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.
How often does God protect us when we aren’t even aware?
My family recently hiked to a waterfall. It was a fairly long hike, but the waterfall was totally worth it. It was one of those thin places where you feel especially close to God, one of those places where you feel a deep sense of awe of Creation. We took a selfie together, but then we all went separate ways for a little bit. I sat on a huge boulder at the base just trying to soak it in.
I think I may have felt a little bit like Peter after the Transfiguration, not wanting to ever leave that mountain top. The crash of the water falling surrounded by huge old trees gave me a definite sense of peace that I was in no hurry to leave behind.
We almost didn’t take that hike. I really wanted to go kayaking, but when we inquired, we learned that the river was moving very fast and that it wasn’t safe for inexperienced kayakers. We had kayaked before, but we were certainly not experienced and so we chose to hike.
I felt so grateful for that choice and felt reminded of the fact that when some doors close, others of equal value tend to open.
After we all took our photos, or explored a bit, or in my case, gave thanks, we started the climb back down. My hubby and son took the lead. My daughter and I chatted about how we were so glad we picked this hike and how different it would probably look with no leaves on the trees.
And then a snake crossing in front of my hubby and son caught my eye. My son and I yelled “snake” at almost the same time as my hubby almost put his foot down on top of a rattlesnake. We all jumped way back as the snake coiled into a strike position. We froze as it rattled.
My hubby couldn’t believe that he hadn’t seen it. I couldn’t believe that we had just walked through there on the way up. Had it been in the bushes then too? We stood there frozen, for what seemed like an eternity, although I’m sure it was only a few minutes. It finally uncoiled and finished crossing and disappeared into the bush.
We were a little quieter for the rest of the way, keeping our eyes peeled for more snakes. Thankfully, we didn’t see any.
I thought of that rattlesnake long after we were safely in the car. I thought about God’s everyday provision and protection for us that we so often miss. I thought about how we were celebrating my hubby’s birthday, a huge milestone that we weren’t sure he would make, due to family health history, but that God knew twenty years ago, when he gave us our son, not only would we get to celebrate that birthday, but that my son would save his daddy’s life that day.
I realized that although I was no longer on that mountaintop, I experienced a mountaintop moment. God was clearly very close.
A chance encounter with a rattlesnake reminded me that God is so much closer that we think, intervening and protecting in ways we can’t comprehend and that knowledge gave me a new sense of peace. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.
Sometimes the roughest paths lead us to incredible destinations.
My family recently took a trip to the North Georgia Mountains. We have always enjoyed hiking together, so this time, I put my daughter in charge of finding us some trails. We settled on a couple of waterfalls and a swinging bridge which happened to be the longest one east of the Mississippi.
The trails she chose were part of the National Forest system. We had never hiked National Forest Trails, but were up for new adventure.
The first trail had a sign on the road that pointed us to a gravel road. We turned and drove a fairly short distance, but questioned ourselves the entire way. Was this gravel road the right path? We seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Soon, we saw other cars parked and just a short hike later, we were delighted to find a beautiful waterfall. We were glad we stayed on the path even though it was rough.
The next day, we headed to the swinging bridge. Again, we saw the sign and again, we found ourselves on a gravel path, but this one was rougher and longer. It was five miles and we marveled at how long it seemed to take to travel such a short distance. I watched as my phone reported that we had only traveled a mile. I couldn’t recall ever taking so long to travel just a single mile.
This time, when our phone announced that we had arrived, there was only one car parked. Were we in the right place? A carved out sign pointed to a path to the bridge. The hike was longer than our first one, but we were so glad we did it. The bridge was was worth it and we took tons of pictures as we laughed at how much it moved as we walked across the rushing river below.
Our last planned hike was to another waterfall. This one was much taller than the first. This time, when we saw the sign to the gravel road, we didn’t question the path even though it was much rougher and longer than the first two and at some places, much narrower. There was a steep drop down to a stream on the passenger side. A couple of times, when when passed a car going the opposite direction, they would stop to let us by. When we arrived, there was no central place to park. We just had to find a spot that wouldn’t block the path for other travelers.
Our hike was much longer than the two before. When we began to wonder if we should have brought some water along, we passed by a couple heading back down. The woman smiled and told us that we were close and it was totally worth it. We appreciated the encouragement. When we got to the waterfall, we were all amazed at its majesty. We sat and stayed a while so glad that we kept going even when the path was long and rough.
I thought about our trip long after we returned home. I was reminded that sometimes the distance we have to go isn’t nearly as long as it feels like when the path is rough and we are often much closer than we think to what we are seeking. I was also reminded that the roughest journeys sometimes lead us to incredible destinations far beyond our own imagination. When we are walking in faith and Jesus points us to a path, staying on the path will always be worth it even when we doubt.
Faith comes from not knowing the outcome, but resolving to plant anyway.
I had one single hydrangea bloom this year. It was beautiful and I was thrilled to have it, but I have five hydrangea bushes that were covered in blooms last year, so this year’s crop has been disappointing. I had cut blooms in vases all over my house last year and in a season where there was so much ugliness and a worldwide pandemic had us all at home, those blooms felt like daily well wishes from God.
Forces completely out of my hands reminded me that there was still beauty in the world.
Fast forward a year and I have one single bloom. I fed and watered those hydrangeas just like I did last year. We had a late frost, but I carefully covered them up with sheets for protection. I did my best, yet they didn’t bloom.
If you ever want a lesson in humility, nature is where you will find it. Our culture teaches us if we work hard and do our best, we will always succeed and we tend to buy that lie. Ask any farmer if their hard work guarantees good results. I imagine they will be the first to tell you that a lot of what happens to their crops and even their livestock, is out of their hands. It’s no wonder that the farmers I know are some of the most faithful people I have ever met.
Maybe that’s because faith comes from not knowing what the final outcome will be, but resolving to plant anyway.
We don’t tend to like those odds. We tend to prefer a sure thing and we sometimes even avoid anything that we think is not a sure thing. We convince ourselves that we truly control our destiny and we are devastated when something happens, (and it always will), to remind us we do not. That job loss, or illness, or divorce, shakes us to our core. How could something bad possibly happen when we did everything right?
The truth is, we live in a broken world and bad things happen even when we do our very best. That’s how it is on this side of eternity. But, when we keep our focus on Jesus and walk humbly with God, we are able to weather the storms much more easily, remembering that God loves us and there is a plan even when we can’t see it.
We learn to take life one day at a time, one step at a time and we continue to plant, knowing that the next season just may produce a bumper crop. A lone hydrangea reminded me that even though the outcome is out of my hands, I am called to plant anyway. Perhaps you needed reminding too.
A few days before a much anticipated celebratory weekend that included a trip to my parents’ house, a visit from my sister, a screening of my daughter’s film for her senior project, a low country boil to celebrate her college graduation, Mother’s Day and graduation, I discovered a lump that shouldn’t have been there.
There was a time in my life when I would likely have been devastated. I would have Googled every possible scenario and been unable to sleep. I would have probably spent lots of time begging God to make it go away. I would have sacrificed the blessings that God gifted me with by focusing on the unknown and not relying on my faith.
I did pray for intervention and healing, but I didn’t start there. This time I asked Jesus to give me peace remembering the verse, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27) I asked Jesus to help me stay focused on Him and not to allow my circumstances to steal my joy because I had so very much to be joyful about and I knew I would never again have those moments. I prayed that He would use whatever the outcome to glorify Him and then I prayed for healing.
Jesus answered my prayers. A deep peace settled over me. I had a wonderful weekend and celebrated to the fullest. I laughed a lot, ate great food, took lots of pictures and made memories that will stay with me forever. I felt nothing, but pure joy when I hugged my mama on Mother’s Day, and when my daughter unwrapped her graduation gifts and when she walked across the stage, officially becoming an adult.
I started a brand new job two days after graduation and I was still at peace when I met my new co-workers and settled into my new office. When the day came to get everything checked out, I met another woman in the waiting room and we discussed our faith and how we knew that everything would be ok, no matter the outcome. I knew that God had put her there.
Turned out, that the lump was nothing, completely benign and I said a prayer of thanks, not just for the outcome, but because of the peace that I felt during the entire ordeal and when I got into the car, the song, “I Will Praise You in the Storm,” was playing and I felt complete gratitude wash over me.
I was reminded that on this side of eternity, we will always have joy and pain mingled together. That’s a guarantee. What we decide to focus on, is up to us. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you did too.
God’s promises don’t change simply because we can’t see the end from somewhere in the middle.
One morning last week, as I tiptoed into the kitchen to get my morning coffee, a little red dot at the window caught my eye and I found myself grinning as I thanked God for the good morning from Him. I had been praying that He would show Himself that morning. We had been through a couple of dark and stormy days and I had been cooped up in the house.
A couple of weeks earlier, I spotted a lone hummingbird in my yard. I love those little bossy birds and when I see the first one of the season, it becomes official in my mind, that summer, my very favorite time of the year, is coming. I quickly went inside, pulled out my feeder and made the sugar water concoction that they enjoy and then I waited.
A week passed with no visitors. I dumped it out and refilled it. Another week passed with no birds. The rains came. And then, out of the corner of my eye, early that morning, I spotted one with his ruby red throat, taking a sip. He flew away the minute he saw me, but it was too late, hope bloomed and joy filled my heart.
God had been listening all along as He always does. Even as I made the nectar and then had to dump it and make more, God was at work, planning. He rewarded my faithfulness even as I grumbled about it, even as I doubted. Did I really even see the first one? Maybe I was mistaken.
How often do we do doubt what we know we are called to do, when we don’t get any results from our work? Do we doubt the calling? Did I really hear God right? Sometimes I pray really hard about something and when I get the answer, I proceed, but then things get rough and I don’t feel blessings raining down and I question. Maybe you do too? Then, I will pray hard for even more validation and I am sometimes met with silence.
Yet, how I proceed from that point makes all the difference. Do I continue to trust God or do I put my trust in my current circumstances and act accordingly? If I am honest, I have done both. Looking back, I wonder how many blessings I missed out on when I decided to trust my own judgement that has been clouded simply by what I see before me. I allow myself to forget that I am confined to the here and now. God is not.
Thankfully, God is always willing to give me second chances. He is faithful even when I am not. His mercies are new every morning. That particular morning I was reminded. Perhaps you needed reminding too.
We have to resist comparing our beginning to someone else’s finish line.Growth is a process.
My hubby and I are in the process of getting our house painted. It’s way past time and we have been putting it off. Who wants to spend money on paint? But, there are some window sills that have become bare over the years and they need protection, not to mention it’s just time for an update.
I contacted a painter and he came out and looked the place over. He told us that he really needed to pressure wash first to see what kind of shape everything was in under the grime. We agreed. The good news was the exterior was in really good shape and just a thorough cleaning made it look better, except for the front steps. When he pressure washed the front steps, layers of paint came off and they look terrible, yet it would have been a total waste of time and money just to paint over them as they were. The paint would have peeled right off.
I have worked from home the past week and I can see the rails and stairs from my window. As I was grimacing at how messy and unkept they look, I wondered what the people who see it from the street must think. Do they think we just don’t care about our home? Do they judge us by the current appearance not knowing that we have a work in progress? Do they think we are lazy?
As I was thinking those thoughts, I was reminded how quick we are to judge ourselves and others by how things look at the moment. It’s easy to look at ourselves in the messy beginning or even the middle and make a comparison to someone else’s finish line. From raising kids, to building marriages, to weight loss and even our faith walk. We are always tempted to look at someone else’s, “got it all together,” phase and think that we will never measure up. What we neglect to remember is that everyone started at ground zero at some point, everyone.
We also have to remember that when we let God work on us, He’s going to strip away the bad stuff first, just like that pressure washer did. He wants to wash away the things that will interfere with our walk with Him and that’s sometimes not pretty, yet it’s an important part of the process. In the end, we will end up brighter, stronger and better than ever, but we have to trust the process even the ugly beginnings.
My porch reminded me to be patient with the process. Perhaps you needed reminding too.
Last Sunday my family attended Easter church services which under normal circumstances wouldn’t be unusual, but nothing about this past year has been normal. As expected, the pastor preached about the resurrection from the Gospels, something we all love to hear especially at Easter. Jesus defeated death and rose to save all believers from sin. It’s the greatest love story ever told.
But, this year the pastor pointed out a detail I had never really thought about. All of the Gospels report that the stone sealing the grave was rolled away. Mark begins by saying that three women were heading to Jesus’ grave to anoint His body. Mark 16:2-3 says, “Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, ‘Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?'”
There was basically a boulder sealing the tomb. It wasn’t possible for the women to move it, yet they faithfully went to tend to Jesus anyway. These women had seen Jesus die on a cross. They had no physical evidence that God was at work, yet they headed to the tomb to do what they felt called to do and when they walked by faith, not only was the boulder moved, they were the first to witness a miracle.
God is still in the business of moving all kinds of boulders. What boulders in our lives are keeping us from being who we are called to be? Our boulders can be things like shame, guilt, our past, addiction, fear, debt or anything that keeps us separated from God.
As we continue to live as Easter people, maybe we should spend some time thinking of three women who walked towards Jesus despite a giant boulder being in their way. What they found was God is always at work. The same is true for us. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.
May the true story of Easter transform our hearts and souls into the people we are called to be.
I have been seeing a lot of butterflies lately which is not unusual for spring time, but I have seen them enough to make a mental note. Then my mom sent a picture of one and I knew I was supposed to be paying attention.
I love the timeline of a butterfly. It starts off as a caterpillar, just a worm really, crawling around and looking for something to eat. You would have to make an effort to find most of them because they simply blend and if you did find one, you wouldn’t give it a second glance. You certainly wouldn’t be interested in a photo.
Then it wraps itself in a cocoon which is even a lowlier state than the caterpillar was. To the casual observer who knows no better, you would assume that it is dead. Why would you think otherwise? The business of transforming is often not pretty or fast. It takes time, patience and faith, something we often find ourselves short on, but nature has a way of reminding us to walk more closely with God and to align ourselves with His timing.
Easter weekend begins with Good Friday and the remembrance of the crucifixion. It’s certainly not pretty. It’s horrible, painful and bloody and necessary for salvation. We simply can’t get to Easter morning without going through Good Friday. Butterflies are not born as butterflies. They are transformed from what they were into something spectacular.
I am always tempted to skip over Good Friday. It’s hard. I can’t imagine what the people who truly loved Jesus must have thought on that Friday or the Saturday that followed. To them, all was lost. Saturday was probably as hard as Friday was, but God had a plan and on Sunday morning, the earth and all of its inhabitants were forever changed.
True redemption and grace were born when the disciples found an empty tomb. Jesus was not there because He was not dead and His resurrection has the power to transform us all. As we celebrate this Easter, may we feel the weight of Good Friday along with the joy of Easter and become the transformed people that Easter calls us to be. We may be born as caterpillars, but God wants us to be butterflies.
“New seasons of life are often birthed in the midst of a storm.” Beth Warner
This past week has been a rough one for me. I will never completely understand how one solitary hour can create such havoc in my life. Last weekend we sprang our clocks forward sacrificing one hour of sleep, but gaining an hour of daylight.
I always look forward to the time change and what it represents. It’s like an official proclamation of spring. I love the longer days even though it takes me about a week to completely adjust to the change. Even though I always find myself tired and dragging, my fatigue is usually offset by longer days with more sunshine.
This year, the time change was followed by days of rain. It was dark outside as I sat at my kitchen table before work and it was cold, gray and pouring down rain on my way home. There were no walks after work. There was no extra daylight, just longer days that were dark and dreary.
On Thursday, when I headed to work, not only was it raining, but there was talk of severe weather. I was definitely already riding on the struggle bus as I trudged across the street, but when I got to my building and reached into the pocket of my raincoat to grab my mask, it was gone.
“Just great!” I grumbled.
I knew there was probably a spare in my purse, but my hands were full and it was raining. I pulled my jacket over my mouth and nose and darted in, hoping no one would see me and once again, cursing Covid. When I got to my desk, I was able to dig out a mask, which was a good thing because I suppose I wouldn’t have been able to go to the restroom all day without one.
As I sat there, waiting for my computer to boot up, frustrated, annoyed and quite frankly, overwhelmed, I received a notification from Facebook. Now, I have no idea why Facebook seems to randomly let me know when different people have posted, and I often ignore the buzzing phone, but a gentle nudge told me to take a look, so I did.
Beth, a friend of mine who is a farmer, and makes it her mission to see God in every place and every circumstance, had posted a picture of a chicken on a fence under the same dreary skies I was experiencing and grumbling about. Yet, she saw something different.
Her caption was, “Watching the skies, listening for the howling winds, ducking the rainstorms, praying against tornadoes…Springtime is not just about pretty blossoms, newborn lambs and balmy weather. New seasons of life are often birthed in the midst of a storm.”
She was right of course and her wise words sank deep into my weary soul. I sat there for a moment, thinking of all the forces that were in play for me to see that post at exactly that time and I was overwhelmed by the goodness of God, so much so that I felt led to share.
A social media post from a friend reminded me that new beginnings often come from stormy seasons. Perhaps you needed reminding too.
I was recently in my bedroom, putting away clothes and tidying up, when a bright pink bloom, caught my eye. It was on my Christmas cactus. Delighted, I went and took a closer look. There it was, straining towards the window’s light. The entire plant had been in full bloom in late December and early January and it was a beautiful sight to behold, but those blooms had dropped off months ago.
Now, in mid-March, this gorgeous tropical looking bloom stood alone and gorgeous against nothing, but the greenery of the plant. It had no other blooms to compete with, making it all the more special.
I found myself smiling as I took multiple photos of my little late bloomer and thought about it for the rest of the afternoon.
We live in a society that celebrates the fastest and the strongest. We are encouraged to compete to be the first at everything from the day we are born. Our parents compare notes on the first to sleep through the night, the first to take steps and the first to be potty trained. Once school starts, the competition really ramps up. Parents want their children to be the first to learn their alphabet and the first to write their names correctly. Kids on the playground want to be the first, when they run a race. And, who doesn’t remember hoping to be the first picked to be on a team, or at the very least, not to be the dreaded last?
But, God’s economy has always been different than humanity’s. In the parable of the workers in the vineyard, found in Matthew 20, Jesus said, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” In the Gospel of Mark, He said, ” But, many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Mark 10:31 Jesus didn’t seem to put too much value on being first.
Ecclesiastes 3, tells us that there is a time for everything. Verse 11 reminds us that, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Notice how it doesn’t say our time?
This got me to thinking that maybe there are no early or late bloomers in God’s economy, because His timing is perfect. Maybe we are just called to bloom at different times and as long as we are walking with God, we will always be right on time.
A March bloom on a Christmas cactus, reminded me that God’s timing is always perfect and the results of walking with Him are always beautiful. Perhaps you needed reminding too.
