Waiting Here For You

I've been working from the comfort of my local coffee shop, Taszo, lately.  I get so much done here.  While I work I listen to Pandora.  I have my pandora station set to play the perfect list for me!  Its a mix of folky country, worship music, etc.  I get my Lone Bellow fix along with my Jesus music.  

As I was listening, Waiting Here for You by Christy Nockels came on.  The song made me pause my work to really take in the words and meaning.  This song speaks right to the heart of where I am right now.  I am in a place of expectation with my Lord.  Not an expectation without faith. I completely trust in His desire to provide. Its a sweet spot to be in.  Its like the child waiting on the father, the sheep waiting on the shepherd.  There is no doubt that He will come through.  I just want to sit in it, praising and trusting in my Lord.  I don't get this whole thing right a lot of the time, but knowing He is the author of my salvation, my life, my destiny keeps me moving forward. I know a lot of people in my life don't get the faith I have but it really is my most precious possession. I can't imagine my life without Jesus as my Lord.  I wish at times I could better articulate that but for now it will just have to be the way I live my life.  

If faith can move the mountains
Let the mountains move

We come with expectation

Waiting here for you, waiting here for you

You're the Lord of all creation

And still you know my heart

The author of salvation

You've loved us from the start

Waiting here for you

With our hands lifted high in praise

And it's you we adore

Singing Alleluia

You are everything you've promised

Your faithfulness is true

And we're desperate for your presence

All we need is you

Waiting here for you, Lord

With our hands lifted high in praise

And it's you, Lord, we adore

Singing Alleluia

We will wait for you, Lord, he'll stand with you

We will sing alleluia

Singing Alleluia, alleluia

Singing Alleluia, alleluia

Waiting here for you

With our hands lifted high in praise

And it's you we adore, we adore

Singing Alleluia

Waiting here for you

With our hands lifted high in praise

And it's you we adore

Singing Alleluia, singing Alleluia

Waiting here for you

With our hands lifted high in praise

And it's you we adore, with our lives

Singing Alleluia, singing Alleluia

Our Words Have Meaning

I am a firm believer that we should always be students. Life s full of lessons and we have a choice to learn in those moments or stay in a land of immaturity, naivety, and ignorance. If we are honest with ourselves we all take the latter road at one point or another. Life or someone in our life may call us on where we are and we may choose to make excuses to stay just where we are. And if we are lucky, life, or the people in our lives, will continue to stick by us even as we live in a state of ignorance. If we are believers our relationship with Christ is hopefully that voice that steers us towards truth. Sometimes our selfishness or our patterns keep us from seeing or hearing that voice. 

I've definitely been there lately. I've chosen the latter, sometimes intentionally and sometimes just simply stuck in my ignorance. One of the voices I've been hearing lately is the one gently correcting me as I rant and rave about the "issues" in my life. If I feel I've been wronged or misunderstood then I complain to someone I trust. Then that complaint seems validated because I feel better and somewhat confirmed in what I've said. Very rarely do I address the issue head on but rather I complain the feelings into life.  I give them feet and hands sometimes. I start looking at the  source of my complaint as the thorn in my flesh instead of the gift they are from God. I no longer look for reconciliation or renewal rather I look for ways to avoid and reject responsibility. 

I am a person who believes the bible is the true word of God and is, among other things, meant to aid and guide us in the way of our Lord Jesus. I believe every word is God breathed and with purpose. I'll be the first to admit I don't get all or much of it and I scratch my head as to the reason for some of it but I also believe those parts have purpose and meaning only the Lord can truly understand.   Given that, I often feel like I have a voice and live a life of a hypocrite because in my actions I am living blatantly outside of what his word speaks to.  My words are not edifying. They don't bring renewal or truth. They are only used to advance my agenda and my desires.  As I was thinking lately about how abrasive my words can be, I've had a few verses pop into mind. As I sat down to look them up I was reminded of the weight of those verses and the impact they can have. 

 

The latter verse strikes a special chord in me! How easily our tongues can destroy any witness we have of the goodness of the lord! 

The thought that started this process happened as I heard myself rant to someone very close to me. I trust this person never to repeat the hurtful things I was spewing but as I was talking I imagined a speaker being hooked up to me without me knowing it and screaming these sad words to the people I never really wanted to hear them. Just how hurt they would be. Then I imagined their hearts breaking at the pettiness I was displaying when a simple conversation would have awoken us all to the pain being experienced.  I started to hear the pettiness, the miss represented behaviors and the lies in what I was feeling and in what I was saying.

As a Christian, God calls us to a higher standard. One that represents his desire for renewal, righteousness and peace, not one of selfish ambition, one upmanship and pride. Finding your way out from under the pile of waste built up over years of bad habits, false ideas and sin seems so daunting. Clinging to the One who brings revival of the spirit and the soul is my only choice and it's one I yearn to have. Choosing to no longer sit idle in the pattern of indifference is my next step; refusing to let spiritual laziness have its hold on me is my next goal.  

Shifting the Focus

I am so excited to have Courtney from Baxtron{Life} here today! Courtney is a friend in real life as well as a blogger friend and mentor! I've loved getting to know her more this year and I can't wait for you to read her post today!  I love fresh, real and meaningful posts and this one is one of those!  Grab a good cup of coffee (or tea), sit down and stay awhile!

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 Over the last year or so of my life I've been focused on coming out of a huge denial about painful things I'd experienced early in my life.  As a result of my inward focus, I have been able to finally start working through the pain, accepting it, grieving, processing and taking small steps forward from it.  I have also learned that perhaps a season of deep introspection can be necessary and vital but it is important not to remain stuck in this place for too long.

At some point in dealing with grief you reach a place where you realize that God is not going to take away your pain...at least not in the way our hearts desire.  I recently heard this great quote by a Christian Psychologist, "We want God to take away our fear, remove our pain and provide a reasonably pleasant life.  But God wants to meet us in our pain, and comfort us with himself."  As soon as I heard these words it was as if God himself was speaking them to me.

I had been praying and hoping that I would somehow reach the end of my pain.  And as a result I've been sort of limping my way through life, putting most things on hold in order to wait for the pain to go away.  And in this waiting my focus has been mostly on the pain, mostly on my feelings, mostly on my memories, and when you are this focused on the struggle, the solution is almost completely hidden from your view.

On the way home from Thanksgiving I started to realize that God was working on my heart, a lot.  He was nudging me away from focusing on all the pain and trouble and remembering to keep my eyes on the one who could provide the comfort, peace and healing that I need, Him.  My husband and I had plenty of time to talk about this on our nine hour drive home from Ohio.  He wholeheartedly agreed that it was getting to be the time that I should start focusing on the solution and less on the problem.

In many ways my faith walk recently has been stifled, as I've faced doubt and uncertainty as my protective shield of denial has cracked and fallen.  I've had anger pouring out of my soul that burns white hot, often sending me into a state of rage then panic when triggered.  I've been scared of who I am, and what I am doing in my life.  And I've been afraid to take these very raw and painful emotions to God.  I've been scared to admit that I'm angry with God for not intervening to prevent the abuse I suffered as a child.  Even though I know that God will not take away free will...even though I know that God orchestrated freedom from those who hurt me later in life.  Even though He has been with me and never left my side through it all...and yet it still hurts to know that someone's choice to sin against me could leave me so deeply wounded.

That person's choice has had an impact on every aspect of my adult life, from the way I relate to my husband and others, to the way I parent my child.

And now my focus has to shift because there is one who is so much greater than the one who wounded me, and I made the choice to believe and put my faith in Him.  And now, that choice is the one that will  make a much greater impact on my life going forward.  I am choosing to now look to my God, my savior and trust in Him to meet me in the midst of my pain.  No longer am I praying for Him to take it all away, no, I am praying that He would use my pain for His purpose, that He would help me find joy and peace in the midst of the sorrow.  That He would teach me to be a Godly woman, deep in compassion and overflowing with grace, mercy and forgiveness.

As we approach the Christmas holiday, I'm focusing on the gift that I've already received in Jesus.  And that means my eyes are on the solution.  That means my eyes will magnify the great and glorious God that has loved me from the beginning, accepts me in all my brokenness and promises to never leave my side.

I'm Courtney, a Christ-following wife, mama and lifestyle blogger. 

My blog Baxtron{Life} is a place where I share everything that I love, lots of pictures of life in NYC with our little family of three, daily musings, fun link-ups and some of the real struggles of my life.  

I would love to connect with you via: Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest! Come say hello!

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What's Your Excuse?

I feel awful that I haven't posted much lately.  I feel like I have a sense of obligation to post more but to be completely honest, the last few weeks have been uber rough.  Between life, the demands of my shop and my mom being in the hospital for Kidney failure, I've been uber distracted.  If it didn't involve my paying job, my shop or my mom, it just hasn't been a priority.  Sponsor obligations have even been lower on the scale than normal.

I really wish I could do the "This week in Recap" in pictures. But all you'd see is pictures of my shop items strewn across my living room floor, a box of used tissues on my table and my computer on my lap.  

I am trying though and I plan to get back to it. I love the blogging world and I love being involved, I just haven't had it in me.  I know you understand because we have all been in that place before. Life happens and we just don't have what it takes to keep up with everything.

I'd love to say that its just my blogging that has suffered but many personal areas of my life has been suffering, including my faith and my walk with Jesus.  I just haven't been motivated or excited to do much of anything lately.  Its nothing that is new to any believer, i promise but it still feels pretty crappy when you are in the middle of it.  I'd love to hear what you do when you feel life has run you over. If you are a believer, what are some things that you do to reconnect with the Lord. If you aren't, what are some things you do to feel encouraged or motivated?  I'd love to hear from you! Seriously.  I need some accountability and some encouragement so I'd love to hear what you do when you feel down!  Also, what do you do regarding your blog or your work?  Do you have some advise on keeping up with things that take more energy than you have?  

I know that this is just a phase or a blip in the journey. I know that soon things will be better. I have no doubt that I will come through all of this stronger and more connected but for now I could use the extra help!

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{Guest Post} Season of Lack

Happy Wednesday!


Say a welcome and hello to my friend,  Courtney from Baxtron{Life}.  She is a friend in real life and in the blogosphere.  Thanks Courtney for the stopping by!

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#prayer #shereadstruth via baxtronlife

When Jerry and I moved back to NYC in the Fall of 2009, we had no idea that we'd be literally living out of our car, and at the grace of good friends for the first whole month. We had spent the last year and a half completely oblivious to the very real struggles that the dwindling economy were causing people in places outside of Southern Louisiana.


We were reading the articles and seeing the news about millions of Americans being jobless, but we weren't feeling the effect at all. We were in a bubble, making above average and paying below average, in the small community where we lived.


When we knew it was time to head back to NYC, we just packed up our car, made arrangements with a friend to stay for what we thought was going to be a week or so, (just until we got an apartment and jobs) and hit the road. It was a complete shock when finding an apartment became a nightmare, and jobs were few and far between. It became less about choosing a career path for ourselves, and more about just finding a job for some income.


After about 3 weeks at our friends house, we knew our welcome was wearing out, and we headed to a hotel in New Jersey where we reflected on the absolute madness of our very miscalculated plan to just "wing it" when we got back in the city.


While we were both distraught and full of doubt about our situation, we knew in our hearts that God was leading us back to NYC, we had prayed about it, and felt the peace to go. Thanks to God (and Craigslist), Jerry was able to take over a lease on a studio apartment in Harlem that didn't require proof of income, just good credit.


Shortly after that, I ended up connecting with a former co-worker who was able to hire me almost right away into a billing position, that I didn't want, but knew would ultimately get us back on track. One of our main reasons for going back to NYC was Jerry's desire to continue his acting career, building on the foundation that he had already laid there, so he began to pursue that immediately.

Hubs is so GQ @jerrybaxtron via baxtronlife

Despite my job and Jerry's business income, we were in no way making enough to cover all of our expenses. We were feeling the burn of the economy, and now could understand just what the majority of Americans had been feeling for some time. So, as Christians, who are determined to live our lives - not seeking to be blessed - but seeking to be a blessing, what could we do?

Probably one of the more humbling experiences a person can go through in life is a season of lack. Lack is defined as "The state of being without or not having enough of something." Having to constantly decline invitations from people for social outings, or to choose between paying credit cards or eating, can be incredibly damaging to the ego. At the same time, it can be extremely helpful when put in the right perspective.

There is something worthwhile to be found in seasons of lack. For one thing, in America, what we feel as a lack, would still often be luxury to people all over the world. We are quick to lose perspective of just how blessed we are to live in our country. But beyond a compassion for the billions of people living in a perpetual state of poverty around the world, beyond the deep gratitude that comes from realizing all that we have is truly a gift, is the development of true selfless and sacrificial giving.

Despite the hardships we faced during that first year or two back in the city, we've developed into people who truly think constantly about how to be a blessing with what have, and we've become grateful for what we have instead of focusing on what we are missing.  During that season, we continued to give a percentage of our income to our spiritual family, and when we couldn't give financially, we gave of our time, and what we did have. We fought our tendencies to judge the less fortunate, and instead strove to give to any who asked of us.

Radical generosity is one of our pursuits in life. Jerry and I have always dreamt of being able to "reverse tithe." A tithe is simply 10% of what we receive, so to reverse this, we'd give back 90% of what we receive. As we have moved (by His grace) out of a long season of lack, we are incredibly grateful for the eternal perspective that we gained through that trying time, and we want to encourage anyone who is currently struggling in a season of lack, to not miss out on the priceless treasures that only this season can give you.

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Thanks Courtney for stopping by and sharing some Godley wisdom with us!

Have a good week!

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{Guest Post} Covered In Grace & Pinning Monday

Exciting times.  I have Brooke from Covered in Grace here today.  One of my sponsors and favorite bloggers!  You'll love her as much as I do.  Make sure you stop by her blog and say Hi.  She's got a great give-a-way happening today!

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Hello new friends!! I'm so happy to be here today and to get the opportunity to meet you all.

My name is Brooke, and I blog over at Covered in Grace. There, I write about life as a mother, student, military wife, photog wannabe, writer and Jesus lover. My blog centers around my faith and all the things that I love. Every Monday I feature a new blogger via guest post in a link up called Monday Meet Ups. Most recently, I launched a web of Prayer Warriors that call out for prayer requests all around blogland. I'm really excited to see where that will go.

Something else that I'm really excited about lately is the A Look Back Linkup. It's the brainchild of Megan @ Shaping Up to be a Mom and I have the pleasure of co-hosting with her. Each month we "look back" at a year from the past and feature photos, memories, special events, favorites and nostalgic awesomeness with each other. Last month we were checking out 1985. It was so much fun digging out all the old photos.

You should definitely join us on August 1st when we're all linking up our post that look back on 1986.

Recently, I participated in a project called Acts of Kindness. It's another link up that I've fallen in love with. It prompts bloggers to reach out to others in a way that they may not have before. The aim is to spread love and grace through out your community with joyful and generous hearts. Click here to read what I was up to.

For more information on the project, click the button below.

I could seriously go on and on about all the wonderful things that are going on around blogland lately. There is such an amazing community of people out there that I have been so thrilled to meet. I hope you'll stop by my neck of the woods from time to time. I love write about my faith, my family and the things I love. There is a whole lot of dorkiness there, a whole lot of introspection, a lot of community with heavy doses of faith and grace. If nothing else, it's always fun. Be sure and stop by on July 23rd for my July Group Giveaway! Until then...it's been great hanging with you!  

You can find me here:

Covered in Grace | Twitter | HelloCotton | Bloglovin | Facebook

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Thanks Brooke!  


In honor of Brooke and her 1985 Look Back, today I am pinning my favorite things from 1985. I was 9... so yes, i remember all of these things :)

Courtesy of Google.com via Pinterest

Courtesy of Ceskymac.cz via Pinterest

Courtesy of Amazon.com via Pinterest

Courtesy of Google.com via Pinterest

Courtesy of Netflix.com via Pinterest

Courtesy of Pinterest.com via Pinterest

Courtesy of Google.com via Pinterest

Courtesy of Liketotally80s.com via Pinterest

Courtesy of Wikipedia.org via Pinterest

Courtesy of IMDB.com via Pinterest

Courtesy of Pinterest.com via Pinterest

Courtesy of Wikimedia.org via Pinterest

Don't forget to link up your Pins at A Night Owl & Baxtron{Life}

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What's In A Name: SINGLEDOU[B]T Explained.

I realized this month that many of my friends & followers don't know the name of my blog... Some think its Single Doubt. Some think its Singledoubt.  Some have other ideas.  

I thought I'd take the time to explain not only the name of the site but also why it was chosen.  

The name Singledou[b]t is a play on words. Its actually both "Single Doubt" and "Singled Out", hence the [b].

When I was 16 years old I thought, like most teenagers, that I would be married by 22, kids by 26 and happily ever after. When 22 happened and passed as did the three year relationship I was in, I still thought I had time. Now I am 36 and husband and kids seems like a light that is about to go out, I often find myself doubting the one constant dream I have had for my life. But still in what often feels like the death of a dream, I am finding hope in my relationships and in my community.

As single people, you often find yourself being singled out, whether by expectations of others or expectations of yourself. Your married friends try and reassure you that there is someone out there for you. “In God’s Timing” they say or “You’re still young, you have plenty of time” but its hard to hold onto those statements when moment after moment, relationship after relationship, you find yourself without. Just when you begin to feel comfortable with who you are and where you are, someone decides to question the path you are on. You get statements like “Is there someone special in your life? Or What are you doing to get yourself out there?” Its statements like that that begin to creep into your psyche and make you doubt the path you are on and the God who is guiding you. People don’t realize how those little statements can cut to the core. Its like telling a young girl, “I wouldn’t eat that donut.” Its subtle statements like those that can make you question just who you are. 

As a Christian female, we are already singled out because of our faith, especially in New York City. Being a believer makes you somehow weak or limited in the eyes of so many. Being a strong confident woman can begin to feel like a chore, add onto that the expectation to date and have a family. Its somewhat safe in NYC to be single at 30 because its the norm, or rather more of the norm then where I am from. But being single amongst Christians, that’s a little more difficult. Add onto the fact that your sphere of influence doesn’t just mean NYC, its the people in the other corners of the world. 

But those expectations are nothing compared to the ones I have on myself. I am getting past the point of thinking that having a partner or family is what makes me, me... but there is still a longing in my soul to share a life with someone, to love someone so completely and to bring lives into the world, that are just your own. There is a longing to be loved by someone, to be cherished by someone. That doesn’t make me who I am, but what I desire. I think in some sense I avoided being defined by being single but now I am realizing its a very real part of who I am and what makes me, Me. I am on a path of finding out who I am not as a single person wanting a family but as a person wanting to live a Godly life.  This blog is a reflection of who I am day to day, what I am looking for, and the God who makes sense of it all. There will be moments of pure honesty. There will be moments of learning. There will be moments of humor. Its really just about the moments we have day to day, moment by moment. Living in them, loving them and learning from them.

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What I Am Learning From a Ball of Yarn

Last night I was working on a knitting project that i have been working on for a while when the skein of yarn I was using spazed out and I realized I'd have to roll it into a ball of yarn.  That happens sometimes with larger skeins.  You have to find the other end of the yarn and create a ball of yarn instead.  Often times that means stopping what you are doing and sitting patiently as you work the yarn into submission.  It takes a patience that not many people have.  I somehow gained the skill when I was pretty young.  I could sit and unravel chains for hours.  The funny thing is, in reality and in life, I don't have that kind of patience... At least I don't think i do.  I have a hard time waiting for anything.

Faith and Trust

I'm a slow learner. I always have been.  When I was in school, it took a lot for me to retain information. I was a last minute studier because I stood a greater chance of remembering that way.  I just don't hold information in that well.  Unless there is a connection to what I'm learning, I just never seem to keep it in. Even then it's sketchy. 

God has been trying to teach me about faith. I think he started out subtly but then tried to hit me over the head with it. I still seem to have issues. At least he's a patient God, because he's still trying.

I always saw myself as a fairly faithful and trusting person. I often naively followed because I never felt the push otherwise. Doubting seemed like more work then trusting. I was comfortable and content where I was, in my little box. But then over time, the walls of that box began to tear down. The deeply emotional and spiritual issues, I felt, were being ignored.  For years I prayed for healing for someone close to me who was struggling with a painful and debilitating disease. Faithfully, I prayed, trusting, knowing god wanted healing for this person. This person is still broken, desperate and sick, even more then ever. I prayed for 20 years for a family of my own. Again, trusting and knowing God would hear the cries of my heart. I'm still single. Now the issue isn't that I'm single. It was that I prayed for clarity regarding where God wanted me. What I got was more vagueness. These are just a few areas in which I have spent concentrated time, praying and hoping. One was for me and the other for someone close to me. I've had other prayers where I truly felt like God was calling us to pray a certain way just to find out we were wrong or at least that's what it looked like

My doubt didn't come in not getting what I wanted. I'm pretty cool with whatever direction God wants to take me. My struggle is in the hearing. I often "feel" like i hear God's voice in a certain situation or I'll feel lead to pray in a certain way.  I'll feel pretty confidently that "I'm right" and that God will answer accordingly just to find I was wrong on some level. I started doubting the voice of God. It finally lead me to doubt that I could or would ever hear him. I felt like it wasn't that God wasn't willing to give the desires of my heart but that we weren't in sync on what those are. There was a connecting issue. 

In the last month or two I have been a part of (on some level) of some big things going on. I've watched friends pray in faith for the healing/resurrection of a dear friend of theirs just to see it not happen. I've prayed myself for the physical healing of two people extremely close to me. I've watched one of those people take drastic and faith filled steps to see God's healing touch. I've also been praying for the mental/emotional/spiritual healing of several friends. In all of these situations I have played the fence. I have wanted to learn about God's heart. His action. His love. But I've had my doubts, many of them. Guilt washes over me as I pray with a half heart, no longer confident in what God is willing and able to do.  

The good in all of this is it is pushing me to a deeper understanding of the nature of Jesus. It is not allowing me to be stagnant or complacent even though it is often my nature.  Its causing me to be restless, uncomfortable and anxious for renewal. Growth is always a good thing in my book.

It might hurt right now but I am trusting that in the end, the pruning that has taken place will yield so many beauties of fruit and blessings. 

Need for More

I find myself really wanting to be challenged more.  Now, that being said, I am in a season where I am being more challenged then any other time in my life... OK well maybe I wouldn't go that far but lets just say that being challenged isn't far from me.  That being said, I feel as if i am not maximizing the gift I have been given in these challenges.  I feel like instead of using this opportunity to grow and learn, I am just riding the waves watching the scenery go by.  I am not engaging.

I am trying to figure out how to engage with the challenges I am facing.  They consist of personal, emotional, sometimes physical and definitely spiritual aspects.  I am seeing peoples lives changing, some for the good, some for the worse.  Some of those changes are directly affecting my life and the lives around me.  I am rummaging through this career transition and where its leading me and why.  In some respects I feel stuck.  Not stuck as in I can't get out, but stuck as in I am not sure where to go from here.  In all of these situations, I am seeing that I need to make steps. Sometimes the steps are clear and sometimes they are not. Sometimes they mean i have to let go of the control. Sometimes they mean I need to take control... All the while, trusting God to walk with me in this... or rather trusting myself to join Him in what he's already doing.

I want to be challenged...but more then that I want to give in to the challenges and triumph over them.  I want to learn. I want to grow.  I want to stop being still. I want to stop letting life pass by me.  

Stuck in the Mud

Have you ever found yourself in a place where you want to move forward but something holds you back.  For some it might be a dream job that requires risk.  For some it might be a relationship.  For me, right now, I find myself somewhat stuck in my faith.  Not in a way that i am losing or struggling with my faith but really going forward with it.


New or young followers are often referred to as children in relation to their faith.  Our relationship with God isn't made perfect over night.  He is perfect, but we are not and our human efforts will tend to leave us wanting more.  It takes time, a lifetime, to really truly develop your faith.  It takes a lifetime of walking with the Lord.  But at some point along the way, you should find yourself maturing over remaining like a child.  In some respects, being like children when approaching our Heavenly Father, our Creator is necessary but in regards to our pursuit of God, we should grow up, right?

Church of New York?

I started reading through Colossians on the train to work the other day. As I got through the first few verses I started to ponder through what a letter to New York would look like. Paul begins Colossians talking about their faith and their love for the saints. In other books, the author speaks to various people regarding the state of their church, the state of their faith. Sometimes words are spoken in loving confrontation. Sometimes in affirmation.

What would the letter to the church at new York look like? How would Paul approach us? How would he encourage us? What would he confront us about?

Would he say something like this?
We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as  it has been doing  in you also since the day you heard  of it  and understood the grace of God in truth; just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit. (Colossians 1:3-8 NASB)