Sabbath March 28th, 2026 | I See You | Sis Carissa-Loy Andrews Quashie

Psalm 139 frames a clear, tender theology: God sees each person intimately from before conception and holds a deliberate plan for every life. Scripture anchors the conviction that every hair, thought, and story matters; creation bears intentionality, not accident. Life stories of women from history and everyday encounters illustrate what it looks like to be seen, wounded, rescued, and reshaped. A grandmother who crossed the Appalachian Mountains in late life models resilience born from hope; a woman rescued from prostitution and illness embodies grace that reorders a ruined past; the unnamed Samaritan woman at the well demonstrates how encountering Christ discloses identity, breaks isolation, and releases testimony. These narratives stress that being seen by God precedes social validation and enables honest, restorative speech.

Practical exhortations flow from these truths. People must speak the hidden pains aloud—either to a trusted friend, a counselor, or to God—to stop carrying shame that sabotages relationships and spiritual health. Community matters: regular, simple conversations in spiritual gatherings sharpen emotional intelligence, smooth jagged edges, and form safer spaces for confession and healing. The biological miracle of human formation, including the gift of chromosomes and inherited life, becomes a theological sign of worth and continuity across generations; that knowledge demands respect for bodies and a rejection of cultural pressure to alter identity for acceptance. The call concludes with concrete compassion: receive every person’s story with discretion, encourage honest confession, and root identity in God’s attentive love rather than in past failures or social marginalization. Prayer and trust in God’s presence sustain both the low places and the milestone days of life, proving that sight from the Divine rearranges shame into purpose.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God sees each hidden life God’s awareness precedes conscious existence and continues through every day. That sight reframes shame as known reality rather than erased sin; being seen becomes the precursor to healing, purpose, and invitation to trust. When identity forms under God’s gaze, shame loses its power to define. [21:09]
• 2. Speak the story to live Holding secret wounds corrodes heart and relationships; vocalizing pain—safely and intentionally—unlocks grief and opens pathways to restoration. Confession need not mean public spectacle; it requires a trustworthy space or counselor who honors pain and guides toward wholeness. Release creates space for new fruit to grow. [37:36]
• 3. Community sharpens and heals Regular, honest relational interaction polishes rough edges and builds emotional intelligence, much like river stones smoothed by steady water. Small conversations in faith communities carry real therapeutic power and create safe containers for vulnerability. Invest in consistent presence rather than performance. [42:58]
• 4. Bodies and lineage matter Human formation reveals deliberate design: chromosomes, eye color, inherited traits, and maternal lineage bind generations and signal worth. This biological truth argues against cultural pressure to alter body or identity for approval and invites affirming words to younger people. Speak intentional, life-giving truth into the next generation. [44:36]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [16:43] - Invitation and acceptance
• [17:04] - Prayer and purpose
• [19:00] - Psalm 139 introduction
• [20:35] - Read verse 13 aloud
• [21:09] - God sees you explained
• [24:32] - Grandma's story begins
• [25:38] - Appalachian crossing account
• [28:06] - Eve's life testimony
• [31:40] - Samaritan woman introduced
• [33:52] - Jesus intentionally lingers
• [37:36] - Speak out and seek counsel
• [44:16] - Anatomy and divine design
• [49:32] - Self-love and motherhood
• [51:05] - Closing prayer and blessing

1. According to Psalm 139:13, where does the psalmist say God was actively forming him?
2. What does the psalmist declare about God’s works and his own soul’s knowledge in verse 14?
3. In the sermon, what was the main point Jesus was making to the Samaritan woman by intentionally waiting for her and asking for a drink? [32:57]
4. What are some of the specific, intentional details of our design that were mentioned as proof we are not random? [47:15]

1. The psalmist states that all his days were written in God’s book before one of them came to be. How does this concept of a pre-ordained plan conflict with or complement our human experience of free will and choice?
2. The Samaritan woman came to the well at an unusual time to avoid people. Why does encountering a God who sees and knows everything about us, like Jesus did with her, often produce both fear and profound relief? [32:39]
3. It was said that holding onto secret wounds can corrode the heart and relationships. Why is vocalizing pain, even to a stranger or counselor, such a critical step toward healing instead of just praying about it privately? [37:36]
4. The analogy was given that jagged rocks become smooth by being rubbed against other rocks in the river. How does this illustrate the purpose of consistent, honest community within the church? [42:29]

1. What is one part of your "her story" or "his story"—a hidden pain, shame, or past failure—that you have never voiced to anyone because you fear judgment? What would be the first step to sharing that burden in a safe, trustworthy space? [37:10]
2. God’s intimate knowledge of us precedes our own existence. How might living with the constant awareness that you are fully seen and intentionally designed by God change the way you speak to yourself about your body and your worth this week? [47:47]
3. The call was to speak intentional, life-giving truth into the next generation. Who is one younger person in your life you can intentionally encourage this week by pointing out a specific, God-given trait they have—their smile, their compassion, their creativity? [49:59]
4. Regular, simple conversations in spiritual community have real therapeutic power. Is your involvement in church more about performance or consistent presence? What is one practical way you can prioritize being present to help polish someone else’s rough edges? [42:58]
5. The biological reality is that we are connected to generations before us. How does understanding that you carry part of your grandmother’s story within you affect your view of your family lineage and the importance of breaking or continuing certain cycles? [44:56]
6. Jesus lingered and waited for the one who felt unseen. Who in your circle is isolating themselves and coming to the "well" at odd times to avoid others? How can you intentionally linger and create a non-judgmental space for them this week?