Living on a Prayer
You may know her name and her face but who is the real Jo Rogers? Let me introduce the woman behind the smile. Jo Rogers is a fascinating mix of fun, creativity and heart. She has a penchant for chocolate, knitting and The Office (a television show not a work space). She is a mother, musician and God chaser who dares to take God at His word.
It has been my privilege to know Jo for a few years now. In that time I have come to know a woman who is a true friend; loyal, honest and challenging. She has a heart for God that is contagious and continually humbling. One of the best things about Jo is that she is not a pedestal percher, she is not perfect (hooray), she doesn't claim to be but her honest pursuit of God has developed in her a purity of faith that is rare. This kind of faith is grown out of struggle and experience so let's go back to where it all began.
Jo was raised by the sea. She spent her childhood in the blissful surrounds of Moreton Bay; " Picture arvos spent catching toadfish in the mudflats, riding bikes around quiet streets, holidays on the boat sailing down the Goldy." This setting was where her faith in God began. She attended the local Sunday School and even though her family were not yet believers, her mum taught her prayers and made sure she went to church at least twice a year. From the start Jo remembered thinking "I really like God".
There were three crucial experiences in her life that solidified her faith in God. Her first revelation was in year four. Jo remembers confessing being naughty to Him. As clear as day Jo heard God say; "I will never leave you or forsake you" which has become an important verse in her life. The second was a Scripture Union camp in year eleven where Jo had a strong sense of belonging to God. Her most important lesson, however, was through the tragic death of her best friend when she was only twenty years old. Instead of bitterness and anger, Jo remembers feeling peace and and overwhelming sense of God being in control. God said to her "this is none of your business, I know best". Her friend survived the car crash long enough to be prayed over and to miraculously speak to her father, telling him that she was ok. From that moment on, God took away Jo's anxiety and she was able to do things she wouldn't have done before. This gave her the courage to move to the Sunshine Coast where she met and married Nigel.
Through all the battles and victories, Jo has developed a keen sense of God's presence and provision. She has a deep conviction in the reliability of God which is not boastful but humble. Whenever she speaks of God her eyes well and her manner is one of being completely overwhelmed by His goodness. She never boasts a perfect faith in God or that she knows it all but she knows God does and that is all that matters.
A huge test of this was when Nige and Jo were in limbo, waiting to hear if they were moving to Pittwater. There were five months of testing financially, daring to believe that God could provide all they needed while they waited on news. For Jo, coming to Pittwater was "A time of God bringing us out of captivity, through the desert and into the promised land. And I mean that." She has felt "showered with love" and "welcomed with open arms" by the church community. It has been a time of repentance and restoration. So, what does the road ahead look like?
Jo speaks of her dreams for the future; " To be raptured by God before I'm 60, to see people come to Jesus, to see God move his hand powerfully in saving, healing and delivering. To see Christians and non-Christians come to a fullness. To see the kingdom come. I want to see this in my lifetime." Her immediate focus is her ministry with her kids. Jo's desire is to make time for them and not get too busy with other things in life. She struggles with feelings of false guilt but is determined to do what God has called her to. Her desire is to do what God wants her to and she finds this through prayer and immersing herself in the bible. Two important sections have been;
Joshua 1:9; " Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." and Psalm 130:
"Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercyIf you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.I wait for the LORD, and my soul waits,
and in his word, I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins."
Meet Jo Rogers in the flesh now. Let us as a body of women continue to overwhelm Jo with our love, support and prayers. Let us also dare to take God at His word, soak in it and let it flow out of us to the rest of the world.
