I was one of those Christian kids who went to church every Sunday and knew all the right answers in Sunday school. I did the right things like obeying my parents and reading the Bible on a regular basis. For the most part I tried hard to be the good Christian girl.
When I was just four I accepted Christ as my Savior and at 8 I committed my life to missionary service.
All through high school I tried hard to follow God but by the time I was in my early 20s I was completely dissatisfied with my Christian life. Somehow, I just didn’t seem to be attaining the joy and peace the Bible talked about.
“Deep down from somewhere inside of me, a nagging unrest about my soul told me something was amiss in my relationship with God. It wasn’t that I was wandering away from God or that I had committed some great sins. Yet all the knowledge of God that I had gained still seemed to leave me with a sense of emptiness. As I went to church Sunday after Sunday, I would sit in the pew and sing the familiar hymns. Some were about victory in Jesus, having a river of life flowing out of me, power in the blood, and the greatness of God.” (P22)
I wondered how I could sing about victory but not feel it evidenced in my own life. I wanted to know the God who was real to me! Share on X
Join me on my journey of faith through our website here and through my book Beyond Head Knowledge: Knowing Christ who Satisfies Our Hearts. The book is approaching its three-year birthday. In celebration of that I will be sharing excerpts from the book over the next month and hosting a Goodreads give away.
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Beyond Head Knowledge
by Naomi Fata
Giveaway ends May 16, 2017.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
I would love to hear from you in the comments below. Feel free to share currents struggles or past ones that God has helped you through.
Are you struggling to find joy and peace in your Christian life?
What questions do you have concerning your spiritual life?
Do you feel like you are living a victorious life in Christ?
Do you feel like you are just going through the motions of Bible reading and church attendance?
This post is part of several linkups
- Mask Waiver - April 2, 2020
- Volunteer Application - March 24, 2020
- Lord Are You Willing? - October 3, 2019
Naomi, I’ve had times where I felt empty, even though I was doing everything “right.” It’s funny how life can derail our intentions to know God more deeply. Busy-ness, comparison, lies I’ve believed have all played roles in causing me to feel empty at times. I’m so thankful God is bigger than all of these, and that He pursues us and woos us into deeper relationship with Him. He’s done some healing in my heart that has helped me be more free to follow hard after Him.
I’m your neighbor at Testimony Tuesday today. 🙂
So true Jeanne. Blessings to you as you continue following hard after Him!
Happy 3 year anniversary to the book. 🙂 When you grow up in church, we sometimes have to relearn what our faith means outside the church doors, don’t we? There’ve been times in my life when I’ve sat in church singing about victory, yet feeling anything but victorious, too. Praise God, He’s still there, holding our victory safe, even when we don’t feel it. — Hope y’all had a wonderful Easter, Naomi. ((Hug))
Brenda, Thanks. As I have shared my story I have connected with so many who grew up in church and felt that way too! Yes we had a blessed Easter thanks
Happy Book Birthday! I’ve asked those same questions, Naomi — with hands and voice raised in praise wondering why I struggled so. I love that we can bring our questions to God, and He meets us right in the midst of our struggles. ((Hugs))
Crystal, yes! What a gift to be able to bring our questions to God without fear of His response.