Category: Building Christian Character

As Christians, people should be able to look at us and see Christ. People should be able to see who we serve in the way we act.

Sharing Fears and Faith

Posted on by Wendy
We can help others with our own faith stories.

We were recently discussing in my Sunday school class, the Biblical account of the Israelites leaving Egypt and crossing the desert where they would eventually walk through the Red Sea.

The account tells us that God led them with either a pillar of cloud by day or a pillar of fire by night and that that pillar never left its place in front of the people. Exodus 13:20-22

That’s kind of a huge wonder, right? I mean they could actually see the presence of God. So when the Egyptians decided to come after them and they panicked, my first thought has always been, seriously? You can actually see the presence of God and you still doubt?

But, in our discussion, it came out that there were likely three million plus, people in that desert. There’s a good chance those people in the back couldn’t see that presence. It wasn’t like they had smart phones to text the folks in the back.

All of a sudden, I found a little more understanding for those doubting Israelites.

We’ve all been there. We’ve all had times in our lives where we’ve questioned our faith. We find ourselves attempting to faithfully follow God and live the life we think we are called to lead and then we can no longer see or feel His presence.

Like those Isrealites so long ago, we begin to doubt and fear. Has God abandoned us? Why didn’t He just let us remain in our own Egypt of darkness?

But, that’s where we really need to seek out those people who have traveled the road ahead of us. The people in the front, could see the pillar. They had the ability to share it with the people in the back.

There are always people of faith who have been in a situation similar to our own. They are sometimes people we know and sometimes they can be writers, speakers, or even singers who have willingly shared their stories to assist others on the journey.

Those of us who have walked in faith for a while have the opportunity and calling to share our own faith stories with newer believers to help them. That’s how kingdom work is done.

An Old Testament account of faith and fear reminded me that instead of automatically judging others for their spiritual shortcomings, we should remember our own and share our failures and victories with some fellow believers who may desperately need to hear them. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Reaching for Jesus

Posted on by Wendy
When we get back on the right path, heaven cheers.

A couple of weeks ago, my hubby and I attended a bike race. They actually close the streets off in downtown Athens and the competitors race through the streets. There are events that take place all day long, but the final two events are the women’s race and the men’s race.

Both are backed by sponsors and the top finishers get national ranking. It’s amazing to see them pedal by. They go so fast that you can feel the wind on your face. Unfortunately, that speed also results in some bad injuries when they crash.

We witnessed just that very thing, when we arrived. Two cyclists in the women’s race had gotten tangled up. They were both on the ground for a while. At one point, one of them got up and the crowd cheered. The other one was on the ground a lot longer.

An emergency vehicle had pulled onto the scene to assist. There was a period of time where she wasn’t moving at all. Then, she sat up and everyone cheered. A few minutes went by and she stood and everyone cheered. At last, she walked to the vehicle and everyone cheered again. And when she rode away, everyone was still cheering.

We stayed until the end of the women’s race and we watched about half of the men’s race before we headed home. But, the injured cyclist stayed on my mind.

I kept thinking about how the crowd cheered her on at each little step of progress until she finally was able to get up and off of the road to where help waited for her.

I thought about how often we get tangled up in our own lives, sometimes with the wrong people and sometimes with the wrong decisions. There are times when those decisions or people knock us off of our feet and take us all the way down to the ground.

Sometimes we lie there in excruciating pain and wonder if we will ever have the strength to get back up.

But, if we reach for Jesus, He always reaches back and helps to pull us back on our feet and with each step of progress, heaven cheers because as long as we are walking towards God, each step is blessed, not matter how tiny it may seem to us at the time.

A bicycle race reminded me that as long as we reach for Jesus, we can always get back up, not matter how horrific the fall may feel. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

It All Matters

Posted on by Wendy
When we willingly give what we have, God will multiply it.

Last Sunday at choir practice, the sopranos were really struggling. We were missing a few voices that day and we were having a hard time finding the notes. We stumbled around for a little while and then another soprano showed up.

She picked up her book and joined in and it all got easier. We joined our voices together and we found the sound.

It was amazing really, how just one more person could make such a big difference in an entire choir, but she did. Her little part helped us get where we needed to go. The struggle vanished.

I thought about choir practice long after we finished singing. I thought about the big difference, seemingly small contributions can make.

I think we’ve probably all had the thought that there are already enough people working on a particular task and that our presence won’t be missed. I know I have. It’s always tempting to believe our little part doesn’t really matter that much, yet it often does.

We are all called to use our gifts and talents to grow the kingdom. If we believe that God made us, then we have to believe that we are gifted in some way and that those gifts can make a difference.

What if the little boy with the fish and loaves would have kept quiet when the disciples asked if anyone had any food? What if he would have kept it to himself because it couldn’t possibly have helped?

Jesus wouldn’t have performed one of the most celebrated miracles in the Bible.

But, notice the food wasn’t snatched from the boy; he freely offered it and when he did, Jesus fed thousands with it.

We forget that it’s not about the size of our contribution, but about whose hands we place our contribution in.

If we willingly give God what we have, He can use it to make miracles happen.

A struggling choir practice reminded me of the importance of every single voice, every single set of hands and every single prayer. It all matters to God.

Perhaps you needed reminding today.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Choosing to Pay Attention

Posted on by Wendy
We all have something to contribute.

Last weekend, there was an awards banquet for our high school band. I arrived early to help decorate and get set up. Everyone was asked to bring a dessert to share. As people started arriving, the goodies started rolling in.

One mom handed me a box of store bought cookies and kind of hung her head a little, as she commented that she guessed there would be a lot of cookies. I told her that was what I had brought. I shared with her that I had been to church and running around all day, and that I was busy and I suspected a lot of other people were too. I reminded her that these were teenagers and they would be more than satisfied with store bought cookies.

I watched her instantly brighten at those few words of encouragement and she held her head up a little higher as she went to find her seat.

I later surveyed the band feast. It stretched out across six tables. There were homemade goodies like brownies, pudding and cake pops, but there were also bags of Chips Ahoy cookies. Someone even brought a bowl and filled it with miniature candies like M&M’s.

The line stretched to the door and the kids loved it all. No one commented on any particular dessert as not being worthy to be there. Nope, plates were piled high and some people even made a second trip.

I thought about that spread and my conversation with that mom, long after the afternoon was done. I thought about how we all have something to contribute no matter how small or insignificant we think that might be and how comparison is always the wrong choice.

If everyone who brought store bought cookies, elected to bring nothing, because they were embarrassed that they weren’t homemade, there wouldn’t have been enough. The purpose of the banquet was to celebrate the kids not the baking skills of their parents.

I also thought about what a huge difference a few words of encouragement can mean to someone who may be struggling. I didn’t know that lady or what her situation was and I was busy, but it took me like two minutes to offer her some encouragement.

I wonder how often I miss the opportunity. It’s so easy in our hectic, busy lives to look straight ahead and focus on our to-do list and not notice the people who might be in our paths, people who might be struggling or hurting, people who may need a simple kind word.

We can all choose to make a difference in the lives of people who cross our paths or we can choose to do nothing. Some store bought cookies reminded me to pay attention. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Miraculous Living

Posted on by Wendy
We can choose to see everything as a miracle.

I recently read the last verse in the Gospel of John. I’ve read it before, but this time it really made me think. “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them was written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” John 21:25

Ponder that thought for a moment. Apparently John just gave us the highlights and those were pretty phenomenal. Just imagine all of the lives Jesus touched while here on earth. Imagine all of the lives that were forever changed. The Gospels tell us some amazing accounts. But, there were more. With Jesus, there always is.

As I was thinking about John’s words, I came across a quote from Einstein that said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is.” Since scientists seem to really enjoy trying to disprove that there is a God, I found that particularly interesting.

One quote was from the spiritual realm and one was from one of the smartest scientists who ever lived. Both point directly to God. As people of faith, we are called to see God in everything and even when we can’t see Him, we are called to know that He is present. That’s what faith is.

The Book of Hebrews tells us, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were condemned for.” Hebrews 11:1-2

We sometimes still get condemned for it. Don’t we? Just turn on the news and there’s usually a story of some kind of clash between people of faith and modern, progressive thought. But, Scripture reminds us that the struggle is not new, nor will it end until Jesus comes back.

There will always be a struggle between good and evil on this side of eternity.

But, until then, we can take comfort that God is with us and we can choose to live as if everything is a miracle. We can seek God in every situation and if we do so with open hearts, He will show Himself. Sometimes He’s right there, in neon lights too big to miss and sometimes we can’t see Him until some times has passed, but He’s always there, always at work.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Supernatural Love

Posted on by Wendy
Churches are called to be people who give and receive supernatural love.

Last Sunday, our special music was performed by a husband and wife team. I always enjoy watching them perform. Their words are always so heartfelt and there’s a beautiful humility about them. The wife has been sick recently, and the congregation has been praying for her.

They’re a little older, both sporting a little gray hair. I was blessed to be able to attend their wedding. It was a second wedding for them both. They came up after church service ended, one Sunday and were married in the presence of the congregation. I don’t know if I’ve ever attended a more heartfelt ceremony.

Afterwards, we had a potluck lunch in the fellowship hall where everyone was invited to stay. They even had a first dance, after the lunch. It was s simple affair, but incredibly meaningful, two people who have traveled around the sun enough times, who know how very important it is to have God at the center of their marriage and a church family to cheer them on.

I’ve thought of their simple ceremony often and how these days, we like to spend thousands of dollars on wedding ceremonies without even inviting God to be there, and then we wonder why the divorce rate is so high.

After they performed, she took the microphone and said she would like to say a few words. She shared that she recently had a mental crash of sorts and that she struggles with bipolar disorder. She said through some tears, that she was much better and that she wanted to share with the congregation because she was so thankful for the prayers, but that she also knew that there wasn’t one of us who hadn’t been touched by depression, or anxiety, or other mental struggles in our own families.

She wanted to remind us that these struggles were nothing to be ashamed of.

I fought tears listening to her and then again, as everyone gave her a round of applause. I thought about how a Christian community is supposed to be one that encourages and loves one another through the good stuff like weddings, baby showers and baptisms, but also through the bad stuff like funerals, sickness, and struggles of all kinds.

I admired her courage to share her struggle with her church family. There could easily have been someone who needed to hear it and know they’re not alone. The Bible tells us, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

We get that wrong a lot. Churches are made up of broken people. Mistakes are made and God gets blamed for human failures.

But, we get it right sometimes too and when we do, I believe that there are cheers in heaven. A heartfelt thanks, reminded me that there’s a supernatural strength and love within Christian community that we are all called to give and receive. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Peace Plant Reminders

Posted on by Wendy
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” John 8:37

As I walked by my son’s studio space, a wilted plant caught my eye. Uhoh, I thought, I forgot to water it and it looked like it was beyond salvation. However, this particular plant, is a Peace Plant. It’s what I like to think of as a little over dramatic. When it gets thirsty, it droops like it’s dead, but a good dose of water perks it right back up.

I ran and got it some water and then I went about my business. I haven’t always known that Peace Plants behave this way when they don’t get the water they need. The first time it did that, I thought it was dead for sure. It was a call to my mama that assured me it would be fine. She told me it was simply its way of letting me know it needed water.

That Peace Plant reminded me of how our hearts and souls can get sometimes when conditions have become less than hospitable. When we go too long without the right amount of spiritual nourishment, we can wilt like the little plant. When we stop praying, when we neglect reading the Bible, when we stop attending worship service or when we stop spending time with other Christians who can build us up, we can develop a spiritual wilt of sorts.

To the casual onlooker, we can look beyond repair. But, there’s nothing casual about God and His relationship with His children. He knows that we are never beyond repair and that when we reach for Him all things are possible.

So, He sends His water in various ways, a call from a from a friend, an unexpected card or e-mail, a random Facebook post, an impromptu walk out in nature, a song that tugs at our hearts, or an invitation to church, could all be examples of His way of reaching out to us and reviving the spiritual wilt.

If we allow Him to, He will remind us that we are loved and we are never beyond repair, no matter how far we may have strayed or how dry and desolate our lives may feel.

“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow within them.” John 8:38

When I passed by the little plant the next day, it had perked back up and was ready to take on the world. It reminded me that the same can be true for us if we reach for the right water. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Azalea Inspiration

Posted on by Wendy
Late bloomers are no less spectacular than the early ones.

Last weekend, we were blessed with gorgeous weather on Saturday. I went out for a walk, not only for exercise, but also to bask in the warmth. There were so many beautiful trees and shrubs blooming in my neighborhood, that I wish I had a camera.

One thing that I kept noticing, was that while many of the azaleas were finished blooming, the ones in the shade of the trees, were going strong. They were just getting started. As I came back to my own house, I could see that my huge pink azaleas that had been beautiful just a few weeks earlier, had turned brown.

It always makes me a little sad every year, when they go from beautiful to brown. Their time had passed. But, then I glimpsed my azaleas that were underneath the oak trees. They were vibrant.

I thought about those azaleas all afternoon and into the evening. I thought about how in nature, different plants bloom at different times. Sometimes it has to do with the season. Sometimes it’s dependent on the amount of water and sunlight they are getting, and sometimes it simply has to do with where they are planted.

The azaleas in the shade bloom just as spectacularly as the ones in the direct sun; they just do it later. The late bloomers are just as beautiful and significant as the early bloomers.

The azaleas remind me that people are similar. We rarely bloom at the same time. Some of us hit our sweet spot very early and some of us don’t find it until much later in life as a second act. But, either way, we all have the opportunity to bloom and share something beautiful with the world.

The azaleas also remind me that sometimes we bloom and contribute and feel very much on track for a season and other times we are just barely hanging on. Yet with patience and perseverance, we can come back to a season of blooming, just like they do every single year.

If you woke up today, God is not done with you. He still has things to teach you and you still have beauty to share. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are, or what season you may find yourself in, or even where you have been planted. The possibilities are endless when we allow God to grow us.

Some azaleas reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Iris Inspiration

Posted on by Wendy
Love always remains.

Yesterday after work, I was standing at my kitchen sink, rinsing some dishes, when a glimpse of yellow caught my eye. As I took a closer look, I could see that my yellow irises were blooming. I was thrilled and I rushed outside to examine them and snap some photos.

Yellow irises blooming in the spring time may not seem like anything special, but those particular yellow irises have a history, and hold some wonderful memories for me.

My maternal grandmother died the month before I was born, so I never got to know her. My granddaddy later met a woman everyone called Kittie. Although she wasn’t related to me by blood, she became a grandmother to me. She had no children of her own, but she and I formed a bond that lasted until God called her home.

She and I exchanged letters every week when I was in college and I would visit her when I went home. She was at my high school graduation and was seated as my grandmother at my wedding. She was one of the first people to visit when my babies were born.

She loved to grow things, but irises were her favorite. She entered different varieties every year in a flower show. She would sometimes lament that a cold snap killed her best ones. But, one year, one of her yellow ones, named, Money, won the prize. She was so proud and I was thrilled for her.

After she passed, I was visiting with her sister and I asked her if she minded if I dug up some of Kittie’s irises to plant at my house. She readily agreed and I drug my hubby and a shovel, over to the very overgrown yard. We had no idea what types we were digging up because they were way past blooming.

We took them home and planted them and to my dismay, they didn’t bloom the following spring. I bought a little cat with angel wings that reminded me of her and placed it in the bed. The next spring, just in time for my birthday, the irises bloomed and to my delight, the were the Money, variety.

It was if I had received a birthday gift from heaven. So, yesterday, when I saw that Money, was once again blooming, I dropped everything and went to take a picture and to give thanks that even thought those we hold dear are sometimes no longer with us physically, their love remains with us forever.

Some yellow irises reminded me that when it’s our time to go, we can’t choose what we take with us, but we can choose what we leave behind. Those irises inspire me to leave as much love and beauty in my wake as I possibly can. Perhaps you needed reminding today too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Pollen Principle

Posted on by Wendy
The messy pollen has a purpose.

Yesterday, when I walked out on my porch to let my dogs out, I once again grumbled to myself about the thick coat of pollen that covers everything this time of year. You can literally wipe it off of any surface and within a few minutes, there’s another thin layer.

More than once, I have attempted to do a thorough cleaning of my porch before the pollen is done flying and more than once, I have found myself incredibly frustrated. While I might have been ready to move on to the next season, nature was not. It still had work to do.

The yellow pollen that makes such a mess is from pine trees. They produce lots and lots of pollen to ensure that all of their seeds get fertilized and that their species survives. There’s an actual reason for the mess.

It doesn’t matter how much I sweep my porch or wash my car, the pollen will fly until it’s time for the next season. Nature does not run on my time table.

Consequently, it doesn’t matter how much I complain about it either. Pine pollen is part of living in the deep south.

As I think about the pollen, I think there may be a lesson in the mess. I think we have all had times in our lives when the pollen seems to keep flying. As soon as we clean ourselves off, we find ourselves and our world covered again in a mess of some sort. We desperately want to move onto the next season because we are just plain weary of the mess.

Most of us have wondered things like: will the baby ever sleep through the night, or will the toddler ever be potty trained, or will the morning sickness ever stop, or will the puppy ever be house trained, or will I ever finish school, or if the sadness will ever ease, or if a broken heart will ever mend?

The list of the different messes that we find ourselves in on this side of eternity, is close to endless. But, like the pine pollen, many of what we consider at the time, to be frustrating messes have a purpose. Many of them are simply a phase along the journey. Many of them are ensuring our growth.

When we look back upon them, many of them end with some beautiful blooms and a season of calm. The Bible tells us that there is a season for everything. When you think about it, that has to include the pollen times.

That thought gives me a little more patience and hope. Maybe you needed some today too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂