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.

Trust Without Borders

Posted on by Wendy
"Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders."
“Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders.”

One of my favorite songs is “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail),” by Hillsong United. It’s all about being called out and answering the call to do things we couldn’t possibly do on our own, but if we rely on God, we can. I especially like to play it on Sunday mornings when I’m getting ready to go to church.

That song reminds me of an interesting truth about our Christian walk. God often uses our gifts and talents to further His kingdom and we all too happily volunteer for things that we’re comfortable with. If organization is our gift, we are happy to volunteer to put things together for church. If hospitality is our gift, we are happy to meet and greet on Sunday mornings. If we are strong with numbers, we might help out with a fund-raiser budget. We are willing to use our strengths.

But, sometimes, there are very specific tasks that we want nothing to do with. For example, for some people, the idea of public speaking scares them senseless. For others, the idea of actually teaching others about Jesus, makes them very uncomfortable.

Yet, it seems as we grow closer to God and stronger in our faith, He becomes very intent on doing away with anything that frightens us. If something makes us hesitate, He often calls us to face it and sometimes in a big way. He seeks to root out fear, so that we no longer carry it. Think about Moses the stutterer. Oh, yeah, God called him to meet with Pharaoh repeatedly and then lead the Israelites out of captivity.

My hubby has never really been very keen on public speaking. He’s a great listener and fabulous one on one, or in a small group, but large groups have never been his thing. He’s always had a strong faith, but praying out loud and in public was also not in his wheel house.

For the past year, he’s been attending a men’s prayer group. He rarely misses and his faith has grown even stronger.

Last Sunday, when our pastor got ready to do the benediction, he said he was going to call on one of his prayer partners. I’m not sure why. He doesn’t normally do that. But, he then proceeded to call on my hubby to pray in front of the entire congregation. I felt him tense for a split second; then he bowed his head and prayed. He was completely relaxed.

God had been preparing him and my hubby let the Holy Spirit take over. He let God use him and in the process kicked a lifelong fear to the curb.

We talked about it later, how he didn’t even know what he prayed. But, God knew. That’s what God does.

He calls us out to do things that frighten us or make us uncomfortable, things that we can’t do without Him. When we obey, He shines through us in really big ways and our faith grows stronger.

But, He won’t force it. We have to be willing, and when we are, He’ll teach us to fly.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

P.S. I’ve included a link to that song. It’s good stuff!

 

Caterpillar Seasons

Posted on by Wendy
Caterpillars are dull and unremarkable, but we have to remember that it's just for a season.
Caterpillars are dull and unremarkable, but we know that it’s just for a season.

I have seen caterpillars everywhere lately. It seems like wherever I walk, I have to be careful not to step on one. My daughter even announced to me yesterday, that she had saved one that was crawling in the garage. That’s a huge step for her because she really hates worms. But, she knows that a caterpillar is much more than a worm and she has a special love for butterflies.

Don’t we all? Most butterflies are so beautiful that they look like God hand painted them. However, no butterfly was ever born a butterfly. Nope, they all start out as lowly, unremarkable worms, crawling around on the ground, completely unaware of the breathtaking potential that they carry within them.

I think we all are like caterpillars at one time or another, just slogging along in our drab and unremarkable way. Thankfully, Jesus can see the butterfly within, even when we can’t. He saw the butterfly in Peter even though he would deny him. He saw the butterfly in Mary Magdalene even though she was possessed by demons. He saw the butterfly in Levi, the lowly tax collector and he sees the butterfly in me and you.

When we take our focus off of ourselves and our own day-to-day trials and put it on Jesus, something amazing happens. We realize that we are loved, cherished and created for a purpose. We realize like the butterfly, that we are beautiful and one of a kind, because God made us and He doesn’t make mistakes.

Following Jesus, gives us wings.
Following Jesus, gives us wings.

When we stay focused on Jesus, we feel like we can fly and that all things are possible. But, sometimes we forget. Sometimes we get off track. We let our noisy world drown out the truth and we go back to being a caterpillar. But, here’s the beautiful truth about following Jesus: We can go back to being a butterfly if we choose to.

Jesus always welcomes us back with open arms and his transforming love will change us back into something beautiful.

If we ever find ourselves in a caterpillar season, we need to remember that Jesus wants more for us than we are willing to settle for and that we are loved beyond measure, even enough to die for. That’s how much we matter to him.

He wants us to put on those beautiful wings and fly around and share that truth with all of those caterpillars who desperately need to hear it. What do you say? Are you tired of crawling? Are you ready to fly? Jesus is waiting.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

Rainbow Reflections

Posted on by Wendy
The rainbow represents God's powerful promise.
The rainbow represents God’s everlasting promise.

My mama texted me this picture of a rainbow that my sister took on her family vacation. I’ll have to admit that I found it stunning. It’s rare to see a complete rainbow extending in a full arc, even rarer to see the second one behind it. She also wrote that she was supplying some possibility photos for my blog. She has always been one of my loudest cheerleaders.

The next day, when I was scrolling through my Facebook feed, someone had taken a picture of another beautiful rainbow. Her caption was “the storm that came before it wasn’t nearly as lovely.” No kidding, I thought. Isn’t that always the case?

But, the two rainbow pics, back-to-back, made me feel like God wanted me to read the flood story, so I headed to Genesis.

There are so many fabulous examples of God’s love for His creation and of His mercy, in the account of the flood. Because one man, just one, was righteous, God saved him, his wife, his sons and their wives. Ever feel like what you do doesn’t matter? Ever wonder what’s the point of following God and trying to keep His Commandments when no one around you does?

God is watching. He knows. Noah’s salvation from the flood is a powerful testament to that.

God also gave Noah very specific instructions on how to build the ark. Noah followed them to the letter and he and all of his family, as well as all of the animals were saved due to his exact obedience. He didn’t ask God why He was flooding the earth, or decide to do it his own way, or decide that he would listen to parts of God’s instructions, but not all of them.

Just like Noah, God has given us a set of instructions to keep us safe from life’s floods. If we follow them, we too can be kept from disaster, but the key is that we’re not supposed to pick and choose. We’re supposed to be obedient, even when we don’t understand. I can’t imagine that Noah could even begin to fathom what was coming in his future, neither can we.

In Genesis 7:16, the Bible tells us that after Noah did what he was told, God shut him in. God wasn’t taking his freedom; He was keeping him safe. When God shuts doors behind us, He is doing the same. We shouldn’t try to pry them back open.

Most scholars believe that Noah and his family and all of those animals, were on the ark for a little over a year. Try to remember that the next time you are really struggling to wait on God’s timing. Chapter 8 tells us, “God remembered Noah.” God remembers us too.

When God finally told Noah and his family to come out, He blessed them. They had been obedient and steadfast and God made a covenant with them, and all of their descendants, and every living creature, and He gave them a sign.

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.Whenever the rainbow appears in the cloud, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” Genesis 9:13-16

Can you imagine the awe that filled Noah and his family every time a rainbow appeared in the sky after the flood? It was a physical manifestation of God’s promise. It had to have been breathtaking. Reading Noah’s story reminds me of the wonder that Noah must have felt. It makes me pause and reflect and give thanks.

Maybe you needed a reminder too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Don’t Neglect the Rehab

Posted on by Wendy
Spiritual healing takes time and work, but the results are life changing.
Spiritual healing takes time and work, but the results are life changing.

A few years back, my daddy had knee replacement surgery. It was a long and painful road for him to get to that point. He had considerable pain in his knee for quite some time, but it was a pain he was familiar with. The surgery was a different kind of pain altogether and it was unfamiliar. So, he waited.

He lived with the discomfort for a long time and limped sometimes which caused other parts of his body to suffer. At some point, he and his doctor finally decided that the time had come and he reluctantly agreed to the surgery.

He was told going in that the most important part of knee replacement surgery is the rehab that comes afterward. When the surgical wounds finally begin to heal, you have to go to regular physical therapy sessions to make the new knee move with the leg like it’s supposed to. The sessions can be grueling.

Many people just refuse to go because they can’t deal with the pain involved with the healing. But, the ones who do go and perform all of the required exercises, feel like brand new people. In time, their new knee works better than ever. They are pain-free and have a new lease on life.

I watched Daddy go through all of that and he came out on the other side like a champ, even though the days in between were sometimes dark.

I was thinking how we have a tendency to carry around old injuries like Daddy’s knee that needed replaced. We sometimes carry anger, resentment, regret, emotional pain and guilt, wrapped securely around our hearts. We know it’s not healthy. We know it’s painful, yet it’s something we are familiar with. We are reluctant to let it go because we don’t know or trust what will be on the other side.

When, at some point, for whatever reason, we are convicted to let these things go and lay them at the foot of the cross, we want to believe that’s the end. While it’s true that we are granted forgiveness, whenever we repent and ask, healing takes some time. True healing is like rehab after knee surgery.

We have to begin our day with prayer about that healing. We can seek out others who are on the same path. We can find a church and a small group within, who will love and support us. We can find a wise, Christian mentor to help us along the way. We can read our Bibles to fully appreciate God’s grace and mercy.

Healing takes time and work, but when it’s done, Jesus heals all of it. Even the most impossible cases can be totally transformed. The key is our willingness. Just like physical rehab, the spiritual rehab has to be done by a willing participant. It can’t be forced.

But, the results, well those are life changing. They even have eternal implications. We have to remember not to neglect the rehab. It’s just too important.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Trusting the Director

Posted on by Wendy
If we listen to the Divine Director, we can be unstoppable.
If we listen to the Divine Director, we can be unstoppable.

I volunteered to help hand out marching band uniforms yesterday at my son’s high school. He’s a freshman so this was a first time for me. High school marching band meets throughout the day in sections. The first class of the day was drumline which includes all of percussion.

When the kids arrived for class, the band director spoke with them for a few minutes and then told them to get out their instruments. The noise and chaos (or so it seemed to me), that ensued, was close to deafening. Everyone was playing a different beat on a different instrument. I knew intellectually, that the director had been teaching band for years, but the noise, the noise….

What seemed like forever later, although in reality it was only a short time, the director took the podium. The room was silent. He gave some instructions and they played together. It was still incredibly loud, but it was music, with a beat. They were good. It made sense.

The next class was brass instruments. There were a lot more of them that in the drumline. The same thing happened. The director spoke with them for a few minutes and the noise began. Those tubas and trombones made every bit as much racket as the percussion group.

Once again, the band director took the podium, pin drop silence occurred first and then beautiful music. Towards the end of the class, I was tapping along and wanting to yell out a cheer with them. Who would have thought out of all that chaos, that beautiful music could be produced?

Well, everyone but me, I suspect. The band director knew and the band members knew too. It was the casual observer, the outsider, who didn’t know.

Later on that day, he would bring all of the rest of the groups together with the first two and have them march and play as a team. The result would be fabulous.

After I went home and took a couple of Advil, I pondered the workings of the marching band and how similar they are to the Christian Church.

To the outside observer, we often look like a mess. We run in different directions and are passionate about so many different callings and causes that it seems like we could never really come together and accomplish much of anything.

But, our Divine Director, changes everything. When He takes the podium and we listen to Him and follow His directions through the Bible, and through prayer, we become a Divine Marching Band of Christian Soldiers. We produce beautiful acts, beautiful music and we can change the world. We are a force to be reckoned with and we are unstoppable.

All we have to do is be willing to listen and follow. The results are nothing short of miraculous. Anyone feel like marching?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Faith’s Blessings

Posted on by Wendy
We worship the God who created the universe. Is anything too had for Him?
We worship the God who created the universe. Is anything too hard for Him?

Last October, my family visited a new church, well, new to us. This church had been started fourteen years earlier by a core group of believers who were looking to worship together. They began as Independent Methodists and they met at a local school.

Over the years, they bought a building and then realizing they had no room to expand, sold it. They met at a local funeral home for a while and became part of the Wesleyan Denomination. They were always looking for something permanent, but were unable to find the space they could afford. There was an  empty church in a nearby town, but it was too expensive and needed a fair amount of renovation. That group of believers was adamant on staying together as a church.

The summer before my family visited, they were given thirty days notice to vacate where they had been worshiping. They had nowhere to go and could find no viable, rental space. Many newer members, abandoned ship for greener pastures. But, the core group, continued to pray and hold fast to what they felt they were called to do, worship together and stay together.

A garage-type space opened up, no rooms, no sheet rock, just walls. That core group of believers did what amounted to an Amish barn raising and created a space that would work. It was small, but it was theirs and they had a lease. They had some breathing room while they searched for something else.

My family visited that little store front space and we were immediately drawn in by how welcome we felt and the amount of love we felt there. We could feel God. We ended up joining.

In May, the leaders of the church were informed that the little church that they had looked at earlier, but found too expensive had dropped in price. They invited the entire congregation to take a look. While it was small, it sat on seven acres. We took a vote and everyone voted to purchase it.

Here’s where God got busy. We were told by our denomination, if we could raise $50,000 in six months, that they would match our funds. The entire idea seemed incredibly out of reach. Our church is very small, with less than 100 members, but a capital campaign was kicked off in July. Yesterday, 40 days later, we had surpassed our goal.

We were all in shock, although I don’t know why. We worship the God who can turn water into wine, the God who parted the Red Sea, the God who called the stars into being, the God who fed thousands of hungry people with a few fishes and loaves of bread, the God who sent us His son to save us. Is there anything He can’t do?

For fourteen years, this particular Body of Christ has remained obedient and faithful and they have waited on God and His timing even though all seemed lost at times. They stood fast and today, they were rewarded for their faith.

In October, we will move into a little white church on a hill that will have been completely renovated to welcome all who would come, to know Christ. While we are all giving stunned thanks for the amazing blessings which we have been given, we wait in wonder to see what God will do next.

Yesterday, we were all reminded of Gabriel’s famous words to Mary, “For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:27

Maybe you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Downside of Having it Your Way

Posted on by Wendy
Our way or God's way, it's always a choice.
Our way or God’s way, it’s always a choice.

Yesterday, my pastor preached from the Gospel of John. In John 6:15, the crowd decided to force Jesus to be their king and knowing this, he slipped away. Humanity  has always wanted God to do things our way and it’s never worked out well for us. Yet, we keep trying.

My pastor said that perhaps the reason that America seems to be at odds with God at the moment, is the fact that we always want things done our way. This notion plagued my mind long after the sermon was over.

Just stop and think for a moment about the American way. McDonald’s even has the slogan, “Have it your way.” Big business has taken on the motto that, “the customer is always right.” And, boy, do we believe it. We can send back a meal that we ordered, just because we don’t like it. We can take back just about anything we order on the internet for no reason at all.

We can spill hot coffee on ourselves and then sue the restaurant because it was hot. We have also been blessed with lawyers who will convince juries that it should always be “our way.”

What happens when a nation with the entitlement issues of a two-year-old, goes head to head with God?

When the people in Jesus’ time tried to make him their kind of king, he simply withdrew. That doesn’t mean that God rained down hell, fire and brimstone from Heaven. It just means that Christianity is about freely loving and following Jesus. When we decide to stop following and insist on our own way, he steps back and let’s us.

He doesn’t push us off of a cliff. But, he will allow us to jump. He will gently and sometimes urgently ask us not to, but he will not forcibly stop us.When we hit rock bottom as we inevitably will, and cry out, he will give us a hand. He will help us up and he will help us mend.

But, the damage, well the damage is done. It can all be redeemed, but perhaps not erased.

So, why jump in the first place? That depends on whether or not, we are willing to trust that God and His word are true and for our best interest, or whether we decide to “lean on our own understanding.” The problem is we often really believe that we know what is best for us.

More often than not, we are wrong. Just think back to all of the prayers you have prayed that you thought were unanswered, from the perfect job to the perfect spouse. Looking back, we can always find a reason for prayers that got a “no.” It was always for the best, even if we couldn’t see it at the time.

It takes some serious discipline to trust in God’s will and His way. It so often seems contrary to the ideas of the society we live in. But, if we we read just about any part of the Bible, we will find that this has always been the case. It’s about the will of the Divine verses the will of humanity.

While the story is as old as time, the choice is new for us every single day. Which will you choose today, your way or His?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Power of Group Prayer

Posted on by Wendy
One praying Christian is a threat to evil. Two or more gathered in prayer, is a force to be reckoned with.
One praying Christian is a threat to evil. Two or more gathered in prayer, is a force to be reckoned with.

I’ve been thinking a lot about prayer this summer. I’ve believed in the power of prayer for as long as I can remember. My mama always said our prayers with us before bed time and we always blessed our meals. But, I wasn’t always comfortable praying out loud and I certainly wouldn’t have put my hands on someone while I was praying.

That seemed a little bit over the top for me. I thought that was something that maybe those snake handler Christians would do.

This summer on my mission trip, while we were touring the homes we would work on, tragedy struck in the family of one of our volunteers. A close family member was struck and killed by a tree branch on a beach during a school trip. She was quietly asked to step off of the bus where she was given the news. Those of us on the bus were given the news too. She was devastated.

The excited chatter of new friends and old acquaintances stopped as she got back on the bus and took her seat by me. I held my breath. What could I possibly say to this stranger I had only met a couple of hours earlier? She sat with tears streaming down her face. I told her I was so sorry for her loss and she quietly nodded her head.

Our director got back on the bus and asked us to join together in a prayer. As she began, I put my hand on my seat mate’s shoulder. I don’t really know why, but I felt lead to. At the same moment, the man in front of me did the same and the woman across the aisle from us placed her hand on her back.

It was a powerful moment and as she quietly sobbed, I could feel her drawing strength as well. I could feel the Holy Spirit at work.

She decided to stay the week and complete the mission. She said she was surrounded by family to support her. It was an unbelievably strong testament. No one would have blamed her for leaving. We became good friends as the days passed and I feel blessed to have met her.

We prayed a lot as a group, over the week. We held hands almost every time. We began and ended each day holding hands in prayer on our work sites. We also ended each day with a prayer back at the church with everyone joining hands and sharing something about their day.

A few days ago, I was having coffee with a friend who has really been struggling physically. We talked a lot about prayer and my trip and when I went to leave, I asked her if I could pray with her. She agreed. But, then I found myself putting my hands on her neck that was hurting her so badly, as I prayed for her to get some relief. I was just as surprised as she was, but she said later she felt better.

I think we seriously underestimate the power of prayer, especially when we pray in groups. God is always listening, but the Holy Spirit seems particularly energized when we gather in a group in Jesus’ name. Remember Pentecost?

I’ll admit it can be uncomfortable, but the results are amazing. Maybe it’s worth a try.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Equipping the Called

Posted on by Wendy
“God doesn’t call the equipped; God equips the called.” Rick Yancey

I volunteered to help with my son’s band camp yesterday. It’s July in Georgia and needless to say unbelievably hot, you know, like a hundred degrees in the shade. The moms all sat under a huge tent with ice, water and Gatorade for the band kids whenever a break was called.

It was hot in the shade. Thankfully, when they broke at noon to go inside for lunch, they remained indoors for the rest of the day. The moms had done our duty and after some cleaning and packing up, we were free to go home.

As I trudged to my hot car in the sweltering heat with sweat rolling down by back, I pondered how it was possible that I had been able to work for an entire week in heat like this on my South Carolina mission trip. We didn’t stop at noon either. We broke for lunch and kept working until 5:00 or so.

We also didn’t sit around under a shaded tent. We were out in the sun. We did start earlier, 7:00 instead of 8:00; maybe it was easier to acclimate that way. Could one hour make a difference? I didn’t think so.

Then a favorite quote popped into my mind. “God doesn’t call the equipped; God equips the called.” Rick Yancey

Of course that was it. I was able to join with others and work in that oppressive heat for a week because we were doing God’s work. We were each called to be at that place at that moment for that purpose. We were being obedient. We began each morning in prayer for safety and the strength to stand the heat. God provided us with what we needed to get through the day.

Why wouldn’t He? We are all His children and when we are answering His call, He will equip us. It doesn’t matter how impossible or insurmountable the task me seem. It doesn’t matter how ill-equipped we may feel. “All things are possible with God.”

And that I suppose, is a true definition for faith. I’m going to remember this little lesson the next time I feel in over my head when God calls me to serve. Maybe you will too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Obedience and Blessings

Posted on by Wendy
Obedience leads to beautiful blessings.
Obedience leads to beautiful blessings.

Last night our church improv group did a Sunday Night Live show. It was a variety show with short comedy skits and some music played in between. My family participated in one at Christmas time and we enjoyed it, but this one was an entire different story.

My hubby and kids worked together and wrote several of the skits for this one. We had a group of nine teenagers as well as adults. We had very few practices and many last-minute script changes. It was incredibly stressful. I found myself praying last week that God would calm my nerves and help me to see His plan through all of the chaos.

I had worked with young children and plays many times, but teens are an independent sort. Would they learn their lines? Would they even show up? Comedy is also a different animal than other plays. Would the show be funny?

Sunday morning came and one of our adult cast members had a fever. Would she be able to make the show?

Sunday afternoon everyone showed up on time. The rehearsal was horrible. We didn’t know our lines. We didn’t have the right props. We had technical difficulties. We all hoped to run through our show twice, but only had enough time to do it once.

Now I knew from every single play that I have ever worked with that a horrible rehearsal often leads to a beautiful performance. The other thing that we had going for us was that we had spent the past five months or so, learning to improvise, so when we flubbed our lines, we could often just work with each other. That’s what improv is.

But, probably the most awesome thing that God let me witness through the entire experience was a few minutes before the show started. The pastor wanted to round up the cast for a prayer, but when we went to find the kids, they were already joining hands for a group prayer of their own.

I was moved to tears. A group of teens pulling together on their own, to pray for a common goal is an awesome thing to witness. The adults joined the kids and one of the girls lead the prayer.

Of course, the show went beautifully. The audience laughed loudly at our shenanigans. The music was beautiful and the kids worked together like well oiled machinery.

God was there, just as I knew He would be. He was at work. He was at work as people laughed who desperately needed to laugh. He was at work as we all worked together. He was at work within the hearts of the teenagers who knew the importance of prayer. I’ve no doubt He was at work in countless other ways too.

As is usually the case, when I watch for God and I am obedient, even when it’s hard, He always shows Himself in unmistakable ways and I always end up feeling incredibly blessed. I’ll try to remember that the next time obedience seems hard.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂