Pamela J. Keegan

Pam (Helm) Keegan -  Born and raised in Fairfield, CT, Pam grew up in a Bible-believing Christian home and was saved at the age of 4. She was raised attending Black Rock Church in Fairfield, CT. From a young age, Pam has had a deep love for God and His word. She studied the bible at Word of Life Bible Inst. (1986/1987) and then transferred to Cedarville University for her education in Business Communications & Office Technology (1987-1990). Pam has served in many roles within the church, including women’s ministry, youth ministry, worship leader, bible studies, and Sunday School teacher, care ministries, and prayer ministries. In her 40s, Pam was called to serve at a startup church (Vox Church) and was part of the leadership team that launched their first location in Bridgeport, CT. It was through Vox Church that she met her husband. In 2018, at the age of 50, Pam married Jeff Keegan, who was the pastor of discipleship at Trinity Church (EFCA) in Woodbridge, CT. Jeff retired in...

The apostle John described himself as the beloved disciple. Was he singling himself out as being more loved by God then the other disciples? Absolutely not! John understood the extent of God's love in Jesus, and he unapologetically embraced his identity as beloved. Too often, we allow our shortcomings and mistakes to overshadow the glorious reality that we are God's dearly loved daughters. We drop our heads in shame, forgetting the liberating promise of Romans 8 - that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. What if we embraced this truth and instead raised our faces to God's embrace of who we are - His beloved?   What if we fully accepted and reveled in the truth that we are His beloved, cherished beyond measure?   Pam shares this shift in perspective and how it has radically transformed her life.  When we truly internalize the magnitude of God's love, the Spirit takes up residence within us, empowering us to walk in freedom, confidence, and bold purpo...

The tabernacle and the temple were not merely physical structures - they were sacred spaces where the divine and earthly realms converged, where the very presence of God dwelled among His chosen people, the Israelites. These holy sites were designed with intentionality, each element and area representing a gradual increase in holiness. From the outer courtyard, to the Holy Place, and finally the innermost sanctum of the Holy of Holies, the architecture mirrored the reverence and awe required to approach the Almighty. This careful arrangement underscored the sheer magnitude of the Creator's majesty and the gravity of sinful humanity daring to draw near. Yet, remarkably, the God who is high and exalted also desired intimate relationship with His people. The tabernacle and temple were tangible representations of this divine paradox - a holy, all-powerful God making His dwelling among mortal, flawed beings. In the New Testament, we see this motif expanded in a radical way. The apostle ...

In a world filled with noise and distraction, during this retreat Pam guides you through Silence, Solitude, and Lectio Divina. Guided solitude provides a sacred space for you to step away from human relationships and make room for God in your life. As you learn to sit in solitude, this spiritual discipline allows you to cultivate other practices in your life like Sabbath, fasting, Lectio Divina, and prayer.  Solitude creates a platform to receive clarity, resolve your purpose, and find inner strength to avoid distractions. Guided silence completes solitude, as you set aside time and space to be quietly present before the Lord. It is in these still moments that God often speaks through nature, allowing you to more readily sense His presence in the events of daily life. Lectio Divina , which means "divine reading," is a method of praying with Scripture. This slower, reflective approach to reading the Word helps you be open to God's transformative work, rather than approach...

When a child hurts physically, they cry out in pain. Lament is an intense expression of thought and emotion communicated to God through prayer. It is a cry for help coming out of pain, grief, frustration and/or disappointment. It is often accompanied by feelings of hopelessness, anger, disappointment, disapproval or doubt.  Lament, a biblical process of crying out our pain to the Lord and is a very common type of prayer found in scripture and is broken into four stages. Talk to God  Complain to God  Ask God for Deliverance  Trust God  Pam will lead you through the process of lamentation by sharing examples found in scripture which include but not limited to internal struggles with thoughts and actions, concerns with the actions and behavior of others, when evil seems to prevail and concerns with God's action or lack of action.

This is a guided workshop where Pam will teach and lead you through the process of Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina, which means "divine or sacred reading" is an ancient method of reading and praying with Scripture.  This slower, reflective approach to reading the Word helps you to listen and be open to God's transformative work, rather than approach it with a human agenda.  It involves both a prayer of response and a prayer of rest. "The Word of Scripture should never stop sounding in your ears and working in you all day long, just like the words of someone you love. And just as you do not analyze the words of someone you love, but accept them as they are said to you, accept the Word of Scripture and ponder it in your heart, as Mary did. That is all…Do not ask “How shall I pass this on?” but “What does it say to me?” Then ponder this word long in your heart until it has gone right into you and taken possession of you." (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

In this talk, Pam looks at the life of Esther.  In the face of life's most difficult trials and challenging decisions, we must remember that we are not alone. Pam shares insight through the inspiring story of Esther, even the bravest and most capable among us cannot rely solely on our own strength and resources when confronted with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Rather, it is by grounding ourselves in the knowledge of who God is - a loving, sovereign, and all-powerful Savior - and who we are in Christ Jesus, that we can find the courage and fortitude to weather the storms.  It is not our own strength of character, our intellect, or our status that will see us through, but rather the unshakeable, unstoppable, and unchangeable nature of the God we serve. When we root ourselves in this eternal truth, we can face the trials of life with a confidence that is not of this world - a confidence that can only come from the Almighty.

In this talk, Pam shares the powerful benefits of a godly thought life. It's remarkable how easily weeds can take root and flourish in a carefully tended garden, isn't it? Even the most diligent gardeners find themselves in a constant battle to keep their prized plants healthy and thriving, having to vigilantly pull up those pesky weeds that seem to pop up overnight.  Just like a lush, productive garden, our own minds require similar cultivation and maintenance to ensure they remain fruitful and nourishing. Pam addresses the commandment found in  Philippians 4:8-9, we can proactively weed and prune our minds, keeping them focused on what is "true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable."  This kind of mental cultivation requires vigilance and discipline, but the payoff is a mind that is peaceful, content, and aligned with God's will.  Just as a bountiful garden requires regular weeding, pruning, and nourishing, so too must we put in the consistent effort to upr...

In the talk, Pam focuses on the prophet Elijah during a drought that lasted three years and six months.  She focuses on three phases of this story. Invisible phase:  Elijah heard something, sensed something, perceived something, and believed in something that his eyes had not yet seen. Elijah prostrated himself and believed that what he had heard and spoken would come to pass. What are you believing God for?   Perseverance phase:  Elijah doesn’t lose faith but perseveres. He sent the servant to look for a sign and the servant comes back and proclaims, “There is nothing.” Was the servant’s report wrong? No, but Elijah knew God and knew God was at work. Seven times he sent the servant back before there was a sighting. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean God isn’t working it out. Something is happening! Persevere!   Insignificance phase:  “A little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea.” What may have seemed insignificant to the serva...

The act of blessing others goes beyond merely offering supportive words. It encompasses the profound gifts of God’s grace that continue to resonate well beyond a fleeting moment. Such blessings recognize boundless worth, highlight individual talents, and direct attention towards a destiny bestowed by God. In this presentation, Pam emphasizes, The blessing serves not as a reward for achievements but as the source of strength for achieving them. The essence of the blessing is not that one must first achieve in order to receive it; rather, it is the belief that success is possible because one has been blessed. When we extend a blessing to others or receive one ourselves, it does not enhance an individual's worth; instead, the blessing enables them to recognize the inherent value they possess.

In the talk, Pam focuses on Peter in Matthew 14.  Peter had faith and stepped out of the boat. With his eyes on Jesus, he did the impossible! However, when he took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the wind, he became afraid and began to sink.  Faith and fear are like oil and water. They do not mix! Where fear reigns, your faith will sink.  We are often surrounded by threatening storms in our lives. They can devastate us. They can cause us to take our eyes off of Jesus. Choose to walk in faith. When faith reigns, fear has no power. The way to walk victoriously is to:   Keep your eyes on Jesus.   Obey his commands and step out in faith. Know God’s supernatural power will make a way. Be aware that fear will cause you to sink. Cry out to God for salvation. Grab a hold of God’s hand.  Have faith and believe.   Peter walking on the water was not dependent on him ignoring the wind, but dependent on his trust and obedience in Jesus Christ des...

Spring is here!  The smell of spring always takes me back to my childhood. On the side of our house grew a rose bush that filled the air with its sweet  aroma . We also had a few daffodils  in the yard  and a beautiful lilac bush that bloomed each year. The  smell of  lilac s would  dr ift  through my bedroom window— that is,  until our next-door neighbor cut  it  down! Still, I can almost smell  the fragrance like I can of  fresh-cut grass  or  s pring r ain.   There’ s  something about the aroma of spring that warms the heart. Of course, not every smell is pleasant. Growing up by the beach with a marsh in our backyard, I can still recall the  sharp  odor at low tide—enough to make you close your window. Smells have power .   From the comforting aroma of dinner cooking on the stove to the sharp stench of a cow pasture down the road, smells can stir emotions, memories, and even our moods....

  Matthew 9:27-29 ESV  And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” Never lose sight of Jesus… he is able. Jesus is fully God. He can heal at any time whether our belief in him is great or small. In these verses, Jesus is not asking us to believe in the ability to exercise faith. He is asking us to believe he is able.   Sometimes God heals physical illnesses while other times he chooses greater glory through the illness. God’s will is for us to know him and believe he is able. To be satisfied in him. To glorify him. To experience peace in him and enjoy him with spiritual eyes. During his evangelistic crusades in Britain, Charles Alexander, a popular nineteenth-century gosp...

Matthew 5:8 ESV “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Luke 7:36-50 ESV One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the d...

  Lamentations 3:24 ESV “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” Jeremiah 29:10-14 NIV This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Hope is the confident expectation of God’s promises. We can find hope in the Lord when we believe he will deliver what he has promised. Even in the weariness of today, God promises...

Preparation: Find a quiet place and settle into a comfortable chair. If you are like me, have a fire going and a warm cup in your hand. Take a deep breath and rest in the quiet for a few minutes.  Reflection:   Advent means "coming" or "arrival." It’s a time for reflection, prayer, and getting our hearts ready for the birth of Jesus at Christmas and for His promised return. Advent is the four weeks leading up to Christmas. It’s a deliberate pause to slow down and really think about our longings, practicing a yearning for Christ’s arrival.  Just like today, Jesus entered a dark world. A troubled, unjust time when people were held captive and oppressed. Advent is a moment to create space to remember why Jesus came and how His arrival changed everything! We also make room for the anticipation of Christ’s return.  Yet, we often find ourselves stuck in the in-between. Between what is and what could be. We get caught up in the waiting... Maybe you’re between jobs or dea...

I John 1:1-2 ESV That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us The incarnation of Jesus is part of God’s redemptive plan. Scripture from beginning to end shows God’s kindness, love, mercy, compassion, and everlasting grace given to mankind when we deserved nothing but condemnation. Praise God that instead of condemnation, he gave us the promise of redemption through his Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! He made a way for us to be saved. He sent Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, to live a perfect life and die an obedient death, so that Jesus became both the substitute punishment for our sins and the substitute performer of our righteousness. “The fact that the infinite, omnipotent, eternal Son of...