Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Beautiful. Well, it is still good morning. Yes, we think. No, it's not good morning. I'm looking at the time out there going, it's the afternoon. Well, happy Mother's Day. Thank you so much for joining with us, spending a part of your Mother's Day with us.
[00:00:17] We really appreciate it. And I know Mother's Day is not always an easy day, so I always like to start by saying to the one who has lost a mother, to the mother who has lost a child, to the mum flying solo today for the one that longs to be a mum, and to the spiritual mums to many, we love you. Happy Mother's Day. You are not forgotten. You were seen. It's so important that you hear that today. You were seen and we love you.
[00:00:49] Well, we are so excited that we've got our very first Eve women's event coming up in April, and there is a special in March. So please make sure that you get online and register. We are giving away two free tickets today. We wanna bless Sanya, Tony and Janet Dunning.
[00:01:11] So we know who you are. I'm not sure if you're here this service or you were here the first, but we really appreciate you, we really love you and we just wanna honour you and we just pray you're blessed by that. And the rest of you, get online to register. That would be so good.
[00:01:26] Well, if you know a little bit about me, I love color. Like, there's no point in wearing black if you can add some color to it.
[00:01:33] And I love flowers. And one of my favorite flowers are wildflowers. I love wildflowers because they grow anywhere and wildflowers grow everywhere.
[00:01:46] They do. They grow in very unexpected places. They grow in wide open meadows, like, where they're completely exposed to the elements of the sun. They also grow in wet environments. They grow on the forest floor, and they grow under the shade of massive trees.
[00:02:03] Wildflowers grow on cliff faces and roadsides. And do you know that there are even some wildflowers that grow in the snow?
[00:02:13] Yes, there are.
[00:02:15] You know, wildflowers are a perfect picture of how in every season, under all environments, there is potential for something beautiful to grow.
[00:02:27] I love that. And if you've ever walked through a field of wildflowers, you might have noticed something remarkable. Wildflowers are not planted in straight lines, like, they're not manicured or managed.
[00:02:39] They don't compete for attention.
[00:02:41] They just grow. They grow vibrant and free.
[00:02:46] You know, one of our neighbors last year planted some wildflower seeds on the grass where we park our cars in our state. And would you know that these wildflower seeds, they really took off like something crazy, like it looked like we had planted them.
[00:03:05] And so anyways, today I just pray, ladies, you've got some chocolates and some wildflower seeds as our gift to you.
[00:03:15] Plant them wherever you like, maybe on your neighbor's lawn.
[00:03:20] Just kidding. But plant them and may you know that you are God's wildflower.
[00:03:26] And he calls you to live vibrant, to live resilient, and to live free.
[00:03:32] You know, Jesus used wildflowers as a sermon illustration in Luke chapter 12.
[00:03:38] He is speaking to a people that very much weighed down by worry, like anxious about provision and survival and into their striving. Jesus speaks these very simple but beautiful words. He says, consider how the wildflowers grow.
[00:03:57] And that's our key scripture this morning is from Luke 12:27 to 31. And Jesus says, consider how the wildflowers grow.
[00:04:06] They don't labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these.
[00:04:16] And if that's how God closed the grass which is here today and thrown in the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he do for you?
[00:04:26] You of little faith, don't strive for what you should eat, what you should drink, and don't be anxious for the Gentile world eagerly seeks all these things and your Father knows that you need them.
[00:04:41] But seek his kingdom and all these things will be provided for you. Isn't that beautiful? Would you pray with me this morning, Father? God, I just thank you for these moments that we get to share together, worship in your Word. And I just pray that as your Word goes forward forth that it would achieve the purpose that you have created for it, Lord, it would not return to you void. I thank you that you are here. I pray you especially bless all the ladies in Jesus name. Amen.
[00:05:15] Amen. Well, I think Jesus teaches us, you know, where the wildflowers grow, there is community.
[00:05:20] And where the wildflowers grow, there is shaping. And where the wildflowers grow, there is freedom.
[00:05:28] And my first thought this morning is that wildflowers grow together, wildflowers grow together. You are not meant to grow alone.
[00:05:38] Wildflowers really grow in isolation, like you find them in clusters. Where you find one, most often you find many. They strengthen the soil around each other. And I think in the same way, spiritual growth was never meant to be a solo pursuit.
[00:05:57] Proverbs 27:17 says, Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
[00:06:06] You know, sharpening requires contact you don't sharpen iron by placing iron on one side and iron on the other side. No, it requires proximity. And that's why connect groups are so important. That's why community is so important.
[00:06:22] You know, we often. We come and it's so great on a Sunday to be inspired.
[00:06:27] But we most often grow in connect groups. We most often grow in discipleship, where people know our names, they know our stories and our struggles.
[00:06:37] You know, I once heard a thought that everybody needs a refrigerator friend.
[00:06:43] Everybody needs a refrigerator friend. Let me explain. A refrigerator friend is when you go to a friend's home and you feel so comfortable with them that you just go and help yourself to what's in the fridge. Like, you don't need to be asked.
[00:06:59] That is a refrigerator friend.
[00:07:01] When we first moved here, we lived with Drew and Leanna Davies for about four months. And they have definitely become refrigerator friends to us. Like, we feel like we can go and just help ourselves. We open the fridge and. And we help ourselves. But it's amazing what is in Leanna's fridge.
[00:07:18] So many amazing chutneys and jams that she's often saying to me, please help me.
[00:07:24] Please help yourself.
[00:07:26] So you need in your life a refrigerator friend.
[00:07:30] Do check out our connect groups. They're all online. Like, we've got new groups starting all the time. We've got quiet places with Linda. We've got a new photography connect group, which they tell me is not online. So please inquire. We will send you the details. But it's so good. I had about three people ask me. So there is a place for everyone.
[00:07:50] You know, the enemy loves to get us isolated. He loves to get us alone. Because if you are isolated, he can pick you off.
[00:07:58] But if you know, God cultivates community and togetherness, and that's why wildflowers grow together. You are not meant to grow alone.
[00:08:09] My second thought this morning is that wildflowers are messy.
[00:08:13] Wildflowers are messy.
[00:08:15] And God shapes us in imperfect places. This really does something to me. Messy.
[00:08:22] I like structure and order. I'm not particularly spontaneous, but I'm learning that miracles. My family are laughing at me because they know this is true. But miracles are often hidden in the mess.
[00:08:37] The God miracles are often hidden in the mess.
[00:08:43] Scripture shows us that when Jeremiah the prophet visited the potter's house In Jeremiah chapter 18, this is what he saw. So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at the well. But the jar that he was formed from making sorry from the clay became flawed in the potter's hand, so he made it into another jar as it seemed right for him to do.
[00:09:07] The word of the Lord came to me, House of Israel, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay?
[00:09:14] This is the Lord's decoration, just like clay in the potter's hand. So you are in my hand, House of Israel, it is awesome. Don't you notice? Didn't you notice that the vessel was marred? The vessel was imperfect, but the potter did not discard it.
[00:09:34] He reshaped it.
[00:09:36] And that's why growth often feels messy. You know, wildflowers don't bloom because the environment is perfect. They bloom because their roots grow down deep and they draw out nourishment enough to survive the tension.
[00:09:51] You know, I think God shaped me in the imperfect place of disappointment and waiting for children like we tried for years to, to have a family. We were children's pastors for years before we had any children.
[00:10:07] And, you know, so often Mike would find me after a Sunday, like we'd done three services back to back, crying on our bed. But I want to say that, you know, God did not leave me in that place. He taught me so many lessons. He taught me to worship him while I waited.
[00:10:26] He taught me to praise him through the pain. He taught me to trust the potter's will.
[00:10:33] And he taught me to include others in the journey. You know, we had very well meaning people, God bless them, would come up to me and say, that's really strange that you're children's pastors and you don't have any children.
[00:10:46] And I would say, we love your kids, we love your kids like our own, but we would love to have a family.
[00:10:54] So actually, you know, we're having trouble. I was really honest and I just said, you know, would you pray with us? Because we need God to do a miracle for us. And so I began to include other people in the journey.
[00:11:07] And by the end, when we finally did get pregnant with our eldest, Rosie, we had so many people that wanted to celebrate with us. I had two baby showers. Like, I got given enough clothes to probably clothe a football team or two of daughters.
[00:11:26] Rosie is named after my grandma Rosalie, but Mike also likes to say she's named after a New Zealand famous all White don't say soccer, football player called Rosie White.
[00:11:41] And we learned pretty early on that probably football wasn't going to be a part of Rosie's future. So. So, Josiah, we're very thankful for you.
[00:11:50] But I learned that God did not abandon me in that place.
[00:11:56] Actually he was forming me and shaping me. And if we'd had children when we wanted to, they would have been growing, they would be at university, and they never would have come to England with us. Like, I was pondering on that this week. And I'm so grateful to you guys that you've come, and I know I'm not alone. We're grateful that you've come, And so I'm grateful for the mess, for the way that God has shaped me in the imperfect place of waiting and disappointment. And I was sharing the amazing story on of the fact that God has miraculously blessed us with children and helped another couple in New Zealand have their own children who couldn't have their own. And my hairdresser, who's not a Christian this week, she's like, this is an amazing story. She's like, I've got goosebumps.
[00:12:55] Mike's like, they should be called spirit bumps. But I'm like, yes, this is an amazing story. And it's to God, only God. You see, the messes are a sign that God has abandoned you. The mess is often evidence that he is forming you. The potter's wheel is not punishment so often. It's the process that God uses to shape us and to mold us into vessels that can be used for his glory.
[00:13:20] So may you be encouraged today to go with the mess and trust the potter's hand.
[00:13:26] And my last thought this morning is that wildflowers live free.
[00:13:32] Wildflowers live free. I love that God carries the burdens that we cannot.
[00:13:39] Jesus repeating, I want to say again, in verse 29, he says, don't strive for what you should eat or what you should drink, and don't be anxious for. The Gentile world eagerly seeks these things, but your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom and these things will be provided for you.
[00:14:00] Such amazing words.
[00:14:03] And you know what? The word of God is powerful. It is living. It is active. And if you have never memorized scripture, can I encourage you to do so? I've been trying to memorize this scripture because anxiety is something that I struggle with.
[00:14:17] But you know what? God wants me to live free.
[00:14:21] He wants me to live free. And I thank the Lord that my heavenly Father loves me and cares for me and sustains me.
[00:14:29] And freedom comes when we seek his kingdom first.
[00:14:33] That's the key. We seek his kingdom first. We prioritise his role, his way, and trust him with the rest.
[00:14:42] So wildflowers grow together in community. They grow through the mess shaped in the potter's wheel. And they grow free.
[00:14:50] Free from anxiety and instead trusting in God.
[00:14:56] And I believe Jesus is inviting us today to stop striving.
[00:15:01] To stop striving and to start considering. To look at the wildflowers and remember that you were seen, you were shaped, you were sustained. And so maybe today you feel isolated.
[00:15:13] I really believe that God is calling you into community today.
[00:15:18] Maybe you feel a little bit undone. I want to remind you that God is shaping you in imperfect places.
[00:15:26] Maybe you feel anxious. I want to remind you that God is inviting you to trust him again.
