Jana Spicka and Women Getting Real Ministries
Posts tagged Zimbabwe
Ready, Set, Pray!
Jan 29th
When God calls you into an adventure, how do you know when to go? How to go? Or even why to go? How do you shut up the flesh long enough to let the Spirit persuade your spirit into action?
You watch, wait and believe. I had been approached about going to Zimbabwe for years. But there was never one inkling to go. I had lots of reasons that compelled me to stay. A sick child. A conflict in schedule. But more than anything there was no “draw” to go. I would send stuff: books, CDs, T-shirts, lots of prayers. But I never had a desire to send “me.”
Then one day a letter came from across the world. A year later another letter came. Like drops of rain begin sporadically then become a steady downpour, there was one thought then another, then it began to rain. My friend came back from the most recent trip and said, “You have got to go.”
Before I even thought about it, I blurted out, “I know. I am going. I know I am going.” And the rain began. Then there was meeting to hear about the youth camps, the students, the women’s events —the opportunities to build, to encourage, to influence a country torn apart — and my heart pounded in my chest. Raining down.
Then we had a prayer time and I just asked the Lord, “Tell me real plainly who is to go, and I will follow.” As soon as I bowed my head, it was plain as day. “You and Salem.” What???
The trip was already seeming impossible, but now add my 12 year old? Wow. That is a lot of rain…But the downpour came over the next three nights in songs and messages in my sleep. The first night was waking up to a line from the song, Healer, by Kari Jobe. “Nothing is impossible for you.” I had to decide whether this trip was too big for God.
Second was waking up to a verse God had given me as a promise long ago. He had told me that through Him, I was a tree planted by streams of water and that my fruit would prosper. For years He has been talking to me about trees. But He cinched the conversation by reminding me of a verse He had spoken over me: “The tree will have healing in its leaves for the nations.” It was time to go to the nations.
And finally, was the confirmation about Salem, that she was not a liability but a huge asset. Not an interruption but a purposeful planting. And God said told me clearly that He had a design for Salem going at this time in her life and in mine. To drive the point home He said, “Salem is a mini-She.” I understood the power of that name. Here is why. We call the women who volunteer in WGR “The SHE” because we all work together as a Body under Christ. Salem is a mini-She. How do you argue with that?
When God speaks, how do you walk away and pretend He has not? In all the wrestling and preparing, stripping off and surrendering, He has asked me just to pray and wait. Pray for the people we are going to, not about my fear. Pray for the hearts to be healed, not about my needs. Pray about the power of God to change us all, not about my to do list.
Today He invites me and you. Just rest your head on Me. I really can be trusted.
How Big is Your God?
Jan 28th
Today my friend Anna sent me this amazing youtube… Francis Chan – Balance Beam
You gotta watch it. But more than watching, you gotta get this. You get to decide what kind of life you live. Big or small. Strong or impotent. Reaching out or closed in. God-sized or man-safe.
I think of big things when I watch this. I think of God setting men and women free. I think of God teaching the next generation how to truly value a woman. I think of God rescuing the women and children in the sex trade, of breaking down the strongholds of adultery and perversion. I think of crazy faith adventures to impact places like Zimbabwe, India, even little ole Knoxville…
But I also think of things closer to home. I think of God getting me out of my fear zone when it comes to money and securty. And God getting me out of my comfort zone, my church zone, my “rights” zone. I want to be free from all these places where it actually boils down to one thing: control. I try to grab hold of that balance beam so that everything appears to be in my grasp and under my control. But the more I grab, the less freedom I have, the less I can look up and see God, the less I can walk forward.
I watch this kind of God-sized abandon and I want to blow the doors off this puny little world I’ve created. Won’t you join me?
How about today let’s stand up and walk. Let’s let go of the beam. Sure our knees are shaking, sure we might fall. But our God holds us.
“He’s got the whole world in his hands.”
Let’s live a God-sized life. One so big that only God in us could pull it off.
Will You Help Us Change the World?
Jan 27th
Isn’t that an audacious question? It sounds like, uhm, let me think — oh yes, it sounds like Jesus. He is the One who took a handful of scarred and frail believers and changed the course of history. Their encounter with the Living Messiah, their passion to tell their story about Him, changed the world, one person at a time.
That is what we are up to at Women Getting Real. Our desire is to rescue people from the heartache, lies and defeat in their lives and lead them into the presence of the Loving God where He can restore, renew and heal. Are we there yet ourselves? Nope. We are all in process, on the journey, ever seeking His face. But this one thing we know and bank our lives on: the same God who is healing us, will heal others too.
We believe that the same tender love, the same Living God who has radically altered our lives, altogether changed our existence not only in the hereafter but also with His overwhelming presence in our daily lives, is able and willing to do that for others too. And we want to tell our stories, now and later, near and far, home and abroad.
Will you help us with this Holy Search and Rescue Mission?
There are four of us going to Zimbabwe in May. I am going to teach retreats and teens. Two other “dream team” members of WGR are going, Beth Hungerford and Laura Jones. They are invaluable leaders in the workings of Unhindered events, and behind the scenes work of the ministry. When they go to Zimbabwe they will be helping with the youth camps and orphanage there. The final representative from WGR is our youngest team member, Salem, my 12 year old daughter. She is a bundle of gifting: child magnet, willing builder and adventurer extraordinaire. God was so clear to us all that she was to make this trip. So we are quite eager to see all that God will reveal and deposit in her.
It is not so much what we offer, but that we have all been clearly, and almost humorously, Called. And we must answer. We are joining a larger team going with John Dee and Ebenezer Ministries and will be gone for three weeks. Does this sound crazy to you? It still does to me. But isn’t that just like God? Nothing is impossible for Him.
So we are extending an invitation to you to link arms with us. Will you pray for us? Salem said it best. When I was helping her with her donor letters, I asked her what she wanted to put under her “prayer requests.” She said, ”Preparation and faith.” I love that. That is our first step. Preparation and Faith. Our second step is to pray in the funds to go. We know that God has all the money we need. And He has given me such a verse:
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: ”He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
2 Corinthians 9: 8-11
We stand on His promises to provide through many hands.. Will you link arms with us financially too? Maybe you can’t go, but you can help send us. You are going to Zimbabwe “through us” as we all go through the power of Christ.
So if you want to join the Change the World adventure with us, click here. This is will give you all the info you need to be part of this God work.
“Lord rend the heavens and come down, Seek the lost and heal the lame, Father bring glory to your name.”
So Take A Step. . .
Jan 8th
“Nothing is impossible with You
Nothing is impossible.
Nothing is impossible with You,
You hold my world in your hand.
I believe that you’re my healer,
I believe you’re my everything
Jesus you’re all I need.”
This song, Healer by Kari Jobe, is what the Lord woke me up with this morning. I love that. I love Him. I love that I can be running around inside my own head screaming, or sitting in a corner sucking my thumb (figuratively, of course) and He cares enough to encourage and soothe and inspire me.
I don’t know if you have seen the movie, The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), but among many great quotes is one made by the dying priest. They are both serving life imprisonments and nearing completion of an escape tunnel. After a mortal wounding, the priest bequeaths his hidden fortune to Dantes. The pious priest instructs the wrongly imprisoned Edmond Dantes to not waste his pending freedom by committing the crimes he was unjustly serving time for. Bent on revenge, Dantes says he will surely do that very thing.
The priest says to Dantes, “Here is your final lesson – do not commit the crime for which you now serve the sentence. God said, ‘Vengeance is mine’.”
Dantes retorts, ” I don’t believe in God.”
“It doesn’t matter. He believes in you,” the priest said.
Why would God believe in us? Why would He go to such lengths to strengthen and spur us on to good works? There are obvious world needs that demand intervention. But on a more personal level, I think it is a multi-layer answer. When you or I hear His still small voice and respond, He is delighted that we recognize Him. When you or I recognize Him and attempt something beyond our little world, He is delighted that we acknowledge His power, His presence, His glory. When we acknowledge Him, we see Him more fully, and thus we see us more fully. He wins. We win.
Just now I am reminded of Psalm 147: 10-11
His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man;the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
We hope in Him, we trust, depend, expect, desire, stretch, wrestle, and decide on Him. How can you love that which is never known? How can you trust that which is never tested? And how can you grow faith if it is never required?
All this to say, we are sending in our $100 deposits for two seats to Zimbabwe. Nothing is impossible with You.