stages of my life, I see God‘s hand in it all. He was protecting his daughter. He was guarding my heart. He was preparing me for what was to come. He was asking me to wait, to be patient, to rely on him, to depend on Him fully with everything in my being. When I truly started to focus on Him, He blessed me with something that was far greater than what I originally asked for. He shown me that His will triumphs my own. He revealed how sweet it is to always trust the plan of God. Sweet girl, you can trust His will and His plan— right now! You don’t have to worry about a thing. I pray that you realize how worthy you are because of the blood of Christ Jesus, not on your own, but because of Jesus you are declared righteous by God, you are found favorable, you are loved with an everlasting love, you are renewed by the hands of your Maker, and just because a boy broke up with you….It doesn’t change the trajectory of those eternal truths. Use your pain as a means to draw nearer to the King of kings. Get lowly in your prayers, be humble, be gentle, be meek, and seek the face of Jesus. You are not alone. You are not less than because of a status; you are a daughter of the Most High God. Walk in it. Romans 8:18 Galatians 1:10 Psalm 37:5

Written by Christina Marlowe A Woman Who Fears The Lord From a young age I wrestled with what I would describe as “irrational fears.” I would think through every possible scenario that could go wrong in a situation and worry myself sick, even though I had no evidence that should have led to the entertainment of these fears. God’s word has much to say about fear and how we can be delivered from it. Yet there is one thing in this life the Bible is abundantly clear that we should fear: the Giver of life Himself. In the book of Exodus, we read about two women who harbored a healthy fear of the Lord and were richly rewarded because of it. The power hungry Pharaoh instructed these Hebrew midwives to murder the baby boys born to Hebrew women. The midwives had two options: Fear God and disobey Pharaoh or fear Pharaoh and disobey God. “But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?” And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.” Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them.” Exodus 1:17-21 NKJV The fear of the Lord dwelling within these women brought the favor of God not only upon them, but upon the entire nation of Israel. In a world where God is mocked, banned and cursed, the fear of Him seems to be in daily decline. As I write this I am convicted of the times I have walked in disobedience, operating from a place of fearing man rather than God. I am grateful for a faithful and forgiving Father. Each day I can choose to let Him deliver me from the spirit of fear that comes from deep darkness and leads to despair, and replace it with a healthy fear of Him that leads to hope, life and true freedom. Let it start in me, Lord. Let me be a woman who fears You. And may this fear stir and convict the hearts of those around me to return to You, to seek You with their whole heart, and passionately pursue You all the days of their life. “The Lord is a friend to those who fear him. He teaches them His covenant.” Psalms 25:14 Follow Christina at: @christinammarlowe Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Z20o5hAqnbunaXDnTma2o?si=c1bb789725ad417c

I am writing this with a heavy heart, one that is overwhelmed, stressed, and a bit nervous. My name is Hannah, I am the heart behind Passion to Proclaim. I love sharing things from a vulnerable, raw, and real perspective as a young woman of God. I find comfort in reading posts from some amazing sisters in Christ all around the globe via Instagram or blogs. Hearing what you all are walking through, the reality and transparency of it blesses me with peace. Knowing that I am not alone where I am at, knowing I have sisters in my corner whether they realize it or not, they are encouraging me in my faith walk. I find great comfort in having those deep conversations with my church ladies too. They pour into me so much. I am so blessed to have such genuine discipleship. So you're probably thinking, why are you so stressed? If you delight in these moments with the body of Christ, why is your heart heavy? The short answer would be: I am human. Sometimes, I feel like we make people feel absolutely irrational and shamed for feeling the way they feel, simply because they are a Christ follower. I guess I am writing this to share that: Christ followers struggle too. I feel heavy. I feel overwhelmed. I feel stressed. And I feel nervous. However, there is one signifcant difference between the Christ follower and the remainder of the world– though I am weary, I have eternal hope. I have hope everlasting. I have hope because I know hope. Hope has a name, and the name is Christ. I am a senior in college. I feel like I have been in college forever. According to MY timeline, I was supposed to graduate this next semester. However, things are not going the way I wanted them to. I will not be graduating next semester. Instead, I will be taking a semester to finish all of my Praxis Exams. I am in the field of education, so you must pass these exams before you can start your internship. Having a full time job, studying for class exams, writing on the side, and pursuing one's own passions while also studying for these exams was not exactly ideal for me. So here I am– surrendering my own agenda and placing my hope in the will of God. Honestly, being a semester behind has made me feel insignificant at times. Everyone is constantly asking, "when will you be done with school," "what are your next plans," "are you going to graduate?" All the questions pile up, leaving me in a heap of anxiety. I think to myself, whenever I finally graduate the questions will not end. People will continue to ask, "so when are you getting married," "do you have a boyfriend," "don't you want to settle down?" And if it is in the Lord's will that I be married, the questions will continue, "are you going to have babies," "how many babies are you going to have," "how are you going to raise your kids?" The questions never end. People really do not prepare you for the whirlwind of emotions you face as a woman in your twenties. All of these suffocating questions have made me question– am I behind? Am I not where I am supposed to be? Am I failing? Are people noticing that I am failing? Everyone around me is graduating, getting married, and having babies. I'm behind. I never see people writing about this topic. One that is so relevant to all women in their twenties. To help me stay grounded and rooted in the goodness, faithfulness, and hope of Chirst– I want to comabt these lies of the enemy with Scripture. And I want to write them down here, so you, my sister, can remember whose you are and how you will be taken care of by the gentle and loving hands of Christ, no matter what questions may come. Wherever I write "I" or "me," read it from a personal perspective. I am not only talking about myself here, I am talking about you. I am exactly where the Lord has ordained me to be. He is the Divine Counselor. He does no imperfect thing. I am planted where God wants me, regardless if I see it fit or not. Abiding in the will of God is much more comforting than abiding in my own will. For I would only reap sin and destruction if I walked according to my own flesh. Walking in step with the Spirit, pursuing the will of God, will always be fully sustaining. (John 15:4, Galatians 5:25, Psalm 37:23-25) Recieving an earthly achievement will never define my worth or my significance; Christ defines my worth. Degrees, marriage, parenthood, promotions, certificates, awards, all of these things are great things. Yet, these things are not Christ. These things do not add to or take away from my worth found in Christ. As I struggle with the idea of of never getting that degree, I will rest in knowing, Jesus does not see me differently. (Galatians 3:26-27, Romans 8:17, Psalm 119:13-14) I do not have to be anxious. All things unfold according to the will of God. He is a promise keeper, a nurturer like no other. I do not have to second guess whether or not God will take care of me or not. As a born again believer, a daughter of the Most High, the Lord will always take care of me. It may not look like what I planned, but His plans are infinitely better. God dresses the lillies with beauty and splendor, He will make sure His daughter is protected. He feeds the sparrows, of course He will feed me. He knows the stars and calls them by name– He knows me and the number of hairs on my head. He knows me more than I know myself. I do not have to worry because I am in the palm of His hands. My anxiety, heavy heart, and nervousness cannot and will not snatch me from the palm of Christ. All of these emotions must bow down to the Lord Jesus. (Matthew 6:26-28, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, Isaiah 41:10, John 10:29) I am a chosen daughter. When I try to invalidate myself, listening to the lies of the enemy, I will remember that I belong to Christ. I am a daughter of God. I am a chosen race. I am made new. I belong to God. I am a servant of Jesus. If the only title I ever possess is: Servant of Christ, I will have everything I need. While I am a servant of Jesus, I am also a coheir to the Kingdom of God. I will not worry about such fleeting and fickle things, instead I will look forward anticipating eternity with my Savior. (1 Peter 2:9, Romans 8:17, Matthew 25:23) I am signing off this blog post as a woman who is no longer fixated on my heavy heartedness, my stress, or my nerves. No, I am signing off remembering whose I am and who I am in light of Christ. I am a daughter of God. My heart is uplifted by the truth of the Scriptures. I do not have to worry, for God is in control. I do not have to appease the questions of others, I only have to please my Lord and Savior. I do not have to be nervous, for Christ goes before me and behind me and beside me (Deuteronomy 31:8-9). I do not have to be ashamed for feeling a bit frazzled in my current season. Instead, I must recount the truths of God's Word, and uplift His Holy name. It is in Him I find hope and rest. If you are in a season similar to mine, I hope you were comforted. He will always take care of you with such a tender kind of love, my friend. You are His masterpiece.

Written by Jennifer Brallier I grew up as Trinity Pentecostal Holiness in Tulsa, OK. My whole family on both sides are in the movement. I have one sister and I am the oldest. Being the first born came with a lot of expectations on performance. And when I performed well, I was praised well. I loved the attention that it brought me. So, I continued to work hard to earn praise from the people in my life. This inevitably moved into my relationship with God. I subconsciously thought I could earn His love and approval by simply performing well. Being in the movement meant following standards that my friends at public school didn’t follow. I didn’t wear pants. My hair was extremely long. I didn’t wear makeup, jewelry, or nail polish. I never studied these standards for myself. There was no need to! I was different. And I loved it. People would say things to me like, “I wish I had hair as long and beautiful as yours.” Or “You truly look like what a young Christian lady should look like.” It's ironic to me now looking back on it all. I was such a hypocrite. I followed this list of standards for the sake of “modesty”. But I would wear my long hair in elaborate hairstyles. I would spend so much money on high heels, dresses, and name brand bags to get the attention of others. It was the opposite of humbleness before God. I wasn’t following these standards for God; I was following them to fuel my own self-righteousness. With this came a very harsh judgmental spirit towards anyone who wasn’t just like me or didn’t think like I thought. Things in my life started to shift when I became ill at 15 years old. I was diagnosed with 5 chronic illnesses, one of them required major brain surgery and I was 2 weeks away from being paralyzed from the neck down. The recovery process from surgery was long and hard. And it was just the beginning of learning how to live with chronic pain. Through that, I was told by many people in the church that I must have done something ‘really bad’ for me to be walking through this. I was devastated. I thought I had performed so well for everyone, including God. In high school, I did my best to keep performing well. I was a straight A student with a GPA of 4.0. I became a Certified Medical Assistant and Phlebotomist. When I graduated from high school, I didn’t feel the need to go to college since I was already “so accomplished” in my mind. So, I went straight to work in doctor’s offices, hospitals, and clinics never feeling like I was doing enough. Through my late teen years, my pride led me to being in and out of toxic relationships and sexual sin. I now see that this was a result of my desire to be loved and accepted. I was full of anxiety and depression. I was in several car accidents in this time that made my health issues more severe. I was still following all the outward standards of the movement at this time. But as Jesus says in Matthew 23, I was like a whitewashed tomb, outwardly appearing beautiful, but inside full of dead people’s bones. At 20 years old, I witnessed mishandled church matters that I knew in my spirit was wrong even though I had never read it in scripture for myself. So, that caused me to run to God’s Word and see what it said on these matters. When I started studying the Word of God, it was like a fire was lit inside my soul. I realized that I didn’t know what I believed for myself. I rented a cabin for 3 days, turned off my phone, and just read through the New Testament. God wasn’t who I thought he was at all. I didn’t have to earn his praise. He is a loving Father who isn’t waiting for me to fail but is there to pick me up when I do. The Gospel changed everything. It convicted me. It gave me a new perspective. When I started studying, I had no intention of abandoning the standards I was raised with. I just wanted truth. I quickly realized a lot the things I was told to believe were not matching with the context of scripture. It also brought me to repentance for all the sins in my life. The thought that without these standards, I would not be able to be used by God, was very real in my mind, but what a lie that was. I was terrified to leave the movement. This was all I had known my entire life. All my family and friends were in it. And I had seen people leave and be called a “backslider”. I had put people’s opinions of me over God’s opinion of me. And I knew it. I could not keep living this life. These extra standards had not pushed me closer to God, they had led me into sin. So, I sat down with my family and explained my beliefs had changed. It wasn’t easy. There were a lot of tears. I called my close friends at the time and had a lot of hard conversations. And my fears became a reality. I lost almost all my friends, was called a backslider. I was figuring out where my identity comes from and what it means to be a woman of God. I spent my whole life being more concerned with the spiritual gifts instead of the fruits of the spirit. I had not been loving, joyful, peaceful, or kind. And I wanted to be. I wanted to use gentleness and self-control. I wanted to honor God in all areas of my life, and I had to figure out what that meant for me. Through this time, I continued to study the Word and I started looking for a home church. About 7 months later, I took an internship in a lower income area in Tulsa where I found a good Godly community and I was discipled for the first time in my life. I worked in a clinic there and was able to minister & share the gospel with my patients. The peace that came in this time is indescribable. The Lord was using me daily. And all the desires of my heart to be praised, disappeared slowly. He reworked the way I thought. He turned my heart of stone into a heart of flesh. He saved me. I was learning so much daily about the character of God. He revealed so much to me in this time. I felt a call from the Lord to just start talking about how I was building a personal relationship with Him online. And even though I knew I would be slandered, I had to trust the Lord in this. Over the last 3 years, my platform has grown into something I never could’ve imagined for myself. I am now a full-time content creator. I am married to the kindest man of God. We are in a safe, loving, and God honoring community that pushes us to run to Christ more. We own a business and live in a little fixer upper. My health is the best it has ever been. And I am currently learning what it means to walk in the authority that God has given me as a child of God. It has not been an easy 3 years, but I would do it a million times over. I know what I believe and why I believe it. And I never want to stop growing in my relationship with Christ. My identity is not found in my standards, convictions, or choices. My identity is found in Christ alone. My testimony is proof that as believers we should study scripture for ourselves, ask questions, and be aware that extra standards that can lead us into sin. If you can relate to any part of my story, I want to encourage you. You can build a deep peaceful relationship with God without following extra standards or rules. I am so thankful for the freedom of the Gospel. I would love to chat with you more if you related to my story! “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9 Follow Jen on her Instagram: @jenbrallier

What is a false teacher? A false teacher is someone who actively perverts and distorts the gospel while misrepresenting Jesus. 2 Peter 2:19 says that people of such falseness are “slaves to corruption.” They live, eat, and breathe greed. They are slaves to the flesh, bringing destruction upon themselves. In 2 Peter 2, Peter warns us of heretical teachings and he reminds us that we should not be surprised at such, since false teachers have been scattered throughout Israel since the Old Testament. Let’s read 2 Peter 2:1-3 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themsleves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with falsewords. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” There are many things to take away from this portion of Scripture. Here Peter uses many descriptive words to display the ways of false teachers—along with some notable characteristics. For example, Peter uses the word secretly. False teachers' missions are embedded in secret. The false teacher will likely boast about their mission in “leading the body of Christ” when in reality… their goal is to lead the body away from Christ and into sin. The words greed and sensuality reveal the agenda of false teachers. They relish in that of the flesh. They crave earthly supplements. They long for their flesh to be pleased. Even more so, false teachers bring destruction upon themselves and many others. This derives from a standpoint of being in a state of denial. They lead others away and they discredit the cause of Christ. 2 Peter goes on to inform us that false teachers are NOT genuine believers. God is able to distinguish a true believer from a false believer while rightfully judging according to His will. False teachers: - Indulge in the flesh - Despise authority - Store up earthly treasure ( Prosperity Gospel ) - Distort the gospel - Have a distinct way of twisting words - Put words in the mouth of Christ - Defile the holiness of God 2 John warns the elect lady of the local church after coming in contact with her children. John was well pleased when he saw that the lady’s children were living godly lives, exalting Christ in their conduct. In coming in contact with her children, it is rumored that the children most likely confided in John telling him that their mother was potentially following a heretical teacher. With that, John sends the lady a letter– happily sharing the good news pertaining to her children and then he gently reminds her to stay rooted in Biblical truth. John urges the lady to be watchful and aware of her surroundings– reminding her to walk in truth. Read 2 John 7-9 “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God.” Going further into the passage, John wishes to speak to the elect lady in person. He wants to have an intimate one-on-one conversation with her. This is a great example for us to follow. John notices the teacher she is following endorces false doctrines that are contrary to the gospel of Christ. Instead of condemning the lady for falling into a trap, he is intentional in his approach of leading the lady back to Christ and Christ alone. We should do the same. It is also extremely crucial to note that a sound teacher can have potential errors in their message. EXAMPLE: Galatians 2:11-14 In Galatians 2:11-14, Paul rebukes Peter of his false teaching. Peter was appointed to spread the gospel to the Jewish community, while Paul was called to preach to the Gentiles. In this particular situation, Peter was distorting the message in order to please the Jews. Paul quickly refuted his error in verse 14. What does a sound teacher look like? Naturally, our best example is Jesus. At the same time, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 provides a beautiful description of what a sound and trustworthy teacher looks like. Sound teachers: - Renounce falseness - Refuse to tamper with God’s Word - Proclaim the gospel for the glory of Christ - Provide clear and sound biblical truth - Boast in Christ and Christ alone - actively portray fruits of the Spirit Why is it important to call out false prophets and warn our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? Matthew 24:24 says, “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” As the body of Christ, we must stand strong in our faith. A tangible way to do that is by defending the gospel of Jesus Christ and protecting its sacredness. We do this by refuting false teachings, remaining grounded in Scripture, faithfully practicing our own spiritual disciplines, loving and serving others, having conversations inside and outside of the church, and testing all things under the light of God's infallible Word. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” Friend, you are a defender of the gospel. Pray, discern, and filter what you are consuming. Test everything with the Word of God. He is the Sovereign Lord, perfect and blameless in all ways.

Dear Addiction, You have robbed people of their joy. You have manipulated your victims. You have destroyed families. You have snatched people's innocence. You have defiled the brains of many. You have psychologically warped lives–young and old. You have masked yourself to be a one-time try, a fun buzz, a good time, a temporary trial– but you are a liar. You were born of the king of lies and deception, himself. You make people feel hopeless but you have not won. You disguise yourself as the solution to a problem. When reality is just too hard to bare, you invite people to draw near. You offer false rest and false hope. You are a deadly distraction. Not only do you suck life out of your victims, you suck life out of their family members, friends, and all those who love them. You alienate people to cause them harm. You work your way through generations, causing trauma and distress to lines of families, but you have not won. I guess it is true, you are a powerful deception. But decievers never win and they never will. You are not a victor. You can be defeated. You can be overruled. You can be crushed under the feet of God's children. One encounter with the Holy Spirit of God and your so called power is swallowed by the holiness of the Lord. You have no authority here. You are not welcome here. I have witnessed many people I love fall into the soul crushing arms of addiction. I have witnessed addiction transform people's character. I have seen how people become heavily reliant on things of this world rather than the blood of Jesus Christ. With that, I have also seen God do miracles within the lives of addicts. I have seen addictions stripped away from those who surrender and commit themselves to the army of Heaven. We serve a limitless God. A God who is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He sees His children lying in pain, He reaches out His healing hand to them... will they choose Him or the high instead? Dear Addict, There is hope found in Jesus Christ. You are not exempt from healing because of your past. You are probably feeling as though you have to redeem yourself and clean yourself up before drawing near to God. That's not the case. He is the redeemer, He is redemption. He wants to clean the mess. He wants to heal. He wants to solve the problem. He wants to correct. He wants to renew. He wants to restore. You alone cannot overcome this battle. You must rely on the strength of the Lord. Let Him be your guide and passageway to recovery and true freedom. Open the door when He knocks, invite Him in, let Him do the cleaning. I wish you knew how loved you are. The blood of Jesus atones for your addictions. You are never too far gone. Repent, my friend. There is no chemical distraction or sinful pleasure that will fix a spiritual imbalance. Hold fast to the hope of Christ. In every circumstance, Jesus holds the victory. James 5:15-16, "And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."