Between Sisters with Sisterhood.River

We had the privilege of talking with Pastor Kathie Thomas on the podcast today. We talked everything from Handel's ice cream to her first encounter with God to what it's like to walk intimately with the Lord. Get ready to have all the feels. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy getting to know my spiritual mama. I know you're going to love her like I do. 

DISCLAIMER: This was recorded before COVID-19, so some of the information is outdated, such as when we speak of the River Services. The River Service scheduled for April 3rd has been cancelled as we are complying with the CDC guidelines regarding social distancing. We pray this virus dies swiftly and we are all able to meet together again very soon. Blessings...

Join Mikel & Toni as they go through Day 6 of the Love the Lost Prayer Initiative. Things happen when we pray that don't happen when we don't pray. God's heart is for the lost. It always has been. It always will be. And we can partner with Him to win them through prayer. If you want to join in on the fun of praying for the lost with us, you can visit www.vcconechurch.com and download the 21-day prayer initiative. 

Tia Ciferno is our guest today, and I think Tia is the absolute best! Every single time I spend time with her, I walk away refreshed, smiling and full of peace. I’m a better person for knowing her and my life is so much better with her in it. Her story is amazing. Get ready to love her as much as I do while we talk about Jesus, seasons, managing our expectations, and how to walk gracefully through life even when it takes an unexpected turn.

Tia is the granddaughter of European immigrants and grew up in a house full of family, food and the love of music. God has used her to minister to women for the last several decades and she’s well known for the music she has written and recorded. She is currently the Executive Director at a local medical pregnancy center. She loves all things having to do with nature and the outdoors and can be seen often photographing wildlife at nearby parks. 

Disclaimer: This was recorded before the social distancing guidelines from the CDC came into effect. The last several minutes talk about the benefits of physical connection with one another (#wearebettertogether). We are abiding by the CDC guidelines and suggest you do the same. However, once this is lifted, please be sure to gather again! Blessings!

Join Mikel & Toni as they encourage us into peace and talk about the prayer initiative we are launching March 22nd and we need your help! The Bible has a lot to say about peace, from Romans 16:20 where we see the God of Peace crushing Satan under our feet to the sweet words of Jesus, "Peace I leave you, My peace I give...for I have overcome the world." Even in uncertain times we can have peace. We pray your faith Is encouraged and your atmosphere becomes even more saturated with peace as you listen. 

During this season of uncertainty in this world, we're pleased to have David Nekrutman on the pod with us today. He joins us from Israel today with a word of encouragement and hope, bringing us a fuller understanding of Psalm 91. He's the Executive Director of the CJCUC in Israel (the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation). In 2018, he became the first orthodox Jewish person in history to graduate from a Spirit-filled university. He graduated from Oral Roberts University with a Masters in Biblical Literature. We pray that you'll be filled with peace, hope, and purpose as you listen to today's podcast.

https://www.cjcuc.org/
http://morningdrivebible.com/ (David's podcast)

About David Nekrutman
The weekly Bible commentator for FrontPage Jerusalem’s Bible on the Go segment as well as a blogger for both Charisma and Times of Israel, David Nekrutman currently serves as the Executive Director for The Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding & Cooperation (CJCUC) in Jerusalem, Israel. In this capacity, Mr. Nekrutman is breaking new ground in leading the first ever Orthodox Jewish institution to dialogue with Christians on a religious and theological basis. He also launched the Day to Praise in 2015, creating a global movement of Christians joining Jews on Israel’s Independence Day to recite Psalms 113-118 (Hallel). Prior to his work with CJCUC, Mr. Nekrutman served as the Director of Christian Affairs for the Consulate General of Israel in New York. He was instrumental in the successful launching of The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem, The Israel Experience, The Christian Jerusalem Day Banquet, and The Watchman on the Wall program with Reverend Robert Stearns of Eagles Wings, resulting in millions of Christians praying & supporting Israel and the Jewish people. Prior to his calling in the field of Jewish-Christian relations, Mr. Nekrutman’s professional career ranged from working for the City Council of New York as a Legislative Analyst to e-marketing for a major high tech company in Israel. He received a Bachelors of Arts in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2013, Mr. Nekrutman was accepted into Oral Roberts University’s Theology program, taking a Masters of Arts in Biblical Literature with a concentration in Judaic-Christian Studies. He thesis work is in the Hebraic Roots of the Holy Spirit. Mr. Nekrutman resides in Netanya with his wife and three sons.

In these uncertain times as we watch what's unfolding all around us, Mikel & Toni wanted to take a moment and share their thoughts on faith, fear, peace and what's going on. With all of the unknowns everywhere we look, we need to rest In what we do know. God Is good. He Is faithful. And He won't leave us. We are praying for you that His peace will saturate your heart and mind. 

We loved connecting with Bishop David and Pastor Kathie Thomas, our spiritual Dad and Mom. We talk about all the things (well maybe not ALL the things - this podcast Is only 30 minutes long). "We've found since we were birthed in a move of God, birthed in revival, we've never been able to be satisfied with just plain church." 

They have so much to share. They've been the leaders of Victory Christian Center for over 40 years (we're one church with eight locations) and they've been married for 48 years, there's so much wisdom packed into these 44 minutes. They share about things like giving God your yes and what that looks like, marriage, endurance, and what to do when you feel isolated. They open up about when they wanted to quit and what made them stay. 

There are so many nuggets of hope and encouragement In this podcast and we just know it will strengthen your faith while making you laugh and cry all at the same time. Get ready to love them as much as we do! #wearebettertogether

Welcome to the Better Together Sisterhood podcast! We're so excited for you to meet Toni Lagaras today, the heart behind the podcast. She's a pastor’s wife, mom to 3 kiddos, director to our ladies group Sisterhood, and writer at her blog tea with toni (teawithtoni.com). We had so much fun talking today about all the things - her story, her thoughts on prayer and walking with God, and her thoughts on what this year could hold. Thanks for hanging out with us today, and don't forget - we are better together!