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Women World Leaders' Podcast


May 9, 2022

Guest speaker Erin Jeffreys, marriage coach, fitness coach, and successful entrepreneur, shares her story of grace, restoration, and God's love.
 
Erin boldly shares about her young marriage in Bible college with two babies, which ended in divorce because of sin. Through eight years of wandering, Erin found God's beautiful path leading her back to restoration to reunite with the husband of her youth who forgave her. They now have a powerful Christ-centered family and minister together.
 
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Kimberly Hobbs  
Welcome to empowering lives with purpose. Ladies, we are so glad you are here today. I'm your host, Kimberly Hobbs. I'm the founder of Women world leaders. And I am so happy to have our guests with us today. Erin Jefferys, Erin is from North Carolina. Welcome, Erin. Erin Jeffreys  
Hey, Kimberly, I'm so excited to be here and just share a little bit of my heart and my story. I'm so glad that God connected us just a few weeks ago, I think it's been recent and so honored to be here. Yeah,

Kimberly Hobbs  
We're honored to have you and just the ladies her story. It's incredible what God has done in this woman's life. So we're talking about restoration today, and God's grace and His love. So we are super, super excited to share this with you today. Our hope ladies through these podcasts is that we are able to strengthen you and encourage you on your walk as you seek out Jesus every day of your life. And Ephesians 2:10 says that we are all a masterpiece we are God's masterpiece created anew in Christ Jesus, to do the very good things that he planned for us long ago. And we believe ladies that each and every one of you have a beautiful purpose. And it's our hope that through listening to these podcasts, that something inside of it is going to touch your heart deeply. And just allow you to act upon what you heard and find out that truth and purpose of what God has for your life. So I want to share a little bit about Erin before we get started. Erin is a world leader. And she helps others to pursue better health physically, spiritually, and relationally. Like she's very successful, and entrepreneurship and she holds certifications as a health coach, as a marriage coach and a former personal trainer. She's getting healthy in every area of her life. And she calls it her jam. Erin and her husband are the founders of family fit ministries, and they're highly requested speakers in the area of marriage, which you're going to hear about today a little about, she's going to bring you into her life a little bit. Aaron speaks boldly regarding the choices that she made to leave her marriage and the church in pursuit of the world. Can any of you relate to that? I know I can't in my life. Yeah, some of us make choices, not always the right choices. But eight years later, God would begin to write a different story in Aaron's life, one of forgiveness and restoration praise him for that. And Aaron is an inspiration to 1000s through her speaking and social media platforms. And we are so happy to have her here today to share what God has done in his grace, restoration in his love for Aaron. So many of us can relate to straying from that steadfast life of obedience, which we once lived. As I said, I, I can relate to that too. I was on the path and feeling like I was that great Christian person until I veered away. And when we talk about restoration, which we're going to talk about today, in God's word, it's synonymous with healing, and repairing or returning to a previous state of being. Psalm 5112 says, Restore to me the joy of my salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Aaron, you wandered far from God and your young life at Bible College and as a wife and mom of two sweet little girls who I know you love so much. So can you take us back to those college years when you were that young wife and young mom, what was going on? 

Erin Jeffreys  
Yeah, so back it up even a little bit further. I was raised in a wonderful home Christian home. I had great values around me. And so I just expected that's how my life would be. I went to Bible college, I met my husband as a lot of my friends were doing and we got married in the midst of college. And a couple years after that, we started a family we started ministry that was our desire. That was our heartbeat. And so it wasn't like this was a surprise is something we had prayed for. We knew God wanted us in essence, we started ministry together. And then shortly after we had two little girls and everything great, wonderful. You know, I was not at the time was not serving as heavily in the ministry with him, I was more at home. And so it was during that season, that I began to feel a little bit alone. He was here ministering and and I was just at home, I did not see my children as my ministry at that time. And when you're alone, and you're not in the Word, and you're not in prayer, Satan begins to come in. And he began to come into my life and into my heart, and say things that weren't true about my husband, that he doesn't love you. He's not paying enough attention to you, you know, and I will look for nitpicky things around the home that all of us are not perfect in, but I would look for and those things will began to fester. And Satan will say, we'll see he's not doing this. And he's not doing these things. And so he really doesn't love you. And so this anger, and this bitterness began to fester in my heart before anything else ever started or became an issue. It started within my own heart. And I didn't, you know, I didn't communicate those things to my husband, like, we weren't communicating. And so it's, that's where the breakdown started to happen. So if you're listening, the and communication with you with your husband or your spouse. And so that's where it started. bitterness and anger. And within that time, Satan brought someone that looks so much better than my husband, because he had all these wonderful qualities. So I stepped out of my marriage, I had an affair. And when my husband found out, he found out without me telling him I did not leave for the other person, I we just decided to end it, I figured I was done. Again, Satan feeding you lies within your heart in your mind that there's got to be something better than what is here right now. And so I did, I, I left my marriage looking for that thing, that thing that would make me feel good inside that the the, the Christian world that I was in the Bible, I just felt like was not offering me. So I'd be seven years. I was apart from my husband. And during that first half of those seven to eight years, I was seeking whatever the world could give to me in all different avenues. And it was, you know, you hear those things. Well, why did you do that Satan presents it as a fun time. And it was I, you know, you look back at those things, and it appeared fun, and I was enjoying that moment. But then after you have that guilt, and that shame, especially me stepping into those things, being a believer, I knew that's not what God had for me. And so we did we separated, then we finally divorced. And I just decided that, okay, we're apart, we're divorced, this is my life now, and I've got to gotta figure it out. And that's kind of where I just, I didn't even during that time, I even questioned whether God was real. You know, I grew up believing that and knowing that, but in this season, I thought, Is God even real? How is he real? If all of this is happening to me? And all these bad things are going on now? Like, how is God even real? Why did he allow me to even get married? Or? And I just began to question so I, you know, just decided that maybe God wasn't real, and that I would just have to figure life out on my own. So I, that's where I started. I said, Well, I'm getting divorced, final, and I'm just going to move forward and figure it out. And that's kind of where, where I started after that. About three and a half years of just, you know, Satan really taking his toll on my life, my mind and my heart.

Kimberly Hobbs  
Right, and you open that door to the devil having that rain in your life. And you soured against things of the Lord, because of the lies that you believed. And so you started into that prison, the of just being trapped into where the enemy wanted you to be trapped. And that's a scary place to be ladies, I'm sure you can relate to it. When are you just you fall into temptation? You know, you shouldn't be going there. And then the next thing you do is you wake up and you're in this this misery you're in that pit that you seem like you can't get out of and that's where Aaron was, I mean, she just started she was just so wandered so far. But God, when you belong to him, he is not going to let you wander far from him. He'll he'll let you go to a certain point but he's going to bring you back and Aaron He brought you back through people that did not judge you. They loved you. They wrap their arms around you, they showed you God's love, without judgment. And think about this, ladies, if you're in that place where you know somebody that's wandered away from, you know where they're supposed to be, and you know that you can condemn them all day long. They know what they're doing God's convicting them, but it takes a special person that can show the love of God, and the forgiveness to bring them back. So God softens your heart to come back to even step foot in a church again, and I want to share this verse. Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. That's Galatians six, one. Can you talk about how important that was to you, Erin, that people loved you back in?

Erin Jeffreys  
Yeah, that was really pivotal. And a key time in my life. I had really sworn off the church, like, I'm not going to church anymore. I felt like it. It felt like the church destroyed my life at that time. That was what I was blaming it on. And so I really wanted nothing to do with it. But God began to use people in my life. And they initially came to where I was, it wasn't like they were pulling me in their direction of where they were with God, they came and met me at my place. With love and without judgment. And just invited me would invite me to church not beating me over the head, or maybe just send me an encouraging word or a text or, Hey, look at this IRA. This is pretty cool. Or sometimes not even always about a Bible verse just loving me as a friend, because a lot of these people were my friends before. And so he continued to love me, in spite of what I knew was wrong, what they knew was wrong. And then God soften my heart enough. Someone asked me one day, just come, come and sit, come and sit with me. Come late, leave early. Just Just come with me. I want you to come in. And I mean, and so that's what I did. And God began, I just remember that service, God began to say, like, what are you doing? What are you doing with your life now? Didn't change in an instant. But that's where I remember God, just saying, like, what's going on? Who are you? At Did you for a purpose and a plan and you're not listening to me, and I'm not but why like what is going on. So God began to use that even in that moment, on that very first service that I stepped back, and it can happen outside of a service. So anybody listening, don't feel like you have to be in church to, to forgot to speak to you. But that's where...

Kimberly Hobbs  
And praise God for that friend that just loved you enough to love you to come back to church with her and offer that. And then God did the rest. Right? He did. And in just like urine said, ladies, he can reach us all in different ways. Whatever we're going through, it could be a person that reaches out to you, you might step foot in somewhere and see a sign. And that speaks to you. God's going to get your attention in ways that he will. And you're going to know it. You're going to if you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, he's not going to let you wander far. You're going to know it, and he's going to bring you back to the fold. And he did that with Aaron, praise God for that. And ladies, remember, again, you might be that person or that one that God's going to say he's going to use you in someone else's life to bring them back to him. We don't want to have judging spirits. We want to embrace them with love, just like our father does so beautifully for us. So Aaron, as you got stronger, things became very clear to you and God began and pressing things on your heart. I want to share another scripture because as we know there is power in the Word. And this Scripture has come. Let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us. He has injured us but He will bind up our wounds. You learned a lot through those years. Aaron, when you were by yourself and you were in that prison. That's what was he a six one Aeron chair about David coming back into your thoughts how when you started to seek God out again, for your life. God started putting David back into your thoughts and your children. Were asking you pivotal questions at that time that got your attention. focus back on David. Can you bring nose up and share with us?

Erin Jeffreys  
Yeah. You know, initially, it wasn't David, when I began to really seek out God and get in alignment with his word. I said, I want to be married again, like, I want to have a husband, I want to have a good father for my I have to I had two young daughters at the time. And so that's what I began praying about. I began seeking that out praying for that. And during that time, towards the end of that season, as I was praying, I would receive text messages from David Orr. In reaching out, he was the one honestly in pursuit of me. And I remember oftentimes, like pushing that aside, and then saying, God, I'm praying for a husband like, why is he messaging me wise? I could feel him in pursuit of me. And then God said, it's David. And that's how Oh, no, it can't be like that's, that's over. That's done. There's too much past there's too much history that's not restorable. And at that point, and not bathe, and that could even be possible. But he, David stayed in constant pursuit. And he used him. And then he also use my children. We share this a lot that we don't know. I mean, God can do great things. But they were a pivotal piece and David and mines restoration, they would constantly ask questions like, What is it like to be in a house with with a mom and a dad because they were little like, my no one when we not even one when we separated. And so they didn't know that. And then you know, they would, later on, we would find out notes that they had written of where they had been praying for us to get back together this something that they gave us after things were restored. So God used them. And it also kept me in alignment with with him. He said, If you're going to be the mom that I want you to be, then you've got to do these things, Aaron, whether you're single, or whether you're restore your marriage. And so I didn't, when we began to pursue I still didn't know was God's going to restore. But that in the end, that necessarily didn't matter. It was about my relationship with God pursuing him being where I was the best at that moment. How was created in that moment in that season as a single mom, having the faith that he would restore, but But what if God chose something different? Would I be okay with that I'm really learning to understand, Okay, I'm going to be satisfied and pleased with what God what God's plan is for, for my life. So,

Kimberly Hobbs  
Wow, wow, wow, you had to really reunite with God again, you had to get that relationship with Him solidified. And then he can do the work and restore what the locusts have stolen. And oh, my goodness, you have this life together now with your husband, Aaron, after so many years, you were divorced for eight years. And God began showing you as a couple now many ways, which the enemy meant for harm, you guys were able to see that and see how God turned it around to restore to restore it. And now you're this power couple. And God restored. Also the shame and guilt because I know Aaron, you are here to sharing with me that you experience extreme shame and guilt when you were first re united with David, can you talk about that shame and guilt? Because I know others could probably really relate to this part.

Erin Jeffreys  
Yeah. Yeah. You know, you said, God can restore what the locust has eaten. And those were key verses that David and I claimed for our marriage when we got remarried on day one. And if you look at that, that those verses is actually Joel 225 through 32. And it talks about God restoring the years, which we had eight years of when it was taken away. But then it goes into if you read that whole passage, he talks about at the end, how you will be able to eat plenty you will be satisfied and about how your life can be abundant in Christ. And so that we claim those verses Amen. Me an easy road. And, you know, I was the one who stepped out. So for me, I was dealing with a lot more shame and guilt. And my husband was, he said, from day one, God is going to use this we have a ministry like, you know, we got back from our honeymoon. He's like, let's go. And I brought in a lot of shame and a lot of guilt. For so many years, I was able to almost set that aside because I wasn't with the person who I had offended. And so then when we were reunited it just came back full right in front of my face. Like I was with David. I woke up to him every day. And, you know, the devil would say, Look, you know, you did this to him. So, yeah, God restored our marriage. But then God said, Well, if I've restored our marriage, and she, this is reunited, I'm gonna work in the way that I can keep her defeated. And so it was with shame, and guilt. Wow. Yeah. And so it took me probably, I would say, about a year and a half to really, really let that go and let Christ take dominion over that in my life. It was through, you know, prayer scripture, I, I did counseling as well. I worked at it. It wasn't like it just automatically poof went away. God gave me the tools and I applied those tools to my life.

Kimberly Hobbs  
Amen. Amen. I have to share this verse. Because this is like so cool. Ladies, if you're listening in and you are feeling that shame and guilt in a situation because of your past sin, Okay, God, God doesn't want you trapped there and that shame and guilt, and Aaron can identify with you because she was waking up to that man, and she felt horrible about what she was doing to him, you know, and also God, so shame and guilt is real. But the Bible says, instead of your shame, you will receive a double portion and instead of disgrace, you will receive your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land and everlasting joy will be yours, Isaiah 61. Seven, how beautiful is that scripture about restoration, God will take away that that shame and that guilt, he's going to give you a double portion for keep looking to him when you're feeling those pings of shame and guilt, because they still come over all of us, they still come over me like God, how did I hurt you so bad in my life? I mean, it makes me want to vomit. You know, when I think about what I did, to God and others, you know, that love to me, but it's like, Oh, my goodness, the through His scriptures, there's healing it, just like I know, you feel that healing to Aaron. So now God's placed both of you, in a way to minister to the world as a beautiful restored couple. The Scripture says, for everyone born of God overcomes the world, that sin that enticed you, you were able to overcome it, because you had the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, Aaron. And then he says, this is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. First John five, four. So God gave both of you and David restoration and your faith was restored back in, in the Lord. So how did he bring you back into a new way as a married couple to serve him together again?

Erin Jeffreys  
Yeah, so like I said, David had a vision from the very beginning. He he knew he's, he is a visionary, I will just say that. And so he sees things. And I said, Well, you know, I was at that time, I was dealing with the shame and the guilt, and Satan was using that. But even during that time, David was praying because he knew God didn't create, bring us back together and go through all that just to, here we are, we're married again. He knew God had a purpose for us. And as a married woman, I thought, you know, the first time I was married, I thought I was just to be a wife. Not that that's a bad thing that has a purpose, we're called to. But we're also an individual, God created us, each woman for a purpose. And so when I let go of that shame and guilt, and knew that Christ accepted me as I was, in that moment, no matter what I had done in my past, I was able to really love David, the way a wife should. And then we began to unite, I was able to let that shame and guilt go and we began to share our story publicly. And God has began to use that so mightily, in ways that I just never even thought thought were possible.

Kimberly Hobbs  
Amen, amen. And now, the two of you have come together as not only you know, physical coaches because you are coaching in in faith fit which Aaron's going to share with you her website, but spiritually as marriage coaches Now God has called you to this position in our world where you are able to help coach and direct other marriages that may be struggling. And God says He works things all together for Are his purpose to those who are called according to His purpose. And you both had a calling on your life, when you were in Bible college, God knew that. And you accepted Him as your Lord and Savior. Now look at what he's doing, you went through all of that learning, and you are able to pour into others about what you went through what to share, not to do, but what to share restored you and that's so beautiful. And that's God's grace, and his love for each and every one of us. He's gonna give us the tools. And Aaron and her husband are beautiful marriage coaches, and that's the beauty and women world leaders as God has given us. Such beautiful women that could coach and counsel and things that we need here. So we encourage you definitely to utilize some of these women that are powerful in the Word of God. And so Aaron, what advice can you leave with the listeners who may be in a broken relationship, or a broken marriage, or the hurting woman who might be divorced already and think there's no hope for her? What? What advice can you give, I want to share one more verse, Because the Scripture says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. And the old has gone and the new is here. That's Second Corinthians 517. So as this new creation, Erin, speak to the woman that's hurting right now.

Erin Jeffreys  
So first of all, do not listen to the world, that will be my first piece of advice. If you are hurting, you can get exactly what you need from your unsaved friends from the world from you can get the advice you need to make a decision that you can feel comfortable with in your own self. That's what I did. And that's why one of the reasons why I divorced David, because everyone said that I was listening to this is what people do. This is what the world does. So don't listen to the world get alone with God. What is he telling me to do? What is he telling you to pray for? That's first second, don't lose hope. First Peter, one, three and four says in his great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. So if you're a believer, you have that hope that he's given you. He's created you a new creature, you're going to be in Heaven with Him one day. But what about the hope for your marriage? Are you praying for that hope that restored marriage do you have hope that God can restore that, so pray for that. And then love, like God tells you to love and Colossians 312 And Ephesians 432 Love with a tender heart or forgiving spirit? That's hard to do if you've been hurt or offended. But that only comes from the Spirit of God. Through prayer, reading His word, I, when I was going through those periods of shame and guilt, I would say scripture out loud, letting my ears hear it, letting Satan hear it, claiming those over my life. That that is there's power there. And so many times As believers, we have that initial, you know, we become a believer, we're excited. And then we lose hope and faith in the things that we need for God to restore in our lives specifically, right now we're talking about marriage, but he can, he can do mighty things, and I've seen him do it in my life. So don't and don't listen to the world. Listen to what what what's God telling you to do?

Kimberly Hobbs  
Amen. And you know, on the other side of this, that was a good word, Aaron, hope and restoration and the power of the Word of God. The other side of it is you know, David, David forgave, he forgave you, you know, that's hard to do. Ladies, when you think about that, you know, she was she had an affair in her relationship. And those of you out there that are listening that can relate to being wounded. From something so devastating as an affair, David forgave and he continued to love her. For all those years that she was wandering in the wilderness, they were already divorced. But he remained faithful and true to the Lord. And he prayed and he just, he continued with what God was calling him to do. And wow, you know, think about that. I don't know what side of the fence you are on ladies that are listening. You could be the wounded one or you could be the one that offended but think about the forgiving heart that it takes to have the restoration. And because we have a forgiving God who forgives us, ladies, we have to forgive as well. It's all about forgiveness. If We can't forgive how do we expect God to forgive us when we mess up? So think about that. And thank God, thank God for this power couple that has been restored through the power of forgiveness. You know God's grace and love the love of others that didn't judge that welcomed Aaron back into the family of God and loved her back into the family of God there. There's so much in this whole podcast ladies of forgiveness, love restoration on all sides, all of us who are listening can learn from this. So thank you, Aaron, you are restored, you have been given grace by God and loved so much by him. And I am so grateful that you took the time to share with our listeners, can you tell them if they want to reach out to you as a marriage coach now with your husband? You're doing coaching all over the United States? Thank the Lord for zoom and, and also some other things with your fitness and how do they reach you?

Erin Jeffreys  
Yeah, so if you want to reach me, you can go to family fit ministries.com. Or you can find family fit ministries on Facebook, or you can search me out personally, Erin Jeffries on Facebook. So, yeah.

Kimberly Hobbs  
Amen. Thank you. Thank you. And so again, we just love having guests on ladies. And we just pray that if you have been touched by this podcast that you will share it that you will tell others about it. Hey, listen in, it's not gonna hurt to listen in, right. So as we close, I just want you to know that these powerful podcasts are available to you every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We have teaching through the word of God on Wednesdays with one of our teaching leaders, Julie Jenkins. And we also have celebrating God's grace every Friday. And we have different women in the ministry that share their gifts and talents to encourage you into the weekend. And then of course, every Monday we have the interviews that we do with different women from around the world that that God brings in with their stories, and you might have a story. Reach out to us if you do, you can reach out to me personally at Kimberly at women world leaders.com If you feel God prompting you to share your story on these podcasts, because women can relate when they hear other women share about stories. And this is a safe place. And God has given us this ability to speak to the world through these podcasts. So please reach out to us if you feel God prompting you to share your story. We'd love to hear from you. And one other thing I want to share with you is our voice of Truth magazine. Ladies, you can reach this honor. And and through our website anywhere around the world, it's available digitally. And if you're in the United States, it's available free. We just need your name, address and email address and that you can sign up through our website at women world leaders.com. So we would love you to have this amazing tool of voice of Truth magazine. It's beautiful, filled with Scripture and inspiration. And we're sure that this will touch your hearts ladies to amazing heights because it contains the power of the Word of God and that scripture throughout the ladies as we close from his heart to yours. We are women world leaders all content is copyrighted by women world leaders and cannot be used without expressed written consent. God bless you all. Thank you again Aaron Jeffries for joining us and hopefully ladies you'll join us on Wednesday for our teaching podcast have a beautiful and blessed day.