Women of a Certain Age Series: "The New and Improved Seasoned Woman of God"

SPEAKER_10 0:11

Hi, welcome to Bit101, Vocalizing Every Noted Topic with a Christian twist. I'm June Bryant, your host, and we welcome you to our podcast. Our vision is to win souls to Christ and to help those who know him by giving them a fresh new perspective on Christian living and reading God's Word. Our mission is to biblically educate people while growing in their Christian walk by answering questions that they are uncomfortable to ask in a church-like setting. You can find us wherever you get your podcast. Please like and subscribe. You can also visit us on YouTube, Instagram, or on our website vent-101.com, where you can leave any questions or comments that you may have. Thank you. We back on a Saturday morning, and I'm just thankful to have the beautiful people that are surrounding me.

SPEAKER_07 1:56

And I'm just glad to be here amongst these beautiful women. Oh my God. Yay! And you can just, if you were in here, you'll feel the presence of the sweet smelling savior up in this room today. And I just want to encourage everybody to have a safe uh Labor Day holiday.

SPEAKER_02 2:13

Yes. Amen. Well, I am Mary Cosby, and I'm so very delighted to be here with the women and with June and Pastor Pat. Amen. And all the women of God that's at the table today is truly a blessing. Amen.

SPEAKER_11 2:33

Good morning, everyone. I'm Pastor Miriam Making You're better known as just Miriam. I don't get hooked up on titles. Um, just glad to be here amongst godly women.

SPEAKER_09 2:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_11 2:46

Thank you, Lord.

SPEAKER_08 2:49

I am just and I am so grateful to be here with godly women. And when I came in, I just felt the spirit of the Lord. Yes, thank you, Jesus. And I'm I'm just glad to be here with adults because I'm with children all the time.

SPEAKER_05 3:13

Good morning, everybody. My name is Marsha Williams, and as everyone has already stated, very thankful to be a part of what is happening here this morning.

SPEAKER_06 3:21

Amen. Good morning. My name is Janet Johnson, and I am honored to have been asked by June to participate in this event. Yes. Expect the Lord to just show up and show out. Amen. Welcome, ladies.

SPEAKER_10 3:41

Thank you so much. Yeah, we're gonna get started now. Uh the the title that the Holy Spirit gave me was The New and Improved Experienced Seasoned with Liloris, Christian woman. Uh in a world that's focused on being young, uh, women in their 60s and up can feel like we're becoming invisible as we age. But honey, I'm here to tell you, look around. That couldn't be farther from the truth. We still love life and understand that we really do have something to contribute. But we older women don't have as much influence that we should have, family. Does our age somehow disqualify us for our age, what our age requires us to do? No, the seasoned Christian women are commanded by the word to teach what is good and give advice to younger women. Now, Titus 2, 3 through 5, uh Paul told Titus to promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching, to teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. To sum it up, go back and read the whole chapter in your spare time. Uh go uh instead, the older women should teach others what is good, to train the younger women to love their husbands as well as their children, then they won't bring shame on the word of God. Now, the influence of seasoned women expands way past their immediate family to embrace all believers' family, uh, the experience and maturity that we have as seasoned women. We have are priceless. Our experience is priceless and assists in nurturing and supporting the faith of others. Now, for the younger women, I'm gonna give you a tidbit of information. Uh, when you talk to an older woman, you could actually help her accomplish or even in some cases realize one of their or our life purposes. If you ask her questions and allow her to give you sound godly advice and encouragement, uh, you just may find out that it's a win-win situation. Thank you, Jesus. You both get to share something from your Christian experience. Ultimately, this helps both of us obey God and prayerfully, everybody gets encouragement in the process. Now, before I start the questioning, ladies, I'm I found something that uh called vintage beauty. Ooh. A term that celebrates timeless elegance and ageless grace. The vintage beauty in the woman's circle is a living example of God's design. A powerful group of seasoned new and improved women of God in their 60s, plus is a treasure chest of wisdom. Reaching the age of 60, uh, Psalms 910 says three-score plus 10, actually, uh 70 years old in biblical times, was a rare and respected milestone. It often uh marked the transition from active labor to a role of honor and respect within the family and community. Their faithfulness and wisdom play a crucial role in the spiritual structure, development, and well-being of the Christian community. The Bible's emphasis on the duties of godly older women reflects their high value and respected status that we carry. Hey, so I want to uh I know I said a lot there, but I'm gonna open it up. Let me find the first question because I have one. Uh, the first question I want to ask you all is kind of easy peasy. Um, how is your prayer life? How is your prayer life compared to years ago, let's say in your 20s and 30s?

SPEAKER_05 8:08

Well, for me, mine is a stark contrast from years ago. Because just walking this journey and experiencing the things that I have, uh, he has shown me through his power, through his work, his grace, his mercy, that I have to stay in touch with him daily. When I was younger, I, you know, say my prayers at night, you know that term. And sometimes when I would wake up if something special was going on, I'd ask him to bless that special thing. But I tell you, this life has taught me I can't breathe without him. So I try to stay in his presence. So definitely a contrasting difference from years ago. And I would just encourage anybody to try him. Be like Daniel, said three times a day that you get in his face and just share with him, and you'll be rewarded, no doubt.

SPEAKER_02 8:56

Amen. That's good. I would like to say about back in my 30s, I was in a church, and the church was so keen on prayer. And I think that was my foundation. It was like God was building me to that, to some to come to that place. And it's just been with me ever since, just to continue to stay in communion with the Lord. Praise God. You know, and at all times, you know, in the morning. And I like the early mornings, the wee hours when everybody's asleep, the house is quiet, and you get before the Lord and you begin to speak to him. And when you speak to him, he speaks back. Amen. According to his word, and sometimes even audible, your audible voice. So I I'm I'm thankful that I've I've been built in that era. You know, the Bible talks about over there in Jude, where it said, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the holy, keep yourself in the love of God. So anybody that you love, you want to talk to them. You want to hear from them, you want to show your love, like sister was saying here, you know, just showing your love. You can't breathe without them. And so I thank God for just the grace that God has kept me in this prayer place.

SPEAKER_09 10:13

Amen. That's good.

SPEAKER_06 10:15

I would say for me, it's a big contrast. Um, I saw prayer as before you went to bed, when you got up, when something was going on. But as life caught up with you, now I see it as a lifestyle, yes and as a way to be guided, you know, every day. And I must say I didn't think that. I don't remember thinking that. There probably were choices I wouldn't have made had I looked to God for direction and things. Um but now it's just it's a lifestyle, it's a have to, it's a want-to.

SPEAKER_09 10:53

Yes, yeah, that's good. It is good.

SPEAKER_11 10:57

I would say in reference to that, when you reflect back on your younger years, I remember coming up in the church, but it wasn't expressed the way that I know it now, or how important it is to communicate with God. And not only that, but when I'm communicating with him, that he hears me.

SPEAKER_09 11:18

Yes.

SPEAKER_11 11:20

And I think that was the thing back then. It was like, okay, we talk to God, and that's it. But today come on with it. I know that, I know that, I know that he hears me, he responds to me, he loves me, he leads and he guides me. And that is so important to me right now for such a time as this.

SPEAKER_02 11:44

Amen. Praise God.

unknown 11:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_10 11:48

Back in the day, we was uh, you know, being raised in the church, like you said, uh can I call you Mary? Yes, you can. Uh being born and raised in the church, you kind of neglect certain things. I didn't think about praying every day. You know, it you you hear it every Sunday, you gotta pray or tell God what you're thankful for. But I didn't come to the realization of how important prayer meant really what it means until I became, I'm gonna be honest with you, in my 50s. So God spared me all them years. I ain't gonna lie to you. I didn't pray all the time, I prayed when I needed something. You know, Lord, please bless me with this job, Lord, please give me this car, Lord, give me this man. You see what I'm saying? But it wasn't the true meaning of prayer. Tell the truth, shame the devil. That's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_02 12:47

Yes, yes, praise God.

SPEAKER_05 12:49

You know, not too. I'm sorry, you go ahead because I'm I've had a chance to speak.

SPEAKER_07 12:52

Well, I want to say too, I wasn't born and raised in church or nothing like that. I I went late, but uh far as prayer goes, it was a process for me because I was almost like afraid to talk to God because I still had anger issues, I still would cut, right? I do stuff like that. So I was I did, I I, you know, and God had to work on me. And so through time, uh I I built that confidence that I can go to my father. Yes, you know, after after reading scriptures and everything, how Jesus, when he died on the cross and the bed was raining too, you know, gave us that access to God. Yes, and know that when you have when you have given, and I want to say this to the audience, when you know for sure, have confidence when you have given your life over to God, you know, he's there for you no matter what you do. Yeah, we're gonna make mistakes. We're gonna make mistakes, but God make a way up these temptations when we want to go and fight, when we want to curse somebody out, when we want to cheat on our spouses or whatever. This stuff is real. Yes. Uh know that God is still there, and he's suggesting faithful for to forgive us. So, prayer that's where prayer comes in when you talking to God and saying, I I didn't mean it. And you know, yes, people, I think that's one of them cliches, he knows your heart, but yes, he does, and he really does. And when you really mean it, God is there. So I had to learn that you know, uh, that prayer is all about that, having confidence, knowing that God is your father, he hears you, and he doesn't take you in that situation.

SPEAKER_05 14:31

And I'll tell you what has helped me with even my attitude and approach and posture toward prayer. We have to think about the fact that God is waiting to hear from us. Yes, man. We've set our schedules and our times, and I'm gonna talk to the Lord. Well, there's another side of that, and that is his side of it. He's waiting all day, every day for us just to take out a few minutes just to acknowledge him. And that helped me when I began to realize he's waiting to hear from you. You know, is he worth running to? Understatement. So the thing is, the thing is, it helps me to think, you know, your father's waiting for you to just say something to him. And I'm I'm a visualist. So I pictured uh Luther Vandross recorded a Christmas video, and uh the lyrics were, I'll be here every year at Christmas. And the video was in a train station. You could see he was waiting for the love of his life to show up on the train. And as I was watching that video, I began to think about the Lord and how he waits for us. And when those words were saying, I'll be here every year this Christmas. God is there every moment of the day. Yes, yes, wait. I want to hear what you got to say. I care, I can do something about it. So when I began to see prayer from his perspective, it prompted me to be even more serious and deliberate about doing it.

SPEAKER_02 15:53

Janet said something that made him, and I thought about a cliche. You said with life, life be life and y'all heard that recently. Oh, life is life. So if you know that your life is life and cliche, then you know you got to do something about it. You just can't wait. You know what I'm saying? One one day out of a year, June, like you were saying, you know, when I when I wanted a car, when I needed, you know, Christmas time. I know everybody, Lord, what you gonna give me for Christmas? You know, you know. So that's something we need to be thinking about too. You know, we can talk to him any time of the day. Every day, all day. That's right. Because this life be life. That's right.

SPEAKER_10 16:31

If I can leave one point before I get to the next question for the young women, don't trip off of it. God knows what you need and what you're gonna say before you say it. But he's openly, willingly, just like Marsha said, he wants you to tell him. That's what the goal is. Once you release whatever it is that's heavy on you, that's light on you. You you don't have to wait till you need something to talk to God. You just thank him. Thank you for taking this step. Thank you, Lord, for breathing. Thank you, Lord, for showing me how to get from A to B. Because the way the world is set up now, you just don't know. Yes, we have to be thankful, show our thankfulness to God as well as when you go to ask him, he might not give it to you. So it'll just be where, because it might not be good for you.

SPEAKER_08 17:25

Right.

SPEAKER_10 17:26

So yeah.

SPEAKER_08 17:29

Um go ahead. Oh, no, I just want to uh just get in there a minute. When you were talking about talking to God, I remember being about 14 years old, and that's how I started. I started just talking to God. I mean my mom took us to church, and uh and from that, it is like I don't I don't know, I just started talking to him, and I would talk to him every day. Uh and so from that, you know, I kind of as you got older, uh got away from church, uh, and then came back, gave my life to the Lord, and it was it was so different. But I remembered always, even in this, that, that, that space of of doing my own thing, yes, I would still talk to him. I would still go to him. And then after I made that decision that I wanted something different for myself, yes, I began to to uh just seek his face in a different way. And I remember things that I had never heard, actually heard the enemy speak in an audible voice. When I came to the place of making a decision that I wanted to give my whole life, my whole self, everything to the Lord and submit to it. Yes, that's when the enemy came and he began to speak to me and tell me about what I wouldn't be able to do, what I wouldn't be, you won't be able to have have no boyfriend. You won't be able to do that. That's the biggest thing right now. You won't be able to do this. He began to tell me all the things that I would not do, but I was committed. I was I had my mind, as they said, was made up of that I wanted to serve the Lord, and it it is just been a journey from there. But prayer, yes, hallelujah. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Prayer has been my strength, my guide.

unknown 19:31

Yes.

SPEAKER_08 19:32

Uh, I know that I can talk to the Lord, tell him anything. I don't have to pick my words, how I'm gonna say things. I just tell him tell them how I feel, tell them what I feel. And and it has all I was just so uh when I made that decision, I was it was like a thirst and a hunger rose up in me. And I find myself sometimes I would be at work, and I always I always had to find me a place where I could go, a secret place where I could go and pray. You know, and they'd be looking for me.

SPEAKER_03 20:05

Where you been?

SPEAKER_08 20:08

I always had a place, I always had a place where I could go and pray and talk to the Lord, and those were the times when He would speak to me and tell me things and tell me things about other people, tell me, tell so-and-so, tell me tell so-and-so. And and it was like I just thirst. There is nothing like having a thirst and a hunger for the Lord.

SPEAKER_07 20:30

Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.

SPEAKER_08 20:31

It's totally different. Prayer has just been, it has, like I said, it's been my lifeline because I know that he is there, he's there, yes, he's there. He knows everything that's gonna happen to us, everything's gonna happen in our lives, but it's nothing like us telling him. He wants to hear from us. Like he wants to hear from us, he from us, and I'm so I am so grateful that that has always been a uh venue for me. It's prayer. He said to pray always, yeah. With his gifts, yeah. So I I just I I I live on that, I base my life on that, and and that's what I do. Thank you.

SPEAKER_10 21:13

It's kind of like a piggyback question, but uh how has your understanding of God's love deepened over the years? But you say, Mary. How has your love deepened over the years? Because when you're young, well, I can't say nothing about nobody else. When I when I was young, I say up until my 50s, I didn't appreciate his love because I didn't acknowledge how deep his love was for me.

SPEAKER_06 21:55

You know, I think he's truly the only one that can love. Love unconditionally. We can say that. Yes, that's good. But it just has to get to a point where that condition arises. Yeah. Yeah. That's good. Where you realize love might be a little bit conditional. His is not. That's right. He knows everything. That's good. You know, this walk. I'm sorry. No, go ahead.

unknown 22:22

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 22:22

This walk will increase your love for him just based on things you experience. Brief testimony. I had a son who had a 19-year heroin addiction. And that 19 years was such a perilous time. Ups and downs. There'd be times when he would be sober and he'd be excited that he was sober, and then he would have a relapse. Two times in prison. And his father and I just praying all the time. And sometimes he was living with us, and there were some times when we had to put him out because the addiction drove him to take from us. And so if you've ever experienced having to have your child leave your house in the middle of the night and watch him walk down the street with a trash bag in his hand, not knowing where he was going to go. But we had to do it. But when you think about 19 years, we had many thoughts. We didn't know if one night we get a knock on the door and the police would tell us, come and identify his body. We didn't know if somebody would shoot, stab, beat him to death. When you're in the streets like that, he did share with me. He said, Mom, one time, I OD'd and the guys I was with put me behind the dumpster at the White Castle. He said, and I know it was God that saved me because it started raining and the rain was so cold it woke me up. And that's why he didn't just stay there. So I'm saying all this to say there were so many ways my son, he's gone now. The Lord took him in 2020. But there were so many ways he could have left this life that were tragic. But he had gotten out of prison six weeks earlier. He had gotten a job and he was at home with his dad and me. And we woke up one morning to wake him up to go to work, and he was on his floor in his room. The Lord had taken him. The reason I'm saying this is with all the many ways he could have left here through tragedy, young was gracious enough to allow my son to go to heaven from being at home with his parents who loved him in his own room. You talk about learning to love him, I can't express it enough because he didn't have to do it that way. And then my own husband in 2023 was having a heart attack. He had years of, he had um, I can't remember what the technical name was, but he had heart issues. And he had a heart attack. And the whole time I was there experiencing that, I was on the phone with 911 when he told me to call him because you know this was happening. And we had years of him having episodes with his heart. So I didn't think this was gonna be a whole lot different. We called the ambulance, they come and do what they need to do. Well, he was actually leaving, but the Lord didn't let me know that's what was happening when I was there. The the EMT people on the phone with me on 911, they were saying, okay, pull him off the bed, get him on the floor, do this, do that. I'm trying to do all this. And I did see him breathe in a certain way that I had never seen before. But my point is, God didn't even allow me to know that's what was happening. So the EMTs, when they got there, said, Look, they had a female with them. She said, take her in the room, let her get dressed, because we're definitely going to the hospital. And I did not know he had transitioned until I got to the hospital. So when I pictured that night and all that I watched, God even covered me from knowing that he was taking him at that time. Growing in love for him. That's just two. So I'm gonna I'm gonna stop it here. But yes, Lord, love him like I my words won't express enough.

SPEAKER_06 26:15

Yes, Lord. Thank you, Jesus. And I think you come to realize God's love and his graciousness in times like that. Yes, not just in the good times. Yes, in the times. It's good when things are happening, just roses and rainbows and but it's in the trenches where you know he really, really loves you. Yes. Uh, a girlfriend and I were talking about God's protection. And I just recently, you know, lost my daughter, and I said, I didn't feel very protected, you know, in that situation. I I don't know if you know he protected her in that situation, but I know he did. And I told my friend, protection isn't always keeping you from something, it's being with you in that something that inevitably is gonna happen in life. Stuff is gonna happen. Yes, life is gonna life, and to realize that he's with you in that and walking you through that emphasizes the love he has for us. He's good, he's gracious even in the tough times. Yes, that's right. So true, so true.

SPEAKER_02 27:30

That's good. I'm reminded of a scripture that's come to mind. Thank you, Jesus what can separate me from the love of God. And then he goes on to explain the different things that can, you know, perils and the different things, life or death. And of late ladies, uh God and so the question was how has restate that question one more time, June.

SPEAKER_10 27:58

How has your understanding of God's love deepened over the years?

SPEAKER_02 28:04

Understanding of God's love. For a long time, I thought that scripture meant how I felt toward God. But the understanding has come and it's not even about us. God showed me that it's not even about our love toward him, but it's about his love. So as I sit here today and I listen to the testimonies of the these beautiful women of God here, I want the whole world to know that God's love for you is not gonna ever separate. It's never gonna leave. No matter what we go through, no matter what we how we feel, even toward God, because a lot of times, you know, I was looking at a uh something on, I was, I think it was on um one of the social media uh sites, and there was a man out witnessing and he was witnessing, and so another man got upset because of what had his dog with him, got upset because of what the man, you know, he was out witnessing. And he was told, I'm just here to tell you. And the man said, I don't give up about Jesus Christ. And when he said that, that just done something, it just went through me. Because how can you say something about a person who loved you so deeply? You don't even know the magnitude of God's love. Yeah, we can't fully understand. You can't, yeah, but I just thank God how that the Lord has shown me that here lately. Since in my you know, my 50s, 60s, 60s, basically, that it doesn't have anything to do with us, but it's all about God's love toward us. Amen.

SPEAKER_11 29:51

That's like when you all were talking about it. I was writing it down and had to look it up real quick. But there's a song by James Moore that he used to sing years and years and years ago. He was there the whole way to do it. That that's a reminder for me that when adversity comes into my life, that Lord, I know you with that. I know that you are breathing on me right now in this situation, and I know you said in your word that you would never leave me nor forsake me. But he was there. Yes, Lord, all the time. Not sometimes. Yes, yes, all the time, no matter what, up, down, all around. He was there. Thank you, Jesus. He's still there all the time. That's good. That's the kind of God we saw. Yes, amen. No matter what, no matter what. Amen. No matter what. No matter what. Oh my God.

SPEAKER_09 30:57

You sitting there thinking, ain't you?

SPEAKER_03 31:03

Thank you. I ain't got good sense. Y'all have to forgive me.

SPEAKER_08 31:11

But you know what I was thinking about. I was thinking about you know, we we hear that scripture all the time. For God so loved the world that he gave his only goddess son. But sometimes, and and and and I believe that sometimes even churches that are in Christ, some of uh we believe that that only pertains to us. But he said, for God so loved the world. And even those that don't know the Lord, uh, and you hear that we will tell sometimes we we witnesses, people tell them, well, you know, God loves you. And sometimes you can you can see the response of it. And it's like they just brush it over because probably in their mind they're thinking, well, you know what? I don't I don't believe in God or I'm not where I should be in Christ or whatever. And so they take it lightly or dismiss it. But he said, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, not just to those that love him and know him and everything, but everyone. And I think a lot of times that uh in itself, people don't realize that God loves them, whether they're set in sin, regardless of what they're doing, God loves them. That's a good point, he loves them, and just to get that bit of understanding that I am maybe the worst creature in the world, but God loves me. Come on out, yeah, yeah, yeah, yes. He loves me. And that same unconditional love, yes, for you, for us, everybody, everybody, everybody. On the personal uh level, myself, and like I said, I used to hear that always. I remember that scripture. I remember learning it in vacation Bible school. Yes, that God so loved the world that he gave us. But as I began to uh come to that understanding of about his love, so unconditional, so whatever. Um that in spite of what I do, in spite of myself, yes, that he still loves me. Oh my goodness. And and then you begin to understand that it is his personal love towards you. Yes, he loves the world, but he loves me. Oh my God.

SPEAKER_02 33:23

He loves me. Making it personal. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_08 33:27

And I I think about that, and as I've grown older and still I'm yet learning about that love. Yes, how deep it is, how far it can go. Yes, I'm yet learning about it, but I'm so grateful for that love that he has for me.

SPEAKER_06 33:45

Yes, and and for the young people and and older people as well. Um, you talk about, oh, I gotta get myself together. Yeah, and it made me think of the scripture, Romans 5 8. But God demonstrated his own love for us in that while we were yes, yet sinners died. Thank you, Lord, thank you. We don't know that kind of love, and and back to the conditions. Well, you're not gonna do this, and I'm not gonna do that, and that's not God. When when we were in the midst of our sins, yes, he died for us. Yes, Lord. So it's not about I'm gonna get myself together, he's the one that'll get you together. That's right, that's right. Amen. You just need to have faith and believe and come to him, thank you. There is no greater love. Yes. If you think of the person you love the most or the deepest love you think you can have, doesn't even compare. Doesn't even compare.

SPEAKER_10 34:46

And to piggyback off of what you were saying, Janet, um, that's what took me so long. Because I didn't think that God loved me because of the lifestyle that I was living. Those some people don't, because I hear it all the time. Now, Miss June wasn't, yeah, Miss June was off the chain for years. And I I didn't think that God was capable, hear what I'm saying? I didn't think he was capable of loving me the way in my condition. That's what kept me from giving in. But when I saw my friend take her last breath, I say it all the time in here. When I saw my friend Anne take her last breath, I said, I want to go where she's going. Because she left here with such dignity and grace. She loved the Lord, and I knew that I had to be where she was. That's when I gave my life, took him my make him, made him my personal choice. Yes. Because a lot of us we take Jesus as, I love Jesus, he loves me, and laddie da. But when you make him your personal choice, you look at life totally different. You look at how you live totally different. Uh but I want to ask y'all, is there a particular woman in the Bible who resignates with you in your life or who resignated with you either way?

SPEAKER_02 36:28

I'll be the first, the Proverbs 31 woman. That woman right there, the love that she shows for her husband, for God first, her husband and her family. Just the way she moved, the way she lived, the way she did. And and I tell you, it's it's all love when you think about it. The virtuous woman.

SPEAKER_06 37:01

I kind of think about I really have thought about you know that question, but I think about Mary. And when Christ came to her and told her something she didn't understand, and she couldn't even fathom what he was talking about, but her trust in him, and she says, Well, that's what she's saying, so be it unto me. And she was a teenager, she was a teenager. She didn't understand, and we kind of have to wait for understanding or trying to figure it out, or you know, but that that trust that she had, and even though she knew what was coming, that's a lot, you know, she knew she was birthing a child into the world to die. That's good for people that weren't gonna give two cents about it, you know, but to have that burden on her and to still trust and to say, because that's kind of where I am. That is powerful at this point. Just sit down.

SPEAKER_10 38:08

Thank you, Jesus. That's all right. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Marcia, will you pray for Janet right now?

SPEAKER_05 38:18

Jesus. Holy Father in heaven, you already know. Thank you, Jesus. You know what's happening in the heart of your daughter. Oh, Jesus.

SPEAKER_03 38:25

Yes, Lord.

SPEAKER_05 38:25

You know, Heavenly Father, the pain. Oh, Jesus. You knew what you were going to do when Jalen came into the world 30 years ago. And Lord, you knew what you were doing when you gave her Reggie and Janet as parents. Now, Father, you have decided to call her home. Totally unexpected, no health issues, no warnings. And yet, this sister continues to tell the world how good Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Father. We thank you for the way she honored you. We thank you, Lord, for the way she accepts you.

SPEAKER_00 38:59

Thank you, Jesus.

SPEAKER_05 39:00

You know she's grieving, you know she's hurting. Thank you, Jesus. We don't have this supernatural ability to just say, okay, it's gonna be all right. I just lost my daughter. But you equip us, Heavenly Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer to continue to move forward, trusting in you. So, Lord, she's honoring you with her faith. And she's blessing the body of Christ by sharing it. So we ask that you would continue to strengthen her. We've been praying that all along and you've been saying that that's exactly what you're doing. So we praise you for your faithfulness. Yes, Lord. Lord, we know the times will come that are hard for us, that we don't want that particular thing to happen. But yet, with your love, your grace, your mercy, your power, you enable us to keep going, walking in you. So, Lord, we continue to ask you to order our steps. We continue to ask you to breathe. Give her exactly what she needs, Lord. Your ways are not our ways. Your thoughts are not our thoughts. But you know what this woman needs. And you're doing it daily. We thank you for that. We thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to witness it. To see how you think you do in one of your children. So, Lord, continue to comfort her and guide her and strengthen her, as well as the rest of her family. Yes, Lord. And we're just grateful for how faithful you are to us. We thank you in the matchless and majestic and mighty name of Jesus. We thank you. Amen.

SPEAKER_10 40:36

Thank you, Lord. Thank you for covering right now, Father God. Thank you, Lord. Yes, continue to heal her, Father God. Heal her heart, Father God. Thank you, Jesus. I really uh thank you for healing. I appreciate you. Thank you for the drink. I appreciate you. I was gonna wait to tell you that because you didn't have to come here after suffering such a loss. I wasn't gonna talk about it. But I appreciate you. Me and Pat appreciate you more than you'll ever know because you could be somewhere sulking, you could be somewhere sitting in the under the covers. But you chose, you made a choice to serve Jesus despite what you're going through. Yes, Lord. And you are going to help so many people, not women. You are going to continue to help people in their walk because the strength you exude is far beyond where I don't even know if I could do it.

SPEAKER_05 41:46

Only the power of God, only the power of God, what you said.

SPEAKER_10 41:49

Thank you, Jesus. You're worthy. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you.

SPEAKER_07 41:57

The knowledge of his love. Yes, and the understanding of his love. Yes, yes, because God is sovereign. And whatever he says, that's what he said. And I also want to say that too. And I think it's first John, it tells us that God is love. Yes, he is love. God is love. So that's who he is. You know, that's why he could never, never give up on us. Because that's what he is love. Yes, that's why he can't be raised. You know, it's up to us on us to hurt us. You know what I'm saying? Don't put things on us, you know, to hurt us. To hurt our heart. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's not God don't associate with evil. That's why we hate sin. That's for sure. And certain other things that Proverbs tell us about. Not tempted with the evil. That's glory. God is love, so I commend you. You're showing forth the love of God. Yes, Pastor said it. What or who should separate us from us?

SPEAKER_09 42:59

Yes. Thank you, Jesus. God bless you.

SPEAKER_05 43:05

And you know, because the Lord knows his children, he knows which ones can endure what assignments. And uh chosen. And I can relate. So you talk about unconditional love of God, and yet things like this happen. You know. Um, so you say, Well, where's that unconditional love? And it is right there where it was. Yes, just right. Yes, still. When God's son hung on a cross for us, and he bled and he suffered and he died.

SPEAKER_07 43:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 43:40

Innocent of all sin. And God was right there watching that happen because of this love for us. He had to do it. And scripture even says it gave him pleasure, knowing what the reward was going to be afterwards. So for those hours that Jesus was on the cross. God the Father chose us over his son. Wow. And that's just such an if you have to question unconditional love after that, I don't know what to say.

SPEAKER_10 44:09

That's right.

SPEAKER_05 44:10

But I'm just so grateful that I've had the opportunity to be a part of this to see the work of the Lord in you. Yes. You know, and that's what I was gonna say. And it's definitely the work of the Lord, it's not Janet. That's right. It's not you, it's not me. No, it's the power of God moving. So my constant prayer now is, Lord, would you please help me to decrease so that you will increase it?

SPEAKER_02 44:34

Yes, that's so important. You know that song you said he was there all the time. Yes, and I said, waiting patiently in life. He waits for us. You know what I was saying about how they was, you know, they was going in and out, going in. God was still there loving you, still there waiting for you. Glory to God.

SPEAKER_07 44:59

Thank you, Jesus. Somebody said that earlier. About the demonstration.

SPEAKER_05 45:08

You know, and you had mentioned something too when the the person said they didn't care anything about Jesus. And you say, how could a person say that? And uh my sister always says, a mind without Christ can come up with statements like that because they don't know, they're spiritually blind, they don't see him for who he is, and so we encounter situations like that. We have to pray for them, that blinders be removed, yes, hearts be open, that they will come to know, to reverence and respect and love the Lord. Praise the Lord. And it'll only happen by the moving of the Holy Spirit. That's right, we can be a part of that by petitioning him. Yes, amen. Glory to God.

SPEAKER_11 45:47

The word of God, uh, Ecclesiastes 3.11 says that he makes everything beautiful in his time. Yes, his time. That's the key. And that's what we have to remember because at the end of the day, it's not about us. It's all about him. Really? God gets the glory. Yes, thank you, Jesus.

SPEAKER_05 46:10

Thank you, Jesus. No matter what.

SPEAKER_11 46:13

That's then he gets the glory.

SPEAKER_05 46:16

You know, we have a tough time accepting that it's not about us. We say it, we hear it, we know it's true, but we still in the mix, you know, hoping that things happen the way we want them to. You know, but when it truly is is embedded in your heart that it's not about you, you can release all these things to the Lord. And like you say, and wait on his timing for it. Because he's faithful. Yes, he is.

SPEAKER_10 46:42

Uh we were talking about, I don't, girl, we got off into something totally different. And and this is this is such a wonderful discussion. Uh, but who resonates with me in the Bible was the woman at the well. I might not have had several husbands, but I had two of them. And I was living in sin. And that when he said, I am living water, you will never thirst again. That really hit me like a ton of bricks because I was that sheep. You know what I mean? I was that sheep that was out there. I talk about that in the studio too, because a lot of, I'm getting on, I'm going somewhere else, but a lot of leaders will leave the one and keep the 99. You see what I'm saying? That's why I resonate with the woman at the well because she didn't feel she was worthy to give Jesus no water.

SPEAKER_06 47:49

And he'll go after the one.

SPEAKER_10 47:52

He came after me.

SPEAKER_06 47:54

Janet, he came and got me.

SPEAKER_10 47:57

Yeah, and people don't understand that. And to the young women out there, don't think that you done did nothing too bad. Amen. That's right. There's nothing too wrong that you can do.

SPEAKER_05 48:09

Say that.

SPEAKER_10 48:10

Because there's a lot of women that are sitting at home resonating with the woman at the well or married. You see what I'm saying? Uh don't let the enemy fool you out of a good time with Jesus.

SPEAKER_11 48:26

That's right.

SPEAKER_10 48:27

Don't let them fool you.

SPEAKER_11 48:29

Well, in that case, then that would have us the. We've all experienced partaking as being Martha.

SPEAKER_10 48:35

Yeah. Oh, yeah. That's right.

SPEAKER_11 48:39

Because um she thought being busy and doing it. That's right. Amen. But what did Mary do? Sat at his feet. Set that at his feet. Yay. And so we've all experienced Martha to where it's to the point like, okay, Lord, hold on now. Am I having a Martha experience right now? What am I supposed to be doing? Right. And I would have to say, even with me, you know, when you think about the Proverbs 31 woman, you know, I'm one of those that get up early, make sure everything is in order and in task and stuff. But there have been some Martha times in my life. Amen. And the Lord would have to check me and tell me, oh, hold on, Mary, you're getting too busy because I ain't in all of this. That's right. That's the key. And so then it's like, okay, come on back. Come on back. And it's like, okay, I'm married now. Really? You know, but when we think about it from that perspective as to what woman in the Bible we are, we have to think about in our lives as a whole. We've experienced all these little things.

SPEAKER_09 49:47

What way are the other things? We've experienced it.

SPEAKER_10 49:51

And look at where we are now. Thank you, Jesus. So I love sitting in speaking. Come on. I can be lazy. I can be lazy.

SPEAKER_07 50:10

Real high. That's what I was thinking. I'm sitting here like that. So that's true.

SPEAKER_09 50:32

Yeah, yeah, yeah. My God. I want to ask you with the issue. When with the issue of blood. Yeah, I was thinking about everybody. That's wrong. I had to go there. I'd be telling all my business.

SPEAKER_10 50:50

Your business is God's business.

SPEAKER_03 50:52

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_10 50:55

I'm glad to give my testimonies.

SPEAKER_05 50:58

That was the benefit of the body that you share your testimony. That's right. Absolutely. I think the thing that might keep you from telling on yourself is pride. Because God ultimately will give the glory. That's right. You know. And it's just, well, I don't want people to know, you know, and I hear that a lot. Well, that's not your business. If it's you and you belong to him, no, it's not your business. It's God's business. Yes. And he expects us to share what he's done and is doing in our lives.

SPEAKER_09 51:25

Amen. That's the key.

SPEAKER_10 51:29

Anything that you go through living outside of the will of God, once you accept Jesus as your personal Savior and make him your personal choice, I say that all the time, make him your personal choice. You have to give the acknowledgement or you have to be that testimony that can help others. Absolutely. So that's why I don't mind because there are people that are probably looking at all of us, say, I remember where she, I remember when they you know, but if you tell it and give the glory to God, be transparent, that's it. Be transparent. Don't tell it.

SPEAKER_02 52:09

Yes.

SPEAKER_10 52:09

Who's gonna tell it? I'm gonna tell it. How about that?

SPEAKER_05 52:12

And you know the beauty in that too? You telling it yourself. We've got a friend. I hope this brother don't mind me broadcasting this. We got a brother, a friend named Al Palmer. Yes. He's good. He's a pastor, a minister of the Lord. He's been in here. Very, very dear. I remember seeing him. And um to know Al, he has a history of being an alcoholic. Yes. You would never attach that to Al. But guess who tells you that whenever he has opportunity? He does. Praise God. And praise God for that testimony because if he didn't tell it, you'd never know it. That's right. This man is so walking with the Lord and blessing people just by his very presence. He would have to share that testimony with you. And it just shows you how God can turn some person to turn them around and make them brand new. Alice, brand new. That's right. We wouldn't know it unless he told on his system. That's right. That's good. So we need to be able to do that. That's good.

SPEAKER_11 53:15

You get on a point too, because that's what our young people are looking for. You know, oftentimes we have a tendency as church people to get up and feel like we got it all together. But we don't want to take it back to where the root was how we got to where it were.

SPEAKER_09 53:33

You know what I'm saying? Yes.

SPEAKER_11 53:34

We want to give the glorious ending part. But young people today want to know how did you get to the younger did you have to go over some mountains? Did you have to go down into some valleys? And if we tell the truth and let it be known, that's where we have grown that is in the valley. It has not always been a mountaintop. Yes, ain't that the truth? Young people need to know this. They sure do.

SPEAKER_05 54:03

That's right. That is right.

SPEAKER_11 54:05

We haven't always, none of us here, we haven't always had it together. We've grown to that point. We've experienced God for who He really is. A lot of people know God, but we don't want to tell them about how we've experienced it. That's right. That's right.

SPEAKER_05 54:20

There's power in truth and transparency. That's right. That's how you get, because like you say, these young people are looking for truth. Many of them, most of them don't go to church because they see Christians as fake. That's right. That's right. They want somebody to be real.

SPEAKER_11 54:35

That's what mama used to say, fake it to make it.

SPEAKER_05 54:38

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:42

Fake it to make it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So true. Excellent. You know, I used to tell my children, you know, some of my experiences. And next thing I know, they would, well, Mama, you know, you did this and you did that. And so I was like, yeah, I did do that and I did that. I mean, they it was like a recording, like they knew they recorded this thing. But, you know, I wanted to let them know, yeah, I did that, but look what I came out of. God brought me out of that. And that's why I, you know, I'm that's why I am like I am today. Because God, I was, I did that. Yes, I did. But look where I am today. God brought me out. And that's what we want to let the young people know. Yes, you may have seen your parents or uh a brother, sister older than you, whatever, have done things. But look, if they have given their lives over to Christ and they're living for him every day, guess what? That's what that was the old man. The Bible talks about how they say, uh, uh, uh, I'm a new creature now. I'm a new creature in Christ. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things are made new. So, you know, don't look at what a person has done, but look at where they are today. Now, you may look at it as a some people use their their experience as a guidepost, but please don't use it as a leaning post. Something good means backup. That's right.

SPEAKER_09 56:01

That's right. So true.

SPEAKER_10 56:02

Okay, so it's time for us to close out this session. Yeah, already. Yeah. You want to pray us out?

SPEAKER_07 56:11

Yeah, we got that. Gracious God, we just thank you once again, Lord God. We thank you for this gathering, Lord. We thank you right now, Lord God, that your presence is in this room. Yes, Father, we want you to know that we love you, oh God. We love you, God, because you first love us. Yes, thank you. Oh God, would be continuously open, Lord God, and their hearts, oh God, to receive your word, oh God, in the name of Jesus. Let them know, God, that you love them in spite of everything that's going on in their lives, oh God. Thank you, Jesus. You love them that much, Father God. And I thank you right now, Lord God. And as we continue this discussion, I pray, Father God, that that you will give us wisdom, give us knowledge, oh God, and understanding. Most of all, God, give us insight on what you want us to do and what you want us to say to your people on this day, Lord God. And we thank you and we praise you in Jesus' name.

SPEAKER_10 57:32

Thanks for tuning in, and we look forward to having you back next week.