Staring at the empty pantry, the weight of single motherhood pressing down, I found myself grappling with the fear that maybe, just maybe, I was focusing on all the wrong things. Today's journey is a heartfelt exploration of the widow of Zarephath's story from 1 Kings 17, a tale of scarcity and unwavering faith that resonates with every single mom's struggle to keep the bigger picture in focus. I'll share with you how, even when our cupboards seem bare, there's a way to find abundance in what little we have.
As we gear up for our 100th episode celebration on Easter Sunday, I extend a warm invitation to Tampa Bay's single moms of faith to come together for our "It's a Single Mom Thing" class and support group. It's here where we weave spiritual support with empowerment, ensuring our collective journey strengthens rather than hinders us. If your heart seeks a deeper connection with faith or longs for a community's prayerful embrace, join us at shepherdsvillage.com/classes, where guidance and support await to help you navigate your Zarephath moments with grace and hope.
PASS IT ON TO THE NEXT SINGLE MOM - If you have been blessed by this podcast, sign-up today with a monthly gift of $ 3-month click here.
Staring at the empty pantry, the weight of single motherhood pressing down, I found myself grappling with the fear that maybe, just maybe, I was focusing on all the wrong things. Today's journey is a heartfelt exploration of the widow of Zarephath's story from 1 Kings 17, a tale of scarcity and unwavering faith that resonates with every single mom's struggle to keep the bigger picture in focus. I'll share with you how, even when our cupboards seem bare, there's a way to find abundance in what little we have.
As we gear up for our 100th episode celebration on Easter Sunday, I extend a warm invitation to Tampa Bay's single moms of faith to come together for our "It's a Single Mom Thing" class and support group. It's here where we weave spiritual support with empowerment, ensuring our collective journey strengthens rather than hinders us. If your heart seeks a deeper connection with faith or longs for a community's prayerful embrace, join us at shepherdsvillage.com/classes, where guidance and support await to help you navigate your Zarephath moments with grace and hope.
PASS IT ON TO THE NEXT SINGLE MOM - If you have been blessed by this podcast, sign-up today with a monthly gift of $ 3-month click here.
It's a Single Mom Thing, Not the Single Thing That Stops You!
Speaker 1:
Welcome to it's a Single Mom thing, the show for single moms by single moms. This is Share, your Host, and I am happy you are here today. Remember it's a single mom thing and not the single thing that stops you, whether you're a single parent earns much but feels you are less, or you are a single parent that makes very little but has much to give. Life, in my opinion, is a matter of perspective. It is what you focus on that counts. You see, I have found a life that is out of focus. Much like photography can get a little blurry, making it hard to see the details, it loses its sharpness, its edge, its depth of field and even its main subject. Now said differently, if you are near sighted and have forgotten to wear your glasses while driving you. So get what I am putting down. Everything is out of focus, right? So even things that are right in front of you, you know, can quickly go left when, let's say, you miss your right turn, or even the bumper of the car in front of you that just break checked you. When things are out of focus, it can lead to feelings of anger, anxiety, fear, frustration yes, some road rage, white-knuckle moments and even despair. It can be so hard, when you are out of focus, to know where you are going, and even difficult to follow that yellow line in the middle of the road.
Speaker 1:
As a Christian single parent, I find that it is particularly easy to be out of focus, so to speak, when I am focused on things like the little or less instead of the much, losing sight of my provision. Welcome to another episode of it's a Single Mom Thing, I think. When you become a single parent, it seems like everything gets magnified or, like I like to say, hyper-focused, like when there is a crisis, for example, with your finances, your health, your kids or even a relationship, just to name a few. It seems that all the objects in the mirror become bigger. Why is that, do you think? Is it possibly because they're right in front of you, or even they are all that you can focus on? When you are so focused on that one thing, and not the main thing, it is easy to obsess and stress over them, leading you to lose sight of, let's say, friends, family, your children, the truth and even the possible solution. Maybe you're there right now? Do you find yourself there right now, so focused on that one thing, that everything else around you has become blurry as it has moved into the background and out of focus.
Speaker 1:
I have been there more than once, on many occasions, especially when I found myself in between jobs with no savings account, no backup plan and no other provider Total white-knuckle moment. I'm sure you have your occasion too, and it didn't feel like a party we're celebrating, but it quickly turned into your own private pity party. I had many of those. I called them my ZaraFath moment. I was out of focus, losing sight of my pro-vision, focused on the little and not the much, but very little. So let me explain ZaraFath. Zarafath is not a person, it is a place, and a place pointed out in the Bible because I think God knew we would all that. We were going to visit it metaphorically and maybe even be frequent flyers if we ever lost sight of our pro-vision. More on what that is in a bit. So stay tuned.
Speaker 1:
Now, if you have a Bible, flip to 1 Kings 17-8. There you will find me and join me in ZaraFath. So in ZaraFath there, we find a widow and her son starving, Living in a region that has been in a drought for three years. That was foretold by God through a prophet named Elijah. We also find a nation of Jews. Remember those of God's chosen people who turned from God, turning their faith over to a false God through bail worship under the kingship of King Ahab and his wicked wife Jezebel. And lastly, we also find the highlighted ramifications to this one widow in particular, as she is down to her last ration of olive oil and flour. You see, that day she planned was her last, for both her son and herself.
Speaker 1:
How many of you listening often feel you are down to your last ration of olive oil and flour? She, like most of you listening, she was in need and, as a single parent, overlooked. That is until God looked upon her and her greatest need. He never lost sight of her, although she never saw him as a single parent. Even if you have a good support system, how many of you listening can affirm with truth that when a crisis or a challenge arises, that it triggers a deep seated feeling of being overlooked, being needy. So, therefore, you feel like you have to do whatever it takes in your own strength to solve this challenge on your own.
Speaker 1:
Do you feel right now that this is your Zarefath moment, a moment that you keep to yourself because you think nobody else will understand your single situation, even in the church. I think Jesus is the only person who ever knew and knows what each and every human struggle feels like. As humans, we are limited and I do believe at times this is why the church is not the first place a single parent goes to for support. That, and if there is some past church hurt. Now let me ask you do you feel like you have but very little and are down to your last bit of olive oil and flour, not sure where your next meal may come from? Did you just get served notice that you are going to be evicted from your home or even lose a job, unsure of where your next provision is coming from? The good news is, if this story is highlighted in the Bible, god has some good news and support for you right now.
Speaker 1:
Now it may seem like a gift and some strange wrapping paper at times, as the widow did too. You see, support is exactly what God would bring this widow, who lost all that she had and had not known faith. She was out of focus, much like most of the society around her, much like our world today. God can take a little and make a lot. So listen y'all. You have heard many of times, god's ways are not our ways. Only like a bazillion times right.
Speaker 1:
So how crazy is it that the support that God was sending the widow was, by the way of a prophet, that God had lived way out in the desert in a ravine with no food and only a brook to drink from? Now, let me clarify. No food that he brought with him, or grew either. His food came from ravens, instructed by God, that were going to feed him both morning and night. No Uber Eats, no Door Dash, no choice in what he was going to eat. Now, don't lose sight of this y'all, because this is the gift in some strange wrapping paper.
Speaker 1:
So this prophet named Elijah, he learned a little something, something about having nothing before his encounter with the widow. He too, had nothing, but found everything when he stayed focused on where his provisions came from. Now I'm going to give you a warning, because there is a play on words coming right now. You see, when he had Provision, he received Provision from God. Sorry, couldn't help myself here, but not a good Elijah. He had to live in complete obedience and surrender to God to provide all of his needs. With that, his faith grew, his obedience to God grew and so did his mission.
Speaker 1:
So check this. Just like the day the brook dried up, leaving him with no water, did God send him on his way to Xeraphath on a mission? Get this to be fed by a widow yes, the very same widow that was planning her last supper. That widow, now, god did kinda direct the widow ahead of time to supply him with food, which Elijah was also foretold. But there was one minor detail God kinda left out. That was well, the widow's son was going to die. So, needless to say, elijah was not confused about what plans God set forth him. Although God doesn't tell him everything, through his faith he was assured that God knew everything that was enough for him to focus on and the provision he needed to fulfill his mission.
Speaker 1:
So, to move this story along, elijah rolls up to the widow who was gathering sticks to prepare her last meal. Elijah did as God commanded, but the widow however well she did, like most of us probably would do if we were in her situation, the widow she focused on the immediate need of both of her and her son. All she saw were the objects in her mirror that appeared bigger than her faith. Oh yeah, she didn't have any, that's right. All she saw was the last ration of olive oil and flour she had and surely did not see how that was going to feed three. And well, she was not going to share that with a third party stranger.
Speaker 1:
Well, that's my take on what I'm guessing she was thinking. I don't know about you, but I know when I'm hungry I am thinking only about myself. It is a prophet, however, and a man of God. Elijah assures her, just like the many times it has stayed in the Bible do not be afraid. In fact, he says, and I quote Go and do as you have said, but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son.
Speaker 1:
First King 1713. Now, that's a holy hold up for me. I know the first time I ever read that verse, I was like no way did this brother just roll up on her and direct her to give to him first, not to her son and herself that was starving. But as I read further, I noticed he did exactly as God as commanded, no matter his opinion of the single situation he saw right in front of him. Quote For thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, the jar of flour shall not be spent and the jug of oil shall not be empty Until the day that the Lord, that's all, caps. Lord, sends rain upon the earth. End. Quote First King 1714. So this was God's plan and it played out exactly how he planned it. And she went and did as Elijah said and she and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah, by who the Lord Re-focus. Oh, so what about that minor detail, you ask? Well, it happened.
Speaker 1:
Soon thereafter her son fell ill and did die and, like probably most of us would do, if I'm honest, she went all out of focus. She had that finger waving all up and down at Elijah, saying what have you against me, o man of God? Well, as God would have it, this gave God an opportunity for both Elijah and the widow to refocus their faith. Elijah grabbed the son, stretched himself over the son three times and cried out to the Lord, and I quote oh Lord, my God, let this child's life come into him. And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah and the life of the child came into him again and he revived.
Speaker 1:
So let's revisit that gift in strange wrapping paper. It may not give us what we want, but it gives us what we need. And I'm preaching to the choir here. If your life is out of focus or not focused on him, your greatest need is not a roof over your head, clothes on your back, food on your table. Your greatest need is him. He is the daily bread, he is the food for the soul, he is the living water. He is your greatest need. All else will be added to you if you put the kingdom of heaven and him first place, just like the widow, just like Elijah.
Speaker 1:
You see, the widow's testimony points us to faith, though from the perspective of someone who learns to believe in God. First she doubted her provisions, so she didn't share with Elijah. God proved her wrong. Then she doubted when her son became ill, and again God proved her wrong. As an unbeliever, she learned to trust God through experience, but she first had to take a chance. She could have disregarded Elijah's prophecy, but she didn't. Then she bore witness to his faith and grew in her own in the process. Faith believes, faith prays, faith takes action. Doubt does nothing.
Speaker 1:
The widow. Considering her position in life. The widow was a woman with a child, living in a society with less opportunity provided for her. She had every reason to doubt. But if we have faith in God, we shouldn't know matter the circumstances. Scripture tells us over and over again not to be afraid. We shouldn't be afraid, not because our circumstances aren't easy, but because God is so good. This goodness is so much bigger than the circumstances. God is always able.
Speaker 1:
Some of you listening need to have an encounter with God, just like the widow. Or maybe you are a believer like Elijah, but God wants to grow that faith of yours. God also provided for Elijah, just like he did through the widow. This is a reminder that God sometimes places people in our lives to aid us through certain seasons, and sometimes we are destined to aid others. That's why I'm here Now. I promise you one day, the further you walk down this road, he just may place another single parent in your path that may need to get their life in focus, just like you did. So, in conclusion, no matter which side of the story resonates with you more you can be sure we all have our drought season and may experience it more than once, but we never Go through it alone. He is with us, looking out for us. It is your choice, it is my choice, whether we live it out of focus or focused on Him. Have you lost sight of your provision or want to learn more about the one who provides? Call us at 855-822-Pray.
Speaker 1:
Not ready to quite step into a church yet, but looking for spiritual support from a group of like-minded mamas of faith, if you live in the Tampa Bay area, join us on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month for its Single-Monthing class and support group. For more inspiration and information, visit shepherdsvillagecom. Want to be inspired to take your faith higher? Join me on Easter Sunday for a special 100th episode podcast dedicated to the special you hosted by my friends and students at Indian Rocks Christian School. Have a wonderful week and remember it's a Single-Monthing and not the single thing that stops you. Thanks for listening to. It's a Single-Monthing. I hope you enjoyed our time together. If you have more questions on how to have a relationship with Jesus or need prayer, visit us at wwwshepherdsvillagecom. Backslashpray. For more information and resources. Check out our show notes.
