Soaking in the Sonlight

Ep 7. Giving Your Youth To God

Hello there! Welcome to a new episode of Soaking in the Sonlight! My name is Olivia and I am a 26-year-old in love with Jesus Christ. And honestly, living for the Lord in your twenties and teens and every age in between can be challenging because of all the distractions and temptations out there. But, I'm here to give a bit of encouragement for you today. The world can make you feel terrible for serving Christ, but keep your head up, friend. Jesus (and your brothers and sisters in Christ) are cheering you on. 
 
Scriptures from Today's Episode:
 
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:1‭-‬2 KJV
 
“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”  Psalm 139:14
 
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
 
 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
 
“And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;” Acts 17:6
 
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
 
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10
 
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;” 1 Peter 2:9
 
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
 
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17
 
Remember to always Soak in the Sonlight, because Jesus is the Light! #soakinginthesonlight
 
For updates and encouragement throughout the week, check out:
@olivia_d_parker on Instagram
@OliviaDParker1 on Twitter
 
Lastly, here are some churches to listen to or to attend if you are in the area:
Full Gospel Holy Temple in Dallas, TX
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrGxhIUDygsINHWHU1BN1cA
Full Gospel Monument of Faith Church in Newark, NJ
https://www.facebook.com/FGMoF
 
 

Soaking in the Sonlight Ep. 6: Pray for Turkey and Syria

More than 23,000 people have died and many are injured from the earthquake that occurred on February 6, 2023, in Turkey and Syria. We need to pray for them. Take a moment to pray with me for these hurting nations. Jesus is still the answer. 
 
Ways to learn more and give for disaster relief: 
https://convoyofhope.org/disaster-services/turkey-syria-earthquake-relief/
 
For updates and encouragement throughout the week, check out: 
@olivia_d_parker on Instagram
@OliviaDParker1 on Twitter
 
Have a blessed day and remember to always Soak in the Sonlight because Jesus is the Light. 
#soakinginthesonlight
 

Soaking in the Sonlight Ep. 5: Jesus Cured My Acne

We often look in the mirror and we can see blemishes and acne on our faces. It can be especially frustrating when you have used all the soap and the medicine in the world to get the glowing skin you deserve to only find the blemishes staring back at you. That’s just like sin. We can try to wash it with all the things that we can think of, self-help, talk shows, and daily affirmations. But nothing can get rid of sin except for the repentance of one’s sins and asking God to forgive them of their wrong. Listen to this new episode of Soaking in the Sonlight to hear a spoken word and a word of encouragement for those out there wrestling with sin on their own. Give it to Jesus. Only He can set you free. 
 
Scriptures for Today’s Episode:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
 
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23 KJV
 
“ Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:1-5
 
 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10
 
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
 
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” John 16:13 
 
Lastly, here are some churches to listen to or to attend if you are in the area:
 
Full Gospel Holy Temple in Dallas, TX
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrGxhIUDygsINHWHU1BN1cA
Full Gospel Monument of Faith Church in Newark, NJ
https://www.facebook.com/FGMoF
For more encouragement throughout the week and updates, follow @olivia_d_parker on Instagram and @OliviaDParker1 on Twitter. #soakinginthesonlight
 
Have a blessed day and remember to Soak in the Sonlight because Jesus is the Light! :D

Soaking in the Sonlight Ep. 4: What’s So Fast about Fasting?

Fasting and praying may be challenging, but God will bring us through. Listen to hear how God recently encouraged me to complete a fast when I felt like giving up. 
 
Here are some important notes from the show to keep in mind. 
 
As we fast and pray let's keep these things in mind:
1. Choose a day to fast each week and the time you want to fast until. You can start fasting until 12 pm,       3 pm, or 6 pm for example. From there we will be able to grow and fast for longer periods of time. 
 
2. Think of who you want to pray for during the fast, basically who you want to fast for. This will remind us of the purpose of why we want to fast. God will honor that.
 
3. Pray.
 
4. Read our Bible. 
 
5. Ask God to help us. 
 
6. Worship and sing to God. The joy of the Lord is our strength. 
 
7. Bonus points if you fast with a friend, you both can pray together and support each other and hold each other accountable. 
 
8. Keep our minds fixed on God throughout the day. No TV, no Youtube, no social media. 
 
9. Before breaking the fast, let’s remember to pray and thank God for bringing us through that day. He will get the glory from the beginning to the end of the fast. 
 
10. If you couldn’t make it to the time you wanted to fast until, please don’t beat yourself up. God will honor the time you were able to fast. He still sees you. He will also help you next time. Dust yourself off and keep fasting. Don’t let a broken fast discourage you. Remember, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). And that includes fasting. 
 
Alright, let’s grow together my friends as we fast and pray together. 
 
It will all be worth it. James 4:8a says, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." God will get closer to us as we get closer to him. Let’s go for it. 
 
I would love to hear more about how God has helped you fast. Please feel free to share your experience in the comments or on social media using #soakinginthesonlight on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. 
 
Have a blessed day and remember to always Soak in the Sonlight because Jesus is the Light. See ya next time. :)
 
Scriptures from today (You can use this online Bible to look up more scriptures https://www.biblegateway.com/ ):
"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
2 Timothy 2:1 KJV
 
God will give us the strength and grace to fast. 
 
"Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly."
Matthew 6:16‭-‬18 KJV
 
"In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:"
Isaiah 26:1‭-‬4 KJV
 
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Galatians 6:9 KJV
 
Lastly, here are some churches to listen to or to attend if you are in the area: 
Full Gospel Holy Temple in Dallas, TXhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrGxhIUDygsINHWHU1BN1cAFull Gospel Monument of Faith Church in Newark, NJhttps://www.facebook.com/FGMoF
 
Have a blessed day! :D

Soaking in the Sonlight Ep.3: God’s Hands in Science

Hello there! Welcome to the 3rd episode of Soaking in the Sonlight!!!! :)Today I want to talk about "God's Hands in Science."As some of you may know, I am a scientist. But most importantly, I am a born-again Christian. I get to see God's work up close every day. There's always more to learn because there is no way I can ever understand all that He has done. But it's so amazing to see the sliver He reveals in the lab. Take a listen now to learn about God's Hands in Science. Here are the scriptures from today's episode. Genesis 1:1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.John 1:1-31 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.Psalms 102:24-2524 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.Psalms 139:14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.Isaiah 44:24Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;Isaiah 42:5 Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:Job 9:4‭, ‬8‭, ‬10 KJVHe is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, And treadeth upon the waves of the sea. Which doeth great things past finding out; Yea, and wonders without number.You are not an accident. You are not a mistake. You are here for a reason. You have a purpose. The universe and this planet did not go through a random sequence of events to make the intricate, complex, detailed, and robust human bodies that we have today. God formed you and had you on His mind before He made the world.

Soaking in the Sonlight Ep.2: Don’t Worry About It

Welcome back to another episode of Soaking in the Sonlight! Wondering what happened to me after that placement exam I talked about last episode? Here's the answer (!!) and a quick conversation on why we should give all our anxiety and worries to Jesus. 
He is the One that gives us peace. Nothing on earth can give us peace. 
Let's continue to seek Him daily and take one day at a time as He gives us grace and strength each and every day. 
Scriptures for Today: Philippians 4:6-7 KJV
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Here is an online Bible to keep the reading going : https://www.biblegateway.com/
Have a great day and continue to Soak in the Sonlight!

Soaking in the Sonlight Intro Ep.1

Hello there! Welcome to the first episode of Soaking in the Sonlight! My name is Olivia and I am super excited to share testimonies and the Word of God to inspire my generation to live for Jesus no matter what. Living for God and doing what's right isn't always easy (especially as a young person), but please know that God will help you live holy. Plus, you have brothers and sisters across the world who are rooting for you. Alright, ready? Let's grow! 
Verse for today: 2 Peter 3:18