Month: June 2021

shared

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shared stories

 

Our Stories

 

I suspect, my story isn’t all that different from yours.  While the details may vary, it’s a tale of wounding, of abandonment, of abuse, of not being enough or being too much, it’s a story of striving to earn my place, of pursuing love in all the wrong places, of searching for acceptance in the world, of career challenges, bad decisions, financial mistakes, parenting mistakes, and oh so many broken relationships.  But it’s also a story of redemption and salvation, a story of hope and healing, and story of learning to silence the accusation of the enemy and to walk in God’s truth.

We’d like to invite you on a journey of sharing our stories with each other and with Jesus.  He has so much He wants to say to all those broken places. 

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A Journey of Truth

The Crowned Box, the first in our series, will walk you through a deep look at what God thinks, feels, and says about you.  We will take a hard look at all the things in our lives that we allow to define us and distract us from that truth.  Put together by a  team of women who have served in all areas of ministry, this is the box we all wish we had had. 

The box will take you on an exciting journey, through the joy of God’s promises, the hard work of reclaiming that which was lost, and moving forward.  

find out more

His

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A Special Possession

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 

One of my special possessions is my china, even though I know it really isn’t a thing anymore.  It took me years to collect it.  I have 16 settings and all servings platers and bowls.  I take extra care of it.  I love to get it out and use it.  Yet I treat it with extra special care and I would be heartbroken if any of it got chipped or broken.  My china can’t even compare to how special we are to God and how heart broken he gets when we are hurting.  You are God’s special possession.

You are so special to our God.  He loves you more than you can possibly imagine and it has nothing to do with what you have done.  It is because of who you are.  He adores you right now and always.  

Jackie is an irreplaceable member of the FZ team.  Serving as the Board President, a regular volunteer, and with and extensive church service history of  ministry to women, her heart & soul show in everything we do.

 

 

More Info

 

This is a excerpt of a session from our “Crowned – unboxing my identity” Journey Box.”  We would love to invite you on this journey with us as we walk into all the challenges we face in this thing we call Identity, and then silence the noise and allow our Father to speak to our hearts, minds and souls, the truths He most wants us to here.

 

Courage

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Be Safe?

Nowhere in the Bible is there a command to be safe.   Let that sink in. 

I recently had the privilege of attending a worship conference, and this was mentioned by one of the speakers.  Honestly, it startled me a bit.  I am a mom, wife, and friend.  I tell people to be safe hundreds if not thousands of times a year.  To be fair, the bible also doesn’t command us to be stupid or careless, so in many of those cases, especially when it comes to my children, “be safe” is actually code for don’t do anything “stupid,” but the statement got my attention anyway.

Imagine as Moses’ mother sends him down the river in a basket, ultimately to be picked up and raised by the very evil that threatened him to begin with, if she had been unable to follow through because she wanted to be safe.

Or if  Jehoshaphat had been unable to follow God’s command to send in the worshippers first because he needed them to be safe.

Or even the arrival of Jesus, there was nothing safe in sending Jesus while all first born sons were being killed.

And then of course, Jesus’ instructions to the disciples, in Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” and be safe?   Nope, it doesn’t say that.

Safety does not appear to be a primary concern in scripture. In fact courage is mentioned considerably more.  Add in statements like do not be afraid, or be bold, or be steadfast and that number expands considerably.

And all that left me pondering the way I approach things.  I stand by my earlier statement, that not being commanded to be safe is not the same a being commanded to be careless, danger seeking, or stupid, but I admit I had to wrestle with this.  Safety in and of itself is a lie.  When I say be safe, or when I act in a way that I think is safe, I am assuming that the other person or myself actually have the ability to keep us safe, but the truth is we do not.  Our limited knowledge, our limited perspective often actually mean that we hide in safety and completely miss what Jesus is trying to do.

 

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Have Courage!

So today, I am consciously choosing to say have courage.  Be cunning.  Use wisdom.  Follow Jesus.  Truthfully that is the only safe place, whether in the midst of battle or times of peace, safety is found in the path that Jesus takes us on, even when it doesn’t seem safe at all.

So that thing you’re facing… the ministry challenge, the difficult relationship, the dream that is taking shape, the tough decision, the hard conversation, the vision you have, the mission you are a part of, whatever it is…. have courage, be wise, follow Jesus, forget safety. 

Finding Zarephath is on a mission to encourage, equip, and celebrate women in ministry.  If you need prayer, someone to talk to, or resources, please contact us at admin@findingzarephath.com

Narrative

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Narrative

my Story

I was in first grade.  She was our new German Teacher.  My mother was German, I already spoke German.   She introduced herself to the class and then began to go around the room asking each student to answer a question about themselves.  I wanted her to like me, to connect with me, I wanted to figure out how to tell her I was German too.  And then the moment came, she asked the students ahead of me what their mothers’ names were, and my little 5 year old heart was ready.  My mom has a very German name, I thought, “when I tell her it she’ll know.  And suddenly it was my turn and with all the pride a 5 year old can muster I loudly said my mother’s name.   I was right, she instantly responded to the name and my pronunciation of it, “that’s a very German name,” she said, “and you pronounced it so well.”  I beamed, but then it happened, she said “thank you and nice to meet you,” and called me by my mother’s name.  Somewhere in the moments before my turn she had changed her question, I didn’t hear it because my excited heart was gearing up for my moment.  She didn’t ask me my mothers’ name, she asked me my name and now I had told her the wrong name….

And so it begins… a narrative is formed.  I am stupid.  I am a liar.  I must cover it up, I can’t let it show, if they only knew…..  but God saw something different, check out our Journey Box – “Crowned – unboxing your identity” to hear the rest of the story..

A Journey of Truth

The Crowned Box, the first in our series, will walk you through a deep look at what God thinks, feels, and says about you.  We will take a hard look at all the things in our lives that we allow to define us and distract us from that truth.  Put together by a  team of women who have served in all areas of ministry, this is the box we all wish we had had.  Something to remind us that today’s challenges are not all encompassing or eternally defining.  The box will take you on an exciting journey, through the joy of God’s promises, the hard work of reclaiming that which was lost, and moving forward.  

find out more

 

Beloved

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  – Colossians 3:12

A Father’s Love

“We are dearly loved.  No matter how we  are feeling and what the world is throwing at us God dearly loves us.  Our father, or Dad as I call mine, here on earth is often where we get our cues for what a fathers love is like.  Your Dad might not have been present, he might have been abusive, unavailable, hurtful or worse.  If that is part of your story I am so very sorry.  Or he might have been the best dad anyone could ask for.  But no matter what kind of Dad you had or have he is not perfect.  We can’t compare God’s love to the love we have experienced in a broken world. 

Gods love is a perfect love.  It is amazing.  He will ALWAYS be there for you, he wants what is best for you, that is how much he loves you.”

 

Take some time today and reflect on these scriptures, allow the truth of them to flow over you, speak to you, heal you.

Psalm 68:5  Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.

Psalm 103:13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. 

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons (and daughters), by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

2 Corinthians 6:18 And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

Jackie is an irreplaceable member of the FZ team.  Serving as the Board President, a regular volunteer, and with and extensive church service history of  ministry to women, her heart & soul show in everything we do.

 

 

More Info

 

This is a excerpt of a session from our “Crowned – unboxing my identity” Journey Box.”  We would love to invite you on this journey with us as we walk into all the challenges we face in this thing we call Identity, and then silence the noise and allow our Father to speak to our hearts, minds and souls, the truths He most wants us to here.