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.

Pay Attention to What Gets Your Attention

Posted on by Wendy
Paying attention to what gets our attention, may lead you on a new adventure.
Paying attention to what gets our attention, may lead us on a new adventure.

I recently attended a healing prayer service at our church. I had never attended anything like that. I didn’t have a particular urgent need for healing, but I know a ton of people who do and who doesn’t need some kind of healing in their lives, no matter how small it may seem?

I enjoyed it. There was a short message. We read some scripture passages and then we all prayed quietly in different areas of the sanctuary, while music played softly.

During the message, given by our associate pastor, she said that she always tells people to, “pay attention to what gets our attention, whether it is physical, emotional or spiritual.” She went on to say in a world with constant noise, from television, to computers, to smart phones, we have become really good at tuning things out.

Over the past few days, I’ve given noise a lot of thought. When I get in my car, the radio is on. As I drive down the road, there are billboards competing for my attention. People have advertisements plastered on the sides of their cars and it’s now political season. The political ads will be constant.

When I open my Facebook page, ads pop up. When I surf the internet, ads pop up. When I’m watching television and commercials come on, I check my Facebook page.

Pastor Debbie pointed out that with all of the noise that we filter through daily, when something catches our attention, we should pay special attention to it. There’s probably a reason.

It’s up to us to stop and ask ourselves why? Why did that particular ad, or pop up, catch our attention? Why did that phrase that a co-worker uttered, stay on our minds? Why did a particular Bible verse or story, continue to stay with us long after we read or heard it? Why did an argument with a close friend or family member hurt us so deeply? Why did a news story bring us to tears?

When we pay attention to what gets our attention, we can spend some time in prayer asking God to help us understand. Sometimes we may need to explore something new. We may be getting a new calling. Sometimes we need to gain a deeper understanding of something that is going on around us. Sometimes we need healing.

Sometimes, God is gently pointing out to us that we have a part of us that we haven’t allowed to heal for whatever reason and He’s trying to get our attention. He can heal us, if we ask Him to, if we will allow Him to. But, we first have to acknowledge the hurt.

I learned a lot from that healing service. I’m really making an effort to pay attention to what gets my attention. Maybe you would like to try it too. What is getting your attention today?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Habit of Being Thankful

Posted on by Wendy
Giving thanks should be intentional not habitual.
Giving thanks should be intentional not habitual.

I attended a military high school. We would get demerits if we walked on the grass instead of the sidewalk. To this day, I usually avoid walking on the grass in a public setting. My granddaddy insisted that my bed was made every morning. Seriously, when I returned home from school at close to 4:00, if it wasn’t made, I would have to make it. I still get up every morning and make my bed religiously and he’s been with Jesus for over thirty years now.

We all have habits, both good and bad. Sometimes doing something in a particular way, becomes so instilled in us, we can’t imagine a life where we ever do it differently. That’s okay, for some things.

Personally, I feel like making the bed is a great habit. Only time will tell if my children will agree. The not walking on the grass, well, that one is kind of neutral. I really don’t know if it matters one way or the other.

Sometimes, things can become so habitual that we allow them to lose their meaning. We always say the blessing before dinner. I feel like it’s important to really give thanks for having food to eat. There are so many people who don’t. But, I find we often rush through it. Do we give thanks because we are truly thankful or because it’s a habit?

I tried a little experiment recently. I usually begin eating my bowl of cereal before my teens come down for breakfast. I have begun saying a specific prayer of thanks for what I’m eating. Like the opportunity to have fresh blueberries in February, is truly a blessing, so I give specific thanks for them.

When I take a moment to sit down, I also thank God that we have running water, electricity and heat, that all make my, seemingly modest, bowl of cereal possible. I try to remember that there are millions of people in the world who would give anything for a simple bowl of cereal in a heated house.

I’ve been doing this for a couple of weeks now and it seems like everyday, the list of simple things to be thankful for, grows. I have added my coffee. I certainly can’t imagine a day without it and the honey that I put in my coffee.

I have found that intentionally beginning my day giving thanks, really changes my outlook on the day and seeking something different to be thankful for, keeps it from becoming a rehearsed habit.

Perhaps the key is to be habitually thankful, but strive to make our actual prayers of thanks, intentional.

I encourage you to try the intentional breakfast prayer. It has truly had a huge impact not only on how my day begins, but how I perceive the rest of the day. I find that feeling blessed leads to peace and joy.

Who doesn’t need more peace and joy?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Living with Bold Faith

Posted on by Wendy
What is God calling you to do?
What is God calling you to do?

I had lunch a few days ago with a very dear friend of mine. We hadn’t spoken in months and we had a ton of catching up to do. We worshiped at the same church for many years and we were Vacation Bible School partners for close to ten of them.

We began talking about my VBS plans at my new church. We talked about the theme and then I told her I had to put together a budget which was new for me. My last church had an awesome associate pastor who did that. She loved VBS too.

When I told her how much I thought it was going to cost, she asked me if the church had the money. I told her I didn’t think so, but I wasn’t worried about it because Jesus loves VBS. Her eyes lit up and she smiled. “Yes, He does,” she agreed.

Anyone who knows me knows what a heart I have for VBS, and co-directing all of those years truly was a faith builder. My friend agreed. There never looked like there would be enough volunteers, but when the week started, there were always plenty. If someone got sick, another person would pop up to help. There were years where there didn’t look like there would be many children attending. There were always plenty, and every single VBS was different and meaningful to all involved. We also had money that would come in from all kinds of unexpected places from people who wanted to help.

Like the fishes and loaves, there was always more than enough. My adult experience with VBS has taught me that if it’s a ministry that Jesus loves, there will be enough.

Last year on my Salkehatchie mission trip, the director put some snacks out on the tables for the teens to eat. She also bought bottled water to take to the work sites. She told me that she never replenished the water or the snacks, the donations just kept pouring in. We never ran out.

We were working on the houses of elderly people who couldn’t help themselves. We were being the hands and feet and Jesus was clearly on board.

The Bible has a story about a man named Nehemiah who wanted to rebuild the crumbling walls of Jerusalem. He was a servant to King Artaxerxes. He was his cup-bearer. He prayed and fasted and when he went before the king, he asked if he would allow him to go and rebuild the walls. The king agreed. Then he asked for a letter to guarantee his safe passage. The king agreed. Then he asked for a letter allowing him to cut timber from the king’s forest. The king agreed. Not only that, the king sent army officers and a calvary with him to keep him safe.

Nehemiah boldly asked the king to help provide something that God would bless. Nehemiah had no idea what the king would say, but he was called to do God’s work, and God provided. The wall was built in 52 days.

And so it us with all of God’s children. Whether it’s VBS, or a mission trip, or starting a Bible study, or anything else, if God calls us to do it, we can go forth boldly, knowing He will provide.

He proves that over and over in the Bible. He’s proved it over and over in my life.

So Christian, whatever He’s calling you to do today, take the next step in bold faith; remembering, if God is for us, who can be against us?

Have an awesome day!

Wedy 🙂

 

 

Getting off the Treadmill

Posted on by Wendy
If Christians want to change the world, we have to get out in it.
If Christians want to change the world, we have to get out in it.

As I sat down to write this post, I prayed that God would meet me at my keyboard. My goal is always to share with my readers the places and faces where I see Him or how He may be working behind the scenes, and encourage others to do the same.

I believe that God is always actively at work and if we look closely, with open hearts, we can see Him.

As I began typing, I was reminded that today was no different from most of my days, average, yet exquisitely blessed.

The day began overcast and cool. I was expecting a dear friend of mine for coffee, but had time to squeeze in some exercise. I came up with a million excuses to do other things, but one of my resolutions this year was to do more cardio, so I thought about just walking on the treadmill. Yet, I could feel God beckoning me to come outside.

We have our best talks outdoors, so I complied. I usually praise and thank Him for sunny skies and warm temps, but today I gave thanks for the clouds which made me appreciate blue skies. The verse, “Give thanks in all circumstances,” kept running through my mind, so I did. I walked a long time before I gave out of my list of things to be thankful for. I could hear birds singing and a hawk calling in the distance.

The gray skies no longer mattered. It was in giving thanks and praise, that I realized that He is just as close to  me when it’s cool and overcast as He is when it’s sunny and warm.

As I held that truth close to my heart, I heard some geese honking as they took flight and I marveled at the beauty of Creation, even when it’s mostly asleep. And, then a hawk flew right in front of me, at my eye level, so I couldn’t miss it and I thanked God for giving me enough sense to listen to the nudge to get outdoors.

I so often don’t when the weather isn’t perfect. Nope, if it’s cold or rain is threatening, I stay in the warm comfort of my home. I suspect I’m not alone.

We like the comfortable, don’t we? We like comfort zones. We like to be with people who we are comfortable around. We like the familiar.

But, as Christians, if we are to be world changers like we are called to be, we have to get outside of our walls, whatever those walls may be. We may have to go where the skies aren’t blue and welcoming. We may have to reach out to people who might not welcome us warmly at first.

That call can sometimes be daunting. The road less traveled isn’t for the timid. Luckily, we don’t have to walk it alone. Jesus takes us by the hand and joins us. Sure, it can be uncomfortable and scary at times, but we have to remember that nobody ever got anywhere walking on a treadmill.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Blessing in Wrestling

Posted on by Wendy
In the end, wrestling with God, draws us closer to Him.
In the end, wrestling with God, ultimately draws us closer to Him.

I recently read the account  of Jacob wrestling with God found in Genesis, Chapter 32. I’ve always found this story fascinating. God appeared to Jacob in the form of a human and allowed him to wrestle with Him physically, all night long. When it was daybreak and Jacob was still at it, He touched the socket of Jacob’s hip and disabled him. Most accounts report that Jacob walked with a limp for the rest of his life.

God could have destroyed Jacob on the spot. He didn’t. He allowed Jacob to wrestle with Him. In the end, God gave him a new name, possibly because he was a changed man after wrestling with God. He was affected spiritually as well as physically, for the rest of his life. Israel was born.

There was another man who wrestled with God named Jonah. Jonah was a prophet. God told him to preach to the people of Nineveh. Jonah declined and headed in the opposite direction. He boarded a boat. There was a storm. He was eaten by a giant fish.

God could have simply destroyed Jonah. He didn’t. He allowed him his temper tantrum. He allowed him to wrestle too. In the end, he did go to Nineveh and around 120,000 people’s lives were spared.

Jacob was Abraham’s grandson. He had been raised to know God intimately. Jonah was a prophet. He too, was well acquainted with God. I find it interesting that the people who seem to struggle with God the most strongly are the ones who know Him best.

It’s not the lost soul on the street who most often, struggles with God. It’s His children. But, I suppose most families are like that.

How often have you heard that a child behaved fabulously at school or for a neighbor, but that same child is a holy terror at home?

And so it is with the family of God. We can’t really wrestle with Him if we don’t know Him or we can’t hear His voice. If God and His word, are strangers to us, we can walk around in blissful ignorance about our calling. But, we also walk around without salvation and grace. We can walk around blind and lost. It’s a choice.

It’s when we get to know Him like Jacob, or Jonah, or even Moses, that we sometimes find ourselves wrestling with His call on our lives or with something that we read in His word.

And like any great father, He will allow it for a time. For it’s quite often in the wrestling, that we find our answers; we find our way; we find our peace. We draw closer to Him. We come to understand that He always has a plan and that He’s always in control and when we come to understand and embrace that, we are blessed.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Prison Promises

Posted on by Wendy
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character hope. Romans 5:3-4
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character hope. Romans 5:3-4

Yesterday, I read the account of Joseph in prison, found in Genesis 41 and 42 and although I’ve read it many times previously, his story really spoke to me. Joseph had done absolutely nothing to wind up in prison. Yet, there he sat. He had been a faithful servant to Potiphar and had remained faithful to God. He actually got thrown into prison for doing the right thing.

I always have a hard time accepting that life sometimes turns out like that.

While he was in prison, the Bible says the “Lord was with him and showed him kindness.” God didn’t spring him, but He was with him.

That must have been hard to take at times. He went from being the favorite son, to being sold into slavery, to prison. I have to wonder if Joseph ever felt like God abandoned him. God did grant him favor in the eyes of the prison warden, which I’m sure was huge. I can’t imagine an Egyptian prison being much of a picnic. But, as great a gift as the favor was, I wonder if Joseph could see it at the time. Sure, he could see it later, but could he see it while he was living it?

How many times have we found ourselves in some dark prison like place? Things like sickness, divorce, job loss, depression, and addiction, are all examples of prisons with invisible bars. Sometimes we wonder if our lives will ever change or if God even cares.

For Joseph, he thought he saw his deliverance, when the Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker joined him in prison. They had displeased Pharaoh in some way. They both had dreams and Joseph interpreted them, being very careful to give the glory to God, even then. He asked them to please remember him when they got out. They promised and promptly forgot.

Joseph waited for two more long years. The Bible doesn’t tell us whether or not he felt desperate or had lost hope. I doubt he felt very loved or content where he was.

But, then Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret and the cupbearer finally remembered Joseph and just like that, he was summoned. He shaved and got cleaned up and told Pharaoh that he could not interpret the dreams, but God could. He then told him what they meant. Again, after all he had been through, he gave all of the glory to God.

Pharaoh was so impressed that he put Joseph in charge of all of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh, himself

Now, if you were just tuning into this story, you might think what a lucky duck, that some Hebrew prisoner was, who went from rags to riches overnight. Sometimes life seems like that.

But, we know the entire story. Joseph suffered for a long time, while God was at work.

I’m sure he must have felt abandoned, frustrated and forgotten at times and then he got his hopes up that he would be free and they were dashed. But, God was with him and He was at work, lining up all kinds of future events, like seven years of prosperity and famine for Egypt and the eventual salvation of the fledgling Hebrew nation.

God was with Joseph and He was at work. He is with us too, when we are in our prisons. He hears our prayers. He’s listening. We just have to draw close to Him and know that like Joseph’s story, He’s at work in your story and mine.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Pitfalls of Familiarity

Posted on by Wendy
We shouldn't allow familiarity to make us forget that Jesus is miraculous.
We shouldn’t allow familiarity to make us forget that everything about Jesus is miraculous.

Yesterday, our pastor talked about the passage in Luke where Jesus started his ministry. Luke’s Gospel, has Jesus getting baptized and then going straight out to the desert for forty days to be tempted by Satan. Right after that, he began preaching.

He began preaching in Galilee and was well received, but when he went to preach in Nazareth, the place where he grew up, they didn’t believe in him. They ran him out of town.

My pastor pointed out that the people of Nazareth had watched him grow up. Most of them had probably known him his entire life. He was a carpenter’s son and therefore a carpenter. How could he ever be the one to save them and set them all free? He was too familiar to be great.

Then he asked if Christians suffer from the same problem today. Do we?

Are we content with our felt board stories from Sunday school class, years ago? We know he fed the multitudes. Do we believe that he can feed us? We know he healed the sick? Do we believe that he can heal us? We know that he sought out Zacchaeus, who was seeking him. Do we believe that he seeks to know us? We know that he forgave the adulterous woman. Do we believe that he can forgive us?

Familiarity can be good and bad. Whenever we start something new, a new job, a new relationship, a new church, a new plan, it’s exciting. We can’t get enough or say enough great things about it. But, time goes by and we get comfortable and all of the newness wears off. We can begin to take people for granted. We can stop spending time in close relationship with the ones we hold dear.

We can forget about all of the qualities that had us so excited in the beginning. And where our faith walk is concerned, it’s easy to find ourselves attending Sunday worship service and checking it off of our to-do list. Jesus becomes familiar and not miraculously Divine.

We know that when we die, we will go to Heaven to be with him, but we don’t involve him in our everyday walk. We know those felt board Bible stories, but we don’t dive into the Bible and read them for ourselves. We don’t fully appreciate the miraculous that was, is and will be, Jesus.

Thankfully, we have the power to change. If we want to know him, we have to spend time with him. In John, where we find two of the first disciples, they asked Jesus where he was staying. He told them to come and see. They spent the day with him and they went from calling him a teacher to the Messiah. True belief, requires true relationship.

Secondly, we have to read the Bible. If we want to be amazed all over again, like when we were kids, we need to read the Gospels. They have something new to teach us every time we read them.

Familiarity doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It can describe a relationship that is not only comfortable, but faithful and strong, and full of wonder.

The choice is ours. What will you choose?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

The Choice to Forgive

Posted on by Wendy
Forgiving others, frees us.
Forgiving others, frees us.

Yesterday, I was reading the part in Genesis, where Jacob was going back home to his father’s land. He had run away twenty years before after stealing his father’s blessing from his brother Esau. He had also swindled his brother out of his birthright. Esau was planning on killing him when their mother intervened and sent Jacob back to her family to stay while Esau cooled off.

Twenty long years went by and Jacob married two sisters, had a slew of kids and had become quite wealthy. He had decided to return home because he was tired of being mistreated by his father-in-law, who he also swindled on a regular basis.

Now, Jacob was prepared for Esau to still be angry with him. He had goats, camels, bulls and donkeys, all ready to hand over as a peace offering and he was ready to grovel if necessary.

But, Esau was no longer angry with his brother. God had been at work and He had blessed Esau. In the twenty years of Jacob’s absence, Esau had somehow found forgiveness for him. Esau hugged Jacob and kissed him and wept, when he saw him.

When Jacob realized Esau had forgiven him, he said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably.” Genesis 33:10b

That statement really struck me. Showing forgiveness to others who have hurt us in some way, is like being the face of God to them. There’s a lot of truth there. Forgiveness can be excruciatingly difficult at times, but when we forgive, we are showing the face of the God, who forgives us for our wrongdoings.

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of forgiving others, comes when they didn’t ask for forgiveness, are not sorry for their transgressions, and in our human minds, don’t deserve it.

Yet, we are called to forgive anyway. Anger and grudges are soul killers. When we forgive others, we are freeing our own hearts and souls. God can and will, deal with the unrepentant. That’s not for us. It’s an obedience and trust issue. Are we obedient enough to forgive others and trust that God will handle it?

That can be a tall order. Humanity tends to want justice and we want it now, as long as it’s for others.

Jesus said, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25

Those are red letter words.

Who knows how long it took Esau to forgive Jacob? But, when he did, he was free to live his life and be blessed. The problem became Jacob’s problem, no longer Esau’s.

Jacob and Esau remind me that forgiveness is a choice. It’s a choice to obey and a choice to trust that God loves us and He has a plan. We are called to work on our own hearts and our own walk with God and trust that He will take care of the rest.

I need reminding sometimes. Maybe you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Cone Wisdom

Posted on by Wendy
Though cumbersome and frustrating, the cone keeps him safe.
Though cumbersome and frustrating, the cone keeps him safe.

Our dog, Sandy, had surgery a couple of days ago. He had a couple of hopefully, benign tumors removed. He has stitches and so our veterinarian sent him home with a surgical collar, otherwise known as the dreaded cone.

He’s downright pitiful in it. It’s bulky. He runs into the walls and has a hard time taking the stairs. He’s depressed and I think he’s even embarrassed. I suspect, though I can’t prove it, that our other dog makes fun of him when we’re not looking.

It’s almost painful to watch how awkward he is walking around in it.

But, he can eat with it on, and he can drink water, and he has no trouble begging from the table with it on. He can even run around outside and do his business.

And here’s the most important thing about the dreaded cone: It keeps him safe while he heals. He had surgery a few years back and the young veterinarian in charge for the day, decided he didn’t need a cone. It was a Friday. Sandy promptly ripped out his stitches over the weekend. We had to take him back and have them redone and the more experienced veterinarian, sent him home with a cone.

If Sandy is allowed to chew on his stitches, which is his tendency, he will injure himself. He can cause an infection. He will take longer to heal. So, those of us who love him and know what’s best for him, have put that cone around his head to protect him.

Keep in mind, from his standpoint, he wants it gone. He’s uncomfortable and frustrated. I know that it’s only for a week or so, but as far as he’s concerned, it’s his new normal and he doesn’t like it. Of course, he was perfectly happy with the tumors staying where they were too. They weren’t bothering him. Why should they go?

The veterinarian felt like the tumors could be dangerous down the road, so he removed them.

As I’ve watched my sweet dog stumble around, kind of dazed and confused, I have really wished I could explain it all to him. I’d like to tell him how much I love him and that I’m just trying to keep him as healthy as possible.

When I think about it, I feel like God often reacts to us, his children, in the same way.

There are times when He removes things from our lives, things that can cause us harm, but that we don’t necessarily see as harmful. Then, He sometimes puts up road blocks in our paths to keep us from trying to fix things ourselves, like Sandy gnawing on his stitches.

We sometimes find ourselves stuck in one place. We can’t go forward and we can’t go backward, but instead of giving into stress and frustration, perhaps we should acknowledge that just maybe, we have been brought to a place of healing and when we are rested and healed, God will unblock the path.

Sandy’s cone reminds me that healing takes some time. It also reminds me that we often don’t know what’s best for us, but just like I can trust my vet for Sandy’s care, we can trust God for ours.

Perhaps today, you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Servants Know

Posted on by Wendy
The servant-hearted know what Jesus can do.
The servant-hearted know what Jesus can do.

On Sunday, my pastor preached on the wedding at Cana, found in chapter two, in the Gospel of John. I love that story. It was Jesus’ very first miracle in John.

I have heard sermons focused on many different aspects of it. I’ve seen it pointed out that Mary told the servants to, “Do whatever he tells you;” and that when we do the same, miracles often follow.

I have previously blogged about, how the story shows the close relationship that Jesus had with his mother. He wasn’t ready to start his ministry and all of the miracles, yet when she asked, he complied.

My pastor pointed out that the only person given a name in the passage is Jesus. Mary is simply called, Jesus’ mother. The disciples aren’t named, just referred to as disciples and we have no idea who the bride and groom were. He surmised that the reason was the focus was supposed to be entirely on Jesus and the mission that he was beginning.

I find truth in all of those ideas. I could probably write pages about all of them. It’s such a deep and rich story.

But, this time when I read it, verses eight and nine spoke directly to my heart. “Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’ They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.” John 2:8-9a

The servants knew. The servants were nameless faceless employees at this wedding. They weren’t family or even invited guests. They were simply doing their job. The banquet was about to run out of wine which would have been a big embarrassing deal. Jesus told them to fill up the ceremonial pots, which would have been used for cleaning their hands before eating, with water.

I wonder if they thought he was  crazy. How could filling these pots with water, possibly help in their wine shortage predicament? But, the servants did just as Jesus told them and they got to witness history in the making. I find it significant that Jesus didn’t do something big and splashy for all of the guests.

The only people who witnessed it were the servants and the disciples. The only people who were allowed to assist in the miracle were the servants. The story ends with, “his disciples put their faith in him.”

But, I feel sure they weren’t the only ones. The servants’ lives had to have been changed forever as well. What was their conversation like? What did they go home and tell their families?

Of course, the story reminds us that the servant-hearted are always the closest people to Jesus. Those who are willing to unselfishly serve and obey often get to witness Jesus at work. The people in the background who are hard at work serving, have some of the best stories to share because they know what it’s like to walk with him.

We may not know their names, but God does and that’s really all that matters.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂