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.

Sea Turtle Wisdom

Posted on by Wendy
This sea turtle looks like she was hand painted by God.
This sea turtle looks like she was hand painted by God.

On a recent trip to the Georgia coast, my family visited a sea turtle hospital. I had never given these beautiful creatures very much thought until the year before on a family vacation in Florida, we got to witness a sea turtle release. Three turtles had been rehabbed and were being returned to the sea.

It was an amazing experience, so naturally, when we learned that there was a sea turtle hospital that was open to visitors, we were all interested.

It was sad to find so many turtles who had been injured by the negligence of humanity, but inspiring to see all of the people working with them with the goal to return them back to the Atlantic Ocean to live long productive lives.

They were doing a surgery on one when we arrived and a volunteer explained that its flipper had been so damaged that they were having to amputate it. My eyes filled with tears at the news and I asked her if it would spend the remainder of its life in captivity, keeping in mind that some live over 150 years.

She explained to me that there would be a long rehab for the turtle, but that they can learn to compensate and live just fine in the wild, just like a three-legged dog does. I was shocked. How was that possible?

She went on to explain that they would put special weights on it and move it to larger and larger tanks to help it get stronger before finally setting it free.

Now, there’s no way that poor turtle has any idea what’s in store for her or the fact that the people who keep manhandling  her only want what’s best for her. They want her to be free again, but they want her to be strong and ready first.

I have thought a lot about that turtle upon my return home and the many others at that facility. As I was taking a walk yesterday, I came across a different kind of turtle attempting to cross the road. My heart went out to it as I was reminded of those sea turtles.

I knew it had very little chance of crossing successfully. It would surely get hit by a car. But, I also noted the sharp claws on its feet and I was reluctant to pick it up. So, I gently moved it across the road with my foot. It was terrified and drew up into its shell. It had no way of knowing I was trying to save its life.

As I came back by to check on it, I found it still tightly in its shell and I wished I had a way of communicating that I was only working for its best. For all it knew, I was some giant, kicking it around.

I continued to think about that turtle and the sea turtles as I finished my walk and how people can learn a lot from them.

We sometimes find ourselves getting kicked off of the path we are on, the one we think is best, but perhaps God is moving us out of the way of danger, like I did with the land turtle.

We also sometimes find ourselves getting mauled somehow by people, like the sea turtles and we end up on the sidelines for what seems like forever until we are ready to swim again. But perhaps God is using that time to grow us stronger and better equipped for the future, even though it may not seem like it at the time.

The turtles reminded me that we can trust that God is at work, even when all seems lost, even when we don’t understand. We are loved and treasured and He has a plan.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you needed reminding today too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Faith Lessons from a Pier

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes when disaster looks imminent, we have to have faith.
Sometimes when disaster looks imminent, we have to have faith.

Last week on our family vacation, during and early evening at a pier, we observed a huge ship which seemed to be coming right towards the dock. We weren’t standing on the pier at the time, but dozens of people were. They were fishing and talking and laughing, seemingly unconcerned with the giant ship headed right towards them.

My family watched in nervous amazement as the ship stayed on its course. Didn’t these people remember what happened with that cruise ship in Greece a few years back where the captain ran it aground?

There were so many sandbars in our area and the waters seemed so shallow. Was the captain of this ship awake? Was he impaired? I even sent some photos to my mama so she could show them to my daddy, who was a Navy man.

Weren’t those people on the docks the least bit worried about their safety? They didn’t appear to be. Then, at the last minute, (or so it seemed to me), it turned.

Of course, the people on the pier had seen these ships many times. They weren’t concerned because they knew from years of experience, that there would be no collision. The experienced captain of the ship knew exactly where the deep waters were and he knew exactly when and where to steer his ship to safety.

But, we didn’t know that.

As we continued to watch the ginormous ship head away from the pier, it seemed to get perilously close to a shrimp boat returning from a day of shrimping. We couldn’t see the smaller boat very well and we wondered if the captain of the big one could. Were the people on the shrimp boat worried about their safety?

We anxiously watched as the big vessel appeared to narrowly miss the smaller one.

The zoom lens provided a very detailed view of the shrimp boat.
The zoom lens on my camera provided a very detailed view of the shrimp boat.

When I returned home and looked at my pictures, I marveled at the details on the shrimp boat. I noticed the nets and all of the seagulls surrounding it hoping for a scrap. I saw that it even had a name. I couldn’t see all of that from a distance, but my zoom lens could.

I thought about that big ship for days afterwards. I thought about how it looked like it would crash into the pier, into those people, causing a disaster, but it didn’t. I thought about how it looked like it would collide with the shrimp boat causing tragedy, but it didn’t.

I thought about how faith teaches us that when tragedy seems imminent, like a huge ship headed straight for us, that we can trust that God has us covered, time and time again. We don’t need to worry or even flinch.

I thought about how even though I couldn’t see the details on the shrimp boat, they were there, which made me consider that God sees all of the details of our lives, every little one, with a giant zoom lens. He is completely aware of where we are and where we are going and it matters to Him.

Jesus said, “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:30-31

Having faith in difficult times can be hard. When we feel like a giant ship is headed straight for us, we wonder if God hears our prayers or even cares.

The answer is yes. He knows. He hears. He loves us. He cares.

Whatever your giant ship is, fear not. He’s got this. Perhaps you needed reminding today.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

A Call to Thrive

Posted on by Wendy
She had eight different slots to choose from.
She had eight different slots to choose from.

We bought a brand new hummingbird feeder this year. I had never seen one like it. It’s a two-story with eight different slots, complete with perches, for the little hummingbirds to feed at. I was hoping at last there would be plenty of nectar and plenty of perches and the little birds would spend more of their time eating and less of their time fighting.

This guy picked the same exact slot as the other bird, even though there were seven other options.
This guy picked the same exact slot as the other bird, even though there were seven other options.

 

Alas, that was not to be the case. Nope, they continued to spend their time running the other birds away, instead of enjoying the abundance. They would squabble over the same little flower, even though there were options that offered the exact same nectar.

This isn’t the first time I’ve reflected on these aggressive little birds. When I spend much time watching them, I usually feel like God has something to teach me.

This time as I watched them, it occurred to me that in nature, the key word is survival. They don’t care about sharing or building relationships and community. They just want to have their next meal. They don’t know the first thing about thriving. They just want to survive at all costs.

I guess that’s okay, if you are a hummingbird.

But, how many people do the same?

How many of us settle for the same thing, day in and out? It’s not fabulous; but it’s familiar. We eat the same food, even though there are millions of recipes on the internet for something different. We stay at the same job even though we are bored to tears and long for something else.

We settle for mediocrity in our relationships. We choose friends who are just like us, not people who might help us grow or inspire us. We often allow our marital relationships to get super comfortable, ignoring each other most of the time. What if we turned of the television and went for a walk? What if we went outside and marveled at the wonder of the night sky?

What if we had a conversation about how we might change the world around us in some small way?

Sometimes it’s good for us to take a look around us and ask ourselves if we are thriving. We can ask things like: Are we a part of a caring community? Are we a part of a vibrant faith community? How can we make our relationships stronger? Can we exercise more and eat better? Are we living our lives to the fullest extent possible or are we just surviving?

I believe that God has called us all to a higher purpose than just getting by. I believe that He has plans for us that are beyond our imagination. To learn what they are, we have to talk to Him and then listen. We have to draw in close because sometimes He whispers. We have to be aware of His presence in the everyday.

Then, we must be willing to go, wherever He calls, knowing it may be just across our backyard, but knowing as long as we are walking with Jesus, we will be living out loud, because just surviving, is not His style.

Some hummingbirds reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Holding Out for Transformation

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes things appear dead on the outside, but big change and growth are going on on the inside.
Sometimes things appear dead on the outside, but big change and growth are going on, on the inside.

When my hubby and I bought our house, there were holly bushes growing on each side of our driveway. They are evergreen and require very little maintenance and the deer won’t eat them, so we were happy to have them there. But, as the years passed, they got bigger and bigger and really needed trimming.

Problem was, that since they were so big, the idea of trimming them without cutting ourselves to pieces on the sharp leaves, became a task we kept pushing to the end of our list of things to do. So, the holly bushes continued to grow unchecked until we had issues with them scratching our car doors if we got too close when backing out of our driveway.

The time had come, like it or not, for them to be cut back. I researched on how and when to cut them. They are supposed to be close to impossible to kill, so on a Saturday, we cut them back, way back, and the entire family had the scratches to prove it.

They were really ugly when we finished, very little green left at all, but we knew they would come back stronger than ever.

But, weeks went by and they showed no signs of life. We had some much needed rain and still, nothing, just dead looking stalks.

I examined them every few days and could find no growth. Had we accidentally killed them?

Finally, over six weeks after we cut them, new life appeared. I was jubilant.

The holly had been hard at work regenerating, even though I couldn't see it.
The holly had been hard at work regenerating, even though I couldn’t see it.

I thought about the new growth on that holly bush for several days and every time I checked on it again, there was even more. The holly reminded me how we sometimes want something so badly that we pray and we pray about it.

As time passes, we sometimes begin to lose hope and believe that whatever we are praying about is dead. It can range from anything to a relationship to a dream of some kind. But, perhaps we are too quick to give up hope.

Perhaps, like this holly, even though it appeared dead, there is work going on, on the inside and at just the right moment, the new growth is ready to burst forth.

As I thought about it, I was reminded that butterflies go through the same kind of phenomenon. Who would believe that inside an ugly gray cocoon, that rare beauty will emerge? A creature that crawled on its belly becomes a creature that can fly.

But, it takes time. Transformation takes time.

The good news is that God is incredibly patient with us in our impatience, and even in our lack of faith. But, if we keep praying and learn to wait on His timing, He can create something magnificent out of the ashes.

Growth can burst forth in areas that we had given up as dead, just like my holly bush.

Sometimes I need reminding, perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

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 🙂