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.

The Redemption Business

Posted on by Wendy
Jesus sees way past where we are and where we’ve been. He sees our potential.

My son is moving into his first college house in August. He was in a dorm last year and so it was completely furnished. The house he is moving into is not, so he needs some furniture for his bedroom. When his sister moved into her first house a couple of years ago, I refinished furniture that had belonged to my grandparents that was sitting in my parents’ barn.

Quite honestly, I didn’t think there was any furniture left in that barn. My mama casually mentioned that she thought the pink furniture was still down there. I laughed. That furniture had been hers when she was a little girl. I really didn’t see how I could make the pink furniture work for my 19 year old son. But, we went and took a look anyway. It was in surprisingly good shape for furniture over 50 years old.

It was covered in grime. A mouse had moved into the night stand, but it had potential. It was solid. It took lots of scrubbing and disinfectant; the night stand was really gross; but I felt excitement building when we loaded it up in the truck.

I love to redo furniture. We live in a world where just about everything it seems, is disposable and our landfills are a testament to that fact. But, our disposable mindset can spill over into our personal lives too. Our relationships have even become disposable. If things get tough, we toss them out and look for someone new. How did people become disposable?

In the disposable world we live in, there’s something almost spiritual for me, when I can give brand new life to something that has been tossed to the side. I can scrub off grime, evict the mice and paint or stain. I can add shiny new hardware and something that was considered beyond redemption, becomes redeemed.

As followers of Jesus, I suppose many of us can relate to the old furniture. Jesus sometimes finds us when we are a complete mess, tossed in a corner, covered in the grime of our sin with little to offer to the world. But, our Savior who once nicknamed the man who would deny Him three times, “Petra,” of all things, which means the rock, sees our potential, just as He saw Peter’s. He sees what we can become. His love for us and our future with Him is in no way tied to where we are or where we’ve been.

When we reach for Him, He cleans us off and turns us into something new and exquisite and teaches us to use gifts we didn’t even know we had to serve Him and share the Good News with a world that desperately needs to hear it.

Some old, grimy, pink furniture, reminded me that if we are breathing, Jesus has plans for us. We are not disposable to Him; we are loved. The redemption business is His business. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you did too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

The Faith of Planting

Posted on by Wendy
All of the harvest matters to God regardless of the size.

This week, I harvested my first batch of blueberries for the year. There weren’t very many, but once I got the first ripe ones, there were more everyday. I only have one bush, but it’s so full of fruit that it’s leaning to the side.

Growing things always teaches me so much about my faith walk and blueberries are no exception.

It takes a certain amount of faith to plant anything in a hole in the ground and expect it to grow. There are so many factors that can stop any type of growth, from weather that’s too cold to birds and other animals that can destroy what we have planted.

But, even after I take the leap of faith to plant, there’s more to do. If I want to have lots of fruit, I have to take the time to water it and feed it with the right kind of fertilizer. Some years, nature provides plenty of rain and I have to do less on my end. In drought years, I have to work extra hard just to keep my plant alive.

Some years, no matter what I do, I have very little fruit and in other years, there are more blueberries than I know what to do with.

When I first see the blooms in the spring, it’s always a a sign of hope for the fruit to come, but I also know that the blooms are vulnerable and a late freeze can kill a lot of them. When I finally have fruit, I have to wait patiently before I pick it. Any fruit picked too early is sour.

When the time finally comes to harvest, I have to be very vigilant because I often miss some of the ripe fruit on my first time around the bush. I have to look underneath and at the very top and sometimes even after I have been around the bush several times, I will still find one I missed.

Our faith walk can be a lot like growing blueberries. When we walk closely with Jesus, we are often asked to step out in faith and plant something that may or may not grow, but despite our fears, we are called to plant anyway. Sometimes what we plant grows seemingly on its own and other times, it requires lots of prayer and work on our part. Like my blueberry bush, sometimes what we plant produces an abundance of fruit and sometimes it produces very little.

But, we need to remember that God’s economy is different than our own. He’s interested in all of our hard work and all the fruit that grows because of it, no matter the size of the crop. As Christians, we are all called to plant and then we let God do the rest. A new blueberry crop reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Fear Not

Posted on by Wendy
Marshall reminds me that Christians are not called to live in fear.

My daughter has a new rescue pup named Marshall. We aren’t exactly sure how old he is, but he’s not a year old yet and he has spent most of his life in and animal shelter in a fairly small stall. Needless to say, he has never been on a leash, but my daughter bought him the most adorable harness and leash, and she couldn’t wait to help him explore the world. She reasoned, that he would be thrilled with new wide open spaces and the freedom to walk around.

But, when she took him out for his first walk, he was terrified. People scared him. Barking dogs scared him. Every sound made him tuck his little tail and lock down and refuse to walk. She gave him treats and tried to coax him to walk, but he wanted no part of it.

He didn’t trust her to keep him safe. He had only known her a few days. He had no reason to.

He got a little better over the next few days, and went a little bit further each day, but there was one particular house that always had a dog out front. He had an underground fence and he couldn’t get to Marshall even if he tried, but he didn’t even try. He just stared at him. Marshall didn’t know he was safe and he refused to walk by the house.

After about a week, my daughter decided to pick Marshall up when she walked by the house and put him back down to see if he would continue his walk. It worked like a charm. Not, only did he continue his walk, but they made it all the way to the end of the subdivision.

My daughter and I have had lots of discussions about Marshall’s limited experience with the world outside his little stall and his lack of understanding and trust. We often discuss the importance of patience in building our relationship with him.

Quite honestly, Marshall’s lack of trust reminds me very much of how we tend to view God, especially these days. There seems to be so much to fear, from the pandemic, to politics, to riots and conspiracy theories. Is God listening? Will He protect us? Is He still in control? Like sweet little Marshall, we sometimes want to tuck our tails and lock down, paralyzed with fear of what lies ahead.

God tells His people hundreds of times in the Bible not to live in fear. Why would He do that? He wants us to trust that He is in control and that He has a plan no matter how dark the times may be and even though we like to believe that our current situation is the darkest ever, our Bible tells a different story. There have been plagues, pestilence, famine and unrest since Adam and Eve left the garden. These things will always be present in some form or fashion on this side of eternity.

Yet, we are called to remember that we are travelers here and as travelers, we need to move one step at a time in the direction our Shepherd takes us until He calls us home. We need to remember like Marshall is learning, not to fear, because the Bible tells us not to.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Making a Difference

Posted on by Wendy
We made a difference for this one.

Our 20 year old daughter, just adopted a pup from a nearby animal shelter. When we arrived to look at the adoptables, it was both overwhelming and heartbreaking. It was a really big shelter and it had been closed down for the pandemic so no dogs had been adopted for many weeks. It was almost completely full. The dogs were well cared for and their stalls were clean and the place smelled clean, but walking by stall after stall was really sad.

Some of the pups that we walked by, would come right up to us; some would cower in the corner; some would bark at us. There was a lot of noise. But, there was one that caught my daughter’s eye and she asked to see him. We took him outside and spent some time with him. He was anxious for attention and affection and she knew that he was the one.

She completed the paperwork and a week later, Marshall was hers.

I thought a lot about the other pups long after we left. I thought about how it wasn’t possible for me to help all of them and how easy it is to get overwhelmed in a world with so much need, especially in the current Covid-19 situation we find ourselves in. Sometimes we feel it’s all too much and we can’t help with all of the need anyway, so we just do nothing. But, the truth is doing anything is better that doing nothing.

We can always simply text a friend or neighbor who we know is struggling with loneliness, anxiety, fear or just simply too much on their plate, or better yet, we can call them. It’s amazing that we rarely use the machines we call telephones to actually talk anymore. I recently read that letter writing has seen a surge. When was the last time I wrote a letter? We can post something positive on social media and share some hope. We can make a donation to an organization that is helping others and remember to donate to our local church even if we aren’t attending physically.

Most importantly, we can remember to pray and ask God for guidance. He can use every one of His people during this time to share His light, love and glory. He is not limited by this pandemic nor is He limited by our imagination or lack of resources. When we put what we have to offer in His hands, it will always be more than enough.

No, we couldn’t save all of the pups at the shelter, but Marshall got a brand new life and for him, it was enough. A trip to an animal shelter reminded me that the world will always be a place full of need and noise, but we can always make some kind of difference. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you did too!

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

A Call to Trust

Posted on by Wendy
We can be at peace not knowing where the road leads when we understand that God knows.

Back in February, I had an annual visit to my doctor. We had a conversation about my yearly mammogram. Due to my mom’s breast cancer, I have been having yearly mammograms for the past fifteen years with no issues, but two out of the last three have resulted in callbacks. While both ended up being completely benign, I had to wait thirty days both times for my both followup visits.

I’m not necessarily that worried about getting breast cancer, but the unknown tends to drive me crazy. I need a plan. Each time, I was okay for the first couple of weeks; my faith was strong. But after that, doubt crept in and I was a nervous wreck by the time I made the appointment, even though I knew that God was with me and even though I knew He had a plan.

When I commented to the technician about my long wait at my last call back, she assured me that everyone had to wait that long because the hospitals in our area serve many surrounding counties. Well, not this time, I decided. I informed my doctor that this time if I got called back, I had no intention of waiting for thirty days. I was perfectly willing to drive to Atlanta or anywhere else. I told her that I just simply didn’t have it in me to wait that long for results.

She assured me that I really shouldn’t get a call back this time, but made a note in my chart. She said there was definitely something that could be done.

But, when I saw a missed call on my phone from the doctor’s office a couple of weeks later, my heart sank. Seriously? Again?

They wanted more films, but this time it was the other side, but this time they had, “sweet talked,” some people and secured me an appointment in two weeks. That was better. I was annoyed, but I could live with two weeks.

Then Covid-19 hit and an e-mail from my chiropractor informed me that he may have been exposed by a patient in his office who may have had it. I got the e-mail on a Friday. My appointment at the hospital was on Tuesday. My mind began spinning and my stomach hurt. If I had been exposed, I could potentially infect someone else and that someone could have cancer. That’s a serious underlying condition. Was I willing to take that chance?

I didn’t sleep on Sunday night. I wrestled and I kept feeling that nudge from God, “Do you trust me?” Did I?

I knew the right thing to do. When I called the hospital to explain, they wanted me to re-schedule in fourteen days, which of course had me right at thirty days for my results. Yes, I appreciated the irony.

When I went in in on the new date, I was less anxious than the other times. God had really worked on me and stretched me. When the results came back benign, I could almost hear Him say, I told you to trust me.

If it’s one thing this pandemic has taught us, it’s that we are not in control, but that’s not new. We never have been. It’s just now painfully clear. That knowledge can either terrify us or free us. Our reaction depends on us remembering that we serve the God who is in control and who always has a plan. There’s a peace that comes from knowing that. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you did too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

The Call to Extend Grace

Posted on by Wendy

Our words can spread darkness or light. We have a choice.

Last week, we ordered groceries from Walmart. We often ordered groceries before the pandemic hit because I really don’t like going to Walmart. I often end up getting frustrated while I’m there for a number of reasons ranging from them being out of the items I went for, to them blocking the aisle for the online shoppers, to there never being enough cash registers open, to all of the screaming kids.

But, I’ll have to admit in my everyday quest to watch for God in the world around me, I’ve seen Him there more than once. I’ve encountered Him in a child singing, “Jesus Loves Me,” and an elderly person on a scooter who couldn’t reach an item, and in a cashier who I’ve discussed prayer with while checking out.

I’ve been given the opportunity to extend grace while shopping there; I suspect most of us have. But, sometimes that can be a tough call to answer.

This time when I ordered our groceries, I was trying to follow the stay-at-home rules which had me waiting all the way til Saturday for groceries ordered on Tuesday night. They also had a very limited selection on items that I normally buy there and some things weren’t available at all. I was determined to take it all in stride. We had plenty to eat, maybe not exactly what we wanted, but plenty.

On Saturday, I got a text that my groceries were ready for pick up. My hubby and I got in the car and headed to pick them up, but the app to inform them we were on the way wouldn’t work. It has always worked in the past. I knew that was not a good omen of things to come and I could feel some frustration begin to seep in. When we arrived, I called the posted number to tell them we had arrived. The woman on the phoned informed me our order was not ready.

“But, you texted me that it was,” I protested.
“We can get it ready,” she replied.

Now, I was really frustrated, but another lady came out into the parking lot and we decided to talk to her. She was very young and wearing a mask. She asked me three times what my ten digit order number was as other cars began to fill the spaces around us and my heart went out to her. There appeared to be only two people working bringing the groceries out. She looked exhausted.

She went back inside and returned with our groceries. My hubby commented how busy they were and she told him that he had no idea. I let her words sink in. She was absolutely right. I imagine she had a lot of frustrated customers who weren’t very kind to her over a situation completely out of her control.

When she finished unloading, she hurried back to the building, but I yelled out a thank you to her and she turned around and acknowledged it. It seemed like it meant a lot to her and I felt incredibly humbled. Had she been thanked all day?

This pandemic has us all on edge and bone weary, but that doesn’t give us an excuse to be unkind. We can choose how we use our words both spoken and written, and yes, social media counts. Are we using words that show patience, kindness, love and peace as the Holy Spirit would direct us or are we giving into fear and anger? Are we spreading light or stirring the pot?

As Christians, we are called to extend grace because amazing grace has been extended to us. Now more than ever, we have the opportunity to be the Church. A trip to Walmart reminded me. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Finding His Provision

Posted on by Wendy
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

We have a place in our yard where we have talked about putting in a fish pond for years. We had one at our last house and really enjoyed it, but we never got around to taking the time and doing the work it took to put one in when we moved. We’ve been here for fifteen years now and it seemed like one of those projects that was simply never going to happen. The kids grew up and went off to school and we all just had better things to do.

That was until Covid-19 put us under a mandatory quarantine. The kids came home from college in March instead of May. Internships and part-time jobs were off the table. All of a sudden, we had time on our hands and the desire to add a spot where we could sit in the shade, watch goldfish swim and hear the soothing gurgle of a waterfall.

My daughter and my hubby dug the hole together and ordered the items needed and Saturday morning, my daughter and I went to gather some rocks from the edge of our property. When we got ready to go outside, I found myself grumbling aloud about the overcast skies. I wondered why we couldn’t have a sunny day to do our work.

As we began to use our shovels to dig around, we found some really big rocks. Some of them took both of us to lift and we had to call my hubby to help us with a couple. We worked up quite a sweat. As we dug and pulled and lifted, a soft breeze blew. Before I could stop myself, I found myself commenting to my daughter, how hot it would have been if the sun had been out.

The moment I said the words, I felt both humbled and convicted. I wanted the sun to be out. I was tired of clouds and rain. As is often the case, I thought I knew what was best for me and equally as often, I was wrong. God had provided as He always does in His way, not mine and His way as always, was infinitely better.

I’ve helped roof houses before when I knew the clouds were a gift and gave thanks immediately for them. But, sometimes in valley seasons, we miss those gifts, God’s provision, even though it’s always there.

Covid-19 has us all walking in a valley season. Everyone is affected, old and young, rich and poor, all races, genders and nationalities. It’s easy to miss the gifts and provision when we listen to the news and become filled with despair and panic.

But, when we focus on Jesus and trust in His love and grace, no matter the season, we will see His provision. An overcast Saturday reminded me. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

A Mandatory Season of Lent

Posted on by Wendy
“Such love has no fear, because perfect love drives out fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” 1 John 4:18 NLT

Last week I began to take a daily walk during my lunch break. Covid-19 has me working from home, so I really have no excuse not to get out and walk. The people I work with all encourage us to get outside and take brain breaks away from all of the technology that pings, dings and vibrates all day long vying for my constant attention. Everyone seems to intrinsically know that nature is good for the soul.

Since this crisis has hit us at the same time spring has, there has literally been new discoveries everyday. I have been amazed at how pink buds appear seemingly overnight on a tree that was barren the day before and then wowed again at the blossoms that burst forth so quickly after. I’ve seen wisteria vines go from dormant, to a few blossoms, to dozens of clusters in days and the fragrance they release is a small wonder all its own.

As I was praying and giving thanks for the beauty, I found myself almost overwhelmed at God’s timing. If Covid-19 would have shown itself during the winter, most of us would have had to remain locked up indoors and for those of us in the Deep South, our winter included an unprecedented amount of rain. It was a miserable winter. We all grumbled about it. I even blogged about it.

But, those showers, as incessant as they were, have led to a beautiful spring. Would we have appreciated our beautiful and warm weather if we hadn’t endured that rain?

It also struck me that we are in the midst of Lent, a period of time when Christians are called to draw closer to Jesus by asking ourselves what it is that keeps us away from Him. It’s a time of self-reflection when we are supposed to put down those idols that we put before our relationship with Jesus.

If I’m honest, there are years when I have wholeheartedly participated in Lent and there are years when I have not. But, this year, it seems that Lent has been forcibly thrust upon us. We are living in a time of fear, chaos, panic and uncertainty. Our economy is in a free fall. We are confined to our homes with our families and isolated from other people and just about everything worldly. We are barraged with hourly messages of doom from the media.

Maybe now is the time for us to prayerfully ask, what has kept us from God and what He wants to teach us. Since we have had to put down just about everything we have held tightly in our hands, maybe now is the time to refocus and rededicate our lives to the higher purpose to which we have been called. Maybe in doing that, we can become part of a revival that our nation and even our world, has never seen before.

A walk reminded me that people who keep their focus fixed on Jesus can’t help, but become people of love and light and people of love and light, spread hope faster than any virus can ever spread desolation and fear. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

For Such a Time As This

Posted on by Wendy
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

A few weeks ago, I started a new job. Interestingly, it happened to be at my college alma mater. I had prayed about the next chapter in my life for a long time. I sensed that when my nest became empty, I was called to do something else, something more challenging, something that would make better use of my talents, something that would stretch me.

If I’m honest, I prayed with hesitancy. I really don’t like change and I had become quite comfortable where I was. I loved the people I worked with at a small elementary school, so much so, they had become like family. I loved the children I got to see everyday. I loved their parents.

I had prayed about returning to work full time, for over a year when my last position came open. When I first started that job, our school nurse, who became a dear friend, had just been diagnosed with ALS. I prayed with her every morning as I watched her slowly die with each passing day. She taught me so much. It was the hardest year of my life and it bonded me with my coworkers in ways I could never explain to people who weren’t there. She passed away at the beginning of the next school year.

If given a choice, I would have never chosen to live through that season, but God clearly wanted me there, like Esther in the Bible, God put me there at that moment in time for a reason. When the sun came out again, coworkers had become family.

So, when I obediently started sending out resumes and got rejections, it was okay with me. I had decided to put it in God’s hands. I wasn’t worried. I knew there was a plan and I was okay if it was to stay put.

But, when I got called in for an interview, I met eight of the most upbeat positive people I had ever met. We laughed a lot and they seemed to really enjoy their jobs. They were doing work that I would be proud to be a part of, using skills that I had longed to use for years.

When I got the offer, I knew it was meant to be, so I put in my notice. My coworkers were super supportive, but it was very bittersweet. My last day was difficult to say the least. My desk was decorated. I received flowers and treats all day from staff, parents and kiddos. My team provided lunch. After hugging my office mate goodbye, I sobbed all the way home.

Monday called for rain, but as I drove in, I witnessed a gorgeous sunrise. A student bus was at a stop light and I smiled as I remembered riding that route myself, but I laughed out loud as the message, “Have a Nice Day,” scrolled across. I knew it was a God wink. When I arrived, my new coworkers were so kind and welcoming. I knew I was in the right place. On my drive home, I saw a hawk sitting on a fence, another God wink, another reminder that I was where I was supposed to be.

Now, as I find myself working from home due to the COVID-19 outbreak, along with my hubby and two college kids, asked by government officials not to leave unless we absolutely have to, I once again find myself in a place I wouldn’t have chosen to be. I see so many Facebook posts about the death toll rising, jobs lost, weddings postponed, and senior years cut short. There’s a lot of fear, sadness and negativity out there and it’s all legitimate.

Maybe now more than ever, like Esther, we need to remember that we are all here, “for such a time as this.” The God who knit us together in our mother’s womb, is in control. He has a plan. If we trust Him, He will use us to glorify Him, even if it’s scary and sad for us at the moment.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you did too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

The Prayers of Children

Posted on by Wendy
Remembering to pray with the honesty of children, can help us along our faith walk.

I was recently talking to a new friend of mine who is bilingual. The concept of speaking two languages has always intrigued me. It’s likely because I took two years of Spanish in high school and five quarters in college and I still can’t speak it. When I learned that she was bilingual, I asked her same thing I always ask people who speak two languages.

“Which language do you think in?” She told me that she thinks in English now, but that she was having her daughter’s baptism service in Spanish because she prays in Spanish. I was fascinated.

She said she learned all of her prayers as a child, in Spanish and that’s the only way she knows how to pray.

So, it doesn’t matter how well she knows English, and by talking to her, you would have no clue that she speaks any other language, when she talks to God, she talks to Him in the language of her childhood, the language she spoke when she first began verbally communicating with God.

I thought of our conversation long after it was over. I thought about how innocently yet perfectly, children pray. There are no long flowery words strung together. They just simply talk to God. They give thanks. They say what’s on their mind, sometimes even if an adult wouldn’t approve. They don’t hide what’s in their hearts or minds. They just honestly put it out there with no guile involved. They truly believe that He’s listening. It really doesn’t occur to them that He wouldn’t be. They know they are loved. The Bible tells them so.

Most young children are happy to pray out loud if asked. They aren’t embarrassed. Their prayers are usually simple and to the point and sometimes you can almost feel God smiling as they speak.

But, as we get older and our lives and hearts get more complex, our prayers tend to change. We aren’t as honest. We hide certain parts of ourselves even though He can see them. Nothing is ever hidden from Him. We often keep Him at a distance, more like a far away uncle than the daddy in the room.

Ask us to pray out loud and we totally freeze. I get it. I’ve been in the room when the person praying seems to pray for every headline from the morning news and recites a dozen Bible verses using words that require a thesaurus. We simply don’t know what to say. What we need to remember is that we don’t have to.

If we quiet our minds and listen to our hearts, the Holy Spirit will guide us. God isn’t interested in our large vocabularies or in how many headlines we can remember. He’s interested in our hearts. He’s interested in our worship. He’s interested in our trust and our obedience.

The Bible says, “But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.'” Luke 18:16

Jesus knew all about the hearts of children. Their prayers reflect their hearts. Maybe we can try to remember to pray with childlike faith, innocence and wisdom.

A conversation with a friend reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂