Where Do You Find God?
Hi, I’m Lizzie Oakes, and in 'Where Do You Find God' I talk with my guests about the ways they encounter God in their everyday lives. Acts C 17 v 27 says “God intended that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us”. God is close to all of us, what is often missing is our awareness of his presence. One of the joys of making this podcast is that as I ask my guests about the ways they encounter God, often right in front of me, they start to encounter him. Suddenly, their tone of voice changes, their speech slows right down, and a look of understanding comes across their face. As the scripture promises, if we reach out for him, we will find him. Tune in each Wednesday at 10.30am and listen live to Where Do You Find God on yoursanctuary.nz Hosted & Produced by Lizzie Oakes Audio Engineer Scott Gillen Where Do You Find God Theme Song written and performed by Chris Dawson
Episodes
This time around for me: ‘God I’m just going to come as I am’.
Omega Levine is a New Zealand singer/songwriter who grew up in a Samoan home as a pastor's kid. He was the frontman and songwriter for the multi award winning Parachute Band, spending almost a decade touring around the world and performing to crowds of up to 80,000.
But behind the music and the big stages, Omega's life had taken some pretty diffi...
'The Bible is a really, really good garden guide'.
Sarah the Gardener is an award-winning garden blogger, speaker, and international gardening author who finds God in the garden. More than simply growing plants, Sarah believes gardening teaches us to slow down and move at the garden's pace, something many of us could benefit from in today's busy world. She recognises that time spent in a garden nourishes not only the plants around ...
"I find God in the divine serendipities".
What happens when life suddenly takes you somewhere you never planned to go?
Pastor Friday Fumbilwa was living in Zambia, on his way to America, when 9/11 changed everything. The borders closed — and unexpectedly, he ended up in New Zealand.
25 years on, we talk about unexpected journeys, closed doors, and finding God in the middle of chaos.
Listen in 4.30pm today at yoursanctuar...
'How do I see the gold in people? That's how God has created me to be.'
Rachel Afeaki - Taumoepeau is of Tongan & Ngati Awa descent. She is based in Kirikiriroa/Hamilton and heads up the Hamilton Prayer Breakfast. Rachel has 20 plus years in governance and her career spans across the public, private & community sectors - always with a heart for equity, wellbeing and cross-cultural connection.
Rachel talks of rep...
'Running doesn't change me but running creates the space and the pause and the movement for change'.
Campbell Forlong, aka Soul Runner is a long distant runner who ran 52 marathons in 52 weeks. Having worked as a pastor & community worker he is now for filling a lifelong dream of working as a builder. Campbell talks of the ways he finds God and a life changing experience he had while running in Akaroa.
Julia A'Bell is a woman who is passionate about helping women, girls and families thrive in communities facing hardship. Together with her husband Joel they have spent over 3 decades serving in Australian churches before stepping into ministry through Convoy of Hope, where she now leads programs that bring practical hope and lasting change to vulnerable communities.
An honest & heartfelt conversation where Lizzie & Ju...
'Rather than retaliate the mongrel mob came to our church'.
Dr Steve Elers is a Maori Anglican Priest from Palmerston North who currently resides in Texas where he is the Associate Professor of Communication at LeTourneau University, an interdenominational Christian university.
Back home in New Zealand, Steve shares an incredible story of gang members coming together in a church service and not retaliating after a ...
Sheridan Voysey is an author, speaker and broadcaster. Having started his broadcasting career in Brisbane he has spent the last 15 years living in the UK. He is the author of 8 books, presenter of Pause for Thought on BBC Radio 2’s & his writing has been featured in various publications, including writing for Our Daily Bread, a devotional read by 90 million people daily
Sheridan is also the Founder of Fri...
‘Our life is precious but it’s a bit fragile’
Broadcaster Peter Shaw started with Rhema Medic back in 1981. Having been involved with many roles during his time in Christian Media, some of Peter's highlights have been building a brand new station from scratch (Star back in 1997) and co hosting Star Breakfast with Cathy Jenke.
Peter went for a holiday break at the end of 2025. Having had some issues wit...
'When people of faith are facing death with Jesus, it's just remarkable."
Rev Jessie is an Anglican priest based in the Wellington region. She is also an author and digital story who bridges ancient wisdom with modern life.
Rev Jessie shares openly and honestly on social media, including having just celebrated 22 years of sobriety. She communicates in a way that resonates deeply with her 35 000 followers. One of those f...
'I've found that God uses some of the darkest times in our lives to do some of the most beautiful moments in our faith'.
Scott Bell is the General Manager of a busy web development company From Here.
Scott shares openly and honesty of going through hard times, finding God in the adventure of working in the market place and his heart for going on regular missions' trips.
Andrea Anacan, is a wahine toa!
Having represented New Zealand at the 2020 Olympics in Karate – Kata (the non-contact form of Karate), Andrea's faith is integral to everything she does. She shares of trusting God in all circumstances – even when they don’t make complete sense.
Andrea Anacan | Karate (@andreaanacan) • Instagram photos and videos
Support Where Do You Find God?: https://donate.rhemamedia....
'Start praying. Your prayers don't have to be carefully designed and sanitized'.
Bishop Anne Van Gend was born in South Africa and is currently the Bishop of Dunedin serving over 360 000 people living across Otago & Southland through the dioceses 30 Anglican Parishes.
Bishop Ann talks of the weight of the role she carries, knowing she can only perform it with God's strength & provides some down-to-earth ti...
'Faith is the rhythm of putting one step in front of the other, rather than the destination'.
Jennifer Andrewes, Author of - The Only Way is Up On Foot to Rome talks with Lizzie Oakes about her journey of Long-Distance Walking while living with early on set Parkinson's.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Only-Way-Up-Foot-Rome-ebook/dp/B0GS
Support Where Do You Find God?: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?utm_source=omnystudio&utm...
'I remember going into the Olympic season, we have to do this & I was aware I was starting to feel anxious'.
Jonathan Moody is a Short Speed Skater for Great Britain. Born in New Zealand he fell in love with the sport when he was 12 years of age.
Now based in Nottingham, UK and home for the summer he joined Lizzie on the podcast to talk about the highs and lows of elite sport and of how an earlier encounter with God chang...
'Get close to hardship and God turns up'.
Brook Turner is the Director of Partnership Services at Vision west Community Trust. He shares of finding God in places he has visited (thin places) but also of finding God in the pain of the people that Vision West serve.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...
'It's God who does the work and he's been doing it from the beginning of creation & we're part of that process'.
Tom Francis is a radio broadcaster with Rhema Media. Having started his work life off as a mechanic with the AirForce, he has also worked as an ambulance driver. These days he is the day show host on Sanctuary Radio. Tom shares his heart for studying the word of God and the joy of discovering that G...
'This lady in ICU, she put her hand on my shoulder and said "Timothy, God hasn't finished with you yet".
Timothy Lee, was a fulltime pastor when he was out for a ride in the Redwood Forest in Rotorua, New Zealand when he crashed his mountain bike. The injury he received caused him to lose 92 percent of his body motor functions. These days Tim is an iterant speaker, provides supervision, is an author and possess an outwa...
'When I met my midwife for the first time she was surprised "wow this is a miracle".
Christine Leonardi recently immigrated to New Zealand from Indonesia and shares of finding God in her first pregnancy when it seemed unlikely that she would ever be able to get pregnant.
Christine talks of the joys and concerns of becoming a mother for the first time and recognizing that she needs God every step of the way.
It's me setting aside "It's God & me forever' for "It's God & me and all of God's people".
Rosy Keane is a Spiritual Advisor for The Salvation Army in Australia and also lives with endometriosis.
Rosy shares of how she finds God through creativity (performance poetry) and the balance of leading groups of people while struggling with a chronic illness.
Support Where Do You Find God?: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.n...
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