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 .
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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 .
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 .
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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 .
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 .