Miraculous Lovely

I’m so touched by these kinds words about By Faith from Chris Luppo!  I truly appreciate her taking the time to write this lovely endorsement for By Faith!

And I’m delighted that there’s only one week left until By Faith: Adventures and Reflections on Walking with God Here and Abroad is available on Amazon!

I’m so honored that God would allow me to experience His miraculous lovely hands here and around the globe. I’m humbled that He would allow me to write my fourth book! By Faith is filled with testimonies of how God has worked in me and through me over the years. These are some of the stories I would share with you if I could walk you through my photo albums and scrapbooks. Below is just a taste of one of my favorite moments from my third short-term missions trip. It was such a beautiful moment during my visit to Ethiopia. I pray this memory blesses you! By Faith will be available on Amazon on October 8th.

True Worship

It may sound a little weird, but I had been looking forward to the evening when we could go on a street outreach. It reminded me of my days doing homeless outreaches in NYC.

The evening finally arrived, and we visited young men who literally lived in a garbage dump. (I am not exaggerating or being disrespectful.) Our team, escorted by locals who ministered to these young guys, walked through piles of garbage to find the little shacks where these young men lived. At first, I was spooked. It was dark out there. I was being super careful about where I stepped and was afraid of what I might see lurking in the shadows.

It wasn’t a very pleasant place to be, but I knew God was there!

The boys came out, and we started talking to them.

A local ministry leader had brought a guitar, so we sang and worshiped God right there under the moonlight in the junkyard.

I love worshiping God outdoors, so that moment was extra special for me. It’s still one of the holiest and most anointed services I’ve ever been to. It obviously wasn’t because of a fancy building; we were surrounded by heaps of trash. The beauty was that we were worshiping God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

Where two or three are gathered in His name, Jesus is truly there (Matthew 18:20).

When our leader asked for volunteers to speak to the group of young men, I thought about how God was calling me to be a leader and to speak to groups of people. I surprised myself by being the second one to speak. I just wanted to let them know God was with them and loved them.

I count it an honor to have had the chance to encourage those young guys that night. I trust God is watching over them. And I pray I will always have the peace to speak to groups large or small, poor or affluent, and near or far about the love of Jesus!

BY FAITH: ADVENTURES AND REFLECTIONS ON WALKING WITH GOD HERE AND ABROAD

Copyright © 2018 by Nancy Gavilanes

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

For more information, visit AboundingFaith.com.

It’s with great joy that I share the Introduction for By Faith with you! Please join me in praying that all who read this book will be encouraged to trust God in a greater way and inspired to live their God-given dreams!

Introduction

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8)

God has opened some pretty incredible doors for me over the years. I like to say He showed up and showed off in October 2016.

After years of feeling drawn to somehow minister at the United Nations, God allowed me to speak to a group of Christians who work there. That in itself was a longing fulfilled and a privilege that I didn’t take lightly. Then about a week later God allowed me to give my brief testimony at an evening service at my home church, Times Square Church. What an honor!

Within the span of two weeks, I got to speak at a UN building and a legendary Broadway theater. Only God could do that!

God truly opens doors that no man can shut (Revelation 3:8).

But years before I experienced those breakthroughs, I had to go through a long journey and process. I have seen God do miraculous things here and in my travels abroad. I’ve also seen Him work in the ordinary and routine moments in my life.

Walking with God has truly been an adventure for me, and I feel God leading me to share some of those moments with you. I’m writing this book as a love letter to God. I want to shout from the rooftops how great and mighty He is! He is worthy of praise in the good and bad times.

I’d like to share with you glimpses of what my life was like before I surrendered it to the Lord, as well as some of the wonderful work He’s done in me and through me over the years. I pray it will encourage you to receive God’s love and inspire you to love and obey Him wholeheartedly and to spend the rest of your life pouring out that love on others!

If at times I come across as boasting, please know it’s just me marveling at all God can do. I can’t take the credit. I can just humbly yet boldly follow my heavenly Father’s lead.

If at times it seems I’m being vague with details, please know I’ve done so on purpose to guard my privacy and the privacy of those around me.

This book is not meant to be a tell-all exposé of my life or meant to point fingers, place blame, or to condemn anyone.

This book is a peek inside the beautiful and international love story God has written for me. May it bless you and remind you that God loves you beyond measure and that He desires to walk in close relationship with you.

God has a unique story He is writing for you. You can trust Him with the pen.

My story is still unfolding, and so it is with great pleasure that I look forward to sharing the next chapters with you in God’s perfect timing.

If you are tempted to quit in the middle of your story, I invite you to read my books Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough, Abounding Faith: 30 Bible Heroes Who Will Inspire You to Believe God for the Impossible, and Crossing Your Jordan River: How to Possess and Prosper in Your Promised Land (available on Amazon). They are filled with Bible verses, action steps, and prayer prompts to help you to keep running your race.

As always, I’m delighted the Lord would allow me to encourage you through my writing and speaking. It’s all for His glory!

I pray you will be encouraged to live your God-given dreams. There’s no better place to be than in the center of God’s will for your life.

If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I’d like to invite you to put your trust in Him today. It’s the best decision you will ever make. Your life will truly never be the same!

Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her! (Luke 1:45)

BY FAITH: ADVENTURES AND REFLECTIONS ON WALKING WITH GOD HERE AND ABROAD

Copyright © 2018 by Nancy Gavilanes

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

For more information, visit AboundingFaith.com.