Author: isabeljohns

The Old Testament Part 1…

isabeljohns

Hello! I hope you are having a great week! The Old testament is not often talked about so if you are reading this you are already taking a step of faith haha! I would tell you why you should read the Old Testament however, I would rather give you places to start in this post. I love to give advice to help others but, Gods word speaks for itself. I know most of the Old Testament can be intimidating so let’s start simple!

First if you haven’t read all of Genesis... Start there! There are 50 chapters which sounds like a lot but it goes pretty fast. It also has everything!

Second – The Wisdom Books – Some of my favorites any time of life. These would be Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. If you are being technical a couple other books would be considered wisdom books. However, for the purpose of beginners I would start with these three. Even if you know nothing about any of the books of the bible this is another great way to get warmed up. A Proverbs a day keeps the Devil away! Haha I love each of the books for different reasons. They all have different great things to offer! To explain them further I suggest this video :

Third – Pick a person 🙂 – There are SO many different great believers. My favorite right now is Moses, especially in the wilderness. Joshua took over after Moses and I adore him too. Job, Esther, Ruth, all have their own books. However, there are so many others that don’t have their own books. They all have different things to teach us that are so valuable!

Forth- Minor Prophets – There are twelve. Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. I hope this picture isn’t blurry 🙂

These are typically only a couple chapters long and will always teach you something!

Fifth- Read the whole Old testament.… Some of it will seem point less at the time. However, as someone who has read it multiple times I can say it is full of purpose. I have been encouraged by the Old Testament more times than I can count. I have been encouraged as a follower of Christ, as a leader, as a women, and encouraged to do more. One of the things that I am convicted of every time is we don’t set enough time apart from other things to worship God.

I hope this encourages you to open your bible. PERIOD. Hahaha! The God of the universe and my bestest friend Jesus wants to hang out with YOU! If that means you trying something I suggest … YAY! If not thats ok too! Just spend time with Him 🙂

HE loves you SO MUCH! Dm me prayer requests. Much love and God bless- Isabel 🙂

Confidence

isabeljohns

Why God should be your Confidence

(If you haven’t seen frozen 2 go look it up)

Anyone who knows me also knows I am absolutely in love with Jesus.  Anyone who knows me also knows that I am a huge Disney fan.  No shame!  Yet, when I watch Disney, I can’t help but find Jesus, since I want to find him in everything. So when I watched Frozen 2 a thousand times with my baby sister (who decides on movies she wants to watch and then that is all she will watch) I began to see parallels between frozen and my faith. I ended up sharing a couple of these Disney/ Jesus connections with some friends. I said, “When I have my own church one day, I will have a whole series on Disney movies and Jesus.” My friends were super pumped. They said, “Why wait?? Start now!” At first, I was like NO,  but shout out to Kari and Chinerye for convincing me. Without further adieu here is: 

Why the song Show Yourself from Frozen2 should move you to tears….. because God is so good. ☺

Here’s a little intro to the movie in case you didn’t watch it.  In Frozen 2, Elsa reflects on being insecure about her purpose for her life. If you watched the first film, this is basically the problem the whole movie. Her fear and the actions she takes because of it are related to insecurity. In Frozen 2, Elsa starts to hear a voice. She believes this voice will tell her what she needs to know about who she is. She goes on a journey to find the voice, which leads her to a place called, . Atahala. This is where everything should make sense. This should hold all the answers.

The Lyrics

Are you the one I’ve been looking for
All of my life?
Show yourself
I’m ready to learn

As she is singing, Elsa learns that the voice was her mom calling her to come to Atahala. At this point, I have probably lost you.  You are questioning how this has anything to do with Jesus.  Just WAIT. Let me explain! 

Elsa’s story is a beautiful reflection of our relationship with Christ. We all start out with the idea that we need more. What that “more” is looks different for each person, but we pray for MORE. I have talked to many young women who struggle with insecurities and self-worth. I have met guys who don’t have motivation or direction. These issues are amplified if these men or women don’t know Jesus, but even those that do know Jesus still pray for God to give them more to fill that place of insecurity. Yet, what we fail to realize is that when we accept Christ as our Savior AND walk with him daily we come to find our truest self. We ultimately find what we have been looking for our whole life.  Elsa sings, 

You are the answer I’ve waited for
All of my life

Come, my darling, homeward bound

I am found

Show yourself
Step into your power
grow yourself
Into something new

You are the one you’ve been waiting for

Jesus is truly the answer that you have waited for all of your life. He is calling us to himself so we can walk in HIS power. You are not lacking.  You do not need more. I understand that insecurity is something that we all fight, but in high school I began to see how God’s power in me is bigger than anything I face. 

Yet in my senior year, I was talking to some girls about life, and I realized that insecurity can still become consuming for many people, especially those who are insecure in their relationship with Jesus. A freshman in the group said she was very insecure almost every day. She wanted everyone to like her. She wanted to look perfect. I told her that this need would go away by Senior year and she just needed time. However, all the other girls in this group were Seniors and they all looked at me. Then, one by one, they said, “No, I still feel that way.” I was so confused. I have never considered myself a confident person, so why didn’t the other girls feel the same way I did? I realized that, in this particular group, I was the only one who had a close relationship with Jesus. While the others had been introduced to Jesus or had gone to church a little, none had a deep relationship with him. 

Out of that experience, I realized that when you know Jesus well, the rest of the world matters a whole lot less. Without Jesus, it is so easy to feel purposeless, but with him we can be confident that HE has a great purpose for each of us.  My hope is that you understand that your life has purpose and you don’t need more.  The rest of the world may seem to make you feel like you lack something, but your purpose is already in you.  Stop looking for more.

Here are some verses that I hope give you hope and confidence of who you are in Jesus: 

2 Timothy 1:7 – For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.  

1 Peter 2:9  – But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Proverbs 3:26 – For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

Romans 15:13- May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Psalm 62:8- Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

A reminder that God forgives your sins : 

Romans 5:8- But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Titus 3:5- He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

1John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

As Elsa finds her purpose in Frozen 2, I hope you are encouraged to see your own purpose.  If we walk in God’s love and pursue Him, we are directed to the things that we need to pursue Him further. If you don’t know the confidence that God’s love brings, I would love to talk to you more about it. Feel free to message me on Instagram. Thanks for reading!

Much love and God bless – Isabel 

The Christian Ally

isabeljohns

The country is in total chaos right now. We are in the middle of a pandemic, which has changed everyone’s lives. We are also aware of injustices that are just now being talked about on a national level. I am not saying it wasn’t there before. I am saying it is now getting more attention. While everything I am going to say may be considered “controversial,” I personally believe that’s the wrong label. I think the label “controversial” needs to be switched to “uncomfortable ” or “needs to be looked at more closely.” Most controversial topics don’t get talked about enough when really, they need the most attention.

I grew up in a super racially diverse place. I had friends of every color, but a majority of my friends were and still are African American. I have always felt so close to the community and culture. With that said it will help you to understand that I am deeply troubled right now. I have been disgusted by the amount of injustice I have seen in my county in the last several months. Things that I cannot even imagine happening and in fact are happening all the time. I have felt the deep pain of the losses we have had in our country.

While I feel so connected to this culture, I will never know what it is like to be an African American in America. It breaks my heart that I cannot truely share in this burden with my family. However, I am committed to be the best ally I can be and to spread awareness about the injustice that so many are experiencing in America RIGHT NOW. With that said the first thing I want to encourage everyone to do is to get educated. I don’t think you can truly start to help or advocate for a change if you don’t know what you are advocating for. I want to give some resources so that anyone who reads this can become more educated after reading this post then when they started. (I really hope you can copy and paste this URL. I will also try to share it on social media.)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BRlF2_zhNe86SGgHa6-VlBO-QgirITwCTugSfKie5Fs/mobilebasic

 AFTER you are educated: speak up. Live out what you learn. Do not let another day go by without actively reaching for change. This goes out especially to anyone reading this that is a Christian. As Christians we are called to a higher standard. We are called to share in each other’s burdens. We are called to love each other. We are called to consider others above ourselves. For a long time we have not taken into consideration the struggle of many of our sisters and brothers in Christ. Here some verses we can all use to be better ally’s, or just better people.

Galatians 6:2– “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

Romans 12:10– “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves

Proverbs 31:8-9. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

 John13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

1 John 3:17 -But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

Isaiah 58:6-7 -“Is not this the fast that I choose: to lose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

1 John 4:8 – “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Isaiah 1:17 -“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

While some may argue that these verses do not directly apply to the topic of racial injustice, I believe the verses couldn’t be more relevant.. Think of the person you love the most in the world. If they were treated the way that so  many black men and women are being  treated, would you allow it? That is the only way we should be viewing this as Christians. We are all made in the image of God and I refuse to not speak out when God’s children are hurting. This will look different for each individual. Please pray about what you share and be aware. The country is going crazy and the last thing anyone needs to hear is that this isn’t real. Before posting consider how your post could be viewed. Consider if it can be encouraging. Consider if it can help educate. Our country has been a mess for a long time. The last thing anyone needs to do is spread more hate. Do your best to advocate for change. I am holding on to the hope and praying we as a country can unify to make real change happen.

Tips for Pandemic times

isabeljohns

Across the globe, people have been affected by the pandemic and there are so many different opinions on every part of it. I know a lot of people have taken the stay-at-home order especially hard. However, no matter what your opinions are on the topic, I firmly believe that there is so much to learn in quarantine. Whether you are already out of quarantine, or you are like me and have to stay in quarantined to make sure that your loved ones stay safe, COVID has defiantly changed everyone’s daily life. As most of society claims to never have time, we suddenly have had A LOT of time on our hands! There are three things to learn in quarantine and keep after quarantine as a new priority:

1. Daily time with God 

2.  The Hustle- learn something new!

3.  Stillness

#1-Daily time with God. If you didn’t walk into quarantine with it, there is literally zero reason for you not to walk out of quarantine with it. Whoever just read that and thought it was a roast…. it was meant to be a roast. However, it is the truth. I love you, but I have to be honest with you. Daily time with God is the most valuable thing in my life. Here’s why: As Christians we are called to be like Christ. He is the goal; He is the best role model of all time. But if you don’t really know Christ, how can you emulate him? If you are not intentional with him, how can you live an intentional life?

As Christians, we can look to this amazing book that God gave us (the Bible) to help us through life. If we aren’t striving to understand God’s word, we are missing out on the opportunity to learn how to live a Godly life from the believers who have gone before us. We are missing out on looking more like Jesus. We are missing out on the peace the Lord freely gives us. Why miss an opportunity to live your best life when the Bible app is free? Why miss an opportunity to live your best life when God gave us a whole manual on how to live it? Why miss an opportunity to live your best life when you NOW have the free time to do so?!

That said, I know that reading isn’t everyone’s strong suit. The bible can also be complex. There are many reasons that you may not have a regular time with God. How about we start slow? 

Step 1: If you haven’t been to church Sundays in a while, start there. There are so many different churches to choose from. I know of like ten off the top of my head. DM me on Instagram and I will send them to you a link.
Step 2: If you have only talked to God on Sundays, try to work your way to three times a week. Sundays and two other times try to read anything you would like. If you are confused on where to start, I, personally, suggest the gospels. This applies to everyone who struggles with where to begin in the bible. Read through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Getting to know Jesus is our first priority. What could be a better way to do that then read his story from four different points of view  Another idea is to start with a proverb a day to keep the devil away. Get up right now, look at your phone, and open up the bible app to Proverbs 

Step 3: To my last group of people who is pretty regular in spending time with my guy, Jesus: add something. Maybe you start practicing Sabbath. Maybe you start reading a new Jesus book. (I suggest anything by CS Lewis or Emotionally Healthy Spirituality) Adding new things to your relationship will deepen your connection to God. 

#2- The Hustle 

This is a funny title, but I am all about the Hustle. I love multi-tasking and doing a million things. The day that I am leading bible study you already know that I have gone over every verse, looked at a bunch of commentary, and could write a whole blog and then some about it. Now, while not everyone lives by The Hustle, that’s ok, but in the context of quarantine, I mean pick up something new to try. I started reading again. I know cooking is a total trend of quarantine, but I LOVE IT. Try something you have always wanted to. Learn how to play the guitar. Learn how to paint. Do you love to travel but can’t because quarantine? Make a budget for the next place you want to go after this is all over. Want to start working out? There are so many workout ideas all over the internet. Want to start a blog? Start a blog 😉 There are so many things you haven’t tried because you never had the time but now, you have the time! Use it wisely.

#3- Stillness 

As I said, I love The Hustle, so stillness is…. especially hard for me! I love the Lord, but teaching myself to be still in his presence is hard. If quarantine has taught us anything, it is to slow down. I won’t lie to you- it’s a challenge, but it’s worth it. In quarantine, with the extra time you have, I encourage some of it to be in silence. If you are really cool and disciplined, allow even some of your time to be in complete stillness. 

The reason that stillness is a hard practice is because we are always busy. This, in turn, makes it incredibly hard to hear God. How are we ever going to really meet with our creator when everything in our life is so loud? Silence, stillness helps us to re-center. It can also bring up things that you need to talk to God about. Past hurts that need to be healed, new ways he wants you to grow, and a deeper connection to God can all be found in the stillness. I am hoping to attach a link to this post; however, if it doesn’t work, look this up on Spotify: Episode 26 Silence from the Carrie on podcast with Carrie Lloyd. Amazing stuff.

Life in a pandemic can be crazy, but the important thing is to come back to what is important. We will get through this together! Let me know if you have any prayer request. Thanks for reading. Much love and God bless -Isabel 🙂