Jan. 16, 2025
Chapter 8: Sheltered by Faith: Ep 1: Faith as a Shelter: Trusting the Unseen
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Welcome to the Diary of Black Women podcast with your host, Connie Morris. In this inaugural episode of our new series, Sheltered by Faith, we explore the transformative power of faith and its role as a shelter in life's challenges.
Centered around the key scripture of Hebrews 11.1, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see," we delve into stories of biblical figures such as Abraham, Moses, and Rahab, who demonstrated immense trust in God despite daunting circumstances. These examples inspire us to actively trust in God's character and promises, even when our path forward is unclear.
Join us as we discuss practical steps to strengthen your faith: meditating on God's word, praying for faith growth, and keeping a faith journal. These practices can help you nurture and grow your faith, giving you peace and strength to face life's storms.
As we conclude, remember that faith does not eliminate challenges but provides a refuge and empowers us through them. Stay with us on this journey by subscribing to the Diary of Black Women podcast for more insightful episodes in the Sheltered by Faith series. Until next time, remain strong in faith, trusting in the unfailing promises of God.
00:04 - Introduction to Faith
02:51 - Building Your Shield of Faith
07:21 - Closing Thoughts and Prayer
WEBVTT
00:00:00.577 --> 00:00:04.457
Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Diary of Black Women podcast.
00:00:04.837 --> 00:00:08.857
I'm your host, Connie Morris, and this is the first episode in our brand new
00:00:08.857 --> 00:00:11.577
series, Sheltered by Faith.
00:00:12.017 --> 00:00:17.897
Together, we'll explore the transformative power of faith and how God's promises
00:00:17.897 --> 00:00:21.497
shield us through life's challenges.
00:00:21.957 --> 00:00:28.097
Today's episode is titled, Faith as a Shelter, Trusting the Unseen.
00:00:28.777 --> 00:00:34.217
We'll explore what it means to have faith as our foundation and how trusting
00:00:34.217 --> 00:00:38.617
in God's unseen promises can shape our lives.
00:00:38.897 --> 00:00:42.117
So let's start with our key scripture for today.
00:00:42.377 --> 00:00:49.417
Found in Hebrews 11.1, it says, Now faith is confidence in what we hope for
00:00:49.417 --> 00:00:53.517
and assurance about what we do not see.
00:00:53.937 --> 00:01:00.197
Faith is more than just belief. It's a deep trust in God's promises,
00:01:00.197 --> 00:01:05.877
even when we can't see them or even see the outcome.
00:01:06.297 --> 00:01:10.897
It's about standing firm in the confidence that God is working,
00:01:11.097 --> 00:01:15.177
even when the circumstances feel uncertain.
00:01:15.677 --> 00:01:19.477
Think about this. Faith is like an umbrella in a storm.
00:01:19.737 --> 00:01:25.237
You can't stop the rain, but you can trust that the umbrella will shield you.
00:01:25.237 --> 00:01:32.477
Faith doesn't remove the challenges. It shelters us as we navigate through them.
00:01:33.277 --> 00:01:42.917
In Hebrews 11, often called the hall of faith, we see examples of individuals
00:01:42.917 --> 00:01:48.237
who trusted in God despite overwhelming odds.
00:01:49.097 --> 00:01:51.337
Abraham, when God caught Abraham
00:01:51.337 --> 00:01:57.097
to leave his home and go to a land he'd never seen, Abraham obeyed.
00:01:57.770 --> 00:02:04.270
His faith was his shelter as he walked into the unknown, Hebrews 11.8.
00:02:04.690 --> 00:02:11.930
Moses trusted God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, even when Pharaoh seemed undefeatable.
00:02:12.230 --> 00:02:19.210
His faith was his shield against fear, Hebrews 11.24-27.
00:02:20.030 --> 00:02:26.510
Rahab. Rahab's faith saved her family when she hid the spies in Jericho.
00:02:26.510 --> 00:02:32.890
Her belief in God of Israel gave her courage, Hebrews 11.31.
00:02:33.370 --> 00:02:37.630
These stories remind us that faith is not passive, it is active,
00:02:37.630 --> 00:02:44.730
and it requires us to trust God's character and promises, even when the path isn't clear.
00:02:45.210 --> 00:02:51.010
Faith isn't just for biblical heroes, it's for you and me today.
00:02:51.570 --> 00:02:55.050
So how does faith shape your daily life and decisions?
00:02:55.830 --> 00:02:59.970
Think about the moments when you've had to trust God blindly.
00:03:00.870 --> 00:03:05.790
Were you able to see his hand guiding you later?
00:03:06.090 --> 00:03:10.910
You know, when you think about that, you just, you walking and you're just doing
00:03:10.910 --> 00:03:13.030
what God tells you to do step by step.
00:03:13.230 --> 00:03:19.390
And then when that thing comes to pass, you're able to look back and go like, yep, yep.
00:03:19.870 --> 00:03:23.490
Now I see you working. I see you working. I see you working.
00:03:23.490 --> 00:03:25.930
And that builds so much trust in God.
00:03:26.110 --> 00:03:31.130
It just builds so much trust in God, but it also builds our faith.
00:03:31.290 --> 00:03:37.250
So how can we build this shield of faith, right? How can we strengthen our faith
00:03:37.250 --> 00:03:39.070
and allow it to shield us?
00:03:39.250 --> 00:03:41.370
Here are three practical steps.
00:03:42.110 --> 00:03:47.390
Meditate on God's word. I mean, as a Christian, we hear this all the time.
00:03:47.630 --> 00:03:52.370
Nothing that I speak about in these devotionals aren't really anything new,
00:03:52.390 --> 00:03:57.650
but they are reminders that when we forget, that we can forget.
00:03:57.950 --> 00:04:04.150
So what it says is to build a shield of faith is you need to meditate on God's word.
00:04:04.390 --> 00:04:13.230
So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of God. Romans 10, 17.
00:04:13.970 --> 00:04:18.390
Spending time in scripture reminds us that God's promises.
00:04:19.349 --> 00:04:23.009
And builds our faith in him. So meditate on the word of God.
00:04:23.529 --> 00:04:30.289
Prayer for faith to grow. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief, Mark 9, 24.
00:04:30.689 --> 00:04:38.769
Faith is a gift, but it can grow as we ask God to deepen our trust in him. So you have to pray.
00:04:38.989 --> 00:04:41.369
Pray for faith. Faith comes by what?
00:04:41.829 --> 00:04:46.729
The word. You got to keep seeking the word. Faith comes by the word.
00:04:47.009 --> 00:04:51.289
So Lord, help my unbelief. but you got to seek the word.
00:04:51.469 --> 00:04:55.229
Faith comes by the word and the word only. You have to get into the word.
00:04:55.389 --> 00:05:00.909
You have to build yourself up on your most holy faith, not an automatic thing.
00:05:01.089 --> 00:05:03.069
No one can make your faith grow.
00:05:03.329 --> 00:05:07.369
You are the producer of your own faith.
00:05:07.689 --> 00:05:13.269
So you can't, you can put a lot of word in you. Yes, that's you building your faith.
00:05:14.029 --> 00:05:19.269
And you don't, you'll realize too, A lot of times people, you don't realize
00:05:19.269 --> 00:05:20.649
how much your faith has grown.
00:05:20.869 --> 00:05:25.929
If you grow, if you're a gardener or you like green, you got a green thumb,
00:05:26.089 --> 00:05:28.749
maybe you're a gardener and you plant your seeds.
00:05:28.909 --> 00:05:33.449
And then pretty soon you notice after about 40 days or 44 days or so,
00:05:33.589 --> 00:05:37.129
you'll see the little leaf come popping up.
00:05:37.709 --> 00:05:41.169
But you don't see that little leaf popping up right away, right?
00:05:41.349 --> 00:05:46.169
You continue to water it. You water it. You water it. Faith come by hearing
00:05:46.169 --> 00:05:47.609
and hearing the word of God.
00:05:47.789 --> 00:05:52.289
You have to continue to put that word of God in you, continue to water that
00:05:52.289 --> 00:05:55.289
seed that's in you, and then it begins to grow.
00:05:55.509 --> 00:06:00.249
And then you don't realize how much it grows until there's something that happens.
00:06:00.249 --> 00:06:03.009
And then boom, your faith is activated.
00:06:03.269 --> 00:06:07.069
Boom. It's not the same as when you first got the seed.
00:06:07.269 --> 00:06:11.929
It's a little bit bigger because you have continued to water your faith.
00:06:12.149 --> 00:06:14.089
And always keep a faith journal.
00:06:14.909 --> 00:06:19.369
Write down the moments when God gives you the word, the seed,
00:06:19.589 --> 00:06:21.609
and then watch how it grows.
00:06:21.809 --> 00:06:25.509
And you'll see how God promises comes true in your life.
00:06:25.669 --> 00:06:30.769
This practice can remind you of how faithful God is when those storms arises.
00:06:31.069 --> 00:06:32.849
And those is kind of like a faith journal.
00:06:33.229 --> 00:06:37.089
You're watching how God keeps his promises, right?
00:06:37.229 --> 00:06:41.949
And so you say, God kept his promise to me. Why? Because I have a gratitude
00:06:41.949 --> 00:06:49.249
journal. I have a faith journal. I'm watching how God's words does come to pass in my life.
00:06:49.529 --> 00:06:53.889
The Bible says his word never, never returns void.
00:06:54.719 --> 00:07:00.199
So I would say this week in this new year that you will just start to keep track
00:07:00.199 --> 00:07:06.359
of your prayers, keep track of your, keep a faith journal, write down the promises
00:07:06.359 --> 00:07:08.059
of God that you're trusting in.
00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:12.819
What scripture are you believing? What scripture did he give you to trust in?
00:07:12.939 --> 00:07:15.579
Reflect on it. Keep watering like you would.
00:07:16.139 --> 00:07:20.359
Plant and then watch your faith grow in 2025.
00:07:21.239 --> 00:07:25.739
So as we close out today, remember faith is your shelter. It doesn't remove
00:07:25.739 --> 00:07:31.299
life's challenges, but it gives you the strength and peace to face them,
00:07:31.599 --> 00:07:34.119
knowing that God is with you.
00:07:34.479 --> 00:07:39.639
So let's close this out in prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you for being our shelter and refuge.
00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:44.779
Teach us to trust in your promises, even when we can't see the outcome.
00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:49.939
Strengthen our faith so that we may confidently walk through life,
00:07:49.939 --> 00:07:55.159
knowing you are in control. So help us to be like Abraham, Moses,
00:07:55.379 --> 00:07:59.419
Rahab, trusting you with every step we take.
00:07:59.579 --> 00:08:02.199
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
00:08:02.719 --> 00:08:04.479
So once again, thank you for joining
00:08:04.479 --> 00:08:09.799
me on this journey through faith as a shelter, trusting in the unseen.
00:08:10.139 --> 00:08:15.959
This episode has encouraged you. Share with your friends who need a reminder of God's faithfulness.
00:08:16.059 --> 00:08:20.659
And don't forget to subscribe to the Diary of Black Women podcast for more episodes
00:08:20.659 --> 00:08:26.859
in this Sheltered by Faith series. Until next time, stay strong in faith.
00:08:26.859 --> 00:08:30.579
And remember, God's promises are always accurate.
00:08:30.859 --> 00:08:33.739
And be blessed. Well, that's amen.
00:00:00.577 --> 00:00:04.457
Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Diary of Black Women podcast.
00:00:04.837 --> 00:00:08.857
I'm your host, Connie Morris, and this is the first episode in our brand new
00:00:08.857 --> 00:00:11.577
series, Sheltered by Faith.
00:00:12.017 --> 00:00:17.897
Together, we'll explore the transformative power of faith and how God's promises
00:00:17.897 --> 00:00:21.497
shield us through life's challenges.
00:00:21.957 --> 00:00:28.097
Today's episode is titled, Faith as a Shelter, Trusting the Unseen.
00:00:28.777 --> 00:00:34.217
We'll explore what it means to have faith as our foundation and how trusting
00:00:34.217 --> 00:00:38.617
in God's unseen promises can shape our lives.
00:00:38.897 --> 00:00:42.117
So let's start with our key scripture for today.
00:00:42.377 --> 00:00:49.417
Found in Hebrews 11.1, it says, Now faith is confidence in what we hope for
00:00:49.417 --> 00:00:53.517
and assurance about what we do not see.
00:00:53.937 --> 00:01:00.197
Faith is more than just belief. It's a deep trust in God's promises,
00:01:00.197 --> 00:01:05.877
even when we can't see them or even see the outcome.
00:01:06.297 --> 00:01:10.897
It's about standing firm in the confidence that God is working,
00:01:11.097 --> 00:01:15.177
even when the circumstances feel uncertain.
00:01:15.677 --> 00:01:19.477
Think about this. Faith is like an umbrella in a storm.
00:01:19.737 --> 00:01:25.237
You can't stop the rain, but you can trust that the umbrella will shield you.
00:01:25.237 --> 00:01:32.477
Faith doesn't remove the challenges. It shelters us as we navigate through them.
00:01:33.277 --> 00:01:42.917
In Hebrews 11, often called the hall of faith, we see examples of individuals
00:01:42.917 --> 00:01:48.237
who trusted in God despite overwhelming odds.
00:01:49.097 --> 00:01:51.337
Abraham, when God caught Abraham
00:01:51.337 --> 00:01:57.097
to leave his home and go to a land he'd never seen, Abraham obeyed.
00:01:57.770 --> 00:02:04.270
His faith was his shelter as he walked into the unknown, Hebrews 11.8.
00:02:04.690 --> 00:02:11.930
Moses trusted God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, even when Pharaoh seemed undefeatable.
00:02:12.230 --> 00:02:19.210
His faith was his shield against fear, Hebrews 11.24-27.
00:02:20.030 --> 00:02:26.510
Rahab. Rahab's faith saved her family when she hid the spies in Jericho.
00:02:26.510 --> 00:02:32.890
Her belief in God of Israel gave her courage, Hebrews 11.31.
00:02:33.370 --> 00:02:37.630
These stories remind us that faith is not passive, it is active,
00:02:37.630 --> 00:02:44.730
and it requires us to trust God's character and promises, even when the path isn't clear.
00:02:45.210 --> 00:02:51.010
Faith isn't just for biblical heroes, it's for you and me today.
00:02:51.570 --> 00:02:55.050
So how does faith shape your daily life and decisions?
00:02:55.830 --> 00:02:59.970
Think about the moments when you've had to trust God blindly.
00:03:00.870 --> 00:03:05.790
Were you able to see his hand guiding you later?
00:03:06.090 --> 00:03:10.910
You know, when you think about that, you just, you walking and you're just doing
00:03:10.910 --> 00:03:13.030
what God tells you to do step by step.
00:03:13.230 --> 00:03:19.390
And then when that thing comes to pass, you're able to look back and go like, yep, yep.
00:03:19.870 --> 00:03:23.490
Now I see you working. I see you working. I see you working.
00:03:23.490 --> 00:03:25.930
And that builds so much trust in God.
00:03:26.110 --> 00:03:31.130
It just builds so much trust in God, but it also builds our faith.
00:03:31.290 --> 00:03:37.250
So how can we build this shield of faith, right? How can we strengthen our faith
00:03:37.250 --> 00:03:39.070
and allow it to shield us?
00:03:39.250 --> 00:03:41.370
Here are three practical steps.
00:03:42.110 --> 00:03:47.390
Meditate on God's word. I mean, as a Christian, we hear this all the time.
00:03:47.630 --> 00:03:52.370
Nothing that I speak about in these devotionals aren't really anything new,
00:03:52.390 --> 00:03:57.650
but they are reminders that when we forget, that we can forget.
00:03:57.950 --> 00:04:04.150
So what it says is to build a shield of faith is you need to meditate on God's word.
00:04:04.390 --> 00:04:13.230
So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of God. Romans 10, 17.
00:04:13.970 --> 00:04:18.390
Spending time in scripture reminds us that God's promises.
00:04:19.349 --> 00:04:23.009
And builds our faith in him. So meditate on the word of God.
00:04:23.529 --> 00:04:30.289
Prayer for faith to grow. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief, Mark 9, 24.
00:04:30.689 --> 00:04:38.769
Faith is a gift, but it can grow as we ask God to deepen our trust in him. So you have to pray.
00:04:38.989 --> 00:04:41.369
Pray for faith. Faith comes by what?
00:04:41.829 --> 00:04:46.729
The word. You got to keep seeking the word. Faith comes by the word.
00:04:47.009 --> 00:04:51.289
So Lord, help my unbelief. but you got to seek the word.
00:04:51.469 --> 00:04:55.229
Faith comes by the word and the word only. You have to get into the word.
00:04:55.389 --> 00:05:00.909
You have to build yourself up on your most holy faith, not an automatic thing.
00:05:01.089 --> 00:05:03.069
No one can make your faith grow.
00:05:03.329 --> 00:05:07.369
You are the producer of your own faith.
00:05:07.689 --> 00:05:13.269
So you can't, you can put a lot of word in you. Yes, that's you building your faith.
00:05:14.029 --> 00:05:19.269
And you don't, you'll realize too, A lot of times people, you don't realize
00:05:19.269 --> 00:05:20.649
how much your faith has grown.
00:05:20.869 --> 00:05:25.929
If you grow, if you're a gardener or you like green, you got a green thumb,
00:05:26.089 --> 00:05:28.749
maybe you're a gardener and you plant your seeds.
00:05:28.909 --> 00:05:33.449
And then pretty soon you notice after about 40 days or 44 days or so,
00:05:33.589 --> 00:05:37.129
you'll see the little leaf come popping up.
00:05:37.709 --> 00:05:41.169
But you don't see that little leaf popping up right away, right?
00:05:41.349 --> 00:05:46.169
You continue to water it. You water it. You water it. Faith come by hearing
00:05:46.169 --> 00:05:47.609
and hearing the word of God.
00:05:47.789 --> 00:05:52.289
You have to continue to put that word of God in you, continue to water that
00:05:52.289 --> 00:05:55.289
seed that's in you, and then it begins to grow.
00:05:55.509 --> 00:06:00.249
And then you don't realize how much it grows until there's something that happens.
00:06:00.249 --> 00:06:03.009
And then boom, your faith is activated.
00:06:03.269 --> 00:06:07.069
Boom. It's not the same as when you first got the seed.
00:06:07.269 --> 00:06:11.929
It's a little bit bigger because you have continued to water your faith.
00:06:12.149 --> 00:06:14.089
And always keep a faith journal.
00:06:14.909 --> 00:06:19.369
Write down the moments when God gives you the word, the seed,
00:06:19.589 --> 00:06:21.609
and then watch how it grows.
00:06:21.809 --> 00:06:25.509
And you'll see how God promises comes true in your life.
00:06:25.669 --> 00:06:30.769
This practice can remind you of how faithful God is when those storms arises.
00:06:31.069 --> 00:06:32.849
And those is kind of like a faith journal.
00:06:33.229 --> 00:06:37.089
You're watching how God keeps his promises, right?
00:06:37.229 --> 00:06:41.949
And so you say, God kept his promise to me. Why? Because I have a gratitude
00:06:41.949 --> 00:06:49.249
journal. I have a faith journal. I'm watching how God's words does come to pass in my life.
00:06:49.529 --> 00:06:53.889
The Bible says his word never, never returns void.
00:06:54.719 --> 00:07:00.199
So I would say this week in this new year that you will just start to keep track
00:07:00.199 --> 00:07:06.359
of your prayers, keep track of your, keep a faith journal, write down the promises
00:07:06.359 --> 00:07:08.059
of God that you're trusting in.
00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:12.819
What scripture are you believing? What scripture did he give you to trust in?
00:07:12.939 --> 00:07:15.579
Reflect on it. Keep watering like you would.
00:07:16.139 --> 00:07:20.359
Plant and then watch your faith grow in 2025.
00:07:21.239 --> 00:07:25.739
So as we close out today, remember faith is your shelter. It doesn't remove
00:07:25.739 --> 00:07:31.299
life's challenges, but it gives you the strength and peace to face them,
00:07:31.599 --> 00:07:34.119
knowing that God is with you.
00:07:34.479 --> 00:07:39.639
So let's close this out in prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you for being our shelter and refuge.
00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:44.779
Teach us to trust in your promises, even when we can't see the outcome.
00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:49.939
Strengthen our faith so that we may confidently walk through life,
00:07:49.939 --> 00:07:55.159
knowing you are in control. So help us to be like Abraham, Moses,
00:07:55.379 --> 00:07:59.419
Rahab, trusting you with every step we take.
00:07:59.579 --> 00:08:02.199
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
00:08:02.719 --> 00:08:04.479
So once again, thank you for joining
00:08:04.479 --> 00:08:09.799
me on this journey through faith as a shelter, trusting in the unseen.
00:08:10.139 --> 00:08:15.959
This episode has encouraged you. Share with your friends who need a reminder of God's faithfulness.
00:08:16.059 --> 00:08:20.659
And don't forget to subscribe to the Diary of Black Women podcast for more episodes
00:08:20.659 --> 00:08:26.859
in this Sheltered by Faith series. Until next time, stay strong in faith.
00:08:26.859 --> 00:08:30.579
And remember, God's promises are always accurate.
00:08:30.859 --> 00:08:33.739
And be blessed. Well, that's amen.