Growing in the faith

Check out all of YMI’s content pieces tagged under Growing in the faith. We hope you’d benefit from the written and visual content we have under this topic: Growing in the faith.

When God Said "No"

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Three years later, I still have no idea why God said “no.” However, in the midst of the uncertainties and questions, God revealed three points that gave me a sense of closure.

God's Shocking Reminder When I Felt Cheated by My Friend

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I was very angry, and her reply played on my mind. But I reminded myself not to follow my emotions. I tried to calm myself by doing some exercises. That was when I felt like God saying to me in my heart: “Charles, aren’t you often like this?” “What do you mean, God?” I was confused.

3 Ways to Keep Your (Digital) Sundays Sacred

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2020 is proving to be the year of pause and reset. While the first half had most of the world limping under lockdown, the second phase has seen us emerge from it embracing the “new normal” of social distancing, masks, and hand sanitizers. For the body of Christ, this list also includes virtual church services. 

4 Ways to Reignite Joy When Life Feels Disappointing

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“Sian . . . I had to cancel my travel plans.” That is probably one of the most frequent complaints I’ve heard from both friends and even myself in light of the COVID-19 situation. While a cancelled holiday is a first-world problem that I’m not proud to be fussing over, especially when many others are struggling to stay afloat, I had been looking forward to a nice holiday after months of working hard, and that disappointment in seeing my plans fall apart is real.

5 Subtle Sins We're All Guilty of

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In grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen how personal choices can either help stop the spread, or infect entire communities. I see a parallel in my own spiritual life, where many small, seemingly inconsequential decisions have slowly affected not just my own life—but the lives of those within my own community. These are the subtle sins.

What Helped Me When I Was in a Dark Place

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I was trying to understand things on my own. My mom had passed away the year before, and my long-term relationship with my daughter’s father was not working out. . . I was feeling a lot of hurt and knew something needed to change.

How Rejection Redirected Me Towards God's Plan

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These rejections left me feeling really disappointed and upset. I had always been so sure about myself, and was confident that as long as I knew what I wanted to do, I could do it. But being rejected countless times made me doubt myself and my capabilities. I questioned everything I did and became insecure about my future.

3 Visible Signs Your Life Has Been Transformed

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I used to believe that I could change myself—become a better person, as smart and talented as I imagined I could be. And so I immersed myself in all sorts of activities and studies, expecting this change—better grades and overall accomplishment in life—to make me feel satisfied. After all was said and done, my endeavors remained futile.

The Unexpected Places God Sends Us

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One of my church’s former pastors and later chaplain of the United States Senate, Dr. Richard Halverson, formed a beautiful benediction that started, “You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you.” Recently, I’ve been reflecting on some events that are teaching me every circumstance and situation can be used by God for His purposes.