God's Glory, Your Joy with Wendy

The Blue Cord, by iHOPE Ministries

What are you glorifying? Where do you find joy? In this inspiring episode, Karen engages in a captivating conversation with the author of "Hard is Only Half the Story" from Serbia, Wendy Zaharanski. Wendy unravels her incredible faith journey, emphasizing the profound importance of personal awe and conviction in God's glory to effectively point others to Him.

How can we authentically shine this light in our own lives? Wendy's hard-earned wisdom guides us: it begins with a vibrant relationship with Jesus, allowing His light to radiate through us. It's not about being perfect or having all the answers; it's about sharing our lives and beliefs openly, embracing risks, and staying true to our faith.

Tune in, and let's embark on this transformative journey together. Ready to step into your role as a witness and light of the world? Join us, and let's ignite the flame of faith within ourselves and those around us.

About The Guest(s):
Wendy is a small-town girl who was led by God to move halfway across the world. Following the voice of God down unknown paths in foreign countries has been a wild ride. She has laughed, cried, bled, and been, at times, hopelessly lost. There is nothing super-human or super-spiritual about her, but she is willing to tell her story. All of it. In her new book, Hard is Only Half the Story, she tells all. It is full of true stories from her life: the good, the mess-ups, and the hard. It's all there. She is passionate about encouraging others who are stuck in the hard parts of their story. Hard is real, but so is its potential to enrich our lives. Especially if God is involved. Her mission is to use her own life experiences as encouragement to help others see the wins alongside the hard things. By openly sharing her process of walking through moving to a foreign country: sadness, learning a new language, having a baby, building friendships, and much more she helps others see the promises hidden in the moments that feel too

Summary:
In this episode, Karen interviews Wendy Zaharanski, an author and church planter who shares her journey of faith and how she became passionate about missions. Wendy emphasizes the importance of being authentic witnesses and points out that it is impossible to point others to the Lord if we are not personally awestruck by God's glory. She discusses the impact of her upbringing in a Christian home, reading missionary biographies, and her experiences overseas. Wendy also highlights the need to grow in faith and belief in order to be bold and courageous in sharing our faith. She encourages listeners to focus on abiding in Jesus and allowing His light to shine through them, rather than trying to be perfect or having all the answers. Wendy concludes by reminding listeners that they are witnesses and the light of the world, and that their primary purpose is to know and believe in God.

Key Takeaways:

1. Being an authentic witness requires a deep personal belief and conviction in God.
2. It is important to be open to feedback and ensure that our actions and words align with our faith.
3. Abiding in Jesus and having a vibrant relationship with Him is essential for being a bold and courageous witness.
4. Sharing our faith is a risk, but it is important to be open and willing to share our lives with others.
5. We are called to be witnesses and the light of the world, and our primary purpose is to know and believe in God.

Quotes:

• "Being a witness means that we would know and believe, and that really touched me because God doesn't call us just to use us as a tool." - Wendy Zaharanski
• "Our sufficiency is in Christ alone. When we are abiding in Him, that light effortlessly comes out." - Karen
• "We are part of a bigger picture. It's not our job to go from A to Z with the gospel every time we start talking with somebody." - Wendy Zaharanski

Chapters:

00:01:00 Wendy's upbringing in a Christian home
00:03:00 The impact of reading missionary biographies
00:05:00 Wendy's move to Kyrgyzstan
00:08:00 Realizing the need for a deeper faith and belief
00:10:00 Understanding the role of being a witness
00:12:00 The purpose of being a witness is to know and believe
00:12:15 The impact of knowing and believing in God
00:12:00 Karen and Wendy discuss the misconception of being a "super Christian".
00:13:00 Karen asks Wendy about practical ways to be bold in sharing faith.
00:14:00 Wendy cautions against being different just for the sake of it.
00:15:00 The importance of abiding in Jesus.
00:16:00 Wendy shares an example of sharing her faith with a neighbor.
00:17:00 The risk and reward of opening up to others.
00:18:00 The importance of being present with others.
00:19:00 The sufficiency of Christ in sharing faith.
00:20:00 Paul's example of asking for prayer for boldness.
00:21:00 Focusing on being close to Jesus rather than trying to be a witness.