Hey, friends. Welcome to Episode 1 80 of
the fierce calling podcast. I'm your host, Doris
Swift. Welcome to the show. So glad to
have you this week, We have guest S
Har ritchie. You're gonna love this guest so
much. I'm so thankful to Stefan sell of
the Gospel spice podcast. She is the host
of that podcast. She introduced us. And she
is great about connecting people. So thank you.
Stephanie for connecting S in in me so
she could be on the show. The
episode title is intrigued by faith, how wanna
agnostic discovered god's redeeming love.
We're talking all about her story and she's
sharing how
she has what she calls broken past and
ugly past,
and
she had so many things in her past
that were really hard things like c dependency
and an abortion
abused divorce, but god has redeemed all of
that broken past. And, she was exposed to
so many different religions, and she's gonna share
that, but how
the
authenticity and genuine faith that she observed into
Christian friends when she went to a bible
study that really intrigued her.
And so it's... It's just a fascinating story
you wanna listen in.
And also, fran, if you are looking for
speaker, I would love to have a chat
so check out my speaking page at doris
with dot com or at my profile at
women's speakers dot com.
This episode is amazing. It's filled was serious
and sensitive subjects,
but you'll also find it light and fun.
I don't know if I've laughed as much
with Any other guest is I have with
S. She is truly joyful and I know
what she shares will encourage, inspire and challenge
you. So listen in while I have a
chat. With S Har.
What is threatening to steal your joy?
What is it that feels so heavy?
Right now
that you could barely stand.
God has a plan,
and his plan is
to surrender it.
Surrender it to him.
It might be a prod,
It might be
a relationship, a marriage,
something with your job.
So many things. We have so many amazing
blessings,
but there are so many things in our
life. The threaten to steal our joy.
I'm Doris Swift,
Author of the award winning 6 week bible
study,
surrender the Joy Steelers red the Jesus Joy
in you. And it helps women red
the overflowing ever present Jesus joy within
that fills,
empowers
and ripen the fruit that god produces in
our lives.
Using personal and biblical stories.
I share how you can identify your joy
dealers,
surrender them to God, re awake the joy
within
and share the joy with others.
You can do it on your own or
with a group.
If you're looking for a bible study for
this summer,
check it out friends,
surrender the joyce dealers.
Red the Jesus joy in you.
It's available
on all the online retailers.
It's time to take your joy back.
Welcome back to the show. Today I am
very excited to introduce you to my friend,
S Rei,
She is a passionate bible teacher, award winning
author, a speaker and a coach. She has
a heart for seeing lives transformed by the
power of God's word, and she holds a
master's in biblical and theological studies, as well
as a master's in criminal justice. That's fascinating
to me. I might be asking a little
about that, S. Welcome to the show, so
great to have you.
Oh, Doris. Thank you for having me. This
is a joy. I'm I'm Excited to get
started. Too. I feel like... I've gotten to
know you just by checking out your website.
It's the coolest thing. You share so many
great tidbits about yourself. Which I love, you
know? And it just kind of brings out
the connection that people might see, oh, I
did that too. Like you were talking about
how
you always loved piano and you took lessons
and everything,
but it wasn't something that... I mean, you're
not gonna be playing in the in the
Phil Harmon group.
No. You would not want me to be
playing any any place on this. On a
stage with a microphone Yes. Story. I love
the piano, and we We got a piano.
I always wanna take lessons when I was
a child, and then we...
I was working at a bank and a
friend was moving, and she was selling her
piano. So I bought her piano, started taking
lessons when I was an adult, the kids
were still younger.
It it just
I I could play these pieces, but it
wasn't like,
I could sit down at a piano right
this moment and just crank something out. Like,
I couldn't... It took me, like, a week
to learn a piece, and then I could
play it or even for a rec recycle
and then it was, like, gone. But
Right. Right. Yeah. You... I mean, I played,
and I did the little re recycled and
so forth, and and I I took I
continued with it a little bit into my
early adult years, but the truth was I
simply I love the piano, and I love,
you know, like, all my favorite most of
my favorite worship songs you can hear the
Piano as a background. I that's part of
it, You know? But I just don't have
a natural ability. So I gotta let's, you
know, let that go.
I've kinda let mine go to.
And so but I really do love the
piano as well, so I really clicked and
connected when I read that part of your
story, but I would love if you would
share with our listeners today.
Some of your story. However the Lord leads
and how you're currently taking action where your
passion, compassion and conviction intersect.
Yeah.
So,
a little bit about me.
I'm first generation American, both of my parents
immigrated to
to the states from other countries. My father
came from Morocco, and my mother came from
Latvia.
So I have 1 parrot that each came
from 1 hemisphere. They met in New York
City the melting pot of the world, and
that's where I grew up.
But there was a lot of,
challenges.
I mean, even before I was born,
My my parents had not... Were not married
when they got pregnant. Mh And,
my... I only learned this made many years
later on that my
my grandmother
was was was trying to... You know, pressuring
my mom to consider getting an abortion. Thinking
it was the best thing for her like,
you're not ready.
But, my father stepped in, and he's like
no No. Let's let's get married. And so
even right from before I was born, I
see God's hand.
And and and and and and just having
some of that background.
And then,
my parents,
sadly, by parents divorced when I was 12,
so that was pretty rough. That's a rough
age, you know,
began, you know, making a lot of mistakes,
a lot of poor choices,
as a young teen,
found myself pregnant at the age of 15,
and
my mom felt it was best for me
to get an abortion, which I did.
And I... You know, we weren't Christian. I
didn't mention that, like, we weren't Raised Christian.
Either my parents really had any faith, and
I didn't believe in God and
But
you know, that was sort of
1 major turning point in my life where
I started
really
making some self destructive choices after that.
So it so it started out kinda of
rough. I mean, you know,
you know, I mean, I'm sharing that, you
know, the the tough highlights just to give
some background.
But
as a as a young adult,
ended up meeting a,
a man who was
an alcoholic and abusive, and I was kinda
c dependent and an enabler, you know, this
poster poster
poster child, you know mix of
kinda dysfunction.
And
we ended up staying together for 14 years
because our dysfunction worked together.
Yeah.
That's how that way. It's a it's a
sad but common reality. You know? And, yeah.
And
I we ended up getting divorced, but but
oddly enough, It didn't happen until the year
that
I got saved.
You know, god brought us to a viable
study where I, you know, heard about God
for the first time and I'm like, gosh,
this is
this is very different because... So let me
give you a little background really My father
was raised moderate muslim. My mother was raised
Lutheran, but not really
practicing. My
former husband was Catholic. My best friend was
buddhist, and my step is jewish. Hope.
So
it's like, I had all these people in
my life with all these different religions,
But I never met anyone that had faith.
Mh.
Until I was in that bible study.
And
and it and it and it just, you
know, God began a little journey to open
my eyes to the truth.
And
when that happens,
and
truly got saved me and changed me, and
and I recognize recognized my need for him
and so forth.
But as a result of that
even in the beginning that little
transformation that dysfunctional pattern that I had in
my marriage wasn't working anymore because I was
breaking the cycle,
and sadly, he filed for divorce.
So so it was a crazy year. You
know, I got saved and divorce in the
same year.
But, you know, God uses a lot of
those stories that I just shared
when I tell my story as I'm doing
now or through the materials I write and
so forth.
Because he has redeemed it. He truly truly
has redeemed it. He has given me
such joy
in
studying and exploring and teaching the stories in
the Bible
of people who also experienced
really tough heartache.
Or felt alone or hurt
or they were betrayed or abused in some
way. I mean, those are the stories. I
call them the messy stories in the Bible.
And
and I feel like that's where that intersection
comes in. It's, like, my passion is
to to wants know god and share who
God is with others
but also to reach those who like myself,
like, gosh. I've got it. Like, you know,
can god really can god really redeem this
hot mess, you know,
Oh, yes, He can. You know, Oh, yes,
He can. And so
yeah. So so many years after I became
a Christian after a lot of healing, a
lot heart work,
God called me to go to seminary, which
is a kind of a funny story. I
can talk about it if you want me
to. But
it wasn't expected. It all is all I
can say, You know, never kind of expected
that. And then after seminary just began writing
these files studies on these wild people the
studio you know stories that we just don't
talk about very often. Yeah.
I love that. But, you know, how you're
talking about the hot mess stuff, but I
do love that. It's in the Bible, like,
you know, god didn't leave us. Oh. Yeah.
So the connection that you have felt with
these different. And I you know, we sometimes
tend to say characters in the Bible. They're
real people. You know? Sometimes we think of
characters is like, out a sitcom or something.
But these real
true to life people
and really reading their story and putting ourselves
in that place, like, to not just glaze
over it or gloss over it and really
dive deep into it. So I love how
you
were drawn to write these studies based on
these different people in the Bible
who you felt connected with
and also felt like it was gonna be
a message of hope for other people because
God obviously gave you these
studies to write, and I also love earlier
how you were talking about. You are exposed
to so many different
face,
but none of them really had faith
until you came to the chair.
It kind of
like, right there in your face, like the
truth and how it changed you,
and you saw something different in that when
you went to that bible study,
Do you remember what study it was Was
it was it a general study just that
as out of the bible? Or...
Yeah. It was a it was a smaller
church that we have been invited too. It
was still married at the time, you know?
And I... Actually, it was even fine that
we ended up in the study at all
because I wasn't invited. It was... My former
husband was invited. He was raised catholic.
And so he was he was he was
like, even though... He likes the people that
invited him. And so he comes him, and
he says, we're gonna go to this bible
study and front... I'm like, what's a viable
study. And what does that mean? I mean,
I... You know, I had never even gone
to sunday school. I don't I don't... And
and we met in a bar.
You know, It's like, you wanna go to
a bible. I don't... It just made a
click. And I'm like, it did not click,
you know, But so we go. Mh. And
yeah, like, as I was sharing, I've just,
you know, having been exposed to all of
these different religions people who had group grown
up in different various states. And then to
come to this group of people,
who were loving, sincere friendly,
normal, you know, And yet, they had an
honest, true heart
soul and mind
conviction
that they believed what they said they believed.
And I had never seen that before. Yeah.
And I and And I was intrigued. I
I mean, I was I was attracted to
it, but not... I mean, I was more
like intrigued initially, like, okay.
They believe this...
I believe the, kind of the opposite almost,
you know, like... And I mean, I wasn't
convinced there was no god because that's pretty
arrogant, like, how would I know? You know?
But I certainly,
wasn't agnostic. Mh. You know Like, I... Like,
I don't know. If there is a god,
but I have no basis to believe there
is. So that's kinda where I was. And
yet, here are these people that I...
It was appreciating and enjoying and
respecting them,
all different walks of life, you know, and
their faith was just
intriguing to me. And And I and I'm
I'm kind of a black and white person
sudden black and white think are very analytical
kind of person.
And so, you know, in my mind, I'm
like, well, either they're right or I'm right.
You know, we we both can't be right.
You know, this concept today, like, your truth
is your truth. I was like, you, I'm
sorry. Truth is truth. Yeah. You know, either
size is blue
or it's not. Do you know, 2 plus
2 is 4 or it's, you know, That's
how I
and so, you know, I'm like, okay. 1
of us is wrong. You know,
either, the way I'm thinking is wrong or
the way they're thinking is wrong. And
you know, to god, and he's a great
actually to tell you funny a quick story.
I was
you know... So I was going to this
bible study, I'm listening, and I'm hearing about
the bible, and, you, I had never opened
a bible didn't even own a Bible?
But
but I wanted to figure out, like, okay,
is this real? Or is this not real?
You know? So I I felt... I go...
And and I'm also an avid reader, Like,
just... I've been a book form since I
was... Since I could read. My mom actually
kept the stack of shoot in a shoe
a reader the year award because I wanted
every year for for how much... I was
just a v reader. So I'm a reader.
So I go to the Christian bookstore,
And and I know, I never been in
there before. I don't hardly know what I'm
looking for, But I knew I wanted some
books, you know, to help me. And so
a salesperson comes up, but he's trying to
be helpful. And he says, you know, you,
can I help you what you look for?
Says, I'm trying to find a book for
somebody
who's trying to figure out if God is
real?
And so the guy thinking,
you know, I figured this out later. He's
thinking I'm asking for a friend. Like, I
must be a Christian, and I'm trying to,
you know,
witness to a friend? He's like, well, tell
me about this person, You know, how how
old are they? Did they grow up in
the church? What do they believe? Because he's
trying to help figure out what resources do
give me And he was as, all these
questions. I finally just looked at him and
I said,
well, it's for me.
And I could just see like the light
shiny. You know, it's like, in a head.
He's probably going, like, oh, we got potty
woman
you know, like, they're so excited.
And bless are, you know, he piled me
up with this the stack of books I
read them all,
and, you know, God just really began chipping
away at the the false beliefs that I
had been trained,
believe without question.
You know, and and and I was being
challenged by these resources and also the the
people in the study to quest gym? Like,
okay. Well, you believe that, what does it
look like? How does it work? You know,
is evolution real? If, you know, if... How
did the world come in existence? At what
about humans and... What about love? What you
know, all these different things. And it really
started rattling my world, like, you know, I
I recognized the things that I believe in
did not have a strong foundation.
And so,
you know, after about 6 months,
I came to the realization, there has to
be a God.
But the next question was is, like, okay,
but then is Jesus Scott. You know, that's
what this group had been saying, you know,
Jesus god, the god of the Bible is
the true god, you know, and I'm like,
how is that? It sounds almost too good
to be true.
Oh, I mean, he just... It felt to
me like,
you know, the story of the gospel in
a sense to me at that time felt
like a fairy tale that I was afraid
to believe and be let down and lied
to. You know? Yeah
it's just too good to be true.
But God and his mercy
began you know, just working in different ways.
And he actually... You know, I kinda jumped
ahead earlier
when I said my my former husband filed
for divorce. He did, but that was a
few months later on. But before that happened,
you know, he's still going to this bible
study also.
On his own journey, you know? And he
began... His behaviors began to change. You know,
He wasn't as abusive. He wasn't as foul
mouth. He wasn't his you know, drinking as
much.
And for me at the stage that I
was at, it was sort of, like my
personal miracle, like, God was showing the power
that he can't have in someone's life if
they're willing.
And it was just the piece that I
needed, you know, to to come face to
face. Because I understood sin again, being that
black and white person I remember with the
pastor was like, well, do you believe you're
a sinner? You know? And bless his heart.
He meant, you know, but but I think
he was expecting me to say, well, I'm
not a bad person, you know, I've did,
you know, did a few things. But, you
know, I'm not like Hitler, this 1 that
1. But I looked and it was like,
oh, yeah. I am a sinner. Like, if
that's 1 it is. I mean, I was
sunk at 14, you know. And and and
he was kinda of funny because I think
it took them a little bit by surprise.
But
You know, science so I understood that. I
understood
my need for salvation if if there is
a true god that I've offended with my
sin.
And
but then seeing, my former husband changed was
sort of, like, that little piece of
miracle in my life. And I and I
gave my heart to the lord,
I asked him to forgive me and, you
know, wanted him to be my savior and
my lord for the rest of my life
and he truly truly opened my eyes.
Sadly, my former husband within a few weeks
had really slipped back to exactly where he
was before.
And then he filed for divorce. See it
reminds me of the the parable of the
soils that Jesus teaches and, you know, how
some have that... They they they they initially
spring up because they're excited and they're hearing
it the gospel, but they never develop any
root. They never really take hold of who...
Of God in their lives, and so they
fall away. And sadly, that's that's what happened.
But God continue to
grow me and teach me and Yeah. Had
a lot of
beautiful. Yeah.
Story when you when you look at it,
like you were saying earlier, you could see
god's
hand print on everything.
And how
you had even when you didn't have
the firm foundation, like, when you were agnostic
or considering yourself at an agnostic,
you had
enough of that foundation to know that there's
either truth or not.
You know, and not the whole buying into
the lie of everybody has their own truth.
You know, what's true for you is good
for you. What's good, you know, if you
feels good do. You know, whatever the world,
you know, messages are for everybody to find
their truth, and there's only 1 truth, Jesus,
the way the truth and the life.
Of so I I think that's fantastic. And
then plus, he just... He created you to
be this avid reader
that you were so hungry to read, and
he just knew okay. And then you're saying,
what is a bible study? He's probably going
wait till you see what's gonna happen next
for you, S.
You're gonna write these things. You don't even
know what they are. You know, it's... I
didn't even know what they were. Yeah. That's
really wild. Wild. Very cool. Yeah. So then...
I love that. What happened after that. Okay?
So then you you went to seminary. You
you were called to that. And and then
how did this journey begin where you felt
like you were gonna write these studies. And
I love the fact like, we were saying
earlier.
If you could go through the different
stories that you've written, the bible stories that
you've written,
and then, the bible studies rather, and then
I love the tagline lines
of them because
they are
meaningful and purposeful to the person who's going
through, and it makes it
personal
for us to see, like Ray hat just
red discovering the god who sees me. And
I love how you said red discover. When
I wrote my bible study,
surrender the joyce dealers. I purposely said red
discover
the Jesus joy in you. Because it's not
something that wasn't there before, like, just red
it. Mh. And then someone had said, well,
why isn't it just discover? And I said,
well,
my audience is people who know who know
Jesus,
but they've just forgotten that they have this
joy.
So that's why I love how all of
your tag lines...
Because I think they all have that word
red discovering. Right? Yeah. This... The so... So
the series,
there's 4 books of the series right now,
and they are all... So the first 1
that I wrote was a H ga.
And so that 1 is, H. Red discovering
the god who sees me. And, actually, she
was the inspiration for the entire series.
And then because the series title is
on,
exploring the Bible un some heroes.
And so, hey Was the first 1, and
then Legion was the second 1 I wrote,
and that one's called red rediscovered god who
rescues me based on the man possessed by
the demons Jesus rescues.
History is astounding.
And then, tam tomorrow, you and daughters love,
red discovering the God who redeem me, and
then Ray have which just came out. Red
the God who saves me. And so, yeah.
It's... I'm like you. It's at that whole
concept of, most of my audience,
are are already believers looking for more in
index studies, and so it is AAA
red discovering
who got is through the eyes of the
person that I study
in, in the bible. And each of these
studies are
fairly
meaty in depth studies. They're 6 or 7
weeks,
but I always tell people take double the
time... Like, take 12 weeks to do it
because you'll you'll want... You'll wish you'll be
glad to Yeah. That's that's great advice to
take a deep dive and just be able
to have things marinate. And just chew on
some things. Because we do tend these... Like
he said, the un sun un son heroes,
I think he said, I'm, yeah. The people
that we might read about, but yet
because they don't have, like, a whole book
dedicated to their name or, you know, if
there's just a few... There's passages here and
there about them, but being able to make
that connection of what the deeper
purpose of their life was and how it
also connects with ours. So that's what I
love to about your studies. Because I've got
Ray rehab you sent that to me. So
I love it. And just, you know, kind
of bringing in
how we can... We're just, you know, taking
notes and
application, I wanna say. That is applicable, and
how do we how do we find that
and and all of that. So I love
it, but it really too fa me how
you did the bible study on legion because
that was the demons that the man was
possessed.
So some of us might just read that
passage and think,
wow, what a
transformation
and
the pigs and all of that. You know,
everything like that. Like, that's like, whoa, visualize
that. That's kinda crazy. Right. But right. But
to have a whole entire bible study on
that?
Wow. Mh. That was amazing. How how did
you go about in expanding on
that.
I'm asked... That's a great question. I'm I'm
asked that a lot for all of the
studies? Like, how did you get a 7
week study that you study over 14 weeks
on on H ga or legion or any
of them. And, you know,
2 parts.
1 is
I think we tend to
read through the studies on a on a
service level. So we don't pause to, you
know, to... And so, and we do need
guides. Like, I need... You know, I read
commentaries, and then and then I serve as
a guide to the Bible study. So, you
know, we we don't... Necessarily have to do
on our own.
But there is so much packed
in these stories.
So much packed in these stories.
And when we take the time to really
dig in verse by verse and look at
even the the the words and the grammar
and the structure of the text you would...
Just... It's just amazing how much more it
opens your eyes to what's being
presented.
About who god is and how he... What
he wants to teach us,
there is so much in the text, but
not just the text alone, Like, you know,
what I say in all my studies and
those who have done several of them. Have...
They see this 1 pattern,
in the fact that I never begin my
bible studies in the passage where the care...
The person appears. So, you know, the story
of the man with the legion, he's in
and he's in Matthew's gospel and Mark's Gospel,
most material
is found in Mark's Gospel, chapter 5, but
I don't begin in March chapter 5.
Not actually beginning in Genesis 1 and I
spend just a Few days, just a few
days in Genesis 1 through 3 to give
us context. Okay. Well, where did Evil come
from? Why is it here? Why did god
allow it? You know, a how's... You know,
and and give us give us a framework.
First of all, for wide evils in the
world in the first place. We have to
you know, we we don't we don't wanna
overlook those basic questions because,
you know, it's fun study in this guy's
story because it's a wild story, and, you
know,
this little side note. It's my personal favorite.
I love all my studies the... Well, one's
not better than the other I promise. They
all have their unique
you know, benefits and blessings, but this particular
story is this 1 that resonates with me
deeply.
So there's that. So I... So there's a
lot of framework that's being provided.
I'll give you just 1 little example from
within the story. You mentioned the pigs, you
know, a lot of the times, you know,
with the demons
you know, they're cast into the pigs, the
pigs drown in the sea, and then, you
know, the question is like, well, what happened
to the demons or why did the pigs
drown or doesn't god care about the pigs?
Yep I talk about all of those questions,
but 1 little
insights is, and this is something I do
in all of my bible studies, every 1
of my bible studies looks at the bible
as a whole and tries to understand this
story within that framework.
I never separate the story from the bible.
We're not just gonna study Mark chapter 5.
We are gonna study that chapter within
the whole bible. And so in the bible,
there is a...
It's... I wouldn't call it a major theme,
but if there's a thread of this concept
of drowning the enemy.
So you when you... In major elements of
the Bible, not just... You know, so you
you have it first in the exodus,
where Feral army,
which are, you know, chasing God's people, god
delivers his people, and then the army drown,
and they're destroyed. And the the text
in exodus that talks about that is almost
it's very, very similar to... I'm gonna flip
all the way out of revelation.
Revelation talking about the lake of fire,
and and how the... How the enemy is
gonna be, you know, there's this lake of
fire going on.
And then you have the plagues and the
exodus. Have the plagues in revelation. There's a
lot of parallels
and then the story of the legion,
you got the drowning of the enemy.
And and and and it's a thread that
connects these pieces,
and gives us greater insight. It's it's basically
kind of like a fore shadow.
Of what yeah... What's gonna happen to the
enemy. Here's an example of what did happen
to Far army, army, and then ultimately, the
ultimate enemy
of the demonic forces are quote unquote round
in the lake of fire.
And it... It's important because it gives us
a bigger picture of what's going on in
this story. It's not just like, oh the
things were there, Let's just... If there's something
that we can actually learn about
what God is teaching in the bible as
a whole even through this 1 man's story
because every story in the Bible is in
there for a reason.
Everything is it... God does not do things
happen stands,
every
word in the Bible is there for a
reason. I know, 1 of the things I
say, all my studies when we when we...
Especially when we look at some
kinda more technical details of the text. It's
not all technical. I promise. I share my
personal stories I share funny stories
it's it's this this study that enrich it
on those levels, but we do go into
the detail on the text, you know? And
I... And,
and we talk about different
different elements of the text that help bring
out.
You know, what are these 1 of these
things about,
something that god wants to teach us through
the story.
And so in that in that case, it's
basically the destruction of of god's enemies. And
and there's interesting because when you go
and, of course, so I do the context
surrounding the immediate story. So I'm just gonna
flip back to Mark chapter 4. In March
chapter 4,
the disciples of Jesus are about to cross
the see a galilee,
and they... And they hit that major store.
Remember story where Jesus like, you know, calms
to see and so forth. Well, that happens
right before they meet this demonic man, the
man possessed with the demons, and that whole
event of this sudden storm, sudden crazy wild
storm that even frighten seasoned fisherman
which gives you a picture of the storm.
If they're scared, we should all be scared.
Right?
This is a this is a a fore
shadow of the kind the spiritual storm that's
coming towards them. You know, it's a it's
a it's a it's a it's a illustration
if if you will. And in that story,
the d... The the the disciples
actually accused Jesus, are you gonna let us
drown?
And so
you have this kind of this j position
between the disciples fearing for their lives,
and truly at risk if god doesn't step
in.
And then on the other side of the
story, you have the demons,
who end up drowned. Now, demons are spiritual,
so actually, they they go on, that's a
different discussion, but but they're still this picture
of the the of the destruction.
And so, basically,
God is showing... This is what's going to
happen.
It could have happened to you, but I'm
gonna rescue you, and so you have this
contrast again between the saved and the and
those who are going to be
condemned.
So it's there... And and I'm just talking,
like, we've only talked for 5 minutes about
the stories in there.
So
much in God's word when we take the
time to really
go through it and and look at the
look at the context, look at the bigger
picture of the bible
and then do do you do the technical
work. Look at the structure, look at for
the parallels, the keywords, all those kinds of
things. Which, you know, the bible nerd, those
are fun for me.
And
and really get a lot out of the
text. Yeah. And this guy story is amazing.
He becomes the first gentile evangelist. We said...
We often forget that. Yeah. You know? It's
just like, oh, he's
We just think about the scary sale they,
oh, the demons and the tombs and he
cuts and selfies naked. But I'm like, yeah.
And
right he gets rescued and it becomes an
evangelist. Like, this is crazy.
You know It's like
redemption on steroids. It's like so
that So.
Ridiculous. It's so powerful.
And I love... I love it. I was
kinda drawn to that
just, you know, I thought I gotta ask
her this. But I love how you were
connecting all those dots
and
not just the cultural, but like you say,
there's so much more in
diving deep in doing the study and understanding
it. And I love that your studies,
help people to do that but then create
a framework
for when they're studying on their own,
you know, and and doing... You have... Shu
there you go. You
I love it. I love what you just
shared because I have so many people come
to me. And they'll say, you know, I
didn't
know that I was studying the bible when
I was doing your bible study, but now
that I finished, I realized, I have so
many tools.
So it's not like,
Here's a book to teach you how to
study the Bible. Well, that sounds fine. Right.
Right? It's... Yeah. I mean, it does that
doesn't appeal to everybody. You know what I
mean? But when you learn by
kind of doing it following an example and
you're you're learning about this crazy story and
you're learning about who God is. And so
you're absorbing these these tools that are gonna
help you become a better student of God's
word, that just fills my soul, you know,
because
you know, that's that's what I want. I
mean, I I... You know, we all want
to grow deeper with God. And we do
that through his word. I mean, ultimately, we
know, prayer
community, all of those things. But but by
and large, it's going to be our personal
relationship with God through that he how he
has revealed himself through his word. He speaks
through his word.
And
when we lose
the joy
of of of of studying god's word, our
relationship with him when.
And most of us know when that happens.
Is we just don't know what to do
about it. Yeah. You know? And it's like,
it's not like, we're like, oh, that's okay.
I'm just gonna go, you know,
skydiving. I'll get my joy that way. No.
We know we want more. We want that
deeper intimacy. We're missing it, and we just
don't know how to do it. And I
think,
you know, stepping into these stories that are
fresh and new and we haven't spent a
lot of time in then before is almost
like reading god's word in a it's a...
It's a refreshing,
and it gets too excited about going on
your own and and it's. Yeah. Because bible
study
can really be intimidating to some people, or
maybe not really knowing how to how to
do it how to how to dive deep
So I I love this because as you're
explaining, you know, you don't wanna just write...
Oh, here's a bible study tool book, you
know,
learn how to stay. And, you know, it's
almost like, you know when you hide the
vegetables
with the kids,
you put the vegetables in some else, and
then they eat it, and they go, wow.
I really love these vegetables are so good.
And good for me.
But I love it. You us that's great.
Illustrations. Yeah. I That's a good in my
head, but I just...
I I love it so much too because
of all the different movements out there and
some are really
really
scary. Actually, in the name of Jesus, but
getting away from Bible.
Like, not even,
like, progressive and things like that is, like,
well, Yeah. It kinda becomes more of a
self help or, you know, that kind of
thing, but
the word. We we need the word. You
know, it it's fascinating and powerful, and it's
alive.
It's live. It's a alive and when we
have an opportunity to find a way whether
it's through these studies or other resource or
your studies, whatever whatever that step is that
kinda get you back into it, you know,
like, be thankful for that. Yeah. You know,
be thankful for the resource. Like, I'm thankful
for the things that have poured into me.
To give me a desire to know god's
word further. And, you know, 1 of the
things I show on my website, I forget
where maybe in the about
about S page or it could be about
ministry page, 1 of them. My love for
God's word was something I actually prayed for.
I mean, I had a love for God's
for it as a new believer especially because
when you're when you knew, it's it's all
new, you know? But but, yes, years goes
by.
Know, I was like, god I really love
studying your word and I love knowing your
word, give me a hunger
that In in a way, almost can never
fully be satisfied because we'll never fully get
to the end of God. Right? I said,
but I wanna hunger for your word that
never ends.
And I prayed for that.
And I and I think he he answered
that prayer, and that's appear, he would always
answer because it's his will for all of
us. And so my my my point is
is like, you can ask for that. If
you're not feeling hungry for God's word,
Pray, and God give you a hunger for
his word. Pray for, you know, resources or
teachers or whoever whatever it might be to
get you to the next step. Play for
all of that. You know, he will answer.
Yeah. I hate provided teachers for a reason,
you know. And
you know, I learned from teachers. I'd teach
others, others... You know, we're all on this
journey together.
And and if if we can bless 1
another. I mean, I think that's what the
whole body of crisis is for? That's right.
Thank you for that reminder
to, you know, pray for the hunger of
the word.
And that god will bring forth that hunger.
And how he does provide resources and and
others to to speak truth into our lives
and teach
and you being a fantastic example of that.
And I always have a heart for, especially
women who have come
from
a lot of broken openness. I mean, we've
all we all have broken stories in our
lives. I mean, for sure, some women that
I've talked with over the years
have this belief that's really believing a lie
that just because of where they've been what
they've done or what's been done to them,
that god cannot use them.
And that they don't have anything to give,
and they question their worth and their value
and all and all of that. And so
so it's just so
encouraging,
and powerful to hear
how you shared your
story.
And how god redeem at all and also
uses at all
for his glory. And for you're good, but
also for the good of those who say,
wow, that sounds a little like my story
And I just thought that was the end
of that, and that's all
there is for me, but that's not true.
Alright. So if you could know just share
a little bit more encouragement about that
before I have you share how the listener
can connect with you, what, you know, encouraging
words you have?
No. I pre hate that because, I mean,
I only shared a few pieces from my
story. I mean, I have daybreak in my
background,
cocaine use,
alcohol use, prom,
I just ref finished recording the video series
for the... Ray have Bible study, and I...
And...
And they're being edited right now, And I'd
got an email Yes, today from the video...
From the saying, here's video number 2. You
need to
you know, check it, make sure you're happy
with it. Right?
Well, I record these over the course of
the last 4 months, So I don't remember
which stories were in what. You know what
I mean? So I'm just... You know, I
I can't... Really I've got too much on
my plate. So
so I didn't remember exactly what was gonna
be said in this video that I recorded
back in January so this was months ago.
So anyway, so I turned it on, and
I'm listening to it in and about 3
minutes here, and I realized,
oh, I remember the story.
And it was, like, probably the hardest 1
to share in that series. It seems every
series that I
record.
There's a hard story that I share. You
know, just because it might encourage somebody who's
listening. But I spent years, you know, and
the night nightclub scene, I did okay. And
I did alcohol all the time and, you
know, slept with men. I don't even remember
their names,
and there was a group of 5 brothers
that I knew.
And
within 1 year I slept with all of
them but 1. And when I listened again
to that story, yes just yesterday, literally,
It
it shook me a little bit. Yeah I
mean, it's my own story. It's... I'm that's
so I knew what I said. I mean,
I I wrote these talks a year ago.
I, you know, you know, in preparation. I'm
gonna
but,
you know, it's not like I think about
those things all the time. So when it...
It's when it's brought to my attention again,
it's like the enemy just like, if he
can get 1 little finger nail in you
and bring that shame back,
He will. And I'll I'll be honest, I
had like, a minor setback. I was kinda
in a sad, not sad, but but she...
I guess, shane yeah. Painful mood.
For half of the day yesterday, which went
into my small group last night, and they
noticed that they didn't know what it was
until I shared later. I'm fine now. I
mean, God you know, this morning. I felt
like your mercy isn't new every morning. God
in this word. I feel good,
but
The enemy will use our past.
If we've not surrendered it to God, he
will use it again and again again. And
even after we surrender, if we're not
careful,
you know, it's always going to be a
target.
You know, for him. But if we have
to truly work through the healing, and and
I had done that. It it was just
kinda of like those moments, Sometimes you're just
tired. Yeah. You know, and it's like, you
know... That's when you're going. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. And and as I shared, shared,
this literally was last night today, I'm I'm
feeling fine. You know? And... Even yesterday, it
was just a mild
set. I'm just trying to get perspective. And
I... And I overthink everything. So I over
explained everything for gimmicks sense.
But anyway,
You know, it's a journey. It's a journey.
But my point is, as you were saying,
so there's an ugly story from my past.
Just 1.
It doesn't stop, God, from, be like, nope.
You're gonna be a teacher. I'm, like, And
like I said, really, I, I no plan
on I'm going to seminary. I had a
happy job. I was weren't gonna lie. I
was trying to figure out what my neck
career move was gonna be because I had
some choices, and I met with my pastor
and he was listening to all I was
doing, and I was Was blogging at that
time and doing a little bit testimonial speaking.
I wasn't
pursuing
writing and speaking. It just sort of God
was just opening doors and so I was
walking through them. And he's like, well, have
you thought about going to seminary.
And I'm like,
well,
until you set it out loud,
I mean, it had passed my mind once
a twice in the past, but I wasn't
it wasn't like on my radar. You know?
That was not where I thought my life
was going. But he had prayed and felt
like that was that 1 thing God was
wanting to bring out of our meeting together,
and he's, like, have you thought about Gone
summary? It was kinda funny at the time
because I was actually going there trying to
get something off my plate.
You know I was like, I had a
side job. I had a consulting job. I
had a regular job. And I I was
doing the blogging and all this, and I'm
like, I can't keep doing all these things.
I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do.
He's was like, wait we thought born 7
or
or something else you can do. So we're
kinda a potty. Yeah. Yeah. And I was
like, and who's gonna keep this? You know?
And
But thought,
that was that was... That was the sort
of
how do I say it? I would say,
it was exactly what I didn't know I
wanted to do.
Yeah You know what I mean is? And
I was like, oh, wow. So, you know,
I applied the following term. I got accepted
in the next 4 years. I, went to
seminary while balancing a job and,
anyway. So all of that, I'm going off
track a little bit, but oh, but my
point was,
So I got some... A lot of ugly
stuff in my past, and I've still only
shared honestly.
I've only shared a few things.
So
that doesn't mean anything to God. He... The
the all the more glory to him. Right.
You know?
Because he's the 1 that makes the trans
information. You know, he knew what he wanted.
So I'm speaking to those were listening here.
I'm 1 example, but it's true for every
1 of us when God created us, he
had a design and a plan
that's beautiful. Yeah.
And nothing that has ever happened in our
lives
can change what God created us to become.
The only question is are we gonna trust
him now that we know him
to begin that transformation to get us where
he wants us to be. Because not a
thing that you have done can change his
plan for you. And his plan for you
is good, and it's not because of what
you've done it's because of who he is.
So we always have to go back to
that. If we constantly are looking at ourselves
like, oh, how can God used me, How
can... Well,
god's pretty big
You know? He can use anything and he
created you in his
love. He created you. He can conceived you
in his thoughts in mind and heart.
Before you were physically conceived in your mother's
room.
And so
we have to reclaim,
you know, the truth of God you've made
me to serve you and bless others and
be transformed
into the image of your son.
And I don't...
I I wanna stop arguing doing with you
about that trip. Yeah. Wow, that I can't
do. Because I can't do it. He's doing
it. He does it. And it's... When we
finally come to grips with that, we we
be we begin our journey.
To where he wants us to be. Be
beautiful. Yeah. I mean, they could Ray rehab.
Actually any of the studies that I wrote
all the characters. It's the same thing. You
know, like, here's this crazy naked guy. He
you know, pe himself of this demon possess
he becomes an evangelist.
You know, Ray have a prostitute living in
his wicked wild city
And she becomes an ancestor of the of
the savior of the world.
Okay. I mean, like, and those are just
2 examples. Like, this is this is God's
business. He's in the redemption business. He's
glorified in these stories, So don't short yourself.
Yeah. And and Rob others
of what you have to offer.
Once you allow god to do the work
in you that he wants to do. Man,
that is so powerful and encouraging to someone
listening right now. And And it's true. It's
like the enemy. Why why would we listen
to the enemy when he whispers, Who do
you think you are to accomplish this? Right.
And instead,
we need to say,
well, who do we think God is?
Because amen he can accomplish
through us. So... Because that's what Matt. Yeah.
Yeah. Wow. Yeah. That's really, really good. So
thank you so much for sharing that. I
know I know someone listening
really had a breakthrough
with
with that right now. And so thank you
so much for that. And I would love
if you would share how the listener can
connect with you and find all these wonderful
studies and get dive in.
Yeah. Well, thank you. Thank you. Well I
always joke that my name is very difficult
to remember, spell and pronounce. And so I'm
gonna I'm gonna make it easy for anybody
who's listening.
You could just any bible study that I
just mentioned, you can go to ray bible
study dot com. You can go to h
bible study dot com. You can go to
leads bible study dot com, and you will
find me. All of those
Urls will land right on my website,
S Har is just too hard. So
so just pick 1, you know, ray bible
study dot com Any 1 of them. You'll
land on my website. Go to the resources
section, You'll see a freebie
and go on there, get on my email
list, You'll get,
first of all, you'll get
3 or 4 full length teaching videos for
free.
1 on each of the studies, you'll get
my,
how to play on a sabbath date with
Jesus.
Because all of us are craving intimacy with
God, but we have to carve out the
time. And sometimes we have to relearn how
to do that. So I have a sabbath
date with Jesus tips. I also have a
quiet time guide just for your kinda your
morning quiet time hour or half hour or
whatever it is.
Again, just kinda kinda relearn learning the basics,
but there's a lot of ways I call
it a refreshing,
7 refresh or 10 refreshing ideas. I forgot
what number it is. But anyway, but just
just, again, ways to to ways to refresh
your,
old patterns
so that your time with the Lord feels,
get kinda gets just a fresh start. Yeah.
And all those resources will help you do
that. So I hope you'll join me there.
Yeah. And there's a fun bible quiz on
my website too under the resources if you
wanna do that and see if find out
if you're a bible. What is it? You...
You're either find out if you're a bible
nerd, novice or ninja. So wow. Check it
out. That's cool. I love quizzes. Then... And
I guarantee I can guarantee.
That if you do that quiz, which is
just 1 minute. I absolutely guarantee
that you're gonna learn something you never heard
before Nice. And these questions are gonna be
questions you've heard before. So you're... But you're
gonna learn something new. So check it out.
Oh, that's a challenge
to our listeners and to me. So we
need to check that out. And I love
on your website too because I was looking
at your website. It's it's really nice. And,
you have a video on there without takes
from your
from your teaching. Videos that you record. That
was
love that. Oh, yeah. Well, you know so
much. But everything looks so polished, you know,
and and and, like, people... You know, like
you'll see the videos, But, hey, friends. Let
me tell you, I, you know, I make
the blue just like everybody else. Yeah, We
made a b reel. So you could find
it. It was really cool. And that's so
ingenious about the Ray rehab bible study dot
com, like, how you named it the actual
bible study.
Dot com.
Great. Yeah. Well, it's... Like I said, my
name is it's just is just too hard.
Yeah. Have to smell every leather or better
and it beautiful. And then people I always
joke, people wanna put that a valve between
the h and r because Hr doesn't go
together in English, but it's Arabic. So
Just go to Ray hat bible study up.
That sounds easy, but you have a very
rich and exotic backgrounds. So
So I love her name, But anyway, this
has been so great. I... It's just been
a a blessing. And
and we we went over the time we
usually go because it was, like, are gonna
keep going with this because I I just
was enjoying so much. So thank you for
pouring into us today, And,
we'll look forward to finding out what else
is on the horizon for you
because
the studies go the studies and everything. And,
I hope to have you back on again.
Oh, that would be an honor. I would
be an honor. Yeah. This is this is
great. This was. Gatekeeper keep having brief. Refund.
Thank you so much, and I will put
all the links to the show notes, so
the listener can find you.
And God bless you and your ministry and
all that you're doing in the name of
Jesus, and we will talk soon, Friend. God
bless you. Thank you, George.
Thank you for listening, and I hope this
episode really blessed you and that you glean
prom
things that S
shared with us. I love how she brings
out themes in the Bible that we might
overlook and not really realize.
But how those dots connect? I love that
kind of stuff. Don't he... It's such an
intriguing and amazing thing we can connect and
dots and see bigger picture story
that god has in his word. And I'm
so thankful.
To have met S and to half as
a guest on this show because it was
a powerful episode and I just really so
enjoyed it, and I hope we did too.
And I hope you'll check out the show
notes also in my website, reach out to
me. I would love to connect with you.
At doris swoop dot com. You can also
find my bible study it's a 6 week
bible study surrendered the joyce Dealers, or red
rediscovered the Jesus joy in you.
You heard about that on the onset at
the beginning of the show. And so I
just wanna
mention that again. And so it's time to
surrender those joy steelers
and red cover the Jesus joy in us.
The joy we already have. Jesus gave us.
You give us his joy that ours people.
So I hope you enjoyed that, and I
will also
let you know if we are taking any
kind of break or anything, but for now,
I think we're going with
the every other week with them. So look
out for some great episodes coming up, and
I hope you'll join me next time.
And I talk with another woman who's taking
action for her passion compassion and conviction intersect.
Until then friend, half of blessed week, and
I'll talk to you soon.
Thank you for listening to this episode that
is part of spark media network that can
now be heard on the Edi app.