Nikki Humphrey (00:00)
If you've ever felt overlooked, rejected, or like you're just too much for church faces, this episode is for you. Hi, I'm Nikki.
Hope Mangiafico (00:11)
Hi, I'm Hope. Welcome to Equipped Fellowship where friends become family through Christ. We're two Jesus-loving friends on a mission to share personal stories, resources, and real talk about our triumphs, breakthroughs, struggles, and setbacks. Why? Because we believe you are called to live victoriously, and we're here to equip you with Holy Spirit-led tools and strategies to strengthen your faith. Transform your mindset and walk boldly in God's promises, because here's the truth, you.
have been given great and precious promises by God. So grab your coffee, lean in, and let's grow together. It's time to step into everything God has for you.
Nikki Humphrey (00:52)
We are so excited you are all tuning in today because today we're gonna look at how Jesus treats women that everyone else avoided or rejected. And spoiler, he moves towards them, not away from them.
Hope Mangiafico (01:08)
I am so excited about this because, know, Nikki, we are the host. So we prepare for this. We review the notes, all of that stuff. But I think that is separate from actually Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts today too. And so I am so stinking excited.
Nikki Humphrey (01:28)
I know, me too.
Hope Mangiafico (01:30)
And I'm excited because looking at how Jesus treats women that everyone else avoided or rejected, we're specifically talking about scriptures from the Bible. And so that's really important. So the first one we're going to be looking at is the woman at the well. And we're not going to read the story. I want to go ahead and preface that and say it will be your homework to get to know these stories intimately so you can continue that depth of revelation in your own life.
So the woman at the well is in John 4. So take note of that. And the biggest thing about her is she was a woman who went to the well at the wrong time of day on purpose because she didn't want anyone to see her. And you think about that, the first like ding, ding, ding in your head and relatability is, ooh, there must've been some shame there, right? And so what happened here,
if she goes the well at the wrong time, which So it's noon, it's the heat of the day. No one wants to be out there at that time and she knows that. So she goes to avoid seeing people. And the reason that is, is she has this really, really complicated relationship ⁓ with, excuse me, she has complicated relationships with men. So she's had five husbands and currently in the story, she's with a man that's not even her husband.
Little complicated to say the least. And so Jesus, who is a Jewish man, intentionally, when I recall this story, he intentionally is like, we could probably take this path to get where we're going, but we're gonna go straight through to this well, intentionality, to go talk to a Samaritan woman, which is crazy because that alone is shocking to be crossing a Jewish person and a Samaritan. ⁓
Jesus is so intentional, which I love. And so here's the thing. Jesus, he is initiating the conversation. So she's got all that shame wearing on her. And he initiates because he knew exactly where she was going to be. He was fully God, but he does not operate in his godness. He operates in his humanness, right? So he's tapping into Holy Spirit and is like, there's someone that needs me.
which I just love so much. And then in this story, she's not the one confessing this truth about she's had five husbands and this man that she's with now is not even her husband. She don't say any of that. Jesus actually names her reality, here's the big part guys, without shaming her. And.
This is the part when I read this story and think about this story that instantly, like even right now, makes my eyes water. And I told Nikki, hey, do you mind if I cover this story? Because actually, just this past weekend, the Lord gave me a one liner that shook my world. And it all started with someone needing help with the plant that I sold her. I know it sounds really goofy.
But I have really started like running with this whole plant business. Fiddle leaf figs, pothos, all kinds of, it's just been fun, right? And I'm like, I got this, doing great. Well, I bought a new type of soil and I put her plant in this soil in which she's messaging me and she's telling me, hey, I think my plant's gonna root rot cause it's not draining. I panic. I'm like, how?
Did I make this mistake? What did I do wrong? I had this thing for weeks before giving it to her. What is going on? How did I mess up? I have been doing this for a long time now. Why did I even consider getting the list, right? Spiraling. And the Lord said to me, the fact is this is bad soil. Facts, however, do not make me a bad person.
Nikki Humphrey (05:27)
⁓
Hope Mangiafico (05:41)
And facts do not make me the problem.
And that's literally what Jesus is doing to the Samaritan woman at the well. These are facts. But there's no shame from his perspective because she is not the problem. He sees right through that to the pain, to the enemy at work telling her she's no good, that she has failed. He sees through it just like the Father is like, hey Hope, I gave you this idea to do these plants. Yeah, it's a fact.
It's a mess up, but is it ruined? No, just like we're not ruined because of our mess ups because he created us. He is the creator. So he knows where he's sending us and where we're headed. He created the plants. I'm just a steward and God can sure as heck make sure that thing does not rot out in this soil that I accidentally misbought. Right? I know it sounds so basic, but Nikki, you know this and I'm sure anyone listening does. When you have such
deep-rooted shame, the smallest things make you feel like dirt, make you feel worthless. And that's what was happening here in this story.
Man. And so from that point when he names her reality without shaming her, he then does what he does for all of us. He offers living water before she even tries to do anything to fix her life and herself. He's like, Jesus, so cool. You're at this well where you're going to scoop and get some water that's only going to be temporary.
Do you want me, the living water, so you'll never thirst again? You'll never be unsatisfied again? You may think you're unsatisfied, you may think you have failed, you may think they're shame on you, but if you would take my cup, drink from me, the greatest well of all, the living well with living water, I will show you the best future. All you have to do is say yes to me.
And that for me gets me every time.
So here's something that's an interesting thought.
If you think about yourself in a situation like this, so we're using the Samaritan woman going to the well, she's avoiding people, right? For you, are you avoiding certain people, places, conversations because you're afraid of being exposed? I know for me, using the plant as an example, I don't like to follow up with people. I have deep rooted stuff.
The Lord's always working on me, right? And I've learned that using that plan example, I don't like to follow up with people because I'm afraid there's something in me that they're gonna see. Like I intentionally made the mistake on the soil right? Like the enemy will play these stupid things in your mind that make no sense. I did not do that on purpose. But I avoid these conversations out of fear that this is who I am, right? A deceiver covered in shame. Like it's silly.
But we all do that, right? We avoid conversations, places, and people out of fear of being exposed of our past, our rejection, our shame. But here's the thing. Jesus is not waiting for me or you to be cleaned up. He is, this is my favorite part, He is sitting right here at the well we are hiding at. And the ones that the Lord highlighted to me,
for all of us to consider that may be our wells, our home, behind our phone screen, or in our car. These three wells, and there's probably more, but those are the three that were highlighted to me to consider as you're listening, as your potential well. So remember, Jesus sees the whole story of your past, your present, your future, everything, and he will stay in the conversation.
There is nothing to hide and nothing to fear of being exposed.
Nikki Humphrey (09:55)
So good.
Hope Mangiafico (09:56)
It's so good. It's so freeing, right? It's so, so freeing.
Nikki Humphrey (10:02)
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (10:03)
And it makes me think of, I'm currently reading a book about rejection actually. And in the section I'm currently reading, it's talking about how we've been adopted by God, right? And we talk about how this is all about Jesus and the women no one else chooses and how this is about women that have felt rejected. And I feel like when we come to settle the fact and the truth that we have been adopted,
back into the family of God and we keep growing in that identity and truth, the Father's plan is for us to never come into agreement with rejection again.
Because there's a possibility just like this woman culturally was probably rejected because of her five husbands and who she was living with. But what is man? know scripture says, let God be truth and every man a liar. May we get to the point where we may have history and a bad past, but their judgment is not the truth. The being a
Adopted as a child of God is the truth and may we settle that in us today ⁓
Nikki Humphrey (11:18)
Amen.
Hope Mangiafico (11:19)
Amen. It's so good.
So that's it for me. think the next story is yours, my friend, which I'm excited about.
Nikki Humphrey (11:28)
Hmm?
Yes. I just like hope resonated with the woman at the well. I really resonate with the story of Mary Magdalene. And you can find that in John 20. Specifically, we're talking about today, Mary Magdalene at the resurrection. And the theme of all of this is Jesus in trust rejected women with good news.
And for years, I'll get a little bit more into this later in this, but for years, I just felt like Hope said, that rejection and the shame. And for me, it was just compounding like thing after thing after thing. And it seemed for me, just as Mary Magdalene, like every choice I made was worse. It wasn't improving my situation at all. So was like bad choice,
Hope Mangiafico (12:08)
Okay.
Nikki Humphrey (12:29)
worse choice.
horrible choice. And I was just, that shame cycle got me so stuck that I never believed that I could be free of all my demons, just like Mary Magdalene. So in this story, if you don't know her story, Jesus freed her from seven demons. She was not doing the Lord's work before she met,
Hope Mangiafico (12:53)
Hmm Hmm
Nikki Humphrey (12:56)
encountered Jesus. She was in a,
lack of a better word, a lack of mental health crisis. Like her mind was breaking and she became a prostitute and just really a dire situation. And Jesus being so loving and so kind, just as he approached the woman at the well, he freed her from all of that in like a second.
Hope Mangiafico (13:03)
Yeah. Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (13:29)
He cares for us so much that nothing is so dirty, nothing is so unclean that he does not come and embrace you and heal you from it.
that gives me goosebumps up and down my body right now because I felt different situation, but I felt like Mary Magdalene many times in my life.
Hope Mangiafico (13:41)
Okay.
Nikki Humphrey (13:55)
And for me, I'm going to get into that again a little bit later. I don't want to I want to finish her story before I get into mine. But because Jesus freed her from those seven demons, she followed him. She became
so enamored by the thought that this person loved her, freed her, that she wanted to learn everything she could about him.
And I know that so many of us that have been freed of things that allowed Jesus to come heal, that's what we want. We want that relationship with him. We want to get to know him better. We open our word. We talk to other people about him because we can't believe what he did for us. And we try to understand how he works and what is that about? Because we as humans, we don't operate that way. So she decided to follow him to be a disciple.
And then.
everything happened with Jesus. He was crucified on the cross. She was there. She saw it happen. I can't imagine how that felt to witness that as a person who
Jesus saved her life and then you see what people did to him on the cross. She had to been broken, conflicted, possibly worried that that was going to happen to her again.
And Jesus was taken down the cross, his body cleaned, he went into the tomb. And they had to wait because it was the Sabbath, they couldn't go to the tomb. But first chance that she got, she ran to that tomb to see Jesus, to take care of his body, to anoint it with oils and spices.
Hope Mangiafico (15:33)
Okay.
Nikki Humphrey (15:48)
And when she goes there, she's devastated
because Jesus is gone.
Again, another heartbreaking moment for her. She saw it on the cross and then she goes to the tomb. Then he's gone again. Could you imagine all the disappointment she felt and like she wasn't seen and just like, what is going on?
So she leaves the tomb and she goes out of it and there's a gardener there. She thinks it's the gardener.
Hope Mangiafico (16:16)
Mm.
Nikki Humphrey (16:17)
but you know who that is. That's Jesus showing up for her. And that makes me emotional.
Hope Mangiafico (16:18)
Okay.
Nikki Humphrey (16:28)
Because Jesus, that was the first person Jesus showed himself to. He could have showed himself to anybody. His mom, any of the disciples, the people who did it to him like, ba-bow, I'm back. He chose her.
It's so emotional because how would you feel if you were Mary Magdalene and Jesus came to you and said, go tell the others and you're the first one to know that preciousness, that you feel like a daughter, you feel seen, you feel worthy, all of that affirmation that you gain while following Jesus washes over you in wave after wave again.
and everything changed for her again when he says her name, Mary. ⁓
Hope Mangiafico (17:19)
So good.
Nikki Humphrey (17:20)
it. ⁓
It's emotional, I'm going to cry. But he gives her the first resurrection announcement. Go tell, go to my brothers and tell them in culture that did not value a woman's testimony, Jesus entrusts the most important news in history to a woman that had demons in her who was a prostitute, who was broken, who was destitute, who was mentally unhealthy.
Hope Mangiafico (17:24)
Okay. Okay.
Nikki Humphrey (17:53)
God is so good in how he works. He sees all of us in our story, in our brokenness. Nobody's too far away to be pulled up.
to be a daughter to the most high king.
And reading the story, it made me reflect on my brokenness and my some of my big issues that I had that I believe disqualified me from God ever loving me or having a relationship with me. For years, I dealt with self-rejection, binge drinking, seeking validation from men, mental health issues, self-harm. And I could see a lot of correlations of
Hope Mangiafico (18:20)
Okay. .
Nikki Humphrey (18:41)
what Mary
Hope Mangiafico (18:42)
. .
Nikki Humphrey (18:42)
Magdalene was suffering with. And when you carry that shame, like I said at beginning of this, it starts to stack and you lose hope that anything will ever change. And just like Mary Magdalene, I gave my life over to Christ. I gave him all of that yuck. I let him see, even though he can see it already, but I allowed him to see my brokenness.
fully
and that allowed him to come closer to me, to have a relationship with me, to redeem me, to work with me and through me to heal those areas where I didn't, I wasn't hiding any longer like the women at the well, but I allowed God to use that pain.
to push me forward, to call me to a whole different career, a whole different trajectory on my life that I would have never seen before when I was stuck in that misery. So if any of you listening or watching believe your past disqualifies you from a ministry, a calling, a purpose, look at Mary's story.
He just not only restored her, he sent her. He propelled her life in a completely different direction, and it was better than she could have ever imagined herself.
And the girl with the messy past, like Mary, like me, became a girl with a message of hope, of love, of peace that can only be magnified through a relationship with God.
Hope Mangiafico (20:35)
Mm.
Nikki Humphrey (20:35)
And so a good point for all of you to ponder, what if the very areas of your deepened brokenness is the place Jesus wants you to carry hope to other women?
Because when you think about that, it flips the script on our brokenness.
It's not something that you're stuck with. It's something that you can use to propel you deeper into your purpose.
Hope Mangiafico (21:02)
Amen. It's so good. My favorite part of what you shared about your personal story ties into Mary's story.
is you shared how he could see it all but you finally let him see it all. And that's the key is through all the rejection, all the shame, letting down our guards to where we finally let him into the depths of us so he can pull out that child ship, that daughter position Nikki kept referencing, which is what Mary got to encounter and why she desired everything that Nikki said. I'm not gonna repeat it all, but.
why the heartbreak happened when he was crucified and didn't see him see him in his tomb. ⁓ She let him in fully and he pulled out this amazing woman to then do the work for the kingdom. And Nikki you presented it so well because I'll be honest I had not previously thought about what that would be like that he could have been like
to the Romans, right? Like
Nikki Humphrey (22:11)
Thank
Hope Mangiafico (22:12)
to the people that killed him. Hey, here I am, right? He could have been sassy. He could have gone to any of the disciples and he chose her. And I never put that in perspective in that way. And I understand in a better way now that you shared your story too and your insight of how much you related to this story by you providing that. Like I get it in a personal level so much better now. So that was so good.
So, so good. ⁓ man.
So we have a third one and this is another woman who probably believed her condition made her untouchable. And this is the woman with the issue of blood is how many of us know it, which is in Mark 5. And this one also, I think Nikki and I both can relate to this one because we both have chased all kinds of solutions to get well, whether it's mentally or physically. I know...
For me, I have tried everything under the sun to get well and it's so similar to this woman with the issue of blood. But the beautiful theme of this story in Mark 5 is that Jesus is not scared of what makes you feel unclean or unworthy.
So this lady with the issue of blood, it wasn't six months or a year. She had this problem for 12 years with constant bleeding.
And culturally, she was considered unclean. And back then, I know you can read this in the Old Testament, like if you're bleeding from a female perspective of just kind of what your body goes through, you're absolutely isolated for a little bit, right? A week, two weeks, whatever it may be. But if you're continuously bleeding, you're absolutely in shunned. Put up in a personal, just for you tent forever and definitely you can't associate with anybody.
And one of my favorite thoughts about this, is she spent so much money on doctors. So she had no more money most likely to spend on any more help. And I know, Nikki and I have had a conversation about this recently, like we have spent so much money seeking outward help, though we like knew internally,
that God is the great physician, but you get all this different input and insight from the world that maybe this next thing will be the key. This next doctor will hold the secret sauce for your healing. But simultaneously, Nikki and I always come back to like, but wait, God is so good. Why would we have to spend $600 for a 20 minute scan on something and then what, $800 on supplements? Like that doesn't make sense.
But we're saying that here in 2026 in our scripture of that still being the case back when Jesus was walking the earth. Like this has been a struggle we've all walked through. And just a little plug for Nikki and my belief. Like we talked about an equip for wholeness. Like all the manifestation on our physical bodies, it starts deep.
It starts from identity problem, which is what the woman at the well had. It's what Mary had making bad choices that, you know, her prostitution. And that's really the bleeding woman. It was an identity problem. She went outward to the world for answers instead of to her Adonai, her father. And after, you know, she was isolated, broke from doctors, she
sees Jesus, he's walking through the crowd, and she believes, if I could just touch the edge of his garment, maybe, just maybe I can be healed. That's the faith that I want in my healing journey as I continue to walk with the father of believing for healing in lot of areas still that just show up. ⁓ She risks.
pushing through the crowd just to touch the edge of the cloak and believing for that healing. And what happens when she does that is Jesus feels power go out of him. Yes, it's just like electric, right? He feels that leave and that stops him in his track. And here's the thing that's so cool about that. It's not a bad thing that it caught his attention. It was her faith.
through all that worldly embarrassment of bleeding out. He stopped the save or excuse me, she stopped the savior of the world by her faith and the healing that he could provide. And it was so powerful. That power left him. ⁓ do I want that kind of faith and rejection. The cool thing I think about all of this is being rejected by the world.
once you encounter him can push you into that direction of faith. That's right. Like I feel like you and I both, Niggi, have seen that like we're growing in that area and that fires me up. did not expect to get this fired up about this story. So exciting. So it stops him. Even though here's the other catch, he stops and he wasn't even on his way to like help her. He was in a direction to a different miracle.
Nikki Humphrey (27:35)
That's right.
Hope Mangiafico (27:58)
You can get his attention. This is for somebody. I have often heard, and maybe I've believed it at some point, I just don't remember, that they feel like their prayers and their needs are too small and he's got bigger things to do. So why bother our God with praying over our small things? Let this be an example. He was on his way to a different miracle. Yes, God is always staying busy.
Interfering is a good word actually. Interfering in people's lives. I would just say intervening. But interfering because sometimes he has to do that. Interfering in other people's lives. But you are just as significant.
And that is the story of the woman with the issue of blood.
It all matters. Every prayer you have, every heart cry you have, every pain point you have, every identity problem that you're confused on. He wants it all. He wants to address it all. He wants to heal it all. He wants to give you the identity that he knew and gave you at the foundation of the earth.
You have to remember that, as do I. Because it's so important. ⁓ So, whoa, shock Him. He stops, and he's like, who touched me?
Nikki Humphrey (29:05)
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (29:15)
And I, admittingly, I'd be like, no, I made a mistake. That's an identity problem, by the way. Like if you think you made a mistake, it's an identity problem. That's rejection speaking. So prime full circle moment here. If you think, no, I did something wrong. That's not what happened. But he said, who touched me? And the identity problem, the rejection, she comes forward trembling, which again, we all.
would be that way because we're ever growing in identity in Christ, so we're still battling a little rejection. So she's trembling, and she tells him the whole truth, which is where we get the background that she probably had no money because she admitted to spending all the money on the doctors and how long she had this issue of life. She tells him all of that. And to Nikki's point, when she shared her story, he probably already knew it. But the more open you are with him, the more freedom you're going to get.
And here's the part that's so good after she's told him the truth. He calls her daughter and affirms her faith. The world may think you're cuckoo bananas for the faith that you have. And the more I get closer to the Lord and walk in with my savior, the more my faith seems cuckoo bananas. ⁓
Nikki Humphrey (30:37)
Ditto. Amen.
Hope Mangiafico (30:39)
But he'll continue to affirm it. And you continue to pick up your daughter ship, your child ship and walk more and more boldly. ⁓ So good. Man. And I must say, so I've had type one diabetes since I was 11. Coming out from an identity with a disease that takes every aspect of my life, every moment of my life, every ounce of energy I have.
It's been one of those diagnoses for me that I've had trouble coming out from underneath, finding another identity. I claim I'm not under this label, but the moment something happens with my blood sugar, I'm back under it. I feel like I'm under its lordship.
And I say that because you may feel that your past, a diagnosis, any choices you've made, or any secrets that you have make you unclean.
But pay attention to the fact that all that may be true, there is uncleanliness from a worldly perspective in all of that, mainly because they're all part of another kingdom. But Jesus doesn't rebuke us for reaching for him in our uncleanliness. And we have to remember that, that who touched me is not a rebuke. It's open arms to come on in. Whoo! That's good. So he calls her out.
to affirm her. That's the big part. Not to embarrass her.
And I know Nikki and I both can attest to being almost afraid of that exposure because we're afraid of that embarrassment. Same with the woman at the well. You know, with the woman at the well, if I take just a moment backwards, I kind of gave an invitation like, hey, what's your well? But linking this story of the woman with the issue of blood to the woman at the well, it's a good thought to be like, what is your well? Where do you go?
to kind of numb yourself from letting yourself be exposed. Because from the well perspective, Jesus is at the well waiting for us, not to lecture us, not to embarrass us, but to offer water that goes so deep into us, deeper than any shame, any embarrassment. And the same is true in this story, which is so, so good. And the thing
that makes you feel most disqualified is exactly where he wants to call you daughter. And it's so powerful because he's shown me that with the diabetes thing, because diabetes is deeply linked to rejection from a father figure actually. So that's where my whole daughter for 2026, which is a cool full circle moment, comes together for me. And so that's the exact area
He wants to call me daughter, isn't that diagnosis that's consumed my life? It's a perfect example. And I know that each individual, including you, Nikki, can sit and have that same revelation of your journey with the father. So that leads me to ask you, where have you disqualified yourself? And what if instead of hiding, like at the well or in a crowd like she could have done,
You simply reach for Jesus with the mustard seed of faith, the little bit of faith that you have left in you. You are not empty of faith. Fear may be speaking louder than faith, which can be faith in the wrong direction, but it's there. So what if you reach for Him instead of hiding?
Nikki Humphrey (34:28)
That's so good. And it made me think about as you were going through this and saying all the things, especially about labels and labeling yourself with something and this whole, God just played out this whole thing for me in my life and how I had this label for years of being.
Hope Mangiafico (34:45)
Okay.
Nikki Humphrey (34:53)
depressed and having treatment resistant depression. And I would always feel this way. And the doctors kept speaking. And I felt like the lady with the issue of blood, because I'm like, I gave all the money to the top doctors prescription after prescription, just re-erring same thing. You'll never feel better, Nikki. This is the best you'll ever feel. Nobody will
want you because you have this diagnosis. Like don't even think about having kids because of this, that, and the other thing. And then that fear.
you hold onto that diagnosis, that label so much for fear of trying something different because you don't want to get quote unquote worse or what's going to happen. And there was a moment in time where I made this almost split second decision of somebody that told me something years ago. And I'm like, you know what? I'm going to try something different because enough of enough is enough. I had nothing to lose.
Hope Mangiafico (35:29)
Yes. Yes.
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (35:52)
These people are speaking basically nothing but death over my life
Hope Mangiafico (35:55)
Yes.
Nikki Humphrey (35:55)
and misery and never having comfort again or not even, nobody will even want me ever. So what do I have to lose? And I did that, like you said, that faith of a mustard seed. I went and saw somebody totally different who is a Christian, who was speaking life into me, who helped me think of this,
Hope Mangiafico (35:58)
.
Nikki Humphrey (36:21)
as a new thing, not as a disease, but something that the body can heal from. And
I locked onto that like a heat seeking missile, I was like, yes. And from that faith of a mustard seed and trying something that was way out of my comfort zone. And at that same time, I was building my relationship with God, letting Jesus in. That was my
Hope Mangiafico (36:29)
Okay. Okay.
Nikki Humphrey (36:51)
magic, ⁓ canapult, like
the woman of the issue of blood. I suffered with for over 20 years. In a matter of eight weeks, my whole life turned around. And from then I continued my healing. But I always say on this podcast, the Nikki you see today was not the Nikki of 15 years ago. I'm like a completely different healed version.
Hope Mangiafico (37:11)
Right.
Nikki Humphrey (37:19)
of myself.
So if any of you listening think it's too late, you're feeling hopeless, don't try something new. Pray to your father, ask him for guidance, see what he imparts, even if it seems wild. What I decided to do was told to me three or four years before and I rejected it as nonsense. But that same nonsense healed me.
Hope Mangiafico (37:26)
Okay.
And that ⁓ is a testament to how good the Father is, that patience, the long suffering, the fruit of the Spirit, those are him. And that's an example of that, is he waits. He's waiting for us in our mess for us to just say yes. He doesn't up and take the opportunity away so Nikki stays sick and unwell and misaligned with her identity. He says, come on, daughter, come on.
Let me affirm that faith. Come on, just take a little leap. I love that. It's so good. And that mentality, is what kept me stuck for a long time is believing that, okay, let's say it's your example. Four years later, I finally say yes. Then I'm caught with the lie of thinking I missed the opportunity. I finally say yes, but now I've missed the opportunity. Like the stupidity of the enemy's tactics are really stupid.
And Nikki's example is wonderful that when you say yes to and say, not use my faith and try a new thing? It coincides with you still building your relationship with him. That's a key component of all of this is hopefully these stories encourage you so much that you just want to wrap them up and carry them everywhere with you. So that is a natural fruit for you. But it's a very important part of the puzzle.
as we have a part to play in this dynamic.
Nikki Humphrey (39:19)
That's right. That's right. And we're going to tie these together with three clear, simple truths. One, Jesus moves towards messy women, not away from them. Amen to that. The Samaritan woman's reputation, Mary's demonic past, and the bleeding woman's uncleanliness. Two.
Hope Mangiafico (39:20)
Mm.
Hmm.
You
Nikki Humphrey (39:46)
He tells the truth about their stories without shaming them. And Hope, you explain that so beautifully. He names a Samaritan's woman relationship history, which was not great. He acknowledges Mary's grief and confusion, and he draws the bleeding woman into the light and out of hiding.
Hope Mangiafico (39:50)
You
Hmm.
Hmm.
Nikki Humphrey (40:13)
Three, he gives them identity and purpose. The woman at the well becomes a witness to her whole town. I mean, the first thing she did after Jesus encounter, she ran back and told everybody she wasn't keeping it hidden anymore. She was just like, y'all, you don't even know, but Jesus is over there.
Hope Mangiafico (40:25)
Crazy.
Nikki Humphrey (40:41)
And Mary Magdalene
became the first resurrection messenger and the bleeding woman is named daughter. So if you feel like you've messed up too much, you're too broken, too emotional, too much, or not spiritual enough, not Bible smart enough, not churchy enough, remember these are exactly the women Jesus chose to stop for, to speak to.
Hope Mangiafico (40:46)
.
Nikki Humphrey (41:11)
and
to send.
Hope Mangiafico (41:14)
Mmm. So good. It fires me up. the last thing to compliment all that Nikki just said is if you've been with our podcast for very long, I mean long time ago, like this would have been episode four or something cuckoo, we talk about the sacred imagination. And I would encourage you to listen to that if what I'm about to share kind of feels a little different for you, but it takes everything we said just to
where deeper inside of your spirit and lands at a place that only Jesus could put in you, right? So I want you, if you're able to, if you're not driving or do this later at a later time, is to close your eyes and picture yourself at your well. As I mentioned before, it's where you hide. Could be your car, behind the phone screen, in your home, which Nikki and I have talked about many times on the podcast.
It's where you go when you feel most ashamed or alone. And imagine Jesus sitting down beside you. He's not shocked. He's not rolling his eyes. He already knows. And encounter him in that moment. Let him embrace you. Experience his embrace in this moment and just sit with it for however long you're comfortable.
And Jesus, my Savior, our Savior, thank you that you move towards us and our mess. Thank you that you know our whole story front, back, cover to cover the ripped pages that we removed, the stuff we tried to erase. You know all of it and you stay with us. Help us believe that we are seen, loved, valued,
and chosen by our Father, even here at the well that we're sitting at. Show us one small step of faith that we can take with you this week. Amen.
Nikki Humphrey (43:24)
Amen.
And as we wrap up, just remember Jesus consistently chooses women, everyone else overlooked. This podcast exists to remind women who love Jesus that there is hope in the hardest places and a community that will not look away from your story. If this episode hits a tender spot in you, you don't have to carry it alone.
Hope Mangiafico (43:46)
⁓
Nikki Humphrey (43:52)
send a message or email with the word daughter or share a line from the episode that stood out to you.
Hope Mangiafico (44:00)
And all that information will be in the description in the show notes so you can reach out to us. Remember, you're the woman he chose.
