Episode 7 - Discovering Peace: How Faith in Jesus Transformed Inner Turmoil into Tranquility

In this episode, you'll discover how trusting Jesus in the midst of uncertainty transforms our perspective on hardship into spiritual growth. Neeza's testimony reveals how life's setbacks—like layoffs and personal struggles—became divine pushes that deepened her faith and unlocked a more profound relationship with Jesus. Her story shows that what seems like loss can actually be divine alignment, guiding us into purpose and fullness in Christ. Tune in for this inspiring reminder that, no matter your past or present struggles, Jesus is always ready to refresh, restore, and saturate your soul with love that never runs dry.

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"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." - Revelation 12:11

Transcript

Neeza's Journey: From Catholic Roots to Faith in Jesus

Tasha 0:05

You're listening to the Soaking Ground, a podcast for spiritually dry and weary souls. Just as the rain soaks the earth, healing and recharging it, God wants to saturate the earth with testimony of salvation and life through Jesus, the source of living water.

Neeza 0:28

My name is Neeza. I'm 34 years old. I grew up Catholic, but we didn't really go to church consistently. My parents had me at a very young age. So in many ways, I felt like we were growing up together. Um, I never held anything against my parents for that. Um, I guess I always saw it as we were learning life side by side. So I always somewhat had that understanding to not hold, you know, something went wrong or anything, not really hold it against them. I knew we believed in God, but I also lived very worldly. Um, I'll I'll openly admit I was what you call toxic. I reacted emotionally. I believe things that the world says are normal, acceptable, even empowering. But deep down it never brought peace. I struggle with not really having confidence and things a lot of I feel women today grow up feeling. But as I entered adulthood, I got married to my high school sweetheart, and we have two beautiful children, and life became bigger than just me and him. During COVID, we decided to move to Florida, and my husband actually encouraged me to become a realtor. At first, I wasn't sure, but once I stepped into it, I loved it. I loved helping people, I loved the freedom. I also loved the purpose. Amongst our new journey, I fell in love with Jesus as well, going to my mom's church. Ultimately, we found our own church closer to where we live. And I was reborn in November 2023. But at the beginning of being a realtor, I was working full-time jobs and real real real estate life was part-time. But then I was laid off not just once, but a couple of times. So never really felt that stability with the jobs. Um, but before that second layoff, I actually had prayed a bold prayer. I asked God to make me a full-time realtor. I told him it would be life-changing for my husband and my children. Wanted more time with them. I wanted financial growth. I wanted freedom and more time for God as well. So when I got laid off the second time, it didn't really feel like an answered prayer. Of course, it felt scary, it felt uncertain. It felt like, dad, what are you doing? But looking back now, I see it clearly. Um, that layoff was the push that I needed. It forced me to fully trust him. It gave me the motivation to find the brokerage that aligned with me. It pushed me into becoming a full-time realtor and not just halfway, not comfortable to fully surrender everything to God. So, what actually felt like a loss was more of an alignment he he had for me. Um, so that season actually deepened my faith. I think that following Jesus isn't really about religion, about relationship. It's about trusting him, even when it doesn't make sense. It's about letting him refine the toxic parts of you, the worldly beliefs, the pride, the fear. Um, and one of the most beautiful parts of my journey now is actually watching my children. Like I mentioned, I struggled with confidence growing up. I didn't always feel secure, I didn't always feel seen. But my children, they know they can go to Jesus. They always want to pray. They walk with confidence that I didn't have at their age. So seeing Jesus in their lives heals parts of my childhood, actually. So I also have my parents and my husband to thank for constantly showing them love the Jesus way. Becoming a Christian wasn't a single dramatic moment for me. It was actually layers. Um, it was humbling myself, realizing I can't do life in my own strength. It's understanding that sometimes God answers prayers in ways that feel uncomfortable, but they are exactly what we need. So now I strive. I don't strive from fear, I build my business from faith. I parent from faith, and I love from faith. And of course, I'm still growing, still learning, still surrendering, but now I know I'm not growing alone.

The Impact of Faith on Family and Relationships

Tasha 4:45

So was there a time before you knew Jesus that you felt a deep longing or emptiness or spiritual thirst in your life?

Neeza 4:53

I think for a long time, you know, because I was always again mentioning worldly things. So, like when people look at crystals and they they look at energy and all that, I I always try to find answers spiritually. So, yes, I I always had that longing. Um, and when I would go to my mom's church, for example, um, at the beginning, I just felt like a a pool that that obviously was the Holy Spirit. It just filled me with emotion. And it's like that feeling that you yearned for something that you didn't know, and that cry um of emotion because now you've you've got what you're looking for. So, yes, I I did there was moments, again, layers in life, that I yearned for him and to try to find ways to spiritually be connected with God. Absolutely.

Tasha 5:52

When did you realize Jesus offered salvation and a different kind of water that never runs dry?

Neeza 5:58

One aspect is my marriage. When you're getting advice from the world rather than through Jesus, you just see that difference. Um, the way we were before with the communication and just like everyone, the arguments, it just is not the same until you actually have Jesus in your relationship and how you can communicate better with love. I think that's the biggest thing that drew us in was the the way he helped our marriage and the way he is constantly in our children's life that healed our childhood traumas as well. So um, yeah, that's where I feel it's the love. It's the it's the love that constantly helps where things could go dry.

Tasha 6:46

Now, did your husband come to Jesus in a similar time frame as you?

Neeza 6:51

Yes, in uh, so he honestly has not been baptized yet, but we both were going to church together. He's never really let me go alone. He wants to go, he he loves Jesus as well. So he's not, he hasn't been baptized, but he's always bringing up, let's, you know, let's read the Bible today, especially if we're feeling if I'm feeling down or stressed out, he'll be the one to try to pick me up. You know, let's read the Bible today. So it's we are in a journey together. Maybe I stepped in a little more in, you know, faster than he did, but it's it's the it's the way that he wants to get connected and um the way he wants all of us to go to Jesus whenever we're feeling down or you know, something we're just not having a good day. How does the Holy Spirit refresh you daily? Waking up in the

Daily Refreshment Through the Holy Spirit

Neeza 7:45

morning and just thanking him for another morning. Recently, I actually had like a nightmare that just was it's a reminder that we should be thankful for our daily lives, you know, our just the fact that we can get up from bed. So that's it's remembering and praying in the mornings that he's gonna give me through the day today. That's how he he refreshes my life every day. Um is just waking up and already remembering that he is there um to you know to get us going and to be able to spread the word and share what he has done for us. I'm not gonna go too much into what my what my nightmare was, but you know, I was able to share that with my loved ones and it was a big reminder that we should just be, he gives

Reconnecting with Old Friends Through Faith

Neeza 8:40

us grace every day. How does your relationship with Jesus flow out to the people around you? It's actually quite funny that so a lot of people that I went to high school with, we all went our own separate ways, right? We were friends and we didn't communicate so much. It's I'm in awe right now because everyone that I've been reconnecting with as far as friends go from high school, they all also found Jesus. Many of them were baptized as well. And they're either baptized or really just getting into reading their Bibles and getting to know Jesus and having these conversations with them, um, sharing my testimonies with them, or just my different experiences in my my own journey. We have connected in a way that uh we were all surprised that it's actually Jesus that kind of brought us back together and just sharing the word here and there when we're talking, you know, how are you doing? And this scripture reminded me of you, you know, things like that. I'm in awe, you know, because the last time I've spoken to many of them has been 10 to 15 years. Also, my work. I do real estate more for a purpose. I want to help my community. And um I come across a lot of other Christians and we have conversations about that. Jesus's love is is every is everywhere that I've I've noticed if I were let's go back five years ago, it wasn't the same or four years ago even. It just wasn't exactly Jesus loves you, God bless you. I wouldn't hear it as much as I do today. So I know that's the Holy Spirit constantly following me, connecting me with people who are also who also know him or trying to get to know him. Seeing at one point the struggles that they were going through, um, whether it was health or personal, and how they came so far from that. It's it's really interesting to see all their different journeys, absolutely.

Tasha 10:49

Is there a time when your faith in Jesus helps someone else who is thirsty?

Helping Others Find Their Spiritual Thirst

Neeza 10:54

Yeah, absolutely. Um I when I'm reconnecting, those that are just getting to know Jesus, you could tell how they're yearning for more. So when they call me to just talk, a lot of times I try to go, you know, to scripture, trying to, you know, just let put everything in Jesus' hands. I know that's what they need to hear. It's weird to put it, but it's like a feeling that I get when they're calling me or texting me. I just have that feeling like yeah, they're yearning to hear the word of God because it always makes them feel better and how they want to share their experiences. Well, you know, I went into the Bible and I try to read it, but I still felt like this. They're being raw with me, you know. Even even though I read this, I still feel this way. Getting to know the speaking of the scriptures together, it's actually, I don't want to say just fun, but it's feels almost like a sibling relationship. So yeah, I I like fun, exciting, but you kind of feel like you're talking to your brother or sister. It's like a feeling.

Tasha 12:02

Can you tell us who Jesus is to you? Or anything you want to share about Jesus with our

Who Jesus Is: A Personal Reflection

Tasha 12:08

listeners?

Neeza 12:08

Jesus is everything to me, of course. He's my savior, redeemer, um, peacemaker, my guide. So, and Jesus is is the love that I have around me. Like I mentioned, a few years back, you would just pass people, say hi, like no connection. And now I'm coming across people that know Jesus, and it's love. Jesus loves you. God bless you. You know, when I'm passing people, I've I've heard God bless you like more these past three years, I want to say, than I had my whole life. So it's um really interesting to see. Um, but that's who Jesus is. He's he's everything to me, including love. And Jesus means we are never alone. Um, Niza, will you pray for our listeners today? Lord, thank you for every person listening right now. I pray that they don't just hear my story. I pray they feel your love. Where there is hurt, bring healing, where there is shame, bring grace, where there is doubt, bring truth. Remind them your love is real. It is personal and it never gives up on us. Let hearts be softened, chains be broken, and hope be restored. Jesus, draw them close to you. Let them know they are seen, forgiven, and deeply loved. In your beautiful name, Jesus. Amen.

Tasha 13:46

Thank you for joining us today at the Soaking Ground. For more testimonies, please like, share, and subscribe. You may contact us at thesoakingground.info at gmail.com.