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- #002 – Faith That Shows Up
#002 – Faith That Shows Up
For the Willing, the Weary, and the Waiting
Ravi Patel & Chris Mogaka
May 04, 2025
Welcome, Family
If you're tired, questioning, or just showing up because the spirit whispered "try again" — we see you.
You belong here. This space isn't for the perfect. It's for the present.
Even if you arrive with more questions than answers, you're exactly where you're meant to be.
🆕 First time here?
This is a weekly email rooted in Scripture, community, and real talk for the walk of faith. Whether you're planted in Atlanta or just passing through the inbox, we’re glad you’re here.
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This Week’s Bread
🔥 This Week’s Word – Faith in Action
🌍 Living in the World – When the World Makes You Numb
💡 Quote to Carry – Words That Stick
🗣️ From the Community – Testimonies & Tunes
🪑 Your Seat Is Saved – A Mothers Day Celebration
☝️ Prayer Corner – Lifting Each Other Up
💬 Breakout Takeaway – This Week’s Reflection
📘 Faith in Action – Scripture + Steps
🏆 Weekly Challenge – One Bold Text
🔥 This Week’s Word
Imagine a car with no engine. You can admire its design, its color, and its potential, but it won't get you anywhere.
James 2:17 speaks to this: true faith, like an engine, propels us into action.
“Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
James wrote this letter to early Christians who were struggling with the relationship between faith and works.
He wasn't saying that works earn salvation, but that genuine faith demonstrates itself through good deeds.
It's not enough to say you believe; your life should reflect that belief. We talk about faith a lot, but what does it look like in motion?
Sometimes it’s big:
💼 Walking away from a job
🌆 Moving to a new location
✋ Saying yes to a calling
But just as often, faith is quiet:
🛏️ Getting out of bed when depression weighs you down
🤝 Choosing kindness when someone has wronged you
📖 Opening your Bible when you feel spiritually empty
These daily acts of obedience shape our character and show our trust in God—especially when no one else sees them.
They are the quiet proof that our faith is alive.
🔑 Ask yourself this week: What does my faith do? What is the engine of my life producing?
Faith isn’t proven in church attendance.
It’s proven in obedience.
✨ And the beautiful thing?
Even your smallest yes matters. God sees it—and He honors it.
🌎 Living in the World, Without Becoming It
When the World Makes You Numb
The world moves fast. The headlines keep coming. The demands pile up. And sometimes, in the chaos, we shut down emotionally to protect ourselves.
But emotional numbness isn’t peace—it’s a slow, quiet starvation of the soul.
God doesn’t want us to live with hardened hearts. He offers something better: a heart that can feel deeply, love freely, and heal fully.
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
This week, take a moment to check back in. Feel what you feel. Grieve what hurts. Celebrate what heals. God gave you a heart of flesh, not stone
Where have you gone numb lately? This week, give yourself permission to feel it—then bring it to God.
🧠 Quote to Carry
Take this into your week. Write it down. Speak it over yourself. Let it remind you that showing up — even when it’s hard — is worship.
🗣️ Community Voices
One of our sisters shared this week: “Don’t just turn away from sin. RUN.”
That’s faith in action.
🎶 Another member, Chris Paul, dropped a song and this message in the groupchat:
"Good morning everyone, and happy Sabbath. I wanted to share this song with everyone to start their day with. It’s absolutely beautiful. I hope everyone is able to enjoy their day. God be with you.”
Got a testimony, lyric, poem, or reflection?
Join the groupchat or hit reply to be featured next week.
🪑 Your Seat Is Saved
Atlanta Young Adult Bible Study Presents:
Moments of Love – A Mother’s Day Celebration
Friday nights are loud—but this space is soft, sacred, and safe.
This Friday, we’re hosting something special for the ones who mother—with love, with prayer, with presence.
What to look forward to:
💖 Celebrating All Mothers – Biological, spiritual, chosen—we honor you.
🌸 A Night of Love + Gratitude – Stories, Scripture, and soul-deep encouragement.
🛋️ Zoom In from Anywhere – No dress code. No pressure. Just presence.
🎁 Bring a Mom, Be a Blessing – Invite the woman who shaped you.
Whether you’re a mother, missing a mother, or walking alongside one—we made this night with you in mind.
Come feel seen, supported, and spiritually filled.
📍 Friday, May 9 @ 8 PM -10 PM | 💻 Zoom Link
🔔 All mothers and mother-figures are warmly invited to join us.
🙏 Prayer Corner
“God, soften the areas in me that have gone cold. Restore my hope and fill me with a bold love that follows your call.”
Prayers from our community:
🙏 For those overwhelmed, that they experience God's peace.
💗 For healing and comfort for those facing illness or loss.
🤝 For unity and compassion within our community.
Want Prayer? Simply reply to this email with your request, or share it with us on Instagram. We’re here for you.
💬 Breakout Takeaway
Faith doesn’t need a stage. It just needs your yes.
This week, ask yourself:
Where is God asking me to show up right now?
📘 Faith in Action
📝 Read: James 2:14–26
Reflect this week:
What’s one step of obedience I’ve been delaying?
Who around me needs to see my faith through action, not just hear about it?
🧠 Weekly Challenge
This Week’s Challenge
📱 Text one person and ask:
“How can I pray for you this week?”
That’s it. A small text might just be the encouragement someone needs this week.
🙏 No sermon. Just presence.
You never know how much it might mean to someone who’s been waiting to be seen. 👀
✝️ Final Word
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to follow the One who does.
Keep showing up. We’ll be right here with you.
📣 Let’s Keep the Flow Going
💌 Forward this to someone who needs it.
If this encouraged you, share it with a friend, a sibling, or that one person who’s been “meaning to come.”
👥 Pull Up a Seat in the GroupChat
You don't have to have it all together to sit with us.
Bring your juice, your questions, and your heart—we're saving you a spot.
📲 Follow the movement on Instagram
Updates, prayer requests, faith clips, and community vibes:
@chrissmogaka
🧎♂️ Need prayer?
We got you. Drop a request and we’ll lift it up together.
Submit here →
💬 Reply to this email
Yep—we actually read them. Let us know what hit, or what you want to dig into next.
With love,
Mogaka Events Ministry
Written by people still learning, still growing, and still trusting the process.
✨ Sponsored by Atlanta Young Adult Community Bible Study
Friday Nights on Zoom – 8 PM
Come comfy. Come curious. Come connected.