Author: Vikki Lynn Sorensen

By day, I work a fulltime job in corporate America. By night, I'm a fulltime couch potato. I love to read, write, embroider, crochet and watch British mysteries. When I do leave the house, it's to either go to church or to buy yarn and books. I'm a firm believer that buying books and buying yarn are hobbies on their own. I'm also the single mom (happily divorced for more than 15 glorious years) of two fabulous young women, rescue mom of one dog and rescue grandma to one black cat. My older daughter, Shelby is high-functioning autistic and an avid gamer. My younger daughter, Emilie, is married and lives with her husband about three hours away from me and is an avid baker. Both love Jesus fiercely and in their own way.

Privacy Policy

Posted on December 6, 2021December 6, 2021 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Privacy Policy

Last updated: December 07, 2021

This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use and disclosure of Your information when You use the Service and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You.

We use Your Personal data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy has been created with the help of the Privacy Policy Generator.

Interpretation and Definitions

Interpretation

The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions. The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

Account means a unique account created for You to access our Service or parts of our Service.
Company (referred to as either “the Company”, “We”, “Us” or “Our” in this Agreement) refers to Faith Love N Joy.
Cookies are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device or any other device by a website, containing the details of Your browsing history on that website among its many uses.
Country refers to: Illinois, United States
Device means any device that can access the Service such as a computer, a cellphone or a digital tablet.
Personal Data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.
Service refers to the Website.
Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service or to assist the Company in analyzing how the Service is used.
Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).
Website refers to Faith Love N Joy, accessible from www.faithlovenjoy.com
You means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable.

Collecting and Using Your Personal Data

Types of Data Collected

Personal Data

While using Our Service, We may ask You to provide Us with certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify You. Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to:

Email address
First name and last name
Usage Data

Usage Data

Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service.

Usage Data may include information such as Your Device’s Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that You visit, the time and date of Your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

When You access the Service by or through a mobile device, We may collect certain information automatically, including, but not limited to, the type of mobile device You use, Your mobile device unique ID, the IP address of Your mobile device, Your mobile operating system, the type of mobile Internet browser You use, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

We may also collect information that Your browser sends whenever You visit our Service or when You access the Service by or through a mobile device.

Tracking Technologies and Cookies

We use Cookies and similar tracking technologies to track the activity on Our Service and store certain information. Tracking technologies used are beacons, tags, and scripts to collect and track information and to improve and analyze Our Service. The technologies We use may include:

Cookies or Browser Cookies. A cookie is a small file placed on Your Device. You can instruct Your browser to refuse all Cookies or to indicate when a Cookie is being sent. However, if You do not accept Cookies, You may not be able to use some parts of our Service. Unless you have adjusted Your browser setting so that it will refuse Cookies, our Service may use Cookies.
Flash Cookies. Certain features of our Service may use local stored objects (or Flash Cookies) to collect and store information about Your preferences or Your activity on our Service. Flash Cookies are not managed by the same browser settings as those used for Browser Cookies. For more information on how You can delete Flash Cookies, please read “Where can I change the settings for disabling, or deleting local shared objects?” available at https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/disable-local-shared-objects-flash.html#main_Where_can_I_change_the_settings_for_disabling__or_deleting_local_shared_objects_
Web Beacons. Certain sections of our Service and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit the Company, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of a certain section and verifying system and server integrity).

Cookies can be “Persistent” or “Session” Cookies. Persistent Cookies remain on Your personal computer or mobile device when You go offline, while Session Cookies are deleted as soon as You close Your web browser. Learn more about cookies: Use of Cookies by Free Privacy Policy.

We use both Session and Persistent Cookies for the purposes set out below:

Necessary / Essential Cookies
Type: Session Cookies

Administered by: Us

Purpose: These Cookies are essential to provide You with services available through the Website and to enable You to use some of its features. They help to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts. Without these Cookies, the services that You have asked for cannot be provided, and We only use these Cookies to provide You with those services.
Cookies Policy / Notice Acceptance Cookies
Type: Persistent Cookies

Administered by: Us

Purpose: These Cookies identify if users have accepted the use of cookies on the Website.
Functionality Cookies
Type: Persistent Cookies

Administered by: Us

Purpose: These Cookies allow us to remember choices You make when You use the Website, such as remembering your login details or language preference. The purpose of these Cookies is to provide You with a more personal experience and to avoid You having to re-enter your preferences every time You use the Website.

For more information about the cookies we use and your choices regarding cookies, please visit our Cookies Policy or the Cookies section of our Privacy Policy.

Use of Your Personal Data

The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

To provide and maintain our Service, including to monitor the usage of our Service.
To manage Your Account: to manage Your registration as a user of the Service. The Personal Data You provide can give You access to different functionalities of the Service that are available to You as a registered user.
For the performance of a contract: the development, compliance and undertaking of the purchase contract for the products, items or services You have purchased or of any other contract with Us through the Service.
To contact You: To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication, such as a mobile application’s push notifications regarding updates or informative communications related to the functionalities, products or contracted services, including the security updates, when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.
To provide You with news, special offers and general information about other goods, services and events which we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about unless You have opted not to receive such information.
To manage Your requests: To attend and manage Your requests to Us.
For business transfers: We may use Your information to evaluate or conduct a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of Our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which Personal Data held by Us about our Service users is among the assets transferred.
For other purposes: We may use Your information for other purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns and to evaluate and improve our Service, products, services, marketing and your experience.

We may share Your personal information in the following situations:

With Service Providers: We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service, to contact You.
For business transfers: We may share or transfer Your personal information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of Company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of Our business to another company.
With Affiliates: We may share Your information with Our affiliates, in which case we will require those affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include Our parent company and any other subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other companies that We control or that are under common control with Us.
With business partners: We may share Your information with Our business partners to offer You certain products, services or promotions.
With other users: when You share personal information or otherwise interact in the public areas with other users, such information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed outside.
With Your consent: We may disclose Your personal information for any other purpose with Your consent.

Retention of Your Personal Data

The Company will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.

Transfer of Your Personal Data

Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company’s operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of Your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from Your jurisdiction.

Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by Your submission of such information represents Your agreement to that transfer.

The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.

Disclosure of Your Personal Data

Business Transactions

If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, Your Personal Data may be transferred. We will provide notice before Your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

Law enforcement

Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).

Other legal requirements

The Company may disclose Your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

Comply with a legal obligation
Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company
Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service
Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public
Protect against legal liability

Security of Your Personal Data

The security of Your Personal Data is important to Us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While We strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect Your Personal Data, We cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Children’s Privacy

Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13. If You are a parent or guardian and You are aware that Your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers.

If We need to rely on consent as a legal basis for processing Your information and Your country requires consent from a parent, We may require Your parent’s consent before We collect and use that information.

Links to Other Websites

Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by Us. If You click on a third party link, You will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise You to review the Privacy Policy of every site You visit.

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update Our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify You of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

We will let You know via email and/or a prominent notice on Our Service, prior to the change becoming effective and update the “Last updated” date at the top of this Privacy Policy.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, You can contact us:

By email: faithlovenjoy68@gmail.com
By visiting this page on our website: https://faithlovenjoy.com/2021/12/06/privacy-policy/

Moments and Musings

When I Lift My Hands

Posted on December 5, 2021May 27, 2025 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

“So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands”
Psalm 63:4 ESV

Years ago, I was going through a really bad time. I was dealing with depression and anxiety without any professional help. My marriage was falling apart. I felt like I was in a hole so deep no one could find me, not even God. I had two toddlers running around. Life was just not working at all.

I remember one night after a fight with my husband (now ex-husband), I sat down on the couch after putting my babies to bed and just started to cry. It seemed like there was no way out for me. I knew I needed to be strong for my girls and learn how to be a better wife to my husband but I had no clue how I would achieve that. God felt very far away and I felt like a huge failure.

For some reason, the verse 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 came to my heart:

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

Praise and worship have always been my favorite part of any church service. I’ve always loved to sing. At the time, I was part of a praise and worship team at my local church. I was well acquainted with the power of praise and knew how to raise my hands. However, in my depression, I was sure I had the strength. I remember being honest with God and telling Him I wasn’t sure if I could even lift my hands to him. I wasn’t sure why anymore.

God very gently spoke to my heart. He said, “When your babies come to you and they lift their hands to you, what does that mean?”

I replied, “It means they want me. They want me to pick them up and hold them.”

God said, “And what happens when you hold them?”

I said, “They’re comforted. They’re loved. It’s an act of security for them to be in my arms.”

God answered, “Then lift your hands to me, daughter. I will lift you up and hold you. You will be comforted and you will know how much I love you. You’ll be secure in me.”

Lifting my hands in praise and worship has been easy for me ever since that day because I always remember these words. I always remember how I felt that night as I lifted my hands to Jesus. Depression and anxiety melted away in those precious moments I was held by my Heavenly Father. Was my life perfect after that? No. The abuse in my marriage turned into adultery which then resulted in divorce and a whole new way of life for my girls. Yet, none of that really matters because whenever I felt waves overtake me, I just lifted my hands and let God lift me up.

My daughters are grown young women. They haven’t received this revelation yet and are far too shy to experience total freedom in worshipping God. I don’t worry. I know deep in my heart that their own conversation with God is just on their horizon. One day, they will need to lift their hands and when they do, God will hold them, comfort them, provide for them and show Himself to be their Daddy and not just their Heavenly Father.

Maybe you’re like I was and you’re in a well of darkness or depression. Maybe you need to be lifted up in some way. Can I pray for you?

“Heavenly Father, we love you so much. We thank you for your Word that gives us everything we need in every season. Father, your word says to praise you in every circumstance. We know how important this is and how important it is to lift our hands to you in prayer as well as in praise. Sometimes, Lord, we admit we don’t always feel like it. Sometimes, we just don’t have the strength. But we know, Father, that you desire us to be free and to walk in freedom. We know you desire to be not just Abba Father but Daddy to us your kids. So we take a step of faith and we lift our hands to you, Daddy. And we lift our hands, we ask for you to lift us up. We ask to be seated on your lap, with your arms wrapped around us. We thank you for your love and comfort. We thank you for security and we thank you for not leaving us in the pit but placing our feet on solid ground. We thank you and we praise you for this, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Moments and Musings

Steeped in God

Posted on May 28, 2021May 27, 2025 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 NLT

Back in the days of being married with littles running around, we went through a season of being so very broke. Our furniture consisted of an old, worn out blue rocking chair, a scratched and faded coffee table we got from a second-hand shop and a sofa-bed couch that looked like it had been transported right from the year 1970. I was a young, stay-at-home mom with two babies and a husband I never saw due to his work schedule. Money was non-existent and so, it seemed, was the dream of ever getting anything new.

One day, while reading my Bible, this verse fell out. To be honest, I didn’t jump on this right away. No, God had to take his time with me, like always. But what he started planting in my heart was, “You can take this literally. You can believe my word just as it is.”

Not long after, a close friend of mine invited me over to her beautiful house to show me some new furniture she and her husband bought. A beautiful couch with recliners on each end. A loveseat to match, also reclining. A matching coffee table and two tall bookshelves finished off the collection. As I admired it and congratulated her, God said, “Take me at my word. Believe me. Seek me first and I will give you everything you need.”

So when I got home that night, I told God nothing else matters but him. I want him more than I want new furniture. I laid this dream of mine at his feet and told him that I want this but I want him more. I want him first.

Two days later I received a call from this same friend. She was so excited as her mother-in-law just gifted her with the furniture set of her dreams. I was confused. She’d just bought a beautiful set! I wondered what she would do with what she already had. Then she told me she and her husband had decided to give us – not sell us – but give us their set they’d just bought.

That was God moving to perform his word!

Where there’s a promise, there’s a performance!

I love The Message version of this verse best.

“Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”

Steep your life in God’s word. If you think about it, to steep something is to keep it in water, completely covered until you get the best flavor out of it. Steeping yourself in God’s word means the same thing.

You are literally keeping yourself completely covered while God refines you and pulls out the very best version of you. AS YOU STEEP YOURSELF – not after. During. Which means you only need to take the first step.

Is what you’re waiting on God for standing in between you and God? Have you made it more important than him? It’s ok to say yes – we’ve all done it. Can I pray with you now?

“Heavenly Father, we thank you for all things. But the biggest thing we thank you for is your Word and the precious blood of Jesus. We’re so very thankful you chose to love us so much that you gave to us first. You gave us the very best Heaven had to offer and all you ask in return is that we seek you first. Where we have failed to keep you first, Father, we ask for forgiveness and thank you for your perfect mercy. We make a new commitment now to seek you first! Redirect us, Holy Spirit! We seek after you and your truth, your ideas, your provisions, and your ways, knowing no part of seeking after you will result in failure. We put you first, Father, because we love you so much. In Jesus name, Amen!”

Moments and Musings

Joy Despite Circumstances

Posted on May 14, 2021May 27, 2025 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Psalm 118:24

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

I’ve been experiencing a case of the blahs lately. And for no reason at all. I have a good life. I have a beautiful apartment in an area I love. My girls are lovely, accomplished and living their own lives (still living at home, which is fine). I have a small measure of financial security.

In short, I’m better off than a lot of people right now. Yet, I can’t seem to shake this case of the blahs.

The other morning, while walking my dog, Percy, I decided to attack this with prayer and praise. I love to praise God. I love reminding myself out loud all he’s done for me. I love to tell him what a wonderful Father he is and what a perfect husband he is to me. I began thanking him for my family, how he’s kept them all safe and secure and miraculously provided for them, even in this Covid season.

As I praised him, this verse came to my mind. I said it out loud. “Thank you so much for this day, Father, for this is the day you’ve made and I will rejoice and be glad in it”. As sure as the last word left my mouth, the Lord quickly spoke to me and said:

“Even when the circumstances and feelings tell you otherwise.”

I understood God was giving me a command. He was reminding me that my joy comes from him, not from how I feel. I have gladness all day long because Jesus saved my soul, not because everything in my life is going the way it should. I can rejoice in every moment because God is for me and if God is for me, who can be against me.

None of this is related to my circumstances or my feelings whether they be good or bad. My joy and peace come from the truth of God’s unconditional love for me – a love that sent a Savior to the cross.

Perhaps this is why Paul is my favorite writer in the Bible. He never stops praising God. He never loses his joy. In Philippians 1:12-14, Paul writes,

12 And I want you to know this, dear brothers: Everything that has happened to me here has been a great boost in getting out the Good News concerning Christ. 13 For everyone around here, including all the soldiers over at the barracks, knows that I am in chains simply because I am a Christian. 14 And because of my imprisonment, many of the Christians here seem to have lost their fear of chains! Somehow my patience has encouraged them, and they have become more and more bold in telling others about Christ.

Paul doesn’t yield to his circumstances. He doesn’t despair. In fact, he sees the bigger picture. He knows that while his situation isn’t good, God is working out something good through it all. So Paul doesn’t allow himself to be under the circumstances. But rather, he speaks from a place of deep joy and everlasting peace as one whose life has been transformed. Paul rejoices despite his circumstances which is knows is temporary yet he also knows God’s love and peace and joy is eternal.

What circumstances are you under today? What’s causing you feel off? Can I pray with you?

“Heavenly, Gracious Father, we love you so much and we are so very grateful for the precious gift of your son, Jesus. We can never thank you enough for the power of his Blood and the sweet salvation we get to enjoy because of it. Now, Father, we pray Psalm 118:24 over us for this is the day you have made and we are deciding right now, in this moment, to rejoice and be glad. We refuse to live under any circumstance. In fact, we speak to circumstances and situations and command them to line up with your precious Word. Devil, you’re a liar and these circumstances must yield to the power of the name of Jesus! We speak peace, health, provision and joy into all circumstances and we rise up out from under them. I thank for you supernatural joy and gladness this day, in Jesus name! Amen!”

Moments and Musings

God’s Plans Are Better

Posted on March 17, 2021May 27, 2025 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Proverbs 16:3

Commit to the Lord whatever you do and he will establish your plans.

There are two key words in this verse. To ‘commit’ means to “to carry into action deliberately” while to ‘establish’ means “to institute permanently by enactment or agreement”

Commit is an action word. It means we should do something. In this verse, it means we should be intentional about including God in our plans. When our plans line up with God’s word, he will establish them – or he will honor our agreement with him to make our plans permanent and secure.

A few years ago, I was in a relationship with a man who himself admitted to having an adverse relationship with God. He’d suffered much and that suffering caused him to lose faith in the love God has for him. On the outside, the relationship was solid. We made our plans to get married. He loved my kids as I loved his. He was even willing to have my mom live with us after we were married.

Then, one day, I heard God say to me, “Are you ever going to include me in this?” I knew right away what my answer was. I said, “No, because I know what you’re going to say. I know I’m unequally matched in this relationship. I know the compromises I have already made in my heart to be with this man.”

Ever the gentleman, God waited. While he waited, he gently kept reminded me “My plans are higher and my ways are better.” My relationship with this man started to fray and unravel. I finally went to God and said, “I yield, Father. I commit this relationship to you and ask you to direct me. I want to please you more than I want to please myself.” I prayed for myself and for this man, for our hearts, for our healing and for healing in our children (he had 3 kids from a previous marriage). I broke off the relationship and in that moment, I felt shackles falling. The enemy lost. God saved me what was sure to be another divorce and more heartache.

Friends, when we align ourselves and our plans with the Word of God, we really don’t need to do much else. The hard part is over. God honors his word and gets to work in our lives. He creates paths where there are none. He gives us ideas and wisdom. He provides for those plans because ultimately, they’re his plans too!

If you want to know what plans God has for you, you need only to look to the Word. The Bible is more than just a love story; it’s a blueprint for how we should live our lives and it never fails.

What plans are you making for your life? Have you included God in those plans? Can I pray with you?

“Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for the plans you have made for me. Jeremiah 29 verse 11 tells me your plans are good and full of hope and not for my destruction. You have planned well for me, Father, and I’m so grateful. As I continue to align my plans with your word, I thank you that you are causing those plans to be established and to succeed. I pray for continued wisdom and for your Word to be a constant light to my path. I thank you for all this, in Jesus’ name. AMEN!”