What do campfires make you think of? For me I see cozy circles of connection that lead to a feeling of security, belonging and warmth! More than ever in our culture we need safe spaces to disconnect from the craziness of life so that our hearts can rest, heal, and connect more deeply with the people God has placed in our lives. With Fireside Chats our goal is to create these cozy circles of connection where you can experience rest, healing, love and a renewed sense of purpose. This happens best when we slow down, pause, throw off our masks, get real, connect heart to heart and encounter God’s love in ways we never have before!
In the quiet after all the crowds had dispersed, Jesus often sat around a campfire with his disciples so that he could connect at a deeper level with them. My favorite campfire story is when Jesus restored Peter around a fire after he had just denied him 3x’s. I can imagine the shame Peter must have felt in that moment. Here is Peter standing face to face with the resurrected Jesus. He knows what he did and how miserably he had failed him. But what I love most about this story is what resulted from it.
Jesus asked Peter a powerful question 3x’s. Why did he do this? To restore him publicly in front of all his peers. He cleared his 3 strikes with 3 questions, setting Peter back on his feet again. Jesus began questioning Peter in John 21:15 asking him, do you love me? The word for “love” Jesus used was the Aramaic word “hooba” meaning “to set on fire”. He was asking Peter is your heart set on fire for me. If so, “then feed my sheep”. This is the part I love, once the question was settled Jesus didn’t say, “Ok, Peter, you messed up one to many times. I can’t use you.” No instead he sent Peter out to change the world. Peter’s very next message led to over 3,000 people being saved. Talk about a redemption story.
That is what God wants to do with us as well! We all have moments we’ve fallen short, and feel we can’t be use because of it. But that is just not how God operates. He does the opposite of what we expect and restores instead of rejects. Therefore, we want to follow Jesus’ example by creating an atmosphere of restoration not rejection. We desire to sit by the fire beside you and experience together what only true connection can provide.
At Fireside, we are all about coming together in places of safe connection where woman can be restored, shame can be overcome, and our hearts set on fire for all that God has for us. God’s intent has always been restoration through close connection so that he can clear away anything that is hindering the fire within us from being set ablaze! He has a world for you to change with his love. So together, in our “Hooba” circles we are going to fight for each other and find the courage to set our hearts on fire for all that he has for us!
Stay tuned. Dates will be determined soon. We are waiting on the completion of our shelter before setting firm dates for this summer. We can’t wait to sit around the fire with you!
Click on the link to the Fireside Manifesto below to get a glimpse of what we are all about!