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.

The Call to Transform

Posted on by Wendy
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.

Happy Easter! He is risen!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Learning to Appreciate the Storms

Posted on by Wendy
“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.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊

 

 

Finding Hope in Remote Places

Posted on by Wendy
Remote places are where Jesus does some of His best work.

I recently read the account of Jesus feeding the 4,000 found in Mark Chapter 8. It’s a familiar story that most Christians know. But, this time, I caught a new detail. In verse two, Jesus tells the disciples that he has compassion for the crowds because they had already been with him for three days and hadn’t eaten anything. He was concerned that they would collapse from hunger if he sent them away.

The disciples asked Jesus, “Where in this remote place can anyone get enough to feed them?” Mark 8:4

They were looking at Jesus’ capabilities on a strictly human level even after all of the miracles they had already witnessed. They were in a remote place, far way from any type of assistance in the disciples’ eyes, so how could they possibly provide for these hungry people?

Of course, they couldn’t, but He could. That was the point.

In the past, I have always focused on the miracle itself, the multiplication of the fish and loaves. But this time their location caught my attention. Where they were was important. It was a remote place and that’s where Jesus wanted them. They couldn’t possibly provide for themselves.

They needed Jesus.

I think the remote places are where we too, most often find ourselves acknowledging our desperate need for Jesus. When we are in waiting rooms, or doctor’s offices, or waiting for a phone call, or lose our job, or when we hit rock bottom, or are weathering a pandemic, when we are completely incapable of providing for ourselves is when we cry out to Him.

And just as in this account, Jesus has compassion on us and He provides. He fills our souls with love, mercy, peace and hope. He redeems us and gives us a fresh start.

Jesus feeding the multitudes reminded me not to fear the remote places because that’s where Jesus does some of His best work. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

 

The Wonder of Planting

Posted on by Wendy
Anytime we plant, there’s a certain amount faith and wonder involved.

Earlier this week, we were blessed with  fabulous weather. We had several days of warm sun. It’s the last week of February and when we get a day where temps reach seventy degrees, it’s a gift. And since it’s been gray, cold and rainy for weeks on end, it was especially sweet. When my watch buzzed at me, reminding me that I needed to get up and move around, I headed outside.

The earth still looked completely dead and my backyard was covered in piles of leaves everywhere, but I used the opportunity to throw some sticks over the fence and check on the goldfish pond. We covered it with a net in an attempt to keep the leaves out. As I scanned the area, a seemingly dead plant in a pot underneath the net, caught my eye. It was a hydrangea that I planted last year.

To my delight, there were green buds forming on the ends. Life was being produced and resurrection was happening from something that appeared dead to the outside observer.

Millions of people planted gardens last year in response to the pandemic and I recently read an article discussing the fact that our desire to garden during a crisis has been documented back to World War II. In 1943, a Life Magazine Article reported there were 18,000,000 Victory Gardens growing in America. While I’ve no doubt they were started out of necessity, I suspect the planters received much more than food from tending their gardens.

Planting seeds takes a certain amount of faith. Once we dig a hole and put a seed or a plant in it, we can water it. We can fertilize it. But, we cannot make it grow. Gardening or any type of planting teaches us that we are not in control, even though we often so desperately want to be. Sometimes we do everything right with our tending and nurturing and what we plant refuses to thrive. Sometimes we don’t put in nearly the amount of care that we should, yet we are still blessed with a bumper crop.

I think growing and tending are in our DNA. God calls us to plant, because it grounds us and it makes us remember that He is sovereign.

Kindergartners often have a project where they plant seeds in a cup. They are filled with wonder when a fully formed, colorful flower pops up. Planting makes us remember the wonder of God.

A hydrangea springing back to life provided me with some much needed wonder. I certainly can use some wonder in the season I am living in. Perhaps you can too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Daffodil Hope

Posted on by Wendy
We could learn a lot about hope from nature.

One day last week as I parked my car at work, I felt weariness set in. It was cold and gray out. As I got out and put my gloves on, I grabbed my umbrella because we were expecting rain again, I sighed. I trudged up the hill and waited for the light to change, so I could cross  the street to get to my office. After playing real life Frogger, I’ll have to admit, I felt both my conviction and resolve to be a light to others that I made a mere hour earlier, fading fast.

Maybe I am the only person who struggles with this? I sit at my cozy kitchen table in the quiet of the morning with a cup of coffee and read a devotional. I write down Bible verses. I pray. I resolve to go out into the world and be the light of Christ to others. I resolve to be at peace and not let the petty annoyances of life affect me. I resolve to remember that God has a plan and to stay focused on Him.

Then I walk out my door out into the world. It’s cold outside. Someone cuts me off in traffic. It’s raining out and my feet get wet. The wind blows hard and my resolve and conviction tend to get blown away.

But, as I walked a few more steps, I was greeted by a planter box full of budding daffodils and I had to stop for a minute. It was amazing how they stood in such stark contrast against the gray skies and the loud traffic. It was almost as if they defiantly chose to offer hope even though there was no visible reason for them to, at least to the human eye. It was as if they knew something that I didn’t, but isn’t that always the way with God’s creation?

I smiled and felt my peace and resolve return as I headed inside.

I thought about those budding flowers for the rest of the day and about hope they represented. They were determined to bloom despite the circumstances. As people of faith, aren’t we called to do the same?

Some budding daffodils reminded me to stand up straight and point the people living in this dark world to Jesus with the power of hope, no matter what circumstances we may find ourselves in. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Reminders of His Presence

Posted on by Wendy
The timing of the sunrise text was no coincidence.

One morning, late, last week, I was running a little late, getting ready for work. It was my first week back in the office after recovering from being sick and I was exhausted. I was also feeling a little discouraged about the movie, Groundhog Day, feel, my life had recently taken on.

The news was the same everyday. The pandemic was still raging on. We were were still wearing masks and socially distancing at almost a year in. Our nation was still divided even after the election. I felt both physically and mentally exhausted. Maybe you can relate?

Before I went downstairs, I prayed that God would reveal some truth and offer some hope through His word, in my daily devotions and that He would allow me to feel His presence. I know He’s always working and I know He’s always close by, but this morning, I prayed for reassurance.

I was not disappointed.

The first devotion I read, centered in on Esther and her being exactly where she was at exactly when she was for a reason, for such a time as this. I felt encouraged.  Could this same concept apply to me? Didn’t Esther and I worship the same God?

I already felt better when I navigated to my next reading. This one focused on the prophet Elisha found in 2 Kings. Elisha’s servant is trembling because to the physical eye, they were surrounded by enemies on all sides. There was no escape. Elisha reassured him that, “there were more with us than with them.” But the servant was not convinced. All he could see was the enemy. So, Elisha prayed that God would let the servant see what Elisha knew to be true. God in His goodness, answered his prayer and it was revealed that the hills were filled with horses and chariots of fire. An unseen angel army was protecting them.

As I pondered the faithfulness of God in sending not one, but two messages of encouragement, I received a text from a friend. It read, “The sunrise is absolutely stunning.”

As I got up and walked to the front of my house to take a look, the majesty took my breath away. I went outside in the cold and snapped some photos and sent it to two other people.

When I went back to the same window, just a few minutes later, the moment had past. Of course, the sun was still there, but the brilliance and the color was only there at that moment when my friend felt prompted to text me about it. I was both humbled and amazed at God’s timing.

As I reflected on the meaning of it all on my drive into work, I was reminded that I too, am here at this time in this place for a reason, because God has a plan for me even though at times, it looks like Groundhog Day. I was also reminded that because I am His, there are many more with me than against me. And the timing of that sunrise? There are no coincidences with God. That too, was carefully planned.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Seeking His Light

Posted on by Wendy
He says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.” Psalm 46:10

On most mornings, I eat my breakfast and read several devotionals. I drink my coffee and write down my thoughts. I pray. My kitchen table faces a group of windows and lately, it’s been really dark out in the mornings. But, one particular day, as I was grumbling to myself about the darkness, I felt a nudge to turn off the lights above the table.

So, I did.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that when I turned off the man-made light, I could see God’s. It wasn’t bright sunshine, but it wasn’t darkness either. It was a little message of hope of the day to come. As I sat there praying, I thanked God for showing me the light and the more I gave thanks, the brighter it became.

For the rest of the week, I did the same. I would read my devotional and then turn off the lights and God met me there every morning. When I actively sought His light, I found it.

The first chapter in Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and the earth and right after, in verse three, He said, “let there be light.” And there was light and He saw that it was good. I have always been encouraged that right after He created the heavens and the earth, He created light. He didn’t need the light. He created it for us. He knew we needed it and He gave it to us.

In the same vein, whenever I find myself stumbling in the darkness and I actively seek His light, He always provides it in some way. On that particular morning, He showed me the same light He has been providing since the beginning of time, reminding me that He is timeless, ever present and always providing, even when I am too busy or distracted to see it.

In this noisy, angry world that we find ourselves living in at the moment, He reminded me in the quiet of the dawning day to, “Be still and know that I am God.” Then He showed me the same the next day and the day after. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too. May I suggest a sunrise?

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Blazing a New Trail

Posted on by Wendy
It’s never too late to blaze a new trail!

On a recent walk on my parents’ property, we took our pups and let them roam off leash. It was so much fun watching the pure joy in their wagging tails. They would catch a scent of something and run off a little ways and we would call to them and they would return for a few minutes and then dash off again, following their noses.

I commented to my hubby about how they were always running. I marveled how they didn’t run into trees. He pointed out that they were following deer trails. He said that deer don’t just wander around aimlessly. They have trails that they have made and they tend to stay on them.

I grew up in the country and I don’t know why I didn’t know that little fact, but I was intrigued by the thought that even animals, tend to stick to paths that have already been laid out for them and deer aren’t trail blazers.

As we wind down 2020, we can all agree that this year has been unusual at best. Most of us have found ourselves off of the path we planned in some shape or form. While this off-roading of sorts, has caused many emotions ranging from disappointment, to fear, to anger, to despair; it has also resulted in the blazing of new trails for many.

People have spent a lot of time at home. Relationships have been prioritized. Families began sitting down together for dinner together since all of those sports and extracurricular activities were cancelled. Brides and grooms elected to go ahead and get married without a big, splashy wedding because starting life together was what was important. People moved in droves; many sought quieter, more rural lifestyles. Many lost loved ones.

Calamity has a way of making us refocus on what’s really important. It makes us take stock and take a hard look at where we are and what path we are on. When the busyness gets taken away, we are forced to ask ourselves are we on the path we really want to be on? How did we get here? Are we here simply because it’s what everyone else is doing? Might now be the time to seek the, “Road Less Travelled?”

While we are all anxious for this pandemic to go away, what has it taught us? Do we really want to go back to life exactly as it was? Are there changes that have been made for the good? Should more be made?

The Bible tells us, “And we know in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

A deer trail in the woods, reminded me to end this tumultuous year with some time in prayer. If God is in the lead, it’s never too late to blaze a new trail. Perhaps you needed reminding too!

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

PS I won’t be posting for the next few weeks, because I will be spending time with family. I pray that you have a Merry Christmas and I hope to meet you back here in 2021.

The Gift of Perspective

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes messy, is just evidence of a life truly lived.

Last week, I hosted Thanksgiving dinner for my family, just like I usually do. It was a small, informal affair. My parents came. Mama came a day early and made her sweet potato and macaroni and cheese casseroles like she usually does. Daddy drove up on Thanksgiving Day with my brother, like he usually does. My hubby smoked a turkey. I made the dressing and dessert.

My son sat next to my brother. My daughter set next to my mother. We bowed our heads and gave thanks and shared a feast together.

It was all extraordinarily ordinary, except this year, it felt so special. In a world turned upside down by a virus we can’t even see, the beautiful familiarity of it all, felt like a gift from above. We lingered at the table long after we were finished eating, each of us sharing old and new stories along with lots of laughter.

When we finally did move into the kitchen for cleanup and I saw the pile of dishes, I had to smile and take a picture. I don’t know if I have ever considered dirty dishes a blessing, but this year was different. This year, each of those plates and glasses represented someone who I deeply love, who was able to share a Thanksgiving meal. They also represented the provision of food to put on those plates. This year the post meal scrubbing of casserole dishes and handwashing of the “good” glasses made me pause and give thanks.

A little bit later, when we went outside to take the annual family picture, the light seemed a little brighter than usual. The leaves seemed a little more vibrant and no one complained about smiling for forty pictures, because that’s how many it took for seven people and two pups, both sharing their first Thanksgiving, to look at the camera.

It was a very busy few days, involving lots of cleaning and cooking. The two young pups had a ball, chasing each other, leaving muddy footprints all over the porch, that I also found myself saying a prayer of thanks for as I wiped them up. Those dogs have brought much light and joy into our homes this year and those muddy footprints were simply part of the package.

2020 will be remembered for a lot of things and I suspect that most of them will not be good. There has been so much death, loss, unrest, despair and division. But, perhaps it will also be remembered as the year that put things in perspective for many of us.

Everyday we wake up, is a gift. For most of us, this Christmas season will look different than in years past, but as we ease into the season of Advent and prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, may we remember to focus on the many blessings that we so often overlook. When we do that, we may find a new sense of peace that we haven’t had before, one that passes all understanding.

A pile of dirty dishes and some muddy pawprints reminded me how many blessings we often overlook. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

A Call to Be Thankful

Posted on by Wendy
We can always find blessings if we intentionally seek them.

My daughter and I were talking on the phone one day this week. She had been sending me pictures of the Christmas decorations that she and her college roommates had been putting up. She was telling me how she normally wants no part of Christmas before Thanksgiving. She has never liked how people just skip over our national day of gratitude and go straight to Christmas. She has always enjoyed the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She and my dad love the dog show that follows and she’s a big fan of Thanksgiving turkey and cranberry sauce.

But, this year that has been different in so many ways, has her yearning for Christmas. I nodded in agreement as I confessed that I was playing Christmas music on my computer while I worked that day. I was also burning a Christmas candle. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one with Christmas on her mind.

“I think we all need a little Christmas right now,” she said.

I told her what we are all really desperate for right now is Jesus. Our battered hearts are longing for the peace, refuge, comfort, redemption and joy that only He can provide.

She agreed.

After we hung up, I kept thinking about our conversation. It almost seems counterintuitive to be thankful right now when there’s still a pandemic raging, when experts are warning families that it would be safer to stay apart for the holidays, when there’s still unrest in our streets, when an election that should have been decided weeks ago, still drags on. And if you are unfortunate enough to live in the state of Georgia, voices from all over the country are yelling at us at every turn to vote one way or the other.

Yet, as Christians, we are called to be thankful, thankful for the many blessings we have been given, thankful that we woke up this morning, thankful for the friends and family we have been given, thankful that God has given us another day here on planet earth to make a difference. What is counterintuitive for non-believers isn’t for us because we know that we are travelers here on our way to a much greater place where there will be no pain.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4

A phone call reminded me that even though our hearts are crying out, Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel, let’s not forget to be a people who shine with thanksgiving. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂