Category: Trusting God

Sometimes life seems upside-down. When we draw closer to God, we begin to learn and trust that He has a plan for us and we can let go of many of life’s anxieties knowing that He has our best interest at heart.

Appreciating the Hills

Posted on by Wendy
We don’t have to know what lies ahead as long as we know that God does.

I live in a neighborhood that could definitely be described as hilly. When my kiddos were growing up, their friends called it the roller coaster neighborhood. Some of those hills are really steep and I can’t imagine anyone with good sense trying to skateboard on them and I’ve never seen very many people riding a bike on them, but lots of people walk them.

I see people both old and young, out walking. Some people walk dogs. Some talk on their phones. Some walk with others and some walk alone. Some run and some stroll very slowly.

Recently, I was out walking and I came to one of those hills. I remember when we first moved in, over a decade ago, that I used to dread those hills. They took so much extra effort. I had two young children at the times and they couldn’t walk very far at all, before they were ready to give up and go home.

I remember there were times when I longed to live in a nice flat neighborhood with sidewalks where we could easily stroll.

But, on this day, I found myself thanking God for that hill and all of the other ones on my path. Those hills have helped to keep me in shape. They have helped to build stamina and perseverance. They have helped to make me strong.

While sidewalks would have been nice, the nature that I have been gifted with, has been stunning. The huge old trees, deer, squirrels, birds and hawks, that I see almost every time I venture out, are always a treat.

I pondered those hills, long after I returned home, huffing and puffing for sure, but a little more at peace than when I started.

I though about our life’s journey and the hills that we often face. As humans, we tend prefer, easy street, flat roads with sidewalks and manicured lawns, nothing to really challenge us or make us work too hard. If I’m honest, I would have to say I have often wanted that myself.

Yet, I’ve come to appreciate the strength, wisdom and beauty that has come from the hills along the journey. There have been seasons when I have walked and seasons when I have run. There have been season when I barely put one foot in front of the other. There have been seasons when I have walked with others as well as solitary seasons. There have been seasons when I have tried to drink everything in and seasons where I have attempted to tune everything out.

But, whatever the season, there’s always beauty and those hills are an important part of the journey, giving us strength for whatever comes next. We aren’t called to know what that may be, but to trust our God who does and to simply keep moving.

A hill reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

When We Fear the Unfamiliar Path

Posted on by Wendy
The unfamiliar can often seem scary, but as people of faith, we ever walk alone.

I work in the front office of an elementary school. Because of where I sit, I get to encounter children from all grade levels and I hear amusing and sometimes inspiring, stories from them all day long. My favorite stories are very often from or about, our youngest students, the kindergarteners.

One of our custodians was buffing the floors out in the hall. The buffing machine is quite large and fairly noisy, but I never gave it much thought. Apparently, one of the kindergarteners did. She marched right up to that custodian, pointed to the machine and told him that she was afraid of it.

Since he’s one of the kindest men I have ever known, he took the time to calmly explain to her that he was just using it to clean the floors and there was nothing to be afraid of. I think she was satisfied because she went on her way.

I thought about that story long after he told it. I have always had a special heart for the kindergarteners at the beginning of each school year. Everything is new to them and they are all so small. heir backpacks are bigger than they are. It’s very easy to see how they can be completely overwhelmed at times.

But, haven’t we all been there? We’ve all been new in some unfamiliar place or situation. Maybe it was a new school, or a new job, or a new church, or even a new relationship of some sort. It could have been facing and then navigating, a serious illness or walking along side someone who we love, who was. It could have been a new chapter of some sort in our own unfolding story.

Like those kindergartners, we have all carried something around that’s bigger than we are and change is hard, no matter your age.

When we find ourselves in the unfamiliar, it’s easy to be gripped with fear. When that happens, we can shrink back and hide under the covers. We can ball up our fists and stomp our feet in anger at the unfairness of it all. We can allow ourselves to drown in sadness, wanting desperately to go back to what was.

But, as Christians, we have another option. We can go to God and cry out for help and mercy. We can pray for strength and courage. We can pray for healing and direction. We can pray for patience. We can pray for peace.

Quite often, the answers are not immediate, but we will get them because the more we lean into God, the more we learn to believe the absolute truth in Jesus’ words, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Sometimes He even sends kindly people to point out that the loud scary thing we were afraid of, was nothing to fear after all. A kindergartener and a wise custodian, reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Blueberry Lessons

Posted on by Wendy
Everyday I searched, hoping to find one more ripe one.

Every summer, I attempt to grow something that is edible. My backyard is mostly shade, so I’m very limited, but this year, I have a blueberry bush that was very happy in its spot and it made some serious blueberries. I had my doubts about how well it would do because it was covered in blooms very early in the season and I felt like it may have bloomed too early to actually make fruit.

I watered it and fed it anyway and hoped for the best.

I was rewarded with blueberries for several weeks and I was thrilled. Each day I would go outside with my bowl and search for the ones that were just the right color. It never ceased to amaze me that even though I would look carefully the first time, several trips around the bush would continue bless me with a few I had missed.

I was just as happy with those as I was with the first handful. It didn’t matter whether they were the first ones or the last ones. I treasured each one.

I marveled at how two berries could be side-by-side on the vine, yet one would ripen before the other one, even thought they received the same amount of sun and water. I also found that sometimes the berries on the bottom or on the inside of the bush would ripen before the ones on top, even though they received less sun.

There seemed to be no rhyme or reason as to why some were ready for harvest, but other ones weren’t. Everyday, I persistently looked for more, hoping they were ready.

One of the main reasons I love to try and grow things is that Jesus often reveals Himself to me in the process.

A little heart nudge reminded me that people, like blueberries, bloom and ripen at different rates on our faith journey. Some have the perfect amount of sunshine and rain. Some come close to drowning and get very little light at all, yet Jesus searches for us relentlessly wherever we are in the process.

He never gives up.

I was also reminded that sometimes we may feel that those around us appear to have little chance of bearing fruit, like I did with those early blooms, but we are called to water and care for them anyway.

We don’t get to decide when or how the fruit arrives. We are simply called to do our part and let faith do the rest. For nothing is impossible with God.

Some blueberries reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Hydrangea Wisdom

Posted on by Wendy
We are all meant to bloom and contribute in our unique way.

A few years ago, I started a new job; at the end of that year, a sweet family gave me a hydrangea plant as a gift. I was so excited. I’ve always loved hydrangeas, but hadn’t really been able to grow them for a long time. I had a huge one at my last house, but when we moved, I just couldn’t make them grow even though I tried a variety of spots.

They either didn’t get enough sun or got too much sun and not enough water. I could only plant them in my backyard that’s fenced, because the herd of deer that resides in my neighborhood would eat them to the ground if they had the chance.

After trying numerous times, I gave up on hydrangeas. I just planted something else.

But, when I received one as a gift, I gave it another shot and it lived. It didn’t bloom, but it lived. The following year, they gave me a different variety and I planted it as well. It also lived. Once they gave me a third one and they all lived and I got a few blooms, I was inspired to buy one myself.

I put them all in raised beds and I watered them and fed them and waited. I was thrilled when I got a few blooms. It wasn’t what I hoped for, but at least I seemed to be on the right track.

Well, this year, three years after I started, my hydrangeas are bursting forth with blooms. They are the first thing I see when I drive up into my driveway. I have so many that I have been able to cut some to bring inside while still enjoying the ones outside. And to my delight, the ones I bring inside stay fresh and pretty for well over a week.

Each time I pass a vase of them, I stop and appreciate their beauty and I am reminded at how long it took for me to have them.

There was a decade of complete failure that caused me to give up completely, but then the kindness of someone else, encouraged me to try again. When I did, I didn’t get the blooms I wanted right away, but I got growth, so I kept trying and waiting patiently with hope and a little faith.

The combination proved to be enough.

Those hydrangeas remind me of our faith walk. Sometimes we and those around us, can get discouraged and sometimes give up completely. After years of disappointment, frustration and discouragement, we can decide that we will never bloom, yet God is always at work. He often sends someone to encourage us and remind us that it’s never too late to try again.

Sometimes we need to be encouraged and sometimes we are the one who encourages and we need to remember that both sides are vital to Kingdom work, because in the end, we are all meant to bloom and contribute in our own unique way.

Some hydrangea blooms reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Piper Lessons

Posted on by Wendy
Piper often misses out because she overestimates her size.

When I leave my house in the mornings, to go to work, I put a baby gate on the stairs. If I don’t, our big dog, Sandy, will go upstairs and scratch on my kids’ bedroom doors, until he wakes them up. I have no idea why he does that, but my teenagers do not appreciate being awakened before 7:00 A.M. on days they don’t have school, and so to keep peace among all of the living creatures in my home, I use the gate.

Interestingly enough, there’s usually a pretty large gap between the gate and the wall and our smaller dog, Piper, could easily squeeze through it if she chose too, but she doesn’t. One of her favorite things to do is to go back to bed, but she misses the opportunity because Piper thinks she’s much bigger than she really is.

She will sometimes growl at the bigger dog for no good reason. She seems totally unaware of their size difference. She will sit at the door on the porch indefinitely, waiting for someone to open the door a little wider for her although she could have easily walked through the opening that was already there.

On Piper, her overestimation of her size and the limitations she places on herself are comical. She’s such a silly dog.

But, I sometimes ask myself if I do any better. What opportunities do I pass up because I’m too old, or not qualified enough, or smart enough?

Sometimes God opens a door for us, just wide enough for us to step through. But, we don’t walk through it because we would prefer it to be wide open with a neon sign pointing the way and great fanfare leading us on.

More often than not, I have found that, that is simply not His way. When we take quiet time and pray, we are able to see the open doors around us and the different paths that become lit up. We become more comfortable stepping out into the spaces He provides instead of insisting on our own preferences of wide, bright, and loud.

We begin to understand that man’s ways and God’s ways have never been the same. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

And when we see an opening, we aren’t afraid to take it. My dog, Piper, reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Saying No to Fear

Posted on by Wendy
From across the pool, something completely harmless, appeared threatening.

Over the Memorial Day weekend, my family was blessed to spend the weekend with my parents. More specifically, we spent the weekend at their pool and with a record breaking heat wave, we were especially thankful.

My first day in the pool, I checked the skimmer carefully, like I always do. Anyone who has ever owned a pool, knows the importance of that task. On most days, a skimmer will have leaves and dead bugs in it. But, sometimes there are dangerous critters like snakes, that aren’t really trapped and can get back out into the pool.

After my skimmer check, I hit the water. I was floating along, minding my own business, when something in the skimmer, caught my eye. Something blue was hanging down behind the face of the skimmer. I couldn’t see it when I looked inside from outside the pool. It was only visible from the pool. It looked like the tail of something and I immediately reported it to my parents as I paddled a safe distance away.

My Daddy, the reliable slayer of unwelcome skimmer intruders, got on his knees on the scorching hot cement and attempted to investigate. He couldn’t see anything. I kept telling him he had to be in the pool to see it. He tried to splash the area,but it didn’t move. He finally informed me I would have to get closer to direct him to the interloper.

I reluctantly obeyed. I paddled over timidly, just waiting for a ten foot python to come coiling out of the skimmer. But, as I got closer, I realized it was something else entirely.

The intruder that had filled my heart with fear and had Daddy on his hands and knees, was a sliver of their new pool liner that hadn’t been cut closely enough.

At first, I was filled with relief and then I felt incredibly foolish. Daddy was a good sport about the ordeal and moved on to other projects he had to work on.

But, the skimmer incident stayed on my mind long after I got out of the pool. We have become a society obsessed with safety. From helmets, to seat belts, to car seats, to cell phones, to cameras on our front porches. We seem to live with a certain amount of fear on the edge of all we do.

What opportunities are we losing due to our safety obsession? What trips do we pass up? What job opportunities do we turn down? What dreams do we pack away? How many opportunities to serve God do we turn down because of fear?

Sure, a certain amount of fear is useful, but there’s a reason that the Bible tells us over and over to, “Fear not.” When we walk with Jesus, we are called to walk with courage, not with fear.

A pool skimmer reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Squeaky Hinge Reminders

Posted on by Wendy
Take time this summer to slow down and enjoy the ordinary.

Yesterday, I had a day off, the first in a much needed extra long weekend. I was exhausted from work life and personal life. My youngest just graduated from high school and while it was a wonderful celebration, it was emotionally draining as well.

We did pictures with grandparents and attended the ceremony. We went to dinner and opened gifts. The following day, we met with friends for more pictures and went to an arcade/restaurant with those friends and their parents for more celebrating. As I was walking around taking photos of him with his friends, I was reminded of birthday parties of the past when I did the same and I found myself fighting back tears.

I would have never believed when he was five, that I could love him even more at seventeen or that I would still consider photos with him and his friends just as precious as when they were little.

On Sunday, our church recognized him, presented him with a Bible and a gift card and prayed over him and I found myself tearing up yet again, feeling the love and support that surrounded him.

Yesterday, when I woke up, I tiptoed downstairs for a cup of coffee and some quiet time. I had had very little quiet in the past week. My mostly grown kids, were still sleeping and I gave a prayer of thanks that they were both home and safely tucked away. As I headed out to the porch to soak in the quiet cool morning, the hinges on the door, made their usual high pitched squeak.

I smiled as both dogs came running.

We’ve been in our house for fourteen years and that door has always squeaked loudly. I used to try to get my hubby to fix it, but I’ve grown used to it and these days it signals that the porch is open for business and by business, I mean sitting and visiting, resting and chatting, and enjoying Creation and each other.

The dogs went right to their preferred spots on the porch, like they always do this time of year, one right by my side and the other at my feet. On the weekends, my hubby joins us and the kids head straight out there when they wake up. We sometimes sit out there for hours talking and sharing stories, dreaming and remembering.

It’s an ordinary, yet extraordinary recognition of who we are, where we have been and where we are going. But, then life has taught me that the extraordinary is often found in the ordinary.

As summer officially kicks off this weekend, I’m going to try to slow down as much as possible and take in all of those ordinary moments, keeping in mind that in hindsight, those moments often become extraordinary. Some squeaky hinges reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

This summer, I’m blessed to have both of my kids at home. I’m not sure when that will happen again, so in order to enjoy every possible moment of family time, I’m going to only post on Fridays.

Standing Amazed at God Winks

Posted on by Wendy
There are never coincidences when we walk with God.

My hubby facilitates an adult Sunday school class. We’ve been in the Old Testament for a long time now. We’ve traveled through Genesis, Exodus and Joshua. He was pondering what to do next and was considering Jeremiah when I suggested that maybe he should switch gears and do Acts next.

It’s in the New Testament and it’s the story of the birth of The Church after the Resurrection. It’s full of a very active Holy Spirit and miracles, lots of action, and fun to read. I don’t really know why I suggested it. But, we have a new pastor coming in July and it just seemed appropriate.

New leadership always involves some change and transformation and Acts has lots of both.

My hubby pitched it to the class and they liked the idea, so on Sunday, we were set to get started. Sunday, was May 5th. Right before class started, the new pastor and his wife came strolling in the door unannounced. Did I mention they came all the way from Indiana and no one had any idea they were coming? They weren’t due until July 6th.

They came to close on their house and they hadn’t told anyone.

What are the chances that on the day we began the new study on Acts, that the future pastor shows up out of the blue from over 700 miles away?

I found myself once again in awe of God’s timing and His plan. I’ve heard these situations referred to as God Winks. When those who are faithful are praying and watching, He gives us signs that we are in fact on the right path and He is in fact at work. They happen all of the time. We just tend to miss them in our busyness.

Yet, if we slow down, we can be amazed on a regular basis just like I was on Sunday. I need to be amazed more often and reminded that He’s always at work. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Wherever You Are

Posted on by Wendy
Jesus meets us wherever we are on our journey.

Last Sunday, our sermon was about seeing Jesus in the world around us, which is one of my favorite topics. Part of the sermon was about the travelers on the road to Emmaus found in Luke 24. Most people who are familiar with the Gospels know the story.

Two men are walking along and talking after witnessing the Crucifixion and hearing rumors about the Resurrection. The Crucifixion was real to them. They saw it. It was tragic, but it made sense on a physical level. When a body dies, it stays dead, to believe anything else would have been a giant leap of faith.

But, Jesus joins them and begins explaining scripture to them, yet they don’t recognize Him. Our pastor noted that they didn’t really recall if He caught up with them from behind or they joined Him walking ahead, but He fell in step with them.

That little detail stayed on my mind long after Sunday. Jesus met them where they were. The Resurrection was supernatural and so Jesus could then be anywhere at anytime. He was no longer hampered by His human form. The glory of grace is what He chose to do with the power.

He could have chosen to stay right there at the tomb and wait for everyone to come to Him. He could have gone to the temple to show everyone that He was who He said He was, but He didn’t do either of those things.

He went and met the people who had earnestly sought Him all along. He found them where they were, cowering behind locked doors, walking along the road, in the cemetery and fishing, to name a few mentioned places. He appeared to men and women and to people who were doubters. He encouraged and He forgave.

He still meets those who seek Him, right where we are. Whether we are traveling or settled, bold or cowering, rejoicing or mourning. It doesn’t matter if we have walked with Him for many years or are brand new to the faith, or whether we have stumbled somehow.

Jesus walks with those who love Him regardless of where we are on this earthly journey. A Sunday sermon reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Remembering to Pray

Posted on by Wendy
A bad day got immediately better as soon as I remembered to pray.

Earlier this week, I had to get my son registered for freshman housing college. He’s going to be attending a really big school and the housing registration process was in three parts. We got started the very first day available and he was really not very interested. But, he was much more enthusiastic a few months later, for the second phase, when he got to choose roommates. It didn’t take him long to be a part of a group of four and they were all set.

When he finally got issued a time for the final phase, when they would pick out their unit, he got issued an early slot, but it was during his school day, so I had to do it. I carefully got all of the information on what they wanted and logged on with no problems. I chose the complex they wanted and hit submit.

I was really proud of myself until I saw the term chosen was summer. Had I really just signed my son and three strangers up for summer housing? There was no way to back up or cancel. I called the school and was told someone would call me back. I sent an email and I stared at my phone all day. I waited from 10:30 until 3:00 and heard nothing.

I was panicked. What if I had messed up their housing? What if they got a bad dorm because I did something wrong? Would the other boys be angry at my son for my mistake? I felt helpless and stupid. I don’t know why I didn’t stop to pray in my panic, but when I got in my car to drive home, I literally cried out to Jesus and asked for help.

When I arrived home, I sat down at my computer and logged in again, then I picked up the phone and called again. I was on hold for a long time and as I waited, I got a notification that someone had commented on my blog post from Monday, which was interesting because it basically said, I had been so busy with family over the weekend, that I was too tired to post.

But, this sweet woman, who was clearly an answer to my prayer, wrote that she appreciated my honesty and transparency and my balancing priorities and love for family, friends and celebrating young people and that it was a great reminder for a Monday.

Tears slid down my face. My honesty about being completely wiped out had meant something to someone.

When I finally got to talk to the nicest person I have ever talked to, when I have called the school, she checked on everything and assured me all was well, that my son was in fact registered for fall not summer. She wasn’t sure why it said summer, but the dates that were listed were correct. I thanked her several times and we hung up.

I immediately said a prayer of thanks which was where I should have started to begin with.

A long stressful day, reminded me that prayer is where I should always start. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂