BREMEN, Ala. — Cold Springs’ Ally Finley will be a senior in August, and in this interview, she talks about her faith and the role that God has played in her life, starting with a couple of her favorite Bible verses.
“Everything in my life I owe to God. I find my identity in Him, and He means everything to me. I couldn’t do anything without God. God has changed my life in so many ways. He has given me purpose and has taken me through some hard times in my life. When I look at my past, it’s clear I’m not the person I used to be, and I know that God is still working on me,” Finley said. “One of my favorite Bible verses is Colossians 3:2: ‘Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on Earth’. I have to remind myself daily to not be so caught up in what the world tells me. This verse reminds me to keep my eyes on God and to not get distracted by temporary things. Another one of my favorite Bible verses is James 4:17: ‘So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for Him, it is sin’. For me, this means doing what God is wanting you to do, even when you are afraid. There have been so many times I’ve felt God calling me to speak to someone, and I’m so afraid to the point I make myself sick. Talking to people makes me really anxious, but I feel God pushing me to do it, because it is right. Even though I am scared in the moment, I am so happy that I did it, because glorifying God is more important than me staying in my comfort zone.”
Ally wants to help people of all ages find God, and she wants to be a role model that younger kids can look up to.
“It is very important to me that more people find God. It doesn’t matter who you are; we all need Jesus to save us. You aren’t too young or too old to know God. The best time to start a relationship with God is right now. He is the only way to eternal life. Whether we realize it or not, everyone is searching for something to satisfy themselves, and God is the only way to truly be fulfilled,” Finley said. “People, especially younger people, are easily influenced, so it is important to be the type of person that they can look up to. I try to live my life in a way that other people can see Jesus in me, and hopefully, they also seek Him. There are so many people in my life that I look up to, and I hope that I can be the type of role model I have found in those people.”
Ally feels blessed to have so many role models in her life and has enjoyed participating in mission trips as well.
“God has blessed me with so many amazing people in my life. I’m surrounded by Godly role models. My family, friends, and church leaders are all people I look up to. I don’t know what I would do without my parents. They are always there for me and pray for me whenever I need it. I see them live for Jesus, and that is the type of person I want to be. I’m thankful for my friends too. They are all so kind and caring. If I ever need anything, they are happy to help. I love my church. My pastor and youth leaders are constantly challenging me to become a better Christian,” Finley said. “I love leading First Priority at school. It gets me out of my comfort zone and gives me the opportunity to share God’s Word with others. Also, my church does the Christmas Shoebox Ministry for the kids in Honduras. I look forward to packing these shoeboxes every year. It means a lot to be able to serve God by helping other people.”
She shared some advice with anyone who is either struggling or new when it comes to having a relationship with God.
“My advice to new or struggling Christians would be to make quiet time for God. Life gets busy, but it is important to slow down and remember to keep God as your foundation in life. It is also important to note that everyone messes up. Ask God to help you, and don’t be afraid to talk to others about your struggles,” she said. “I just try to pray when I wake up every morning. I try to start my day by thanking God for another day and asking Him to help me find ways to glorify Him. Setting my mind on God first thing in the morning helps me to go the rest of the day thinking about Him. Reading some scripture is another way to do this.”
Ally has learned so much during her journey so far, and a life-changing event helped her get even closer to the Lord.
“In my walk with Christ, I have learned that I need to always trust in Him. God knows better than I do. I’ve also learned to go to God first with every decision I make, and even though I fall short every day, God still has a plan for me, and He will never leave me,” she said. “When I found out that my grandfather passed away, I really felt God with me. I was at the movies with my parents, my best friend, my pastor and his wife, and another family from church that we are really close with. As soon as the credits rolled, my dad got a call from the nursing home. We walked out of the movie and found out that Pops had passed away. We were hurt by this news, but we were surrounded by such amazing people. I knew that God had brought them to us to comfort us in that moment. We all prayed together, and I felt the peace of God. I felt closer to God, because I saw how He can bring peace, even in the darkest times.”
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