Zara Simonds

Meet Zara

A native Texan, I was raised in Oak Cliff before all the cool coffee shops brought everyone in (not that I’m complaining, as I gladly reap those benefits!)

I would go to the church my mom grew up in for special occasions and what seemed like mandatory vacation bible schools. Being one of four kids VERY close in age, it was a struggle as my parents divorced during my middle school years. This left me feeling overlooked and led me to rely on my academics and friends to bring me recognition and validation. I believed the lie that if I was a perfect child with good grades and great friends, surely I could make everyone happy and find happiness in the midst of it too.

While the Lord blessed my family in providing a loving step-father and later two other siblings in 2017 (twins!), it was only when I attended a summer camp at the age of 12, I remember reading Isaiah 64:6, “We have all become like the one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.” I had finally come face to face with the understanding that there would never be enough that I could do or say to earn the acceptance of everyone I met, much less the Lord. Knowing he does not love me based on my perceived usefulness, but that we are all broken and in need of a holy, righteous, and loving Savior. That it is only through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross that I have been deemed worthy and whole.

As the Lord has opened the door to being on staff with our re:gen team, each Monday night is a continued reminder of the true meaning of progressive sanctification. Hearing the ways the Lord kindly points out and confronts the lies we believe of ourselves that I find myself relating to every single time. My continued prayer for myself and those that attend re:gen is that we are able to see every day as a continued reminder of his faithful pursuit for our life and hearts, that we may grow in being “fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10)