107. Christa Smith // Surrendering in a Season of Waiting
Whether speaking nationally or internationally, Christa’s passion for the Lord pours out of her. Her life was significantly marked after a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit as a young girl. From that moment on, the prophetic heart of the Father became the foundation of her walk with Jesus.
Christa’s background includes graduating from Seattle Pacific University with a degree in Communication. She then went on to Hillsong International Leadership College in Sydney, Australia where she completed the Pastoral Ministry Program. She has planted and has been Director of two Schools of Ministry; one in the San Francisco Bay area and the other in Las Vegas, Nevada. Christa has also served as Associate Pastor at Garden Valley Church in Roseburg, Oregon and Executive Pastor at Expression 58 in Glendale, California. Christa currently resides in the San Francisco Bay area and travels full time with her husband, Sean, ministering together throughout America & beyond.
Tune in to this episode with Christa Smith as she shares on the topic of surrendering in a season of waiting. She gives practical tools for surrendering and living in contentment. You can listen via any podcast app!
Bible Verses:
Isaiah 55:11 – “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) – The ministry, teaching and words of Jesus
Psalms and Proverbs – Gives wisdom
James – Talks about the practical character and lifestyle of a Christian
Romans – Talks about your identity and authority in Christ
Topics Discussed
Introduction
- Christa grew in a Christian home and went to a Catholic church.
- Christa and her family came into a relationship with Holy Spirit at a family camp when she was a young girl.
- Every member of her family was so impacted by God and they are all now in ministry.
- Christa surrendered her desire to be married to the Lord and wanted Him to receive the most glory through her life.
- Christa got married at the age of 39.
- Christa and her husband travel and minister together and they have their own podcast as well.
Encountering the Holy Spirit
- Christa encountered Holy Spirit at the age of 8 years old at a family camp.
- Christa was marked by the presence of God at a young age.
- There is no junior Holy Spirit. We never know how God is marking children who enter in His presence.
- Hunger for God looks like something.
Surrendering in a Season of Waiting
- No matter what season you are in, you are waiting for something.
- Christa wrote a book that talks about her story of waiting for a husband.
- When Christa turned 35, she experienced a desperation she had never experienced before. God then asked her the question “if you never get married, am I enough?”
- If Jesus isn’t enough, then a marriage, a baby, a new house, etc. will never satisfy you.
- Jesus is the only thing that satisfies.
- If your desire is more important than Jesus, then you are out of alignment with what God intended. Your desire has become an idol.
- God asked the question, “If you never get that desire, am I still good?”
- God took Christa on a journey of her laying down and surrendering her desire to Him.
- It’s a choice to celebrate other people’s breakthrough in the one thing you want broken through.
- It’s important to process through the grief. God can encounter you in the grief.
- God allowed a longer process because there was a root system that He had to undo in the process. And the root system had to be replanted in Him.
- Learning to be content in your wait but contend for the promises of God.
- That place of being content yet contending for the promises of God is the sweet spot.
- Gratitude fuels contentment.
- Stand on scripture, make declarations and contend for the promises of God. But in the waiting and delay fight for that place of contentment.
- Contentment at times looks like making declarations, sometimes it’s allowing tears to flow and finding that place of peace, or sometimes contentment doesn’t look like anything and you are just simply resting.
- There’s power in praying, worshipping and praising God’s name in the pain and suffering.
- Waiting is what defines our character.
- God wants to minister to us in our waiting.
- There is power in the contending and there’s power in the resting.
Practical Tools for Surrendering and Living in Contentment
- Find your tribe. Find people that will remind you of the truth when you forget it and who will battle when you don’t have it in you to battle.
- Just because you have history with someone, and they know your story doesn’t mean that they are your tribe for faith.
- Find people who will fuel your fire of faith and will declare the word of God over you.
- Worship and then wait and listen for Jesus to speak to you.
- Read the word of God. You can’t argue scripture.
- God sends people to fuel our hope.
- Steward those prophetic words and Holy Spirit encounters.
- Surrender is a posture.
- Everything you are learning now, is for tomorrow.
The Word of God
- God created us to be empowered through the Holy Spirit.
- A lot of churches in our culture are teaching ‘self-help’ instead of teaching the Word of God.
- If its not the Word of God, then it’s not the full truth and it opens a possibility of doublemindedness.
- Be wise about the teaching you listen to and make sure that it is truly the Word of God.
- Start with the gospels and read about the teachings and ministry of Jesus.
- The teachings of Jesus are going to be fundamental in your walk with Him.
- The New Testament gives a really solid foundation of your identity and who you are in Christ.
- Be tenacious over your freedom and identity in Christ.
Hope
- Guard your hope.
- Steward your hope.
- Be intentional about who you are allowing to speak into your situation.
- You are walking your own journey. If there is not hope in every part of your story, you have believed a lie somewhere along the way.
- Your story is what God has told you.
Powerful Quotes:
“Jesus can encounter us in any place. In any church or denomination, God can encounter us.” – Christa
“Jesus pursues those that are hungry and wanting an encounter.” – Christa
“We find ourselves in places of tension between our desires and a place of surrender.” – Christa
“Jesus is the only thing that satisfies.” – Christa
“Gratitude fuels contentment.” – Christa
“Waiting is what defines our character.” – Christa
“It’s just as much a place of faith to rest and abide.” – Christa
“God sends people to fuel our hope.” – Christa
“You’ll see the beauty of the waiting and you’ll see the beauty of the breakthrough.” – Christa
“God will not let us stay in disappointment.” – Christa
“It’s not an ‘if’ God’s gonna do it, it’s ‘when’ God’s gonna do it. In the waiting for the ‘when’ God fuels our hope.” – Christa
“God is hope, so He can’t help but give it to us.” – Christa
“Even when God gives us the promise, we still have to stay in a process of surrender.” – Christa
“Everything you are learning now, is for the next season. Nothing is wasted with Jesus.” – Christa
“It’s not weak to reach out for help.” – Christa
Resources:
Singled Out in a Couples World by Christa Smith
Keep it 100 podcast with Sean and Christa Smith
Join the VIP Facebook Group: Facebook Group
Follow A Cup Full of Hope on Facebook and Instagram: Instagram • Facebook
Follow Caroline on Instagram and Facebook
Instagram • Facebook