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 🙂

 

 

Easter is Coming

Posted on by Wendy
Easter is coming!

As we ready ourselves for Easter Sunday, we have to first go through Good Friday. Friday is an incredibly dark day for people of faith. On that fateful Friday so many years ago, Jesus’ followers believed that they truly had come to the end and all was lost, but they were wrong. You may find yourself in a really dark place right now too, but be encouraged, Sunday is coming!

May we take some time to reflect upon what’s so truly amazing about grace. Happy Easter!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Songbird Ecouragement

Posted on by Wendy
The birds choose to sing regardless of their circumstances.

We had a loud thunderstorm one night this week. It was the second round of tornado producing storms that hit the South in just two days. It was around midnight when the thunder began booming. We have two dogs. One is afraid of thunder and he began pacing and whining and scratching to get out the door, which of course, woke up the other pup and she became restless as well.

The noise and the dogs had me up for good portion of the night before the storms finally passed and they were able to settle back down.

I was definitely dragging the next morning as I sat bleary eyed at my kitchen table, drinking my second cup of coffee, desperately wishing it was Friday instead of Thursday.

It was still dark outside and I was trying to focus on the daily devotion I was reading in silence, when I little bird chirped to the top of its lungs. I smiled to myself. I appreciated this early bird’s beacon to embrace the day ahead after such a rough night. After all, he had been outside in the midst of the storm for both rounds. He didn’t have the safety of a house to shelter him. Yet, he was ready to go forth and do his work whatever that may be, with a cheerful song.

It wasn’t but a minute or two, when a chorus of other birds joined him. 

At this point, I stopped reading and gave them my full attention. 

A symphony had begun and I wanted to take a moment to appreciate it.

I thought about those birds for the rest of the day. I thought about how every single one of them had been outside in that thunderstorm and how they chose to celebrate the new day together. They could have remained silent, shuffling around in the dark, wet morning, grumbling about their long night, telling each other stories about how they were almost blown out their nests or about the mess they had to clean up and I felt convicted. 

That’s exactly what I wanted to do. I was tired and grumpy and far from joyful as I sat in my warm dry home with electricity.

I especially, thought about the very first bird to sing. He was the one to get the others going in the right direction. His song led the way.

When I got to work, I sent a couple of emails and texts of encouragement to people who I thought might need it. It required very little effort on my part, but I wanted my song to lead the way. 

I got thankful replies from each one of them. The song of one lone bird in the darkness, reminded me that a single act of encouragement can sometimes be a lifeline to someone who might really 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 😊

 

Pray for the Ukraine

Posted on by Wendy

I’ve spent a lot of time this past week, thinking about the people in the Ukraine. The population there is around 85% Christian, making it one of the most Christian countries in Europe.

I have no idea if that fact along with the fact that their president is a Jewish man who lost his family to the German Holocaust in World War II, or that Christianity has exploded there since 1991, when the Soviet Union imploded is significant.

What I do know is there’s a spiritual war going on and as people of faith, we are all called to pray hard. Let’s not forget the power that all Christians wield. Please join me in praying for the people of the Ukraine. When Christians join together in prayer, miracles happen and what looks impossible no longer is. Let’s pray without ceasing.

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 🙂

Seeking Shalom

Posted on by Wendy
We don’t have to know what lies ahead, because God does.

Every year around New Year’s, I pray about a new word to focus on in the coming year. This year the words peace and prayer kept coming up again and again. I figured the Holy Spirit was trying to teach me something, so I went with it. I wrote them on post its on my desk and in my journal. As I spent more time thinking about peace, I began to feel drawn to the concept of shalom.

As I studied more about the concept, I was fascinated. Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace, but it means much more than the Western concept of the absence of war or to wish someone a good day. Shalom means complete peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, contentedness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility. Shalom is not partial. It’s not about circumstances. It’s about the whole.

As I began praying about moving towards shalom in my life, I was called to put into practical use.

In January, my Mama got sick and gave us quite a scare. In February, my annual bloodwork revealed some questionable results and I received a packet from the Department of Labor informing me that they were fighting an unemployment claim that I never filed. Yep, I had been a victim of some kind of identity theft.

I can’t say I was surprised. I’ve been on this faith journey long enough to know that if you pray for rain, you better get an umbrella. If you pray for extra peace in your life, especially complete peace, shalom, the peace that can only come from walking with Jesus, it would be foolish to expect smooth sailing. We can’t learn to swim if we don’t get wet.

There have been times in my life when the circumstances listed above, would have set me in a tailspin, but I found myself praying before panicking and meditating on shalom. I am happy to report that both mine and my Mama’s health are fine, so being emotionally distraught would have been for no reason. It would have been a complete waste of time, time that could have been better spent doing Kingdom Work.

Worrying wouldn’t have changed the outcome either way.

As I write this, my identity situation is not yet resolved, but I am reminded that Jesus warned us of troubles on this side of eternity. He said that we should be at peace anyway.

Having shalom is a daily intentional choice that begins with prayer and is strengthened with scripture. It’s a challenge, no doubt about it, but I think it’s a challenge worth pursuing. Perhaps you might like to try it too?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😀