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.

Seeking and Finding

Posted on by Wendy
God reveals Himself to those who seek Him in countless ways.

One morning last week, I was driving to an event for work. I was praying about several areas in my life where I needed both God’s intervention and His guidance. As I prayed, it began to rain and as the drops hit my windshield, I was reminded of the prayers from Psalms, so I gave thanks for the rain.

After that, I gave thanks that I woke up that morning, and I gave thanks for my health, and my family’s health, and for my car that runs, and for my job. The more I named, the more I thought of; it was as if naming the blessings made them multiply.

Next, like the Psalmist often does, I thanked God for the many times in the past that He has intervened on my behalf and the countless prayers He has answered. Then I found myself praying for my parents and naming the specific instances that He has had His hands on them and healed them and as I acknowledged His protection, I caught a red light and something made me look to the left.

When I did, I first saw the dorm that my Mama moved me into over 30 years ago and I thanked God for His constant presence, even when I couldn’t see or feel it and then I caught my breath as I saw a stunning rainbow over that dorm.

My eyes immediately filled with tears as I felt His presence and I felt the most wonderful sense of peace as I repeated thank you over and over.

After the event, I went to my sweet co-worker’s office to tell her good morning and the first thing she said to me, was “I have been praying for you.”

I thanked her and I told her what had happened and about the rainbow. She grinned and told me that she had seen it too and then showed me a picture she had taken with her phone. She then told me about a similar situation she just had with the car tag in front of her and how she knew it was God communicating with her.

We talked about how special those God winks are and then she said, “You know, we have to look for and acknowledge the small stuff, because if we don’t, we will never get to see the big stuff.”

As I thought about our conversation later, I thought about how often God intervenes and is present in ways that we never see, and how true worship should be looking for, acknowledging and giving thanks for the times we do see His hand at work. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Lessons from the Hummingbirds

Posted on by Wendy
“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

Every summer since we moved into our house over fifteen years ago, I have put out a feeder for the hummingbirds. Every summer, I have been blessed with a bunch of those bossy, territorial little birds. I have enjoyed watching their antics and marveled at how they seem to care more about keeping other birds from taking a drink than feeding themselves. Their nature tends to be quite humanlike at times.

They are colorful and fun to watch and sometimes a lot of work. I often have an ongoing battle to keep the ants out of the feeder. At the end of the season, they consume so much sugar water, that I struggle to keep it filled.

It’s like when I put out a feeder at the beginning of the summer, I feel a responsibility for these tiny wild creatures.

But, last summer I only saw one or two birds the entire summer and never together. I poured out most all of the sugar water I made because when it remains in the feeder more that a couple of days in the really hot part of the summer, it sours and can be dangerous for them to drink. I figured someone else in the neighborhood must have been feeding them or perhaps they were getting what they needed from flowering plants.

So, this summer, I decided not to put a feeder out. The hummingbirds clearly no longer needed my assistance. We decided to plant tomato plants in the pots underneath where the feeder usually hangs instead of hibiscus.

I didn’t see any of the little birds at all in the late spring or in early June, so I thought my decision had been the right one, but in mid June, I caught one sitting on the edge of a tomato cage. It sat there for a good little while and then flew away. The next day I saw it again, in the same spot. I began to question not putting a feeder out. Did they need it after all?

Was it too late to put one out?

One morning before work, I went ahead and made some sugar water and when I got home, my hubby had put the feeder out. We had a visitor that afternoon and within a couple of days, we had at four at the same time. I felt both guilty for not putting it out earlier and relieved that we had because they apparently needed us after all.

God often uses nature to teach me life lessons. Those hummingbirds reminded me that we should never stop giving even when we think our giving is not appreciated or needed. We are called to simply do our part and let Him do the rest. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

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 😊Â