It’s International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day all in one week – and we’re so excited to have a women-led Praise episode coming your way! This episode of God in the Midst will be focusing on some amazing charities that are supporting women, and led by women in the UK. We’ll also have Lucy Grimble leading us in worship as well as Reverend Sharlette Reid praying for us. Let’s take a look behind the scenes, as Taylor Bentliff caught up with some amazing guests ahead of the shows coming up next week…
Survivors of domestic abuse
Bekah Legg was such a great guest as she joined us for a Skype call from her home. She’ll be opening up about her own story of surviving an abusive relationship and explain how she works to lead Restored, a fantastic charity which is helping to equip the Church to stand and support victims of domestic abuse.
Bekah explained: “The prevalence in the Church is exactly the same as outside of the church which is devastating in so many ways because we want the church to be a place of safety, a place of security, a place where people live to a different ideal. And yet actually, it’s important that we also recognise that we’re real and that we’re human and that we respond properly to this situation that is very definitely going on all around us.” She was full of messages of hope and great advice for the Church and any women who may be struggling during this time.
Being satisfied
We’ll have an inspiring message from Nia-Cerise Conteh as she opens the Bible at John, chapter four, the well-known story of the woman at the well. It’s going to be a powerful message, in which she reminds us: “In the midst of difficult situations, we’re looking to all of these other things to give us strength – some of these things that we don’t want other people to see, that we run to, that we give ourselves over to, again and again and again because we think that these things will sustain us… it is only when we encounter Jesus, it is only when we encounter Him and His living water that we can truly be satisfied. “
We loved receiving this heart-felt message and we’re excited for her to speak out to our female TBN UK viewers, calling us to live our lives in all fullness and fulfil our God-given purpose. She will be asking us the challenging question: “Have you encountered Jesus’ living waters?”
Supporting women during pregnancy and childbirth
Taylor has a great chat with Hope Plumb from Elayos, as she took time out from her organisation’s outreach work, entertaining the kids and training her new puppy! She logged on to talk to us about her charity’s work with isolated and vulnerable mothers, as well as highlighting some of the difficulties many pregnant women have faced this year, when adapting to the necessary COVID restrictions. She told us: “Elayos started because we were just seeing a gap in the type of care that isolated and vulnerable women were being offered and I think giving birth is a Human Rights issue really, it should be equal for everybody wherever you’re from, whatever your socioeconomic background…”
Hope’s insight reminded us to continue to support the women in our lives and offer help where we can! She also commented on the ways her outreach has had to adapt over the past year, and consequently, the need for women to continue with their pre and post-natal appointments, saying: “It’s crucial really that women are accessing their maternity care, that they are still going to see their midwife for appointments and aren’t put off by the fact that it’s in a hospital – and so we’re trying to encourage our clients to still plug in to what is on offer,” as well as pointing to some helpful online and restriction-friendly resources.
Watch this latest episode of God in the Midst on Monday 8th March (International Women’s Day) and 14th March (Mother’s Day), or of course On Demand.
