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.

Lessons from Annie

Posted on by Wendy
A rainy morning with my dog reminded me to always be patient and thankful.

One morning last week, it began pouring rain. I was so happy to hear it beating on my roof. We have desperately needed it.

When I sat down to eat my breakfast, my dog Annie, started fussing at me. She’s a husky mix and extremely opinionated and vocal. Normally, as soon as I sit down to eat, she starts vocalizing and then she starts barking to let me know that she would like to go out immediately, if not sooner. She goes out first thing, but she likes to go out a second time and run around with our other pup.

On most days, I comply and get up and let her out, but that day when she started, I told her “no.” She of course, sassed right back and I told her it was raining outside and she couldn’t go out. This went on for a few minutes and she finally stopped and began chewing on the leg of a kitchen chair. I told her to stop and she sighed and put her head down, pouting.

I marveled at her persistence and her bad attitude. I mean, I give her what she wants almost all of the time. Couldn’t she be a little more patient and grateful?

Then I chuckled at myself. She’s only a dog. She didn’t understand that I was trying to keep her safe and truly had no idea all what I do for her on a regular basis, beginning with rescuing her from the pound. All she knew was she couldn’t get what she wanted at that moment. Then I felt convicted.

I could almost hear a voice asking if I was much different than Annie.

How often does God provide for me? He provides Every. Single. Day. First of all, He rescued me from a fate much worse than the pound. 

How often do I just simply take for granted that I woke up, that I am well, that I have family, that I have friends, and a home, and food to eat or that I have a job. The list of His provision, is endless.    

Yet, when I don’t get what I want the minute I ask, like Annie, how quickly and loudly do I complain? Do I ever stop to ask if there’s a reason? Do I ever even consider that a Divine “no” might in fact, be for my greater good? How patient and grateful am I?

A rainy day conversation with Annie reminded me to be thankful for God’s provision, for His limitless patience and for His fresh mercies that He doles out so freely every single day. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Fig Tree Wisdom

Fig Tree Wisdom

Posted on by Wendy
As long as we are able, we are called serve.

We have had a major heat wave lately. It’s been in the triple digits and it’s only June. It’s also been incredibly dry with no rain in the forecast anytime soon. At 8:00 last night, it was still 96 degrees. As I was trudging through my dusty yard and watering some of my parched plants, my eyes rested on my fig tree.

It was green and covered with tiny green figs and it seemed completely untouched by the heat. I couldn’t remember when I watered it last and yet it was flourishing.

That magnificent, hardy tree came from a a small cutting from my hubby’s granddaddy’s tree, delivered by a cousin, years ago. I remember when she brought it thinking that it was awfully small and I wondered if anything would ever come of it. We planted it and watered it and nothing happened for a long time. It lived, but it didn’t really grow much at all and it certainly didn’t produce any fruit.

But, we kept watering it and feeding it and eventually it took off and began growing, but produced only a few figs. We kept doing our part and one summer it was absolutely full of sweet juicy figs and it produced two batches, one in the summer and one in the fall. It was a wonderful surprise.

The tree has continued to get bigger every year and produces even more fruit than the year before. And now in this oppressive heat it’s thriving. As I was looking at the many figs and comparing it to my wilting hydrangeas I was amazed at its resilience and I wondered about the original tree.

How old was it? Was it still living? Had my hubby’s granddaddy loved that tree? Had it been fruitful? Did they enjoy its fruit during the summer. Did they make preserves to enjoy all year long? What inspired his cousin to bring us a cutting?

I will likely never know any of the answers to my questions, but I am thankful that at some point, someone planted a tree and at another time, it was shared with us.

I am especially thankful as I look at its present abundance, that although it didn’t grow or produce for a long time, we felt led to water it and feed it. It reminds me that I should be more persistent with the people in my life who don’t seem to respond to my watering and feeding.

The Bible says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

That resilient, fruitful fig tree reminds me that we should never give up on praying for people, on being kind or on doing good. We are only called to do our part. God will do the rest in His time and His timing is always perfect. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

Pentecost Reminders

Posted on by Wendy
May the miracle of Pentecost remind us to wait on God and boldly speak of His wonders.

I was recently reading the account of Pentecost found in Acts 2. It’s a fascinating read. A room full of believers were in a room together. They were there because the risen Jesus had told them to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit.

Many of these people had been with Jesus since the beginning of His ministry. They had witnessed the miracles and his gruesome death. They had mourned him and probably doubted, but they were also around for the very first Easter. They saw Him ascend to heaven, so these folks were more than willing to be obedient.

Most experts believe they waited for ten days. It must have felt like an eternity to them, but they waited.

The waiting in itself is something we could all learn from. We don’t like to wait. We are always in a hurry. When the red light turns green, if we don’t step on the gas, the person behind us starts honking their horn, but God’s way is different. 

The Old Testament is full of stories of people who were called to wait on God and when they did, they were always rewarded. 

The believers at Pentecost were rewarded too. The Spirit showed up in a roar and fiery looking tongues rested on them individually and they could speak in different languages.

The text says, “Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.“ Act 2:5

It goes on to say that all of those people could hear what was being said in their own language and they were bewildered. 

And what was being said?

They were declaring the wonders of God.

So, the Holy Sprit blasted onto the scene and gave all of those people who were obediently following Jesus’ command, the ability to speak about the wonders of God in a language that every single God-fearing Jew, from every nation, under heaven could understand.

Just ponder that for a moment. The believers waited and the Spirit showed up and a miracle occurred.

While most of the crowd below was amazed, as there always was and always will be, there were doubters.

Their scientific explanation was that they must have had too much wine. In other words, they were dunk.

Man has always attempted to explain away the miracles of God.

I’ve no doubt there were people who walked away from the truth that day. They walked away from hope and from redemption, the same way they do today, but around 3,000 became believers and their lives were forever changed. 

The story of Pentecost has so much meaning for us today. In a world full of impatience, we are called to wait. In a world full of doubt, we are called to believe. And we are always called to declare the wonders of God even when we think no one is listening. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊 

Psalm Reminders

Posted on by Wendy
We all have the opportunity to spread cool breezes when we listen to the Spirit’s prompting.

This past week has been a long one for me. First, my son was sick with a summer cold which he then passed on to me. We adopted a new pup who is absolutely adorable, but still a puppy and his acclimation to the family, especially to the other two pups, began a little rougher than we expected. 

I normally begin my day with some yoga and a daily Bible devotion, but this week has been all about treading water and avoiding any canine skirmishes, so there was no yoga and although I was usually able to stumble through a devotion, it was not without many interruptions.

I didn’t feel up to my lunch walk most of the week and by Thursday, which began unexplainably with the new pup, throwing up at 4:00 AM, I felt completely worn out and grumpy in general. I was praying about my mental state as I trudged to my office through the sprinkling rain and when I arrived at my desk, a Bible verse that I taped on my computer, months ago, caught my eye. It was from Psalms.

“Listen to my words, LORD, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.“ Psalm 5:1-3

I really don’t even remember what prompted me to print it out, but I found it unbelievably appropriate for my situation and so I prayed it out loud and I felt a sense of peace come over me.

We were expecting thunderstorms that day, but the lunchtime weather was beautiful and I took a much needed walk. I was greeted with a delightful cool breeze and I was reminded of working on a roof in the summer heat on mission trips in the past, what a big difference a simple breeze can make when the air around you is stifling.

 I was also immediately reminded of the breezes of the week before. I had received a “Good Morning Sunshine,” text from a friend out of the blue and an unexpected “Just thinking about you,” text from another that resulted in lunch plans. One of my sweet cousins has started making social media posts of Christian encouragement that originate from seeing God in her garden that made me smile and one on pruning in particular, really spoke to me.

As I walked and prayed, God revealed to me that He had been using others to send cool breezes repeatedly during my stifling week and I felt both humbled to have missed them at the time and grateful that He pointed me to them. As the Psalm said, I cried for help and waited expectantly and as always, God provided.

He always does, but we often miss it. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊 

  

Love Remains

Posted on by Wendy
What we leave behind can bloom endlessly.

When I woke up on Easter morning and glanced out the window into my backyard, two yellow irises in full bloom, caught my eye and my heart filled with joy. Now, I know it’s not unusual for flowers to bloom in Georgia at Easter, but these were special.

The woman who wasn’t my grandmother by blood, but who God sent to be a grandmother to me, grew irises. Her name was Kittie. She was incredibly proud of them and each year she entered them into an iris show. She would fret some years that a late cold snap would kill them or that the show would be too early and her flowers weren’t ready yet, but one year one of her yellow ones called “Money,” won first place.

Kittie was absolutely ecstatic, giddy as a schoolgirl. I will always remember her joy that day.

Kittie went to live with Jesus years ago and after she passed, I asked her sweet sister for permission to dig up some irises out of her backyard. She readily agreed and I drug my patient hubby out in the heat, to dig them up. 

She grew all kinds, so we really had no idea what we were going to get. They didn’t bloom the first year that we planted them, but the next year, they bloomed just in time for my birthday and wouldn’t you know, they were the yellow ones! Money had bloomed and I felt like I had received a birthday wish straight from heaven.  

I’ve never had them bloom on Easter morning, but Kittie loved Easter. She always had a new dress and hat every year. My mind was filled with precious memories of her all day long.

While she is gone physically, her love and my memories remain just as fresh as they always were. 

A dear friend of mine lost her Daddy this past week. He lived to a ripe old age and was beloved by all who knew him. As I saw pictures of him all over Facebook shared by his children and grandchildren, I couldn’t help but to think of those irises and what they represent. While he is no longer here, the memories of him and the love he shared will forever be etched in the hearts and minds of his family and friends.

The love he left behind will be passed down from generation to generation. It too, will bloom indiscriminately and indefinitely just like those irises. Some irises reminded me that when we live our lives with open hearts and love the people in our paths, a part of us will always remain. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Relentless Pursuit of Jesus

Posted on by Wendy
When we pursue relentless faith, the miraculous can happen.

I recently heard a sermon about the four friends and the paralytic, found in Mark, Chapter 2. It’s a familiar story to most people raised in church. I have vivid memories of it playing out on the black flannel board at Sunday school. Quite honestly, I never gave it that much thought. Whenever we talked about Jesus, there were miracles. This one was one of the many.

I suppose that can happen when you get comfortable with the Gospel stories, which is why we need to celebrate Easter every year, to truly remember what exactly it is we believe. There’s nothing comfortable about the Gospels. The stories in them are lifechanging both for the people in them and for those of us who have the privilege of reading them and who really try to wrap our hearts and minds around the miraculous and bold love that God has for His children.

In the story of the paralytic, four friends decide to take their sick friend to Jesus. They are carrying him. He must have been dead weight, because it took four of them. The story doesn’t say how long the man had been paralyzed or how far the friends had carried him, but these friends were relentless. They were determined to get this man to Jesus.

They believed Jesus could heal him.

Interestingly, the text doesn’t tell us what the man believed.

When the house was too crowded to get him to Jesus, they carried him to the roof and dug a hole, relentless in their pursuit of getting their friend to Jesus. They lowered the mat in front of Jesus and here’s the part I can’t stop thinking about, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.'” Mark 2:5

There were some religious people in the room who were thinking that Jesus didn’t have the power to forgive sins, but Jesus read their minds  and called them out. He then told the man still lying on his mat, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Mark 2:11

The man got up, took his mat and walked out.

It’s a familiar story, yet there’s a twist. The paralytic was made well because of his friends’ faith.

I wonder how long they had carried their friend around. How long had they hoped for healing?

I am reminded of the power of praying for healing for my own friends and family. Sometimes we pray and pray and we don’t see results. Sometimes the person we are praying for looks way too far gone for healing or redemption, but are they more far gone than a paralyzed man being carried on a mat by his friends?

The truth is no one is ever too far gone for the grace of Jesus. If they are still breathing, there is still hope and if we are still breathing, we are called to pray relentlessly because that’s how we bring people to the feet of Jesus.

A paralyzed man who was healed because his friends had relentless faith, reminded me to be relentless in prayer for the people in my life who need it. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

The Call to Pray Without Ceasing

Posted on by Wendy
Christians aren’t called to consider the possible outcome. We are called to pray without ceasing, knowing that nothing is impossible for the God we serve.

The online Bible Study that I read in the mornings, has been going through the book of Ezekiel for Lent. I’m going to be honest; this book is not an inspirational, uplifting read. It’s about sin and its consequences, (especially in the beginning), which is what we are all supposed to be reflecting upon during Lent. It does eventually, get to reconciliation and redemption and points to the hope of Christ, but it’s definitely not one of my favorite books.

One morning last week, the reading was in Chapter 37 and for me, it was very timely. The passage is often referred to as “The Valley of Dry Bones.” In chapter three, God leads Ezekiel to a valley full of dried up bones and then asks him a question.

“He asked me, “’Son of man, can these bones live?’”

(Ezekiel gives the perfect answer.)

“I said, ‘Sovereign Lord, you alone know.’”

Ezekiel knew that it wasn’t about what he knew or thought he knew. It wasn’t about science or the rules of nature. It was about God’s will and His ability to do what is impossible for man. Ezekiel knew and acknowledged, if God wanted those bones to become living breathing beings again, God could make it happen and in the subsequent verses that’s exactly what He did and He used Ezekiel to accomplish His Divine goal.

That passage at that moment, hit home with me because the night before, there had been a Facebook plea for prayer from the wife a sweet friend that I met on a mission trip. They found a mass in his lung and it was scheduled for immediate removal. He is a retired fire fighter and no doubt, his decision on a career to save others, led to damage to his lungs. They are both people of deep faith and as fast as I could pray and comment, other comments came flying in, promising prayer.

Then, when I got to work, there was a frantic text from a friend of mine asking for prayer for a two-year- old with Down Syndrome who had gone into respiratory and then cardiac arrest and had been life flighted to the hospital. She said they needed a miracle and I prayed for that child who God had knit together in her mother’s womb.

As I prayed during that day for the healing of two of God’s precious children, I thought about the valley of dry bones and the part Ezekiel played. God told Ezekiel to prophesy that the bones would come to life. Ezekiel obeyed and witnessed a miracle right before his eyes. Ezekiel trusted God and had complete faith in His abilities.

As Christians, the Bible tells us repeatedly to pray and to pray without ceasing. We may not be prophets, but we have been given the spiritual tool of prayer, a power we too often take for granted. Ezekiel’s valley reminds me that only God knows the outcome of any situation and He has no limitations. Our part is to pray with the hope of complete restoration. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Answering the Call to Shine the Light

Posted on by Wendy
We all have the opportunity to share the light of Christ with those around us.

When I began working at my current job, I met a sweet lady on the maintenance staff. She came by my office and introduced herself and welcomed me aboard. I learned that she begins her workday every morning at 5:00 AM and I was touched by her kindness and happy attitude with that early start.

I’ve been working here for close to a year now and almost every day, she goes out of her way to say hello. There’s a quiet joy that radiates from her and I always look forward to our short chats.

Yesterday, when we were talking about some bad weather that thankfully, didn’t materialize for us, she said that she was praying on the way to work that it wouldn’t hit until she arrived safely.

I smiled and told her I had prayed about the weather that morning too.

I thought about our conversation after she left. I knew she was a Christian before she talked about prayer. How did I know? It’s the simple way she carries herself and the joy that she exudes. She never had to say a word. She didn’t have to quote scripture or tell me where she went to church. She just acts differently than other people.

She carries a light and walks the walk that we are all called to.

I was struck how she didn’t pray that we wouldn’t get the bad weather. She prayed for her safe passage.

I’ll have to admit that I don’t often pray for my safe passage. I pray for the storm to go away. But, what if God plans on using the storm to either teach me faith or others faith through me? Praying for God’s will over my own is not easy and if I’m honest, I fail more than I succeed, yet I am called to work towards that goal every morning when I wake up.

 Thankfully, His mercies are new every morning.

I often pray that others see God’s light through me and that He shows me Himself during my day. I don’t know why I am continually surprised when He comes through and teaches me a lesson in the process.

My sweet coworker reminded me to shine the light of Christ wherever I am and that our God doesn’t have to stop the storm in order to give us safe passage. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊 

God is Always at Work

Posted on by Wendy
Just because we can’t see evidence of growth, doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

One morning this week, I woke up to a cold, dreary, rainy day. The time had just changed over the weekend, so it was really dark out. I sat at my kitchen table eating my breakfast listening to the pouring rain, seriously wishing I didn’t have to go to work.

I drove to work more slowly than usual and then trudged to my building, wearing rainboots, a raincoat and carrying an umbrella. When I arrived at my office, I heard a buzz on my phone indicating a text message.

It was a message from a dear friend that read: “Good morning sweet friend. Enjoy your rainy day. It may not be the sunrise that we seek, but God has a plan for everyday and this one is just as beautiful as all other mornings.”

I smiled and said a prayer of thanks for her and then texted her back telling her she had no idea how much I needed to hear that. I marveled at the Holy Spirit at work in her, that prompted her to reach out and send a word of encouragement.

The next day was stunningly beautiful and warm, literally the perfect spring day. When I took a walk at lunch time, I couldn’t believe the difference. Of course, I know that we are talking about typical spring time weather, but it was hard to even dream of the beauty that I was witnessing during the ugly of the day before.

As I kept walking, I noticed all of the trees and shrubs bursting in bloom and thought about how that rainy day helped to feed those blooms. Those trees needed that rain.

Yes, my friend had been right, God did have a plan for that day, even if I couldn’t appreciate it at the time.

Then I came upon a very old tree without one bloom. To the casual observer, it looked dead, but it wasn’t. That tree was still dormant and hadn’t awaken yet. The fact that it wasn’t blooming didn’t mean that work and growth wasn’t going on beneath the roots and bark, even if there wasn’t outward growth to show it.  

God was at work on this tree just as He was on the ones already in full bloom. His timing for this tree was simply different, but no less intentional.

I thought about His timing as the day went on. I thought about how everyone loves beautiful warm, sunny, days surrounded by blooming thriving trees, and people, if we are honest, but we sometimes forget how much work goes on behind the scenes of that beauty. 

Make no mistake, God is always at work with a plan for every day, even when we can’t see it, in nature, in the people around us and in us. A text from a friend reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊

 

A Lenten Call to Shine

Posted on by Wendy
We are called to bloom in every season.

This week was the official beginning of Lent for those who observe it. Lent is not Biblical, but has been observed in some form, in various churches, for over a thousand years. It’s meant to be a time of self-denial, but perhaps more importantly, a time of self-reflection.  

As I type this, we have been in an international pandemic for over two years now. Many of us feel like we have been in a never-ending phase of self-denial. Many have spent a lot of time in self-reflection and have made positive changes. Others have retreated to their homes, embracing the safety there, choosing to connect electronically. We want to work from home and worship from home. We have shunned people who aggravate us or who are different from us, but in the process, we have also shunned community. 

Inflation is out of control and simply shopping for groceries or filling the car up with gas, can make the hardiest soul a little squeamish. Just when we seemed to be emerging from the ongoing pandemic woes, Russia elected to start a war with its neighbors and created worldwide instability. 

As I was putting away laundry last week and prayerfully thinking about world turmoil in the context of Lent, I happened to see a large bloom on my Christmas Cactus that is apparently blissfully unaware that it’s March. It made me smile and as I drew closer, I was delighted to find tiny buds all over it. I felt like the Holy Spirit was sending a message. 

The miracle of Jesus’ birth is still just as beautiful and important in March as it was in December. His birth, life, death, and resurrection know no season, even though we try to fit them neatly on our calendars. They are all constant truth and therefore should be constant comfort to all who walk with Him and an ongoing reason to bloom and share that hope with others. 

We all wish that the dark days would finally be behind us, that Covid will be a thing of the past and that people could all just get along, but that is not for us to decide. 

Yet, we do have a decision to make in the midst of the darkness.  

We can choose to let the light of Christ shine through us, remembering that the darker the days are, the brighter our light is and perhaps this year, that’s the call of the Lenten season, the call to shine. 

A March blooming Christmas Cactus reminded me to bloom and shine regardless of the season. Perhaps you needed reminding too. 

Have an awesome day! 

Wendy 🙂