“My biggest issue was that I kept feeling like God was calling me to be closer to Him, but I only had a Sunday morning version of what Christianity looked like. I’d never really decided to dive in truly until I was older. I realized there was so much more to Christianity, and I craved more for it.” Former Hollywood actor and child star, Alexa Pena Vega
“I kept feeling like God was calling me to be closer to Him.” This quote caught my attention. As the active agent of the godhead on the earth today, God the Holy Spirit calls humanity to join him in a close personal relationship.
I find it encouraging that Mrs. Pena Vega heard the still small voice of God while surrounded by the vast noise of her Hollywood career. She admits, “but I only had a Sunday morning version of what Christianity looked like. I’d never really decided to dive in truly until I was older. I realized there was so much more to Christianity, and I craved more for it. But I didn’t have anybody in my life at the time who could guide me.” I commend her for her honest assessment of her life.
These two portions of Mrs. Pena Vega’s testimony are essential in her drawing closer to God. She sensed something that she believed to be God calling her and admitted that her life needed an adjustment if she obeyed him.
This is not a judgment but rather an essential step to a close personal relationship with the godhead. She and her husband acknowledged that their current environment would not get them where they wanted to go (with God), so they decided to make a change.
Understand what a life-altering decision it was.
“I felt this tug in my heart. I felt it was God going, “You guys need to get out of here. It’s time.” I didn’t want to move. I knew it was the right decision, but it wasn’t something that I was so excited about. You would think Hawaii is so exciting. But I loved LA. I loved my career and I didn’t want to go.”
Following God is never a simple sunshine and lollipops decision; instead It is a life-changing (often a gut-wrenching) decision that is made with the heart and not the (logic) head.
The Bible tells of such a life-changing event for Saul of Tarsus in the New Testament book of Acts. After meeting Jesus, the religious zealot was approached with a life-altering decision—follow me, and you will suffer greatly. Wow!
Carlos (Nickelodeon “Big Time Rush” star) was on his journey of discovery. Mrs. Pena Vega said she grew up as a Christian but never really knew what it meant to be one. They knew they did not want to raise their children in Los Angeles, believing Hawaii would be an excellent place to raise them and practice their closer walk with God.
God’s comfort in the decision
“It stopped me in my tracks because all that time, I thought we were just moving for Carlos. But I needed a heart reset. I was the one trapped in the entertainment world and needed to take a step back. My job became my identity. God pulled me out of that so I could learn how to be an awesome mom and an awesome wife. God helped us build that foundation in our family. And once I had that revelation, I felt at peace.” Alexa Pena Vega
A real-life story as told by someone (relatively well known) willing to recognize the need for a change, listen to the prompting of God to make that change, and be honest about the decision to act on the change.
Happy Sunday!
Join me in the journey; it will be life-altering.