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Strong By Faith

Healing With Faith

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Homeschooling mama to two boys. Writing is a passion. Living with bipolar 1 and blogging about mental health and faith. I hope people are inspired by my authenticity and honesty in my writing and are encouraged in their Christian walk, or if you don’t yet know Him, to take that next step.
  • Why Jesus Can Still Save You

    Why Jesus Can Still Save You


    Today marks the end of suicide prevention month. And while I wish I did speak on the topic sooner, I thought it better late than never. If you’re in a dark place right now and need some hope, no matter your walk, I just need you to know that Jesus sees you and is with you. And I need to tell you your life is worthwhile. You matter.

    I want you to know that there is always a way out of whatever darkness you find yourself in. I’m not saying this as someone who has never walked through darkness before. A couple times in my life I have found myself thinking about suicide. One time I made an attempt by downing some pills before bed. Later on in my life, I was making plans. All this to say, I have been through darkness. After my failed attempt, I woke up more grateful than ever before. After making plans later in life, I was finally starting to see my worth. There have been many other dark times, all of which He has helped me get through. No decision I ever made was too wrong for Him to reach me. Any of my wrong He has forgiven, and I truly believe that. I walk in freedom from shame and guilt. It is amazing not to live in the past. You can have freedom, too.

    Now, I don’t want to give you an unrealistic picture. I have struggled with worth my whole life, but I can definitively say that on the days I shift my perspective and fill my mind with His word, I am doing far better than I have ever before. We will always be sinners, but Jesus offers hope. He will give you joy, peace, and better than anything, He promises eternal life.

    So no matter how dark your life is right now, just know there is always hope. And please know your value as a person is wrapped up in this – He died for you because you are worth saving. You and your soul mean something.

    If you would like to know next steps about giving your life to Jesus, email me at samantha@strongbyfaith.blog



  • Charlie Kirk’s Death: A Decision Every Christian Must Now Make

    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

    I have been having such a sense of heaviness since hearing about the death of Charlie Kirk. He was known for being emblematic of truth. In all of this world, there is one truth we can stand on: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6)

    This verse is not a damnation for anyone not wanting to do with Christ. Rather, it is an open invitation – one we all have. It was a truth Charlie was willing to stand on, even to death, and I am thankful he was willing to have the courage to speak that truth.

    “There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth.” (Amos 5:10)

    The evil hatred for truth reared its ugly head and took a child of God and truth teller from this world. Not only is a wife missing her husband and two children missing their father, but a bright voice in the midst of darkness that was calling lost sheep to come home has been snuffed out.

    After this news, we as followers of Christ have a personal decision to make. Will we be emboldened and still choose to be a voice in the darkness or we will we let fear or some other means silence us? Will we choose to stand on the truth we know as Jesus as the one true King and risk our lives so other can be led to Him?

    This is a question I must seriously consider for myself, too. We have seen how much truth is hated. And I must not let the fear of death dissuade me from telling people about my Savior and the good news He has. My aim now is to pray that my brothers and sisters in Christ can stand together in the face of fear and still continue to speak truth. If I’m being honest, I can say have no doubts the power of God will embolden people.


    Thank you, Charlie, for your example.

  • What’s keeping you from the promises of God?

    I had a thought the other day, about Moses and that time he disobeyed God and it kept him from entering the promised land. For those who may not know the story, Moses was instructed by the Lord to speak to a rock so that water would flow out of it for the Israelites. Instead, he struck it twice.

    What looks like a small gesture kept him from seeing the promised land, despite his many acts of obedience. However, I often have to remind myself that even what seems like something small can still have big impact. Anyways, this thought of Moses had me thinking, what am I missing out on because of my disobedience?

    I can name a NUMBER of ways I have disobeyed the Lord. It’s not that I never obey, it’s just at certain times, I spend too much time thinking about it and not acting. You see, I have a tendency to talk myself out of things, overthinking and then convincing myself it wasn’t Him speaking to me. Or, I just simply make excuses. In the past, there has even been a lot of fear keeping me from obeying. Can anyone relate? This is a huge spiritual obstacle in my life, and one I pray the Holy Spirit will help me break. I know He will keep providing me with opportunities to obey. I simply must follow through.

    I don’t know better than God, I know this. I also need to stop letting excuses, overthinking and fear override His say. When I’m disobeying, I’m allowing the enemy to have his way in my thoughts, and I’m missing out on impacting others and wins for His kingdom. All this points, I believe, to a lack of reverence to Him in my life. And so, I have been trying to instill a deeper sense of reverence within me through scripture study.

    It’s never too late to start walking in obedience, and He will help perfect us in this as long as we are on this earth. So don’t give up hope, if you’re in a place where yours has been weakened.

    Here’s what I’m going to pray to tackle my pattern of disobedience:

    1. I’m going to pray for the Holy Spirit to convict me and help me take action when He’s calling me to do something.

    2. I will also pray for confirmation if I’m truly not sure of something He’s asking me to do.

    3. I will pray for more opportunities to obey so that I can be emboldened and take chances to step out in faith to do what He wants me to do.

    4. I will pray for more reverence for Him, that He shows me while I’m in Scripture and in everyday life what He wants me to see.

    If anyone would like to pray for me while I embark on getting over this spiritual hurdle, I would indeed take it.

    Let’s Talk

    Are there any ways you have overcome the thoughts or fears that have kept you from obeying? If so, please share!

  • Where is Your Trust, What’s Your Egypt?

    Where is Your Trust, What’s Your Egypt?


    My Bible reading today has been very convicting, and I at once wanted to be sure I hopped online to share. I hope this can be of encouragement to someone. Immediately, the Lord brought my attention to Isaiah 30 and reminded me of my trust in the false security of money. That is my Egypt, I thought. Verse by verse, I find myself resonating with the fact that yes, my trust in financial security instead of in Him is indeed Egypt for me. It behooves us to apply the Word to our walk with Christ. I pray this can help someone correct their way and put their trust back in Him the way it is redirecting me.

    Let’s delve into the chapter and see what’s happening. It starts out strong:

    “ ‘Woe to the obstinate children,’ says the Lord,
    ‘to those who carry out plans that are not mine,

    forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,

    heaping sin upon sin;

    who go down to Egypt
    without consulting me;

    who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection,

    To Egypt’s shade for refuge”


    For every bold word, insert whatever thing (or person) you’re trusting in here. It can be painful for the Lord to reveal what is truly an idol in your life. This happened to me a few days ago, and this scripture resonating with me only confirms that as truth.

    Jumping to Isaiah 30:8, we see God instructing his people to inscribe on a scroll the folly of Judah “that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness.” Listen to what he calls Judah in verse 9: “For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.”

    May this bring holy conviction to those who hear. If your trust is in anything but the Lord, you are in rebellion. Put your trust and hope in Him only. Verse 10 talks about the people no longer wanting truth but “pleasant things.”

    What is to come for those that rely on anything other than the Lord? Verse 13 speaks of a “high wall that collapses suddenly, in an instant.” Let’s heed this as truth that when our trust is misplaced in something or someone other than our one and only Lord that things will fall before us. It is like a shattered illusion.

    Verse 15 tells us what to do when we catch ourselves in this act of rebellion (and what Judah did not do): “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”

    Whatever your Egypt is in this season, repent, and seek peace and strength from Him once again. May your mind remain calm, your fears be quieted and your faith louder than the worries which lead you to find refuge in something other than Him.

    Let’s Talk

    Do you think your trust is being misplaced in something other than God? How can I pray for you with any struggle you may be having today?

  • You’re an Approved Worker of Christ

    You’re an Approved Worker of Christ

    Do you ever feel unworthy to be doing the work of Jesus here on earth? Do you struggle with knowing that whatever you’re spending your time on may not be enough?

    I must admit I am guilty of having both of these thoughts. A poor self-view has kept me from believing that I have anything good for His kingdom to offer. I have wondered, “What does He see in me because I am not seeing it. “ I have thought, “What knowledge do I have to bring to the table? Surely, my limited thinking cannot hold enough value to enlighten anyone.” Thankfully, this self-doubt disappeared when I found 2 Timothy 2:15. It says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and correctly handles the word of truth.”

    Friend, if you happen to be stuck in a place of thinking that you are unworthy of a calling or that your calling is unworthy, remember you are hand-picked for the job and that job is unique to you. He has called you to do it. You ARE capable, with His help, of meeting the criteria to be approved, so find hope and joy in knowing that you can be considered an approved worker for Him!

    What does being an approved worker for Him mean?

    A peek at Blue Letter Bible tells me that to be a God-approved worker is four-fold:

    • It is to be diligent. We must work hard and endure.
    • It is to aim to please God with how we carry out our work, not man.
    • It is not being embarrassed by our job performance because we know it’s a job well done.
    • It is handling God’s word responsibly – with correct interpretation and understanding what is the truth vs. what is not.


    Let’s Talk

    Have you ever felt that you needed encouragement to continue in a calling in your life? Does knowing that you are an approved worker for Him help?

  • Responding to a Waning Faith

    Responding to a Waning Faith

    I have to be honest about something. For the last few months, I had been having a faith that seemed as if it had been growing weary. I had noticed that seeds of doubt were beginning to be sown in my spirit, and I had to confront them.

    Why was I questioning what God can do? Why was I second guessing what is divine vs what is not? I was thinking that I must have been losing faith if I couldn’t be emboldened. My prayers were not of belief but of doubt. A typical thought for me while I was praying was: I know he could do this, but would he? Maybe this was just a natural thought. I imagine many others experience this. For example, I think of all the people that have prayed for healing for themselves or a loved one. There’s so much healing that doesn’t happen earthside. And this, as an example, can make waves in a person’s faith. Experiencing doubt doesn’t make you faithless. Instead, it is an opportunity for God to speak to you.

    So, what was causing these swirling doubts to fill my mind? Why was I having such a hard time attributing outcomes to God 100% of the time? Well, I can pinpoint the doubt to when circumstances in a loved one’s life were getting to me and no matter how much I prayed I about it, things were not getting better. I felt as if praying over this person was of no use. And over time, my thoughts turned into what I previously described.

    A breakthrough came amidst the doubts, however. As many of us often need to be, I took a moment to be still. I prayed to God to make me bold again. I wanted to have the faith I had previously.

    His word to me was quick to the point and simple: “Choose to believe.”

    If you’re struggling with a waning faith, just know you’re not alone. God wants you to work through the doubts, and he understands you are human, so don’t forget to give yourself grace. Remind yourself of his sovereignty – He IS in control of everything, even the little things. When you make the choice to believe, you are surrendering that humanity in you and choosing to stand on truth; His truth.

    I hope this can be of encouragement to you – push through the doubt and keep the faith!

  • Confronting Feelings of Inadequacy

    Confronting Feelings of Inadequacy

    I have heard a couple of people lately mention how their feelings of inadequacy are keeping them from doing something they want to be doing.

    These two specific people have drive and confidence in so many areas, yet it was a time of rejection which made them feel this way. This begs me to question, why is a steady self-worth so difficult to obtain once we fear others are questioning our character or abilities? It takes so much spiritual nourishment to feed these parts of us that vie for affirmation or validation. I am included in this. I also go through a waxing and waning self-worth based on how well I perceive I’m doing at something, which I oftentimes base on someone else’s feedback of me.

    So, why am I caring about someone else’s approval? And why do I need to be good at something to think I have value? It is so off-putting to know I associate performance with self-worth. This is something I’m digging into and will update on once I’ve figured out how to disassociate the two.

    In my last article on self-worth, I delve into some ways to reframe thinking around poor self-worth. The scriptures I point to truly do fill me with the sentiment that I am precious in his sight and so valuable to Him. Truth bomb: I’m finding that what’s hard is sustaining the belief that I matter to me. Now, feelings of self-worthlessness is a marker of my bipolar 1, so I truly believe it is something I will deal with for the rest of my life. And that’s okay, because I don’t have to go through these ups and downs alone. I have the Lord to lean on, and I have His word that He’ll never leave me.

    As I work through this issue in therapy, I’ll post back with some helpful tips on how to help with this, as I usually like to do. For now, I’ll be glad that I can pinpoint what it is I need to overcome.

    I hope this post can help others at least be more self-aware when it comes their feelings around low self worth and inadequacy and maybe even highlight the underlying reason for it. It’s all a journey, guys.

    Don’t give up putting in the work!

    Let’s Talk

    Do you deal with feeling inadequate at times? How do you get over that belief that you are unworthy?

  • In Case You Didn’t Know

    In Case You Didn’t Know


    There is a someone who forever has loved and known
    every single part of you.

    He is outside of time and knit you in the womb.

    You are not just a thought, not just a chance,
    but an intention He wanted to make.

    I know this because my Creator doesn’t make a mistake.

    When sin entered creation, there was a separation …

    The gap between God and man would only grow
    because a perfect God cannot be in the presence of sin.

    He knew – without connection, there’d be no way to heaven,
    no way for us to be with Him.

    There would have to be something done to atone.
    Without it, we’d be on the line to pay.

    His love didn’t want us to face that judgment
    So He sent His only Son.

    He would pay the cost
    and take the sin of all to the grave.

    On the cross He hung,
    spear in the side, nails in the hands and feet.

    He took that pain for you and me.

    And on that third day,
    He defeated death,
    rose from the grave.

    Like Jesus
    you and me will also one day resurrect.

    But it’s not a given,
    It’s something you elect.

    Simply put – it is a fact:
    Jesus is the way to heaven,

    Not about perfection
    But a heart that’s willing,

    He’d be there for you every step.

    I hope that you know
    even on your hardest of days

    You have a Savior to turn to
    offering to take the pain.

    One prayer is all it takes.

  • A Reminder: Stop Striving

    A Reminder: Stop Striving

    I have been striving a lot lately. I forget how eager my Savior is to swoop in. He wants to help me out so that I’m not carrying the burden. Mainly, my striving encompasses three areas – finances, the future, and homeschooling. I try to have our finances be a certain way from week to week. I worry about what we will do in the future when my husband no longer works. I want the school days to go perfectly. I do all this, and yet what I need to do is stop and remember something important. Whenever I strive to do something, I am not doing it in His strength. I am doing it in my own strength. I have got to retrain my mindset.

    Striving mode is absolutely at its worst when things take a turn away from my plan. I worry about all the possible outcomes. What I need to do is truly take my thoughts captive to hand control over to God again

    Please tell me someone can relate?!

    Recently, I recalled a conversation I had with someone. She gave me encouragement in the form of one word of advice (literally, one word). It was to abide. The goal for any believer is not to strive but to abide. The Greek word for “abide” is meno. It means to remain, stay, continue to exist, or persist. In other words, dwell.

    How lovely is that? Our goal is to dwell in Him. We seek His peace, His strength, His mercies, His love, His forgiveness, and His provision. We aspire to embrace all the other attributes of His great name.

    So, I ask you, where are you dwelling on a daily basis?

    In every situation, let’s dwell with Jesus.

    Let’s Talk

    Are there areas where you’ve been striving and not dwelling? What can I pray for you today?

  • Recognizing God’s Deep Love for You

    Recognizing God’s Deep Love for You

    Do you ever contemplate how deep the Father’s love for you truly is? Or perhaps you may think of yourself as being hard to love or unworthy of love? No matter your relationship with the Lord – near, far, still deciding – know there is a love that does not want to let you go.

    No matter how messy you are (we all are), there is a love that pursues you.

    Let me tell you about a time I was at an event and offered to pray for someone when time for prayer came. This man had expressed that even though he’s walked with God his whole life, he’s never felt His loving presence. This made me so sad. I prayed for him to sense the love of God around him, but as he was walking away, it hit me:

    What about the love of God as shown by others?

    Scripture tells us clearly that God’s love is reflected in those that believe in Him. (“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” 1 John 4:12, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7). In other words, it is our job to love the way Jesus did. We can be conduits of God’s love.

    I tell this story as a caution to you – don’t be like the man searching for something and missing what’s been in front of him all along. And, before I go on, let me just say, I don’t know all the details of this man’s story, but I simply could not believe at face value that the love of God was never felt by him through the actions of others in his life, especially given the fact that I saw just how lovingly his wife was holding him as we were praying.  

    It would be like waiting for the very audible voice of God to speak to you before you ever picked up the Bible to hear His Word or before you ever recognized the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit.

    Please, don’t miss God’s love for you. Every day you cling to negative thoughts about yourself or when you fail to find Him in the everyday things around you, you are missing out on beautiful truths – He is everywhere, He will go to great lengths to find you, He loves you DEEPLY.

    3 Ways to Recognize the Supernatural Love that Surrounds You

    1. Steep yourself in scripture. Per my usual recommendation, search the Word. Some awesome things found in scripture include:
      * “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
      * “But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.’” (Isaiah 43:1-2)
      * “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
    2. Consider what may even seem like ordinary small gestures (a smile from a neighbor or a wave from a stranger) as a testament to God’s love for you. God is sovereign and in control of everything, even these small details that we may take for granted.
    3. Talk to Him. Don’t be afraid to ask for confirmations from Him or to even ask for reminders. A very special memory I have with the Lord is when I was a teenager at a youth retreat. I was praying quietly to myself and just wishing that could give Him a big hug. Moments later, the youth pastor had announced God wanted to give someone a bear hug (spoiler: it was me). I will never forget that. He can show up for you in those ways, too. Don’t be afraid to ask. 

    Let’s Talk

    Have you ever experienced the awe-inspiring love of God? Are there ways that you feel you’re missing it?