Author: Wendy

As I continue to focus on peace this week, during Advent, I am reminded how hectic this time of year can get. At times, during the Christmas season, it seems that peace couldn’t be any further away. Some of the things that keep us overwhelmed are social commitments like parties that we feel obligated to go to. Some of the things are our children’ s plays and concerts.

But, often times, we create our own chaos in our quest for the perfect Christmas. We tell ourselves that we need to do all of the baking ourselves and address and mail a hundred Christmas cards and buy teacher’s gifts and gifts for family and friends and decorate every nook and cranny of our homes, and, and, and… We run ourselves ragged trying to create the Norman Rockwell painting and often in the end, we feel like we missed the real meaning of Christmas. We certainly have missed out on any celebration or appreciation of peace. By Christmas Day, we can feel completely frazzled and wrecked.

Some of these things can’t be changed. We simply need to go. But, others could be scaled back. Does any home really need more than one Christmas tree? Don’t get me wrong, if you delight in a tree with a different theme in every room, by all means decorate away, but if all of the decorating, leaves you stressed and overwhelmed, scaling back is an option. If all of the baking leaves you overwhelmed, most grocery stores have a bakery. Don’t be embarrassed or afraid to use it. Remember, we are on a quest for peace.

As far as the shopping goes, I find that many things can be purchased online, eliminating all of the driving around and waiting in lines and traffic. Here again, if the hustle and bustle, feeds your Christmas spirit, then shop away. But, if it causes stress, then the Internet is your friend and so are gift cards.

The point is, this is such and important and special time of the year. We are supposed to be preparing our hearts for the arrival of our savior. If we are stressed out and overwhelmed the entire season, who do you think wins? We should seriously, give that concept some thought.

Jesus came to earth to change us forever. He offers us peace and the only true perfection, comes from him. We can intentionally choose to say “no,” to many of the things that steal our precious peace during this beautiful season. We can scale back on some things. We can ask for help on others.

We can wake a little earlier each morning and spend some extra time in prayer. We can sit in the quiet and ask God to show us where we are losing our peace and ask Him to show us how to get it back. Perhaps Advent is a great time to start actively spending a little more time with God and to actively seek more peace for ourselves.

We may find that one leads to the other.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Last week I talked about the lighting of the Advent Candles at church, during he month of December. The first one was for hope. I challenged myself to look for hope in the world around me and to share it with others. I have to say, I was not disappointed. Once I prayed for God to show me signs of hope, my Facebook page seemed to be overflowing with posts containing stories of hope, so much so, that I shared some here. Perhaps you found the same in your daily life last week?

This Sunday, as we continue to search for hope, the new focus is peace. Most of us love the idea of peace. If I were to say to you to think of a peaceful place, I’ll bet some place easily comes to mind. Ask yourself, what makes that place peaceful? So often, we think of peace as this lofty unattainable concept where everyone walks around with a smile and there are no wars and no anger or hurt. The lion lies down with the lamb.

We will all have that peace one day, when we go to heaven to live with Jesus, but is peace attainable here on earth in the present? With all of the fighting and hate around the world, can there be peace? With a horrible economy and all of the political infighting and strife, can there be peace? With all the sickness, violence, and broken hearts, can there be peace? Can we have peace here on earth?

The answer is yes, if we are seeking the right kind of peace. It comes from the One who, “awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and their was a great calm.” Mark 4:39 The background here is that the disciples were in a tiny boat and there was a huge storm with mighty waves and a howling wind. The disciples feared they would all die. Jesus slept through it. They woke him up terrified and he simply told the world around them to be at peace and be still. Nature obeyed his command and an incredible calmness took the place of the storm.

That’s an example of the physical power of Jesus. The peace and calm that can come from trusting in him, cannot be matched. Our lives are full of storms like the one the disciples experienced that night. There is nothing that can compete with his peace.

In his own words Jesus told his followers, ” I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

How often do we leave that particular gift unwrapped? How often are we afraid or anxious? We have a tendency to live in constant fear and worry. But, we don’t have to. We have a choice. We have a choice even in this very turbulent and chaotic world. We can choose to believe that Jesus meant what he said. We can choose to believe that his peace is different, different from the world’s peace which would be things like financial security, physical security, our relationships or our health. His peace is unshakable and while all of those worldly things can fail in some way, his peace won’t.

During this Advent Season, perhaps we should really spend some time thinking about that gift of peace. Perhaps we should think about tearing it open and fully accepting that gift. Perhaps we should think about living the peace that Jesus promised. What do we have to lose?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

My fifteen-year-old daughter is convinced that she should have been born in the eighties. She loves the movies, “The Breakfast Club” and “Sixteen Candles.” She loves that we used to make mixed tapes and pass notes. She loves the “Cosby Show.”

Her generation, with all of the texting and sports worship, feels too fast for her somehow. I don’t blame her. I tend to agree. Kids today don’t seem to be very relationship oriented. Nothing seems to go very deep with them. I was reminded this morning, however, as we heard the Phil Collins song, “In the Air Tonight,” that when his song, “Against All Odds, was nominated for an Oscar that he wasn’t allowed to perform it. The rumor was that he was too ugly.

Ouch! Well, the eighties was not a generation known for being very deep either. Actually it is known for the opposite, shallowness and materialism, even thought he movies were awesome.

We have all probably contemplated the idea that we are living in the wrong time. I’ve always felt like I should have been a mom  in the fifties. Shopping for poodle skirts to go to sock hops seems right about my speed. That Mrs. Cunningham and June Cleaver really seemed to have it together. Of course, that generation had its own issues. They all do.

When we look back on any time in the past, it’s filtered through a certain nostalgia and amnesia. We tend to forget a lot of the bad stuff, which is okay, unless why try to go back somehow and get stuck there. The truth is, each one of us was chosen by our very careful and thoughtful Maker for just this moment. He had a plan for each one of us from the beginning.

We often wonder, “Why me? or Why now? I’ve often wondered why He chose the time and place that He did for Jesus’ birth. He could have waited a thousand years or so until there were nice, clean hospitals. Why did He choose a stable? If Jesus had been born in the age of the Internet, the news of his birth would have spread like wild-fire. I  also suspect it would have lost much of its wonder as well as it was shared hundreds of thousands of times on Facebook.

A young queen by the name of Esther, was once told by her uncle, when she was reluctant to make the bold choice, the right choice, the dangerous choice, that perhaps, “she had come to her royal position for such a time as this.” Those words hit home with the young queen and she boldly made a move that was instrumental in saving the Jewish people just in the nick of time.

Esther couldn’t have known it at the time, what the huge ramifications were for her obedience. I doubt seriously, that a young, teenager named Mary could have even began to fathom the change in the entire balance of the universe, that her obedience to God brought about. But, God knew.

We see it over and over in the Bible; obedience to God and His timing which often seems to be the very last second, but always in time, leads to incredible results. Advent may be the perfect time to reflect upon and accept that we are here at this very moment for a reason. Perhaps we should really make an effort to embrace it and instead of asking, “Why me?” or “Why now?”; we should be saying “Thy will be done” and “Show me the way, your way.” If we are patient, He will. Who knows what could happen?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

As I have pondered the expectant waiting involved in Advent, I began thinking about Bible prophecy and waiting. As a society, we do not like to wait, and for many things, we don’t have to. We have information at the speed of light. We have text and e-mail instead of written and mailed letters. We have immediate answers with telephone calls. We have our television programming on demand. We have fast food. We want everything and we want it now.

While society may have changed, God has not. The Bible is very clear that He is the same yesterday, now and forever. “I am the Alpha and the Omega- the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come- the Almighty One.” Revelation 1:8  Paul tells us in Hebrews that, “Jesus is the same yesterday, now and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

I point out all of this because the birth of Jesus was first prophesied by the prophet Isaiah. He was probably the biggest prophet in the Old Testament. He told a wayward king, “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child. She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means, “God is with us.”) Isaiah 7:14  He also said, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen.” Isaiah 9:6-7

That Isaiah knew what he was talking about. Right? I mean, he nailed it. You would think he got great joy in pointing out to all of the naysayers that he was right. Except, it was 700 years between the prophecy and the birth. I wonder how many people gave up. But, God didn’t. He always keeps his promises. Matthew 1:23 quotes the prophet after telling the story of Joseph’s angel visitation. Some people never forgot. Some people held God’s words and promises close.

So what exactly does all of this mean for us today? Well, if God never changes and Jesus never changes, although we desire instant gratification from prayers, it doesn’t work that way. For the record, this is also a first world issue, this instant gratification. People in third world countries still have to wait for everything just like we did once upon a time. I wonder if perhaps, that may be part of the reason why Christianity is growing so rapidly in those places.

Seven hundred years is a long time, but many still believed. They held on to the promises of the “Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” He did not disappoint.  And 2,000 years later, we still believe. We wait expectantly on Jesus’ return. The Bible says it will happen.

Advent is a beautiful reminder that God loves us and that He keeps His promises, that He is with us through Jesus. Let’s try to remember that as we try to learn to wait patiently.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

There’s been a lot of talk about Operation Christmas Child in my area lately. Many of our area churches and some of our schools have participated. The outreach is run by Samaritan’s Purse an organization run by Franklin Graham; yes, he’s Billy’s son. People are asked to pack a shoe box with toys and candy and toiletries like toothpaste and soap. They are then sent to needy children in over 150 countries, including the United States. The boxes are collected in twelve countries, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and Ireland, to name a few. The program began in 1993. More than 113 million boxes have been sent so far.

The goal is to “share God’s love with needy children in a tangible way.” They are hoping to distribute 10 million boxes this year alone. I love this Christmas outreach, but yesterday I came across a story involving Operation Christmas child that had me grabbing a tissue.

Back in 2000, a seven-year-old girl in the Philippines named Joana, received an Operation Christmas Child box at Vacation Bible School. From the box, she heard the Gospel for the first time and accepted Jesus as her savior. Her dad became a Christian soon after and then followed a calling to become a preacher. That’s some pretty awesome stuff from one little shoe box; but wait, it gets better.

The boy who sent the shoe box, put a picture of himself along with his name and address. Joana was so moved by how much her life had changed due to that little boy, that she wrote him, Tyrel, a letter. He never received it. She held onto the picture.

In November 2011, Joana decided to see if she could locate Tyrel on Facebook. She knew he lived in Idaho. She found a picture of a boy dressed similarly to the one in the picture and send a friend request. He accepted. For the next year, they visited on Facebook, even though they had to do it at specific times due to the time difference and they sent letters and pictures.

Tyrel began to save his money to go and visit. He had been on a mission trip overseas before, but never to Asia. Joana said once she saw his face,an amzing feeling came over her. About half-way through his ten-day trip, he asked her father in their language, if they could date. Her father agreed. When he returned home, he began saving for a return trip. This time he stayed a month and proposed through her father. Her very protective father, agreed.

They were married in Idaho, with all of his family present, in October. The wedding guests were asked to bring, shoe boxes filled with gifts. It was his mom’s idea. Are you crying yet?

We often feel like God doesn’t listen to our prayers. We often wonder if He’s working. We often wonder if we can make a difference. The answer is always yes. God always has a plan. A simple shoe box filled with gifts lead to new hearts for Jesus and then fourteen years later, a brand new love story. These newly weds took their time getting to know each other and they waited on God.

Advent is about waiting and this story is a beautiful example of the blessings that can come from it. It’s also a beautiful story of extending Christian kindness to strangers. We simply never know what God will do with it and where it may lead. Sharing hope is never in vain and waiting on God is always the best route. Sometimes we even get a real life, modern-day love story to prove it!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Since Advent is the waiting expectantly for the birth of Jesus, I began pondering the idea of what we should be doing in the weeks from now to December 24th. What do we do while we wait?

If I were personally expecting a new baby, I would tell everyone I know the joyous news. I would tell my family first and then I would call my friends and neighbors. I would plaster it all over Facebook. I might even tweet about it. A pregnancy is usually news that’s too good to keep to yourself. The grandparents often spread the news faster than the parents. A new baby is an exciting, life changing, event.

Isn’t the birth of the savior of our souls worthy of the same treatment? Shouldn’t we be bursting with excitement with the knowledge that God came to earth as a human on that night so long ago? Shouldn’t we be sharing that news with family, friends, neighbors and even strangers? Shouldn’t we be plastering it on Facebook or tweeting about it? Jesus’ birth changed humanity forever. Hope and grace were born with that tiny baby. Shouldn’t Christmas Eve be just as monumental as the birth of our own children?

When we are expecting a new baby, we do certain things to get ready. We buy baby things like bottles, diapers and blankets. We create a space for the baby. We often give him/her a room of their own that we paint and decorate just for them. We make all kinds of preparations.

Perhaps Advent is a good time to ask ourselves what kind of space we have given Jesus in our lives. Have we given him a tiny corner in our hearts and in our lives or have we given him free reign? Maybe it’s a good time to make more space for him and clear away some junk we no longer need. Do we really need that anger and disappointment we have been carrying around all of these years? Do we need to hang on to hurts from so long ago?

Perhaps, now is the time to clear away all of those negative feelings and emotions that we no longer need, just like we would clean out a new room for a new baby. Forgiveness frees up a lot of space in our hearts. Jesus takes up a lot of space when we let him.

But, that’s the key, isn’t it? Jesus will not take up residence in our hearts or in our lives, if we don’t invite him. He doesn’t shove his way in, he waits for an invitation. An invitation to let Jesus really take over our hearts takes a little preparation.

So, during this Advent season while we await the joyous birth of our savior, I’m going to take the opportunity to do a little heart cleaning and be sure I’m ready, because I truly want to give him the run of the place. What do you think? Care to join me?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂