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Live, Love, Learn to the Glory of God

Faithstead

Live, Love, Learn to the Glory of God
Journal

Parable of the Pine and Bear 

5 Mins read
November 22, 2025
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Inspired by the short film Forevergreen, this reflection explores sin, temptation, and God’s steadfast love, showing how surrender and gratitude lead us back to Him.

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Welcome

Heidi Chou

Hello there

I'm a Christian mama of two, on a quest to love God, homeschool, and homestead. Faithstead is where I share the journey, hoping to inspire and connect with families who want to live humbly, learn deeply, and love fully for His glory.

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When we put our faith in Christ, His sacrifice cov When we put our faith in Christ, His sacrifice covers all our sin. We don’t lose our salvation every time we sin. Jesus paid for our sin once and for all. Our standing before God rests on Christ—not on how well we perform.

However, Christians still sin, and when we do, God calls us to bring that sin into the light—to confess it, turn from it. This is how God works in us.

Confession doesn’t earn forgiveness. It is the response of someone who has already been forgiven. We confess not because Jesus needs to die for our sin again, but because we don’t want to hide from God. We want to walk honestly with Him.

And look at who John says God is: “Faithful and just.”
He is faithful to forgive us because Christ has paid the price. And He is faithful to cleanse us as He continues to transform us.

So when you sin, don’t hide in shame. Come into the light. Confess it. Turn from it. And keep walking with Jesus. Your forgiveness is secure in Christ. And His work of cleansing you isn’t finished yet.

Listen to the podcast. 🔗 in bio.

#1John19 #GospelGrace #JustificationByFaith #ChristianDiscipleship #WalkingWithJesus
Press play, repeat after me, and let’s memorize 1 Press play, repeat after me, and let’s memorize 1 John 1:9 together.

This verse reminds us that when we sin, God doesn’t ask us to hide or pretend it didn’t happen. He invites us to confess our sins—to bring them honestly into the light.

And what a beautiful promise: “he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

When we put our faith in Christ, His sacrifice covers all our sin—past, present, and future. So our daily confession isn’t about earning forgiveness or keeping ourselves saved. Christ has already paid for our sin.

Instead, confession is part of learning to walk with Him. We acknowledge our sin, turn from it, and allow God to continue cleansing and changing us.

So don’t live in fear, wondering if you’ve confessed every sin perfectly. But don’t use God’s grace as an excuse to cling to sin either. We can rest in Christ’s complete forgiveness while remaining tender and willing to repent.

He is faithful to forgive, and faithful to keep cleansing us.

Listen to the podcast. 🔗 in bio.

💛 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share, so you never miss a verse.

#BibleMemory #1John19 #BibleVerses #ChristianEncouragement #KnowByHeart
Seven Last Sights of Revelation 👀 As Revelation d Seven Last Sights of Revelation 👀

As Revelation draws to a close, John is shown one final scene after another:

The King returns.
The nations gather.
The beast is defeated.
The saints reign with Christ.
And the story is moving toward the day when God makes all things new.

Revelation isn’t meant to leave us terrified about the future. It reminds us who sits on the throne, who wins the battle, and where history is headed.

Christ reigns. Evil will be judged. And His people will reign with Him.

“Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection!” — Revelation 20:6

Read the full post of the blog. 🔗 in bio.

#Revelation #BookOfRevelation #RevelationStudy #BibleStudy #newheavennewearth
There is an old story attributed to evangelist Cha There is an old story attributed to evangelist Charles Finney that beautifully illustrates this verse. 

I should mention that while the story has been widely circulated under Finney’s name, I haven’t found enough historical evidence to verify every detail, so it’s best understood as a story traditionally attributed to him.

The story goes that after Finney preached in Detroit, a stranger approached him and asked him to come to his home because he wanted to talk about his soul. Friends warned Finney not to go, but he followed the man down a side street, through an alley, and into the back of a building.

Once they were alone, the man pulled a revolver from his pocket and then asked, “You see this gun? It has killed four people. Is there any hope for a man like me?”

Finney simply answered with the words from his sermon: “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.”

The man then began telling him about his life. He owned a saloon where he had sold alcohol to all kinds of people, and behind it was a rigged gambling operation that had ruined men financially and driven some to commit suicide. He confessed that he had also been unfaithful to his wife and abusive toward his family. 

Each time he asked, “Is there any hope for a man like me?” 

Finney gave him the same answer: “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.”

Finally, Finney took the man by the shoulders and said, in effect, “You certainly have a dark story to tell. But God says that the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

According to the story, the man and his family came to hear Finney preach the following night and gave themselves to Christ.

Listen to the podcast. 🔗 in bio.

#KnowByHeart #1John17 #BloodOfJesus #GospelOfGrace #JesusCleanses
Press play, repeat after me, and let’s memorize 1 Press play, repeat after me, and let’s memorize 1 John 1:7 together.

This verse reminds us that the Christian life isn’t about pretending we don’t sin. Walking in the light means bringing our sin into the light—honestly confessing it rather than hiding it.

And what a beautiful promise: “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

The gospel doesn’t minimize the seriousness of our sin. It gives us hope because Christ’s sacrifice is greater than our sin. We don’t have to hide from God when we fail. We can come into the light, confess our sin, and trust that Jesus is faithful to cleanse us.

His blood is sufficient—not for some of our sin, but for all of it.

Listen to the podcast. 🔗 in bio.

💛 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share, so you never miss a verse.

#KnowByHeart #ScriptureMemory #1John17 #WalkInTheLight #GospelCentered
What if the greatest danger in studying prophecy i What if the greatest danger in studying prophecy isn’t misunderstanding the symbols—but missing Christ?

John had just witnessed things beyond imagination: the fall of Babylon, the victory of the Lamb, and the glorious wedding feast. He was so overwhelmed that he fell at the feet of the angel to worship.

But the angel immediately corrected him:

“Don’t do that! … Worship God!”
— Revelation 19:10

Then comes one of the most important statements in the book:

“For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.”

The angel understood something we can easily forget: he was only the messenger. The revelation wasn’t about him. It wasn’t even ultimately about the events John was seeing.

It was about Jesus.

The Old Testament points forward to Him.
The Gospels reveal Him.
Revelation unveils His final victory and eternal reign.

So prophecy was never given simply to make us better at predicting the future or decoding every symbol. It was given to “bear witness to Christ”.

And when we truly see Christ, the right response isn’t merely fascination.

It’s worship.

We can become so consumed with the beasts, timelines, numbers, kingdoms, and judgments that we miss the Lamb standing at the center of it all.

The goal of Revelation isn’t that we become experts in prophecy.

It’s that we become faithful worshipers of Jesus.

The true spirit of prophecy always leads us to the same place:

“Worship God.” 🙏

Read the full article in the blog. 🔗 in bio.

#Revelation #JesusChrist #BibleStudy #ChristianLiving #BiblicalProphecy
Jeremiah 29:11 is often found on wall plaques, cof Jeremiah 29:11 is often found on wall plaques, coffee mugs, and beautiful prints. We can easily read it as a promise that God has wonderful things planned for my life—that the difficult season will soon turn around and everything will work out the way I hope. But its original context is far more sobering—and far more hopeful.

These words were written to Israelites who had been carried away from their homes into exile in Babylon. Their suffering was not random. Judah had sinned against God repeatedly, and their sin had real consequences. Other prophets were promising a quick deliverance, but Jeremiah told them the exile would last seventy years.

Seventy years.

We often want a quick fix. We want to hear, “Everything is going to be okay. This will be over soon.” But sometimes the truth hurts, and sometimes the consequences of our sin should not be removed quickly.

God could have immediately brought Israel home. Instead, He told them to settle down, build houses, plant gardens, and live faithfully in Babylon. His discipline was going to take time.

But that discipline was not evidence that God had stopped loving them. Instead, it was one of the ways He was loving them.

Listen to the podcast. 🔗 in bio.

#Jeremiah2911 #BibleMemorization #BiblicalEncouragement #GodsFaithfulness #ChristianDiscipline
Press play, repeat after me, and let’s memorize Je Press play, repeat after me, and let’s memorize Jeremiah 29:11 together.

This verse is often quoted as a promise that God will make everything work out quickly and according to our plans. But Jeremiah 29:11 was spoken to people experiencing the consequences of their sin—and their restoration would take seventy years.

God’s mercy doesn’t always mean immediate rescue. Sometimes He allows us to bear the consequences of our sin because He is doing a deeper work in us, using discipline to turn our hearts back to Him and make us more like Christ.

So when the road is long and the truth hurts, we can remember that God’s discipline is not His rejection. He is not working to destroy us, but to restore us. His plans are still for a future and a hope.

Listen to the podcast. 🔗 in bio.

💛 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share, so you never miss a verse.

#Jeremiah2911 #BibleMemorization #BiblicalEncouragement #GodsFaithfulness #ChristianDiscipline
We’re drawing closer to the end of Revelation. Re We’re drawing closer to the end of Revelation.

Revelation 17–19 gives us a sobering picture of Babylon—and seven words of woe over the kingdom of this world.

Babylon looks powerful, beautiful, wealthy, and secure. But God pulls back the curtain and shows us what it really is: a system opposed to Him, intoxicated by power, pleasure, wealth, and self-glory.

And then, in an instant, it falls.

What struck me most is the contrast in these chapters. The kings mourn. The merchants mourn. Those who became wealthy through Babylon mourn. The whole world seems to cry, “Woe! Woe!”

But heaven cries, “Hallelujah!”

Why? Because God’s judgment is true and righteous.

Revelation isn’t merely telling us to figure out who Babylon is. It’s asking us “which kingdom we’re living for.”

And while Babylon’s people mourn the loss of what they loved, Christ’s Bride is being prepared for the marriage supper of the Lamb.

So Revelation gives us a choice—not merely between two destinations, but between two kingdoms, two loves, and two ways of life.

What kingdom are you living for?

Read the full article on the blog. 🔗 in bio.

#RevelationStudy #BookOfRevelation #BiblicalTruth #ChristOurKing #ChristianEncouragement
This verse is often quoted as a promise that every This verse is often quoted as a promise that everything will eventually work out the way we want. But Paul is promising something much greater.

God doesn’t say that everything that happens to us is good. He says that He works all things together for good—and the very next verse tells us what that good is: that we would be “conformed to the image of his Son.”

Sometimes God’s good doesn’t look like an easier life, a happy ending, or the outcome we hoped for. Sometimes His good looks like deeper faith, greater endurance, a heart that looks more like Christ, or a growing dependence on Him.

So when life doesn’t make sense, we can trust this: God has not lost control. He is still working—even here. His purpose is not merely to make our lives comfortable, but to make us like Christ and bring us safely home.

God is working all things—not for our temporary comfort, but for our eternal good.

Listen to the podcast. 🔗 in bio.

#Romans828 #BiblicalEncouragement #Christlikeness #TrustGod #ChristianLiving
Press play, repeat after me, and let’s memorize Ro Press play, repeat after me, and let’s memorize Romans 8:28 together.

This verse reminds us that God is always working, even when we can’t see what He is doing. Paul doesn’t say that everything that happens to us is good—he tells us that God works all things together for good for those who love Him.

And what is that good? The very next verse tells us: “to be conformed to the image of his Son.” God’s purpose isn’t simply to make our circumstances turn out the way we want, but to make us more like Christ.

When life brings suffering, disappointment, or circumstances we don’t understand, we can trust that none of it is wasted in God’s hands. He is still working—even here.

So when we can’t understand what God is doing, we can hold onto what we know: God is faithful, His purpose is good, and He is using all things to make us more like Christ.

Listen to the podcast. 🔗 in bio.

💛 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share, so you never miss a verse.

#Romans828 #BibleMemory #ScriptureMemory #christiandiscipleship #KnowByHeart
Latest read: Being Family - Passing Down the Faith Latest read: Being Family - Passing Down the Faith Through the Generations By Keith Scott @1517org

Family is a gift and the vehicle by which we learn and live the gospel 💕

“The home is where the theology of the cross actually bleeds.”

Swipe for more of my favorite passages… 👀 

#beingfamily #christiandiscipleship #christianbooks #christianfamily #christianparenting
Jesus proclaimed, “It is finished,” when He drank Jesus proclaimed, “It is finished,” when He drank the cup of wrath for us.

And in Revelation, as the final bowl of God’s wrath is poured out, heaven declares, “It is done.”

Those who reject the Lamb will one day drink the cup of judgment themselves. But Christ willingly drank that cup for us.

Think about that.

The wrath we deserved, He received.
The mercy we did not deserve, He gives.

So when we take the cup at the Lord’s Supper, we remember what Jesus has done:

He drank our cup of judgment so that we could drink His cup of blessing.

Thank you Jesus!

#JesusChrist #TheGospel #LordOfTheLamb #LordsSupper #Revelation16
To seek God’s kingdom is to seek His rule and His To seek God’s kingdom is to seek His rule and His purposes. It’s to say, “God, I want You to be King here. I want Your will—not mine—to have the final word.” 

That applies to everything:
•	How do I spend my money?
•	How do I treat my spouse?
•	How do I raise my children?
•	What kind of person am I becoming?
•	How do I respond when I’m wronged?
•	What do I do with my time?
•	What am I willing to sacrifice?

You’re essentially saying, “God, Your kingdom comes first. I want my life to be a place where Your reign is welcomed and obeyed.”

Then Jesus adds “and his righteousness.”

This is to seek the kind of life that corresponds with God’s character and will.

In other words:
Seeking His kingdom is to desire God’s rule.
Seeking His righteousness is to desire to live rightly under that rule.

Listen to the podcast. 🔗 in bio.

#Matthew633 #BibleMemory #ScriptureMemory #SeekFirst #ChristianEncouragement
Press play, repeat after me, and let’s memorize Ma Press play, repeat after me, and let’s memorize Matthew 6:33 together.

This verse reminds us what it means to truly put God first. Jesus doesn’t simply tell us not to worry—He tells us what to seek instead: “the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”

To seek God’s kingdom is to desire His rule and His purposes above our own. To seek His righteousness is to desire a life that reflects His character and follows His ways.

When we’re tempted to become consumed with securing our future, controlling our circumstances, or making sure we have everything we need, Jesus calls us to lift our eyes back to the King. Our Father already knows what we need.

So instead of spending our lives chasing “all these things,” we can seek Him first—and trust Him with the rest.

Listen to the podcast. 🔗 in bio.

💛 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share, so you never miss a verse.

#Matthew633 #BibleMemory #ScriptureMemory #SeekFirst #ChristianEncouragement
📚 “How to Be Your Own Selfish Pig” 😂 I’ve been re 📚 “How to Be Your Own Selfish Pig” 😂

I’ve been reading this book with my kids, and honestly, it has been such a fun way to introduce them to some BIG questions.

Susan Schaeffer Macaulay shares true stories from people who came to L’Abri, the Christian community founded by her parents, Francis and Edith Schaeffer. Through their questions, doubts, and conversations, she helps kids think about the ideas our culture is constantly handing them—and, more importantly, ask whether those ideas are actually true.

I love books that don’t just tell our kids what to think, but teach them how to recognize, question, and evaluate the ideas shaping them.

And this one does it in a way that’s engaging, funny, and accessible for kids.

Have you read How to Be Your Own Selfish Pig? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts! And if you’ve read it with your kids, what conversations did it spark in your home?

#ChristianHomeschool #ChristianParenting  #ChristianBooks #FrancisSchaeffer #biblicalworldview
🐷💕 Look at those sweet little wattles! 🥹🐽 #KuneKu 🐷💕 Look at those sweet little wattles! 🥹🐽

#KuneKunePigs #BabyPigs #Piglets #FarmLife #CuteAnimals
The seven bowls of Revelation 15–16 can be difficu The seven bowls of Revelation 15–16 can be difficult to read. The judgments are severe, the imagery is intense, and it can be tempting to focus only on the destruction.

But John is showing us something much bigger.

The bowls echo the plagues of Egypt, reminding us that God is still the God who “judges evil and delivers His people”. Just as He confronted Pharaoh and brought Israel out of slavery, He will ultimately confront the powers of this world and bring His people safely into His kingdom.

And there is something especially sobering in these chapters: “again and again, humanity refuses to repent.”

The problem isn’t simply that people don’t recognize God’s power. Even while experiencing His judgments, they curse God rather than turn to Him.

Then, with the seventh bowl, a voice comes from the throne: “It is done.”

The kingdoms of this world may appear powerful. Evil may seem to have the upper hand. But Revelation pulls back the curtain and reminds us that God is still on His throne, His judgment is righteous, and His victory is certain.

So the question Revelation keeps bringing us back to is:

Whom will you worship?

Not just when judgment comes.
Not just when life is difficult.
But today.

Read the full article in the blog. 🔗 in bio.

#Revelation #RevelationStudy #BibleStudy #ChristianReels #BiblicalWisdom
One of the beautiful patterns in Revelation is tha One of the beautiful patterns in Revelation is that worship is always rooted in truth. Heaven doesn’t worship God because of an emotional experience; it worships Him because of who He is.

In Revelation 4, the throne room erupts in praise: “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power.” But notice the reason: “For you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” God is worthy because He is the Creator. Everything that exists owes its life to Him. Every mountain, every ocean, every heartbeat, and every breath exists because He willed it into being.

Then, in the very next chapter, the focus shifts. In Revelation 5, a new song is sung to the Lamb: “Worthy are you... for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God.” The Father is praised as the Creator; the Son is praised as the Redeemer. Together, these chapters answer one of life’s biggest questions: Why is God worthy of our worship? Because He made us, and because He redeemed us.

This is why worship isn’t merely singing songs on Sunday. Worship is the proper response of creatures to their Creator and of redeemed sinners to their Savior. 

The more we understand who God is and what Christ has done, the more naturally our hearts respond with awe, gratitude, and obedience.

Listen to the podcast. 🔗 in bio.

#Revelation #BiblicalWorship #BibleStudy #JesusChrist #ChristianFaith
Press play, repeat after me, and let’s memorize Re Press play, repeat after me, and let’s memorize Revelation 4:11 together.

This verse reminds us why God alone is worthy of our worship. Our praise is not rooted in our circumstances or emotions—it is rooted in the truth of who God is. He is our Creator, our Sustainer, and our King. Everything that exists owes its life to Him.

God did not simply create the world and leave it to run on its own. By His will, all things continue to exist. Every sunrise, every breath, and every heartbeat is a testimony to His sustaining power. When we are tempted to believe we are in control or that life has no purpose, this verse calls us to lift our eyes to the One who created all things and holds all things together. He alone is worthy to receive all glory, honor, and power.

💛 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share, so you never miss a verse.

Listen to the episode. 🔗 in bio.

#BibleMemorization #Revelation411 #ScriptureMemory #ChristianEncouragement #KnowByHeart
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Live, Love, Learn to the Glory of God
Live, Love, Learn to the Glory of God
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