 We get to hear from Cindy this morning, she apologized that her answers were so long when she sent them to me and I told her that I was happy that they were. Feel free to send me longer answers if you feel led sisters. This is an easy way for us to connect with one another- when time allows us to read the entries so being wordy isn’t a bad thing! I think each one of us would welcome it. I very much enjoyed Cindy talking about the book she just finished reading- hopefully it’ll bless & challenge your heart like it did mine!
Hey Gals 😊
My name is Cindy Sokoll, and I am married to my high school sweetheart, Pat Sokoll😊 We live and serve in Loveland Colorado at Beggars Gate Church with Nathan and Kimberly Hrouda-they are a blessing! We have been here, in Loveland, for 15 yrs and started our Jesus journey in Ames, Iowa (22 yrs) then on a church plant to Iowa City, Iowa (6 yrs) then another church plant to Manhattan, Kansas (1.5 yrs) then Loveland. So, lots of adventures, faith and friendships😊
Pat and I work together in Relational Oneness and other tools to help people with heart/soul care- Connection Company is the name for ministry and the website is connectioncompany.org-for our resources. We use our home a lot for Connect, zoom missionaries all over the world and do traveling with this ministry the Lord has asked us to walk in- been a huge blessing to many- we are grateful for that!
By nature, I am more of a homebody than I get to be and more of a routine gal than I get to be! Married a great guy who doesn’t know either of those things exist-ha-ha! God has a real sense of humor with me! But it has made me grow to trust that God has good for me and has stretched me in ways I NEVER would have left to who I thought I was 😊 And a lot of that growth has been through who Pat is and his heart to follow God!
I grew up in Davenport, Iowa with my parents and 4 brothers. I was right in the middle of the boys. Now my bros call me the “rose among the thorns 😊” and that makes me laugh and love them! I grew up Catholic and went to 12 years of catholic school. That is where I met Pat when he transferred to our high school to try to get a football scholarship for college- he did! So, we were high school sweethearts (I was 16 and he was 17 yrs). Both came to know Jesus at the age of 19 and 20-thru a high school football buddy of his. Thankful for that! We were also voted in Pat’s class to “not make it” as a dating couple. To Jesus’ credit ONLY, we are the only couple still together, of the 4 couples who were dating seriously!! PTL!! People at our class reunions still can’t believe it!
 We got married when we were 20 and 22! We went on our honeymoon to wherever our “cash” would take us-so Wisconsin Dells won! It will be 44 yrs soon. We have 5 children (Leah-43, John-40, Amy-38, Elizabeth-36, Sarah-34) and 12 grand babes (Belle-19, Johnny-16, Aza-15, Kade-14, Jaks-13, Grace-12, Zhel-12, Bishop-5, Parker-4, Elianna-3, Sloane-2, Madisyn Jaimes (MJ)-1) that we love! Â
Most of my life I have not had many- if any hobbies-having 5 kiddos at the age 29 yrs old – didn’t give me much time. But over the years cooking and baking have been for ministry but also have turned into a “hobby” of mine. I do love to bless people with food! It makes me smile when they enjoy it! I also, later in life, have enjoyed decorating with colors and textures. We enjoy looking at real estate! We also enjoy designing and building 3 of our houses and remodeling every church we have been a part of! So, I guess construction 😊
 A book I have enjoyed was called “With” by Skye Jethani. It is a great way to look at the way we relate and serve our God. It challenges us to think about how we relate, or we think God relates to us! Five ways we can relate…
1) Life FROM God – focus on what God will do for me-I do this…then God does this for me
2) Life OVER God – Proven formulas and controllable outcomes-systems
3) Life FOR God – people known for their drive to do great things in God’s service and world changers-have to do more
4) Life UNDER God – know God’s commands and toil to stay in those boundaries of what is expected of us-Legalism-my value comes from my right choices
OR
5) LIFE WITH GOD – focus more on relationship and anything that flows from that relationship is WITH God – may all have the same look but the heart behind what we do is very different. God Himself came to BE WITH US and to walk intimately with us once again!
Reality is we all walk in each of those areas but it can be good to think about and good to redirect my heart to be WITH him in all that I do! I found it very refreshing and inspiring to change myself and my patterns.
Truly is a very fresh approach to the “WHYS’ of what we do. Very easy read!
I am not a person who can keep New Years Resolutions or have never had a word for the year BUT this year I have a word that God impressed on my heart in January, and it is still there! So, for now I have a word for 2025 —— “ENTRUST” ——
Why this has been impactful for me is because as I have pondered this word, entrust, I have decided it is easier for me “to trust” God than to “entrust myself” to God! Trusting God helps me to know I am not in control – it’s out there and I am usually peaceful about trusting God with my life. When I need to Entrust myself to God it involves a lot of my heart – not just “out there control” but where my heart and values, desires, beliefs, hopes, dreams, momma’s heart and my view on how I would like my life to be! It’s a special, vulnerable and sacred place to “entrust” that to someone else. But God is asking for that place in me! I feel like I can sense a huge distinction between those 2 places, trusting and entrusting, in my heart. I know I can trust and sometimes still be anxious about things. Learning to entrust God leaves me with His peace and know I am a part of His plan, and He cares about me- even if just resting in His work. I have given Him not just my trust in His will but my very heart that is attached to that trust. To me, it seems like a deeper walk with God. So, much more to say but that is what God is growing me in! Grateful!
Prayers….
1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Those we touch with Connection Company tools will have the resolve to walk in the skills/tools.
2)Â Â Â Â Â Â Always for Pat and I to be growing more in Oneness with each other
3)      Our children and their spouses – some do not know the Lord- their salvation and others to bend their knee to Jesus! Those following Jesus to continue in their faith to do many great things for God- don’t get distracted!
4)      Grandchildren- to know and follow Jesus!!! Just had a call from another grandchild last week- he accepted Jesus – nothing more precious than hearing that!
5)Â Â Â Â Â Â Need new renters for our downtown loft by May 1st!!!!!
        Thank you for your prayer’s ladies – I am blessed 😊
Truly gals, it is an honor and privilege to serve alongside all of you! We/ I am blessed to know each of you and to glean what I can whenever we are together. You are all SOOO precious and a joy to be One with. I appreciate each one of you and look forward to getting to know each other better through these blogs 😊
Blessings and caring together,
Cindy
