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.

A Faith Oasis

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes if you want some beauty in your life, you have to be willing to do your part.
Sometimes if you want some beauty in your life, you have to be willing to do your part.

I was gazing out my window yesterday at my barren, unappealing deck. It was covered in yellow oak tassels and sticks from all of the wind we have had lately. Both tables were covered in debris as well. As I looked out there, It thought to myself that I really would like to look out there and see an oasis.

I would like to have brightly colored tables and flowers blooming in pots scattered about. Almost as soon as I thought it, a little voice popped in my head that said if I wanted an oasis, a place of beauty and rest, then I should go create it.

I pushed it to the back of my busy mind as I had a million other things to do, but I eventually found myself out there. I got my hubby’s blower and cleared of the mounds of oak crud. I took a six-pack of impatiens that I already had and dug around for some brightly colored pots I already had as well.

I cleaned off the tables and made a mental note to get some paint. It wasn’t finished, but it was a start and sometimes that’s all you need.

It occurred to me as I rolled up the hose and then the cord to the blower that we often have the ability to create an oasis of sorts in many areas of our lives.

Many of us get the importance of prayer, but we neglect to take the physical steps to create the beauty and peace that we seek. We pray for stronger or happier marriages, but we continue to treat our spouse in the same way that ended us up in the desert. We pray that our children will know Jesus and draw closer to God, yet we fail to take them to church regularly or talk to them about our faith.

We pray for a promotion, but continue to arrive a few minutes late to work and take long lunches. We pray for a better job, but don’t send out any resumes.

Many of us long for a stronger faith, but we don’t read the Bible or make intentional time for prayer. I remember hearing Joyce Meyer tell a story once about having a conversation with God. She would speak and He would speak right back to her. I remember wanting that kind of relationship with Him, but not knowing how.

Was she special? No. She was intentional. She read the Bible. She prayed. She asked questions to those who had been Christians longer. She learned obedience. She helped to create an oasis in her relationship with God.

And so can we. There is always hope for whatever areas in our lives seem to be in the desert. First we pray for direction and sometimes that direction is to wait. But, sometimes that direction is for us to do our part. We can count on God doing His a hundred percent.

We are physical and spiritual beings. Sometimes the most difficult step to take is the first. Yet, when we want real change we have to be willing to take it.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Backseat Reflections

Posted on by Wendy
What would our lives look like if we let Jesus drive?
What would our lives look like if we let Jesus drive?

My family drove to my parents’ house to celebrate Mother’s Day. The drive takes about and hour-and-a-half. It was a beautiful day, so we decided to take the top off of my hubby’s Jeep.

It was a nice drive down. Being in the front passenger’s side, I was in charge of navigating the radio. I answered to my two teens in the back. Every now and then, I would almost lose my hat, so I had to be mindful of how I held my head.

When we arrived, my very tall son,who was seated behind my hubby, made the comment that his knees were almost under his chin and that we had grown too big as a family, to travel in the Jeep. I laughed. He was crammed in there. Being the shortest in my family, and I’m still not sure how or when that happened, I agreed to ride in the backseat on the trip home.

I learned very quickly, that keeping my hat was going to be an ongoing struggle, so I abandoned it and put it in the floor. My hair kind of blew around my face and I was reminded of boat rides as a kid. I also learned very quickly that I was no longer in charge of the radio and the sun was too bright to fiddle with my cell phone.

For an entire hour-and-a-half, all I had to do was just ride. I had zero responsibility and it was incredibly freeing. I would catch a whiff of jasmine in some spots and honeysuckle in others. I marveled at how blue the sky was and how warm the sun felt on my skin. I observed how green the grass had become and I realized that there are a lot of cows on our route.

None of those things were new or spectacular, but they are observations I would have missed if I hadn’t been in the backseat. They were observations I would have missed if I had been driving or in charge of navigating.

As I said a quiet prayer of thanks for the beauty around me and the wonder that is God, I felt a gentle nudge telling me that the wonder is always available, but I choose to forfeit it when I fight for control. When I worry and fret about the little things and even the big things in life, I miss the wonder. When I feel like I have to fix everything, I miss the beauty. When I feel like I have to say yes to everything and take on way more than I can handle, I surrender peace to chaos.

I was reminded that there is another way. I can choose to let Jesus drive. I can trust that He knows the right path. I can accept that He doesn’t need a navigator; He wants someone who is willing to go along for the ride. He wants someone who can appreciate the wonder along the way and someone who trusts that even in the darkest times, that He’s still in the driver’s seat. He wants someone who has faith that He will get us where we need to go and that He never gets lost.

A ride in the backseat reminded me. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Pick Up Your Mat

Posted on by Wendy
True change occurs when we decide to follow Jesus.
True change occurs when we decide to follow Jesus.

Yesterday, our sermon was about the man found lying on a mat in John, chapter five. He had been sick for 38 years when Jesus just happened to walk by him. For all of those years, this man had been hanging out at the pool of Bethesda, where the story was that an angel would stir the water from time to time and the first person in, would be healed.

Our pastor pointed out that after 38 years of trying the same thing, one would think he might look to a different avenue of healing. Was his plan to try for the same cure indefinitely?

I never really thought about it that way. He also pointed out that when Jesus asked him if he wanted to get well, the man gave excuses why he couldn’t. Hmmm, does that sound familiar to those of us living in modern times?

We know that diabetes is an epidemic, yet we add sugar to everything. We know that smoking causes lung cancer, emphysema and leads to heart attacks, yet we smoke. We know that drinking too much alcohol leads to hangovers, yet we drink too much. We know that not exercising leads to weight gain and bone loss, yet we don’t exercise.

Don’t we want to be healthy? Don’t we want to feel good? Why then, do we continue to participate in behaviors that harm our health?  Why would we expect a different outcome when we continue to participate in destructive behaviors?

What about our spiritual health? How often have we heard someone say or said ourselves that we wish we knew the Bible better, yet we never try to read it? How about that we wish our faith was stronger, but we only attend worship services a few times a year and only pray when our lives hit rock bottom?

Don’t we want to get better, to feel better, to be better?

Seems that we have a lot in common with the man who had been sick for 38 years. Like him, we are usually really good at coming up with excuses and often, like him, we are simply following the crowd. Everyone believed that healing would come from that pool, so everyone went there, yet few people were truly healed there. Why did so many people stay?

Interestingly, Jesus didn’t care about his excuses. He didn’t reason with him. He didn’t cut him off. He offered him another way. Jesus told him to, “Stand up, pick up your mat and walk!” John 5:8

And at last the man was healed, because he was obedient to Jesus. Jesus told him to stand up and get going and he did. Just like that, the man’s life was changed forever.

I suppose the question for us is what areas in our lives need healing or need to change for us to be well? Have we been doing the same thing for as long as we can remember, but still expect change?

This story reminds us that Jesus calls us to something different. He calls us to listen to Him, to obey Him, to trust Him and then to pick up our mats, or whatever crutch we may be using and get going.

What will your answer be?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Roofing Lessons

Posted on by Wendy
Roofs can bring us closer to God.
Roofs can bring us closer to God.

I was recently talking with a friend of mine about a mission opportunity she is considering. She’s thinking about going to a Salkehatchie work camp this summer with her son, but she’s undecided.

I encouraged her to go and I told her it would be life changing, but I warned her they may put her on a roof. They tend to have a lot of roof work that needs to be done.

In most cases all roofing for the day, has to be completed by lunch time because walking on shingles once they are hot, takes years off of their life. Therefore, all able-bodied people on the worksite, are encouraged to get on the roof.

My friend defiantly informed me that she would not be getting on a roof. I smiled and let it go. I knew it was fruitless to debate it with her.

But, I also knew that she would likely change her mind. I had been in her shoes just a year earlier. When I decided at the last minute to attend a Salkehatchie camp, I too, was quite certain I would not get up on a roof.

First of all, I knew nothing about roofing. Secondly, wasn’t I too old to do something like that? I was already in my mid-forties.

My daughter told me they would probably have me do things like fetching water and getting supplies. That seemed to be right about my speed.

When we arrived onsite early Monday morning, we said a prayer and then I was invited to get on the roof.

Up the ladder the teens went. Up the ladder the men who were a good deal older than I was, went. I have never been a fan of ladders. I don’t necessarily mind going up them, but I have never liked coming down them. Yet, up the ladder I went.

After a short tutorial on how to remove old shingles, I was in the groove with all of the seasoned volunteers. After the first day, I didn’t even hesitate to go up that ladder. Going up that ladder represented something so much bigger than I was. Being on that roof with that particular Body of Christ and being the hands and feet and face of Jesus, became so much more important than any of my perceived physical shortcomings. It became more important than any of my fears.

I learned so much that week about serving others. I learned that climbing ladders and working on roofs, just like any other seemingly insurmountable tasks are completed one step at a time and being overwhelmed by that which seems impossible, is forgetting the Who we serve.

I went in knowing that, “all things are possible with God.” I left with the deep conviction that, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

My friend who is on the fence about the roof can too and so can you.

We should never fear a ladder. It’s simply a way to take us higher and things like roofs can bring us closer to God.

What roof is God calling you to today?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

A Golden Reminder

Posted on by Wendy
Being vigilant about who we worship, keeps us safe.
Being vigilant about who we worship, keeps us safe.

I just finished reading the account of Moses getting the Ten Commandments from God. The Israelites had survived plagues and been rescued from the Egyptians. They had seen God part the Red Sea and make water come from a rock where there had been no water. They were being fed with manna from Heaven.

They knew and had personally witnessed that God was powerful and mighty. They had witnessed that God was good. They had seen on multiple occasions that God would provide.

When Moses went up Mount Sinai to meet with God, the people were told to wait until his return and not to approach the mountain. They were believers. They were His chosen people. They were obedient, for a little while.

Time passed, forty days went by and the Israelites got nervous. Who really knows how doubt in God’s Word, and His abilities, and His plan starts? Possibly one person who was weak in their faith, said to another that maybe Moses was gone for good. Maybe it was started by people who missed the multiple idol worship of the Egyptians. Perhaps, they reasoned, if there were several gods, at least one would grant them favor.

Satan has always been really talented at getting doubt in God stirred up.

However it started, it went downhill fast. Doubt went into action and before Moses returned, a golden calf had been built and people were worshiping it and dancing around it.

Now before we get too judgemental about the Isrealites and their idol, we better take a close look at our own lives. While today’s Christians can defiantly say that we would never worship a golden image, can we also say that we have no idols of our own? Can we honestly say that we always put nothing or no one before God?

That would have to include things like regularly skipping church for work, or lake trips, or to sleep in, or because our kids don’t want to go. That would also include things like placing our financial security over our spiritual security. Humanity idolizes all kinds of things from our youth, to our wealth and status, to our popularity, to other people, to ourselves and everything in between.

Just because those things may not be physical, are they really any different from that golden calf?

When we put something in front of God in our lives, doesn’t it come down to a lack of trust that He knows best, that He will provide, or that He has a plan that is good?

The golden calf incident reminds us that when we allow doubt and fear to drift into our faith, we can make decisions that end in disaster. It reminds us that when we don’t keep our eyes focused on God, that we can get distracted and make a mess of things. It reminds us that we are all vulnerable to idolatry if we don’t stay close to Jesus. It reminds us to be vigilant with our hearts and minds.

Sometimes we need reminding.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Squirrel Lessons

Posted on by Wendy
A little squirrel reminded me that God intervenes in our lives constantly in ways we can't see.
A little squirrel reminded me that God intervenes in our lives constantly in ways we can’t see.

As I was traveling down the road yesterday to meet a friend, a squirrel ran out into the road directly in my path. Now squirrels are famous for being indecisive. Instead of running across the road, they will run back and forth and end up flattened. This particular one froze and if he stayed put, I would pass safely over him.

They never stay put.

I held my breath for a second, feeling sure I was going to crush him, but I didn’t. I caught him making it to the grass in my rear view mirror. It was a tiny miracle of sorts. Sure, it was just a squirrel, but it was one that got to keep on living due to perfect split second timing.

I thought of that experience for the remainder of the day. I thought about how often God intervenes for us and we don’t even know it.

I had just read that morning, the story in Exodus where Moses tells his father-in-law about the troubles they had faced since leaving Egypt and how the Lord had saved them.

God confused the Egyptians, parted the Red Sea, turned undrinkable, bitter water into drinkable water, sent manna and quail for food and then made water appear from a rock and all those gifts were for complaining, ungrateful people. Yet, when Moses told the story, he was quick to point out that even though there were hardships along the way, the Lord had saved them. Exodus 18:8

Those were hardships that they could see. God intervened in those big ways to show His power and love for His people and to build their faith. Who knows in what other ways He intervened?

How many people stayed healthy on that journey? How many babies were born? How many elderly people successfully made the trip?

It’s sometimes difficult to feel like God is with us when times are tough and circumstances seem impossible, but the Bible assures us over and over that He is and as we grow in faith, like Moses, we can learn to recognize His presence.

But, my squirrel encounter also reminded me that He is with us throughout all of our days and years in ways that we may never know. When you forgot something at home and had to turn around and go get it, perhaps you avoided a fatal accident. When you didn’t get that job you so desperately wanted, perhaps He was saving a better one for you. When the answer to an ongoing prayer was no, is it possible that what you thought you wanted wasn’t what you needed?

Looking back on my own life, I have found that to be true.

While we make an effort to be thankful for all of the blessings that we can see, maybe we should also say a prayer of thanks for all of the blessings that we can’t see. Just because we can’t see them, doesn’t mean that God hasn’t rained them down on us.

Being able to be thankful for that which we don’t see is just another step in growing our faith and trust in the One who created us and loves us unconditionally.

A little squirrel reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Locked Doors Can’t Stop Him

Posted on by Wendy
Locked doors cannot stop Jesus; only locked hearts can.
Locked doors cannot stop Jesus; only locked hearts can.

I wrote a post a couple of days ago about how Mary Magdalene was so distraught when she couldn’t find Jesus’ body in His tomb, that she missed Him standing right in front of her. Even thought she was looking for Him in the wrong place, He came to her where she was and called her by name. Then, she knew.

I wrote about how we often miss encountering Jesus because we look for Him in the wrong places. But, what about when we don’t look for Him at all? What then?

The Gospel of John tells us in chapter twenty, that later on that same day, which would be night time on that very first Easter, the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors, in fear of the Jews. They weren’t searching for Jesus at all. They were hiding.

Mary had told them what she had seen. Did they believe her? The text doesn’t say. Did they think she was just some hysterical woman? Maybe. Whatever they were thinking, they weren’t out looking for the Risen Jesus. They were hiding.

They still feared man more than they trusted God.

But, then Jesus appeared among them. A locked door was no deterrent to the Son of God. He had just defeated death. There was no physical way to keep Him away from the friends that He loved.

My pastor once said that the only thing that can keep Jesus out is a locked heart. It’s not the physical realm that presents any kind of obstacle to keep Jesus from us, it’s the spiritual. It’s the human heart. That’s a lock that He won’t pick. We have to open our hearts to Him willingly and then prepare to be amazed.

The disciples certainly were. They were afraid at first. I probably would have been too. They deserted Him in His greatest hour of need and even though Mary had reported that He was alive, they still cowered in fear. They were not searching or Him.

But, He was searching for them. Let that sink in for a moment.

He wanted to forgive them and for them to know that they were forgiven. He wanted to cover them in grace. He wanted them to know that they were redeemed.

His first words to them. were, “Peace be with you!”

Even thought they weren’t looking for Him, He found them and told them to be at peace.

And so it is with us. For most of us, there are times in our lives when we search for Jesus, but there are also times when we don’t look for Him at all, but this Biblical account is clear.

It doesn’t matter why we are hiding, or what kinds of doors we have locked, whether it’s fear, or shame, or unbelief, if our hearts are open to Him, He will find us, wherever we are.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

PS: Next week is spring break for my kids. I’m going to take break and enjoy them. I hope to meet you back here with new inspiration to share in early April.

 

Groundhog Day Reflections

Posted on by Wendy
While Groundhog Day has us longing for spring, we are sometimes called to wait in the winter season.
While Groundhog Day has us longing for spring, we are sometimes called to wait in the winter season.

Today is Groundhog Day. It’s the day where people anxiously gather around a groundhog’s, zoo habitat and to see whether or not it will predict an early spring or six more weeks of winter. It’s a kind of bizarre ritual that we can thank German immigrants for bringing to America in the 1700’s.

I’ll have to admit though, in the dead of winter, it’s always fun to dream of an early spring. Spring is when the earth pops back to life. Flowers and trees explode in colorful blooms at every turn. The air turns warm. Birds sing. Spring is a glimpse of paradise here on earth.

Who wouldn’t want spring to come early?

There was a movie released in 1993, called, “Groundhog Day.” It was a comedy starring Bill Murray, but it had a much deeper message than comedies often do.

Murray plays a weather man sent to cover Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He is angry and downright surly about having to go. He has better things to do and makes everyone around him miserable as he complains about the miserable little town and the rodent he is sent to cover. Different characters try to reach out to him, but he shoves them all away.

Then a blizzard comes through and he is snowed in for the night, stuck there. He finally goes to bed, thankful that the day is at last over and when the alarm goes off the next morning, it’s Groundhog Day again.

And so it goes, he is forced to relive the same monotonous day over and over. At one point, he tries killing himself. In true Murray fashion, he tries  throwing a toaster in the tub, among other things. Nothing works.

He goes to sleep and wakes up to the same day, seemingly endlessly.

At some point, though, he decides to accept where he is. There’s no great epiphany. It’s subtle. He begins returning kindnesses that are extended to him, with kindness. He stops scheming to get the female lead to fall for him and begins to simply talk to her and get to know her and wonder of all wonders, she develops feelings for him too.

And then, just when he decides it’s okay, to be where he is indefinitely, he wakes up to the next day. Life at last moves on and he’s a much better and wiser human being than before.

We’ve all been there. Haven’t we?

There are times when life seems stuck in an endless loop of winter. We long for spring and we wonder if it will ever come. We sometimes make dozens of futile attempts to change our winter season and force the spring to come.

But, sometimes, God calls us to wait and trust. Sometimes, He is extremely busy crafting a spring for us that’s beyond our wildest dreams, with beauty that will take our breath away, but we must be willing to wait. We must be willing to accept that His plan is better than anything we could conceive on our own.

So, if you find yourself stuck in your own Groundhog Day  loop, don’t be discouraged. The Bible says,”Have I not commanded you? Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Spring is coming.

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 🙂

 

 

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 🙂