Author: Wendy

Staying the Course

Posted on by Wendy
Success is so often, just around the corner.
Success is so often, just around the corner.

Back in September, my family and I, took a hike at a place called Raven Cliffs Falls. We had never been there before and were looking for a new adventure.

We got one. The GPS wasn’t working very well. Cell phones and mountains do not mix. We got lost on the way and ended up in North Carolina, but we enjoyed the warm weather and when we finally got there, we were super excited to just get out of the car.

It was early afternoon and we didn’t eat lunch because we had a late, heavy breakfast. The trail was beautiful and we got some fabulous pictures of waterfalls, but as it got later, we got tired and hungry. We didn’t know how long the trail was and we didn’t bring any provisions.

As the trail began to wind away from the creek we had been following and we kept seeing fewer people, we decided to turn back. Our cell service wasn’t working and we weren’t sure if there was anything else to see. We felt like there might be, but weren’t willing to chance it. We gave up and went searching for an early dinner.

As it turned out, we gave up too early. When we returned home and Googled it, we realized that there was something really beautiful at the end of that trail, a waterfall running between two cliffs. We vowed to return when it was a little cooler and the leaves were changing colors.

On Sunday, we went back to try it again. But, this time, we knew the way and I brought water and snacks. The Gaines Family was on a mission.

We moved easily through the first part of the trail. We passed by all of those pretty waterfalls once again. But, then, just as before, the trail began to wind, with nothing to see, but trees. There were parts that were kind of narrow as we continued to walk. We were hot and tired. My son asked me if I was sure that there was anything at all at the end of the trail. I stubbornly assured him that there was.

We trudged on and we passed someone coming back from where we were heading. We asked him if we were close. He assured us we were.

Encouraged, we walked a little further and there it was. There was a clearing and then a huge mountain stood right in front of us. And there was the waterfall we had been seeking.

It was beautiful. It was worth the hike. We sat and rested for a while. We drank some water and had a snack. We took lots of pictures and my son even wanted us to climb up the steep rock face. We did, but that’s a story for another post.

As we headed back down that trail, we met a weary couple who asked if they were close. This time, we could encourage someone and assured them they were.

Our hikes reminded me how it’s very easy to give up on whatever we are pursuing when we get tired and aren’t prepared. Whether it’s a dream we are chasing, or a relationship or even our faith. The right provisions make all of he difference.

When we pray, read the Bible, and surround ourselves with others who have been successful, we can find what we are seeking, and it’s always worth the work. But, we can’t give up. After we make it, then we are called to encourage others on their journey.  It’s a beautiful circle.

A second attempt at a hiking trail reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

The Power of a Preposition

Posted on by Wendy
Being thankful is a choice.
Being thankful is a choice.

In the past few days, I have come across two different bloggers who commented on the verses from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, which read: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ.”

It’s a very familiar verse for me and I see it quoted often. It’s meant to bring comfort. God has a plan even during the bad times.

But, this week, after two different writers pointed one that one preposition makes a huge difference in that passage, I really sat up and took notice. I don’t believe in coincidences where God is concerned.

The Holy Spirit had something to tell me. Both writers said that the Scripture says to give thanks in all circumstances, not for all circumstances.

Those two prepositions have really swirled around in my head this week. Isn’t it amazing how one little word can change everything?

We aren’t called to be thankful for the sickness, or for the tragedy, or for the disappointing circumstances. We are called to find something to be thankful for in those dark times.

We aren’t called to be thankful for sickness, but we are called to be thankful for all of the people who reach out to help during the sickness, who would never have had the opportunity to do so otherwise. We aren’t called to be thankful for the breakup, but we are called to be thankful for renewed relationships with family and friends that may have come from it, or maybe even  renewed relationship with God, that would never have happened without the breakup.

Rejoice always because we get to go to heaven one day and live with Jesus. No matter what happens to us here on earth, we are travelers here, not permanent residents.

Pray continually. Never stop praying because prayer changes everything whether we can see it or not.

Give thanks always. There’s always a reason to give thanks and God always has a plan.

These are verses to live by and I have held them close to my heart the past few days. Perhaps you need to hold them close too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

He’s Got This

Posted on by Wendy
Be at peace. He's got this.
Be at peace. He’s got this.

A couple of days ago, we had person after person, come into the office and complain about the heat. I even heard a few grumbles about how it had never been this hot before in Georgia, in November.

After I arrived home, curiosity got the better of me and I Googled it. Turns out, November 1, 2016, was not the hottest Georgia November on record. That distinction went to November 1, 1961.

It’s not that it’s the hottest November on record; it’s simply the hottest November many of us remember. There is a difference.

That little revelation got my wheels turning and I decided to do a little election research. We’ve all heard that this is the nastiest and weirdest presidential election in American history. Turns out that’s not true. One Google search turned up article after article, listing anywhere from six to ten elections that were just as bizarre.

One of the first was John Adams vs Thomas Jefferson back in 1800. Yep, the Founding Fathers were not above dirty tricks and mudslinging. There was Grant vs Greeley in 1872, where the country was very divided on women’s suffrage and Hayes vs Tilden in 1876, where the electoral votes and popular votes didn’t match. In 1920, Eugene Debs ran a campaign from prison. In 1948 not a poll existed that had Harry Truman defeating Thomas Dewey. Yet, Truman won.

The inherent narcissism of the human race, has every generation believing that this is the worst thing that has ever happened, whatever it may, be from weather to politics. A little search in history, usually proves us wrong.

I get it. Things always look the bleakest when they are happening to us, personally. But, as bad as cancer looks to us now, what did the Bubonic Plague look like to the people who lived in the 13 and 14 hundreds?

Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” It goes on to talk about how we don’t remember men of old or in other words, the people who came before us.

This verse should not only bring us comfort during these times when the world seems so unsettled and strange, but also in our personal lives. There is nothing that we are going through that hasn’t been experienced by others before us, not sickness, or financial issues, or relationship issues, or job issues, or even spiritual issues.

Since God breathed life into Adam, He’s been willing to faithfully stay by our side through all of the uncertainty, if we keep our focus on Him. He will see us through whatever we face if we only trust and obey Him. His word gives us countless reminders if we commit to reading it.

There’s nothing in 2016, that is new to Him. He’s got this.

A hot November day reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Seeking the Beauty

Posted on by Wendy
Let's seek and give thanks for the beauty placed in our lives.
Let’s seek  the beauty placed in our lives and then give thanks for it.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for Beauty is God’s handwriting.”

When I recently came across that quote, I couldn’t help but write it down. I remembered it when my mama and I had a telephone conversation about her upcoming visit to Canada. She’s going with a friend in December, but is now regretting the timing because December is so busy.

But, as we talked a little longer, she commented that it was a part of the world she had never seen before and she was looking forward to seeing it. I assured her that she would love it once she got there. She agreed.

After we hung up, I continued to think about our conversation. I thought about the beauty that fall always brings, the brilliant yellows, reds and oranges. I thought about how creative our God is to treat us to such a vibrant show every year.

He didn’t have to. He could have just let the leaves turn brown and fall off, but instead we are treated to a colorful show that even the makers at Crayola can’t match.

There’s so much beauty in Creation, from mountain tops, to the seashore, to the desert, from rivers and lakes to countless flowers and trees, not to mention the wildlife.

God loves beauty. We only have to go outside to see the evidence. Is it possible to truly feed our souls, we need to spend time in Creation? In the Bible, people didn’t live in high rises or stay inside for days on end watching television or playing on the internet.

Many were shepherds, farmers and fishermen. People often had to go outside to bring water into their houses. They walked in the streets to purchase things, not the shopping mall.

I think that the quest to seek beauty in the world around us, is a form of worship. It’s a form of thanksgiving to our loving and creative God. I think He is pleased when we stop and notice the beauty that we so often overlook.

A quote and a conversation reminded me to stop and soak up the beauty in this season. Let’s pause and take a breath. It won’t be long before the holidays kick in and we will be in a very busy season with a beauty all it’s own.

But, for now, let’s take a look around us and give thanks for the show. Perhaps you needed reminding today.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Remembering the Saints

Posted on by Wendy
Today we remember the people who have helped light our way.
Today we remember the people who have helped light our way.

If you look on most calendars, you will see that today is All Saints’ Day. It doesn’t get nearly the hype of Halloween. There are no costumes or candy involved. Many Protestants don’t think about this day as anything special. It’s often seen as a Roman Catholic holiday.

To be a saint in the Roman Catholic church, there are many hoops to jump through, one of them being death. Another one is that they had to be involved in some type of miracle. Those things are not something that most everyday Christians give much thought to.

The United Methodist Church holds a ceremony in local congregations, to celebrate All Saints’ Day, on the first Sunday in November. A candle is lit in memory of church members who have passed away the previous year.

While these are all beautiful ways to honor the faithful in our lives who have gone home to heaven, the Bible defines saints a little differently. In the New Testament, saints are never deceased. They are living people who have dedicated themselves to the worship and service of the one true God as revealed through Jesus.

Those who were dedicated to the teachings of Christ, are referred to as saints in, Matthew, Acts and Revelation. Paul calls people saints in six of his letters addressed to the churches he ministered to or visited.

When we think of saints in those terms, living people who are dedicated to the teachings of Christ and who dedicate themselves to worship and service to the one true God, the concept of All Saints’ Day, changes tremendously.

I can probably name five saints, right off of the top of my head, who God has blessed me with. What about you?

We have all had people who have helped us along our faith journey. Some may be parents or grandparents, or other relatives. Some may be Sunday School teachers or youth group leaders. Some may be neighbors or co-workers. God sends us people from all walks of life, in many different situations, in many different seasons, to help light our way and grow our faith.

The one thing these people all have in common, is that they shine the light of Christ so brightly that we can’t miss it. They shine it so brightly that it lights our path that has sometimes become dark. They shine it so brightly, that we are drawn to it and to Jesus, who it comes from.

I am taking today to give thanks for the many saints who have helped me along my journey, whether they are still here on earth or at home with Jesus. I’m also taking today to pray that God helps me be a saint to those He places in my life.

Perhaps you would like to join me.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

He’s Always Working

Posted on by Wendy
May we never forget that God is always at work.
May we never forget that God is always at work.

Yesterday at church, a representative from Gideons International came and spoke. He’s a friend of our pastor’s and he comes every year. He always has an inspirational story to tell and this year was no different.

One evening in 1898, there were two traveling businessmen who were out on the road. He pointed out that back in that time, most business required lots of travel because there was no internet or e-mail. On this particular night, one of the men checked into a motel. Sometime later, another man came looking for a room, but was told there were none.

I’m sure he must have been frustrated and discouraged, away from home, weary from work and travel and nowhere to rest. Can you relate?

The person at the front desk asked the man if he was willing to share a room with another traveler who had checked in for the night. The man agreed.

Can you imagine a scenario like that these days? Can you imagine two perfect strangers agreeing to share a room for the evening? Can you imagine a motel employee even asking?

We got absolutely no back story on the conversation or emotions of those two men that evening. My writer’s mind races with the possibilities. Were they annoyed? Were they uncomfortable? Was the first man gracious? Was the second grateful? Were either the least bit frightened? Personally, sleeping in the room with a complete stranger would terrify me.

But, we do get some information, as it turns out, the important information. As the two men got ready for bed, they learned that they were both Christians, something that people at the time, must have been more open about. They decided to do their nightly devotion together and they both felt that God was calling them to do something more.

They prayed about it and Gideons International was eventually born from that chance meeting that evening. They felt strongly about getting God’s Word into the hands of as many people as possible and decided that hotels were a great start. They felt that once people actually read the Word, the Holy Spirit would be activated and lives would be transformed.

They spoke to different Christian groups and churches in the years to come about placing Bibles in various places. In 1908, some churches got behind funding the hotel idea. Between 1899 and 1971, a hundred million Bibles had been handed out or placed.

In 2015, they hit the two billion mark. Let’s pause a moment and let that number sink in.

Two strangers just happened to share a room together one evening. They just happened to pray together and they just happened to have a dream together of sharing God’s Word with as many people as possible.

They got to see some of that dream accomplished, but God kept on realizing that dream and in 116 years, two billion Bibles had been passed out to people on the street, to college campuses, prisons and to soldiers in the military. They were also placed in hotel rooms and hospitals, not only in this country, but around the world too.

I love this story because we get to see God at work. These men were not placed together by coincidence. It was part of God’s plan. He was at work then in the lives of those men. He is at work now in your life and in mine.

This story reminds me to not get frustrated and to keep my eyes open when life looks bleak. It reminds me to trust God. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Courageous Faith

Posted on by Wendy
Courageous faith can change lives.
Courageous faith can change lives.

In my current Bible study, I’m reading the book of Joshua. It’s one of those Old Testament books full of action and easy to teach to the VBS crowd and the teens. There are lots of miracles in it.

What caught my attention this time, was the very first chapter, where God is about to have Joshua lead the Isrealites to the Promised Land. At last, after forty years of wandering, there is light at the end of the tunnel. In verse six, God tells Joshua to be courageous and then in verse seven, He tells him to be very courageous and reminds him to obey the law.

Then in verse nine God says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Three times God tells Joshua to be courageous, seems like He was trying to make a point.

Skip ahead to chapter two and we find Rahab the prostitute. That’s her title at this point in the story, but Rahab has decided to stop living in fear and to make a change. Rahab tells the Israelite spies that her people’s “courage has failed,” and “their hearts are melting in fear,” because “the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.” Joshua 2:11b

Rahab decided that she knew who the real God was and she decided to help His Israelite spies and then she boldly asked them to save not only her, but her entire family. They agreed.

When Jericho fell, the Israelites kept their promise to Rahab, the way God always keeps His promises to those who are faithful.

Think about that for a moment. One woman, and not even a revered woman, a prostitute, found the courage to acknowledge God and put her faith in Him and because of her courage, her entire family was saved.

Rahab went on to have a son named Boaz. Boaz married Ruth and they had a son named Obed, who had a son named Jesse, who had a son named David, yes that David, King David. So, yes, Rahab is in the lineage of Jesus, not too bad for a prostitute who decided to change her ways.

Rahab’s decision to choose God, secured her place in history. She chose courage and not fear. She chose faith.

I find some parallels with Rahab’s time in history and our own. There’s so much fear right now. As Rahab put it, there are hearts that are melting in fear, fear of the election, fear of terrorism, fear of violence, lots of fear.

I see it on the news everyday. I see it on Facebook everyday. The Book of Joshua reminds us that God’s people are not to live in fear. Joshua was told to be courageous and have faith. Rahab chose to be courageous and have faith.

Their faith not only got them through very dark times, it also lead to much brighter times ahead. Perhaps there’s some wisdom in their story for all of us.

Maybe we all need a little more courageous faith these days.

A morning Bible study reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Shining Through the Rain

Posted on by Wendy
We can always choose to let our light shine.
We can always choose to let our light shine.

As Halloween draws near, it makes me think of the years when my kids were little and we went trick-or-treating. My neighborhood is very hilly and spread out, so another neighbor and I got together and organized a hay ride for the neighborhood kids. It was a huge success and became a tradition that we carried on for the next five years.

The parents enjoyed it as much as the kids because they got to ride along too. The neighbors enjoyed it because they got to hand out candy to several very large groups and then they were done for the evening. The kids loved it because they got a ton of candy.

One year, the weather forecast called for rain. The parents were concerned. Would the annual hay ride go on if it rained? But, that wasn’t what concerned the kids. The kids wanted to wear and be seen in their costumes. Raincoats would cover them up.

Many of them had taken a lot of time to put together that perfect outfit and whether they were zombies or princesses, they wanted to show off each unique outfit. My own two children were no exception.

I couldn’t stop the rain from coming, but I could do something to help them celebrate their creativity and stay dry. I went to Walmart and I bought every clear poncho they had. Luckily, they weren’t but a dollar. When I returned home, I assured my nervous kids that all would be well.

The evening started out dry and we loaded up the trailers and headed out. Eventually, it started to rain and as the kids began to complain about their evening being cut short, I reached into a bag and pulled out clear ponchos. I wish I could have captured the delight on their little faces when they realized that they could stay dry and show off their costumes.

The Halloween hay ride continued and everyone had a ball.

I always find myself thinking about that Halloween this time of year and I remember the life lesson I learned from it. There are so many things in life we simply cannot control. The weather is definitely one of them. Sometimes it’s going to rain. Sometimes it’s going to be dark. Sometimes it’s going to be loud.

While we can’t control those things, we can control how we react. Do we stay indoors and miss out? Do we go out but cover up our creativity and who we are? Do we just cower in the corner? We can do all of those things or we can choose another way.

We can get out there anyway. We can find creative ways to let our light shine even thought it’s dark, even thought it’s rainy, even thought it’s scary. We are each uniquely made and we aren’t meant to cower. We were meant to be creative and courageous, remembering that all things are possible with God and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

As Christians, it’s up to us to bring some light into the darkness. When we walk with Jesus, we never walk alone.

A rainy Halloween reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Admitting to Being Snackless

Posted on by Wendy
When we admit our need for Jesus, He will provide.
When we admit our need for Jesus, He will provide.

When you work in the office at an elementary school, you begin to notice that there are some kids who are frequent flyers. Some are in the clinic all of the time. Some have regular discipline issues. Some are never sure how they are going home for the day.

One of those kids was in the office yesterday. He has good days and bad days. He struggles. He has a tough back story. But, he knows that the staff at our school cheers for him on his good days, the days when he gets it right.

Yesterday, he came into the office with a smile on his face, something that’s kind of rare for him, and announced matter-of-factly, that he was snackless. We keep snacks in the clinic for the kids that can’t bring one from home. We chuckled at his terminology as we ushered him into the clinic to claim a snack.

Our nurse proclaimed rather loudly to him how happy she was to see his smile as she got him a snack. He thanked her and headed back to class.

I thought about that little boy for the rest of the afternoon. I thought about how everyday is a struggle for him to get it right, to make the right choices, to see the bright side. I thought about how even though he has spent a fair amount of time in trouble, he knew that he would be welcomed when he was in need. He knew he would receive if he only asked.

Haven’t we all been there? Haven’t we found ourselves making the wrong choices? Haven’t we found ourselves with the inability to find the good in the place we find ourselves? Haven’t we found ourselves so far down that we wonder if we can ever climb back out?

I know I have. But, I have also found myself in situations where if I was willing to look outside of the darkness, I could see others cheering me on, praying that I would get it right. I have found myself so far off of the right path, that I wondered if I would ever make it back. But, I did.

When I admitted my need for Jesus, He willingly stepped in and provided. Just like that little boy came in and announced that he was snackless and we reached out to him, Jesus reaches out to us and gives us what we need. I think heaven cheers for us when we admit our need, when we get it right, just like our staff at school cheers for that little boy.

The Bible says, “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10

We’ve all been lost. We’ve all been snackless. When we admit our need, Jesus will find us and feed us.

A little boy reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Roof Lessons

Posted on by Wendy
Just like a roof protects a house, our spiritual coverings protect our hearts.
Just like a roof protects a house, our spiritual coverings protect our hearts.

Last week, I got a message from my friend Amy, who is the director of the Two Rivers Salkehatchie mission camp that my family attends in the summer. I’m always happy to hear from her and anyone else from that camp. She wanted to check with me on some dates for next summer. It’s only October and she’s already at work planning next summer’s projects.

Amy, along with all of the people at Two Rivers, have become family to my family. We talk about them often. We are better people when we work side by side with them helping people who cannot help themselves. Even though we only see them physically, once a year, they have become part of our village.

We are prayer partners with each other. We are warriors for each other. We work together on the physical and the spiritual. We are all aware that our faith requires us to do both.

One of the many lessons I have learned from working on Salkehatchie houses is the importance of roofs. We talk a lot about foundations in our faith and they are very important. A house with a solid foundation can withstand just about anything that gets thrown at it.

Christians with good foundations are equally as strong. When we are rooted in God’s Word and our hearts belong to Jesus, we can weather any storm.

But, we also need to consider our roofs. When a roof springs a leak, it allows water to come in that causes all types of damage and destruction along with other things like mold and rot.

As Christians, we too, have to watch our spiritual coverings, our spiritual roofs. What are we allowing to seep in that may cause damage? If we aren’t covering ourselves with prayer, if we aren’t covering ourselves with scripture, if we aren’t covering ourselves with strong Christian community, we may be allowing small leaks to form.

When we aren’t careful, we can find ourselves doing things like giving in to anger over the trivial, or choosing to be hurt instead of letting offhand comments go, or choosing to believe lies about ourselves or others, whispered to us by our enemy. We can become active in gossip and tearing others down. We can become jealous of other people’s success.

Those are all leaks that over time, can cause some serious damage. They can cause a type of mold to grow in our hearts. When we keep our spiritual roofs in good shape, the bad stuff just rolls off. It has no place to seep in.

Working on roofs at Two Rivers has taught me a lot more than just how to use a nail gun. It’s taught me the importance of staying spiritually covered as well.

A Facebook message from a friend reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂