Why Living Brightly?

During 2020, I would often find myself sitting by the window in the middle of the night, as I spent time with the Lord. That was the place where the chaos settled, and I allowed myself to rest in the Lord's presence. During those moments I remember often seeing stars outside, even despite the light pollution. This always encouraged me, because, as believers, we are called to be the light of the world. The name "Living Brightly" is a reflection of my desire to shine as brightly for Jesus as the stars do against the pollution. And may this be a desire for you too.

- Lots of Love, E :)

My Testimony

I grew up going to church. And even though I accepted God at a young age (according to my parents), for a while, I didn't really know what that truly meant. Every single time my 5th and 6th grade Sunday school teacher would ask "Who wants to put their faith and trust in Jesus," I would always murmur a prayer under my breath just in case I was not saved. Maybe little me was genuine, but bigger me was was not confident.

Sure, I understood that Jesus died for me, and I knew that He loved me, but it was never personal. It was all head knowledge. I went about life with church as an accessory, not with God as my priority. I mean, just because I could recite many stories and verses in the Bible did not mean I was truly walking with Jesus.

In middle school I went to an event called Collision, where all the churches in the area "collided." It was then and there, during worship ("Holy Ground" by Passion), when I truly felt the Lord's presence for the first time. And although I never made a verbal commitment, my heart changed. It was one of the moments that truly made me desire a real relationship with Christ--a relationship not bound by my sins or failures, but a relationship filled with love, joy, and peace because of the cross.

And now, here I am. I have since learned that God wants us to have a personal relationship with Him. He wants us to talk to Him, to cry out to Him, and to share with Him every part of our lives because He loves us. He does not want us to hold Him in our heads, but He wants us to hold Him in our hearts.

I will not be perfect on this earth, but I believe God is working in me. I believe He has a will and a purpose for my life and your life that is good. He is loving, merciful, and never-failing, and I hope this blog inspires you. This is my journey. ❤