Aisha Bassett will never forget seeing God’s protective hand at work in her life. She was at university, set to go to a party with a friend, when she felt God urging her not to go; something bad was going to happen.

“I couldn’t really explain why I felt that way, but I encouraged my friend not to go to the party either,” said Dr Bassett.

“We later found out that there was a shooting at the party that night. This had never happened any time I had been out, so I was shocked.

“I knew God had protected us and was leading me to follow Him and lay down things in my life that were important to me but were keeping me from having a closer relationship with Him.”

Her life changed drastically after that point.

While Dr Bassett’s parents are both Christians and she grew up learning about Jesus from a young age, she struggled with her faith in her teenage years. As the 31-year-old puts it, she was “professing to be a Christian while living a life that wasn’t displaying she was following Christ”.

She rededicated her life to Christ almost a decade ago, and started searching the Word of God for guidance. She shares what she learns through her blog, Words For Walking.

“It has been a journey since then,” she said. “I am not perfect, but I am learning and striving to grow closer to God every single day.

“I began looking for guidance on how I should be living. About two years into university, I became the leader of a Christian ministry at my school. We studied different generation-specific topics and began sharing stories and struggles in our desire to grow in our relationship with God.

“I found that others young people were looking for guidance through the Word, practical advice from the Bible on how to live.

“I went from privately journaling what I was learning about applying the Word to my life, to sharing what I wrote with friends at our campus meetings and on Facebook. Friends would sometimes ask me if I considered starting a blog, and after praying about it I felt God leading me to start it earlier this year. I also prayed about which ladies to approach about being part of the blog too.”

The name ‘Words for Walking’ comes from Dr Bassett’s desire to use the Word as a guide for how to walk out her Christian life.

“It came out of me writing about the topics that came up in my life and also a desire to find life lessons through the Word in my experiences,” said Dr Bassett, who is doing clinical paediatric work in the US and plans to complete her medical training in paediatric neurology and oncology.

“It is based on [Psalm 119:9 ]: ‘How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word’.”

Topics include forgiveness, relationships, burnout, purpose, sharing the gospel and love.

“There is a section on the blog which is a collaboration of posts from Christian ladies from different walks of life. I am inspired by each of them in different ways. Some share encouragement, advice based on young married life or personal struggles — all from a Biblical perspective. Each brings a unique perspective to the table and I am grateful for their contributions and for sharing the words on their heart.”

In a section called Go, Dr Bassett details some of her experiences in sharing the gospel; in another, people are invited to share their testimony in 10 words.

“I want readers, especially young people, to be challenged to think about God’s word as alive, being able to be applied to our life and situations,” she said.

“So far the feedback has been positive. People have shared that they have liked the posts and that the messages have been on time and relevant.

“God has also been teaching me that the things I feel Him lead me to do are not about me, it is about being obedient. He has been teaching me to share what is on my heart at the time He puts it there; not to delay or to wait or to question why I should or shouldn’t share it at that time. He is teaching me to trust His timing and His leading even in the absence of people’s feedback or a response.”

Her advice to new believers is to wake up every morning and start their day praying for God’s guidance.

“Give Him that undivided attention,” she said. “Read the Word, even if it starts out as just one scripture that is relevant to what you are facing. Then, throughout the day think about that scripture and look for ways to apply it — it could be a promise that God is with you or one that gives you motivation to press on.

“Also, join and serve at a church that teaches the Bible and get someone who you can share what is going on in your life and be accountable to. Accountability allows someone else who is more spiritually mature to watch your back, pray for you and ensure that you are living by God’s word in specific areas of your life. They can remind you of your goals and all God has done for you when you are being tested. This will help you stay strong and endure the trials knowing that the God that helped you then will help you now.”

As we get to know Him better we will still face challenges and disappointments but it will help us grow our faith and build our trust in Him.

“We start to realise that everything in our life has purpose. That realisation in itself can give us peace,” she said.

Visit www.wordsforwalking.wordpress.com