twenty five.

Happy Belated Birthday to me 😉 

Two weeks ago, I turned 25 years old AND despite everything happening in the world, I am excited for the next 25 years of my life. “This joy I have the world didn’t give it. This joy I have, the world can’t take it away …After ALL that I’ve been through, I STILL HAVE JOY!”

I considered writing some deep post that explains how my birth was a miracle, how its only by God’s grace that I entered this world, how the enemy has attacked me since infancy, how hard it is to recognize the person who I used to (she was ratchet and lukewarm), how grateful I am to open my eyes and breath another day. However, I’ll save some of that depth for another day. Instead, I’m gonna share 25 scriptures and passages that guide my relationship with Christ and my pursuit of a purpose-driven and practical life. Cool? …here we go:

25 Scriptures that I Loveeee

AWESOME CHAPTERS 

1. Psalms 139 

2. Psalms 91 

SHORT & POWERFUL 

3. Joshua 1:8-9 NLT |(8) Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. (9) This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

4.  Matthew 11:28 NLT | Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

5. Colossians 3:23 NIV | Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human master

6. Daniel 3:17-18 NIV | (17) If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us  from Your Majesty’s hand. (18) But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up

7. 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT | For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

8. Isaiah 43:2 ESV | When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

9. Galatians 6:9 ESV | And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

10. Proverbs 24:16 NLT |The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.

11. Matthew 21:21-22 NLT | (21)Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. (22)You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it

12. Hebrews 13:6 NLT | So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?

13. James 5:16 NLT | Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

14. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NLT | (12) If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. (13) The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

15. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT | (9) Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.(10) That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

16. Philippians 4: 6-7 NLT | (6) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (7)  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

17. Ephesians 2:4-5 NLT | (4) But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,(5) that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

18. Philippians 1:20 NLT | For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die

19. Jeremiah 17:7-8 ESV | “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.He is like a tree planted by water, (8) that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

20. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV | Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

IMPACTFUL PASSAGES 

21. Romans 8:26-28 ESV| (26) Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (27) And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (28) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

22. 1 Timothy 4:10-15 NLT |(10) This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. (11)Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. (12) Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. (13) Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them. (14) Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. (15) Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress.

23. Matthew 5:43-48 NIV | (43) “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ (44) But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (45) that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (46) If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? (47) And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (48) Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

24. Galatians 5:16-26 ESV |(16) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (17) For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (18) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (19) Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, (20) idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, (21) envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (24) And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (25) If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. (26) Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

25. Luke 10: 38-42 NLT | (38) As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. (39) Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. (40) But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” (41) But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! (42) There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”