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 🙂

Giving Thanks for the Prayer Warriors

Posted on by Wendy
Texts from Prayer Warriors brought me a deep sense of peace.

It’s been a dreary past couple of weeks at my house. My hubby and I, despite our best efforts, contracted Covid-19. We had what would definitely be considered a mild case. We didn’t have any breathing difficulties. We didn’t end up in the hospital, but it was a miserable experience.

As soon as I learned that my hubby tested positive, I reached out to some prayer warrior friends of mine and asked for prayer. The numbers were on our side, but I was seeking a deeper intervention from people who I knew would stand in the gap for us. I received daily texts and sometimes beautiful pictures, from people who I knew were praying and the peace that came from those prayers was priceless. A former pastor and dear friend of mine even called me and prayed for us over the phone.

It turns out that the hard reality of social distance and quarantine that was thrust upon us, was no match for the spiritual blessings that were showered upon us.

When I began to feel better and I was looking over the texts, I marveled at the faithful people who God has put in our lives. Some were from mission trips. Some were former co-workers. Some were current co-workers. Some were old friends and some were new friends. Some were family. My daughter even texted me to tell me that someone she met on a mission trip who has never even met us was praying for us.

I was truly humbled when I thought about how God carefully weaved these people into the fabric of our lives and how He knew when I met each one of these people that we would one day be sick and would need their prayers. He knew a pandemic was coming one day. He was not caught by surprise and just like He was with Joseph in Egypt, He was with us.

As I write this, the sun has finally come out after days of being shrouded by clouds. I am feeling better and I stand amazed at the power of prayer. I am reminded of the beautiful gift that a faith community is even when they are people that you rarely see. As a dear friend of mine once said, “Relationships built with Christ at the center are different than all others. They are deep and lasting.”

Those are wise words indeed.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Coyote Lessons

Posted on by Wendy

We are not called to fear, but we are called to be vigilant.

Last weekend, my hubby and I were having coffee at our kitchen table. There are power lines behind our house and we can see the path underneath them from our kitchen. It’s always interesting to see what will walk by. We often see deer. There’s sometimes a really big buck that walks by. We have a neighbor who lets his dog run on the trail. We have another neighbor who runs. There’s a kid who sometimes rides his dirt bike.

The power company only cuts the grass back there every three years or so, so at times it gets very tall.

But, last Saturday morning, a rather larger coyote trotted by in plain sight, just on the other side of our fence. He didn’t seem to have a care in the world. I was stunned. I know we have them around. I have heard them. I have neighbors who have seen them, but I have never seen one so close to my house.

I immediately picked up the phone and called my neighbor. He has a beloved cat who is the self-proclaimed king of the cul-de-sac and that cat didn’t stand a chance against that coyote. Thankfully, he answered on the first ring and told me that the cat was safely in the house.

I found myself truly annoyed at this brazen coyote for strolling around in broad daylight like he owned the place. Didn’t he know he was supposed to be nocturnal? Why wasn’t he following the rules?

What about the safety of all of the people who used that trail?

A little later, when I got over the coyote’s perceived breach of etiquette, I had to admit that what I really didn’t like was seeing such a stealthy predator so close to my doorstep. I have dogs. I have a neighbor with dogs and chickens and of course there’s the cat next door. While I know that coyotes are in my area, actually seeing one is a different matter altogether.

I needed to be more watchful and careful in the future.

When I thought about the incident a little later, I was reminded that our spiritual lives are very similar to our physical ones. We have another predator who is always seeking to cause chaos and as much harm as possible. Like that coyote, he is opportunistic and comes out when he sees the best chance of success.

But, we have better weapons on the spiritual realm. We have prayer and the Bible and we have the Holy Spirit. As people of faith, we have no need to fear him, because what is in us is much stronger than what is in him. Yet, we have to be on guard and keep watch for ourselves and those we love. Loving reminders, like the call to my neighbor along with prayer, can help the people who we care about to keep safe as well.

A coyote out in broad daylight reminded me to be vigilant with my physical and spiritual safety. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

A Call to the Light Bearers

Posted on by Wendy
We are called to be God’s light.

Last week, I watched in complete dismay as our Capitol was overrun and overtaken, not by foreign terrorists, but by Americans. People who’s anger and sense of disenfranchisement boiled over and they felt led to take matters into their own hands. Chaos reigned for a time both in Washington DC and all over social media. The enemies of freedom all over the world cheered.

I’ve no doubt Satan danced in utter delight.

I felt a spiritual darkness deep inside my bones over the next few days. I prayed without ceasing asking for God’s guidance and for His mercy upon our land. I read the Bible and I texted some of my strongest prayer warriors asking for perspective.

On Sunday morning, as I was continuing to pray about it, I felt like I got what I had been seeking.

The Holy Spirit reminded me of the story of Jonah and the city of Nineveh. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh to speak the truth and tell them about Him and His coming judgement. Jonah ran the other way, not because he was afraid, but because he didn’t want God to forgive them. Jonah wanted Nineveh to be destroyed.

But, as evil as the people of Nineveh were, they repented and God spared them.

We can argue all day long about whether God supports a particular political party, but in doing that, I believe we have allowed ourselves to become focused on man and not on God. Let’s be clear here: God can use whomever He chooses to use for His purposes. His hands are in no way bound by someone’s political party affiliation.

As people of God, we need to accept that we are in the middle of a spiritual war here and so our response must be spiritual. We are called to pray for both Trump and for Biden, for the Democrats and the Republicans. We are called to pray that revival will sweep through the halls and streets of Washington DC and on both sides of the aisle.

I watched an interview last week with Mike Huckabee and several other pastors. One of them pointed out that during the ninth plague in Egypt, the plague of darkness, found in Exodus 10:21-23, the darkness was so deep in the land that it could be felt. But, the Israelites, (God’s people) had light in the places where they lived.

1 Thessalonians 5:5 says: “You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness.”

As children of the light, we are called to spread light not darkness, remembering that darkness cannot drive out darkness only light can.

Now more than ever, we are called to speak truth in love and to pray as never before. The people who walk in darkness don’t know anything, but darkness. We do. Every Christian is here for such a time as this. We may be surprised about what’s going on, but God is not.

We were chosen for this moment. How will we choose to respond?

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.

Barbed Wire Lessons

Posted on by Wendy
So much of what we spend our time on won’t last when we are gone.

On a recent visit to my parents’ house, we were treated to some mild winter weather. We had a cold snap the week before, followed by rain, so when the sun came out on Saturday and the temperature hit sixty degrees, we grabbed the pups and headed out for a long walk. We started out on familiar trails left by loggers from the past and then cut back by my daddy and brother, but eventually we found ourselves exploring territory that hasn’t been cut back in a while.

We ended up in a beautiful, flat area, with tall, majestic oak trees. There were no logging trails or trails from my parents’ ATV. It seemed completely untouched by humanity, but as we walked a little further, my hubby called back to tell us to watch out for the barbed wire. Sure enough, there were two strands of very old barbed wire that two oak trees had grown around.

I was fascinated. The trees were completely unaffected by the wire and I wondered how old they were. My parents nor grandparents, ever had livestock in that area, so it’s been untouched for at least sixty years, if not longer. But, clearly at some point, someone had used that flat area to keep some type of livestock. Someone had used their hands and had likely spent hours in sweat equity building a fence and maintaining some sort of pasture for grazing.

I wondered what animals lived there and how long the former owners farmed there. Was farming their livelihood? Did they constantly worry about their fence and what tomorrow would bring with the weather or what predators lurked nearby? Was it worth it to them? In the end, were they at peace with their life choices and how they spent their time? What happened to them and their farm?

Because, somewhere between 60 and 100 years later, it was almost as if that fence was never even there. Nature reclaimed what was hers and erased someone’s hard work.

That barbed wire remnant really got me to thinking about what we focus on during our short time here and what really matters. We tend to find ourselves focusing on things like our jobs and financial issues or these days, politics and a pandemic. While these things may be serious matters at the moment, these are not eternal matters.

According to the CDC, the average lifespan for Americans is 78.7 years. How much of our time is spent worrying about or working on things that won’t matter in ten or twenty years, much less 100?

We live in a physical world, so we have to spend some of our time working on physical things, but perhaps the answer is to focus more of our time on matters that will last long after we are gone like faith, hope and love. We can share those with people in our lives and send waves that can spread across generations.

Some old barbed wire reminded me to be intentional about how I spend my time. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂