She Did What She Could: An interview with Maggie Rowe : Jennifer Hand

This interview with Maggie Rowe was like sitting with a trusted wonderful friend who is full of grace, wisdom, humor, and JOY.

I cannot wait for you to listen and to pick up a copy of her book The Life We Share: 52 Reflections on Journeying Well with God and Others.

In the interview, I asked Maggie what she would say to those who struggle with people-pleasing because she mentioned that she was recovering from her people-pleasing tendencies.

She said these six profound words.

“Your lack does not define you!”

She mentioned how she always looked at herself for what she didn’t have instead of what she had.

Raise your hand with me if you understand that.

We discuss the story of Elisha and the widow found in 2 Kings 4:1-7

A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”

²So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”

³Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. ⁴And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”

⁵So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. ⁶Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.”

And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. ⁷Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

God multiplied what SHE HAD to fill where she had lacked.

Can I encourage you today in where you feel you lack?

Maybe as a mom, you are feeling a lack of wisdom and patience of how to navigate life not just as a mama but a mom in a pandemic.

Maybe as someone in the ministry you are feeling a lack of resources or opportunity.

Maybe you are feeling a lack of gifting or relationship.

God will fill where we lack.

She did what she could.

In the story of the woman who anointed Jesus’s feet with oil that is what was said of her.

She did what she could.

Let’s pray and ask God for the courage to do what we can and to trust God to multiply where we fill a lack.

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Show notes: