Sounding the Trumpet Call: An Interview with William Levi, Part 2

I pray that you were blessed by Part 1 of "Sounding the Trumpet Call: An Interview with William Levi." If you haven't read Part 1, please click HERE for a little more background information about Messianic Jew, William Levi, his work, and his mission. His story is a fascinating one, heavy with grace, and I pray that it will touch your spirit and resonate with the trumpet call of Christ's calling upon your own life. 



Before going any further, I'm also so full of joy to share with you that my devotional, This Last Surrender, is now available in paperback and on Kindle. It is a 31-day devotional for women who seek a deeper walk with Christ. I pray that it will a great encouragement. Here are the links for purchase on Amazon: 

Paperback

Kindle 

And now, for Part 2 of Sounding the Trumpet Call: An Interview with William Levi

When did you come to the United States?

By the grace of God, I finally arrived safe and secure in the United States of America on August 28, 1988.  It had been 27 years since I escaped from my native country of Sudan, yet I knew that my journey was just beginning.  My travels spanned four continents and three seas and by 2004, my travel had gone 360 degrees. In January 2004, 18 years later, I returned back to South Sudan to my small village of Beth Israel,  which had become a wilderness after 18 years in desolations. I founded myself standing in the same foundation of the ruin of my family house where my parents blessed me in January of 1985, before I left for America in the midst of persecution.   I had passed the great river, I had crossed a vast desert, and I had lived as a stranger among people who were strange to me, yet so many of them also have become my extended families in Yeshua. They have embraced me in the Love of  Yeshua and we become brothers and sisters.   My journey had been fraught with uncertainty and peril; but God had kept me through it all, as though refining me by fire.  After my brief sojourn in Egypt for 18 months and Turkey for three months, I spent another 18 months in Lyon, France.  The French people were very kind to me and I was permitted to remain in their country.  French was language number four for me, and I studied it with a vengeance as I worked dead-end jobs to get by.  I soon realized that it would take several years of study to reach a level of fluency necessary for a college education within the French university system.  Still, I kept trying to advance myself.  Meanwhile, I discovered that truly godly men like Father Nus were not all that common in the “Christian” west.  Although Europe in general and France in particular had much to offer, the post-Christian values of the French culture were quite a shock to my sensibilities. The moral codes shared by Christians in Africa were considered to be old-fashioned by the Europeans; and many European churches were lukewarm in their enthusiasm for the Gospel.  Still, I managed to find a church family in France.

 After nearly two years in France, God finally opened the door for me to travel to the United States.  The opportunity was like a dream come true for me.  As my airplane arched into the sky, I felt like my life was about to start all over again.

Upon my arrival in the USA in 1988, I briefly stayed with an Irish American family in Milton, MA whose son, Late Mr. Michael Greenan, whom I met in Egypt in 1986.  After three weeks in Milton, MA, I decided to go to Washington DC to apply for a political asylum and meet the US immigration obligation.  I took a Greyhound bus from Boston, MA and upon arrival in Newark, NJ train Station, I stepped out of the bus, thinking that I arrived in Washington, DC but rather I was still 266 miles away from my final destination. At that point, I decided to pray and seek God for answers. I got a clear directive from His word. “The place where you are is a holy ground.”  Newark, NJ would become my home for the next 8 years.  It was in Newark NJ where the Lord dealt with me.   He set my feet on the rock.  I knew I could not do without Him. I knew I had to obey His word and His Voice. As He says in John 15:5 -8   “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.…abide in Me, for without Me you can do nothing.” So it was in Newark, NJ that the Lord planted me in a city in the late 80s considered to be the number one crime city in America. But the Lord was with me.  As Jesus says in His word, obedience is better than sacrifice.  I knew I had to be in the Word of God and in the will of God.  I knew I had to be in fellowship with the body of Christ. I knew I had to be grounded in a local church. I knew I had to be legal in the country and obey the law of the land.   I knew I had to find a job, work with my own hands, as the Bible says: Psalm 90:17: May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us-yes, establish the work of our hands.

Arriving in America with nothing, except my Bible, I knew, first thing was first.  As the Bible says "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and the rest will be added unto you. "   In 1988, 27 years ago, upon my arrival in the USA,   I had a lot to learn before getting too much ahead of myself.  When I arrived in the USA, I committed my life and plan to the Lord and asked him to help me direct my path in America.   In obedience to the word of God, I had to overcome youthful temptations and the desire of the flesh which America has plenty to offer. I was all by myself.  But I also knew that I was not alone, Christ in me.  I tried faithfully to stay grounded in the Bible and sought out a community of true believers in the household of faith whom I considered to be my family.  It as Proverbs 3: 5-6 says, "Lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." After 3 and half years of sleepless nights of college education and work, I ended up holding a degree in Manufacturing Engineering from NJIT in 1992. Then in July 1993, I answered God’s call in my life to establish Operation Nehemiah Missions to help alleviate the plight of my people back in South Sudan.   

How and when did you come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? 

 I’m going to start my testimony of Salvation here.  It has been 37 years since coming to the Lord. My Spiritual journey has been triumphant seasoned with a lot of blessings, challenges and opportunities to be a witness for the Great Commission.  In this journey, I have gone through the valleys and the mountain tops and walk through the tableland.  All in all, these experiences fulfill the promises that all believers have to go through to be true disciple of Yeshua. It is to refine us as we go through the refining process to conform us to the image of Yeshua for the Glory of God as we read in Romans 5, James 1 and 1 Peter 4,  2 Peter 1, etc.        

Last year, on the 9th, May 2014, I went back to the village of Opari Nykanigwa, Eastern Equatoria, South Sudan with my wife Hannah and our six children where I surrendered my life to Yeshua on December 25, 1977.  I was barely 13 at the time.   Last May, 37 years later, I came back with Spiritual fruits of 7 souls that God entrusted to me (Hannah and the children) whose lives have been intertwined with my own on this spiritual journey.    I’m like Peter saying, “I have nowhere else to go, I have tasted the goodness of God’s grace and  found my resting place in Yeshua, and have no other argument." "So Jesus said to the twelve, 'You do not want to go away also, do you?' Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom we shall go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.'"…John 6: 67-69. 

It was here where I grew up both physically and spiritually. Opari Nykanigwa is located in Eastern Equatoria in the midst of a very beautiful expanse of mountains and rivers.  What a blessing it was for me to bring my family after 37 years, still walking in the faith I had embraced in Yeshua and to stand on the Kulojobi River bed where God transformed my life as a young lad into a new man.   As you read in my book, The  Bible or the Axe, “ it was here for three years 1975-1977, I received discipleship  under my Grandpapa Bishop Andea Vuni who baptized me on Christmas of December 25,   1977 Hannah and the children were so touched.   It was December of 1977, and the quiet, brown waters of the Kulo-jobi River lapped and eddied along rocky banks that had been exposed by the long dry season.  The dry season was the time of baptism in most villages, because that was when the waters were calm.  In August, torrential rains would swell the river bed-and the Kulo-jobi would rage and boil again.  It wouldn’t do to have congregants swept away by the currents.

 I stood on the shore as a skinny boy of thirteen that December, feeling the packed dirt beneath my bare feet.  It was a happy feeling.  Tall grasses bent and rustled as a warm breath of dry air soughed across the savannah lands, mingling the scents of sun-dappled vegetation and hot earth.  The mountains stood out in sharp relief in the blue sky beyond the wooded riverbanks. It was easy to think about God’s great love for me as I drank in the beauty of my surroundings.

I barely noticed the others from my baptismal group as they gathered by the river. The mood was reverent, and people spoke only in whispers as we all waited for the ceremony to begin.  Finally, my grandfather appeared and stood beneath a huge old tree by the riverbank to address the congregation.  As he spoke, I studied the water that flowed gently behind him.  I was about to venture into that water to be immersed!  The river was muddy this time of year, and I hoped that there was nothing sinister lurking in the shallows.  Alligators, snakes, and even sharp rocks might be waiting for me there, but grandfather didn’t seem to be even a little bit concerned. I shook off my childish fears and began to listen to the sermon.  It was time to become a man and a full member of the church.  I wanted to be ready.  Once again, the text for grandfather’s sermon was from Ephesians.  He spoke of the struggles that we would endure if we chose to cast our lot with Jesus Christ.  “Yeshua was a man acquainted with grief,” he said.  “If you wish to partake of His glory, you must understand that you will be asked to partake of his suffering.”  The congregants nodded at grandfather’s words.  Every single person there knew what it was like to be targeted for persecution.  “Are you willing to lay down your lives for the sake of the gospel?”  It was quiet except for the cheerful song of a colorful bird and the chirping of insects in the grass.  Each person pondered grandfather’s words, fully understanding that they might eventually be called upon to do just that.  Grandfather surveyed the crowd before him, love and pain mingled in his expression.  “A good soldier must be prepared to die.  But we have God’s armor, protecting our eternal spirit against the devil’s schemes.” 

I was too young to completely understand the implications of grandfather’s words. Yes, we had lived as refugees, and I knew that boys like me were sometimes stolen from refugee camps to become slaves.  I also knew something of war; and I knew that my own father believed that our current peace agreement was a fragile one.  But I didn’t really imagine that I would ever be asked to deny Christ or face death.  Grandfather, though, knew from experience that some would die for their convictions, and he had been working to prepare his congregation for just such a possibility. “Put on the helmet of salvation, and the breastplate of righteousness,” he continued. “Make sure your feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”  I looked down at my toes.  Little puffs of dirt swirled up between them as I dug them into the dirt of the riverbank.  I tried to imagine that I was wearing gospel shoes.  The image was an odd one, but I understood that the scripture wasn’t talking about real shoes, or real armor.  The war, though, was very real.  “Most importantly, learn to wield the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”  Grandfather was finished with his sermon, and we all sang a hymn.  It was time for the baptismal ceremony to take place.  Murmurs of excitement rose all around me as everyone jostled for a better view.

It was a special time for everyone, because most families had at least one member preparing for this sacrament.  When my name was finally called, I walked toward the great tree that served as a podium for our outdoor gathering.  Its branches spread lazily overhead, swaying softly in the breeze.  Great roots twisted into the riverbank at crazy angles, jutting up like solid benches; perfect for sitting on.  Grandfather looked into my eyes, and I sensed that he was studying my face very carefully.  He was searching for something in my expression, but I wasn’t sure what that something could be. “William Ochan Levi,” he said. “Your enemy will come.”  I nodded dumbly.  Without a word, grandfather produced an axe and placed it on a broad root of the great tree.  Next to it, he placed the Bible.  Then he turned and focused his gaze on me once again.  “When your enemy comes to destroy you, which weapon will you choose?” Would it be the Bible, or the axe?  I was taken aback by the question.  If my enemies were coming towards me, preparing to kill me, I would certainly want to have that broad, sharp axe in my hand.  I could almost feel the heft of the smooth wooden handle, worn by years of hewing trees. 

The sharp head of the axe was a perfect counterbalance to the haft, and I knew what it felt like to send the sharp steel ringing into a sturdy trunk.  Surely the axe would give me a fighting chance against the swords of the jihad.  For we battle not against flesh and blood… The words of my scripture lessons flooded my mind with a new clarity.  Suddenly, I understood that I would never be able to fight my enemy with a weapon of steel. Almost as if by instinct, my hand reached for the Bible.  Grandfather smiled, and I thought I detected a fleeting expression of relief.  “You have chosen the right way,” he said at last.  We waded together into the murky water, and I no longer thought of snakes and alligators.  I knew that I would have to trust God for my life just as I trusted Him for my soul.  I emerged from the water a changed man. From that point on ward, I’m pressing on the race set before us.”  This has been my spiritual journey. No regrets. I’m pressing on to the upwards callings.   

Please join me next week for part 3 of this encouraging interview. 

You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Yes They Are All Ours, Missional Call, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, So Much at Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Messy Marriage, My Teacher's Name is Mama, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Children Are A Blessing, Mittenstate Sheep and Wool, Imparting Grace, Preparedness Mama, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Count My Blessings, Beauty Observed, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Saturday Soiree Blog Party, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, Motivate and Rejuvenate Monday Link-Up, A Little R&R Wednesdays. TGI Saturdays Blog Hop

Sounding the Trumpet Call: An Interview with William Levi, Part 1

William Levi is the founder and director of OMNI--Operation Nehemiah Missions International. Operation Nehemiah's mission is "to rebuild & restore the Biblical family and the Church in the republic of the South Sudan which is recovering from the ashes of war & Islamic persecution through the preaching of the Gospel, promoting sustainable & Biblical stewardship. As Nehemiah 2: 18 says. 'Let us rise and build, so they join their hands together for this good work.'" 

The Lord wonderfully and providentially allowed my path to cross with William Levi's and his family's after reading his autobiographical book, The Bible or the Axe, and subsequently contacting him to speak at the church where I attended after I finished his fascinating story of persecution, escape, and subsequent ministry. William obeyed the call of God upon his life and returned to his homeland to rebuild there what had been broken by war and devastation. His story is one of trial and persecution, suffering for the sake of the Gospel, and difficulty. It is also one of hope, redemption, grace , and the miraculous and powerful hand of God upon his and his family's lives. I've divided this interview into several parts. I felt that it was too full and rich to condense. I encourage you to read and savor each part and rejoice in the way that the Lord is using this humble, willing man and his family for the glory of our precious Lord. I'd also encourage you to visit his website, Facebook page, and order a copy of his deeply encouraging book, the The Bible or the Axe. I know that it will be a blessing to you. 

And now, Part 1 of Sounding the Trumpet Call: An Interview with William Levi . . .

Would you tell us a little about your upbringing and background?

I was born and raised in Moli, Eastern Equatoria State, and South Sudan in 1964. From January 1, 1956- July 09, 2011, the Republic of South Sudan was part of the Sudan after the country got her independence from Great Britain. The northern part of the Sudan was Arab and Islamic and the Southern part of the Sudan was African and Christians. I came out of a generation in the Sudan that was born and raised in between two major wars of religious persecution conducted by Sudan Islamic regime to the north against Christian families and churches in the South Sudan. Between 1955-2005, the war of Islamic persecution claimed 2 million Christians and 4.5 million people displaced into exile. I was the seventh among twelve siblings, five boys and seven girls. My parents lost three of our brothers and sister. There are 9 of us alive to date. Our home was in a small village called Moli in the equatorial district on the eastern bank of the Nile River, bordering Uganda. My parents, Ajjugo and Anna Levi, were devout Messianic Hebrews of the tribe of Levi, the son of Jacob to whom the hereditary priesthood was entrusted. By the providence of God, we found ourselves deep in the African interior along the Nile valley. For ages this beautiful land has become our dwelling place for many generations.

My family lived off the land. We had a lot of ancestral farmland on which my parents built our home and raised food to support our family. As Messianic Hebrews, living in a country where our faith was constantly tested and tried, by fire of Islamic persecution, my parents raised us up to love God with all our hearts, minds and souls. They instill the word of God into our hearts according to scriptures. “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.” Deuteronomy 6: 4-9.

My parents were faithful couple. They loved the Lord and they were hardworking farmer who wanted to raise us up with the love and fear of God and to be hard work. Little did we know that within a year of my birth, Islamic war of persecution would engulfed my village and my community which caused my parents to flee to Uganda as refugees for the next 15 years?

In the year following my birth, the situation in the Sudan became increasingly unstable. The war escalated and spread from the larger population centers in the cities out into the countryside until even small villages were in disarray. No one was safe. Our future was uncertain. Churches were burned, schools were closed, and crops were destroyed and western missionaries were expelled. The conflict had touched our small town. The parents in our community feared for the safety of their families, and many people determined to escape from Southern Sudan across the border into Uganda. My parents decided in late 1965 that the time had come to leave our beloved homeland. For the most part, I grew up as a refugee in the wilderness of Uganda during the first Sudan’s Islamic Persecution against Christians in the South Sudan.

My very first memories as a child are those of growing up as a refugee in Uganda. I didn’t think of myself as a “refugee”, because my parents provided me with the stability of their love and worked hard to build a home for us without the help of the UN camps. I just knew that I was born in the Sudan, and that our family would return there some day. As it turned out, that day was a very long time in coming. Our family would have to make the best of a bad situation for nearly ten years. My parents were farmers, hardworking and industrious. They felt the Lord would have them to raise their children and their crops in peace. But the land in the Abalo Kodi region was not fertile, and the population was too dense. The additional crowding brought about by the refugee crisis made this particular location untenable for any sort of long term living arrangement. There was simply no way to grow the food necessary to support a family. My parents were soon forced to make the difficult decision to move on, trusting God to provide a place for them. They knew that they would have to step out in faith, believing that God had a good and perfect plan for their family. With fervent prayer and careful inquiry, my father sought out a home for us in the Ugandan wilderness. He was well aware that the wrong choice could prove disastrous. I remember how it came about that our family moved away from the safety of Abalo Kobi into the untamed Ugandan wilderness with nothing but strong faith and strong arms to sustain us.“ My father’s face reflected his resolve to find a suitable home for his growing family. My Mother Anna was his partner in everything, and she completed him in every way. She had an inner beauty that radiated through her life and in her actions. Mama was gracious, hospitable, and tough—she and my father made a great team. Mother was not afraid of settling in the Ugandan wilderness. God blessed me with two wonderful parents, and I loved them very much.

I still cherish my first memories of my parents working together to open the wilderness, building a home and a productive farm with nothing but hard work and trust in the Lord. And it was so beautiful. It was as if God had re-created the Garden of Eden right there in Uganda. Every type of animal and plant flourished in the unspoiled jungle. We built our home atop a hill beside a huge tamarind tree. This leafy giant grew to over fifty feet tall, and its pretty yellow flowers gave way in season to a wild edible fruit. I remember that its broad boughs provided a dense shade, suitable for family gatherings away from the hot equatorial sun. Tamarind fruit, called “iti” in the Madi tongue, changes from green to brown when it is ripe; and the juicy flesh is both sugary and sour. I loved to peel away the fibrous brown pod and suck out the juice, spitting out the seeds as I ate. 

My Mother knew that it was an excellent source of vitamins, and she used it to flavor porridge and also for medicinal purposes. When work was done, I learned to climb in the sturdy limbs of our Tamarind tree. My brothers and sisters could play hide-and-seek among the green branches. Sometimes we would even climb to the top to get a better view if we heard an airplane fly overhead. Living next to that tree was like living next to a park—complete with a playground and a free picnic basket. I suppose it kept us younger children busy while Mother and Father set about the serious business of construction. Building a home with no nails, materials, or power tools is a skill passed down from father to son. I remember watching my father select the proper trees to build our new home. The dense tropical forest was rich with trees, reeds, bamboo, and herbs to be used in the building process. “How about this tree, Father?" I asked, pointing out a sturdy-looking trunk. Father smiled, and reached out to strip away a portion of the bark. Every part of life was an opportunity to teach, and Father was preparing a lesson for me. While our home was being built, my parents did not neglect the planting of food. When my father had mentioned that the land near Ambuluwa Mountain was rich and unspoiled, he was understating the truth. The land was so fertile that plants seemed to spring to life wherever seed touched earth. When we first moved into the wilderness, we had nothing but some provisions that we carried from Uncle’s village. It wasn’t long, though, before we were truly self-sufficient. I can’t remember a time when we didn’t have plenty of fresh, delicious food provided for us from God’s bounty. We drank from streams quite naturally. There was no pollution. Birds and animals of all kinds, such as ostriches, giraffes, lions, leopards, elephants, crocodiles, hippos, buffalo, and many others inhabited the forest. The work was very hard, but the land rewarded our efforts lavishly. We were a happy family. So, although we were refugees driven from our true homeland by war, we did not live as oppressed people. My parents protected us from that. We just knew that we were living in another land, and my parents would often talk about going home to South Sudan someday. By the time we were settled in our wilderness home, all of our relatives were scattered through Uganda.

In the Ugandan wilderness, we knew nothing of going to church; but we came to realize that we were part of the Body of Christ. My parents taught us about God and told us stories from the Bible. Our home was always open for fellowship and prayer. The great tamarind tree became a sort of outdoor chapel where we all could gather to sing and worship together. We had no money, so we joyfully brought the first fruits of all our labor as an offering to the Lord. In keeping with our Hebrew heritage, we never failed to remember the traditional feasts and holidays that had become a part of the very fabric of our lives over the centuries, We were so thankful for God’s provision of a refuge for our family. Soon, several Christian friends of ours from South Sudan began to hear of the little village that my father had started, and they came with their whole families to join us. Little by little, our tamarind tree covered a congregation. Over time, the work of plowing fields and raising roofs became lighter with many hands to help. Eventually, we had a flourishing community with men to build silos and women to weed the gardens, and children to grow together. We called our new village Ambuluwa. Our home was no longer a wilderness.

Please join me for Part 2 of "An Interview with William Levi" next week . . .



You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Yes They Are All Ours, Missional Call, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, So Much at Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Messy Marriage, My Teacher's Name is Mama, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Children Are A Blessing, Mittenstate Sheep and Wool, Imparting Grace, Preparedness Mama, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Count My Blessings, Beauty Observed, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Saturday Soiree Blog Party, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, Motivate and Rejuvenate Monday Link-Up, A Little R&R Wednesdays. TGI Saturdays Blog Hop

An Interview with Audrey Broggi, Part 2

This week, we're continuing with Part Two of the interview with Audrey Broggi. Audrey is the wife of Dr. Carl Broggi (from Search the Scriptures ministries and the Pastor of Community Bible Church in Beaufort, S.C.). She leads the women's ministry there -- Mothering from the Heart -- a ministry that has greatly helped and encouraged me on my own mothering pilgrimage. When I wrote to Audrey, she graciously agreed to do this interview, which I pray will be a great blessing to those who read it. She has been a role-model in my life for her strong and uncompromising stand on Biblical womanhood and parenting. I encourage you to glean from her insights and her Godly, encouraging wisdom from God's Word.

Click here to read Part One.

Your ministry, Mothering From the Heart, has had a profound impact upon the lives of so many women. How did this ministry begin and grow?

What started as a heart for my family and biblical mothering - teaching the practicality of the Bible to my own children and others they brought home has grown into my teaching the practicality of God's Word to women as well. My heart's desire has always been to know God intimately, to obey Him earnestly, and to see His hand in the small, everyday moments of life.
So with that heart, I opened my home and invited women in our church to come and together we'd study the biblical principles of mothering.  I told them that I was just passing on to them what God was teaching me.  I told them that I didn’t have it all together or all figured out - that the “jury,” so to speak, was still out in terms of my own family.  BUT, God’s word is true and I was clinging onto Him for dear life.
My first study brought so many women.  My living room was packed - standing, in the hall, up the stairs.  I was - I don’t know - amazed and thankful.  But I was also struck with the need.
We gathered for 6 weeks and explored the Scriptures together, laughed, and prayed.  Then when the first study concluded, other women asked when I would teach it again.  so I did - and then when our first building was built, we held it there.  Which eventually led to a conference and many since then.

How do you believe Mothering From the Heart has impacted the lives of women and their families over the years?

All I know is what I hear from women who write to me.  Their lives are forever changed as they see the beautiful design from Scripture and apply His word.  Perspective makes all the difference in the world.

Why do you see a need for the traditional role of motherhood to be reinforced and embraced within the church and as a testimony to the world that we live in?

God created family - He knows how best it should function and work.  When Christian families live out His design, the gospel is proclaimed.

Your authenticity and “down-to-earth” approach with women as well as your compassion and refusal to compromise regarding the principles of the Scriptures are so refreshing. How have you experienced women benefiting from such a straightforward approach to God’s Word?

Again, I can only share what women share with me.  They seem to appreciate the truth.  Serious women don’t want to be entertained.  They want the truth.  They see the foolishness of the world and they also realize that too many women Bible teachers don’t really speak to the real struggles of life in the home in terms of how the Bible can come to life in terms of
loving a difficult man or raising sinful children.  Women can be all “superspiritual” with their gal pals but the rubber meets the road in the home.  When the husband says something or does something mean or insensitive, when the kids are fighting, when food burns, when the baby is teething and fussing 24/7, when life is chaotic,  women must learn how God’s word is real in the middle of their domestic lives.  It’s not just about being at some women’s event or having me-time.  I see my role as filling up the tanks of women so they can walk with God no matter what life throws at them.  My heart is that after being at one of my studies or retreats, they would be refreshed to do what God has called them to do. And know that He is faithful.  Women don’t need some list - they need God.

How did raising your own children teach you more about the joys and difficulties of mothering?

Life is fleshed out in the home.  While a woman doesn’t have to be a wife or a mother to teach the truth of God’s word, those things certainly give her experience.  I think of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.

Wow, think of the implications of this for mothers who want to help other mothers.  If we will take seriously our struggles and learn what God wants to teach us through them, we have something to pass on.  Not just opinions, but truth.

How does your relationship to Jesus Christ impact your views on mothering and the home?

His Word is the foundation of all I believe and teach concerning mothering and the home.

What spiritual battles have you come up against through refusing to compromise on the principles that God lays out in His Word?

Without being specific, sometimes women get angry with the message but they project the anger on me.  That’s ok.  I try to be gentle when talking about hot button issues but often that doesn’t matter to a woman …

Who are some of your favorite women of the faith, past or present? Why?

In terms of well-known Christian women, I would say Elisabeth Elliot and Nancy DeMoss. Both are strong believers and as far as I know, have never compromised the truth of Scripture as it concerns women’s issues.
I especially appreciate Nancy because as a single woman, she has been faithful to know and understand and teach not only God’s good design for being single, but also His good gifts of marriage, children, and the home.

It is clear from your and your husband’s ministries that Scripture is central to your practical decisions and in your walk with the Lord. Why do you believe that the Word of God must be the basis for the way that we practically live out our Christian walk?

Since He is our Creator, He knows how we should live.  Even if I don’t understand, He is good.

Is there any final advice that you would like to give to wives and mothers who are striving to live their lives in a way that is pleasing to the Lord?

I love the beginning of Hebrews 12: Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us (those men and women of faith listed in Hebrews 11), let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us (women must be honest about their distractions and encumbrances and get rid of both “OK” things and sin), and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus (not on other women), the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
There is so much in this world to grow weary of and lose heart over.  BUT as we fix our eyes on Jesus, He carries us and gives us hope.

Thank you so much for sharing this wisdom with us, Audrey. It has been such a blessing to have you here. God bless you as you continue to serve Him through your ministry to women.


You might find me on the following link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Yes They Are All Ours, Missional Call, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, So Much at Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Messy Marriage, My Teacher's Name is Mama, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Children Are A Blessing, Mittenstate Sheep and Wool, Imparting Grace, Preparedness Mama, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Count My Blessings, Beauty Observed, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Saturday Soiree Blog Party, Tell It To Me Tuesdays

An Interview With Audrey Broggi from Mothering From the Heart, Part 1

I am excited to have a very special guest on the blog for the next two weeks for an extended interview. Audrey Broggi is the wife of Dr. Carl Broggi (from Search the Scriptures ministries and the Pastor of Community Bible Church in Beaufort S.C.). Audrey leads the women's ministry there -- Mothering from the Heart -- a ministry that has greatly helped and encouraged me on my own mothering pilgrimage. When I wrote to Audrey, she graciously agreed to do this interview, which I pray will be a great blessing to those who read it. She has been a role-model in my life for her strong and uncompromising stand on Biblical womanhood and parenting. I encourage you to glean from her insights and her Godly, encouraging wisdom from God's Word. 

To begin, would you tell us a little about yourself, including when you became a believer and how your relationship with the Lord Jesus has shaped your life and thinking? 

I was raised in a Christian home, my father was a pastor. Every Wednesday night, two times on Sunday and at home, I sat under his teaching. As I grew up under my parents’ guidance, I began to understand that people are sinners. You know, corporately, out there – big groups of people are sinners. But there came a time in my life – I call it a defining moment - when I was gripped with the fact that it wasn’t just people “in general” who were sinners – but that I, Audrey Hill McKay, was a sinner. This was one of those times in my life - some moments in life are, well, indelibly marked, and you never forget – It was Christmas time and I wanted a baby bright doll. I handled Christmas as a child by wishing for toys, going to see Santa, and then writing a letter and making long lists for him which I would leave on “my chair” in the living room. I also set out cookies and milk for him and I hung every red sock I could find on the mantle. And I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned and woke up in the middle of the night. The Baby Bright Christmas was no exception. I woke up and ran to the door of the living room and there I could see her – Baby Bright. I don’t know if my sister had asked for Baby Bright or not but she had one too.Well, I ran back to my room and shook my sister – “Baby Bright! Baby Bright! She’s here – come see, come see!!” My sister was not interested in the middle of the night – I tried then to wake up my two brothers – but they weren’t interested either. Well, I didn’t want to be up by myself but I sure wanted to hold Baby Bright. So I ran back to the living room and took her out of her box and brought her to bed with me. I don’t know – sometime later – I woke up and tried to wake my sister again but she was still not interested. That’s when I decided to go do Christmas toys by myself. At some point, though, I took a look at my Baby Bright doll and to my horror – her beautiful yellow hair was all messed up. I guess sleeping with her was not a good idea. I tried to fix her hair but couldn’t. Then a thought occurred to me. My sister’s brand new doll still in the box with the hair all in place. So in the quiet of the night – I switched the dolls. No one saw me do it. But I felt so guilty. Well, when my sister finally got up and took a look at her doll, she looked at me and shouted, “You switched the dolls!” “No, I didn’t!” I was not only a thief but a liar. I’m telling you – If I had ever doubted I was a sinner before, I didn’t anymore. I knew that I was a sinner.Now, I was a sinner before that event. But this is the moment when God began to show me that I was a sinner. Not just people in general, but me. Then some time later and I don’t know how much later – what month – or how much time elapsed but sometime later, I was sitting in church as I did every week. I don’t remember what my dad was preaching on that Sunday but I do remember the end of the sermon when he starting preaching the cross and why Jesus died. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. This was the day God opened my eyes to understand to that Jesus didn’t just die on the cross for sinners in general – but that He died on the cross for me personally. I could believe in Him and He would save me. His death paid for my sin. His resurrection proved it. I didn’t understand everything but I knew I needed a Savior, I knew I wasn’t good enough – I was a thief and a liar and I was a stubborn girl. But Jesus died for me and I trusted in Him. I don’t know how old I was, I don’t know if my parents noticed a difference in me – but I did.

 Were you raised in a Godly family? How did your upbringing aid you in your walk with the Savior? 

As I grew up, though, I kind of drifted along. Ups and downs. A roller coaster spiritual life. I was thankful for my salvation but I must honestly say I did not know how to experience a consistent walk with God. I wanted to share Christ with friends at school. I was afraid, though. Well, another defining moment in my life occurred when I was 19 years old, a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I had a close male friend, not a boyfriend but someone with whom I connected after going away to college. This boy, I’ll call him John, and I had attended junior high together, but I had moved away. Feeling rather lonely when I first got to UNC, John sought me out and I soon discovered I had a friend who lived across the quad from me. We did a lot together our freshman year and then we went our separate ways for summer break. After we returned to school in the fall, I saw John almost every day during the month of September. Most days, we talked about school, our studies, and our old friends. We got tickets for those friends to come to the UNC/South Carolina football game. We laughed a lot and I always looked forward to being with him. I especially remember one defining day, late in September, when we met out in the quad between our dorms. We sat in the grass and talked for two long hours. At first the conversation was light and fun but then John began to open his heart and share some personal things with me. His look turned solemn as he told me how he spent his weekends. He was an excellent sober student during the week, but he transformed into a drunken slobbering fool on the weekends. And for some reason, although we had never talked about the deep things of life, he was turning to me for help. All the time he talked, my heart began to pound. I got nervous - and I knew I needed to tell him about Jesus and the hope of the gospel. The more John talked, the more my heart pounded. But I kept silent. See, I was one of those Christians who talked Jesus with others who talked Jesus. Well the conversation ended with no talk of Jesus. But I intended to talk with John about Jesus – later. Two weeks later on a defining Monday morning – I looked for John in the usual spot we met between classes. I waited and waited until I could wait no longer or I would be late for class. He must be sick, I thought – this guy had never missed a day of school since kindergarten. After class, I decided to bake some cookies and take them over to him. While I was mixing the dough, my sister called me. I will never forget her question, “Did you hear about John?” I said, “No ~ but he must be sick,” “No,” she said, “He’s not sick – he’s dead.” I was stunned. She then read the article that appeared in the campus newspaper. John and his roommate were drunk, left the keg party in their room to get more beer and on their way back to campus, their car wrapped around a tree and John never gained consciousness. He died two hours later at the hospital. It was early in October, and on that day, my world closed in around me. Time stopped and I wondered how life could go on. I remember going to classes in a blur and wondering how students could go about life as if nothing had happened. I knew people “in general” died, but death had never personally affected me. No friends or family close to me had died.But now, my friend was dead. Not just an acquaintance. But a real friend. And I had no idea if he knew the Lord. I remembered and re-lived that conversation in the quad all semester. I was sad, very sad, maybe even clinically depressed for 2 months, barely getting through my classes. His death, but mostly my guilt weighed heavily on my mind. For me, all kinds of thoughts entered my mind that I wrestled with: “What was wrong with me? I know Jesus Christ. I know John needed Jesus Christ. Why was I so afraid to speak of Him? Did I really believe that Jesus Christ was the most important thing in my life? And what was the point? Why hadn’t I shared Christ with John? My life was useless for God.” However, instead of continuing to wallow in sadness and depression, I asked God for His help. I told Him that I didn’t want to live a roller-coaster life. I didn’t want to float through life being afraid to speak of Him. I wanted my life to be defined by Him. But, the question loomed in my mind, why was this gospel so difficult to share? Could it be that there was something missing in my own Christianity? I wanted answers. I asked God to help me grow. Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, And saves those who are crushed in spirit.” I was truly crushed in spirit. God heard me and two months later – through an odd turn of events; I was on my way to a Christian conference designed for college students. It would turn out to be not just a defining moment but a defining week in my life.It was there that it seemed God was speaking directly to me. Just like He had all those years before when I switched the dolls. It was like I was the only one there. It was like the speakers that week had read all about me, knew my every thought, understood my broken heart. It was like they knew me in a personal way and were there to give some answers, to take away the fog, to impart God’s purposes for me. Well, they didn’t know all about me – but God did. And as they shared their hearts and opened God’s Word – God spoke directly to me - through His word. This would be the beginning of a closeness with God that I had yearned for all my life. A beginning of a journey for me. 

Please join us next week for part 2 . . . 


You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Yes They Are All Ours, Missional Call, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, So Much at Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Messy Marriage, My Teacher's Name is Mama, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Children Are A Blessing, Mittenstate Sheep and Wool, Imparting Grace, Preparedness Mama, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Count My Blessings, Beauty Observed, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Saturday Soiree Blog Party

An Interview with Author Alicia G. Ruggieri

I'm thrilled to interview Alicia G. Ruggieri on the blog today. :-) Alicia is the author of The House of Mercy, an exhilarating story of hope and redemption set in Arthurian Britain (you can read my review of that book here) and most recently, The Fragrance of Geraniums, a 1930's novel whose plot and storyline are masterfully woven together and so beautifully illustrate and magnify the love and mercy of our Heavenly Father through brokenness and pain.  

Alicia's writing always challenges me to know and love the Lord more deeply, to embrace the sorrows that He sends with the assurance of His Father-love, and to set my hope more firmly upon Him. 

Now, without further ado, :-)

An Interview With Alicia G. Ruggieri

A fourth-generation New England native, Alicia G. Ruggieri writes stories about the possibility of redemption for all things through the Cross and the cost of true mercy. With a degree in Communications and History, Alicia loves spending her days researching, writing, and caring for her family, and she avows that every life would be enriched through the addition of just one more dog.

When did you begin writing?

Well, the first thing I remember writing was a sequel to the original Little Mermaid. I was so disappointed that Ariel had left her entire family to choose a sea-less life! I think that I was around six or so. I've written since then. Thankfully, my subject matter has matured!

What was your inspiration/motivation to become a writer?

Books - good ones - were an integral part of my childhood and young adulthood. So, I suppose, writing stories was as natural to me as breathing. As a result of reading almost every day of my life, I've come to see nearly everything that I observe as part of a story. And I love the idea that everyone has a story and is part of the Great Story that God is writing. I'm not sure that there was ever a time when I decided to become a writer; but there was a time when I knew that God desired that I put concentrated effort into my fiction writing so that others could benefit from it.

What overall message do you want to send your readers through your writing?

A theme that travels through most - or even all - of my writing is that, through the Cross, all things can be redeemed: even the most ghastly sorrow, the most wretched circumstance. All can and will be made well - made right - by the Lord Christ, the one who crushed the Serpent's head. And that we, His children, can trust Him to do right.

How does your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ influence/impact your writing?

For me, I see this world as a shadow, as something passing away to make way for the Real Kingdom. Gradually, that has led to a stronger focus on the spiritual - not in a preachy way - but in a way that, I hope, emphasizes that Real World and makes us understand better the solidity of the Gospel and its application to all of life, and not only to our moment of salvation.

What authors, past or present have had an impact upon your writing? In what way?

Wow, what a question! There are so many, from Gertrude Chandler Warner with The Boxcar Children series that I read so often as a child; to C.S. Lewis, whose 'Til We Have Faces revolutionized my thinking about Greek mythology; to George MacDonald, Oswald Chambers, and John Piper, whose theological writings have provided stones upon which to build from the foundation of Scripture. I also love different aspects of Louisa May Alcott, the Brontes, Jane Austen, George Elliot, and others.

What other activities do you enjoy, besides writing?

Drinking coffee. Taking walks in the woods. Playing with my nieces and nephews. Eating cannolis (If you've never had one, you've not lived.). Hymn-sings and prayer meetings. Laundry (Yes, I actually enjoy it!). Oh, and of course, reading!

My Review of Alicia's Novel:

The Fragrance of Geraniums is a beautiful, breathtaking, thought-provoking work of fiction. Alicia weaves together a dramatic story of sorrow and loss, and of redemption and grace through her character's pain and brokenness. Without being overly-sentimental, Alicia paints a poignant canvass whose dark undertones ultimately serve to emphasize the radiant, glorious, grace-imparting strokes of light and restoration, as a sunrise is illuminated by the darkness from which it rises. 

This is a heartbreaking story. Be prepared to taste the sorrow of Grace's family situation, to cry with Emmeline as she faces the prospect of a lifetime of barrenness, and to sympathize with Sarah, whose failing marriage leaves her broken, bitter, and hungry for something deeper than the lifeless religion that she has always known. 

And then be prepared to rejoice--rejoice in the unexpected twists and turns that the Lord's great mercy takes in the lives and hearts of these three women. 

This is a difficult book to put down; completely engrossing, the conclusion actually left me quite stunned. The way in which Alicia illustrates through her story the workings of the Lord's hand in each of her character's lives is masterful and utterly satisfying to me as a reader and as a Christian. 

Through Alicia's book, the reader is led to the conclusion that no matter what difficult, painful circumstances are seemingly hurled into our lives or gently placed there by a loving Heavenly Father, He is good--and that He is working all things together for His people who love Him. 

I also enjoyed the subtle, though not overt or distracting, romantic element to the book, and the delightful way in which the main character's friend and admirer, Paulie Giorgi illustrates the love and gentleness of Christ in how he relates to and interacts with Grace. 

So pick up a copy of the book, settle down with a cup of coffee or tea, and be prepared for your heart and mind to be deeply moved.  

This novel would also make a wonderful Christmas gift.


You can purchase The Fragrance of Geraniums on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/aliciagruggieri

Available on Kindle and in paperback.

Visit Alicia's blog: http://www.abrighterdestiny.blogspot.com
Follow Alicia on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/AliciaGRuggieri
Find Alicia on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AliciaGRuggieri
And on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AliciaRuggieri




You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Yes They Are All Ours, Missional Call, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, So Much at Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Messy Marriage, My Teacher's Name is Mama, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Children Are A Blessing, Mittenstate Sheep and Wool, Imparting Grace, Preparedness Mama, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Count My Blessings, Beauty Observed, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays