Estelline Community Church

09/01/2026

08/30/2026

From Religion to Relationship: How Surrender Changed Zoe Starbuck's Life

Fearlessly Unshackled Faith Conversations with Host Sarah Rose & Guest Zoe Starbuck
Sometimes God writes the most incredible stories through the people the world least expects. At just fifteen years old, Zoe Starbuck from Fresno, California carries a faith that is both genuine and deeply inspiring. A barrel racer with dreams of earning her professional rodeo card, Zoe has already walked through more trials than many people face in a lifetime.

Yet through every hardship, one message remains clear: God still performs miracles.

Growing Up in Church Isn't the Same as Knowing Jesus
Like many children, Zoe grew up attending church every Sunday. Faith was simply part of the weekly routine.

She laughs as she remembers being motivated more by the promise of Taco Bell after church than by the service itself. "It wasn't a relationship with Jesus," Zoe explained. "It was religion."

Although she knew about God, she had never truly surrendered her life to Him.

That would all change.

When Life Suddenly Stops
In March 2023, Zoe woke up feeling sick.

At first it seemed like an ordinary illness, but days turned into weeks, and weeks became months.

Eventually, Zoe was completely bedridden.

She couldn't stand.

She couldn't function.

Pain shot through her body continuously, and no one could explain why.

Her family searched desperately for answers.

Specialists from Stanford joined a growing team of 21 doctors, yet no diagnosis could explain what was happening. Medicine reached its limits, and hope seemed to disappear.

For nearly eight months, Zoe describes being alive—but not truly living.

Isaiah 40:29: "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."

A Prayer That Changed Everything
One night, everything shifted.

At three o'clock in the morning, Zoe received a video from her great-grandmother.

Her great-grandmother shared that God had awakened her during the night and impressed upon her heart that Zoe's battle was spiritual as much as physical.

She encouraged Zoe to stop relying solely on circumstances and begin praying.

Broken, exhausted, and finally willing to surrender, Zoe prayed.

Not a polished prayer.

Not a religious prayer.

A prayer of complete surrender.

Within three weeks, after nearly eight months confined to bed, Zoe was back in school and living life again. "It wasn't just medicine," she shared."

It was surrender. "That moment forever transformed her understanding of God.

Jeremiah 30:17: "I will restore health to you and heal your wounds."

When Healing Doesn't Look Like We Expect
Although Zoe experienced a remarkable recovery, her journey wasn't over.

Months later she collapsed at school.

Her vision disappeared.

Her muscles stopped functioning.

Eventually she was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a condition that still causes unpredictable episodes of blindness and temporary paralysis.

Yet something inside Zoe had changed.

Instead of living in fear, she now lived with peace.

During one frightening episode, while chaos surrounded her, Zoe experienced an overwhelming sense of God's presence.

"I knew I was okay."

That peace became stronger than her circumstances.

Today, Zoe continues taking medication while trusting that her ultimate healing rests in God's hands. "I fully believe God can and will heal me," she said. "I don't know when, and I'm okay with that."

Philippians 4:7: Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Learning the Power of Surrender
Throughout the conversation, one word surfaced repeatedly: Surrender.

For Zoe, surrender doesn't mean giving up. It means trusting God enough to stop trying to control everything.

She described surrender simply:

"Do what you're called to do, and let God do the rest."
Those words reflect a maturity well beyond her years.

Whether facing health challenges, uncertainty, or unanswered questions, Zoe has learned that peace comes not from controlling the future but from trusting the One who already holds it.

2 Corinthians 12:9 — "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness."

Faith Grows Through the Storm
As a teenager involved in the rodeo world, Zoe faces many of the same pressures other young people encounter.

She has experienced disappointment.

Temptation.

Peer pressure.

Heartbreak.

Yet every time the enemy tries to pull her away from God, she hears the same reminder in her spirit: "I brought you back to life. This is not what I brought you back to life for."

Rather than allowing hardship to weaken her faith, each trial has strengthened it.

"Faith can't blossom without storms."

God Even Speaks Through Horses
One of the most touching parts of Zoe's story involves her horses.

After sharing her testimony at a barrel race, a woman felt led by God to introduce Zoe to a little black mare named Randy.

The horse seemed financially impossible.

Boarding seemed impossible.

Everything about it appeared beyond reach.

Instead of saying no, Zoe simply prayed.

God provided the exact amount of money through a trust account established years earlier by her great-grandmother.

As Zoe drove away with the new horse, the owner of the boarding facility called to offer her a job.

The income from that job was exactly enough to pay the horse's monthly board.

Coincidence?

Not for Zoe.

Just another example of God's perfect provision.

Again and again, God has shown her that when He opens a door, He also provides what is needed to walk through it.

Filling Your Mind With God's Truth
One lesson Sarah Rose and Zoe emphasized throughout their conversation was the importance of renewing our minds through Scripture.

Negative thoughts will come.

Fear will come. Doubt will come. The question is whether we allow them to stay.

Zoe intentionally surrounds herself with God's Word. Bible verses are written on her bedroom walls.

She even keeps Scripture written inside her saddle as a reminder every time she rides.

"The Word is our foundation. "When anxiety or fear begins to take hold, Zoe prays for the Holy Spirit to silence every voice that doesn't come from God.

It is a daily practice of replacing lies with truth.

Living to Glorify God
Like many young barrel racers, Zoe dreams of earning her professional rodeo card.

But unlike many athletes, her greatest goal isn't winning championships.

It's pointing people to Jesus. "I want my life to point to Him. "Whether she's competing in the arena, sharing her testimony, or simply loving people well, Zoe wants every part of her story to reflect God's goodness.

Her prayer isn't for personal success.

Her prayer is that others would see Christ.

Final Thoughts
Zoe's story reminds us that faith isn't built during easy seasons.

It is forged through surrender.

Through unanswered questions.

Through pain.

Through trusting God when we cannot see what comes next.

At only fifteen years old, Zoe has discovered something many spend a lifetime searching for:

Our hope is never found in our circumstances.

Our hope is found in Jesus Christ.

No matter what you're facing today, remember this truth:

Medicine may reach its limits, but God never reaches His.

He is still healing.

He is still providing.

He is still performing miracles.

And He is still writing beautiful stories through surrendered hearts.

Isaiah 40:31 - But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

08/29/2026

Everyone is welcome to join us on September 13 to kickoff Sunday School by Falling for Jesus!

08/09/2026

August 9, 2026

08/08/2026

What a great morning!!

07/18/2026

Good afternoon. I am posting our order of worship for tomorrow, but I want to particularly draw attention to the announcement regarding our Sleep in Heavenly Peace project. We are looking forward to building the beds for children who need a good bed to sleep on. The need is great and we are excited to be able to make this contribution. If this would be something you are interested in taking part in, you don't need to be a member of ECC, just willing to give a couple hours. This is an all-ages welcome project, so perfect family time. Please contact Dean Skoglund if you have any questions or want to get on the list of volunteers.

ESTELLINE COMMUNITY CHURCH
~ July 19, 2026 ~
Pastor Hank Roso
Follow us on Facebook ** email ~ [email protected]

PRELUDE

WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sleep in Heavenly Peace fundraiser – Wonderful news!! We have raised $2,704 of the $3,000 we set for a goal. The balance of that goal will be paid by our Community Outreach Fund. Now, we have an opportunity to give back and actually build the beds we have raised this money for. The date for this will be Saturday morning, August 8th, from 9:00 a.m. till noon at the Sleep In Heavenly Peace facility in Brookings. This is a project that is geared to all ages and kids are welcome and encouraged to take part in this project. It would be a wonderful opportunity for families to come and work together so the kids can have the satisfaction of doing something special for other kids who need a bed to sleep on. We need at least 15, but the more the merrier!! So, talk to your family and friends and if this is something you would be interested in, please contact Dean Skoglund.

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OPENING HYMN: #347 “All Creatures of Our God and King” (Vs 1, 3, & 5)

CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: The Lord is our Shepherd; He faithfully provides all that we need.
People: We come with grateful hearts, trusting in His abundant grace.
Leader: Jesus took the simple offering of a child and fed a multitude.
People: We bring what we have, believing God can do more than we can imagine.
Leader: The Lord does not measure by our strength, our numbers, or our resources.
People: He delights in faithful hearts that are willing to serve.
Leader: Come, let us worship the One who takes ordinary people and does extraordinary things.
People: With joyful hearts we worship Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord!

OPENING PRAYER

PASSING THE PEACE

CHILDREN’S SERMON

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS: “Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand.” 1 Chronicles 29 :14

OFFERTORY/DOXOLOGY

PRAYER OF DEDICATION: We thank You for every good and perfect gift that comes from Your hand. Today we return these tithes and offerings with grateful hearts, acknowledging that all we have belongs to You. Take what has been given in faith and multiply it for Your glory. Bless each g ver, provide for every need, and help us to be faithful stewards of the resources You have entrusted to us. May our giving be an act of worship, a testimony of trust, and a reflection of our love for You. We dedicate these offerings to Your service, asking that Your will be accomplished through them. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

PSALTER: Psalm 100
Leader: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
People: Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!
Leader: Know that the Lord, He is God!
People: It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
Leader: Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise!
People: Give thanks to Him; bless His name!
Leader: For the Lord is good;
People: His steadfast love endures forever,
All: And His faithfulness to all generations.

MESSAGE: "Little Is Much When God Is In It."
SCRIPTURE: John 16:1-13 - 16 “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. 12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

VIDEO CHORUS

PASTORAL PRAYER/THE LORD’S PRAYER:

RESPONSE: (Sung by the Congregation) “Hear our prayer, O Lord. Hear our prayer, O Lord. Incline your ear to us and grant us your peace. Amen.”

CLOSING HYMN: #454 “Trust and Obey”

BENEDICTION:
“As you leave this place today, remember that God is not looking for people who have everything. He is looking for people who are willing to place what they have into His hands. Go with confidence, knowing that the same Savior who multiplied five loaves and two fish is able to multiply your acts of faith, your words of encouragement, your service, and your love for His glory. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He give you joyful hearts, faithful hands, and willing spirits. And may He use each of us—ordinary people in an ordinary church—to accomplish extraordinary things for His Kingdom. Amen.”

CLOSING CHORUS: “God Be with You” (Sung by the congregation)

©CCLI 20643187/20643170

06/21/2026

Notice!
Cowboy Church will be held at the Trinity Lutheran Church due to rainy weather!

06/21/2026

A friendly reminder that ECC will be joining the community at City Park for Cowboy Church at 10:30 today, and we'll be taking a break from our regular service.

Also, wishing all the dedicated dads a Happy Father's Day, celebrating the love and devotion that makes a lasting impact.

06/19/2026

It’s rodeo weekend!!!

Happy savings!