Hearts United Women's Ministry

Knitting Hearts Ministry, Sumter
Saturday, July 11, 2020

Speakers: Carter & Jeannie Smith and Marsha Murphy
Written by Sue Sanders

Joyce Sanders welcomed everyone to the gathering declaring that God is forever faithful. Bert Cousar blew the shofar. The Hadassah Flag Team danced to the song, “Break Every Chain,” such a powerful song engaging us in visualizing the power in the name of Jesus to raise up an army to break every chain and then in hearing those chains falling. A young worship leader, Travis Sears, from Summerton Baptist led anointed praise and worship acknowledging that now is the time to worship, to give Him our hearts, and to come just as we are. “Oceans” reminded us to rest in His embrace recognizing that His grace abounds in deepest waters, and His hand will be our Guide. The last song drove the message in that He will never let go of us. The Bible declaration Taylor Smith shared was from Psalm 18 and focused on calling on the Lord for our help.

Carter Smith shared his story of feeling compelled to run for SC State Senate in Horry County. He applied late and had plans of campaigning. All those venues vanished when the pandemic raged and closed even the churches. He did knock on doors and talked to several thousand people. He had received a prophetic word at a conference that he and his wife attended. The word empowered him to continue to fulfill his purpose. He challenged himself and others to be merciful, to call the Body of Christ to change, to meet the hearts of the people one at a time, and to boast in Jesus. He and his wife founded and lead Coastline Women’s Center. When Carter introduced his wife, he mentioned that she had been healed from depression, guilt, and pain. He himself witnessed the transformation in her life when she allowed God to set her free.

Jeannie shared some of her story of being raised by a single mom and then her pregnancy when she was eighteen. She knew nothing about abortion, but her friend suggested that she abort the baby. She even drove Jeannie to the cold, impassionate clinic. Afterwards Jeannie kept her secret, went to college graduating at the top of her class, and became a physical therapist. Her relationships with men were never satisfying. One day when she felt so broken and alone, the Lord caused her to hear her grandmother’s voice and to pick up the Bible she had given her years before. Jeannie got saved that day. Friends at the hospital kept attempting to connect her and Carter, a nurse who was raising his two children. Even after their marriage, she was unable to leave her past behind and became more bound because she was not able to conceive. Voices kept tormenting her. Her family was committed to their church. One day at her church, she noticed a brochure for Pregnancy Crises Center, and they needed volunteers. Carter encouraged her to contact the center. She reluctantly agreed to a Bible study requirement for being a counselor. Later when she was on a trip and in her motel room, the Lord met her and spoke to her from Ezekiel 36: 25, 26. “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Jesus healed her instantly, and she has never been the same. Consequently, she can speak with such passion and authority to groups of women on the serious issues of abortion, brokenness, and the redemptive path to healing. She teaches that there is a difference between forgiveness and healing. Healing is a process. She wants women to fulfill their destinies, to align with God, and do what they were created to do.

Before beginning her message, Marcia Murphy gave a prophetic word for Jeannie and Carter and those attending from Isaiah 43: 16-21 acknowledging that God is doing a new thing, but we must receive it. We were formed to proclaim God’s praise. Our plea must be: “Take me to the throne to gaze upon Your glory and to sing Your song.”

Marcia’s message, “Unbind Him and Set Him Free” spoke of years of extreme brokenness but loosing from her bondage and freedom. A focus Scripture for her ministry is John 11: 44: “The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’” She lived for years hiding under masks. Hebrews 12: 1 tells us that we each have a race to run, and we must look to Jesus. We each have our individual stories, and we are all messy children. We must bless those who hurt us and forgive them.

Marcia came from a home of extreme brokenness. Both of her parents were alcoholics. When they divorced, she lived with her mother. However, she was so messed up that Marcia was frequently left alone at night. At twelve, Marcia left her mother. She later was adopted, but unfortunately, the home was a very unhealthy and violent one. During this time, she made a lot of unhealthy vows. She tried twice to commit suicide. She left home when she was 17 and looked for love in all the wrong places. When she was 21, she had an abortion. A part of her died that day. She did eventually experience peace when she began to pray, and the Holy Spirit moved through her body and quieted every part of her spirit.

Marcia shared a video clip of a powerful letter of her reading to her aborted baby.
Marcia had two sons by her first husband. When they divorced after 15 years of marriage, the boys chose to live with their father because she was sad all the time. She heard the voice of God speaking to her about Trust and asking her if she would trust Him. He gave her a visual of the cross that day confirming that He is Alpha and Omega and that He will never leave her. She gave her heart fully to the Lord that day.

Marcia has been married to her second husband for 15 years, and he is involved in her ministry. Her ministry, Unbind Him and Set Him Free, came from the story of Lazarus. He was dead and had been in the grave for 4 days. Jesus called him from the dead place full of corruption and putrid smells. He told Lazarus to come out of the grave and for friends to unbind him and set him free. He will set us free, but He usually takes the graveclothes off one piece at a time. We need to listen, to love, and to pray. Her team members prayed over all those who came forward.

There is power in our testimonies, being willing to share our stories. The messages today clearly emphasized that we often get caught up in the bondage of unforgiveness and that healing is a process. Freedom comes when we are able not only to forgive others but to also forgive ourselves. We must accept His gift of forgiveness and apply it to our lives. Jeannie spoke of a vision of the Lord offering her a gift of healing, and He kept saying that He had prepared the gift just for her. He offers this gift to all of us.