It was summer 2003 when the very beginnings of Zoweh were formed. It started with a holy discontent for where Robin and I were. God had begun to unhinge us from our current roles and assignments. We weren’t “unhappy” as much as we were experiencing more and more a growing restlessness.
By summer of 2004, our unsettledness had grown to a place where we didn’t know where we were headed, we just knew we couldn’t stay. “Life” was becoming less and we were longing for more. God brought me back to a discovery I had made (you know how discoveries work… it isn’t “new” it’s just new to you—it had been there all along, but now you are aware) while working on my Master's degree in Biblical Counseling at seminary. It came to me while writing a paper on Romans 8… the kind of Life Paul was writing about was from the Greek word zōe, pronounced zō-way, but spelled like ya-weh (Zoweh). And it means the Life only God gives… the spiritual coming alive Life, an essence received by God that changes everything; brings what was spiritually dead to Spiritually Alive.
It was a profound discovery and one I wanted more of. That is where A Life of More set in as a description of what we both longed for and wanted to be about. So we began to shed our old uniforms and be fitted for new ones. We were being drafted by God onto a new team for a new mission, and with each passing week our next assignment—where we were going—became a little more clear as we walked things out with God.
It was time to explore the banner; the image we might fight and play and minister under. We had a friend in the marketing and advertising lane who specialized in branding so we talked. I described who I believed God was calling us to be and what it might look like… that this was an ancient reality—Life with God and Life from God. I shared how we had awakened to the battle that we live in and that this would be an emblem that could be put on a shield or banner of war. He ended our long conversation with him saying, “Got it, I’ll get back to you.” A few days later he emailed a collection of possibilities and there it was, waiting to be seen in a lineup of options…
It spoke to me, or rather, God spoke to me. I loved everything about it; the gold arch representing God and his protection, and my heart, the symbol of Love and the vessel of Life, under it, in alignment with Him—His Life over me and my Life under Him. The heart was cut like a diamond, precious, brilliant and it looked brave. It was a few months later I saw an image of the cover of the film Braveheart, and there was my diamond heart… setting in the logo of the movie poster. A few days later, I was searching for a quote in the C. S. Lewis classic Mere Christianity. Flipping through the pages I landed on a quote I wasn’t looking for, but it found me… Lewis contrasts two kinds of “life”, the bios and he says,“let's call the other one Zoe.” I couldn’t believe it! C.S. Lewis and Randal Wallace were stealing our stuff! God was affirming and confirming.
That is how we became Zoweh. I heard Him, saw Him, and so enjoyed His way of giving us a name and identity. He is pretty wild that way, and we continue to aspire to grow into who He has called us to be… “fully alive”, Life to the full, a life of more.
Let’s Pray…
Dear God, creator of Life, giver of Life, sustainer of Life, we praise your name. Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Spirit, thank you for the breath of Life and for making us Alive in you. Thank you for giving us your Life through your sacrifice… dying to sin that we might come alive. We take our place this day in your Life, giving you claim to our hearts and aligning, again, our hearts to your Life.
Father, you are Love and love is Life. There is no greater thing in this universe than Love and you are Love. Love makes us come alive and we receive your Love this day. We come under the fullness of your canopy of Love and Life, of your Provision and Protection. We confess we need your canopy of grace, mercy, and strength, and we declare your canopy as our safe and wonderful place in which to live. Father us today in the ways of the Kingdom, in the ways of your Son, Jesus.
Jesus, thank you for showing us how to Live, revealing to us what Life looks like with the Father and how we can learn to Live like you. Thank you for your cross, resurrection, and ascension—for all the work you have accomplished for us that we might come alive in you. We take our place in your Life and give your Life, reign, and rule total command and authority over our lives. We proclaim you are glorious in all your ways, all your work, and all your mission for us to see us redeemed and restored… brought back to Life.
Holy Spirit, we confess and proclaim we need you. Breath of Life, fill us again this day for all that we are and are becoming. Guide us, Teach us, Counsel us in the ways of the Kingdom. Grow us up into how we each uniquely bear your image!
We pray against all forms of darkness and all spiritual forces set against our Life in you. We bring and pray the Life of Christ over our hearts, minds, bodies and souls and against all forms of death set against us, our mission and our Life in the Kingdom. We bring and proclaim the victory of Christ over death and the Life of Christ over all that we are and all that we are becoming. Amen and AMEN!