Category: Watching for God

God is all around us. All we have to do is look for Him. If we seek Him, we will find Him at times in the most unlikely places.

Seeing Beyond the Surface

Posted on by Wendy
Seeing beyond the surface can produce amazing results.

On my family’s recent mission trip to South Carolina, my hubby and son were assigned to Site 2 to work on. The home had been recommended to our team and required a massive amount of work.

It needed a roof. The bathroom floor had soft spots and holes in it. You could literally see the ground. The sink was broken from where a family member had fallen on it after having a stroke. The kitchen had holes in the floor and ceiling, and had to be completely gutted.

I remember thinking how badly it smelled when I toured it. I later was reminded of those thoughts, when a pastor pointed out that poverty has a smell that you never forget. His words brought tears to my eyes when I realized I had missed that fact.

The homeowner, Eric, was a man who lived with his mentally disabled mother. She wasn’t very verbal and went to a day care every day while he worked. He didn’t have much to say as we walked through his house. His shirt was on inside out and backwards. He didn’t seem very grateful to me.

I later learned that when they went in to look at the house, he never made eye contact, and at one point, told them to do whatever they needed to do and went into a room and closed the door.

I’m ashamed to say that I don’t know if I would have continued with the walk through. Did he not care that help was coming?

But, people much wiser than I am were in charge. They recognized what I would have considered apathy, as utter and complete embarrassment at his situation. Imagine your house falling down around you with roaches running around and a bunch of people in nice clothes and cars asking for a tour.

He needed help. He wanted help. He was too ashamed to ask. Have you ever been there? Have you ever missed a chance to help someone who has been there?

Personally, I can answer yes to both questions.

The people from Salkehatchie, told him with the amount of work required, that he would have to do some of the tearing out himself, or they would never be able finish.

When our group arrived, he had done just as he had been asked. Turns out he was grateful for the help.

He was working during most of the work, so the kids didn’t get to spend much time with him, but the work they did transformed not only his home, but Eric as well.

When the entire camp toured the house on the last day, the change was amazing. There was a new roof, new carpet, new paint, new bathroom floors and ceilings, new cabinets and sinks, and a brand new fresh smell.

And perhaps most importantly, Eric was changed too. He had a smile on his face as he was presented with a Bible. He had on a clean shirt and he stood up tall. He even asked where the carpet came from so he could put some in one of the bedrooms.

It seems that the work done for him inspired him to continue it. Isn’t that amazing?

Eric’s story reminds me to be very careful and prayerful when deciding who we extend a hand to. Because sometimes those people who we judge as ungrateful or unworthy, are the people who need it most of all.

Perhaps you needed reminding too. I pray I never forget.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Seeing Beyond No Trespassing Signs

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes we have to let faith take the lead.

My family and I just returned from our Salkehatchie summer mission trip in South Carolina. It’s always amusing to see the look on people’s faces when we tell them where we went. When you say the word mission trip, people picture far off places like Haiti and countries in Africa.

But, my family has discovered a deep need for help just one state over from where God has planted us.

My daughter and I were assigned to site 1 this year and were blessed to meet a Godly woman, named Ms. Barbara, with a beautiful, quiet spirit. I found the story of how God led us to her incredibly inspiring.

Ms. Barbara, is a high school custodian. If you know anything about how schools work, then you know that custodians are some of the hardest working, most underpaid people you will ever meet.

She had broken her foot on the job and was out of work. Her goal was to heal and go back for one more year and then retire. That fact alone impressed me. She could have easily retired on disability, but that was not how she wanted to go out.

She desperately missed the teens she was in constant contact with, (another reason for a medal in my book!) I later learned that she often attended basketball and football games to support some of the high school kids who had parents that could not attend, for whatever reason.

I also learned that on most Saturdays, she was not home for part of the day because she was opening the weight room for one of those kids she was mentoring.

But, God was at work.

One Saturday, our camp director and site leader were looking for a house to work on. They felt led down a particular road. They ended up at a house badly in need of a roof, but with “No Trespassing,” signs in the windows. But, the Holy Spirit is not deterred by man’s warnings. They cautiously got out and knocked on the door.

Ms. Barbara had her sister with her and answered the door. She said she had a good feeling about them and welcomed them in. Our site leader immediately noticed the “Last Supper” carving, hanging on the wall. They knew they were in the right place.

They talked about what we do at Salkehatchie Summer Service. She told them they were an answer to prayers and shared some other repairs that her home needed.

When I spoke to Ms. Barbara later, she told me that she had been praying for help for a long time about her leaky roof and had become discouraged, but that God had told her someone was coming. He just didn’t say who.

The fact that it was teenagers, just made her day, since she had a soft spot for them and missed being around them.

As we repaired her home last week, I learned a lot from Ms. Barbara. I learned about tireless faith. I learned about waiting on God and I learned about His perfect timing.

In the end, Ms. Barbara helped me as much as I helped her. She was an inspiration. Perhaps you needed some inspiration today.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Embracing Mary

Posted on by Wendy
Taking time to remember that we are all called to play a part in somebody’s village, could change how we see everything.

I was reluctant to sit down and write this post. I have so many things going on at the moment. My family is heading to South Carolina tomorrow for our Salkehatchie mission trip. There’s laundry to be done. There are suitcases to pack and where did I put my work gloves?

But, even as I yearned to get my to-do list checked off, I also felt a quiet voice which told me that I needed to take a time out and prepare myself spiritually for my trip as well.

It wasn’t loud or bossy. It was gentle, but persistent. It reminded me that quiet reflection time with Jesus trumps all we can physically do every single time. So I shushed my inner Martha for a little while at least, and attempted to embrace my inner Mary.

As usual, when I obey the calling of Christ, I was not disappointed.

I was reminded how life changing this particular mission field has been for my daughter. This will be her 4th trip. When she went the first time, she was so quiet and shy that she just did her best to scoot out of everyone’s way. It earned her the nickname Scooter. Everyone there calls her that. It’s a name she wears now with pride, one that she will treasure forever.

This year, she has been asked to bring her guitar and lead all of our worship songs in the evenings. She’s been practicing for days, which makes me give thanks for Vanda, her guitar teacher for seven years. Vanda’s time and love contributed to a gift that my daughter will carry for the rest of her life.

It’s so amazing when we have those special moments when we can look back on what has been and we can see God’s fingerprints all over our past. I’m so very thankful for the mighty village that God has gifted both of my children with.

I am reminded that we all have the opportunity and the calling to be a part of somebody’s village. We have the choice to make a positive kingdom impact on everyone’s lives that we touch. We have no idea the difference that a word of encouragement can make for someone or for that matter, we have no idea what kind of difference just sitting with someone and listening to them can make.

There are even times when a silly little nickname can change someone’s life forever. I’m glad I took a time out. Perhaps you need one too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

PS Due to the fact that I will likely spend much of next week on a roof in South Carolina, I won’t be posting next week. But, I’m super excited to see how God will reveal Himself on our trip and I look forward to sharing with you back here. My family would appreciate your prayers.

Choosing to Trust

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

The Best is Yet to Come

Posted on by Wendy
To begin the next chapter, we have to turn the page on the old one.

Last week was a blur of activity for me. I work in an office of an elementary school, and it was the last week of school. The activity was nearly constant. We had visitors and speakers. We had a flood of parents coming for lunch just one more time. We had a step up day where each grade level got to visit the next and meet the teachers there. We had a day where the high school seniors who attended our school as children, came through in their caps and gowns and walked the halls one final time.

We had fifth grade graduation to middle school. We had lots of parents and grandparents with lots of cameras all along the way. The kids were all smiles and happiness. But, the parents, had tears mixed with their smiles.

The parents know that each step in their child’s journey is a tiny step away from them and towards independence.

My own daughter, graduated from high school last week. My week was mixed with joy and sadness. I cheered for her on honor’s night as tears slid down my face. I celebrated with her as she donned her royal blue cap and gown, and my eyes swam with tears on and off all day long.

As she marched in with her graduating class, I thanked God for the gift He entrusted me with almost 18 years before. I thanked God for her health and for her beautiful spirit. I thanked God for the friends He has blessed her with along the way and for the new ones He has already sent her to travel with her along her new leg of her journey.

I thanked God for my family who made the trip to come and be a part of her big day. My heart was filled with joy and sadness as I fought tears.

I knew that her world and mine would change forever once she crossed that stage and received her diploma. I knew that it would be the end of a beautiful chapter in both of our lives.

But, I also knew and embraced that it was the beginning of a new chapter as well. As I have poured my heart and soul into loving and nurturing her all of these years, Jesus has done the same. He has sent many other prayer warriors along the way and I know that she has been protected on her journey whether she knew it our not.

I also knew that she would continue to be protected. And as I heard her name called out, I cheered loudly for her, allowing some tears to escape. I felt Jesus hold me close and a little voice inside told me the best is yet to come.

This is how it’s supposed to be and although this mama’s heart mourns a little for the past, I also can’t wait to see where God will lead her and what big things He will do with her.

Change can be hard. But, we simply cannot begin new chapters until we turn the page on the old ones. A high school graduation reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Remembering to Look

Posted on by Wendy

We worship an ever-present God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

The Business of Restoration

Posted on by Wendy
We can all be in the business of restoration.

One day last weekend, my daughter was in a terrible mood. She didn’t even want to come out of her room. While I know that this is fairly normal behavior for teenage girls, it bothered me that she was so out of sorts. We talked for a little while and I shared with her some of my own concerns that had been weighing me down.

I reminded her that even though we were both kind of down-and-out, that we were supposed to be staining our table and chairs for our deck. She and her daddy had spent a lot of time and elbow grease, not to mention the bleach, to clean it a couple of weeks earlier. She had also accompanied us to Home Depot to choose the new color.

She kind of reluctantly agreed. The day was warm and beautiful. The birds were singing and we painted and talked. We both began to relax and we began to laugh a lot. She became her normal happy self and I too, felt some tension release.

When we ran out of stain, which was before we finished the project, we were both in different frames of mind as I knew we would be. I marveled at how well the formula always works.

There’s just something healing about creating beauty. There’s something freeing about giving something old, brand new life. There’s a satisfaction that comes from working with your hands that nothing can really compare to and there’s a certain type of peace that only comes from being out in the warm sun, surrounded by trees and singing birds.

I suppose we are wired that way. God created the sun, the birds, and the trees. Why would we not find it peaceful to bask in His creation since we too are His creation? Jesus is in the redemption business. Why would we not find great satisfaction in giving new life to things that seem dingy or even useless? Isn’t that what He does for us everyday?

The world teaches us to stay indoors glued to our electronics, with our doors locked. It teaches us to focus on ourselves. It teaches us to throw away anything or anyone that isn’t bright and shiny and brand new.

The Bible reminds us that we are in this world, but not of it. We are called to look for signs of life in everything and everyone around us and when we find it, to do our best to help them shine.

We too, are in the restoration business. A table and chairs reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Looks like he did actually drive a snake out.

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

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

 

 

Walking by Faith

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you did too!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Beating the Odds

Posted on by Wendy
Some things flourish against all odds.

I was working outside this weekend with my hubby. We finally got some rain last week, but I noticed that the ground was still cracked and rock hard. While I was holding up a board, a bright green sprout caught my eye. He patiently waited while I snapped some photos. After twenty years of marriage, he’s used to dealing with the fact that I’m easily distracted when I’m outdoors.

I really can’t help myself. I tend to see God’s fingerprints everywhere in Creation.

On this particular day, the green sprout stood proudly, despite the hard, inhospitable ground, almost as if in defiance. It was like it decided to grow against all odds and was thriving. I couldn’t help, but to be impressed by its perseverance. I thought about the little sprout for the rest of the day.

I thought about how God’s economy is so very different from ours. If we want something to grow, we water it and tend to it. We pamper it and hope. We can put endless hours into something and it may flourish or it might not. While we love to believe that hard work always produces results; sometimes it does not.

We live in a society where we have been taught that self-reliance is something we should strive for. We should be able to do everything completely on our own, by the sweat of our own brow.

The Bible teaches a different dynamic. The Bible teaches us to acknowledge first and foremost that we rely on God for everything and that every good thing comes from Him. Yes, we are called to work hard, but we are also called to know that He has a plan and that it often differs from our own. Obedience and faith teach us to be okay with that.

The Bible also teaches us the importance of community. We are called to help each other and work together. There are some things we simply cannot do alone. There are times when we need other believers to hold us up and to stand in the gaps for us.

There are times, when against all odds, something beautiful flourishes when it seems next to impossible, when on paper, there was just no way. If we dig a little bit, we often will find that there was prayer behind the miracle and many times a group of prayer warriors.

In those instances, we are reminded that nothing is impossible with God. A little green sprout reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂