I STILL Have A Purpose | Sarah Wehrli | EP 116

There are people connected to us hearing and then obeying His voice. God didn't take stripes on His back just for physical healing. That's for emotional healing. Maybe the answers could be found just in being heard and being seen and finding someone else that understands. I was seeing God's hand in the prayers that I was praying for other people. When you are not focused on yourself, it frees you to actually be part of a miracle in somebody else's life. Welcome to iRefresh, where we talk about the power of prayer and God's Word. Okay, here we go. Welcome to another edition of our iRefresh podcast. I have a wonderful guest with me, Sarah Worley. Welcome. Thank you. Glad to be here. You know, one of the things I love about you is seeing how God has used you in so many variety of ways over the years. And it's really started about having a vision in your life. And I would love for you to just describe what God did in your life. Like, how did you get this vision? And where has God been taking you on this journey? Yeah. Well, it actually started when I was 11. Very long ago. Very long. Okay, not that long ago, really. Just kidding. I was in a worship service in Children's Church, and we were worshiping. We were singing that old song, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord. And the presence of God was so strong. And I remember closing my eyes, and I saw myself in a room with Jesus. And He was standing to my right, and I looked at Him. And then all of a sudden, in front of me, I saw these pictures of children. from all over the world, just began to flash before me. Children that were near dirty water, children that were hungry, children that were abandoned, children that were crying out, that were all alone. And I remember crying and I said, Jesus, why are you showing me this? This is terrible. And he said, because these are the children I've called you to reach. And I thought, I'm 11. And he immediately brought to my mind the scripture in Jeremiah 1.5. Don't say you're just a youth, for you'll go wherever I send you. So I said, okay, Lord, I'll go. I went home that night. I told my dad, dad, I'm going to the mission field. I'm 11. And he's like, and I'm so grateful because, you know, children can hear from the Holy Spirit. They can see visions and dreams. And I'm so grateful he didn't downplay it because he said, I believe you will. I believe you will. But start here and start now. I was like, what does that mean? Start here and start now. He's like, start serving in our preschool. Yes. Okay. He's like, you can teach the preschool and then you can go with us on outreaches and you can help the church. And, you know, I began starting. It's a building block. That's what I'm hearing is he's establishing line upon line, precept upon precept. You're beginning your vision early by learning the process. Yes. Start where you are. Because many times if you start small, then God can do greater things. So, yeah, I started serving and then I started going on short-term missions. I always knew I had this heart to go. Yeah. and do missions work, but I didn't know all what it would look like in the future. And so then in 2009, when God called my husband and I to move to Asia, we had been working at the church overseeing our short term missions. And then God said, go. That's huge. We moved our family. Um, Isaac was three and Lizzie was one at the time. And, um, we established our nonprofit inspire international and moving there. And that's how that first started. Um, and, and then though, really the children's homes that we now have didn't start till, um, actually after my dad passed away, um, uh, we had gone home from Asia to, to the funeral. And five days after his funeral, we were scheduled to be back in Cambodia. We were hosting an outreach there. And I didn't feel like going. I didn't feel like I had anything to give. But my mom encouraged me to go and that God could do great things through it. And so I went. And it was on that trip that God birthed the vision of this first children's home. You know, I would love her to tell the story that, Sarah, one of the things, it was really you highlighted that in your book and the study called Awake. And that's where I really enjoyed it is. that out of your time, actually, where there was much grief and the sudden. Like, I remember when your father passed. It shook me. I was believing for the miracle. And I think all of our church, it was just almost like such a quietness of stunned. And so I can only imagine what you all are walking through. And because you're out there in front of a congregation of many of trying to be an example, going through that process. And I loved how your mother was giving you advice of like, even if you don't feel like it, it is God was not, he knew what was going to happen. Yeah. And you still had all these plans in motion. Yeah. I mean, she encouraged me of the example in Mark chapter six, where Jesus found out his cousin, John the Baptist, has been killed. Yes. And in his moment of loss, the Bible says he went across the water to find a quiet place. But when he got there, he was met with thousands of people waiting to hear from him. And so he taught them. And then in that same story is when we read the story of how he multiplied the little boy's lunch and it multiplied to feed over 5000 people. And she reminded me of that. She said, Sarah, do you realize a miracle happened in the midst of a loss? And she said, I believe if you'll just go and offer what you have, love the people, see them with eyes of compassion like Jesus, God will do miracles. And I really felt like that was a word from the Lord through her to me. And so I did by the grace of God. We went and. And we saw miracles, signs and wonders. But not only that, God began to birth a vision for these children. And I remember one night I walked into the church. We were gathering up rice to distribute the next day in the villages. And I walked in and I saw all these children asleep on the floor. They were dirty. They were barely clothed. And I looked around and all of a sudden they start scattering in fear. Like they were afraid who was there. And I asked the pastor, I said, who are these children? Why are they here? Like so late at night? He said, well, they've been abandoned. They don't have anywhere else to go. So we let them sleep on the floor of our church every night. And right then I knew we needed to do something, but I didn't know how I had never done that before or didn't have the finances to build a home at that time. Right. So I just said, okay, we got to do something. I began to talk to the pastor. What could we do? Began to make a plan. I told my husband, Caleb, we need to build these children a home. And he's like, I have enough to believe God for. I've already committed to too many things. You believe God for that. So I said, okay, Lord. And the Lord said, what do you have in your hand? And I realized, okay, that weekend I was hosting a women's event in Hong Kong for our church that we were a part of there. And so I thought, well, I have an opportunity. So I went to the pastor who we were associate pastors with them. And so we were good friends. I said, what do you think if we shared this idea, this vision? And we let the women be a part of this. And he said, yes, we've been needing a missions project. Let's share it. So we shared it. that group of women came together. They were like mothers, you know, that wanted to care for these kids. And they raised the money to build that first children's home. And so that first home was built in 2010. Okay. 36 kids moved in, were able to get educated, loved, cared for. Now we've been able to send many of them to university and Bible school. One of the little boys now is an adult. He now is running the home, him and his wife and their family. So it's miraculous what God's done. But then after that, it was like a ripple effect of other homes and other regions and God began to direct us and provide. And it was almost like a domino effect. Now 31 homes have been built and it is really amazing to see transformation in these kids that have been through her. You would never even imagine the horrific things that they've walked through, but now how they have their own dreams. They, they say, I'm going to be an artist. I'm going to be a teacher. I'm going to be a preacher. And they'll, they'll share these things with us every time we visit. And I'm in awe. just of the transformation in their hearts because they now have hope in Jesus and they have hope for their future. It's been miraculous, but it happened. I know the seed of it happened in the midst of a loss, in the midst of a challenge. And I realized I had to wake up and realize, My purpose isn't over just because he passed away. I still have a purpose. And there's people on the other side of my obedience to step out. That is powerful. When I read that and you're saying that, that just so resonates that so many of us need to understand that you still, as long as you have a breath, God has a plan and a purpose for every single day of our life. Amen. Amen. And I see your heart is that you were moved to a place of in the midst of your sorrow, that there was a different form of sorrow. Here is, you see, this life is gone, but this, these lives are still here. And while they have opportunity that God really began to showcase a vision when you were 11, all of a sudden here now he begins to expand and show you what this is, what it looks like. I've been preparing you to now to do the work. And that's the difference. I think that, you know, a lot of people, we don't necessarily, we hear it. Oh, that's a good story. And some people you're listening today, you're like, oh, that's nice. And you'll click, go to some other podcast. But I challenge you is that you have an assignment. It's not about just Sarah's story about her calling. The callings are all interrelated. We are the body of Christ. And God has called every one of us to be able to use our talents in such a way that when We begin to flourish like her recent book is talking about. If we allow ourselves to be the place where we plant a seed, we water the seed, we get to see the harvest. I like, there's something fun about getting to see a harvest, but it's if you do your part. So Sarah, I really love, you know, we have a brochure here in your website of Inspire. What is that? Inspire? Inspire International. So inspireintl.com. So do you have people from all over? Like, do you ever do sponsorship of kids or is it how do you fund or when you approach it to ask people for help? How do you approach that? Is it just a basic funding or you try to pinpoint projects you're working on? We do both. If people want to do ongoing support of children's homes, they can do that. If they want to partner to build a home or build a water well, we do that. And we don't have individual part, you know, sponsorship per child. Right. But, you know, if people want to have, say, I want to partner to support the children in your Cambodia home. Okay. That's, I mean, amazing. We have people that do that. They say we want to, you know, have ongoing support to make sure those kids are cared for and fed and educated. So we are open to, you know, whatever people, you know, whatever God puts on people's heart, we can work with that. So one of the things I have been of interest when we talk about how the Lord also gave you desire and put you in a place where he called you because you're a Bible teacher and you'll find a lot of her even teachings I love because they're they give you great nuggets foundational truths and I've got several of them I went through the how to hear God's voice and there's another one here called the advance and then I've got a couple I'm doing at the same time. And another one is called Awake. And what's great is it's practical. It doesn't take too much time in one setting so you can really ponder the words that are spoken to just plant seeds in your life. You know, even let's highlight, too, one of the studies about how to hear God's voice. How critical is that, that we know the voice of God? Like, what was it behind here that you felt a need to put it together in a practical standing and with the videos that come along with that? Well, I think really the Lord really spoke to me to write it back last fall. I was on a walk. I was praying and I felt like the Holy Spirit said, teach people how to hear my voice. And it's so vital for us because really the key to discovering our own individual purpose is found in hearing his voice. And being led by the spirit is really how we walk out our purpose. So I really felt just to share the ways that God speaks, you know, the hindrances that keep us from hearing the promise throughout scripture that we can hear his voice and then how to know God's will. how to know God's will in a situation. So I put in there seven questions to ask yourself and they're all lined up with scripture, but seven questions to discern. If you're making a big decision, is this God or is this me? And then the rewards of hearing and obeying God's voice, because you, There are practical just rewards. God wants to bless us. He wants to provide. He wants to surround us with favor. But also there are eternal rewards. There are people connected to us hearing and then obeying his voice. So it's really just a practical study that someone could go through if they're trying to discern what is God's call on my life? What is my purpose? What is my vision? I really believe this could help anyone in their walk with God and in the purpose that he has for them. Well, to me, when you're saying that, describe it that way, like I enjoyed it, but like that's life-changing. If, if it's something that you're not really like honed in, like I'm, I feel like I hear him. It's not really clear. The only way to know it is to get into the word. This is just a simple, clean way to just clearly know in a short period of time, actually, that you can really like, okay, now I really am. I am hearing him. And I just didn't really. Yeah. I didn't know how to pinpoint it. That's a regularly great study. Tell me, too, about ADVANCE, what God put in your heart to write this Bible study. Well, I really felt God putting that on my heart during COVID. because everyone felt stuck, you know, in the natural. And I felt like there were people even stuck spiritually in that moment. And so in it, I talk about how that no matter what is going on around us, we can live unstuck and we can move forward in faith. So I talk about, you know, really practical ways of how getting unstuck from fear and moving forward in faith and getting unstuck from fear. complaining and moving forward in gratitude. Ooh, that's a good one. You know, uh, how, you know, we can, you know, get unstuck from whatever it might be, bitterness and move forward in forgiveness. But, um, there's always something we have to let go of or get unstuck from before we move forward in what God has. And so I really, the basis is from the story of the children of Israel, how that they were set free from Egypt, but then they spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness, uh, And God said to them in Deuteronomy, you've stayed at this mountain long enough. Yeah. Break camp and advance, move forward. And so I felt like that this is an encouragement for people, whatever area they might feel stuck in, you know. that there's practical things in here and even my own life stories of times I felt stuck and things that helped me move forward. So I pray that's an encouragement and it's a 30-day Devo. So it's short, bite-sized devotions that will help people just get unstuck in areas and move forward in faith. and the purpose that God has for them. You know, one of the things I really like too, because I like how you've broken it down where we have to intentionally, after reading through it, you know, you're even this first chapter, when you start talking about it's let go, magnify him, And then take action. I think somewhere we get stuck somewhere in between one of those. And we really need to, I find like there's moments like I can get into a place like, oh, like my family's really good. They kind of give you a look like, I know, I just complained. I'm like, oh, I got to stop. Stop that. And then it's like, what can I give thanks to, oh Lord? And you really just change your dialogue. And we can change that. We can help each other. Don't be brutal with each other, but we can like redirect each other towards like, okay, what has God done today? When we can just shift a little thought process of thinking God for something. And that's where I really appreciated that you were like, okay, what are some ways that you can magnify God? I mean, it just helps you to get out of that place where you can get discouraged and you can feel defeated. But that's the difference is we're not defeated. It's just the moment we might be in. feels that way. But that's an emotion. That's not the facts because the word of God's the facts. And that's where we have to go back to putting that armor on, putting on that attitude of praise. And then when you take the action and say, I think that those are the really the way in which we do advance. We start to like, okay, no matter what, we can't give up. God doesn't give up. He keeps on trying to tell us be strong and courageous. You know, like, why are you so repetitive, God? Like when sometimes on a read, you know, the old times like, okay, you said that so many times. You know, how many is like, do not fear? I'm like. Our world, how wild is it? If we just read through the Bible one time, you're like, he just says that so often about do not fear. But like, you know what? One of the main topics is about anxiety and trying to overcome fear. Yes. And I'm like, okay, there was a reason why you were saying that. Yes. Because he knew it would be a struggle. So he was preemptively trying to say, if we fix our eyes on him and his truth of what he wants to offer us. then when those opportunities come where the enemy wants to try to derail us and put us into a place where we can feel, feel, but not reality, but feel certain ways, but then we can stand on what we know what's going on in the spirit realm. And we can begin to, we can basically call us as, you know, we want to pray what's going on on heaven would come down here on earth. And we know there's victory in heaven. We want to pray the victory over each other of our lives. And I is that everything we're doing, we have our assignment affects other people. I love how you talk about that. Yes. That is so good. Well, I mean, you know, one thing that the Lord really spoke to me, in a season where I felt very beat down. I had a vision, really. It was a dream I had. And I was in a circle of people. And it was as if we were all waiting to hear our assignments from God. But I saw this girl curled up asleep on the ground in the circle. And I remember thinking, what is she doing? She needs to wake up. We have a job to do. And immediately after I saw her, I woke up from my own dream and I began to pray and ask God, Lord, what are you speaking to me? And he brought me to Isaiah 52 that talks about wake up, wake up, oh sleeper, rise up, put on your strength, shake off the dust. Rise in the freedom that I've given you. And the Lord just began to speak to me that that circle represented the body of Christ. Every one of us have an assignment. Every one of us have a purpose. But there are some that are asleep. And sometimes just because of tragedy and hurt and disappointment and discouragement that has come against them. But God's saying, I'm calling you to wake up. I'm calling you to rise up. There are people that I've called you to reach. And each one of us have a unique assignment, have a unique purpose. So we each have to rise up and walk out that purpose because there's people on the other side. And so I want to encourage those of you that are watching today. that God has such a unique and special plan for your life. You're not here by accident. You're here on purpose, for a purpose. And God is saying, no matter what you've gone through, discouragement, depression, God is saying, arise, shine. God is saying, I'm with you. I'm for you. I have a plan for you. There are people that you're called to touch and reach and love and impact for the kingdom of God. So shake off the fear, shake off the lies of the enemy and rise up in his strength, the power of his word and receive what he's given you. Walk in that freedom that he's given you because there's people that you're called to touch and impact. That's so good. Thank you, Sarah. You know, we're going to set you at the place here of reconsider. Wherever you're at, you should be prepared for what's ahead because we're not promised an easy life. Because God's always saying he's going to rescue us out of and he will be with us in the midst of the wilderness and the valleys. We're typically going to be there. That's where the life lessons are learned. Even Joseph learned in the pit. A lot of lessons so he'd be prepared to be able to manage the palace. And so one of the things I think I would love to challenge you is take a look at the ministry and opportunity that both Sarah and Caleb have felt really called into doing. Outlets for you to make an impact on lives you'll never meet, but yet what you plant a seed in. is going to have a harvest to touch so many lives for the kingdom of God, to love them in a way where they can be educated, be pulled out and rescued and have an opportunity that you and I here have in the United States. We are so blessed. And if you're not sure of where you're at spiritually, like, you know, I haven't managed myself well in being in the Word. I really invite you. We'll also have in our show notes at IRefresh.net. We're going to show you how to access all these different Bible studies. What's great. She offers them on her YouTube channel. So you want to subscribe to those as well so that you can stay connected with the different studies that complement each of the books. They're so great. Such a wealth of it will so build your spirit up. If you just feel like you've been in a place where you're like, I just need to be able to rise up. I need to get out of how I'm feeling. and you need to encourage and share with other people, like you know somebody who's in that place, these are easy ways for you to be able to share and encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ. So thank you, Sarah, for coming and sharing incredible stories of what God is doing through your life. Thank you for having me. It's a blessing.