God sees you as His daughter! You are seen, valued, and greatly loved by your Creator. Women are uniquely created in God's image, designed to reflect His glory and purpose. | TBN Prayer Line: 714-731-1000
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Better Together | How God Sees Women - Episode 1026 | January 13, 2025
- >> laurie crouch: jesus was a revolutionary.
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- He invited the world of his day to see women in a different way.
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- His example reminds us that every woman was designed by god
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- With a purpose and for his plan.
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- Come on.
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- We need to talk about this.
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- ♪ music ♪
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- ♪ music ♪
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- >> janice gaines: i was reared by a dad who never actually put
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- Limitations on any of his daughters
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- And what they could do,
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- What they could accomplish in ministry or anywhere else.
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- And so when i graduated from college, i was asking the lord,
- 00:00:57.447 --> 00:01:01.217
- "what do you want me to do next, god?"
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- I mean, look at all the things we could do.
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- Who knows what's next?
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- And i heard the lord say, "seminary,"
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- And i chuckled, kind of like--
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- [chuckles]
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- And i said--
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- >> lisa bevere: that's illegal.
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- [laughter]
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- >> lisa: and i said to the lord,
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- "that's for old guys like my dad."
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- Like, with my 22-or-so-year-old self--
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- >> sheila walsh: yeah.
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- >> janice: -- that's the first thought that popped into my head
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- To say back to the lord.
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- And the lord was like, "and you."
- 00:01:26.543 --> 00:01:28.745
- "maybe it's for old guys and you."
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- And so i said, "okay."
- 00:01:30.880 --> 00:01:32.215
- So i went to seminary and--
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- I went to ashland theological seminary,
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- One of the sweetest communities i've ever been a part of,
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- Still to this day.
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- I still treasure and cherish those people-- my professors,
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- My roommates, my colleagues, and peers.
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- But i went to seminary, and i started off doing-- i was like,
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- "i'll just do-- i like to sing worship,
- 00:01:52.468 --> 00:01:54.804
- So i'll do a master of arts in church music and worship.
- 00:01:54.804 --> 00:01:58.241
- So i started there, and i did all of my electives.
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- And finally, coming into--
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- I was a little over halfway done,
- 00:02:04.948 --> 00:02:06.783
- And the lord was like,
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- "don't you kind of wanna jump into some other things?"
- 00:02:08.985 --> 00:02:10.920
- And i was like, "i do."
- 00:02:10.920 --> 00:02:12.388
- Like, "i would really like to take greek and hebrew."
- 00:02:12.388 --> 00:02:15.258
- And so i thought,
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- "i'm gonna take greek and hebrew."
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- By the time i got ready to go into my third year,
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- I had done every requirement for a master of divinity
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- Except the cohort that i needed to start in the third year,
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- And the lord was like, once again,
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- Another invitation beckoning me like, "why don't you try it?"
- 00:02:30.173 --> 00:02:32.275
- 'cause, in my mind, my dad went to duke university and has an
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- M.div., and he's like--
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- >> sheila: yeah.
- 00:02:39.048 --> 00:02:39.882
- >> janice: -- a career--
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- He's a bishop in the christian methodist episcopal church,
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- The senior bishop, and so i thought,
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- "that's what he does."
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- >> lisa: right.
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- >> janice: and the lord was like,
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- "it's what you do."
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- And so i remember realizing that,
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- Oh, i don't know why i put those limitations on myself
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- Because i wasn't reared with them.
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- But it turns out the lord had invitations for me,
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- To draw me into what he had for me because he was responding to
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- What he has already planned for me.
- 00:03:08.845 --> 00:03:10.913
- >> laurie: everything about god and his kingdom
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- Always seems upside down.
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- >> janice: that's right.
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- >> laurie: and we think that it's upside down,
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- But is it really right side up for us?
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- >> janice: that's right.
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- >> laurie: and i love your story.
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- I love that you kept saying "yes" to that invitation 'cause
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- A lot of people say "no," you know?
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- >> lisa: yeah.
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- >> laurie: and not to say that they don't achieve what god's
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- Called them to do,
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- But isn't it great when someone says "yes" to the call
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- Of stepping outside of something that they didn't think
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- They could do?
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- >> janice: yeah.
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- >> laurie: my story is that i grew up--
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- I was in the ministry with my parents,
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- And it was like, "i'll do anything, lord.
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- Just, please, don't make me be a pastor's wife."
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- >> janice: that's right.
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- That's right.
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- [laughter]
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- >> laurie: you know, 'cause i grew up with my--
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- Watching my mom be a pastor's wife.
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- "god, please don't make me do that," you know?
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- [laughter]
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- But i knew i was gonna be in the ministry.
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- But i think, as we go through the week,
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- We're talking about becoming women of purpose.
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- I think it's so important that we know how important our voices
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- Are as well.
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- Everybody needs to use their voice to stand up for the truth.
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- It was voices into my life--
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- >> dr. donna pisani: yeah.
- 00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:26.589
- >> laurie: -- voices of my grandmothers and my mother and
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- My father and my aunts and uncles--
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- >> donna: yeah.
- 00:04:32.128 --> 00:04:32.962
- >> laurie: -- to where i am today.
- 00:04:32.962 --> 00:04:34.163
- I never dreamed i'd be doing what i am doing today,
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- But it was those voices in our lives.
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- I just think that's beautiful because god will call you to do
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- Something that you didn't think you could do;
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- Didn't have any idea you could do-- right?
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- >> janice: that's right.
- 00:04:46.642 --> 00:04:49.512
- >> laurie: -- and, just, out of your comfort zone.
- 00:04:49.512 --> 00:04:52.415
- >> laurie: i think that, if you feel called to do something,
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- You just need to just step out and do it.
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- God'll meet you there.
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- It really doesn't matter at all what anybody else says,
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- How anybody else feels.
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- I would listen to the voices in your life that mean something to
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- You that you know that maybe you're led by the holy spirit to
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- Speak into your life.
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- But other than that, you know, i don't think people's opinions
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- Matter much when god has called you to do something.
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- I know they don't matter at all when god's called you to do
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- Somethin', but i just encourage you to step out,
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- Whatever you feel,
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- However you feel god wanting you to maybe speak into somebody's
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- Life or do something out of your comfort zone.
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- That's what he always calls us to do,
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- And i'm just encouraging you today because we all get to do
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- That at some point in our life,
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- And i'd rather you do it sooner than later,
- 00:05:47.336 --> 00:05:51.207
- >> sheila: i mean, when you talk about seminary-- because i
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- Remember graduating from high school,
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- And i used to do more like opera kind of music,
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- So i've been accepted in the royal academy of
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- Operatic art in london.
- 00:06:00.616 --> 00:06:02.485
- [imitating opera style]
- 00:06:02.485 --> 00:06:03.019
- [music]
- 00:06:03.019 --> 00:06:05.488
- Look at you...
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- I know...
- 00:06:05.955 --> 00:06:06.622
- >> that's pretty amazing.
- 00:06:06.622 --> 00:06:07.390
- [laughter]
- 00:06:07.390 --> 00:06:08.724
- >> sheila: but i felt as if god was calling me into ministry
- 00:06:08.724 --> 00:06:10.393
- 'cause i remember, at 16, seeing a movie,
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- And it was all about the life of christ,
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- And i went with my youth group, and the last scene,
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- The scene with christ on the cross where he said,
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- "it is finished," everybody else got up and left and all went for
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- Pizza, and i couldn't move.
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- I mean, i sat there, and i was just sobbing.
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- And i remember that night, at 16, thinking, "okay,
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- I don't know what you want me to do, lord, but whatever it is,
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- I'm all in.
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- I'm all in."
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- And then i wanted to apply to seminary just because
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- I thought, you know,
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- "i'd love to know god's word better--"
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- >> janice: yes.
- 00:06:36.185 --> 00:06:37.019
- >> sheila: -- but when i got there,
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- It was two-thirds guys and one-third women
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- And that the women were all like,
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- "so which country are you going to?"
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- And i said, "what do you mean which country am i going to?"
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- And they said,
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- "well, obviously you're here to train to be a missionary."
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- And i said, "well, yeah, but, i mean,
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- Not necessarily in india or africa or china,"
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- But their thing was "no, no, no,
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- You need to understand this clearly like from the beginning.
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- You're a woman.
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- So the men who are here are training for pastoral ministry.
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- You're a woman, so pick a country."
- 00:07:03.379 --> 00:07:05.414
- >> laurie: oh.
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- >> sheila: and i spent all my time in seminary praying for the
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- Women of india until god redirected my steps,
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- But there was this clear understanding when i was growing
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- Up that, if you're a woman, that's your choice.
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- >> lisa: wow.
- 00:07:17.727 --> 00:07:18.594
- >> sheila: and i remember thinking,
- 00:07:18.594 --> 00:07:20.096
- "well, what if there's men in the tribe," you know?
- 00:07:20.096 --> 00:07:21.697
- "what if i'm speaking somewhere in a little village in india
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- And men show up?
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- Do i have to be quiet then?"
- 00:07:25.334 --> 00:07:26.636
- It didn't make sense to me, but it seemed like,
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- "as long as you're not in our country,
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- You can speak to men."
- 00:07:30.773 --> 00:07:31.374
- >> donna: oh, wow.
- 00:07:31.374 --> 00:07:32.408
- >> janice: well, and isn't that weird?
- 00:07:32.408 --> 00:07:35.177
- It is odd, to me, that the first person to carry the message that
- 00:07:35.177 --> 00:07:38.047
- Jesus is alive and that he is who he says he is-- was a woman,
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- And she carried it to men.
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- >> sheila: yes.
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- >> janice: and then today we say,
- 00:07:47.657 --> 00:07:49.759
- "women cannot carry the message that jesus is alive and that he
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- Is who he says he is-- to men."
- 00:07:53.429 --> 00:07:57.500
- It just seems really like one plus one equals two,
- 00:07:57.500 --> 00:07:58.734
- But perhaps my math is off?
- 00:07:58.734 --> 00:08:00.903
- I'm like, "no."
- 00:08:00.903 --> 00:08:02.204
- >> donna: well, i just love that whole portion of scripture
- 00:08:02.204 --> 00:08:04.307
- Because god could've showed up to peter and john.
- 00:08:04.307 --> 00:08:07.476
- They were just there.
- 00:08:07.476 --> 00:08:08.778
- It wasn't like he was having coffee and he missed the moment:
- 00:08:08.778 --> 00:08:10.012
- He's like, "shoot-- no, let me just show up to a woman."
- 00:08:10.012 --> 00:08:12.548
- And the power of that is that the head of the church, jesus,
- 00:08:12.548 --> 00:08:15.284
- Gave a woman a voice because he was redeeming in the second
- 00:08:15.284 --> 00:08:21.557
- Garden what had happened in the first garden.
- 00:08:21.557 --> 00:08:23.426
- And how powerful it is that mary is standing with eve's seed,
- 00:08:23.426 --> 00:08:27.430
- Who has just crushed the head of the enemy,
- 00:08:27.430 --> 00:08:29.565
- And he's now just saying, "you'll suffer generations--"
- 00:08:29.565 --> 00:08:33.336
- Women have been marginalized-- "but right now,
- 00:08:33.336 --> 00:08:34.770
- I'm giving you a voice."
- 00:08:34.770 --> 00:08:37.106
- And the voice was so--
- 00:08:37.106 --> 00:08:38.040
- What did he tell her to say?
- 00:08:38.040 --> 00:08:40.076
- That "i've risen from the dead." so he basically gave women--
- 00:08:40.076 --> 00:08:42.178
- >> sheila: the gospel.
- 00:08:42.178 --> 00:08:43.412
- >> donna: -- the gospel and the power of resurrection
- 00:08:43.412 --> 00:08:45.247
- In our mouth.
- 00:08:45.247 --> 00:08:46.682
- Like, we have this power to speak life--
- 00:08:46.682 --> 00:08:50.686
- >> janice: on purpose.
- 00:08:50.686 --> 00:08:51.887
- >> donna: -- from the head of the head of the church.
- 00:08:51.887 --> 00:08:53.055
- So i know, in my life, i always felt two brain cells
- 00:08:53.055 --> 00:08:54.323
- Short of smart, like--
- 00:08:54.323 --> 00:08:55.558
- [laughter]
- 00:08:55.558 --> 00:08:57.893
- -- i'm grateful for a husband who empowered me and brought--
- 00:08:57.893 --> 00:08:59.028
- Pulled the gifts out of me,
- 00:08:59.028 --> 00:09:01.297
- But i didn't go back to school till i was late 50s.
- 00:09:01.297 --> 00:09:03.532
- I think, oftentimes, we believe a narrative in our head,
- 00:09:03.532 --> 00:09:04.867
- As women, that we are just not quite enough, and it's, i think,
- 00:09:04.867 --> 00:09:12.642
- The biggest lie of the enemy.
- 00:09:12.642 --> 00:09:15.645
- Psalm 68:11 talks about how great is this army of women,
- 00:09:15.645 --> 00:09:18.514
- Basically, that are gonna preach the gospel.
- 00:09:18.514 --> 00:09:20.616
- I believe we're in that season right now.
- 00:09:20.616 --> 00:09:22.918
- God doesn't want us silenced.
- 00:09:22.918 --> 00:09:24.720
- >> donna: the way that god sees women is just so beautiful.
- 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:26.689
- I mean,
- 00:09:26.689 --> 00:09:27.790
- When jesus rose from the dead,
- 00:09:27.790 --> 00:09:30.359
- The first person he appeared to was mary, a woman.
- 00:09:30.359 --> 00:09:32.061
- Peter and john had just been there.
- 00:09:32.061 --> 00:09:33.896
- I mean, to me, this whole revelation shook my world that
- 00:09:33.896 --> 00:09:37.667
- He could've showed up to a man,
- 00:09:37.667 --> 00:09:40.803
- But he showed up to a woman and that he gave her a voice.
- 00:09:40.803 --> 00:09:42.471
- So every time we repeat the story of the resurrection,
- 00:09:42.471 --> 00:09:45.474
- We're repeating literally the words from a woman,
- 00:09:45.474 --> 00:09:48.911
- And those words, where jesus said to mary,
- 00:09:48.911 --> 00:09:51.514
- "go tell my brothers that i'm risen from the dead"--
- 00:09:51.514 --> 00:09:53.516
- His words don't have an expiration date on it.
- 00:09:53.516 --> 00:09:56.819
- In fact, i want you to think about this, that, when god said,
- 00:09:56.819 --> 00:09:59.689
- "let there be light,"
- 00:09:59.689 --> 00:10:01.590
- Those are four words that became an energy force
- 00:10:01.590 --> 00:10:04.393
- Traveling the earth 186,000 miles per second.
- 00:10:04.393 --> 00:10:07.096
- That means those words did not have a expiration on them,
- 00:10:07.096 --> 00:10:11.067
- And neither did his words speaking over mary and over you
- 00:10:11.067 --> 00:10:14.236
- To "go tell."
- 00:10:14.236 --> 00:10:15.805
- He's given you a voice to speak about resurrection,
- 00:10:15.805 --> 00:10:18.374
- Not just as a noun, as an event,
- 00:10:18.374 --> 00:10:20.076
- But as a lifestyle.
- 00:10:20.076 --> 00:10:22.545
- So i wanna encourage you, friend,
- 00:10:22.545 --> 00:10:24.413
- Don't let the culture define you,
- 00:10:24.413 --> 00:10:26.282
- But remember that the way jesus sees you
- 00:10:26.282 --> 00:10:28.484
- Should define your life,
- 00:10:28.484 --> 00:10:31.053
- And it should encourage you that he's given you a voice.
- 00:10:31.053 --> 00:10:33.889
- >> laurie: i love that god tells a woman 'cause a woman's gonna
- 00:10:33.889 --> 00:10:36.625
- Share, you know?
- 00:10:36.625 --> 00:10:37.960
- [laughter]
- 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:38.894
- >> sheila: that's for sure.
- 00:10:38.894 --> 00:10:39.729
- >> donna: yeah.
- 00:10:39.729 --> 00:10:40.629
- >> laurie: "get on the phone, girl."
- 00:10:40.629 --> 00:10:41.764
- >> janice: exactly, yeah.
- 00:10:41.764 --> 00:10:43.432
- >> laurie: well, the woman at the well.
- 00:10:43.432 --> 00:10:45.134
- >> lisa: i was going to say that wasn't even the first time.
- 00:10:45.134 --> 00:10:46.135
- The woman at the well--
- 00:10:46.135 --> 00:10:47.837
- >> laurie: she was the first-- she's the first witness goin',
- 00:10:47.837 --> 00:10:49.305
- "look at-- look at the man that has told me everything--"
- 00:10:49.305 --> 00:10:52.875
- >> sheila: she became the first evangelist.
- 00:10:52.875 --> 00:10:54.443
- >> laurie: she was the first evangelist.
- 00:10:54.443 --> 00:10:55.644
- >> lisa: yes, and there's actually a church built over
- 00:10:55.644 --> 00:10:56.912
- That well, called the church of photina, that still stands.
- 00:10:56.912 --> 00:10:58.881
- You know what's so crazy is, like,
- 00:10:58.881 --> 00:11:01.117
- You all grew up with some kind of christian frame of reference,
- 00:11:01.117 --> 00:11:04.820
- So when you say, "was there ever a time that god asked you to do
- 00:11:04.820 --> 00:11:08.591
- Something--" i say, "every time--"
- 00:11:08.591 --> 00:11:10.493
- [laughter]
- 00:11:10.493 --> 00:11:11.460
- -- "that you don't feel qualified for?"
- 00:11:11.460 --> 00:11:12.628
- But this woman-- it's so interesting how they preach
- 00:11:12.628 --> 00:11:16.999
- About her as though she had left all these husbands,
- 00:11:16.999 --> 00:11:20.936
- But back then, a woman couldn't divorce a husband.
- 00:11:20.936 --> 00:11:24.140
- >> donna: no, right.
- 00:11:24.140 --> 00:11:26.776
- >> janice: that's right.
- 00:11:26.776 --> 00:11:28.144
- >> lisa: and so we have a woman who has been rejected, rejected,
- 00:11:28.144 --> 00:11:29.411
- Rejected, rejected and is so broken that she's willing to
- 00:11:29.411 --> 00:11:33.682
- Live with a man who will not even give her his name.
- 00:11:33.682 --> 00:11:34.884
- >> donna: yes.
- 00:11:34.884 --> 00:11:35.851
- >> lisa: and she's coming to the well.
- 00:11:35.851 --> 00:11:37.753
- And what i always think about this woman is that she was a
- 00:11:37.753 --> 00:11:40.122
- Deep well--
- 00:11:40.122 --> 00:11:40.790
- >> donna & janice: yes.
- 00:11:40.790 --> 00:11:41.891
- >> lisa: -- living a shallow life--
- 00:11:41.891 --> 00:11:42.625
- >> janice: that's right.
- 00:11:42.625 --> 00:11:43.559
- >> lisa: -- and because you don't come
- 00:11:43.559 --> 00:11:46.195
- And talk about worship.
- 00:11:46.195 --> 00:11:46.996
- I mean, that's the first thing.
- 00:11:46.996 --> 00:11:48.297
- She's like, "hey-- worship." she immediately--
- 00:11:48.297 --> 00:11:49.398
- So she had a longing.
- 00:11:49.398 --> 00:11:54.370
- And then, of course, we know what happens.
- 00:11:54.370 --> 00:11:55.738
- She drops her jars, and she goes into the city, and she said,
- 00:11:55.738 --> 00:11:58.874
- "come and meet the man who told me everything about myself."
- 00:11:58.874 --> 00:12:01.644
- And it's just this beautiful moment.
- 00:12:01.644 --> 00:12:04.814
- >> donna: yeah.
- 00:12:04.814 --> 00:12:06.715
- >> lisa: he reveals himself to her as the messiah.
- 00:12:06.715 --> 00:12:09.118
- >> donna: first time.
- 00:12:09.118 --> 00:12:11.987
- >> lisa: first time it's ever--
- 00:12:11.987 --> 00:12:13.155
- So that woman-- and then when he was risen-- a woman.
- 00:12:13.155 --> 00:12:15.524
- >> janice: well, if you go all the way back to genesis, i mean,
- 00:12:15.524 --> 00:12:18.527
- The first person-- before moses says,
- 00:12:18.527 --> 00:12:21.564
- "who am i supposed to tell these people that you are?"
- 00:12:21.564 --> 00:12:24.400
- Hagar, which-- and especially, as a black woman,
- 00:12:24.400 --> 00:12:28.571
- This story stands out to me.
- 00:12:28.571 --> 00:12:31.140
- But hagar, as an enslaved african woman,
- 00:12:31.140 --> 00:12:34.109
- Is sitting in the desert, sent out to die,
- 00:12:34.109 --> 00:12:37.847
- And it's god who speaks to her, rescues her, and she names him.
- 00:12:37.847 --> 00:12:40.115
- >> donna: yeah.
- 00:12:40.115 --> 00:12:41.917
- >> janice: this is the god who has seen--
- 00:12:41.917 --> 00:12:45.354
- I've seen the god who sees me."
- 00:12:45.354 --> 00:12:46.222
- Right?
- 00:12:46.222 --> 00:12:46.689
- In genesis.
- 00:12:46.689 --> 00:12:47.756
- >> sheila: so powerful.
- 00:12:47.756 --> 00:12:48.858
- >> janice: it's like, every step of the way,
- 00:12:48.858 --> 00:12:52.328
- The lord knew how culture would marginalize.
- 00:12:52.328 --> 00:12:53.996
- And so, every step of the way, he left bread crumbs for us to
- 00:12:53.996 --> 00:12:58.200
- Really see and acknowledge and internalize the value that he's
- 00:12:58.200 --> 00:13:03.005
- Placed in women.
- 00:13:03.005 --> 00:13:06.775
- >> sheila: jesus encounters this woman at the well and asks her
- 00:13:06.775 --> 00:13:09.144
- For a drink of water.
- 00:13:09.144 --> 00:13:12.915
- And she said, you know, "why are you even talking to me?
- 00:13:12.915 --> 00:13:14.750
- And jesus said, "if you knew who was talking to you,
- 00:13:14.750 --> 00:13:17.019
- You would ask me for water,
- 00:13:17.019 --> 00:13:20.289
- And you'd never be thirsty again."
- 00:13:20.289 --> 00:13:21.190
- And then jesus says,
- 00:13:21.190 --> 00:13:21.824
- "go bring your husband."
- 00:13:21.824 --> 00:13:23.459
- And what does she do?
- 00:13:23.459 --> 00:13:24.360
- Does she tell him, "well, you know,
- 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:25.828
- I've been married five times,
- 00:13:25.828 --> 00:13:28.364
- And the guy i'm living with now is not my husband"?
- 00:13:28.364 --> 00:13:31.233
- And so she says, "sir, i'm not married," which is true.
- 00:13:31.233 --> 00:13:33.802
- It's just not the whole truth.
- 00:13:33.802 --> 00:13:35.137
- And jesus said, "i know that.
- 00:13:35.137 --> 00:13:37.239
- I know you've been married five times,
- 00:13:37.239 --> 00:13:38.974
- And the man you're living with now is not your husband,"
- 00:13:38.974 --> 00:13:40.175
- But the seventh man changed everything because jesus,
- 00:13:40.175 --> 00:13:44.546
- The way he defined "worship" to her was he said,
- 00:13:44.546 --> 00:13:47.449
- "worship that pleases god is in spirit and in truth."
- 00:13:47.449 --> 00:13:52.087
- And that little greek word,
- 00:13:52.087 --> 00:13:53.088
- "aletheia," means "with nothing hidden."
- 00:13:53.088 --> 00:13:56.692
- Jesus was saying,
- 00:13:56.692 --> 00:13:58.727
- "listen, i know all that's true about you.
- 00:13:58.727 --> 00:13:59.595
- I know your story, and i love you."
- 00:13:59.595 --> 00:14:01.030
- And this woman,
- 00:14:01.030 --> 00:14:02.765
- Who used to come out in the heat of the day when it was so hot
- 00:14:02.765 --> 00:14:05.601
- That no other woman came to the well,
- 00:14:05.601 --> 00:14:07.002
- Ran back to her village to say,
- 00:14:07.002 --> 00:14:10.406
- "come and meet the man who told me everything about myself."
- 00:14:10.406 --> 00:14:14.677
- That was the thing she was trying to hide from people.
- 00:14:14.677 --> 00:14:16.612
- That she had met the savior, and he let her know, "i am messiah,"
- 00:14:16.612 --> 00:14:19.848
- And she became the one that brought villagers back,
- 00:14:19.848 --> 00:14:22.651
- And they asked jesus,
- 00:14:22.651 --> 00:14:24.320
- "would you stay for a few more days?"
- 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:25.454
- And he stayed there,
- 00:14:25.454 --> 00:14:27.323
- And many of those people gave their lives to christ.
- 00:14:27.323 --> 00:14:28.891
- I think it's amazing that the first evangelist
- 00:14:28.891 --> 00:14:31.060
- Like that was a woman.
- 00:14:31.060 --> 00:14:34.496
- >> lisa: when we know both the love of god and how much he
- 00:14:34.496 --> 00:14:37.700
- Values us as his daughters--
- 00:14:37.700 --> 00:14:39.568
- See, he doesn't love sons more and daughters less or
- 00:14:39.568 --> 00:14:43.238
- Daughters more and sons less.
- 00:14:43.238 --> 00:14:44.073
- He loves both of us uniquely.
- 00:14:44.073 --> 00:14:48.477
- He loves and values his daughters.
- 00:14:48.477 --> 00:14:50.846
- And when we know both his love and his value,
- 00:14:50.846 --> 00:14:54.883
- Then we have the ability to respond and become everything
- 00:14:54.883 --> 00:14:57.052
- That he created us to be.
- 00:14:57.052 --> 00:15:00.622
- >> janice: god wants us to do life together because we are
- 00:15:00.622 --> 00:15:02.091
- Better together.
- 00:15:02.091 --> 00:15:07.062
- >> sheila: connect with us on social media,
- 00:15:07.062 --> 00:15:08.430
- And join a community that encourages and prays
- 00:15:08.430 --> 00:15:09.832
- For one another.
- 00:15:09.832 --> 00:15:10.866
- >> janice: we can't wait for you to join us.
- 00:15:10.866 --> 00:15:13.068
- >> laurie: let's keep the conversation going.
- 00:15:13.068 --> 00:15:16.872
- You can find the "better together"
- 00:15:16.872 --> 00:15:18.173
- Podcast on your favorite listening platform.
- 00:15:18.173 --> 00:15:19.441
- Subscribe today.
- 00:15:19.441 --> 00:15:22.711
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:15:22.711 --> 00:15:23.002
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:15:23.002 --> 00:15:26.716
- >> janice: every culture that i can think of,
- 00:15:26.716 --> 00:15:29.019
- Back to ancient culture,
- 00:15:29.019 --> 00:15:31.221
- Has marginalized women in some kind of way,
- 00:15:31.221 --> 00:15:33.323
- But god has always,
- 00:15:33.323 --> 00:15:37.560
- In showing himself to culture and introducing himself
- 00:15:37.560 --> 00:15:40.263
- To the people that would call him by name,
- 00:15:40.263 --> 00:15:44.634
- He has always said, "this is my culture.
- 00:15:44.634 --> 00:15:45.435
- Come over to mine."
- 00:15:45.435 --> 00:15:46.703
- And if you're paying attention,
- 00:15:46.703 --> 00:15:49.005
- The first context--
- 00:15:49.005 --> 00:15:51.107
- We always think of women in context of men, right?
- 00:15:51.107 --> 00:15:53.243
- We go straight to when the lord makes woman from adam's rib,
- 00:15:53.243 --> 00:15:57.580
- But he's already talked about the woman
- 00:15:57.580 --> 00:16:01.251
- A whole chapter before that.
- 00:16:01.251 --> 00:16:03.286
- >> sheila: before, yeah.
- 00:16:03.286 --> 00:16:04.254
- >> janice: and our value, our identity,
- 00:16:04.254 --> 00:16:06.056
- The center of who we are, has everything to do with
- 00:16:06.056 --> 00:16:09.059
- Being made in the image of god.
- 00:16:09.059 --> 00:16:12.362
- That's how he describes "woman" the first time.
- 00:16:12.362 --> 00:16:15.131
- And so i think it is so easy to culturally find ourselves in
- 00:16:15.131 --> 00:16:19.969
- This conversation of comparison when it's like, first of all,
- 00:16:19.969 --> 00:16:24.374
- It was about-- it was supposed to be about community,
- 00:16:24.374 --> 00:16:26.509
- Not comparison.
- 00:16:26.509 --> 00:16:27.911
- But also, the lord has given us an identity that is attached to
- 00:16:27.911 --> 00:16:32.182
- His context, most importantly.
- 00:16:32.182 --> 00:16:34.317
- >> laurie: well, you were saying something about a helper--
- 00:16:34.317 --> 00:16:36.386
- >> janice: yes.
- 00:16:36.386 --> 00:16:37.454
- >> laurie: -- that god took out of adam, eve.
- 00:16:37.454 --> 00:16:42.125
- So he took us out, so that makes us separate but yet needed,
- 00:16:42.125 --> 00:16:46.362
- So we need each other.
- 00:16:46.362 --> 00:16:48.431
- So i just wanna remind all you wives--
- 00:16:48.431 --> 00:16:49.866
- >> janice: yeah, community, that's right.
- 00:16:49.866 --> 00:16:51.568
- >> laurie: -- that we need our husbands today.
- 00:16:51.568 --> 00:16:53.470
- >> janice: and we've got good ones, amen.
- 00:16:53.470 --> 00:16:54.304
- Thank you, lord.
- 00:16:54.304 --> 00:16:54.971
- [laughter]
- 00:16:54.971 --> 00:16:56.106
- >> laurie: but god is our helper.
- 00:16:56.106 --> 00:16:58.208
- The holy spirit is our helper.
- 00:16:58.208 --> 00:16:59.509
- There is no-- nothing is less.
- 00:16:59.509 --> 00:17:01.744
- >> sheila: so you can't devalue that word.
- 00:17:01.744 --> 00:17:03.379
- >> laurie: yeah, you cannot devalue what a helper is.
- 00:17:03.379 --> 00:17:04.681
- I mean, there's things that matt cannot get done without me--
- 00:17:04.681 --> 00:17:08.251
- >> janice: that's right.
- 00:17:08.251 --> 00:17:09.786
- >> laurie: -- and vice versa.
- 00:17:09.786 --> 00:17:10.286
- >> donna: yeah.
- 00:17:10.286 --> 00:17:12.355
- >> laurie: that helping each other and that helper is a
- 00:17:12.355 --> 00:17:14.524
- Beautiful spot, and women-- there's so many wonderful things
- 00:17:14.524 --> 00:17:18.828
- About what women-- who we are and what we can do,
- 00:17:18.828 --> 00:17:23.066
- Not to be compared to a man but to be joined and how we take
- 00:17:23.066 --> 00:17:29.806
- Care, how we serve.
- 00:17:29.806 --> 00:17:31.574
- They expected you to go to the mission field because we're such
- 00:17:31.574 --> 00:17:34.944
- Good caretakers, right?
- 00:17:34.944 --> 00:17:36.613
- >> yes.
- 00:17:36.613 --> 00:17:37.580
- >> laurie: we know how to serve people.
- 00:17:37.580 --> 00:17:41.784
- We have all this beautiful stuff inside of women that we are
- 00:17:41.784 --> 00:17:47.924
- Valued by god, and god knows who to go to,
- 00:17:47.924 --> 00:17:49.192
- To get his purpose fulfilled.
- 00:17:49.192 --> 00:17:53.963
- >> janice: being created in the image of god applies to women
- 00:17:53.963 --> 00:17:55.565
- Because god applied it to women.
- 00:17:55.565 --> 00:17:58.301
- You know, that's really the nuts and bolts of it.
- 00:17:58.301 --> 00:18:01.504
- God said, in genesis 1:26 and 27,
- 00:18:01.504 --> 00:18:06.075
- That he created humankind; "male and female he created them in
- 00:18:06.075 --> 00:18:10.747
- His image," and so that's what we're holding on to.
- 00:18:10.747 --> 00:18:12.615
- You know, this is not some pep talk that we're giving
- 00:18:12.615 --> 00:18:16.853
- Ourselves, based on what's gonna make us feel good.
- 00:18:16.853 --> 00:18:19.022
- And i like to remember that-- right?
- 00:18:19.022 --> 00:18:21.491
- -- because then the truth that we're holding onto
- 00:18:21.491 --> 00:18:25.328
- Cannot be shaken.
- 00:18:25.328 --> 00:18:27.463
- We have been made in god's image because he said that we have,
- 00:18:27.463 --> 00:18:34.304
- And our context for existing, our context for any purpose that
- 00:18:34.304 --> 00:18:39.909
- He's given us, rests solely and quite squarely in him,
- 00:18:39.909 --> 00:18:45.615
- And that's good news because, when everything tries to come
- 00:18:45.615 --> 00:18:48.851
- Against that, how we feel, what the world says,
- 00:18:48.851 --> 00:18:53.623
- What resources we have, what time we have,
- 00:18:53.623 --> 00:18:57.093
- Whatever it may be, we can come back to the truth that's in the
- 00:18:57.093 --> 00:19:00.463
- Word of god that's unshakable.
- 00:19:00.463 --> 00:19:03.199
- >> janice: it's interesting that you bring up that part because i
- 00:19:03.199 --> 00:19:07.437
- Think that's a part that i have had to really process,
- 00:19:07.437 --> 00:19:08.905
- The part of womanhood that is unique to women and that has
- 00:19:08.905 --> 00:19:14.477
- Been, i would say, kind of culturally been blasted, right?
- 00:19:14.477 --> 00:19:20.783
- And my generation was given the message that,
- 00:19:20.783 --> 00:19:25.555
- If you are a strong woman,
- 00:19:25.555 --> 00:19:26.723
- Then you shouldn't have to be expected to pour out
- 00:19:26.723 --> 00:19:29.826
- In certain ways.
- 00:19:29.826 --> 00:19:31.527
- Like, it's offensive to say that women are caretakers and serve
- 00:19:31.527 --> 00:19:34.998
- Well, right?
- 00:19:34.998 --> 00:19:37.934
- >> lisa: yeah.
- 00:19:37.934 --> 00:19:39.435
- >> janice: then i had a baby-- and my husband is awesome.
- 00:19:39.435 --> 00:19:43.139
- Like, e.j. gaines is the bee's knees, right?
- 00:19:43.139 --> 00:19:45.675
- [laughter]
- 00:19:45.675 --> 00:19:46.876
- And he was-- i mean, it was an emergency c-section,
- 00:19:46.876 --> 00:19:49.312
- So he was there and helpful from moment one, and then,
- 00:19:49.312 --> 00:19:54.450
- About week 3, his paternity leave was over,
- 00:19:54.450 --> 00:19:57.987
- And he had to go back to work, and it dawned on me that this
- 00:19:57.987 --> 00:20:01.557
- Was my job and that i had a lot of emotions around motherhood
- 00:20:01.557 --> 00:20:07.764
- And womanhood and how my body made this baby.
- 00:20:07.764 --> 00:20:12.402
- This baby was inside of my body, and so this baby had
- 00:20:12.402 --> 00:20:15.138
- Expectations of me.
- 00:20:15.138 --> 00:20:17.774
- And so the world likes to have this conversation like it's an
- 00:20:17.774 --> 00:20:21.778
- External pressure, which i'm not saying it isn't sometimes.
- 00:20:21.778 --> 00:20:26.549
- Like, we've already spoken that marginalization is real.
- 00:20:26.549 --> 00:20:30.953
- But what i realized is this was a biology thing,
- 00:20:30.953 --> 00:20:34.957
- And i couldn't be mad at any man for that.
- 00:20:34.957 --> 00:20:38.127
- I literally had a baby, and the baby wanted to be with me
- 00:20:38.127 --> 00:20:40.596
- Because that's where they were formed.
- 00:20:40.596 --> 00:20:42.598
- And i had to come to grips with the fact that i've-- this is a
- 00:20:42.598 --> 00:20:47.236
- Part of how i have been fearfully and wonderfully made,
- 00:20:47.236 --> 00:20:51.774
- And it's not to be despised that,
- 00:20:51.774 --> 00:20:58.147
- For these few years of my life, these children want me more.
- 00:20:58.147 --> 00:20:59.382
- These children expect more from me.
- 00:20:59.382 --> 00:21:02.251
- Now, things are startin' to turn at 7 and 4,
- 00:21:02.251 --> 00:21:03.786
- Especially the 7-year-old.
- 00:21:03.786 --> 00:21:05.355
- He only wants to be with his dad,
- 00:21:05.355 --> 00:21:07.090
- And the 4-year-old is startin' to think his dad is
- 00:21:07.090 --> 00:21:08.791
- All that too,
- 00:21:08.791 --> 00:21:10.560
- And i'm like, "what about me?"
- 00:21:10.560 --> 00:21:11.594
- [laughter]
- 00:21:11.594 --> 00:21:12.562
- >> lisa: they'll come back.
- 00:21:12.562 --> 00:21:13.696
- They'll come back.
- 00:21:13.696 --> 00:21:14.430
- >> janice: okay, good.
- 00:21:14.430 --> 00:21:15.098
- >> lisa: i promise you.
- 00:21:15.098 --> 00:21:15.765
- >> janice: thank you.
- 00:21:15.765 --> 00:21:18.034
- But the reality is i had to grapple with that and grapple
- 00:21:18.034 --> 00:21:21.637
- With the messages that i had received from the world that,
- 00:21:21.637 --> 00:21:24.674
- If you are stuck at home or if you are the one who is
- 00:21:24.674 --> 00:21:29.746
- "taking care,"
- 00:21:29.746 --> 00:21:30.947
- Then you are stuck in a place and not giving all of
- 00:21:30.947 --> 00:21:34.951
- Yourself and being all that you can be.
- 00:21:34.951 --> 00:21:38.521
- >> laurie: my goodness.
- 00:21:38.521 --> 00:21:39.155
- >> janice: and i'm like,
- 00:21:39.155 --> 00:21:40.490
- "well, that was my job for at least the last--"
- 00:21:40.490 --> 00:21:41.791
- >> laurie: raising the next generation of people-- humans.
- 00:21:41.791 --> 00:21:45.094
- [laughter]
- 00:21:45.094 --> 00:21:46.129
- >> janice: yes, and i take that job seriously.
- 00:21:46.129 --> 00:21:48.931
- And as much as i love to sing or i love to preach, it's like,
- 00:21:48.931 --> 00:21:50.400
- At the end of the day, lots of people can sing,
- 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:54.103
- And lots of people can preach.
- 00:21:54.103 --> 00:21:55.505
- >> lisa: but nobody can be their mom.
- 00:21:55.505 --> 00:21:58.408
- >> janice: nobody can be their mom.
- 00:21:58.408 --> 00:21:59.442
- And so i just had to come to grips with that.
- 00:21:59.442 --> 00:22:00.910
- Like you were saying, people might be offended by that still,
- 00:22:00.910 --> 00:22:04.147
- And i wanna let people know at home that,
- 00:22:04.147 --> 00:22:08.084
- If you are home with your babies,
- 00:22:08.084 --> 00:22:09.352
- You are no less of a woman.
- 00:22:09.352 --> 00:22:10.653
- >> donna: yeah, good.
- 00:22:10.653 --> 00:22:11.921
- That's good, janice.
- 00:22:11.921 --> 00:22:13.289
- >> janice: if you have adopted and you are caring for somebody
- 00:22:13.289 --> 00:22:15.425
- Else's babies, you are no less of a woman.
- 00:22:15.425 --> 00:22:16.259
- You know what i mean?
- 00:22:16.259 --> 00:22:19.862
- Like, the lord has biologically given us,
- 00:22:19.862 --> 00:22:22.165
- Whether we birth children biologically or not,
- 00:22:22.165 --> 00:22:24.901
- He has put certain gifts in us that do lend themselves to
- 00:22:24.901 --> 00:22:29.572
- Loving well and nurturing, and that is not to be discarded.
- 00:22:29.572 --> 00:22:31.374
- >> laurie: no.
- 00:22:31.374 --> 00:22:32.108
- >> donna: it's really good.
- 00:22:32.108 --> 00:22:34.944
- >> lisa: well, and, janice, they're proving with science now
- 00:22:34.944 --> 00:22:36.746
- That a mother, when she carries a baby,
- 00:22:36.746 --> 00:22:39.248
- Will carry the dna of that baby in her bloodstream for years and
- 00:22:39.248 --> 00:22:43.619
- In her brain forever, so that--
- 00:22:43.619 --> 00:22:44.620
- >> janice: wow, no wonder.
- 00:22:44.620 --> 00:22:45.788
- >> lisa: yeah.
- 00:22:45.788 --> 00:22:46.556
- >> laurie: isn't that beautiful?
- 00:22:46.556 --> 00:22:47.089
- >> janice: yes.
- 00:22:47.089 --> 00:22:49.425
- >> it feels like that though, doesn't it?
- 00:22:49.425 --> 00:22:50.460
- >> lisa: you actually carried them,
- 00:22:50.460 --> 00:22:51.694
- So i think that's why mothers can feel their children--
- 00:22:51.694 --> 00:22:52.795
- >> janice: yes.
- 00:22:52.795 --> 00:22:54.297
- >> lisa: -- whereas the dads can perceive the behavior,
- 00:22:54.297 --> 00:22:55.998
- But the mom can feel them, and god weaves that.
- 00:22:55.998 --> 00:22:59.368
- And i think that's why god says,
- 00:22:59.368 --> 00:23:00.937
- "even if a mother can forget the child--"
- 00:23:00.937 --> 00:23:03.439
- >> janice: "i cannot."
- 00:23:03.439 --> 00:23:04.774
- >> lisa: -- "i will never forget you because you are engraven
- 00:23:04.774 --> 00:23:08.144
- On the palm of my hand."
- 00:23:08.144 --> 00:23:10.480
- So it's so not thought of that a mother could abandon
- 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:14.083
- Or forget their child, and so, you know,
- 00:23:14.083 --> 00:23:15.485
- We do need to add value to moms--
- 00:23:15.485 --> 00:23:17.186
- >> janice: yes.
- 00:23:17.186 --> 00:23:18.488
- >> lisa: -- who stay home.
- 00:23:18.488 --> 00:23:19.622
- And i love that you said, "other people can sing;
- 00:23:19.622 --> 00:23:21.090
- Other people can--"
- 00:23:21.090 --> 00:23:23.159
- Because the right thing in the wrong season becomes
- 00:23:23.159 --> 00:23:26.596
- The wrong thing.
- 00:23:26.596 --> 00:23:27.630
- >> sheila: right.
- 00:23:27.630 --> 00:23:29.966
- >> lisa: and we only have a certain season where we can
- 00:23:29.966 --> 00:23:31.634
- Raise our children.
- 00:23:31.634 --> 00:23:33.569
- And, you know, i love that you went back to school in 50s--
- 00:23:33.569 --> 00:23:35.371
- >> donna: yeah.
- 00:23:35.371 --> 00:23:38.841
- >> lisa: -- because you took a time to plant other seeds in a
- 00:23:38.841 --> 00:23:40.142
- Different season.
- 00:23:40.142 --> 00:23:41.477
- And too many people squandered the season they're in for the
- 00:23:41.477 --> 00:23:45.648
- Season they wanna be in--
- 00:23:45.648 --> 00:23:48.251
- >> janice: right.
- 00:23:48.251 --> 00:23:49.218
- >> lisa: -- and we forget that moment.
- 00:23:49.218 --> 00:23:50.853
- I loved-- i rocked my babies.
- 00:23:50.853 --> 00:23:52.088
- I sang with my babies.
- 00:23:52.088 --> 00:23:54.657
- I read to my children, and i loved that season--
- 00:23:54.657 --> 00:23:59.028
- >> janice: it's a lovely season.
- 00:23:59.028 --> 00:24:03.666
- >> lisa: -- but that season
- 00:24:03.666 --> 00:24:05.468
- Seasoned your life with something you don't get
- 00:24:05.468 --> 00:24:06.769
- If you don't fully immerse into it.
- 00:24:06.769 --> 00:24:07.603
- And i know not everybody can.
- 00:24:07.603 --> 00:24:10.640
- >> janice: not everybody can.
- 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:11.240
- It is a privilege--
- 00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:12.108
- >> lisa: to be able to stay home.
- 00:24:12.108 --> 00:24:12.775
- >> janice: that is right.
- 00:24:12.775 --> 00:24:13.776
- But even if you're not able to stay home,
- 00:24:13.776 --> 00:24:16.212
- Still attending to those years takes a lot and probably more
- 00:24:16.212 --> 00:24:19.849
- If you can't stay home.
- 00:24:19.849 --> 00:24:22.418
- >> lisa: because you come home tired.
- 00:24:22.418 --> 00:24:23.853
- >> janice: yes, and-- but i just think the messages that the
- 00:24:23.853 --> 00:24:26.355
- World gives us can be backwards sometimes.
- 00:24:26.355 --> 00:24:28.991
- It's like, "no, i like that part of me.
- 00:24:28.991 --> 00:24:32.028
- I like that god made it a part of me."
- 00:24:32.028 --> 00:24:35.498
- >> laurie: i believe that, if you're a mother,
- 00:24:35.498 --> 00:24:37.767
- That that is probably your highest form of calling
- 00:24:37.767 --> 00:24:40.069
- Right there--motherhood.
- 00:24:40.069 --> 00:24:42.605
- You know, jesus himself had a mother,
- 00:24:42.605 --> 00:24:48.044
- And when scripture tells us about the angel of the lord
- 00:24:48.044 --> 00:24:50.112
- Coming to mary and telling her all the things that were gonna
- 00:24:50.112 --> 00:24:51.547
- Happen to her,
- 00:24:51.547 --> 00:24:53.049
- Bible says that she pondered all those,
- 00:24:53.049 --> 00:24:57.153
- That she hid all of those things in her heart.
- 00:24:57.153 --> 00:24:59.322
- And so i think about jesus's anonymous years,
- 00:24:59.322 --> 00:25:01.791
- Where we don't hear what he did.
- 00:25:01.791 --> 00:25:04.860
- You know, we see him till he's about 2,
- 00:25:04.860 --> 00:25:07.029
- And then we see him at 12, and then we see him at 33,
- 00:25:07.029 --> 00:25:09.365
- When he started, or 30, when he started his ministry.
- 00:25:09.365 --> 00:25:13.269
- But what about all those hidden years?
- 00:25:13.269 --> 00:25:17.473
- He was being raised by a mom, and sometimes i often wonder,
- 00:25:17.473 --> 00:25:19.408
- "what was mary teaching him?
- 00:25:19.408 --> 00:25:20.876
- What was mary saying to him?"
- 00:25:20.876 --> 00:25:22.044
- For sure, she was pushing him towards his destiny
- 00:25:22.044 --> 00:25:26.482
- And his purpose,
- 00:25:26.482 --> 00:25:28.317
- And what a powerful thing.
- 00:25:28.317 --> 00:25:30.052
- So when he was 30, he was ready for it.
- 00:25:30.052 --> 00:25:33.656
- He was ready to do everything that he had lived on earth for.
- 00:25:33.656 --> 00:25:36.759
- And so i think,
- 00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:39.195
- When we think of motherhood
- 00:25:39.195 --> 00:25:43.933
- And in raising and rearing our children,
- 00:25:43.933 --> 00:25:46.969
- We have to keep in mind of who god has made them to be,
- 00:25:46.969 --> 00:25:50.873
- Their purpose and their destiny, and prepare them for that.
- 00:25:50.873 --> 00:25:52.642
- >> sheila: i was 40 when i gave birth to christian.
- 00:25:52.642 --> 00:25:55.044
- >> wow.
- 00:25:55.044 --> 00:25:57.613
- >> sheila: and i remember,
- 00:25:57.613 --> 00:25:59.515
- Maybe in the last month of my pregnancy,
- 00:25:59.515 --> 00:26:00.449
- A guy, steve arterburn,
- 00:26:00.449 --> 00:26:02.084
- Calling me and saying, "you know,
- 00:26:02.084 --> 00:26:03.386
- We have this conference for women called 'women of faith.'
- 00:26:03.386 --> 00:26:04.553
- We would really love you to come."
- 00:26:04.553 --> 00:26:06.288
- And i'm like,
- 00:26:06.288 --> 00:26:07.323
- "no, i can hardly make it across the kitchen,
- 00:26:07.323 --> 00:26:08.491
- Never mind going to the airport."
- 00:26:08.491 --> 00:26:10.059
- [laughter]
- 00:26:10.059 --> 00:26:11.627
- And he said, "well, would you pray about it?"
- 00:26:11.627 --> 00:26:13.863
- And so, when i called him back, i said,
- 00:26:13.863 --> 00:26:16.599
- "okay, if i'm supposed to be part of this team,
- 00:26:16.599 --> 00:26:17.900
- Then we all come."
- 00:26:17.900 --> 00:26:19.602
- >> janice: that's right.
- 00:26:19.602 --> 00:26:21.137
- >> sheila: it has to be barry and christian and i.
- 00:26:21.137 --> 00:26:22.204
- And so, for the first eight years of his life,
- 00:26:22.204 --> 00:26:23.973
- We traveled most weekends 'cause i worked out that, for him,
- 00:26:23.973 --> 00:26:27.343
- Wherever we were was "home"--
- 00:26:27.343 --> 00:26:28.077
- >> janice: that's right.
- 00:26:28.077 --> 00:26:29.412
- >> sheila: -- even if it was, you know, a hotel somewhere.
- 00:26:29.412 --> 00:26:30.546
- >> janice: that's right.
- 00:26:30.546 --> 00:26:31.981
- >> sheila: and i did have a girl who would come and help me when
- 00:26:31.981 --> 00:26:33.215
- I was actually on the platform,
- 00:26:33.215 --> 00:26:33.983
- But on saturday, at five o'clock,
- 00:26:33.983 --> 00:26:36.385
- When we were done, i would say to her,
- 00:26:36.385 --> 00:26:37.720
- "okay, you're off duty.
- 00:26:37.720 --> 00:26:39.021
- Now he's mine again."
- 00:26:39.021 --> 00:26:40.322
- >> janice: that's right.
- 00:26:40.322 --> 00:26:41.323
- >> sheila: and we went to baseball games;
- 00:26:41.323 --> 00:26:42.058
- We went to theme parks;
- 00:26:42.058 --> 00:26:43.459
- We went to every children's museum in the country;
- 00:26:43.459 --> 00:26:44.994
- But for me, that was really important.
- 00:26:44.994 --> 00:26:50.132
- We didn't even expect-- we were told not to expect him to live.
- 00:26:50.132 --> 00:26:51.934
- We were told to terminate our pregnancy.
- 00:26:51.934 --> 00:26:53.803
- >> lisa: wow.
- 00:26:53.803 --> 00:26:55.738
- >> sheila: and i remember, the day after i was told that--
- 00:26:55.738 --> 00:26:57.740
- >> lisa: why did they tell you that?
- 00:26:57.740 --> 00:26:59.075
- >> sheila: they put the wrong woman's results in my chart--
- 00:26:59.075 --> 00:27:01.143
- >> lisa: oh, my gosh.
- 00:27:01.143 --> 00:27:02.812
- >> sheila: -- and my results in somebody else's chart.
- 00:27:02.812 --> 00:27:05.114
- And when i was told that, i remember driving home,
- 00:27:05.114 --> 00:27:07.349
- And we were living in laguna beach at the time,
- 00:27:07.349 --> 00:27:10.619
- And i remember going to the rock where i used to sit every
- 00:27:10.619 --> 00:27:12.321
- Morning with my bible and a cup of coffee,
- 00:27:12.321 --> 00:27:14.557
- And i spoke to my son, and i said,
- 00:27:14.557 --> 00:27:16.292
- "well, i don't know if you heard that,
- 00:27:16.292 --> 00:27:18.227
- But i want you to know i'm gonna fight for you.
- 00:27:18.227 --> 00:27:19.628
- I'm gonna fight for--" and i read my son psalm 139.
- 00:27:19.628 --> 00:27:22.064
- I'm like, "listen up, dude."
- 00:27:22.064 --> 00:27:25.134
- You know?
- 00:27:25.134 --> 00:27:26.302
- "god has your back, and i do too."
- 00:27:26.302 --> 00:27:28.971
- So yeah,
- 00:27:28.971 --> 00:27:31.974
- Those years are so special.
- 00:27:31.974 --> 00:27:33.042
- >> lisa: yeah.
- 00:27:33.042 --> 00:27:34.477
- >> donna: and i do think that one of the issues
- 00:27:34.477 --> 00:27:35.745
- That we face is
- 00:27:35.745 --> 00:27:39.048
- We compare where we are right now to wishing what we can do
- 00:27:39.048 --> 00:27:40.149
- Somebody else, whatever they're doing.
- 00:27:40.149 --> 00:27:41.417
- >> janice: yes.
- 00:27:41.417 --> 00:27:43.052
- >> donna: so maybe you're a stay-at-home mom right now,
- 00:27:43.052 --> 00:27:44.653
- So-- but that's your moment, like you were saying janice;
- 00:27:44.653 --> 00:27:47.556
- Or maybe you have kids and you're also working, and that,
- 00:27:47.556 --> 00:27:49.992
- In itself, also adds a lot of stress and difficult--
- 00:27:49.992 --> 00:27:53.162
- I mean, that was me in the--
- 00:27:53.162 --> 00:27:56.599
- We have four kids, so the early ones,
- 00:27:56.599 --> 00:27:58.434
- I was home with them, but then later on, i was, like,
- 00:27:58.434 --> 00:28:00.703
- Full-time ministry and full-time mom;
- 00:28:00.703 --> 00:28:02.772
- And i think it's just determining that,
- 00:28:02.772 --> 00:28:04.507
- When you're in that moment, you are present in that moment.
- 00:28:04.507 --> 00:28:05.474
- >> sheila: that's so good.
- 00:28:05.474 --> 00:28:06.375
- >> donna: that you are "i'm the mom.
- 00:28:06.375 --> 00:28:08.210
- I'm wearing the 'mom hat' right now."
- 00:28:08.210 --> 00:28:09.578
- And not that our kids weren't part of our ministry
- 00:28:09.578 --> 00:28:11.147
- And part of our church,
- 00:28:11.147 --> 00:28:13.215
- But you just have to be present in that moment or else
- 00:28:13.215 --> 00:28:14.950
- "mom guilt" takes over, and you start wishing,
- 00:28:14.950 --> 00:28:18.521
- When you're with your kids, that you're doing ministry;
- 00:28:18.521 --> 00:28:20.156
- And when you're in ministry,
- 00:28:20.156 --> 00:28:21.323
- You start wishing that you were with your kids,
- 00:28:21.323 --> 00:28:22.558
- And then there's no peace.
- 00:28:22.558 --> 00:28:25.394
- And i don't think god's ordered that for any of us.
- 00:28:25.394 --> 00:28:26.996
- Is it gonna be easy?
- 00:28:26.996 --> 00:28:28.130
- Maybe not, but is there peace in the midst of it?
- 00:28:28.130 --> 00:28:29.899
- A hundred percent, so--
- 00:28:29.899 --> 00:28:31.367
- >> janice: yeah.
- 00:28:31.367 --> 00:28:32.134
- >> donna: and i think, actually,
- 00:28:32.134 --> 00:28:34.103
- The story of jesus with martha and mary,
- 00:28:34.103 --> 00:28:35.004
- I think, is the beautiful picture of
- 00:28:35.004 --> 00:28:36.605
- God's calling on women.
- 00:28:36.605 --> 00:28:37.640
- I don't think it's one or the other.
- 00:28:37.640 --> 00:28:39.308
- You still have to maintain your house;
- 00:28:39.308 --> 00:28:40.543
- You still have to take care of your kids;
- 00:28:40.543 --> 00:28:41.777
- You still have to-- ministry, whatever that looks like;
- 00:28:41.777 --> 00:28:43.712
- But then there's this important part that fuels the rest of it,
- 00:28:43.712 --> 00:28:47.416
- And that was mary sitting at jesus's feet.
- 00:28:47.416 --> 00:28:49.785
- >> sheila: 'cause that was not normal for that day--
- 00:28:49.785 --> 00:28:51.787
- >> donna: no.
- 00:28:51.787 --> 00:28:53.656
- >> sheila: -- for a woman to sit at the feet of the rabbi
- 00:28:53.656 --> 00:28:54.190
- And listen,
- 00:28:54.190 --> 00:28:54.857
- And jesus acknowledged,
- 00:28:54.857 --> 00:28:56.225
- "she's chosen the right-- the good thing."
- 00:28:56.225 --> 00:28:57.993
- >> lisa: she shouldn't have even been in that room.
- 00:28:57.993 --> 00:28:59.028
- >> sheila: no.
- 00:28:59.028 --> 00:28:59.662
- >> janice: that's right.
- 00:28:59.662 --> 00:29:01.030
- >> donna: yeah, he was one of the only rabbis who had a co-ed
- 00:29:01.030 --> 00:29:02.331
- Discipleship--
- 00:29:02.331 --> 00:29:03.299
- >> janice: i was gonna say, yeah.
- 00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:04.433
- >> "follow worship."
- 00:29:04.433 --> 00:29:05.935
- >> donna: -- because it wasn't normal.
- 00:29:05.935 --> 00:29:07.269
- So to see men and women following was just unusual but--
- 00:29:07.269 --> 00:29:08.804
- So i think, in that moment, he's saying,
- 00:29:08.804 --> 00:29:11.907
- "look it: you're not gonna be able to let go of this.
- 00:29:11.907 --> 00:29:14.043
- This is part of your calling.
- 00:29:14.043 --> 00:29:18.080
- But this, sitting at my feet, is what's gonna fuel
- 00:29:18.080 --> 00:29:19.849
- The rest of it."
- 00:29:19.849 --> 00:29:20.516
- >> sheila: i love that.
- 00:29:20.516 --> 00:29:21.584
- >> donna: so i think, whatever that season is,
- 00:29:21.584 --> 00:29:22.685
- It's just asking god like you did, like,
- 00:29:22.685 --> 00:29:24.053
- "what am i supposed to do with this in this season?"
- 00:29:24.053 --> 00:29:26.088
- 'cause your season may not look like janice's--
- 00:29:26.088 --> 00:29:28.891
- >> janice: yeah.
- 00:29:28.891 --> 00:29:29.959
- >> donna: -- or like mine or like any of ours,
- 00:29:29.959 --> 00:29:31.961
- But what has god ordained you for right in this season?
- 00:29:31.961 --> 00:29:34.296
- And it'll change.
- 00:29:34.296 --> 00:29:35.998
- Sometimes, when you feel that tension,
- 00:29:35.998 --> 00:29:37.199
- It's time to go back to god and say,
- 00:29:37.199 --> 00:29:38.901
- "okay, has this season changed?"
- 00:29:38.901 --> 00:29:39.702
- 'cause seasons change.
- 00:29:39.702 --> 00:29:42.271
- >> lisa: we will always find captivity when we look at our
- 00:29:42.271 --> 00:29:45.741
- Culture, but we will always find freedom when we look into the
- 00:29:45.741 --> 00:29:49.478
- Mirror of god's word.
- 00:29:49.478 --> 00:29:52.715
- If we spend too much time looking at who we're not or who
- 00:29:52.715 --> 00:29:56.552
- We are less than,
- 00:29:56.552 --> 00:29:57.987
- If we live in the realm of comparison,
- 00:29:57.987 --> 00:30:00.556
- We will never be elevated to be who god created us to be.
- 00:30:00.556 --> 00:30:04.326
- I would challenge every woman who's finding herself feeling
- 00:30:04.326 --> 00:30:07.997
- Constantly limited by comparison and confusion to put down her
- 00:30:07.997 --> 00:30:13.168
- Phone and open up her bible and allow the word of god to speak
- 00:30:13.168 --> 00:30:18.407
- Identity and purpose into her.
- 00:30:18.407 --> 00:30:22.845
- >> janice: culturally, even, we still talk about "motherhood"
- 00:30:22.845 --> 00:30:24.280
- Oftentimes as synonymous with "womanhood,"
- 00:30:24.280 --> 00:30:26.582
- But going back to genesis 1:26 and 27,
- 00:30:26.582 --> 00:30:30.552
- God is talking about "woman" in context to our identity
- 00:30:30.552 --> 00:30:34.690
- Is in him.
- 00:30:34.690 --> 00:30:36.058
- And so how would you encourage a woman who is not a biological
- 00:30:36.058 --> 00:30:42.731
- Mother or is not an adoptive mom about her purpose when it's not
- 00:30:42.731 --> 00:30:49.271
- Attached specifically to motherhood?
- 00:30:49.271 --> 00:30:52.207
- >> lisa: or even marriage.
- 00:30:52.207 --> 00:30:53.809
- >> janice: or even marriage.
- 00:30:53.809 --> 00:30:55.177
- >> lisa: yeah, 'cause there's a lot-- there's a lot of women.
- 00:30:55.177 --> 00:30:56.679
- Because they think, "wait a minute.
- 00:30:56.679 --> 00:30:58.881
- I've gotta wait until i get married or i have children,
- 00:30:58.881 --> 00:31:03.519
- And then i can do whatever."
- 00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:06.388
- And, you know, i have just--
- 00:31:06.388 --> 00:31:08.958
- We have so many amazing young girls,
- 00:31:08.958 --> 00:31:11.327
- Which i'm like, "where are the guys?"
- 00:31:11.327 --> 00:31:11.894
- [laughter]
- 00:31:11.894 --> 00:31:15.230
- But, anyway, we have so many amazing young single girls,
- 00:31:15.230 --> 00:31:17.199
- And i try to tell them, "in this season--"
- 00:31:17.199 --> 00:31:18.867
- >> sheila: yeah.
- 00:31:18.867 --> 00:31:20.336
- >> lisa: -- "when you don't have children and you don't have
- 00:31:20.336 --> 00:31:26.075
- Somebody else in your life, throw yourself all in with god,
- 00:31:26.075 --> 00:31:29.311
- And find out who you are in the presence of god--"
- 00:31:29.311 --> 00:31:30.179
- >> janice: that's so good.
- 00:31:30.179 --> 00:31:32.614
- >> lisa: -- "not in the presence of being single,
- 00:31:32.614 --> 00:31:33.649
- Not in the presence of being divorced,
- 00:31:33.649 --> 00:31:36.385
- Not in-- but in the presence of god.
- 00:31:36.385 --> 00:31:39.021
- He wove you for this season for a purpose."
- 00:31:39.021 --> 00:31:40.689
- And i think, actually,
- 00:31:40.689 --> 00:31:45.894
- Women that are single have way more freedom,
- 00:31:45.894 --> 00:31:48.130
- But we, in the church,
- 00:31:48.130 --> 00:31:51.500
- Don't always even speak to them in the audience,
- 00:31:51.500 --> 00:31:52.368
- You know?
- 00:31:52.368 --> 00:31:53.135
- >> janice: that's right.
- 00:31:53.135 --> 00:31:55.738
- >> lisa: and i have found that these are some of the most
- 00:31:55.738 --> 00:31:58.640
- Untapped people in the body of christ because they can give
- 00:31:58.640 --> 00:31:59.875
- Themselves fully.
- 00:31:59.875 --> 00:32:01.210
- They don't have to go to india, but they can give themselves
- 00:32:01.210 --> 00:32:04.780
- Fully to whatever god lays in their heart.
- 00:32:04.780 --> 00:32:06.582
- And i don't know that we know how to value or equip that.
- 00:32:06.582 --> 00:32:08.851
- And even in leadership, you know, donna, i mean,
- 00:32:08.851 --> 00:32:14.023
- Do you address that in your book about telling women,
- 00:32:14.023 --> 00:32:16.125
- "you can lead--"
- 00:32:16.125 --> 00:32:16.925
- >> donna: yes.
- 00:32:16.925 --> 00:32:18.260
- >> lisa: -- "if you don't have a head covering of marriage?"
- 00:32:18.260 --> 00:32:19.762
- >> donna: yes, yeah, a hundred percent.
- 00:32:19.762 --> 00:32:20.462
- >> lisa: that's huge.
- 00:32:20.462 --> 00:32:21.830
- >> donna: yeah, and i do think you're right: culture does make
- 00:32:21.830 --> 00:32:24.433
- Us feel bad if we're not married.
- 00:32:24.433 --> 00:32:26.135
- >> lisa: yes.
- 00:32:26.135 --> 00:32:27.503
- >> donna: -- i have several-- i have a daughter who's close to
- 00:32:27.503 --> 00:32:29.371
- 40, who's still single, but she's not feeling--
- 00:32:29.371 --> 00:32:30.773
- >> lisa: she's magnificent.
- 00:32:30.773 --> 00:32:32.474
- >> donna: -- who is incredibly brilliant and is a leader in her
- 00:32:32.474 --> 00:32:34.209
- Own right, but she's not feeling, like,
- 00:32:34.209 --> 00:32:35.310
- A lack of confidence because she's not married.
- 00:32:35.310 --> 00:32:40.082
- She's fine with the season she's in,
- 00:32:40.082 --> 00:32:41.950
- Enjoying the season she's in.
- 00:32:41.950 --> 00:32:45.187
- And again, we go back to that-- when you look at lydia in the
- 00:32:45.187 --> 00:32:47.923
- Scriptures, she was a businesswoman,
- 00:32:47.923 --> 00:32:51.193
- But it doesn't say whether she was married or not.
- 00:32:51.193 --> 00:32:52.361
- She owned her own house.
- 00:32:52.361 --> 00:32:53.896
- She was a wealthy woman.
- 00:32:53.896 --> 00:32:54.997
- She sold purple.
- 00:32:54.997 --> 00:32:55.631
- You know, in today's--
- 00:32:55.631 --> 00:32:56.665
- >> lisa: which purple was very expensive.
- 00:32:56.665 --> 00:32:58.100
- >> donna: yeah, like $90,000 for a thimbleful now.
- 00:32:58.100 --> 00:32:59.435
- It was luxury.
- 00:32:59.435 --> 00:33:00.402
- Textiles were made with her dye.
- 00:33:00.402 --> 00:33:03.405
- And so she also was part-- birthed the first church.
- 00:33:03.405 --> 00:33:06.075
- >> laurie: yeah.
- 00:33:06.075 --> 00:33:07.776
- >> donna: right?
- 00:33:07.776 --> 00:33:08.944
- Which, today, if you go to the cathedrals in europe,
- 00:33:08.944 --> 00:33:10.913
- You can go back to the original "yes" of a woman named lydia,
- 00:33:10.913 --> 00:33:13.382
- Who said, "yes," to jesus.
- 00:33:13.382 --> 00:33:17.386
- So generations are impacted by whatever that "yes" looks like.
- 00:33:17.386 --> 00:33:17.920
- And i feel bad.
- 00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:19.588
- I think probably the best thing for somebody who's single is to
- 00:33:19.588 --> 00:33:21.957
- Make sure you're connected to community.
- 00:33:21.957 --> 00:33:22.758
- >> sheila: that's huge.
- 00:33:22.758 --> 00:33:23.759
- >> donna: don't isolate yourself.
- 00:33:23.759 --> 00:33:25.427
- Be connected.
- 00:33:25.427 --> 00:33:26.361
- Find friends.
- 00:33:26.361 --> 00:33:28.097
- Be aggressive in finding friends.
- 00:33:28.097 --> 00:33:29.164
- >> janice: yes.
- 00:33:29.164 --> 00:33:30.532
- >> donna: right?
- 00:33:30.532 --> 00:33:32.334
- 'cause they're not-- i wish friends showed up at, like,
- 00:33:32.334 --> 00:33:33.402
- With the ups man, you know, but they don't.
- 00:33:33.402 --> 00:33:35.204
- [laughter]
- 00:33:35.204 --> 00:33:36.038
- You have to go find them.
- 00:33:36.038 --> 00:33:37.272
- And they may be younger than you,
- 00:33:37.272 --> 00:33:38.841
- But that-- in that single life, it's such an extraordinary
- 00:33:38.841 --> 00:33:40.742
- Entrustment.
- 00:33:40.742 --> 00:33:42.611
- Every season is an entrustment from god.
- 00:33:42.611 --> 00:33:43.412
- What do we do with it?
- 00:33:43.412 --> 00:33:45.681
- And we can miss the entrustment by feeling entitled to something
- 00:33:45.681 --> 00:33:46.982
- Else.
- 00:33:46.982 --> 00:33:48.150
- We have to choose what we're doing with the season.
- 00:33:48.150 --> 00:33:49.985
- >> yeah.
- 00:33:49.985 --> 00:33:55.190
- >> sheila: one thing that is so clear to me is that god loves
- 00:33:55.190 --> 00:33:57.559
- Women, that jesus loves women.
- 00:33:57.559 --> 00:34:00.362
- You can tell that in all his interactions with women,
- 00:34:00.362 --> 00:34:04.600
- That many of the things that jesus did were completely
- 00:34:04.600 --> 00:34:07.503
- Revolutionary in his day.
- 00:34:07.503 --> 00:34:09.204
- For him to have mary, for example,
- 00:34:09.204 --> 00:34:12.207
- Sit his feet and listen to his teaching-- in those days,
- 00:34:12.207 --> 00:34:14.042
- A woman wasn't even allowed in that room,
- 00:34:14.042 --> 00:34:16.445
- And that was a room for the men, and the women would be
- 00:34:16.445 --> 00:34:18.313
- In the kitchen.
- 00:34:18.313 --> 00:34:19.381
- But jesus said, "don't take this away from her.
- 00:34:19.381 --> 00:34:20.149
- She's chosen a good thing."
- 00:34:20.149 --> 00:34:22.951
- There's so many instances of where jesus shows
- 00:34:22.951 --> 00:34:24.820
- How important that his daughters are to him.
- 00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:29.191
- But it's the same with the body of christ that we all have
- 00:34:29.191 --> 00:34:32.361
- Different gifts, but we work together.
- 00:34:32.361 --> 00:34:34.296
- I think sometimes it can be a fight to see, well,
- 00:34:34.296 --> 00:34:37.833
- "you think we shouldn't do that,
- 00:34:37.833 --> 00:34:39.134
- And we think you shouldn't do that,"
- 00:34:39.134 --> 00:34:40.235
- But the beauty of the body of christ is that,
- 00:34:40.235 --> 00:34:42.104
- When we all work together,
- 00:34:42.104 --> 00:34:44.640
- Then the message of christ goes forward.
- 00:34:44.640 --> 00:34:46.875
- Jesus said in one of his last conversations with his closest
- 00:34:46.875 --> 00:34:50.212
- Friends, "when you love one another,
- 00:34:50.212 --> 00:34:53.348
- Then the world will know that you're mine."
- 00:34:53.348 --> 00:34:55.517
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:34:55.517 --> 00:34:56.685
- >> laurie: join the conversation on our "better together"
- 00:34:56.685 --> 00:34:58.287
- Youtube channel.
- 00:34:58.287 --> 00:35:00.022
- Subscribe today, and never miss a new upload.
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- Subscribe today, and never miss a new upload.
- 00:35:04.002 --> 00:35:04.627
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:35:04.627 --> 00:35:08.097
- >> sheila: my mom was widowed at 33, and she never remarried,
- 00:35:08.097 --> 00:35:11.267
- And her prayer was that god would spare her to see all three
- 00:35:11.267 --> 00:35:15.038
- Of us trusting jesus and in our calling.
- 00:35:15.038 --> 00:35:17.407
- And so, when my brother, who was the last one to graduate and go
- 00:35:17.407 --> 00:35:21.311
- On to become an architect-- i flew home to scotland.
- 00:35:21.311 --> 00:35:22.679
- I didn't tell my mum i was comin'.
- 00:35:22.679 --> 00:35:25.148
- I just flew home, and i said,
- 00:35:25.148 --> 00:35:26.416
- "okay, i'm here with you to dream for your next season."
- 00:35:26.416 --> 00:35:28.518
- And she's like,
- 00:35:28.518 --> 00:35:29.686
- "what do you mean?"
- 00:35:29.686 --> 00:35:30.820
- And i said, "well, remember those prayers, mom?
- 00:35:30.820 --> 00:35:31.554
- God answered those prayers.
- 00:35:31.554 --> 00:35:33.389
- We all love jesus.
- 00:35:33.389 --> 00:35:34.224
- We're all settled--"
- 00:35:34.224 --> 00:35:36.159
- >> oh, so good.
- 00:35:36.159 --> 00:35:37.927
- >> sheila: -- "you still got a pulse.
- 00:35:37.927 --> 00:35:39.295
- There's not a white chalk mark around your body.
- 00:35:39.295 --> 00:35:40.863
- So what's this next season?"
- 00:35:40.863 --> 00:35:43.333
- And it was the sweetest time we had together 'cause i said,
- 00:35:43.333 --> 00:35:46.302
- "what was that dream you had when you were a young girl?"
- 00:35:46.302 --> 00:35:48.438
- And she'd wanted to be a teacher,
- 00:35:48.438 --> 00:35:50.106
- But she had to leave school because her dad had alzheimer's
- 00:35:50.106 --> 00:35:53.943
- And got quite aggressive.
- 00:35:53.943 --> 00:35:55.578
- So she left at, like, 14 to help my grandmother take care of him.
- 00:35:55.578 --> 00:35:59.182
- And i said, "okay, then let's pray for that."
- 00:35:59.182 --> 00:36:01.351
- And i said, "why don't we--
- 00:36:01.351 --> 00:36:03.653
- I made these flyers,
- 00:36:03.653 --> 00:36:05.688
- And i put them in all the neighborhoods' box
- 00:36:05.688 --> 00:36:06.856
- And invited them,
- 00:36:06.856 --> 00:36:08.758
- Other women, to a bible study."
- 00:36:08.758 --> 00:36:09.692
- And she was like,
- 00:36:09.692 --> 00:36:10.193
- "oh, this--
- 00:36:10.193 --> 00:36:11.294
- I don't know how to do this."
- 00:36:11.294 --> 00:36:11.894
- And i'm like,
- 00:36:11.894 --> 00:36:12.895
- "that's what's great about it, you know?
- 00:36:12.895 --> 00:36:13.796
- Throw yourself in." and she said,
- 00:36:13.796 --> 00:36:15.231
- "well, will you lead the first one?"
- 00:36:15.231 --> 00:36:16.199
- And i'm like, "no, that's not my dream."
- 00:36:16.199 --> 00:36:16.899
- [laughter]
- 00:36:16.899 --> 00:36:18.568
- "this is what god's placed in you."
- 00:36:18.568 --> 00:36:19.836
- >> lisa: it's beautiful.
- 00:36:19.836 --> 00:36:20.703
- >> sheila: and i'll never forget:
- 00:36:20.703 --> 00:36:21.671
- There was probably eight women who came,
- 00:36:21.671 --> 00:36:22.138
- And i said,
- 00:36:22.138 --> 00:36:23.273
- "i'll make the tea and the sandwiches but--"
- 00:36:23.273 --> 00:36:24.774
- And it was like my mom's little government-owned home
- 00:36:24.774 --> 00:36:28.444
- Became holy ground.
- 00:36:28.444 --> 00:36:29.746
- So i sat, and i watched all these women come in and my mum
- 00:36:29.746 --> 00:36:32.415
- Teach a very simple lesson from the gospel of john.
- 00:36:32.415 --> 00:36:36.152
- So even those women who are older and who think,
- 00:36:36.152 --> 00:36:38.121
- "well, i'm done now"-- no.
- 00:36:38.121 --> 00:36:39.889
- You're not done, you know-- that god has a purpose for your life.
- 00:36:39.889 --> 00:36:42.292
- And i'll never forget it.
- 00:36:42.292 --> 00:36:44.327
- I flew home, obviously.
- 00:36:44.327 --> 00:36:45.361
- I'll never forget the night she called me,
- 00:36:45.361 --> 00:36:47.397
- And she said she just led her first neighbor to jesus.
- 00:36:47.397 --> 00:36:48.698
- >> janice: aw.
- 00:36:48.698 --> 00:36:49.632
- >> sheila: and i thought, "yes, mum."
- 00:36:49.632 --> 00:36:50.533
- It was so great.
- 00:36:50.533 --> 00:36:53.403
- >> janice: i love that because i think one of the things
- 00:36:53.403 --> 00:36:56.806
- That culture does is
- 00:36:56.806 --> 00:36:59.976
- It tells us who we can be or what we can do
- 00:36:59.976 --> 00:37:01.844
- And how long we can do it.
- 00:37:01.844 --> 00:37:07.450
- >> sheila: right.
- 00:37:07.450 --> 00:37:08.918
- >> janice: and for women,
- 00:37:08.918 --> 00:37:09.886
- There's this sense of when we're useful,
- 00:37:09.886 --> 00:37:11.421
- When we're purposeful, and then when we're not,
- 00:37:11.421 --> 00:37:13.556
- And there are names like "ageism" and things like that,
- 00:37:13.556 --> 00:37:15.825
- But it's like i love that you encouraged your mom to pray
- 00:37:15.825 --> 00:37:19.896
- Prayers again and even new prayers in this season because
- 00:37:19.896 --> 00:37:26.235
- God's purpose for us is not limited by culture.
- 00:37:26.235 --> 00:37:28.037
- He may use it in culture, but it is not at all limited by culture
- 00:37:28.037 --> 00:37:31.474
- And what culture says about us;
- 00:37:31.474 --> 00:37:34.344
- But how many of us internalized some of those messages
- 00:37:34.344 --> 00:37:38.915
- And moved about according to them?
- 00:37:38.915 --> 00:37:40.550
- And the lord has to go,
- 00:37:40.550 --> 00:37:41.684
- "wait, wait, wait, wait, no, no, no,
- 00:37:41.684 --> 00:37:42.518
- Actually, you're not done."
- 00:37:42.518 --> 00:37:43.920
- You know what i mean?
- 00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:44.721
- Like--
- 00:37:44.721 --> 00:37:46.055
- >> laurie: well, think of sarah.
- 00:37:46.055 --> 00:37:46.689
- >> janice: yeah.
- 00:37:46.689 --> 00:37:47.457
- >> laurie: think of elizabeth.
- 00:37:47.457 --> 00:37:49.559
- >> janice & sheila: yes.
- 00:37:49.559 --> 00:37:50.626
- >> laurie: so elizabeth became pregnant--
- 00:37:50.626 --> 00:37:52.128
- >> janice: yes.
- 00:37:52.128 --> 00:37:53.663
- >> laurie: -- really old--
- 00:37:53.663 --> 00:37:54.530
- >> janice: yes.
- 00:37:54.530 --> 00:37:55.264
- >> laurie: -- to help mary.
- 00:37:55.264 --> 00:37:56.699
- >> janice & sheila: yeah.
- 00:37:56.699 --> 00:37:58.000
- >> laurie: it was to mentor mary--
- 00:37:58.000 --> 00:38:00.002
- >> janice: bless her heart.
- 00:38:00.002 --> 00:38:01.637
- >> laurie: -- through something--
- 00:38:01.637 --> 00:38:02.538
- >> donna: that's beautiful.
- 00:38:02.538 --> 00:38:04.440
- >> laurie: right?
- 00:38:04.440 --> 00:38:07.577
- >> donna: yeah.
- 00:38:07.577 --> 00:38:08.611
- >> laurie: and sarah saying, oh, you know,
- 00:38:08.611 --> 00:38:09.812
- Laughing at the word of the lord, going, "oh-- right,
- 00:38:09.812 --> 00:38:10.813
- You know, this old, shriveled up womb."
- 00:38:10.813 --> 00:38:12.815
- You know, god can birth something on the inside of you
- 00:38:12.815 --> 00:38:15.551
- That you just never dreamed possible,
- 00:38:15.551 --> 00:38:19.956
- And that's the way god does things.
- 00:38:19.956 --> 00:38:21.357
- >> lisa: but sarah is my favorite
- 00:38:21.357 --> 00:38:24.460
- Because sarah is such a mess up.
- 00:38:24.460 --> 00:38:25.294
- [laughter]
- 00:38:25.294 --> 00:38:26.629
- I mean, like, sarah is like, "hey, i'm not gettin' pregnant.
- 00:38:26.629 --> 00:38:28.331
- Take hagar.
- 00:38:28.331 --> 00:38:29.599
- Take hagar."
- 00:38:29.599 --> 00:38:30.833
- "what? hagar's pregnant?
- 00:38:30.833 --> 00:38:32.034
- I'm gon' beat her."
- 00:38:32.034 --> 00:38:33.269
- I mean, like, she, just,
- 00:38:33.269 --> 00:38:34.203
- She has so many mess-ups.
- 00:38:34.203 --> 00:38:36.305
- >> janice: so many emotions.
- 00:38:36.305 --> 00:38:37.340
- >> lisa: so many mess-ups.
- 00:38:37.340 --> 00:38:39.275
- God has to send an angel:
- 00:38:39.275 --> 00:38:39.909
- "god sees you.
- 00:38:39.909 --> 00:38:41.144
- Go back to crazy sarah."
- 00:38:41.144 --> 00:38:42.311
- And now sarah just thinks,
- 00:38:42.311 --> 00:38:44.180
- "okay, well, i will raise up ishmael as my own."
- 00:38:44.180 --> 00:38:46.582
- And then ishmael is like,
- 00:38:46.582 --> 00:38:48.217
- "no, no, no.
- 00:38:48.217 --> 00:38:51.954
- I love my dad, but no, you're not my mama."
- 00:38:51.954 --> 00:38:53.589
- And there comes a moment where she has made so many mistakes
- 00:38:53.589 --> 00:38:57.794
- That she sees herself as a mistake.
- 00:38:57.794 --> 00:39:00.730
- And what happens is,
- 00:39:00.730 --> 00:39:03.299
- When we begin to see ourselves as a mistake,
- 00:39:03.299 --> 00:39:04.934
- We miss out on the promises of god.
- 00:39:04.934 --> 00:39:06.436
- >> laurie: yeah.
- 00:39:06.436 --> 00:39:08.004
- >> donna: that's good, lisa.
- 00:39:08.004 --> 00:39:08.938
- >> lisa: and she started-- she laughed,
- 00:39:08.938 --> 00:39:10.106
- And it's interesting 'cause we see, in genesis 17,
- 00:39:10.106 --> 00:39:11.474
- Abraham is the first one that laughs, and he laughs out loud.
- 00:39:11.474 --> 00:39:13.776
- Sarah only laughed within herself--
- 00:39:13.776 --> 00:39:16.345
- >> laurie: in herself.
- 00:39:16.345 --> 00:39:17.146
- >> janice: yes.
- 00:39:17.146 --> 00:39:18.181
- >> lisa: and then, of course, she lies:
- 00:39:18.181 --> 00:39:19.549
- "oh, i didn't laugh."
- 00:39:19.549 --> 00:39:20.316
- And he's like, "yes, you did.
- 00:39:20.316 --> 00:39:20.850
- Yes you did."
- 00:39:20.850 --> 00:39:23.119
- But when you have made so many mistakes,
- 00:39:23.119 --> 00:39:25.488
- You think you're a mistake,
- 00:39:25.488 --> 00:39:27.256
- And the truth is-- and i wanna say this to every woman out there.
- 00:39:27.256 --> 00:39:30.526
- >> janice: that's right.
- 00:39:30.526 --> 00:39:31.794
- >> lisa: if you're in a season where you are like, "okay,
- 00:39:31.794 --> 00:39:32.862
- You know, maybe, maybe 'cause janice was young
- 00:39:32.862 --> 00:39:33.863
- Or maybe because sheila was obedient
- 00:39:33.863 --> 00:39:36.666
- And donna was courageous to go back to school,
- 00:39:36.666 --> 00:39:39.068
- They can do that--
- 00:39:39.068 --> 00:39:40.436
- >> janice: yes.
- 00:39:40.436 --> 00:39:43.172
- But i have-- i am a mistake.
- 00:39:43.172 --> 00:39:46.709
- And the truth is that you are not powerful enough
- 00:39:46.709 --> 00:39:48.478
- To get you out of the plan of god.
- 00:39:48.478 --> 00:39:49.345
- >> donna: i love it.
- 00:39:49.345 --> 00:39:50.580
- >> sheila: so you have to make a decision that,
- 00:39:50.580 --> 00:39:52.448
- Wherever you are right now,
- 00:39:52.448 --> 00:39:53.583
- Listen to this conversation that god is saying,
- 00:39:53.583 --> 00:39:55.918
- "you can find your voice today--"
- 00:39:55.918 --> 00:39:57.386
- >> laurie: yes.
- 00:39:57.386 --> 00:39:57.854
- >> sheila: yeah.
- 00:39:57.854 --> 00:39:59.388
- >> lisa: -- that there is a need for you.
- 00:39:59.388 --> 00:40:00.590
- I started the ministry by pouring into single women,
- 00:40:00.590 --> 00:40:05.228
- And so i was a young mom, and john came to me and said,
- 00:40:05.228 --> 00:40:08.498
- "these young girls have no one," and i'm like,
- 00:40:08.498 --> 00:40:10.166
- "john, you know my background.
- 00:40:10.166 --> 00:40:11.501
- I don't have a good background."
- 00:40:11.501 --> 00:40:12.535
- He said, "i don't care about your background.
- 00:40:12.535 --> 00:40:13.936
- I care about you bringing 'em into the house and just talking
- 00:40:13.936 --> 00:40:19.242
- To them about the word of god."
- 00:40:19.242 --> 00:40:20.910
- And i was like,
- 00:40:20.910 --> 00:40:21.544
- "i have four kids."
- 00:40:21.544 --> 00:40:23.079
- And he was like, "well, just bring 'em along with you."
- 00:40:23.079 --> 00:40:24.480
- And i think too many of us
- 00:40:24.480 --> 00:40:26.015
- Try to make discipleship hard when, really,
- 00:40:26.015 --> 00:40:29.385
- It is "just do life with me."
- 00:40:29.385 --> 00:40:30.753
- >> donna: well, i just love that whole idea that she laughed,
- 00:40:30.753 --> 00:40:33.422
- Right?
- 00:40:33.422 --> 00:40:34.957
- And hebrews 11 talks about that,
- 00:40:34.957 --> 00:40:36.959
- But then what did she name her baby?
- 00:40:36.959 --> 00:40:38.761
- >> lisa: isaac, "laughter."
- 00:40:38.761 --> 00:40:42.765
- >> donna: so it was like god's redemption of her mistake
- 00:40:42.765 --> 00:40:43.966
- Or her doubt.
- 00:40:43.966 --> 00:40:45.701
- So even if you're doubting right now,
- 00:40:45.701 --> 00:40:47.403
- You're gonna still be able to birth something,
- 00:40:47.403 --> 00:40:49.438
- And it's a picture of god redeeming what you thought he
- 00:40:49.438 --> 00:40:51.507
- Couldn't do.
- 00:40:51.507 --> 00:40:53.476
- >> donna: so remembering how god sees us
- 00:40:53.476 --> 00:40:55.344
- Is integral to knowing your value
- 00:40:55.344 --> 00:40:57.847
- Because, ultimately, there's a million things
- 00:40:57.847 --> 00:40:59.515
- That can tell you who you are.
- 00:40:59.515 --> 00:41:02.685
- Maybe it's your past failures, your past experiences.
- 00:41:02.685 --> 00:41:07.156
- Anywhere that you feel deficient or less than--
- 00:41:07.156 --> 00:41:09.892
- It's called the scarcity mentality--
- 00:41:09.892 --> 00:41:10.993
- Would like to become the narrative of who you are,
- 00:41:10.993 --> 00:41:15.231
- But the wonderful thing about god is that he sees you
- 00:41:15.231 --> 00:41:20.102
- Uniquely and loves you,
- 00:41:20.102 --> 00:41:22.204
- And it's not about your performance,
- 00:41:22.204 --> 00:41:23.239
- And it's not about your perfection;
- 00:41:23.239 --> 00:41:25.341
- But knowing that you're valued and loved by him is everything.
- 00:41:25.341 --> 00:41:28.277
- For me, that was transformative.
- 00:41:28.277 --> 00:41:30.179
- It changed my life that it wasn't about what i could do
- 00:41:30.179 --> 00:41:32.481
- For him or had to do for him.
- 00:41:32.481 --> 00:41:35.618
- It's about that he loved me just for who i am,
- 00:41:35.618 --> 00:41:39.221
- Not in spite of my failures and imperfections
- 00:41:39.221 --> 00:41:41.390
- But because of them.
- 00:41:41.390 --> 00:41:42.992
- And for you, friend, that is the only way you're gonna
- 00:41:42.992 --> 00:41:45.661
- Move forward is to really
- 00:41:45.661 --> 00:41:47.630
- Press into understanding and learning who god says you are.
- 00:41:47.630 --> 00:41:51.400
- >> janice: our purpose is fully within the context
- 00:41:51.400 --> 00:41:53.536
- Of who god is.
- 00:41:53.536 --> 00:41:54.337
- >> all: yes.
- 00:41:54.337 --> 00:41:56.806
- >> janice: and our identity is fully within the context
- 00:41:56.806 --> 00:41:58.341
- Of who god is.
- 00:41:58.341 --> 00:42:00.176
- Genesis 1:26 and 27 says, "then god said,
- 00:42:00.176 --> 00:42:02.511
- 'let us make man--'"
- 00:42:02.511 --> 00:42:04.513
- And it's really like "humankind"
- 00:42:04.513 --> 00:42:06.182
- 'cause it's not the word "adam" there--
- 00:42:06.182 --> 00:42:08.551
- "'in our image,
- 00:42:08.551 --> 00:42:09.885
- After our likeness.
- 00:42:09.885 --> 00:42:11.454
- Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the
- 00:42:11.454 --> 00:42:13.322
- Birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the
- 00:42:13.322 --> 00:42:17.360
- Earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'
- 00:42:17.360 --> 00:42:19.028
- So god created man in his own image,
- 00:42:19.028 --> 00:42:21.764
- In the image of god he created him;
- 00:42:21.764 --> 00:42:24.066
- Male and female he created them."
- 00:42:24.066 --> 00:42:27.970
- And, you know, the english language is really strong with
- 00:42:27.970 --> 00:42:32.375
- Its pronouns, right?
- 00:42:32.375 --> 00:42:36.412
- That's-- all the "hims" that you hear are not necessarily "male"
- 00:42:36.412 --> 00:42:40.016
- In this text.
- 00:42:40.016 --> 00:42:41.250
- >> donna: right.
- 00:42:41.250 --> 00:42:43.319
- >> janice: and so that's why i said,
- 00:42:43.319 --> 00:42:44.654
- "let us make man in our humankind, in our image,
- 00:42:44.654 --> 00:42:45.221
- After our likeness."
- 00:42:45.221 --> 00:42:46.288
- And i love that our context of who we are
- 00:42:46.288 --> 00:42:50.259
- And what we've been called to do has everything to do with god,
- 00:42:50.259 --> 00:42:56.065
- Not an age limit, not a biological ability.
- 00:42:56.065 --> 00:43:02.204
- It has everything to do with who god is.
- 00:43:02.204 --> 00:43:05.908
- And i think that's what i love about whether it's hagar
- 00:43:05.908 --> 00:43:09.979
- Out in the desert,
- 00:43:09.979 --> 00:43:12.081
- Realizing that "oh, it's about who he is.
- 00:43:12.081 --> 00:43:13.816
- He sees me."
- 00:43:13.816 --> 00:43:15.151
- Or it's the woman at the well who's like,
- 00:43:15.151 --> 00:43:17.186
- "oh, my goodness,
- 00:43:17.186 --> 00:43:18.120
- I've met the one who knows me."
- 00:43:18.120 --> 00:43:20.690
- Or it's mary who's like,
- 00:43:20.690 --> 00:43:23.726
- "nobody calls my name like that.
- 00:43:23.726 --> 00:43:25.127
- This is the lord."
- 00:43:25.127 --> 00:43:26.862
- >> donna: yeah.
- 00:43:26.862 --> 00:43:28.097
- >> janice: it is always about who he is; and if we can,
- 00:43:28.097 --> 00:43:30.499
- Like you said, figure out who we are in the presence of god,
- 00:43:30.499 --> 00:43:35.538
- That's the only place we can figure out who we are because
- 00:43:35.538 --> 00:43:40.476
- It's really always going to go back to who he is.
- 00:43:40.476 --> 00:43:43.279
- And i love his brilliance and his kindness of he did not have
- 00:43:43.279 --> 00:43:49.051
- To lace that all the way through the scriptures,
- 00:43:49.051 --> 00:43:50.586
- Knowing what culture would--
- 00:43:50.586 --> 00:43:52.621
- How culture would combat that for women, right?
- 00:43:52.621 --> 00:43:55.491
- But he did it anyway because he's so good,
- 00:43:55.491 --> 00:44:01.363
- And it's just a reminder for us to see what is there,
- 00:44:01.363 --> 00:44:05.334
- That we are his, that we belong to him,
- 00:44:05.334 --> 00:44:07.103
- And everything about who we are has to do with who he is.
- 00:44:07.103 --> 00:44:11.040
- Whether we call him "el roi" or even "el shaddai,"
- 00:44:11.040 --> 00:44:14.744
- That hebrew word means "many-breasted one."
- 00:44:14.744 --> 00:44:17.680
- You're talkin' about nursing kids.
- 00:44:17.680 --> 00:44:19.248
- It's like the lord delights in being the one
- 00:44:19.248 --> 00:44:23.452
- Who provides for us from himself.
- 00:44:23.452 --> 00:44:26.021
- And that's something that a woman who is nursed gets more
- 00:44:26.021 --> 00:44:30.793
- Than a father will ever get, right?
- 00:44:30.793 --> 00:44:33.529
- Because, oh, my goodness, what an experience that was.
- 00:44:33.529 --> 00:44:37.800
- I say that to say god is who he is,
- 00:44:37.800 --> 00:44:40.836
- He has decided to make us in his own image,
- 00:44:40.836 --> 00:44:43.806
- And how wonderful that is.
- 00:44:43.806 --> 00:44:47.309
- And when the world is sending messages,
- 00:44:47.309 --> 00:44:50.279
- Whether they feel good-- right?
- 00:44:50.279 --> 00:44:54.150
- -- like whether they seem-- they are seemingly empowering or
- 00:44:54.150 --> 00:44:59.021
- They're not, the reality is we have to find ourselves back into
- 00:44:59.021 --> 00:45:02.858
- The presence of god to figure out who we actually are.
- 00:45:02.858 --> 00:45:04.460
- >> laurie: you know, i love when jesus calls the little lady
- 00:45:04.460 --> 00:45:07.797
- With the issue of blood.
- 00:45:07.797 --> 00:45:08.864
- She was an outcast.
- 00:45:08.864 --> 00:45:09.999
- >> sheila & donna: yes.
- 00:45:09.999 --> 00:45:11.033
- >> laurie: she should not have been around,
- 00:45:11.033 --> 00:45:12.535
- And he says, "daughter."
- 00:45:12.535 --> 00:45:14.170
- You know, he calls her "daughter."
- 00:45:14.170 --> 00:45:15.771
- He calls 'em "daughters of abraham."
- 00:45:15.771 --> 00:45:17.740
- >> lisa: yup.
- 00:45:17.740 --> 00:45:19.041
- >> laurie: you know, it was always that loving, that tender,
- 00:45:19.041 --> 00:45:24.213
- That beautiful "daughter" that i love so much--
- 00:45:24.213 --> 00:45:27.817
- >> sheila: i know, i love that.
- 00:45:27.817 --> 00:45:29.819
- >> laurie: -- when he calls out "daughters."
- 00:45:29.819 --> 00:45:31.120
- >> sheila: because she could've--
- 00:45:31.120 --> 00:45:32.588
- I think she wanted to be healed,
- 00:45:32.588 --> 00:45:33.522
- But jesus wanted to make her whole--
- 00:45:33.522 --> 00:45:34.523
- >> janice: that's right.
- 00:45:34.523 --> 00:45:35.524
- >> sheila: -- so much more than healing
- 00:45:35.524 --> 00:45:36.625
- 'cause she could've gone home-- couldn't she?
- 00:45:36.625 --> 00:45:37.593
- -- and then, after the appointed time,
- 00:45:37.593 --> 00:45:38.694
- Brought a sacrifice and be declared clean.
- 00:45:38.694 --> 00:45:40.296
- Jesus wanted so much more for her.
- 00:45:40.296 --> 00:45:43.866
- >> sheila: i wonder how you define yourself if you were in
- 00:45:43.866 --> 00:45:46.802
- An elevator where--
- 00:45:46.802 --> 00:45:48.237
- Short conversation with someone,
- 00:45:48.237 --> 00:45:49.038
- And they said,
- 00:45:49.038 --> 00:45:50.940
- "well, how would you define your worth?"
- 00:45:50.940 --> 00:45:53.943
- Would you define your worth as, you know,
- 00:45:53.943 --> 00:45:55.211
- Somebody's mom or somebody's wife,
- 00:45:55.211 --> 00:45:57.213
- Or you're a second-grade teacher,
- 00:45:57.213 --> 00:45:58.147
- Or you work in a grocery store?
- 00:45:58.147 --> 00:45:59.081
- What i discovered,
- 00:45:59.081 --> 00:46:00.983
- At one of the lowest points in my life,
- 00:46:00.983 --> 00:46:03.619
- Was that my worth was all about relationship.
- 00:46:03.619 --> 00:46:06.188
- It was not to do with anything that i did,
- 00:46:06.188 --> 00:46:07.690
- Whether it was--
- 00:46:07.690 --> 00:46:09.992
- I mean, i've worked all sorts of jobs.
- 00:46:09.992 --> 00:46:11.527
- When i was 15, i was a chambermaid in a hotel.
- 00:46:11.527 --> 00:46:13.028
- I've scrubbed toilets for a living.
- 00:46:13.028 --> 00:46:14.830
- My worth was never about what i did.
- 00:46:14.830 --> 00:46:16.465
- It was about who jesus says i am, that,
- 00:46:16.465 --> 00:46:19.101
- When he calls us "daughter,"
- 00:46:19.101 --> 00:46:21.203
- That means we're part of heaven's royal family,
- 00:46:21.203 --> 00:46:23.639
- And no one can touch that.
- 00:46:23.639 --> 00:46:29.578
- I think there's been so much time--
- 00:46:29.578 --> 00:46:31.847
- Over time, there has been so much culture against the full
- 00:46:31.847 --> 00:46:35.251
- Expression of being a woman--
- 00:46:35.251 --> 00:46:38.320
- >> donna: yes.
- 00:46:38.320 --> 00:46:39.622
- >> janice: -- that, eventually, it does cause some sort of
- 00:46:39.622 --> 00:46:45.027
- Fragility in men in the sense that they don't have to deal
- 00:46:45.027 --> 00:46:50.332
- With those emotions.
- 00:46:50.332 --> 00:46:51.066
- And so now it's, culturally,
- 00:46:51.066 --> 00:46:52.935
- You shouldn't have to deal with that.
- 00:46:52.935 --> 00:46:56.071
- And so, over time, i think that's one of the things that
- 00:46:56.071 --> 00:47:00.175
- Happens, which is really a disservice to men.
- 00:47:00.175 --> 00:47:01.343
- There's been this sense of--
- 00:47:01.343 --> 00:47:04.146
- >> lisa: yeah, sure.
- 00:47:04.146 --> 00:47:05.147
- >> janice: -- women being the problem--
- 00:47:05.147 --> 00:47:06.482
- >> sheila: that's really true.
- 00:47:06.482 --> 00:47:07.149
- Wow.
- 00:47:07.149 --> 00:47:08.484
- >> janice: -- women having to shrink into what we will call
- 00:47:08.484 --> 00:47:11.921
- Her in whatever context, and men get to be free--
- 00:47:11.921 --> 00:47:15.858
- And without any, you know,
- 00:47:15.858 --> 00:47:20.930
- Feeling like i need to despise any of that,
- 00:47:20.930 --> 00:47:21.797
- Because i know who i am in god.
- 00:47:21.797 --> 00:47:26.068
- It really is an issue for the church to address because we
- 00:47:26.068 --> 00:47:30.306
- Actually have the answer.
- 00:47:30.306 --> 00:47:31.840
- The answer is that we've been made in the image of god,
- 00:47:31.840 --> 00:47:34.376
- And it's freeing for both men and women to come to that
- 00:47:34.376 --> 00:47:36.211
- Realization because it does not help a man to not know how to
- 00:47:36.211 --> 00:47:42.518
- Hear anger that's not sin in his life.
- 00:47:42.518 --> 00:47:45.654
- >> sheila: yeah.
- 00:47:45.654 --> 00:47:46.455
- >> laurie: okay, let's pray.
- 00:47:46.455 --> 00:47:47.690
- >> donna: that's good.
- 00:47:47.690 --> 00:47:48.857
- >> janice: oh, lord, we thank you so much for you.
- 00:47:48.857 --> 00:47:52.094
- >> laurie: yes.
- 00:47:52.094 --> 00:47:53.195
- >> janice: we thank you that you seek us out,
- 00:47:53.195 --> 00:47:55.331
- And we thank you that you care for us
- 00:47:55.331 --> 00:47:57.132
- And you invite us and you love us.
- 00:47:57.132 --> 00:48:00.002
- You have been so good to us,
- 00:48:00.002 --> 00:48:02.404
- Those of us in this room and those of us across the world.
- 00:48:02.404 --> 00:48:05.407
- We are so grateful for you and who you've called us to be.
- 00:48:05.407 --> 00:48:09.678
- Will you drop little invitations in our heart in the coming week
- 00:48:09.678 --> 00:48:15.351
- For something more that you have for each of us that we may not
- 00:48:15.351 --> 00:48:19.054
- Have been able to hear for whatever reason?
- 00:48:19.054 --> 00:48:21.390
- Would you solidify in us our identity in you that we've been
- 00:48:21.390 --> 00:48:25.594
- Made in your image and thus our value is untarnishable?
- 00:48:25.594 --> 00:48:29.031
- Lord, we thank you for how brilliantly you've woven your
- 00:48:29.031 --> 00:48:36.505
- Story with us together so that it is we can't even deny it,
- 00:48:36.505 --> 00:48:39.875
- How valuable we are to you.
- 00:48:39.875 --> 00:48:43.479
- And so i thank you for every person watching, woman or man,
- 00:48:43.479 --> 00:48:46.081
- Boy or girl,
- 00:48:46.081 --> 00:48:47.316
- Because this lesson is important for all of us to remember
- 00:48:47.316 --> 00:48:50.486
- And to be reminded of.
- 00:48:50.486 --> 00:48:53.655
- In jesus's name, we pray, amen.
- 00:48:53.655 --> 00:48:58.093
- >> laurie: connect with us on social media,
- 00:48:58.093 --> 00:48:59.561
- And let us know how our team can pray for you.
- 00:48:59.561 --> 00:49:05.067
- >> sheila: for many years,
- 00:49:05.067 --> 00:49:06.602
- I valued my worth as whatever i could do for god.
- 00:49:06.602 --> 00:49:09.705
- You know, i was determined that i was gonna try
- 00:49:09.705 --> 00:49:12.041
- And be a perfect christian
- 00:49:12.041 --> 00:49:14.009
- And the perfect godly woman and do everything right,
- 00:49:14.009 --> 00:49:17.679
- But a lot of it i did for the wrong reasons.
- 00:49:17.679 --> 00:49:18.781
- I did 'cause i didn't want god to be mad with me
- 00:49:18.781 --> 00:49:20.249
- Or stop loving me.
- 00:49:20.249 --> 00:49:21.717
- But the more that i understand how much god loves me,
- 00:49:21.717 --> 00:49:24.420
- That my worth is not placed on anything i do,
- 00:49:24.420 --> 00:49:27.790
- It's not because i've been given the privilege of being on a show
- 00:49:27.790 --> 00:49:30.893
- Like "better together"
- 00:49:30.893 --> 00:49:32.261
- Or that i get to write books or that i get to speak to women,
- 00:49:32.261 --> 00:49:34.096
- Any of that, or even that i get to be christian's mom
- 00:49:34.096 --> 00:49:36.899
- Or barry's wife,
- 00:49:36.899 --> 00:49:39.601
- My worth is based on the fact that
- 00:49:39.601 --> 00:49:41.103
- Jesus christ was willing to leave the glory of heaven
- 00:49:41.103 --> 00:49:43.572
- And come down here and be rejected and crucified
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- And rise again from the dead
- 00:49:46.208 --> 00:49:48.777
- So that i could be with him forever,
- 00:49:48.777 --> 00:49:50.279
- And that's the same for you.
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- That's who you are, a daughter of the king of kings.
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- >> lisa: the way jesus interacted with women was
- 00:49:58.554 --> 00:50:01.824
- Actually revolutionary for the time.
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- He actually noticed women.
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- He actually allowed women to sit at his feet and learn from him.
- 00:50:07.329 --> 00:50:11.633
- He actually spoke to women who found themselves uninvited
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- In a place with religious leaders.
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- I love that jesus was looking at the leaders
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- And speaking to the woman.
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- And we have this incredible opportunity to see that jesus
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- Has always been an advocate for women.
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- Jesus values both male and female.
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- >> laurie: join our conversations anytime, anywhere.
- 00:50:38.427 --> 00:50:41.063
- Download tbn plus to stream your favorite episodes.
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- ♪ music ♪
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