OverWELLmed (this is not misspelled)-Walk with me TO THE WELL

These pictures were taken on a mission trip to Uganda in 2013.  I traveled with Jesus and the staff of Passion Partners, the global missions organization of Her Passion ministries, founded by Candice Moore (formerly Candice Ashburn).   These photographs are relevant to this post because we are actually walking to the town well, and this blog update is the overflow from a recent talk I was blessed to give about “The Woman at the Well”.

The message I delivered was  part of a study called “OVERWHELMED”.  The study addressed the “deep waters” we can find ourselves or someone we love drowning in.  Rica McRoy (a close friend, cherished mentor and gifted teacher) was obedient to the Lord’s call and began writing this study back in 2012.  All God gave her in the beginning was the word-OVERWHELMED- (similar to Noah’s  “build an ark” and  Abram’s “go to a place I will show you”).  HE has been writing the rest of the details, one day at a time, since then, as Rica diligently penned the words HE wrote on her heart.  Along the way, Rica enlisted some additional teachers and I was blessed to be one of them.  We taught alongside Candice Moore (founder of Her Passion Ministries) in the fall of 2012 at a Women’s Retreat, entitled OVERWHELMED, and just recently taught OVERWHELMED again at a local women’s weekly Bible study.

This study navigated deep flood waters:  depression, illness, death of a loved one, caring for aging parents, rejection, infertility, loneliness, unemployment, grief over prodigals, the strongholds of addiction, the wounds of abuse, the prison of unforgiveness, the sting of betrayal, the burden of sin, shame and regret etc…  Everyone could find themselves somewhere in the OVERWHELMED catalog, either presently or in their past.

Rica asked me to do a testimony/teaching talk and asked that I dig deeply into The Woman at the Well.  The Woman at the Well is one of my favorite Bible characters.  I have always been fascinated by the way she embraced grace, upon her encounter with Jesus!  She went from marginalized, lonely, downcast eyed and despondent TO middle of town, drawing a crowd,  intentionally going eye to eye and joyful!  How does one change that dramatically from one encounter with one man by one well?

I nick named the Woman at the Well, “Sam”,  because she was from Samaria.   Sam’s story offers hope!  If she had an encounter with Jesus that changed her forever, and we believe that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and we believe the HE is faithful and calls us into fellowship with HIMSELF, then wherever we fall on the OVERWHELMED SPECTRUM, we are a prime candidate for being the poster child for THE OLD IS GONE-THE NEW HAS COME!  I think I have always been drawn to SAM, because I see myself in her.  I lived a long time believing the lies and labels in my head, the names I had given myself based upon my past choices BUT the day I “got grace and grace got me”(thank you Louie Giglio) was one encounter with Jesus through one friend,LeAnn, at one well, called Nothing But Noodles!  I have a booth there that is literally Holy Ground for me!  Everything changed that day and “not telling” was “not an option”.  Sam ran back to town and blurted out: COME, MEET A MAN WHO TOLD ME EVERYTHING I EVER DID. COULD THIS BE THE MESSIAH?  The town was drawn to Jesus because of her testimony and that is the simple prayer for my life: May every path I cross be drawn to Jesus for themselves!

Gal. 5:1 (MSG) “Christ has set us free to live a free life.  So take your stand!  Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.” (Including ourselves-we can be our own worst sabotagers)  I was believing God for the miraculous the day I taught-for “CELL DEPORTATION” (formal removal from) to  “WELL IMPARTATION” (a sovereign or divine bestowing that enables us to do what we’ve not been able to do before) for EVERY CAPTIVE WITHIN EARSHOT!  Our God is WELL(pun intended) ABLE to do more than we can ever dream or imagine. I know my prayer for the impossible was the will of God; therefore the answer is always YES!  “He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it!” (1 Thess 5:24)

As we dove into “Sam’s” story , we saw ourselves!  Jesus was on a mission.  He had a divine appointment coming up in Samaria (and at the OVERWHELMED STUDY) and he was not letting anything get in the way of HIS pursuit of one lonely girl, one outcast in need of a Savior, a weary rejected daughter in need of a word of hope, a thirsty soul in need of LIVING WATER!

As the study came to a conclusion that day, I left the women with a challenge, a challenge that was inspired by a TED Talk-Ideas Worth Spreading.  This particular talk was Frank Warren: Half a million secrets.  Frank Warren has now started Postsecret.com.  This movement began when Frank handed out 3000 post cards on the street of DC, asking people to share a secret that they had never told anyone.  Frank began to receive postcards from all over the world, with people sharing things they had never shared before.  Frank said, ” Secrets remind us of countless dramas, of frailties and heroism, playing out silently in the lives of people around us, even now.” And when asked if he ever shared his secrets, Frank responded “yes”, in every one of his Postsecret books.  Frank said, “It was through the kindness of others sharing their secrets, their stories, that I was able to face and heal from some that had haunted me!”

THE CHALLENGE: What is your story?  What does the enemy want you to keep so deep that it keeps you in your decorated dungeon?

Each lady had an envelop with a stamp on it, and I asked them: “If you feel led to do so, write out your story-a name is not necessary, and send it to me, knowing that you have :

**a sister in Christ who is joining you in your “CELL DEPORTATION” and your “WELL IMPARTATION’

**a sister who weeps with you, raises up your story to Jesus and watches our crimson stains washed white as snow together!

**a sister who walks in the light with you and uses every part of our past, present and future to magnify the NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES!

I encouraged the women to write out their secrets, their sin, their shame, their regret…wherever they were on the journey thus far, and let the Light of Christ shine all over it! (whether they chose to send it to me or not)

Through the lens of HIM, the need for healing can be recognized, the healing that is in progress can be celebrated and continued and the freedom, that has been won, can be embraced and shared with those who need the hope of Jesus!

Sharing our past, our WELL encounter, and the restoration and fulfillment that only THAT JESUS can bring about ushers in freedom for those still in captivity and gives hope to the hopeless!

**The goal of our live is not for others to love us or praise us but for our lives to point others to GOD and let HIM restore their lives forever!

In the words of Paul Harvey:  THE REST OF (SAM’S) STORY

“The Samaritan woman was never seen again because a new creation emerged, no longer bound by racism, chauvinism, religion, or shame!  She is still here though and where ever she is spotted, she leaves the aroma of Christ and a thirst for the MAN who is LIVING WATER!  All who cross her path become OVERWHELMED BY A HOLY THIRST and can not help but run to THE WELL for themselves!

Her legacy leads HER HEAVENLY FATHER TO SAY:

WELL done!!! (pun intended:)

I am still collecting stories and I am “overwhelmed” with gratitude to be entrusted with the colorful tapestries of your lives!  In almost every story I have heard, many have believed the lie that they are the only ones that have ever felt a particular way.   SO let us start by dismantling that one today-YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND YOU HAVE SISTERS ALL AROUND YOU WHO ARE READY AND WILLING TO EMBRACE YOU WITH GRACE & LOVE!  The enemy wants you to believe you are unworthy, unlovable and unwanted but because of WHO CHRIST IS & WHAT CHRIST DID that is not truth! We are who God says we are and THE WORD SAYS:

“HE SAVED US, NOT BECAUSE OF WORKS DONE BY US IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN MERCY, BY THE WASHING OF REGENERATION AND RENEWAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT” (TITUS 3:5) (we are worthy because Christ lives in us and makes us new! We can not boast and take any of the credit!)

“BUT GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE FOR US IN THAT WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US!” (ROMANS 5:8) (we are loved, not because we are so lovable in and of ourselves but because GOD is so loving!!!)

“FOR YOU FORMED MY INWARD PARTS; YOU KNITTED ME TOGETHER IN MY MOTHER’S WOMB.  I PRAISE YOU, FOR I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE.  WONDERFUL ARE YOUR WORKS; MY SOUL KNOWS IT VERY WELL.  MY FRAME WAS NOT HIDDEN FROM YOU, WHEN I WAS BEING MADE IN SECRET, INTRICATELY WOVEN IN THE DEPTHS OF THE EARTH.” (PSALM 139:13-15) (HE does not make things HE does not want! GOD does not need us, or our help:) HE made us because HE wanted us! That WOW’s me!)

I look forward to sharing the stories of many sister’s in Christ upon their permission.  And I pray that this blog post will encourage you to write out your own journey thus far and let the light of Christ shine all over it!  I would love to hear your stories too!  Feel free to send me an email at Katiewilson40@gmail.com.

LET FREEDOM RING!

GoGod