It's The Small Steps of Faith That Leads To The Bigger Ones
A conversation between Matthew Samuelson (guest) and Devaughn & Rosa Williamson (hosts).
Matthew's journey in faith is filled with both struggles and victories that have shaped his character. Growing up in Oklahoma is a Christian environment, Matthew was no stranger to the church. He remembers going to youth camps, participating in worship services, and studying the Bible alongside friends and family members. Even still, Matthew experienced a spiritual block in understanding and experiencing the fullness of God.
A turning point for Matthew’s faith came when he encountered a spiritual mentor, Mr. Shell. Mr. Shell confronted Matthew with tough love and made Matthew realize that his frustrations, anger, and doubts in his faith stemmed from his desire to control his understanding of God and how God functioned. This realization marked the moment when Matthew’s faith became deeply personal and truly transformative as he finally surrendered to God.
Matthew’s life changed after losing someone he loved. The loss shook his faith and forced him to wrestle with questions he had never had to face before. Instead of walking away from God, he chose to lean in and know God in a deeper way. Through time in prayer and studying Scripture, Matthew fell more in love with God and found Him as a source of comfort and safety.
At work, Matthew faced repeated setbacks. Failed attempts and missed opportunities tested his patience and confidence. Instead of letting those moments define him, he learned to see them as part of his growth. They pushed him to lead with more integrity, humility, and persistence rather than with frustration or pride.
Matthew is open about who he was before this shift in his faith. He was largely focused on himself and his own emotions. As his faith matured, his attention moved outward. He began caring more deeply about others and letting his beliefs shape how he showed up for other people.
For Matthew, his faith has been on a journey to become active and not abstract. He believes following God means taking real steps toward what has been placed on your heart, even if the outcome is unknown. Matthew’s faith became the lens through which he understood both failure and progress and now shapes his everyday life.
If this story has impacted, inspired or reignited your faith to believe God’s promises for your life, we would love for you to consider becoming a partner of Faith Ignite so we can share even more stories like Matthew’s all around the world! With your partnership, faith can be spread across the world and transform even more lives.
Devaughn Williamson President, Faith Ignite Inc
