Author: Marie Nicole Zimmerle

Hi I’m Marie Nicole. I’m 43 and I have cerebral palsy. I love sharing the story of what God has done in my Life and I hope I can use my story to inspire and encourage you to follow him and his plans for you and your life.
Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

Good News for bad times

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
1 Peter 1:1‭-‬12 ESV

Things to remember when times are tough

1. You’ve been chosen by God.

God the Father knew you and chose you long ago…” – 1 Peter 1:2a

Why would God choose you?

for it is his boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again, so that we are now members of God’s own family.” – 1 Peter 1:3a (LB)

“He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” – Titus 3:5

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39

2. God is at work even in your problems

God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made
you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the
blood of Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 1:2

What kind of work is God Doing?

1. He cleanses us

2. He changes us.

I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue
his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
– Philippians 1:6

“For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his
Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
– Romans 8:29

Truths about troubles

1. Trouble is something we should expect

2. Being a Christian doesn’t exempt us from troubles

Christians can cope with troubles with the power of the Holy Spirit

3. God has guaranteed my future

We have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for
you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And
through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this
salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.”
– 1 Peter 1:4-5

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for
this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we
have done, so none of us can boast about it.” – Ephesians 2:8-9

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them
eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from
me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than
anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.” – John 10:27-29




Peter’s Challenge

“This means tremendous joy to you, even though at present you may be
temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials.” – 1 Peter 1:6 (Ph)

“Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to
be in on this!” – 1 Peter 1:12 (TM)





Memory Verse

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must
endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your
faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though
your faith is far more precious than mere gold.
– 1 Peter 1:6-7Listen Now

Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

When Faith affects Finances

But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!” At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him. Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater. Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there. The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak. But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak. “Citizens of Ephesus,” he said. “Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven. Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash. You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess.
Acts of the Apostles 19:26‭-‬37 NLT

Does idolatry still exist today?

Yes

Idolatry is taking good things and making them ultimate things

Tim Keller

Three Observations about Idolatry

1. Idols are everywhere.

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.
Acts of the Apostles 17:16 NLT

2. Idols are empty

“Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.
Acts of the Apostles 14:15 NLT

3. Idols are expensive

and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.
Acts of the Apostles 17:25 NLT

What are you known for?

The first Christians were:

1. Missional

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts of the Apostles 1:8 NLT

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19‭-‬20 NLT

2. Pro Jesus not anti everything else

3. Known for who they followed not for what they opposed

Memory Verse

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
1 Peter 3:15 NIV

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Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

Acceptance day

Today is #acceptanceday it’s taken me half my life to get to the place where I accept my wheelchair my Walker, my braces( even though I have not been using my braces) for as long as I can remember I wanted to be normal but Last Summer I learned that normal is not a thing it’s just something we say. At this place in my life I truly love the way God Made Me even though I have my daily struggles and frustrations I thank God for the community of empowering women that he led me to. I’m looking forward to more Independence in the near future and I can’t wait to continue this journey that he has me on.

advocacy

I’m going to be more than ok

What have you learned in your life about love?

Looking back at the time when I used to think I needed to be fixed or needed to be better, I want to give that version of myself a hug even though that may seem woo woo and cheesy, I want to tell that version of myself that someday sooner than I think I will meet a group of women who show me how to rock life with a chair and that my favorite musical will cast a legit wheelchair user wheelchair using roll. I love my life now and I can’t wait to get my new chair

Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

The Barnabas Factor

After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall. When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown. The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.
Acts of the Apostles 9:23‭-‬31 NLT

Fear Factor

1. The absence of fear can lead to foolishness

2. The answer is not to abandon fear but to hold the right object of fear

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge fools despise wisdom and instruction

Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the Lord is a Fountain of Life so that one may avoid the snares of death

Proverbs 14:27

3. Fear is natural, living in fear is idolatry

Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me to get her.’ And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her. When God called me to leave my father’s home and to travel from place to place, I told her, ‘Do me a favor. Wherever we go, tell the people that I am your brother.’”
Genesis 20:11‭-‬13 NLT

But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!”
Numbers 13:31 NLT

Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”
Numbers 14:9 NLT

“What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,” says the Lord. “You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my Spirit, thus piling up your sins. For without consulting me, you have gone down to Egypt for help. You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection. You have tried to hide in his shade.
Isaiah 30:1‭-‬2 NLT

Courageous Faith

1. We cannot follow the example of Barnabas without the spirit of Jesus

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
John 14:16‭, ‬26 NLT

2. Sometimes we are encouraged and sometimes we are the encourager

When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.
2 Corinthians 7:5‭-‬6 NLT

3. One faith-filled active encouragement can redirect the fears of many

The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.
Acts of the Apostles 9:31 NLT

Memory Verse

I tell you my friends, do not fear those Who Kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear fear Him who after he has killed has Authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you fear Him

Luke 12:4 – 5

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Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

Second Anniversary Q and A.

1. Do you wish you would have started sooner, or do you think you started at the right time?

I think I started at the right time. I felt God telling me I needed to tell my story to more people.

2. Who inspired you to start your podcast?

When I started my podcast, I was in a Facebook group called, Becoming a Master communicator through imperfect action; this group is led by Renee Marino, the leading lady in the movie Jersey Boys. After a sixteen-year career as an actor, Renee became a communication coach.

It was also during this time I came across a video by Gary Vee on YouTube, where he explained how simple it was to start a podcast, so I found a free app and I started recording.

3. Other than church notes, do you plan to expand your podcast to other topics?

I have already expanded my podcast content. It started as simply sharing my sermon notes. Then I began to share my experiences going to concerts and theater. I frequently do gushing reviews of the art that I see. I have also started to share my journey of self-acceptance and what I think about the disability community.

4. What do you wish for your podcast for the next 2 years?

My hope for my podcast for the next two years is that it will continue to grow and show people that being a follower of Christ does not mean your life has to be boring. I also would love to travel Los Angeles and the surrounding areas to tell the story of what God has done in my life in person.

5. Talk about who you were when you first started your podcast and the growth you’ve seen since then.

When I started my podcast in October 2020, I was learning new techniques for becoming a better speaker. The biggest lesson that I learned about public speaking is that being a heart-centered speaker does not mean that you speak without preparation. It’s a wise idea to have a bullet point list in front of you to keep you on track with what you want to say.

At this time, I was also starting my journey of self-acceptance. I started watching youtube videos about equipment being only equipment and self-perception. Shortly after this, I started researching Rollette’s Dance team. I signed up for Rollette’s Experience 2021, and I attended virtually from home. It was one of the most life-changing experiences ever, and I would encourage any wheelchair using woman who felt like she needed a sense of community to consider attending Rollette’s 2023.

6. How did you start your podcast, and what was the first thing I did?

I found a free app called Anchor and started talking into my phone; you don’t need fancy equipment.

Here are the links to the people and things I’ve talked about.

Rollettes IG

Renee Marino’s iG

Wheels2walking Youtube

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Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

Unfinished: Guess who’s coming to church

Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”
Acts of the Apostles 9:1‭-‬20 NLT

Lessons from The conversion of Saul

1. You can be sincere and still be sincerely wrong

2. When you persecute God’s children you are persecuting Jesus

A. We are all God’s creation but we are not All God’s Children

B. Many people base their Hope Of Heaven on the word of Santa rather than the word of God.

C. God offers adoption into his family to those who will receive it.

3. God uses his people to communicate his message

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:10‭-‬12 NLT

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