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.

Trusting God

Posted on by Wendy
The Creator of the Universe always has the final say.

On a recent mission trip my family took to South Carolina, we were planning on working on two houses on two different work sites. Both sites required new roofs which is not unusual for Salkehatchie mission houses.

What was unsettling was that the weather report called for 80% chance of rain on Monday and 100% on Tuesday. We were undaunted.

When a man came to our site to help us get the shingles on the roof, he told our site leader, “that there was no way he would open a roof today.”

Our site leader smiled. He told me that he started to tell him that we were working for Jesus, but he didn’t.

I had reminded the teens before we got on the roof that the Creator of the Universe was not in any way bound by its laws.

On Monday, we completely tore off the shingles on one side of the roof and replaced them. We got a few sprinkles of rain at most. After we returned to the church where we were staying and after we all got showers, it began to pour. I smiled as I ran through the drops and gave thanks.

God had come through.

The next day, the rain chances were even higher. There was a discussion about just tearing off a quarter of the shingles, but our site leader, a man of deep faith, thought better of it and gave the go ahead to get them all.

I sent out a prayer request that the weather would hold on Facebook.

I was sent to pick up some boards to replace the rotten ones. As I drove, the rain began to drizzle. I prayed out loud that God would show Himself to these teens. We were acting in faith, opening up that roof and would He please keep the rain at bay.

He once again came through. I kind of pictured Him in the heavens somewhere with His mighty hands holding back the rain, just as He had done with the Red Sea for Moses.

We finished that side of the roof with little to no rain once again and once again, when we left our work site and returned to our church, the rains came.

I giggled as I gave thanks. I will never have any idea how many people prayed for our weather on those two days, but I do know there were warriors involved. We got two roofs put on while the occupants inside stayed dry.

I am reminded that man’s laws, knowledge and predictions mean nothing to God. He has always had the final say and He always will. He demonstrated that fact to me and a bunch of teens not long ago.

Perhaps you needed to see it too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Choosing to Trust

Posted on by Wendy
Frustration is certain on this side of eternity, but trust and obedience is a choice.

One morning last week I was struggling. I was running late for work. I had a million things on my mind. My to-do list seemed impossibly endless, and I was having some serious doubts about my decision to return to work full-time after being at home with my kids for so many years.

The list of tasks waiting for me on my desk that morning seemed insurmountable as well. As I drove, fighting the urge to speed, I prayed. There are those days when we just need to call out the name, “Jesus.”

The Bible tells us that there is power in His name and at the moment, I felt completely overwhelmed and powerless. Hadn’t God led me to this place? Hadn’t I listened very carefully? Had I heard wrong? As doubt and uncertainty filled my restless soul, I desperately pleaded with Him to show His face to me in all of the chaos.

And in my own despair, I weakly asked that I be given the opportunity to be His face too.

I was only two minutes late to work. My day was busy as expected and I had to go and run some school errands. When I arrived at the grocery store to pick up some sandwiches for a meeting, they weren’t ready.

I had ordered them hours earlier. They were supposed to be ready, but they weren’t. They only had three done and I had ordered seven. The woman working there was very apologetic. I smiled and told her it was fine.

As I waited, I read the daily devotion I had neglected earlier that morning. As I waited, I took some deep breaths and felt a calm come over me. As I waited, I acknowledged that this situation was completely out of my control and to be honest, so are the majority of the situations in my life.

There was a line forming in the deli and they were very busy. The woman who was making the sandwiches breathlessly told me that there was only one more to go. I assured her that it was okay.

A moment later, an older gentleman with completely white hair, wearing hiking boots, carrying a shopping bag, walked up to me and said, “You are being very patient.”

Then, he just walked away. I was stunned. I had no idea who he was, or where he came from. I called back, “I hear it’s a virtue!” He grinned and kept walking.

Moments later, my order was complete and I checked out. I walked out of the store much lighter than when I walked in.

I always stand amazed at the way God reveals Himself in so many small ways. I am also amazed at how He blesses us when we choose to bless others.

Frustration is going to happen on this side of eternity. But, obedience and trust is a choice, a choice that often leads to unexpected blessings.

A trip to the store reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Remembering to Look

Posted on by Wendy

We worship an ever-present God.

I recently had a really rough day. I had to go to the drugstore on the way home from work to pick up a prescription for a physical ailment. But, I was emotionally distraught too. I went home and collapsed on my bed for a little while in the fetal position.

There was simply no part of me that felt good at the moment. I eventually drug myself out of bed, put on my pajamas, (it was only 5:00 by the way), and went downstairs to find my hubby preparing dinner. I felt a little nudge reminding me that he was a blessing and something to feel good about. Another little nudge reminded me that we had plenty to eat and that too, was a blessing to feel good about.

He had a meeting that night and left shortly after dinner. My two teens and I plopped ourselves in our family room, planning to watch television. We all had our phones, looking for different things, but we talked while we surfed and we laughed.

My son loves to pick at my daughter and she was giving it right back to him, but it was all good natured. They kept at it for over an hour and I don’t know when I have been so entertained.

When my hubby finally returned and we turned the television on, my heart was definitely lighter. My stomach was still hurting, but my soul felt better.

As I went to bed that night, I thanked God for the gift of my children. They have brought so much joy into my life and that night in particular, much laughter.

As I thought about it the next day, I was reminded of the many daily blessings that we are given that we so often miss because we aren’t looking for them. It’s all too easy to stay distracted by life’s busyiness and stresses.

But, as Christians, we worship an active and busy God who is involved in our daily lives. From that unexpected phone call from a friend when we most need it, to a chance meeting with someone who becomes a significant presence in our lives, to that job offer that turns our to be the perfect fit for us, to the blessing of family.

The Holy Spirit is present, helping us and reminding us that we are loved and that God is not the God of chaos. He has a plan. He is in control. Always.

If we actively look, we will find Him. An evening with a couple of teenagers reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Choices

Posted on by Wendy
What we focus on is a choice.

I am writing this at the end of a very long day, and for that matter, a very long week, and come to think of it, an incredibly long month. I am tired and I find myself wanting to climb into bed and just stay there for a day or two.

Have you ever found yourself in that place?

Of course, I’ve been here before. I think we all have at one time or another. But, these are the times when we have two choices. We can give in and give up or lean really hard into Jesus and the grace the He offers.

My pastor once said that, “People will say terrible things when they are in pain.” The words struck a nerve with me, so much so that I wrote them down.

I have found on my life journey that the world is full of people in all kinds of pain, whether physical or emotional, and I have found my pastor’s words to ring true. I find truth in them when talking to my teens about things people have said to them. I have found them to be true in my own life.

I have found that hurtful words spoken are very rarely even personally meant for the person who receives them. They are simply manifestations of some type of pain that the one who speaks them is bearing.

When I am rested, I remember. When I am focused on God and not my own need for control, I remember.

When I am weary, I sometimes forget. I also forget when I am focused on my own feelings.  That’s when I allow myself to get frustrated. That’s when I allow my feelings to get hurt. That’s when I forget that I truly have a choice.

I can choose to believe that I am where I am for a reason. I can choose to believe that God has a plan. I can choose to understand that people in pain have sharp edges and that hurtful words are not really about me.

I can also choose to believe that God is not in control and that I’m on my own. I can choose to strike back and lash out. I can choose anger and frustration over grace and understanding. There’s an enemy of my soul who would love for me to make those choices. Honestly, those choices sometimes feels like the right ones.

But, they are not. They never are.

Jesus calls us to something different, to a higher purpose. He calls us to love one another and to extend mercy and forgiveness because we have been given mercy and forgiveness.

When we stay focused on Him and remember that, our hearts stay whole and our souls stay well. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

PS My kids are on spring break next week, so I’m taking the week off to spend with them. I hope to see you back here in a week.

Opportunities and Choices

Posted on by Wendy
We can choose to either be defeated by hardship or to use it to glorify God.

I recently saw a television commercial for “Dancing With The Stars.” I don’t think I’ve ever watched the show, but Mr. T is a contestant this season, so after it finished, I Googled his performance. I’ve loved Mr. T since the eighties. He’s truly a gentle giant and a strong Christian, who has used his celebrity to promote good in the world.

He’s also a cancer survivor. I read an article in People Magazine, where he talked about his battle with cancer. He said, “What gave him hope was faith in God.”

He also talked about scripture. He said, “In the book of Job, he was challenged but he kept on believing in God. That’s  the message I try to tell other people. Just because you believe in God, serve God, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked…that doesn’t mean that bad things are not going to happen to you.”

I think that’s a powerful message that many of us don’t like to think about. Christianity doesn’t make us immune from pain and hardship. We don’t serve God to earn His favor. We serve God because we love God. We love God because He loved us first.

We live in a broken world where bad things are going to happen, but we are not permanent residents here. We are travelers. Like Mr. T, we all have the ability to use our stories, the good and bad chapters, to encourage others who might be going through the same struggles.

Mr. T is 64 years old and is no ballerina, but he’s doing the show in honor of children who are fighting cancer. If he wins, he has vowed to shave off his famous mohawk to show solidarity with them. So far, the public has supported him with their votes.

If a 64- year- old body builder who has never been a dancer, is willing in his words, “to try,” to win a dancing show against opponents half his age, in honor of children with cancer, what are some things we might be called to do to share God’s love with others?

Mr. T reminds me that we are never too tough or too old to share our faith. He reminds me that we all have a story to share and that we all have the opportunity and the choice of whether to let our hardships defeat us, or to allow them to glorify God.

May we all choose wisely.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Here’s a Mr. T dance in case you missed it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW_HnCR1UpI

Don’t Panic, Pray

Posted on by Wendy
God knows what we need.

Our sermon last Sunday, was from Exodus 17. It was about the Israelites traveling in the wilderness. The first verse says they traveled from place to place as the Lord commanded. At first glance, it looks like they were doing exactly what they should. They were following God’s lead.

Only one chapter earlier, God provided manna from heaven for them and after they complained, He provided quail as well. Just four chapters earlier, God parted the Red Sea for them and destroyed the Egyptian army that pursued them.

God had shown Himself in huge and miraculous ways. These people should have been people of great faith. But, by the second verse, it becomes clear that they were full of fear and doubt. Apparently, they could find no water where God had told them to pitch their tents and so they began to quarrel and turn on Moses.

Fear and desperation can change people. It can make them irrational. It can make them say horrible things. It can lead them to do horrible things. In this case, some were thinking of stoning Moses.

I’m always shocked at how quickly the Israelites lose faith. After all of the miraculous signs, did they really not believe that God could provide them with water?

But, then when I honestly look at my own life, I too, have found myself in wilderness type places where I felt that God has led me, but then wondered if He would provide. After all of the blessings, after the hundreds of times He has shown Himself to be faithful, I have found myself afraid.

Maybe you have too?

That’s when I start wondering if I heard Him right. Am I really where He wants me to be?

The Israelites even asked, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

While it’s easy to judge the Israelites for their incredibly short memories. Do we really do much better ourselves? As soon as we find ourselves in difficult circumstances, do we question God’s presence in our lives?

Our pastor pointed out that if God showed Himself to us every minute, that our faith would never grow. He said sometimes God steps back so that we can grow into something much stronger.

If you don’t believe that growth is difficult, ask any middle schooler.

But, even though the Israelites panicked, God provided. He created them. He knew that they needed water and He provided it for them even after their faith waivered.

And, He does the same for us. If we find ourselves in the wilderness with no water, we are called to pray, not panic. We are not alone and He will provide, just as He always has.

Perhaps you needed reminding today.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Posted on by Wendy
Patrick used familiar surroundings to share the Gospel.

Today is St. Patrick’s Day. I really like this holiday. There’s no pressure to buy anything. Everyone just wears green and celebrates our supposedly, Irish roots, while looking for leprechauns. But, St. Patrick’s Day has an interesting past which is actually God centered.

It’s all a little cloudy because it happened so long ago, somewhere between 400-600 A.D. Legend has it that Patrick was born to wealthy parents in England and was captured at some point in his mid teens by Irish raiders. He was taken to Ireland and sent off to be a slave tending sheep. (Isn’t it interesting that sheep were involved?)

He was very afraid and lonely and began praying all of the time. (Can you relate?)

After six years in captivity, God told him in a dream, it was time to go home and so he began walking. He walked nearly 200 miles before he was saved by friendly sailors. (Can you imagine walking 200 miles and not getting discouraged or giving up?)

While he was in Ireland, he learned their customs and language. It is said that some time after he returned home, an angel told him in a dream, to return to Ireland as a missionary and preach the Gospel to them. (I can’t imagine the wrestling that must have ensued.)

After studying for 15 years, Patrick obeyed God and returned to Ireland. The Irish were mostly pagan and Druid, but there were some Christians there. Since he knew their customs, he knew that the shamrock was a sacred plant to them. He used the three-leaf clover to explain the trinity to them.

He knew that they used fire to honor their gods so he used bonfires to celebrate Easter. He also used the sun which was a powerful Irish symbol, and superimposed it on the cross to create the Celtic cross.

Patrick would have never been able to communicate with the Irish in such an effective and powerful way if he hadn’t endured the six years in captivity there. (When times are the toughest, it’s hard to see God is building something amazing, but He often is.)

At the end of his life, Patrick had helped to start over 300 churches and baptized over 120,000 Irish people. He preached in Ireland for over forty years and died on March 17th.

He is credited with at least thirty-three miracles including many counts of healing as well as several resurrection stories. He is not credited for driving snakes out of Ireland. There never were any there, but he is credited in turning almost an entire nation to Christ.

Looks like he did actually drive a snake out.

Patrick’s story inspires me. Perhaps you needed some inspiration today.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

 

 

Walking by Faith

Posted on by Wendy
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

On Sunday morning, my hubby gently tapped me and informed me that we had missed springing forward for daylight savings time. We have never done that before, but interestingly enough, I wasn’t filled with the need to rush.

I had actually been dreaming about the song we were singing that morning in the choir. It was titled, “Walk by Faith,” and I could ‘t wait to sing it. We sing quite a few songs that really do nothing for revving up my soul, but Sunday’s did and I didn’t want to miss it.

On Sunday mornings, I give myself almost two hours to get ready. I like to sit down with a cup of coffee and breakfast and read a devotional. I like to play praise music as I get dressed. I like to take time to pray. I make it a point to try to prepare my heart for worship before I leave my house.

I learned this practice quite a few years back. I have often believed that for families of faith, Satan’s busiest time is Sunday mornings when we are trying to ready our families for church. When we are raising littles, Sunday mornings are often filled with rushing that ends up producing anxiety and frustration, which leads to raised voices and sometimes tears. The teen years can prove to be just as stressful. By the time we arrive at church we are so upset, we miss the entire message, the blessings, and the ability to bless others.

To combat the Sunday morning stress, I began getting up much earlier than I had to, so I could be open and ready for what God had to share.

So, as I awoke on Sunday, I was behind the proverbial eight ball. As I dashed for the shower, I couldn’t help but marvel that the song, “Walk by Faith,” kept running through my head. One of the lines in particular, was “we walk by faith and not by sight.”

I said a prayer. I acknowledged that the God who I worship, called the Universe into being. I acknowledged that the God I worship, fed five thousand people with a couple of fish and five loaves of bread. Surely, my God could get me to choir practice in a timely matter, while allowing me the peace to truly worship Him. I asked for His intervention.

My hubby had a cup of coffee waiting for me on the counter. I thanked God for that blessing as I calmly got ready. I ate a quick breakfast. I didn’t dawdle, but I didn’t rush either.

Practice is usually at 9:15, but that morning it had been pushed back to 9:00. After waking up an hour late, I walked into church right at 9:15 to find that they hadn’t even started. I wasn’t even late.

I had lived the anthem that morning. I had walked by faith and God delivered, but in the end, He always does.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you did too!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Blooming Where We Are

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes we need to remember that our mission field is right where we are.

Yesterday, when I arrived home from work, I grabbed a chair and collapsed onto my deck. I sat in the warmth of the March sunshine, listened to the birds and tried to breathe deeply. It had been a long day and a long week and I still had another day to go.

Nothing bad had happened; in fact I had received some really good news earlier in the week. But, my job had been crazy busy, with a million interruptions and I was just bone tired.

I looked across the yard at my white irises blooming. They always make me smile. My hubby and I dug them up years ago, from an old home place on my parents property. I have no idea how old they are, at least sixty, but likely much older than that. We planted them at the base of one of our oak trees and they multiplied like crazy. We now have them at the base of two trees and several other places in the yard.

They didn’t ask to be moved from their home in Middle Georgia to their home in Northeast Georgia. Yet, they just seem to grow and prosper wherever we plant them.

Those white flowers made me think of a conversation I had earlier in the week with a coworker who reminded me that I have been put in my particular place, at this particular time, for a reason that had noting to do with my job description.

We forget sometimes that we can do kingdom work wherever we are planted. It doesn’t matter what the job description is on paper. We can be a construction worker, a waitress, or a CEO of a company. Our job titles make no difference to Jesus. The spiritual work we are called to do can shine through, wherever we are.

Our mission field is always the ground we are standing on, whether we asked to be there or not, whether it’s difficult or easy. Those irises reminded me to bloom and prosper wherever I am planted, knowing that at some point, I may be scooped up and planted somewhere else, but that I am not to worry about that. I am called to trust God’s plan.

I am called to bloom today in this spot, right where I am, and so are you. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

A Call to Actively Seek

Posted on by Wendy
The same God who called the universe into being, called the tiniest of flowers into being too.

Albert Einstein once said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One, is though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is.”

Those are wise and deep words spoken by one of the most brilliant men who ever lived. It’s interesting to me that so often, Christians are criticized for our faith because we believe in what we can’t see, yet one of the smartest men who ever lived, believed in God and miracles.

Most of us will acknowledge the big miracles that we often find ourselves praying for, the healing, the deliverance, the redemption, but what about the smaller ones that we so often miss?

What about that friendship that helped us through a really rough time? Do we openly acknowledge that God was planting those seeds of friendship all along because He knew how important they would be down the road?

What about the stray dog or cat that just happens to cross our paths at the right time and ends up being a beloved member of the family who brings endless joy to our lives? Do we acknowledge that God actively put His creature in our path?

What about the job offer that comes out of the blue that feeds your family and your heart?

What about an unexpected call or encounter with an old friend that lifts your spirits?

Are all of those scenarios simply coincidence or is something Divine going on?

What if we all were to actively seek the everyday miracles in our daily lives? What if we were to ask God to show us where He is working, remembering that the God who called the universe into being, also called the daffodils into being.

It’s easy to see Him in the glory of a sunrise, but He’s also in the gentle butterfly. Our chaotic, busy lives, often leave little room for wonder or for seeking. We prefer a God who would speak to us in burning bush moments and huge gestures. He certainly can and sometimes He does.

But, if we honestly seek Him, knowing that He is involved in our lives, we can find Him in the quiet and in the small, making the active choice to live our lives as if everything is a miracle.

A quote from Albert Einstein reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂