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Marj Rossol

“God Speaks in Many Different Ways. Look for His Fingerprints!”

by Deborah Armin October 14, 2018

written by Deborah Armin

Hearing from God is vital to the Christian walk yet many of us battle to hear clearly from Him. And, how do you even talk to God when you’re angry with Him, grieving the loss of a loved one? These are some of the things GOD TV’s series, Let’s Get Real picks up on.

In the video below a dynamic panel of women – Chris Larkin, Alison Wilson, Marj Rossol, Sue Eldridge consider the question, ‘How do you hear from God?’

“Well I hear and I don’t hear,” says Alison, “Sometimes God just bypasses my brain!” She shares how when she prays for people sometimes she will say something that pops out without her thinking and it’s as if God has bypassed her brain and a Holy Spirit truth comes out. Another way she hears is she gets impressions about a situation.

Let's Get Real - 4 - How do you hear God?

Watch this video on YouTube

Marj gives a very good piece of advice in the art of hearing from God, “If you stay close to God, you say things that are carried by the Holy Spirit. I see pictures too and I think it’s the way God has wired us”.

“God speaks in many different ways. You never know you may just see His fingerprints!”

It’s true, we’re all unique and God has made us so it makes sense that He knows how to communicate with us in a way we can hear from Him.

Chris hears words of knowledge and also gets pictures. Her experience is that you never know when God wants to speak, you just have to be willing and ready.

I’ve found this to be very true, I love to help people and since becoming a Christian I’ve always prayed that the Lord would use me. From a young age I dreamt a lot and had visions, I get impressions of things and just ‘know in my knower’ that the Lord is speaking. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to hear the way someone else does.

Sue points out that God longs to be heard and He is continually speaking, “He’s speaks through creation, He’s speaks through His Word, He speaks through songs, even secular songs. He’s continually wanting to talk”.

Marj says that one of the practices she does is to take time out, quieting herself and just saying, “God show me how You see me!” If its negative it’s not God, but if its good write it down and hang on to it”.

Hearing from God in one’s pain

Esther Scholes joins the show and shares about her incredibly difficult double tragedy. “When you lose people in your life, especially those who know you the most intimately, and then they’re not there anymore, you don’t really have a choice but to turn to the one who knows you even more intimately – the one who has been there the whole time. Tragedy has made me lean on God in a way that I couldn’t have lent on him before”.

Esther offers advice to those supporting someone grieving, “Ask people what they want? Ask if they’ve got enough support around them. Don’t push them”. Esther leaves us with a gem of advice “If you look for it, in the middle of every situation there are blessings, there are I call it ‘His fingerprints’ are all over if you choose to look for it.”

So, what are you waiting for, if you want to hear from God stay close to Him, be open, be willing and remember He speaks in many different ways. You never know you may just see His fingerprints!

October 14, 2018 2 comments

Faith

Who Inspires You? We all Need Heroes to Spur Us On!

by Deborah Armin July 10, 2018

written by Deborah Armin

Who inspires you? We all have an inner desire for our lives to count in some way – to do something significant. This episode of Let’s Get Real is all about who spurs us on.

We all need people in our lives who we can look up to and who encourage us, especially in our faith. Are you inspired by a particular sportsperson or team or Bible teacher, pastor, family member or TV network? Many people write in to GOD TV daily to say how they are inspired by the network’s 24/7 schedule, including the amazing panel of women who host Let’s Get Real.

For me, my journey of being inspired started with a visit to Bombay or Mumbai as it’s now known in India. My parents and I went on a holiday and stayed at the Taj Mahal Hotel overlooking the Gate of India. As a young child, I was in awe of the sights and smells, the contrast of stunning saris, and the incense. But, most of all I was struck by the poverty. It inspired me to give away all of my pocket money to the street kids begging.

I was a child myself but it pulled at my heartstrings. I couldn’t understand how we were staying at such a beautiful hotel and yet just outside the door, the streets were riddled with beggars and lepers. Later on in my life this childhood encounter led me to be inspired by Mother Teresa and the work she did in India. And over the years, especially since becoming a Christian, I’ve helped those in need. The Father’s love transforms our hearts and it’s impossible not to reach out and try to make a difference.

The people who inspire us may not be famous and they may not even know the affect they are having on your life. As the panel discuss who has inspired them it’s amazing to see that it’s often the unsung heroes who impact us the most. Alison Wilson, Marj Rossol and Sue Eldridge have all been inspired by a lady called Pamela Miller who “loved and encouraged them all”. Marj was also inspired by Heidi Baker, Sue by her Mum and two daughters and Chris by Sue herself!

Proverbs 27:17 says “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another,” and it’s great we can be there for each other. You will be encouraged by the panel discussion and also to meet this week’s special guests who are both fighters who refuse to give up on God – Debra Green OBE and Richard Gamble.

Debra is the Founder of Redeeming Our Communities in Manchester which brings various groups together to help the elderly, inspire youth and help to alleviate youth offending by working together with the Church, the council and social services as well as the police. They also train and equip churches to start up lunch clubs for the elderly or to run youth groups.

“We’re all about people of goodwill working together towards safer and kinder communities,” she says.

I love what they do and find Debra truly inspirational as I am sure you will too. I’d never heard of ROC before so it was wonderful to hear how they work together making safer kinder communities. Working with public services such as the police. I would have loved to have had an organization like this helping to alleviate the problems I dealt with every day while working as a police officer. Read more about ROC at their website.

Richard Gamble is the Director & CEO of The Wall and he joins the panel to talk about what inspired him to build a national monument of a million bricks representing answered prayers! I was so inspired I just shared my own testimony and it will now be included on one of the million bricks! Check out The Wall, a monument that will inspire for years to come.

Watch this episode of Let’s Get Real below and let GOD TV have your feedback by emailing [email protected] – they’d love to know who inspires you and what you think of the show.

https://youtu.be/LFen2x-EYvc

Don’t miss Let’s Get Real on GOD TV on Mondays at 9.30pm with replays on air on Tuesday at 2 pm, Wednesday at 10 am and Fridays at 3 pm. Or watch the the episode above.

This article was written by UK author and speaker, Deborah Armin who is a graduate of the London School of Theology. Her book On My Way Home: One Woman’s Journey in Search of the Unknown God, is published by Authentic Media. Deborah is also a staff writer for GODTV.com.

July 10, 2018 1 comment

Articles

Do you suffer from shame? Feel Like You Can’t be Forgiven…

by Deborah Armin June 25, 2018

written by Deborah Armin

Do you suffer from shame? Do you feel like you can’t be forgiven for something you’ve done? Or for something that happened to you?

In this week’s episode of Let’s Get Real, the panel discuss shame and how it stops believers from fulfilling God’s call by shutting down their ability to reach others. Also, Sarah Mhlanga talks about sharing her faith in the mainstream media.

WATCH the video above and see how shame affects us and how it sticks around if you let it! “It becomes who you are,” says Marj Rossol, who is joined by Alison Wilson, Chris Larkin and Sue Eldridge.

All of the panelists have suffered from shame in one way or another. It seems it affects everyone. Does it affect you? Maybe something has happened to you that was beyond your control and you feel shameful about it?

Chris offers support. She shares how she was born into an era of shame, being conceived out of wedlock, which meant she took on shame as a girl. “To me, it isn’t something that you do, it’s something you feel you are.”

Shame

Shame is an awareness that I’m not ok

Sometimes shame comes from situations you find yourself in, Chris realised. “It’s an awareness that I’m not ok, I’m not right with God”. Trying to hide it doesn’t help, it’s better to “bring it into the light” as Sue says. Relief comes when you’re able to share. The enemy of our souls wants you to feel so ashamed you’re ineffective for the Kingdom. But God, it says in Romans, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

Being able to let go of condemnation is life-changing as Alison found, she recognized that her shame did not come from the abuse, it came from the shame that had been put on her. Sometimes we’re ashamed of something that was done to us, keeping it to ourselves in the hope it will somehow ‘go away’. But by keeping it hidden it often gets blown out of proportion.

Don’t let shame rob your joy

Sue says, “It’s claiming the identity of what you’ve done and become what shame says you are. As soon as you bring your shame into the light it losses its power.” It robs us of joy, Jesus doesn’t recall our sin once we’ve repented. He died on the Cross to do away with our sin and shame.

Talk to someone you trust, get the issue out in the open. Repent, embrace the Lord’s work on the Cross and move on.

Later in the show, Sarah Mhlanga joins the show. She is a mentor, actor, model – and Meghan Markle lookalike! Sarah talks about her new endeavor ‘Rock Champions’, a peer buddy system that helps children at school.

Don’t miss Let’s Get Real on GOD TV on Mondays at 9.30pm with replays on air on Tuesday at 2 pm, Wednesday at 10 am and Fridays at 3 pm. Or watch the the episode above.

June 25, 2018 1 comment

Faith

Discover 2 Essential Keys to a Happy and Healthy Marriage

by Deborah Armin June 4, 2018

written by Deborah Armin

Join the panel, Marj Rossol, Chris Larkin, Alison Wilson and Sue Eldridge for another great episode as they discuss the challenges of marriage! Peppered with humor and realness, the ladies share their personal journeys as married women.

Chris opens up about the challenge she faced with her husband of decades, “The things that have challenged us the most are communication issues. Language can lead to misunderstanding.”

We can all relate to the times when what we’re trying to communicate isn’t being understood. Marj relates the struggle she had with her first marriage which ended after she became as Christian as her husband couldn’t relate to her anymore. Then, in her second marriage to a church leader, she was certain that, “Yeah, he’s a man of God, this is going to be bliss…” only to find out that actually, they had communication issues.

“We both had stuff from our past, we had to realize stuff in our past was affecting us”

Marj openly discusses the challenges of communicating with past issues affecting their relationship. “We both had stuff from our past, we had to realize stuff in our past was affecting us”. One of the ways in which she and her husband overcame this was through counseling. Her advice to anyone struggling in this area is: “Please if you can’t sort it yourself find a safe place to get help”

The ladies are real about their struggles in the marriage arena. Alison shares about her mentally and emotionally abusive marriage. “I was just mess and I married someone who also had a massive issue and we had a very mental and emotionally abusive relationship.”

“I finally realized that actually being mentally and emotionally mistreated in your home is a violation of vows…”

No marriage is perfect and often times we view other people’s marriages as being perfect especially in church settings. Alison was finally set free from her marriage when “I finally realized that actually being mentally and emotionally mistreated in your home is a violation of vows.” Her marriage ended but she continued to work on her self and an essential part of her healing was to “Get your heart right about forgiving; unconditional forgiveness is a key”.

I’ve found in my own walk with the Lord that being able to forgive has lifted burdens that were weighing me down. I could relate to what the ladies were saying about unforgiveness affecting your marriage. Chris says “Take your heart to God and see what He does and if there’s any forgiveness that you need, then work on it. Release those people from your judgments and pain and see what He does. Make it all available to Him and He will direct your paths”.

Two keys to a great marriage

Communication
Forgiveness

Sue shares about how “I’d saved myself ya know, I felt this was going to be so perfectly and boy oh boy it was a huge shock definitely for both of us just being married…”. In many Christian circles, people do believe that once they get married it will all be perfect. The truth can be a rude awakening but again Sue reiterates “Communication is huge”. Something that she realised she was doing was to create a storyline in her head about what she thought her husband was doing or saying, so she suggests asking yourself, ” What is the story you’re making up in your head?”

For me, I loved the fact that two of the ladies had been married before. Not for any other reason than as a non-Christian I was married and divorced and then I became a Christian. The fact that Marj Rossol and Alison Wilson both remarried after divorce helped me feel better about my desire to get married again.

All too often in Church circles, the idea of a second marriage is frowned upon but everybody’s circumstances are different. If you find yourself hurting in a marriage that isn’t working, open your heart up to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to help you heal as you encounter His Presence.

Tim Eldridge, Sue’s husband joins the ladies to talk about the ministry he and Sue started, Presence Ministries International. And their upcoming Conference European Leaders Advance ‘Heaven Invades Europe’ on 24-26 July, 2018. Tim explains that “People are looking for something authentic and real and an encounter.” The conference is open to anyone and it’s a good opportunity to be spiritually refreshed.

Don’t miss Let’s Get Real on GOD TV on Mondays at 9.30pm with replays on air on Tuesday at 2 pm, Wednesday at 10 am and Fridays at 3 pm. Or watch the the episode above.

June 4, 2018 1 comment

Articles

‘What Does it Mean to Get Real?’ New Chat Show asks

by Deborah Armin May 21, 2018

written by Deborah Armin

Many Christians struggle with opening up about what’s really going on in their lives. Church culture can sometimes dictate how we relate to one another. Many times people hide their true feelings to avoid being seen as having lack of faith. However, we hope that’s all about to change with Let’s Get Real, the exclusive new series on GOD TV that airs on Mondays at 9.30 pm.

You can watch the first episode above, hosted by Sue Eldridge of Presence Ministries International, who opens up this new and exciting talk show with the question “What does getting real mean?” The panel joining Sue to discuss this issue are Alison Wilson; Chris Larkin; and Marj Rossol. Also, special guest, Nancy Goudie joins the panel to share her testimony of overcoming grief and talk about her Spiritual Health Weekends.

Keeping it real is an issue many of us grapple with, Sue shares her struggle with not being able to relate to the impossibly beautiful images of slim women in ministry. But the reality is many women suffer from weight issues, learning to accept you’re loved by God, whatever shape you’re in is liberating, as many on the panel have discovered.

Chris Larkin says it’s important to be yourself and not be intimidated. Marj Rossol shares how when she was younger she tried to be who she thought people wanted her to be. “It’s been a journey for me finding out who God says I am, I’m a work in progress and learning to accept you’re loved unconditionally is liberating.”

The women grapple with what it means to be real, given that within church there are unspoken rules about appearance and demeanor. Sue felt out of place, not wired like church expectations and ‘standing out like a sore thumb’ in her short skirt and black eyeliner! But she soon realized she didn’t fit into the world either, with her love of God.

Alison candidly shares about how her traumatic childhood meant being real in church was difficult especially after someone prayed for her with the unspoken expectation that everything would be better. “The next time they asked me, I felt obliged to say, ‘yeah, yeah I’m feeling loads better’.. when in fact I wasn’t. It only reinforced my sense of disassociation with my real self.”

Where do we get our sense of reality?

The ladies talk about where we get our sense of reality. For some, it’s from films, TV, books, or the people they’re surrounded by. Nowadays it’s also social media, the impossibly beautiful images posted by EVERYONE. So ‘Let’s Get Real’ dives in, taking off the masks and grappling with what it means to be authentic. This is a place where anything and everything can be talked about as we discover what it means to be true to oneself, in the hopes it will set others free.

Special guest Nancy Goudie shares her heart-wrenching journey of losing her husband and having to reconcile the loss with what she was believing for? “God, where are You in all this?” This was a question that ultimately led her to surrender and say “God, I’m gonna trust You through this”. Have you suffered an unexpected loss? Check out Nancy’s book ‘Our Greatest Adventure’. Nancy also organizes ‘Spiritual Health Weekends‘ in the UK, where you can go and get a spiritual as well as physical pampering session.

As an honest ‘real’ kinda gal I find this series a refreshing look at what it means to be real. It takes on the airbrushed perfect images we so often see in the media, or the platitudes spoken in church settings. This has sometimes caused me grief because my honesty went against the unspoken rule of “keep it to yourself’, don’t show them how you really feel, they can’t handle it.” This series promises to allow those of us with less than perfect bodies and lives a freedom we haven’t experienced before, so let’s get real, ladies!

May 21, 2018 2 comments