Spirit & Truth

With Andrea Cortés

Having been brought up in Latin America, faith and God are a big part of a child’s upbringing, mostly under a catholic path. My story is no different. I was lucky enough to have been gifted with a loving and faithful family, whose relationship with God is at the centre of everything we do, everything we have and the choices we make.

Both of my parents taught my sister and I to be grateful for everything we have. To be thankful for the love, health and for life itself. Mum always told me that God had sent every single one of us to this Earth, to fulfil a mission and that by staying true to myself, my choices and passions will lead me into fulfilling that mission.

Since I was a child, singing was a big part of my life, it was the activity that allowed me to be my happiest. I was always a part of the school choir and I would just randomly sing around the house. And that for me has always been a big passion, an activity that fills me up with the most positive energy and the most glorious feeling of all.

Back home, I was always giving more importance to my work and social life, than to God Himself. I occasionally went to church with my parents, but truth be told, it was not my most favourite thing to do. I did it as I felt it was the right thing to do, the action that was expected from a good catholic. My faith and belief in God was and has always been there, I just wasn’t making it a priority, I was taking it for granted.

A year and a half ago, I decided to move abroad, looking to accomplish a big dream of mine. As I started this new adventure away from home, and as time went by and the pandemic hit, I was faced with a lot of big decisions. Should I go back home and be with my parents? Should I stay and keep working hard to accomplish my dream? Am I being selfish by staying in London? So many thoughts came into my head at the time, as I’m sure it did for so many other people.

Along with my parents, we decided to leave everything in God’s hands, that I would keep working to reach my dream, and that God would guide my way. And so He did, and after a few months of being signed into a company, I remembered what my parents had taught me, about staying true to myself and my passions, as I knew that was what was going to help me to get through.

I started to look for opportunities and people that would help me to build a good spiritual foundation, because I felt that that was going to be the only way I was going to be able to be ok here, away from my family. As I came into C3 London, I was happily surprised by how the Holy Spirit, who is always beside me, was guiding me into a new family that not only helped me to strengthen my relationship with God, to have a support system away from home, but also allowed me to reconnect with one of my true passions - singing!

For the past months, worship has become a true connection and meditative state for me, to be able to experience and connect with God, the Holy Spirit, anywhere I go and at any time of the day. As I worship I’m able to put myself in a state of complete joy and calmness. This is where I find firm ground when I’m feeling lost.

As a sing to God, I feel I’m able to connect with the Holy Spirit and gain clarity and perspective again. It’s true, our spirit knows more than what our mind does. I’m not a bible expert, but as I allow myself to feel the lyrics and enjoy worshipping, I’ve been able to find such comfort and understanding of the bible. I’ve begun to understand the powerful messages that God has left for us to read and enjoy.

Through worshipping, I’ve been able to strengthen my relationship with God. It’s my go to state of meditation, to centre myself back and to find peace. Through singing, I’ve been able to stay true to myself, realign with what is truly important, and be happily surprised with what God has traced in my path in this new journey I start in London. I’m feeling stronger and more accompanied than ever because I feel and know He is always right there beside me.

Join us for church online this month at C3 London at 10:00 on Sundays on Youtube.

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