Good News - May 2021

COVER STORY 32 MAY 2021 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition Many women in the Christian community work faithfully in the shadows of their high profile husbands. In honor of Mother’s Day, we wanted to shed some light on a few outstanding women who are making a difference through their own ministries, acting as mentors to other women and serving their families well. They share some challenges and rewards of mothering along with a few words of advice. The Barnes family from left to right: Pastor Robey Barnes, Mrs. Rebekah Barnes, Mrs. Rosemary Barnes, Dr. Bob Barnes, Mrs. Torrey Roberts and Mr. Adam Roberts Rosemary Barnes Rosemary Barnes has been teaching the word of God to women at Sheridan House Family Ministries and at several South Florida churches for more than 40 years. She leads a weekly Women’s Bible Study attended by hundreds of women from a wide variety of denominations and churches and has been a mentor and friend to many pastor’s wives and women involved in Christian ministry. Rosemary is also a teacher and leader in the Single Mom’s Ministry at Sheridan House. The Single Mom Program at Sheridan House gives a hand up to single moms in South Florida, training and equipping them to attain economic independence. On a short-term basis, Sheridan House supports moms with financial assistance, daily groceries and clothing. Long termbenefits include intensive training classes on budg- eting and financial skills, parenting strategies, resume preparation, interview skills and more. Sheridan House has also opened six apartments as transitional housing for single moms who are working, often multiple jobs, earning low and moderate in- comes yet still unable to make ends meet. “The Bible study opens the door for a lot of personal relationships with the women who attend, and whatever their areas of need, I am available for that,” said Rosemary. “They really get deeply into the word and get so excited!” RosemaryBarnes andDr. BobBarnes, CEOof SheridanHouseFamilyMinistries, have been married for 49 years. They have two adult children and five grandchildren. What has been your goal for the Women’s Bible Study? Rosemary: First and foremost a deeper walk and understanding of who the Lord is and just seeing how God not only loves us, but He does not love us from a far; He loves us very personally and addresses the issues we have in our lives. Sec- ondarily is bonding and building community with women. As our world gets crazier with technology, we desperately need that connection. What Bible verse encourages you? “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NKJV). What is your most challenging time as a mother? Rosemary: There are so many things on our plates and so many demands. I particularly think of the middle and high school years when there is so much going on, just keeping everything in order and prioritized in a way that would honor the Lord. Just the business of ministry life, trying to balance that – balance, balance, balance – because we can easily get caught up with things that are not as important. What is your most rewarding time as a mother? Rosemary: Rewarding at this stage of my life is seeing my children flourishing in their own marriages and families, seeing them not only married to believers, but raising their children, now my grandchildren, in the awe of the Lord. What advice can you offer women who find mother’s day difficult? Rosemary: God has a plan for each of us, and sometimes we don’t understand. Why wouldn’t I be able to have children? Why wouldn’t I be able to have a spouse when that’s what I’ve wanted all my life? But we just have to trust the Lord, and when we get to heaven some day we can ask those questions. It’s just learning to help each other and are we going to trust God in this? Sauder family from left to right: top row – Jackson Sauder, Kaden Sauder, Kennedy Sauder; front row: Suzanne Sauder and Pastor Doug Sauder Suzanne Sauder Suzanne Sauder serves in ministry with her husband Doug Sauder, lead pastor at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale. “I get the pleasure to help minister and plan all kinds of women’s events and studies at the church alongside some of the most amazing women I’ve ever met, but I personally love working with women outside of the four walls. I love going on a women’s mission team or spending time teaching the word of God to women who are incarcerated through our prison ministry. I also love spending time with other women leaders involved in the joys and challenges of ministry life, but I’d say the biggest joy is just sharing real life conversations with women one-to-one over cups of coffee.” The Sauders have four boys. “One has already gone to be with the Lord. Jordon, our first born, was born with a genetic disorder (Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome) and passed away when he was nine months old. Then we adopted Jackson (through private adoption). We had a biological son Kaden, then we got, through the foster system, our youngest, Kennedy. We’ve done it all: biological, private, foster.” Do you have a goal or mission statement for your family? Suzanne: For me it’s teachmy children to love God, love people. Simple. I want my sons to love God not just with their mind but with their heart and their life and to know that nomatter what they’re never alone. I would also say family is so important. We always want our home to be a place where they want to come back to. What Bible verse encourages you as a mother? Suzanne: “Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God” (Psalm 84:3 NIV). What has been your most challenging time as a mother? Suzanne: Honestly for me themost challenging thing is watchingmy kids make mistakes, choices that aren’t the best. It’s the daily realization that I can’t control the choices my kids make. I can’t make them love Jesus more. I can’t make them be healthy when they’re sick. I don’t have control, and for me themost challenging thing of motherhood is letting go and trusting God that he’s got them. What is your most rewarding time as a mother? Suzanne: It’s a whole bunch of little moments, and it’s usually when I get glimpses of my kids loving Jesus and loving people. It usually happens when I’m not around, but I get such joy when I hear about something one of my sons has done from other people. Like when someone stops me in the hall or sends me a note that says – in a good way – “I just need to tell you what your son did.” What advice or insight would you offer other women? Suzanne: I would say parenting is an act of God’s grace. In the moments when you feel inadequate, whether raising your kids or just loving the people around you, I like to remember the story of the feeding of the 5000. The little boy just showed up with the little he had and offered it. It was only five loaves, two fish, but when we give our little to the Lord , he makes it more than enough. Also, when you lose a child, it really impacts you more than ever. Each day you get with the people you love is a gift. Live it with that realization that Mother’s Day HERoes Shelly Pond Good News Editor (Continued on page 33)