She Heard Magazine Winter 2019 FINAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

07 Letter from the Editor 2 4 When I'm Surrounded -
Emily Copeland

0 8 Dwell Project 27 Still Anticipation -
Lindsey Hayes

12 Lord, What Do You Have 3 3 'Tis the Season -
in Store? - Tera Elness Sara L. Gleason

15 Breaking Bread-Recipe 3 8 The Gift of Redemption -
Joanna Beck

17 Testify: Peace by Piece - 41 Out of the Box: Hannah's
Nicole Drayer Home for the Holidays -
Lindsey Hayes

20 The Hope of Survivors 44 At the Well: When the Soul
Gets Stuck -Brandy Hynes

SHE HEARD MAGAZINE WINTER 2019



THE LORD
YOUR GOD IS
AMONG YOU,

A WARRIOR
WHO SAVES.

HE WILL
REJOICE
OVER YOU

WITH
GLADNESS.
HE WILL BE
QUIET IN HIS

LOVE. HE
WILL

DELIGHT IN
YOU WITH
SINGING.

Zephaniah 3:17

MAGAZINE WINTER 2019

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF : MANDY PAGANO
ASSISTANT EDITOR : LINDSEY HAYES

WINTER 2019 CONTRIBUTORS :

JOANNA BECK
NICOLE DRAYER

TERA ELNESS
SARA L. GLEASON

LINDSEY HAYES
BRANDY HYNES
DWELL PROJECT
THE HOPE OF SURVIVORS

THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND
DWELT AMONG US. WE OBSERVED

HIS GLORY, THE GLORY AS THE
ONE AND ONLY SON FROM THE
FATHER, FULL OF GRACE AND

TRUTH.

John 1:14

Mia Koehne

She is not an entertainer, she is not a performer, She is
simply a woman who loves to worship in spirit and truth
through songs, prayers, the Word and life. She is here to
work with you, to fill in, to walk along with you in your
church, your retreats, your worship events...there is no
limit......hymns, contemporary worship, original music.....
She desires to meet you where you are and grow from
there.

miakoehne.com
FB: Mia Koehne
IG: miakoehne

LETTER FROM

THE

Editor

The Winter season is a time when
most of nature becomes dormant,
the air becomes cold and crisp and
things move at a slower pace.

The holidays can be a time of great
joy and celebration. So too they
can be a time of grief and
loneliness. The Winter Issue of She
Heard Magazine focuses on both
aspects.

Whether you find yourself in a
mountain-top season filled with
jubilation or you're experiencing a
valley wondering where God is, we
want to walk alongside you. We'll
raise our hands in joy and bend our
knee in humble lament with you.
God is always there. During this
season when we celebrate His
miraculous birth, we take time to
slow our pace and meet with Him
in the stillness.

Blessings from all of us at She
Heard. We wish you a joyous
Christmas season!

7 Mandy Pagano

"WE HOLD TIGHTLY TO TWO WORDS: TRUTH FIRST. WE ARE
DEDICATED TO HELPING OUR GENERATION OF WOMEN PUT GOD'S

TRUTH FIRST IN THEIR LIVES."

Janelle Dodd, Judith Perdue, Judith Javillionar, Amanda
Pallanez, Lisset Bourgeois, Caitlin Mathieu, Cori Roberson, Kari
Roberson, and LeeAnn Mongonia make up the team of Dwell
Project. It's a privilege to introduce them to our community. The
following is diectly from the heart of Kristin Bonin of Dwell
Project:
This ministry began with the realization that too many women are
sitting on the sidelines and sitting on their gifts, feeling
disconnected and stagnant in their faith. Maybe we've never been
told or shown how, but we have a place in the kingdom of God.

8

HOW DIFFERENT WOULD OUR LIVES BE IF...

we decided to fall more in love
with Jesus? To get to know Him
on the pages of scripture? And
then share His love with
everyone in our paths? We are
just getting started, but there's
no denying He is the one who
has pieced this team together
and set the vision before us.
We believe He has His eyes on
women of different
backgrounds, with different
stories, who desire to live for
Him. We want to help them win
their world for Jesus. 

THERE AREN'T A TON OF
PEOPLE AROUND US
THAT ARE DOING THE
SAME THING WE FEEL
CALLED TO, SO THERE
ARE CONSTANT
QUESTIONS MARKS.

Are we doing it right? Have we missed anything? Is this enough? What's
our next step?

Sometimes too many questions can be paralyzing, so we seek counsel when we
can, seek the face of God and trust Him with it all. In a world of distraction
after distraction, be the girl who takes time to dwell: in His word, His presence
and with His people. And then teach others to do the same.

We provide resources both physical and online that help women know and
understand scripture better as well as face to face, hug-your-neck events.

Dwell Project Mission:

Equipping women to dwell in His word and take their place in this world.

We are intentional to join our hearts together in prayer
and have life-giving discussions.

Dwell Project is a non-denominational, non-profit Christian ministry that equips women
to dwell in His word and take their place in this world. We are a community of women who
put truth first in our lives.
We believe the more we discover the heart of God on the pages of Scripture, the more we
understand who He created us to be. We equip women to:
Dwell Together: There’s nothing like bringing women together in real, face-to-face
interactions. We’d love to have you attend one of our events. Local collectives and
gatherings.
Dwell Deeper: Because we’ll never regret the decision to pursue the Lord, we provide
valuable resources where women can meet with Jesus right where they’re at. Devotionals,
Bible Studies, study resources, etc.
Dwell in Hope: We are not without hope. It would be our honor to pray for you.

Truth First.
Always.

dwellproject.org
IG: @dwellprojectministries
FB: @dwellprojectministries

LORD, WHAT DO YOU
HAVE IN STORE?

BY TERA ELNESS

Lord, what do You have in store? And at that moment...I left my jar behind.

Yes, I sure did.

These would be the words I would pen within I abandoned it. Right there on my couch in my

the pages of a dollar-store journal on the coffee-stained robe, I left it.

morning I bid adieu to forty-eight...not Yes.

exactly thrilled to grab forty-nine.

Like the woman at the well desperate for the

But alas, He is Father and Faithful Provider; thrill of hope, I left my jar of worry and fear

not to mention Almighty Mind-Shifter....and right there at that well, the well where He met

so He met me right there in the midst of my me that day. Like so many days before.

words...and gave me a few of His own. And He sat with me.

Yes. And He gave me a drink.

Yes.

Lord, what do You have in store? A fresh-grace-new-mercy drink

....of Himself.

I asked the question with a side of dread. Yes.

But then. Because He believes that I’m worth it.

But God. And even more important than lunch.

Oh yes friend, Hallelujah.

yes. And yes.

Lord, what do You have in store? And so, with still anticipation and the thrill of
Yes, what do You have in store? hope, this weary soul found herself rejoicing.
For that’s what the thrill of hope does.
I could feel the springs of eternal life It sure does.
bubbling up inside me...the eternal life that
He Himself defined...the eternal life... of And with my jar left behind...I could fully
KNOWING Him. embrace the question that plagued me...and
Yes. excitedly expectantly ask Him again....
Lord, what do You have in store?
Yes, Lord.

12

18 For I know that within Your great
storehouses are the wind, the rain, and
the hail.

I know that deep within that place are
Your promises that never fail.
I know that I can’t possibly imagine all
that You have ahead in my story, the
One You’ve written just for me...to
reveal to the world Your glory.
Yes.
For You are a God, the Lord my God,
who does exceedingly more than I
could ever ask for or imagine.
Indeed.

So I ask You again, for what’s certain
not to be the last time...
Lord, what do You have in store?

For I know that You supply out of Your
glorious abundance; I know that You
never run out.
I know that You know the plans that
You have for me and I know that You
say they are full.
And I know that since You are my
lifeline...there is in fact no deadline.
Ha to the Le Lu Jah.
Yes, and perhaps that’s what it means
to laugh without fear of the future.
Amen.

Friends, the thrill of hope is stored
deep within the knowledge of who He
is.
It rises up and reframes the questions
for which we desperately long to have
answers and fixes our gaze on He who
is Faith-Author-Perfecter.
Yes.
And it reminds us of all that’s to come.
It sure does.
The thrill of hope.

He is good.
And His love endures forever.
And this is most certainly true.
Amen.

{Job 38:22, John 17:3, John 4, Ephesians 3:20,
Psalm 119:89, Philippians 4:19, Jeremiah 29:11,
Proverbs 31:25, Hebrews 12:2, 1 Chronicles
16:34}

18

"Friends, the thrill of hope is stored deep
within the knowledge of who He is."

-Tera Elness

Tera Elness is a seriously-excited, thrill-of-hope
seeker, student of the unchanging unfailing Word of
God after picking it up when she hit the big 4-0...nine
years ago. She is a speaker, writer, Bible teacher, faith
coach, and face-to-face study leader for individuals
and groups of all ages. She is ohhhh-so passionate
about God's Incredible Word and loves nothing more
than sharing the Good News that is absolutely
positively for all people. Tera has been married to her
rockstar hubby Kent for 26 years and they have three
children, a new daughter-in-love, and one spoiled-
rotten Aussie pup. She makes her home in smalltown
Southwest Minnesota and early mornings, coffee by
the gallon, and spiral-bound journals are her jam.
(And don’t even get her started on yellow highlighters
and pumpkin spice!) You can connect with Tera
online via -

Facebook: Tera's Online Christian Journey
Instagram: terajean
Twitter: @teraelness
contact her directly through her blog
at www.teraelness.com

LEAVE YOUR JAR AT THE WELL

Who is SHE?

"Then the woman left her water jar, went into town, and told the people,  'Come, see a man who told me
everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?' They left the town and made their way to him...Now
many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of what the woman said when she testified,
'He told me everything I ever did.' So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with
them, and he stayed there two days. Many more believed because of what he said. And they told the
woman, 'We no longer believe because of what you said, since we have heard for ourselves and know
that this really is the Savior of the world.'"

Here at  SHE HEARD  you'll find a space where God is exalted. He will be glorified through the
workbooks we write, the Magazine that we publish, the content we post, and the life that we live. It's our
mission to Educate, Encourage, and Equip you as well. The woman left her jar at the well after meeting
Jesus and ran to tell her community about Him. Because of her testimony, and her willingness to share
it, many were saved. We, like the Woman at the Well, have a community waiting for us. There are those
in your family and in your circle who need to hear about Jesus and what He's done in your life. It's time
to leave your jar at the well...

John 4: 28-30, 39-42

Find us online:

Facebook: sheheardjesus
IG:sheheardjesus
sheheard.org

BREAKING BREAD
by Lindsey Hayes

They broke bread in
their homes and ate
together with glad and
sincere hearts,

Acts 2:46

The first time I was introduced to this simple, yet oh-so-delicious dessert
was the day after my 5th baby was born. Our sweet little guy made his
entrance into our family on December 23rd. A dear friend invited us over
for a family gathering to bless us with a meal and company. The mother
of my friend, who has become like family to me, brought these amazing
oreo truffle/cake/cookie ball treats. They were fabulous and I devoured
many. Before we departed for the evening, I asked her for the recipe and
much to my surprise and delight, I discovered that creating these mini
masterpieces could be done easily and with just a few ingredients.

To get started you will need:
 36- Oreos, finely crushed 

1- 8oz package of softened cream cheese
1-16oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Crushed peppermint (optional)

Start by mixing together the cookie crumbs and 8 oz of softened cream
cheese until well combined into a dough that can be shaped. To get finely-
crushed cookie crumbs you can either use a food processor or double layer
two heavy duty sandwich bags and go to town with a hammer.

Next, shape into aprox. 48- 1in. balls and freeze for 10 minutes.

Melt your chocolate chips. You can use the microwave, (be careful not to
burn them) stirring every 10-30 secs or a double water boiler. I like to add a
tsp or so of coconut oil to my chocolate to make it smoother and easier to
use for coating.

Dip/roll balls in the melted chocolate and place in a shallow parchment
paper lined pan. Sprinkle crushed peppermint on top for a bit of a festive
touch. Finally, refrigerate the cookie balls for approximately and hour or
until hardened.

Enjoy!

This recipe can also be modified a bit by using white chocolate chips (or
any other flavor you'd like to try), sprinkles, or some other topping to make
them your own. They're perfect for a cookie exchange with your local
community groups, for sharing with your shut-in neighbors, or inviting the
new mom down the street over for a cup of hot cocoa. Whatever way you
choose to use them, I pray that God will open doors for you to minister
easily in your everyday life.

16

PEACE BY Hello there, friend. Please allow me to introduce
PIECE myself. My name is Nicole and I am a pastor’s wife,
mother to three amazing children, coffee lover,
By Nicole Drayer antique collector, first-time author, and a daughter of
King Jesus. And guess what? I am beautifully
broken. I came to know Jesus as my Lord and
Savior at the age of 19, when I was at my lowest

point ever. Deeply depressed, I simply had no hope.

This is when Jesus rescued me from the slimy pit of despair and put me on solid ground. This

was the beginning of my journey. A journey of salvation, forgiveness, transformation, healing, and

freedom.A few years after my decision to follow Jesus, a small part of me knew that I would

someday write my story to share with the world. I just did not know how or when. Then, the first

time I became a mother was the initial moment I submitted to the Lord’s prompting. Our firstborn

son, Caleb, was our promise – our call confirmed to raise up a heritage of believers. I can

remember that night like it was yesterday. I was a young first-time mom, rocking my beautiful

baby boy back to sleep in the middle of the night. We were the only two awake. As I held Caleb

and prayed for Him, I had such peace. I wanted that moment to last forever and etched it in my

mind and on my heart. Then, the Lord revealed something to me. So, after I laid Caleb down, I

quickly grabbed a pen and wrote the God-inspired words. For 15 years I kept those first words

tucked away and they recently became a part of my very first book, Peace by Piece:

Surrendering All That is Beautifully Broken (Woven Books).

My brokenness is not something I am proud “Let the peace of Christ rule
of; however, it is a reality of the cross of in your hearts, since as
Christ. We are all hurt and sick people in members of one body you
need of a Savior. We are perfectly imperfect
people with shattered lives. My prayer is that were called to peace. And be
you would grow into a deeper relationship thankful.”  Colossians 3:15
with God than you’ve ever had before. I pray
you would earnestly seek Him and His ways Nicole is the mother of
for your life. three amazing children:
Caleb, Eden, and Elijah
Are you holding on too tightly to pieces of (and fur babies, Sadie
your life like perfectionism, people pleasing, and Shadow) and is
or your past? I know how you feel. My need married to her best
for control only led to anxiety and high friend, Greg. She is
stress. As you discover what areas you are honored to serve
clenching tightly to, let Him help you let go alongside and support
and give Him complete control. I hope and her husband in ministry
pray that you find healing from your past as he pastor’s Rolling
hurts and realize that you are loved and Hills Church in Verona,
forgiven. Once we stop fighting Him, we will Pennsylvania. Nicole is
have freedom and His beautiful peace. It is a an outgoing and warm personality who loves
gift He freely gives. people. It is her desire to serve Jesus with
herwhole heart and give hope where it is lost
The chapters of my book are a compilation of through her story…ALL for God’s glory!
stories from my life’s journey thus far and the
many lessons our mighty God has taught me Nicoledrayer.com
along the way. Lessons that have helped me Facebook:@livingpeacebypiece
to recognize and embrace the beautiful
peace of Christ. My prayer is that you, too, Dawn Estella-Book Design and Layout
will live Peace by Piece. Lori Clapper-Editor
Janelle Keith-Author Coach
Blessings,
~Nicole

18



Reaching the The Hope of
hurting...Calling the Survivors
faithful...Bridging the gap.

The year 2019 marks the 17-year The Hope of Survivors takes a faith-
anniversary of The Hope of Survivors, based, scriptural approach to helping
which was born one evening in December victims understand the devastation of
2002, as Steve and Samantha Nelson clergy sexual abuse and how they can
were reflecting upon their own experience receive healing and wholeness by God’s
of clergy sexual abuse and the lack of grace. It is our mission and prayer that,
resources that were available to help them through our website, educational
understand and heal at that time. They felt seminars, one-to-one communication
compelled to develop a website that would (phone, email and in-person), media,
provide information and encouragement to printed resources and occasional in-
anyone who may be searching for house programs, victims will find answers
answers. Steve and Samantha felt if “just and the truth about what’s happening to
one person” could be helped by the them. The Hope of Survivors seeks to:
website, then it would be well worth the (a) Educate the victims, clergy, church
effort and pain they had gone through. body and the general public about clergy
While Steve and Samantha’s vision was sexual abuse and misconduct, the
initially limited in thinking “just one,” the frequency of occurrences, the moral and
Lord knew how many hurting people there social implications involved and the
were—suffering all alone and living devastating consequences through
without hope. national media, by disseminating
brochures and other related materials,
Now, The Hope of Survivors has multiple conducting educational seminars, and by
nonprofits around the globe and maintaining up-to-date websites;
volunteers serving in many countries. (b) Conduct retreats and seminars
There are many “ones” out there who specifically for the victims of clergy sexual
have been touched and blessed by the abuse and provide one-on-one support
ministry of The Hope of Survivors. Truly, for the purpose of facilitating their healing
God does work all things together for good and recovery, and helping them to gain a
to those who love Him and are called greater understanding of what has
according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) happened to them, giving them hope and
encouragement, and restoring their faith
in their Creator; )

20

(c) Work closely with churches that are dealing with the after-
effects of an abuse situation for the purpose of helping them to
understand the importance of providing a safe environment for
all and for understanding the dynamics of clergy sexual abuse
so that the church and the victim are not further damaged in the
aftermath; (d) Provide training seminars for clergy and church
administrators for the purpose of disseminating prevention
information and encouragement, and to work closely with those
who have violated their sacred trust. In short, the mission of The
Hope of Survivors may be summed up in the motto:

Reaching the Hurting…Ministering to those who
have suffered abuse at the hands of clergy.

Calling the Faithful…Providing resources and
support to church leadership to help them remain
true to their high calling.

Bridging the Gap…Leading the hurting to hope
through a healing relationship with Christ.

Steve and Samantha Nelson are the founders of The Hope
of Survivors. Steve is an ordained pastor of a four-church
district in Wyoming, employed by the Rocky Mountain
Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. In addition to his
pastoral ministry, he is the President of The Hope of Survivors
and an international speaker on clergy sexual abuse, revival
among God’s children, and many other topics. Steve has also
developed a line of Bible studies in a bookmark format called
StudyMarks. Steve holds a degree is in Social & Behavioral
Sciences and is a Board Certified Biblical Counselor (BCBC)
through the Board of Christian Professional and Pastoral
Counselors, a member of the American Association of Christian
Counselors (AACC), a Certified Belief Therapist (CBT) through
the Therapon Institute, and has worked on many evangelistic
campaigns and outreach projects throughout the years. Steve is
also a member of the Adventist Association of Family Life
Professionals (AAFLP). He is currently completing his Master’s
degree in Pastoral Ministry through Andrews University.
Samantha currently serves as Vice President and CEO of The
Hope of Survivors and is also an international speaker on clergy
sexual abuse. She has served as personal ministries and
community services director, holds North American Division
certification as an Adventist Community Services caseworker,
received the 2004 Woman of Distinction Award from the
Northern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and
is a member of the American Association of Christian
Counselors (AACC). She is a Board Certified Biblical Counselor
(BCBC) through the Board of Christian Professional and
Pastoral Counselors, has obtained her degree in Biblical
Counseling, is a Certified Belief Therapist (CBT) through the
Therapon Institute, and is author of the book, Reaching the
Hurting: A Biblical Guide for Helping Abuse Victims.

Website: http://www.thehopeofsurvivors.org



WHEN I'M

SURROUNDED
by

Emily Copeland

Fact: pain doesn’t discriminate. No one is exempt from feeling
pain and we will all walk through seasons of life-changing pain
at some point. But no pain is wasted when we give it back to
God.

I didn’t know it at the time, but pain changed me six years ago. My
husband and I had been deeply hurt by another very influential
Christian couple whom we considered family. Little did I know that the
hurt would open my heart up to begin to know God in a way that I
hadn’t yet known Him.
I resisted the pain that we walked through. After trying to resist
the pain, I realized it wasn’t working so I tried to throw it onto
everyone else around me. I wasn’t a very pleasant human being
to be around because I couldn’t help but bring the hurt up in
almost every conversation. But I couldn’t avoid the vulnerable
moments when I was all alone with God.
It was there that I was truly face to face with my hurt and with
the God who would carry me through it. It was in those
moments, when my pain was suffocating, that God began to
teach like the Good God that He is. I became a student of His
presence and here's what I learned;

As I sat alone with God in my pain, I
developed the tools I needed to win

the wars that would come later
when I was surrounded again.

25

The story of Naomi + Ruth is a beautiful Naomi didn’t earn a prize for her
picture of pain pointed in the right faithfulness in the pain. She simply got to
direction; towards trust the Healer. Naomi see God’s faithfulness when it seemed
lost her husband and two sons, which that He was gone. He had never left. He
would create the assumption in her used her pain, just like He will use yours.
culture that God had abandoned her to a And because God works in powerful ways
life of nothing. But in her pain, she in all of us, I can say with experience that
learned to care for Ruth, the daughter in the greatest lesson you will learn will
law whom God had entrusted to her. In come out of your pain and it will be an
the quiet moments when she was most outcome of dependence on God like
alone and forced to remember her pain, you’ve never known. And for whatever is
she learned to remain faithful because up ahead of you, God knows that total
God had remained faithful to her. dependence on Him is all that you need
to win.
She trudged through the thick of that
lesson until God sent a guardian- Prayer:   God, our first order
redeemer (Ruth 4:14)
of business is to sit alone with
“The women said to Naomi: ”Praise be to
the Lord, who this day has not left you You in the pain. This is where
without a guardian-redeemer.”
You will equip us and remind

us of Who is in charge. We

trust You with our hurt. Use it

for Your glory today.

Emily is a pastor's wife and a momma of two girls. She
and her family live near Detroit Michigan. She is
currently finishing her theology degree and writing +
talking about Jesus any chance that she can get. She
can be found most often at a crossfit gym or at home
in her sweats with a cup of coffee in her hand. Connect
with her here:

FB: emilycopeland
IG: em.copeland

STILL
ANTICIPATION

by
LINDSEY HAYES

Winter is upon us and it's not my
favorite season...

However, even I can truly appreciate the peace that comes from a fresh blanket of

pure whitesnow that settles itself gently atop every object it lands. I can appreciate

a warm house and a cozy day withnowhere to go. I can breathe in the crisp

stillness that only winter can truly bring, and I can settle into the quiet of this

season, even if only for a moment. 27

This stillness is beautiful, it’s restful, Romans 12:1 (NLT) says, “And so,
and it's too often overlooked or even dear brothers and sisters, I plead with
avoided. Being still is a difficult task. you to give your bodies to God
When we are still, we are given because of all he has done for you.
opportunity to contemplate, to really Let them be a living and holy sacrifice
take in our emotions, environment, —the kind he will find acceptable.
decisions. We are often brought to a This is truly the way to worship him.”
place of reckoning in stillness--that
metaphorical fork in the road. We can Our bodies-our lives-are to be a living
choose to continue in our habits of sacrifice, an act of worship to the
the flesh, or we can fall to our knees Most High God; the One who took our
and seek out the reconciliation that sin-stained lives and washed them as
will bring us a permanent stillness, white as the freshly fallen snow
rest, and peace. outside your window. In this season
that can often turn into chaos instead
So often in this season we get caught of the stillness and reverence of the
up in traditions and expectations of beauty that our relationship with
man. We rush and hurry and go until Christ brings to our lives, do as Jesus
there is nothing left of us to give to directed Martha: Be still and
the One who saved us. We come to recognize that few things are needed
Jesus with a sacrifice of our leftovers. in this life. Replace Martha’s name
We give Him what's left after work, with your own and allow your Lord to
and families, and household chores speak to you directly, allow Him to
have drained us and we expect him to open a world of still anticipation for
be pleased and satisfied with our the season to come
offering.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and
upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed
only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken
away from her.” Luke 10:41-42

Lindsey is a wife and mother of 5 children ranging in age from 2 to 11
years. She and her husband Byron currently reside in the beautiful
country setting of Southern Ohio. Lindsey is currently delving into her
seventh year of homeschooling. Along with home schooling, the past
year and a half have given Lindsey the opportunity to reach the other side
of the world through teaching English as a second language to students
in China. The opportunity to have some influence in the lives of children
who may never otherwise be exposed to a Christian is both an exciting
and heavy responsibility that Lindsey truly enjoys. Lindsey’s goal is to
return to this ministry in an impactful way that helps empower others to
seek out the Living Water.





o holy night..



unto
us a
child
is born.

Emmanuel

'Tis the Season
by
Sara L. Gleason

I have hit a My story of pride has a long history. It begins
with a little girl who was determined to do
spiritual wall everything right in her life. She graduated
from high school, finished college on the
‘Tis the season to be humble, but does our Dean’s list, married the “perfect” guy,
world even know what this means anymore? bought the house with the picket fence and
Better yet, do I? As the world quiets down gave birth to two babies, a boy and a girl no
and we welcome the hush of winter, God less… One of each to round out the picture of
gives us the gift of early darkness to slow us perfection and self-sufficiency. All was right
down and offer us time to reflect on our with the world and there was no need for
spirituality and purpose in this life. It seems God in my life, other than the quintessential
that the more I reflect, the less I like what I Sunday morning service where we would
see in the mirror. dress up in our coordinating outfits and
perform the dance of happy Christian family.
I have hit a spiritual wall. The wall has always During this time, many people reached out to
been there, but God has been good enough me with the hand of Christ, inviting me to
to keep it at a distance as we walked slowly Bible study or encouraging me to get
together through all the experiences I needed involved at church, but I was annoyed by
in order to face the wall and take in its size their efforts and flippant in my response…too
and magnitude. For all of us, our wall is busy…not interested…no need. My family
different; made up of issues from our past was doing fine on our own and my focus was
that we’ve tucked away and prefer not to on the outward appearance of happiness and
acknowledge or remember. My wall is made completeness, not knowing why I never
of 100% pride. As I looked in the mirror, God seemed to be able to truly feel those things
reflected back to me some of the ugliest in a genuine way. But as we all know, pride
truths about my soul. He's made this a cometh before the fall.
personal battle and has left me squirming in
my own skin. “When pride comes, then
comes disgrace, but with
humility comes wisdom.”
Proverbs 11:2

My fall came in the form of an unexpected
divorce. In an instant, God swept the rug of
security right out from underneath me and left
me flopping on my bare floor like a fish out of
water. It was His first attempt to get me to face
the cinder blocks of pride in my life as He
created a need for Him that was too big for me
to ignore.

34

For my entire life, up until this “The Lord Over the course of the next few years,
point, I had watched in judgement almighty he stripped me of myself and slowly
as other people’s lives crumbled planned it, to began to show me that He could meet
or took detours I couldn’t bring down my needs but it required me to humble
understand. “If they only would her pride in myself to Him and open my heart and
have…” or “They should have….” my head to His help and to the people
were common thoughts as I sat all her He used to provide it. Not an easy
watching from the sidelines. But splendor and thing for someone who was so
God knew my time was coming. to humble all embarrassed to ask for or accept help.
I remember one of the first times He
“The Lord almighty planned it, to who are left me in awe. I was watching a
bring down her pride in all her renowned on friend’s dog for her and I was up early
splendor and to humble all who letting her outside. I stumbled over to
are renowned on the Earth.” Isaiah the Earth.” make myself a cup of coffee and
23:9 Isaiah 23:9 realized I was out of K-Cups.

And bring me down He did. I began to cry.
Thankfully. Yes…over K Cups.

I remember feeling the squeeze
financially due to the impending
divorce and realized that expensive K-
Cups were probably going to be a
thing of my past. After my self-
induced pity party over coffee, I
waited for my friend to come and pick
up her dog. When she arrived, she
was carrying a large box. I let her in
the door and could see that it was a
box of 84 K-Cups from. I looked at her
completely confused. She told me that
she knew I would never accept money
for watching her sweet Abby and was
shopping when she got the feeling
that I could use some K-Cups.

Once again, I cried over coffee.

I began a “Gratitude List” of every small need that God provided for me. I couldn’t believe the tiny
things that He took care of for me in the most unexpected ways. Some things I prayed about and
some of them were needs I wasn’t even anticipating. He literally met my needs before I knew I had
them and helped me let go of things that weren’t from Him. I began to realize that if could trust that
God would meet my small needs, I could certainly rely on Him for the big ones. He was changing
my heart, humbling me, one need at a time.

I would like to say that since this time, I have not struggled with pride, but this would be a lie. It’s
crazy how strong the human ego is and how quickly it recovers from the low blows. As God met
my needs a different kind of pride began to swell, the self-righteous pride that sometimes comes
with faith. Now that I know where my trust lies, shouldn’t everybody else do the same? “If only
they had faith…If only they would listen for God…” are the new thoughts that run through my head.

“This is what the
Lord says: ‘Let not
the wise boast of
their wisdom or the
strong boast of their
strength or the rich

boast of their
riches…”

Jeremiah 9:23.

The wall of pride rears its ugly head again. When I stand in judgement of other peoples’ lives, I am
opening the door for the devil and turning off the light of Jesus inside of me. Jesus warns of such
behavior in the Bible.“This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the
strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches…” Jeremiah 9:23.

Jesus chose a donkey to ride into Jerusalem on when He could have arrived on a chariot. He
emptied himself of his greatness in order to walk as a man here on Earth. His life is an example of
humbleness. In order to be more like Him, we must empty ourselves of our selfish pride and make
more room for Him. Even in our state of selfishness, God is gracious to us. He bestows unmerited
blessings on our lives. Jesus instructs us to use our blessings to help others in need. We are to
humble ourselves not just in our own needs but also in our giving to others. God has entrusted us
with the gifts that He has given us in order to help those in need of a spiritual touch. For some, we
are their first experience with His presence in their lives. We are the ones who begin to crumble
their walls.

Perhaps God purposely gave us a season of darkness so we could quietly contemplate the need
for His light in this world. The darkness helps us hit the walls which represent the barriers in our
lives that prevent us from sharing His light with others. What’s your wall made of? What will you
use this season of darkness to reflect on and conquer so that you might extend the hand of Jesus
to someone in need? It is likely I will be working on dismantling my wall of pride for some time. I
am assured that God will continue to humble me so that there is less of me and more of Him living
inside me. 'Tis always the season to humble ourselves unto the Lord.

Sara L. Gleason is a mom to two amazing kiddos, Max and Hope, the lights of
her life. She is a 5th grade ELA and Social Studies teacher in Conneaut, Ohio.
Sara writes on her Facebook page MAXIMum HOPE. She found her faith later in
life through some of life's toughest circumstances, but is forever grateful for
God's goodness, protection, and love. She is pursuing a master's degree from
Liberty University in Professional Writing specializing in Christian writing. Her
greatest hope is that by sharing her stories, insight, and God's wisdom, she will
somehow make a difference in people's lives through God's grace.

We'd love to hear from you!

Do you have a passion for the Lord?
Do you love to share Jesus with others?
Do you love to write?
Prayerfully consider writing for us!

She Heard, LLC is looking for women to share their testimonies, lessons learned through
God, ministry, and the study of Scripture, recipes, ministry ideas and opportunities, and
organizations that seek to serve their communities with the love of Christ! If you're
intersted in submitting a piece to be published by She Heard, LLC here are the
requirements:

All submissions must include Scripture used in the accurate context
All submissions must be the original work of the person submitting the piece
Submissions should fall under the following topical categories (If your submision falls
under a different category or if you're unsure, contact [email protected] for
further clarification):
Ministry/Christian-based Organizations
Bible StudyTestimony
Recipes

All submissions must be in Word document format.
All Scriptures should be clearly referenced and the translation used included in
parentheses.
There is no word count requirement
The author should approach any given topic from the perspective of "we" instead of "you".
Author should also approach the topic using a grace-filled "me too" sentiment rather than
a "this is what you should do" perspective.

She Heard, LLC reserves the right to edit as needed (including, but not limited to, spelling,
grammar, and sentence structure edits) without changing the author's theme, point, or
voice.

All submissions remain the property of the author. Proper credit will be given any time the
article is shared, printed, and/or posted. All submissions must include a short bio
including the following information: Author's name, Information about author including
family, state of residence, bakground credentials (i.e. Degrees held, Pastor, Bible Study
leader, Homemaker, Teacher, etc), website, and any social media channels. High
Resolution full-color picture of author OR author and family. All submissions are unpaid,
and are on a volunteer basis.*

Please send all submissions as an attachment to [email protected] with a subject
line of "Write For Us" Due to the volume of requests, we cannot respond to every
submission. Should we choose to move forward with publishing your article, we will
contact you via the email you use for your submission. Thank you in advance for the
opportunity to partner with you in this ministry!

The Gift of
Redemption

by
Joanna Beck

The 14th chapter in Hosea reminds me of a Today reading the book of Hosea tells me
work the Lord had done in my life. I had a about the relationship God has with His
hatred for mirrors because I hated the person people, aka us. God is deeply involved in our
I was looking at. A mirror is an object that lives and is grieved when we stray away from
reflects, used for looking at one’s self, or Him. By sinning we have failed to
viewing an area behind. When you look in the demonstrate wholehearted love and
mirror what do you see? Beauty, happiness, faithfulness to Him. We all have pasts, we all
and joy or run down, sadness, and just don’t are broken, we’ve all made mistakes, sinned,
feel you look like you used to? fallen short of the glory of God. With all
these, the enemy tries to convince us that our
Nine years ago, was one of the hardest times sin has us too far gone from God and that
of my life. I was going through a divorce and God is too upset with us to make things right,
horrible custody battle for my two eldest to come home to Him. What a blessing it is to
daughters. I was giving up on life and let sin know our God is relentless about our
take over. When I looked in the mirror every redemption! He has not and will not ever give
day I saw hurt, sadness, worn out, run down, up on us. He wants us, He wants you! He
and the list goes on. I literally looked ten years wants to renew us, forgive us, we just need to
older than I really was. I prayed all the time but ask. Hosea 14:1-2 says…
I felt so far from God because of my sin. I was
broken inside and out and I felt so alone and ‘Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your
lost. sins have brought you down. Bring your
confessions, and return to the Lord. Say to him,
“Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so
38 that we may offer you our praises.’

I felt so stuck in my sin, like I was on a spiral roller coaster going down. Thank you, Jesus, we are
not stuck! God’s word has instructed us in Hosea 14:1-2 to return to the Lord our God and repent.
The dictionary definition of repent is to turn from sin. God stands ready to forgive and restore all
those who turn to Him in repentance. Turning from sin gives Jesus the chance He died to have to
rewrite your story. Hosea 14:4-7 tells us…

"The Lord says, 'Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my
anger will be gone forever. I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. Israel will blossom
like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. Its branches will spread
out like beautiful olive trees, as fragrant as the cedars of Lebanon. My people will again live under
my shade. They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines. They will be as fragrant as the
wines of Lebanon.’"

With repentance brings restoration. God will restore you, every single broken piece. We don’t
always have good starts and we hit bumps in the road, but Jesus will rewrite your story if you
allow Him. I am so thankful God never gave up on me and took me right back with open arms the
second I repented. Now I can look in the mirror today and look younger than I am. I see joy. I glow
with God's light. God wants to replace your broken with beautiful. He wants to change how you
view yourself in the mirror. I urge you to repent and accept His forgiveness and watch Him change
that broken in the mirror into the beautiful woman He created you to be.

Facebook: bushelandabeck Joanna Beck, also known as Bushel and a Beck, is a
IG: bushelandabeck kingdom-minded disciple of Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit-
filled daughter of God who is not afraid to speak bold
courageous Truth to a generation being crushed
under the weight of their sins, circumstances, and
lies of the enemy. She operates freely in gifts of the
Apostolic and Prophetic. She is a wife, mother to four
beautiful girls, leader, author and friend. Founder of
the blog bushelandabeck.com in 2016 which has
turned into her full time ministry reaching the
nations. She is very passionate about encountering
God and having a personal relationship with Jesus.
Considers it a privilege to be pursuing the abundant
life God has called her too. Since being redeemed
she lives with the mission to decrease hell's
population. Joanna hopes to encourage people to
live in the fullness God has for them and equip
them to rise up in the days we are living in, put the
devil under their feet and be the warrior God created
them to be. She believes you are capable, you
are worthy, you are valuable, you are chosen, you are
known, you are redeemed, you are accepted, and you
are so loved by your Heavenly Father.

But Mary
treasured

utph easlel
things and

p tohnedme ri ne d
her heart.

Luke 2:19

Hands & Feet

Out-of-the-Box Ministry

homeHannah's
FOR THE HOLIDAYS
by
Lindsey Hayes

In August I had the immense privilege of meeting with Vicki Theil
Krnac, “Aunt Vicki” as I affectionately know her from childhood.
She greeting me warmly with a hug after all these years as she
welcomed me into her office. Set snuggly in the basement of a
beautiful home, sitting on a piece of gorgeous and well-manicured
property where many of the staff were busily completing
yardwork, we began our conversation of catching up and learning
more about how she came to be a part of this ministry. This home
had been her family's home for the past 4 years, though she had
been involved in the organization for a year prior to moving in.
She and her children shared an apartment of sorts in the
basement while the floors above them saw many souls come and
go. Hannah’s Home, according to Vicki, “exists to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a watching
community while providing a safe and nurturing home for single young women who are pregnant,
where they can receive counsel, continue their education, and become thoroughly equipped to
make life decisions based on Gospel truth.”

The mission and vision statement of this As Vicki and the others on staff attempt to
ministry are founded on Biblical truths and a teach these young women, who have often
desire to educate and equip the young women undergone much trauma, how to grow in
who walk through its doors with all they need Christ and pursue the ministry of their
to become healthy and God-fearing mothers. children, they too are practicing the art of
The end-game is most definitely a “teach a doing the same.
man to fish” mentality. These women are
given an opportunity to know the life-giving Vicki shared that this ministry can be quite
spring that is Jesus. They are discipled to be heavy. She said, “It is considered a frontline
able to walk out of the door, better equipped to ministry because, by the nature of it, women
offer that same life-giving information to those are coming out of very dark places such as
they encounter in their lives, and especially to addiction, homelessness, abuse, and sex-
their own children. trafficking. They have immense needs and
when you bring them in and clothe them,
Vicki’s responsibilities in this mission field are feed, them, and provide a bed, the trauma
numerous, from overseeing day-to-day sets in. They realize they are safe, and they
aspects of life in the home to hiring support begin to process their lives. It takes an
staff and the over-sight of grant writing. The immense faith to persevere in this ministry.”
list could most definitely go on. “We have so Therefore, it is vital for her to begin her day
many touch points with the community,” Vicki early in quiet time with the Lord. Here she can
said, “and it is my passion that when people prayerfully plan for the day, and the days to
intersect in whatever manner with Hannah’s come while gaining the spiritual strength to
Home, via donor, volunteer, client, partnering remain flexible in the times that the plan
church, or other community resource, that doesn’t go as she had envisioned.
they feel the very real, very present love of
Jesus on display in extremely practical ways.”
A fun and personal way to connect to the
ministry is one of the biggest financial
supports--their baby bottle fundraiser. Baby
bottles are distributed to churches between
Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and members
take them home to collect funds over the
course of the month. All funds are then
directly put toward the operating costs of
Hannah’s home which is run completely debt-
free due to the willingness of those who allow
God to use them in this way.

42

She also shared that her very first ministry is Top photo: Executive Director Vicki Krnac with her
to her family. Her children are the calling that children
God gave her from the day they entered this
world. While she has not always done this Bottom, Vicki with babies of Hannah's Home
perfectly, her aim is to know her children
individually and she prays to see them the way
Jesus does. I loved when she shared this
about her pursuit of both of these important
ministries in her life, “I seek to know them but
at the end of the day, I am a single mom and
God does not require more of me than I can
give. At the end of the day I routinely practice
forgiving myself. I am highly organized, and I
pay attention to my margins. I plan but am
careful not to worship my plan. I actively seek
to change the things that God is laying on my
heart that need changed.” What a beautiful
reminder for each of us as we pursue God’s
callings in our lives. He knows us, He knows
our hearts, He knows our margins, and He
gives us grace to pursue His will even as we
do so imperfectly. He simply calls and requires
us to give with our whole hearts, what we are
able. He is able to fill in the gaps with His
perfect will and miraculous strength, we need
only be willing to be used.

Lindsey is a wife and mother of 5 children ranging in age from 2 to 11 years. She
and her husband Byron currently reside in the beautiful country setting of
Southern Ohio. Lindsey is currently delving into her seventh year of
homeschooling. Along with home schooling, the past year and a half have given
Lindsey the opportunity to reach the other side of the world through teaching
English as a second language to students in China. The opportunity to have some
influence in the lives of children who may never otherwise be exposed to a
Christian is both an exciting and heavy responsibility that Lindsey truly enjoys.
Lindsey’s goal is to return to this ministry in an impactful way that helps empower
others to seek out the Living Water.

At the Well

A Devotional

When the Soul Gets Stuck

in the dead of Winter

by
Brandy Hynes

44

“Mr. Roboto” played on the boombox as we shivered mid bus on a
cold winter day.

We sang together, our breath hanging in that air, somehow
fighting the chill with our voices. I got lost in that music, in the
moment of togetherness.

I was 6 years old and wanted nothing more than to be seen and
heard. Halfway through the song, a finger pressed the pause
button and laughter roared as I continued to belt out words that
didn't belong.

A smile and laughter followed on my own face as I played it off as
being silly. All the while, feeling the flush and frost of labels attach
to my soul. Mittens and a stocking cap couldn't shelter me that
Midwest morning.

Chilling labels.

My words were never quite right or matching those around me. My
beat different and the only thing seen and heard in me was a
vulnerable mess of misspoken lyrics.

Growth allowed me to embrace the silly side of that moment,
learning to let it enhance my rhythm rather than hinder it.

But pain, labels, and brokenness from other places continued to
stick. I wondered and wandered assured that purpose had passed
me by.

Sometimes the soul gets stuck in the dead of winter.

We do this to ourselves, don’t we? We look at friends, celebrities,
family and Biblical heroes. We look at the best of who they are and
compare to our vulnerable messes.

No one measures up to the ski hill when they bury themselves in
the snow.

These winter months are coupled with exuberant celebration and
the burying of things. Maybe buried resonates more than the gala.
Why aren't we invited to a party like that one over there?

Comparison is a cunning thief, stealing our joy and convincing the
heart that all the talent, worth, beauty, and blessings are tied up in
others, leaving us with an empty well.

We long to taste whatever they have, but that taste is an illusion
blossomed from the roots of envy.

Truth isn't planted there. The enemy sows seeds that never
harvest in the light.

But, God.

All you need wells up within you, sweet one. The Savior doesn't
pick and choose, throwing us out of the holy fruit bowl when our
skin is less taut. He leaves the 99 to find the beaten, battered, and
bruised. He seeks the lonely and the broken. And with His touch,
we no longer wither.

We shine, we taste, we grow. We are free.

That coveted life, it has nothing on yours. Its beauty stands in its
own place and time and people. That's not your purpose.

Moses received a burning call right in the middle of His
shepherding field. He stuttered through His doubt-ridden walk and
God met him right where he was.

Dreams turned into a calling for Joseph, while locked in a prison.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? They found their purpose
smack in the middle of a blazing fire.

Our lonely, broken, ordinary, lost, and scary moments do not
prevent our calling. They may be the very ground from which they
spring.

Look around, precious friend. That ground you're standing on?
Eternal soil.

It's the place your purpose and calling and family and faith spring
forth. In this place, you grow. In Him. Weed whacking on a Sunday
disturbs the soul.

Don't cut too close, sweet friend. There's beauty growing there.

Whatever you're burying this winter, let it be the seeds of hope.
Let the hope of your purpose be staring back at you beneath the
mountain of laundry.

Let your calling bubble over as you cook for your family. Let your
table uncover crumbs of grace as you break bread in His name.
Let Kingdom purpose answer the doorbell.

Don't bow to this worldly noise of growth in unfruitful places.
Follow the cloud of purpose that fills your table with milk and
honey. Walk through the fire to get to your calling.

Wait. You're there. Here in this place. This place of unkempt
beauty and broken shards. This place that once held chains of
unfulfilled dreams, chilling labels and a prison of pain. This place
is holy ground now.