The Journey

We Forget

2012-01-28T13:00:00.010-05:00

Unfortunately I had a less-than-lovely encounter with someone this morning that left me feeling a bit disheartened. And I hate it when that happens. I hate it when I allow someone else's bad mood to interfere with my joy... I really do.

My daughter had a 4-hour play practice this morning at 10 at the school. It happened to be on the side of the school that isn't unlocked on the weekends which made it pretty difficult when we arrived.. on time.. to a prescheduled practice yet unable to get in. Thankfully there was another student who had arrived a bit earlier who graciously held the door open for us or we wouldn't have been able to get in. We would have had to get back in the car, drive around to the other side of the building to see if that door was unlocked which would have made us late for practice which would have cost us as the director charges for every minute you're late (which I am not arguing isn't a good idea... I find lateness totally intolerable).

As we made our way in I thought it would be a good idea to tell the director about the experience we had and let her know that the doors to that side of the building were not unlocked. I thought it would be something she might want to be aware of. Since we struggled to get in, I was certain there would be others who would struggle as well and perhaps she had something to wedge in the door to keep it unlocked for others. Her response was, "I don't have anything in my back pocket." She then proceeded to tell me that the others would need to figure out a way to get in. She and the others were where they needed to be. They were inside the building... warm and safe and taken care of. But there were others who would struggle to get in and be left out in the cold because we failed to offer them a way in or at the very least, provide a way to warn them about the locked door.

As I walked back out of the door and to my car I noticed that there were several kids who were walking back to their own cars after having attempted to come in before noticing that the doors were locked and there was no access. Thankfully I was able to catch a few and help to let them in before I had to get into my own car and drive away.

As I drove away I began to think of this scenario from an eternal perspective...

Isn't this sometimes how we Christians can become?

We accept Christ because of a sacrifice someone else made to get us there. Maybe it was a school teacher who spent some extra time with you because she saw so much potential in you. So you ended up having conversations about Jesus with her and because of the investment of her time, you accepted Christ as your Savior. Maybe it was a coach who became your mentor and through his personal sacrifice of spending quality nights away from his family while coaching and mentoring you, you surrendered your life to Christ. Maybe it was a singe parent or a best friend or a Sunday School teacher or a pastor. But more than likely, there was someone who gave up something to share the gospel with you. Someone invited you to church, someone prayed for you or someone read scripture with you... but chances are someone in your life cared enough about you to make sure that they would see you again in eternity.

So what happens to many of us after we have crossed the line of faith? Unfortunately what happens to so many of us is we forget. We forget what it's like to be on the outside. To be searching. To be lost. To be afraid. To be without Jesus. We forget. We become numb to the hurting world because of our security. You see - we're safe. We've got our act together. We know where we're going... but we forget that there's a hurting, dying world out there lost without Jesus. We forget that we might be the only link they have to a Father who desperately longs for a relationship with them. We forget.

When we accept Christ we're safe. We're an insider now. We... like those few kids and the director who made a way inside the doors this morning... are warm and content. They found their way. But what about the others? What about the ones who were left outside? With no way in? The ones who were left out in the cold? What about them?

Isn't it our job to spread the Good News of Jesus to the world? Mark 16:15 says, "Go into ALL the world and preach the Good News to EVERYONE." (Emphasis mine.)

And this was Jesus' command to us believers. I don't think it was a suggestion - but rather an order. And it was intended for ALL the world - not just a few. He said it pretty plain and simple... everyone.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Be imitators of me, as I am in Christ." And wasn't it Paul who turned from Christian Persecutor to making his life's missions to see to it that the Gospel was presented to as many as he could?

There is a hurting world out there who needs to know how much God loves them and what great length He went to to prove it. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people who will suffer an eternity separated from God because they don't know this man named Jesus who had them in mind when He hung on a cross for their sins. Salvation is not just for you and for me... it's for everyone. It's to be an offer for all people of all tribes and nations. Salvation isn't something we take for ourselves and hide from the world. It's something we were made to share. It's something we were meant to pass along. It's a gift that we received and that gift is to be given away so that others can experience the same freedom we've found.

I don't believe God intended for us as Christ-followers, to stay inside our warm, safe homes and churches and schools, while there are cold, hurting, hungry people who will miss out on the greatest gift ever given if we don't do our part to introduce them to Him.

It's up to us. We have the choice. We can either hang a sign on our door that says, "The door is locked - good luck finding your own way in" or we can unlock the doors, creating a way in for lost people and embrace them with the love of Christ.

Let's not forget that we, too, were once lost...

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Week Two: A Perfect Mess

2012-01-27T10:08:00.005-05:00

I am blessed beyond measure for the privilege and honor of being with some amazing women on Thursday night. I know I'm sounding a bit like a broken record, but there is no where else I would rather be than with these ladies for this hour and a half on Thursday night! Thank you, Jesus, that you made a way for us to study Your word and for loving us enough to meet us where we are but for not being content to leave us there. I am in awe of Your mercy and grace!

Chapter two, Leaping Over Legalism, proved to be another rich chapter as we discussed the ways "religious rules" can get in the way of our relationship with the Father.

It was my Senior year of high school and I was... well... to put it mildly... a little on the rebellious side. I didn't care for "rules" so much. I don't think it had as much to do with rules not applying to me as much as it did with my inherit desire to see how far I could test the waters and get away with something clearly identified as a "rule". I knew rules applied to me. I knew I was expected to follow them, I just wanted to push the limits as far as I could to see if I could actually get away with disobedience.

And it worked a lot of the time. It worked for me my Junior year when our skirts would get measured at the beginning of the school day to make sure they were to the knee or below. I'd get measured and then immediately run to the bathroom where I would hike it up and roll it down at the waist in order to look cooler with a shorter skirt. And it worked my Senior year when I would park in the teachers lot because it was closer than the Senior lot and no one ever noticed. Well.. until that teacher came back from maternity leave. And even then I figured something else out that worked even better.

And here's the thing... I know we have rules to live by. I know that. I know you shouldn't kill your neighbor. I know you should drive the speed limit. I know you should not wear white after Labor Day. I know these things. But I just wonder how many of our "rules" as Christians are actually tripping up new believers in such a way that it's actually turning them off to their faith in Jesus.

I heard the lyrics to a song the other day that made me thing of this very thing. It's called Jesus Friend of Sinners by Casting Crowns. There's a line in the first verse that says, "People are on there way to Jesus, but they're tripping over me."

I don't want to be a stumbling block for people. I don't want to be in the way of their authentic relationship with their Savior. Just the opposite. My heart's desire is that when people who are non-believers look at me - they will see something in me that they want for themselves. In other words... I want God to use me in such a way that my daily walk with Him alone will make such an impact on the world around me that they, too, will want to know how they can have a relationship with the Living Water.

That is my sincere desire and my daily prayer for my life.

But living in our world is messy. It's difficult. And often times painful... even (and sometimes especially) for Christians. We give our lives to Christ with sometimes a view of perfection for our future, yet the opposite is true. Carrying the cross... which Jesus instructs us to do (Luke 9:23)... is a difficult task. A serious act of obedience and a necessity of Christian living.

And there's clearly been rules spelled out in scripture that we must live by if we desire to live a Christ-filled life. Rules like the ten commandments which God designed for our protection and well-being. But focusing on rules as opposed to a relationship can often times be a deterrent for a seeker in search of grace.

I love what author, Lisa Harper, says on page 29, "Walking in faith means trusting in God alone, not in what we say or do or wear. It means being honest about the fact that each of us is a mess and we need God's mercy. It means recognizing our complete dependence on His protection, provision, and providence."

She goes on to say on that same page (29), "I think fixating on our own competency - or obsessing over our incompetency - is one of the biggest mistakes believers make. Because when we focus all our energy on trying to be in control, we forget our innate sinfulness and our desperate need for God."

Our Psalms verse this week is Psalm 62. It's a psalm written by King David during a time scholars believe he was facing a family crisis involving his son, Absalom, who betrayed his father in some of the worst ways imaginable. In the beginning of the Psalm (vs 2) David pens these words, "He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken." However, when you hop over to verse 6, David seems to have shifted his thinking and gained some strength by saying, "He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken."

I shall not be shaken. Period.

Lisa writes on page 33, "David's still the same mistake-prone man he was when he started the Psalm. In fact, the slight mood swing from verse 2 to verse 6 reflects the genuine wrestling of a regular guy, not the fake piety of someone pretending to be perfect. David isn't playing the part of a big hero here; the Holy Spirit just reminded him of how huge his God is."

I wrote at the bottom of my page, "In our weaknesses and inadequacies - our job is to make God great through them."

And you have to love what she says on page 34, "No one but God deserves our absolute devotion. Whether prosperous or poor, human beings aren't worthy of worship. If we put our hope solely in humanity, were going to need a whole lot of Prozac." Amen to that!

Lisa ends the chapter with this on page 36, "God's love frees us from meaningless rules and religious propriety, which means we can live authentically and abundantly by relying on Him instead of ourselves."

Here are some of my bottom lines to this chapter:

We, as believers, are called to stand out. To be set apart from the world. But we can't allow our rules and regulations to misguide people who are in desperate search for the Savior.

We must seek God's face daily and listen to what He has to say to us.

We must recognize our complete dependence on His protection.

God used David in a mighty way in spite of all of his failures... because he learned how to give praise to God in and through anything and everything.

It's not about us - it's all about Him.

Thank you for joining us for another week of A Perfect Mess. I believe God is just getting started with the transformations He wants to make in our lives! Praise Him!

Enjoy reading friends!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Week One: A Perfect Mess

2012-01-20T10:38:00.005-05:00

I have the sincere blessing of meeting with some wonderful ladies every Thursday night for a book study. No where else I would want to be on a cold, snowy Thursday night! This will be our second study since the inception of Women of Thanks and we are studying an amazing book entitled A Perfect Mess by Lisa Harper. Lisa describes her book this way...

"On those days when french fries litter the floor of your minivan, when you think bad words about other drivers, when your smile hides an anxious heart - in those moments when you fall short of all you'd hoped to be - what does God see when he looks at you? In your less-than-lovely moments, God sees a precious daughter in need of His perfect love."

Lisa is a master story-teller who weaves her real-life stories with humor and honesty. It's a breath of fresh air to read from a writer who is authentic about her faith and how God used her in all of her messes and mistakes, to make significant Kingdom impact on this generation of women!

You can watch more on Lisa here as she describes how she came to writing this book... A Perfect Mess...

What I appreciate about this book is that it takes you through the Psalms in a very practical way. We're not reading about people who had their lives all together. We're not reading about people who were perfect... in actuality, we're reading about people who in Lisa's words are "bemoaning something". People who came humbled before God who were imperfect. Who messed up. Who were broken and weary and tired and weak. And who can't relate to people like that?

As children we loved to play dress-up... but as adults, don't we do the same thing? Don't we try to mask our true feelings in an effort to "compete" for perfection? I know I am guilty of this time and again as I look back over the course of my life. And I'm sure you've found yourself there too... in a similar situation... You're on your way to church... you get into an argument with your husband about the lack of attention he's given you lately, you're yelling at your kids because they made you late AGAIN and you have NO desire to go to that family picnic later in the day that you still have to make eight pounds of potato salad for and you haven't even been to store to get the potatoes yet! Oh - but as you walk inside the church doors, anxiety still at an all-time high, you burst through all smiles. And when someone greets you with "Good Morning, how are you today?" you confidently lie and tell them, "GREAT! How are you?"

Really? Great? And just moments before you were ready to start a war with the very people you love more than anything on planet earth including the family dog?

But isn't this what we do?

Because heaven help us if we don't "appear" to have it all together!

Lisa speaks very clear to this in the opening pages of chapter 1, Walk This Way. She talks about an experience she had purchasing a pair of black, knee-high, leather boots in Chicago with her girlfriends on the night before a big event in which she was a speaker. As much as she loved them - they were extremely uncomfortable. In fact her girlfriends could tell that she was having a difficult time walking in them - but she was not about to let them think they were anything less than perfect! She ends up buying the clearenced boots and wearing them the following evening to her speaking engagement. I laughed out loud when I read her words on page 8, "I no longer had any sensation in my toes. I limped mincingly to the podium and tried to focus on speaking while fearing my feet were in the initial stages of gangrene."

And so the question... when was the last time you hobbled around in pain due to your own foolish choices?

I can think of countless times when I metaphorically "hobbled around" due to some poor choices... Poor eating habits, poor exercising habits, poor choice in boyfriends growing up. You name it! Lisa says it best on page 8 when she says, "we must follow our heavenly Father's path instead of being lured off course by what ungodly people proclaim to be fashionable. And this ode to obedience includes a warning as well: attempting to be hip in ways that aren't cool with God will ultimately lead to hobbling around in pain, separated from the only One who loves you unconditionally."

The Psalm focus for this week is Psalm 1:

"Happy are those who don't listen to the wicked, who don't go where sinners go, who don't do what evil people do."

The Hebrew word for "happy" in Psalm 1:1 can be translated as "blessed". Here we aren't talking about being happy people all the time. People with fake smiles to mask the pain. No. Instead we who know Christ as our personal Savior, understand that there is a BIG difference between being happy and being filled with JOY. This should bring us all a little relief. While we are here in this world there are going to be days when we just don't feel "happy". When the smile won't come... when the road is hard... when the pain runs deep. But we DO have reasons to be women filled with the joy of the Lord. Because when we follow His path for our lives... when we live in obedience to His commands... JOY will come. It will indeed flow from our relationship with the Father.

And the bottom line to Psalm 1 is this: happiness can't keep company with wickedness. We must keep ourselves away from those things that lure us away from the best that God has for us. God calls us blessed. We were made for so much more than this world has to offer!

Psalm 1 continues:

"They love the Lord's teachings, and they think about these teachings day and night. They are strong, like a tree planted by a river. The tree produces fruit in season, and its leaves don't die. Everything they do will succeed."

We are to be like trees planted by a river whose roots grow deep. Nourished. Strengthened. Spiritually healthy. That is God's desire for His children. For our roots to run deep in Him.

Lisa takes us through the New Testament scripture in Matthew regarding sheep and goats. When Jesus teaches on doing to the 'least of these' (including feeding and clothing and housing) He says "Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored that was me - you did it to me". Sheep will be the ones who do this as Jesus... while goats on the other hand will be the ones who didn't do as Jesus and by doing so ultimately ignore and reject Jesus.

I love her illustration of sheep here. And she describes this well on page 19, "they (sheep) have walked closely with Jesus and have begun to mirror some of His mannerisms. It's not that they're inherently better than the wicked guys; sheep and goats are both stinky; hairy manure machines." She goes on to say that "furthermore, my veterinarian friends tell me that goats are actually smarter than sheep. That means that sheep don't have more intrinsic value than goats. The real reason they're elevated in this gospel imagery is their relationship with the Shepherd."

So - wait a minute. Goats are the bad guys and they are actually "smarter" than sheep?? It's more proof that God uses the weak in the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). It's another demonstration of sheep being elevated in scripture due to their inherit ability to obey they master. We are ultimately and thankfully separated from the goats because of our RELATIONSHIP with Jesus.

And so the next question... am I a goat or a sheep?

I'm looking so forward to our time together during this study on A Perfect Mess. I believe God is going to do amazing things as we discover all the ways God loves us!!

Enjoy reading friends!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Feeling Thankful

2012-01-16T10:39:00.007-05:00

Feeling thankful this morning for so many things - I felt like I must hop onto blogspehere and share. Some mornings... well... some mornings I'm simply so thankful that I nearly burst!

Here are some things I'm thanking God for this morning...

Wet kisses from my favorite furry friend, our Golden Retriever, Buddy (who happens to be the best dog on the planet earth!).

Long goodbyes with my husband before he departs for work for the day (overwhelmingly thankful for the way he sacrifices to provide for our family!).

The way the snow glistens in the sun on this beautiful Michigan morning in January!

A working washer and dryer. (Love the swishing sound that the washer makes when it's running. I'm ever-so-grateful for the loved ones I share my life with who make this laundry possible.)

A day off from the busyness of ordinary life for Martin Luther King day... including no school for my daughter, Chloe!

A good nights rest!

Prayer warriors who lift me up in prayer daily.

Friends whom I can feel safe with and trust completely.

My freedom of speech.

God's protection on snowy, icy roads.

Our servicemen and women who are fighting for our country while I live a life privileged by their sacrifices.

Women of faith who have gone before me who were brave enough to stand for what they believed in.

A warm home.

Cell phone service.

Great books I'm enjoying reading right now... (A Perfect Mess by Lisa Harper, Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman, Honestly by Johnnie Moore, A Women After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George and Women of The Bible by Ann Spangler).

Thank You God for another day of being blessed. Thank You for your provision. Thank You for Your comfort and strength. Thank You that You've promised to never leave me or forsake me. Thank you for Your mercy and grace and for calling me Your precious child even though I am messy and awkward. Thank you for calling me to do Your work even through my own failures and fusses. You are a great God and I am in awe of Your presence in my life.

How about you? What are YOU thankful for today? I'd love to hear!!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Is God Calling YOU?

2011-12-30T08:12:00.002-05:00

From the blog archives...

Moses was 80 years old when God called him out of a foreign land as a lonely, rejected shepherd, and on to bigger and better things. God revealed to Moses that he was sending him back to Canaan, but only after Moses spear-headed the charge rescuing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Odd story, I know, but God made a decision to appear to Moses in a burning bush.

Let me stop right there. A burning bush?

How scared do you think Moses was? There he was - tending his flock of sheep. Minding his own business. Satisfied with his life. Content. Perhaps even peaceful about where he was in his life. He was 80 years old. He was probably settled into his lifestyle. And then... one afternoon... everything changed. Everything changed.

The bible says that Moses was amazed (love that word) because the bush was engulfed in flames, but it didn't burn up.

I don't know about you - but if I went out to my backyard to tend to my dog and I witnessed a bush engulfed with flames but not burning up... I'd probably run for my life. I mean - I ask God for clarity and wisdom all the time... and to show me clearly His will for my life - but I've got to be honest with you here... I'm not sure I'd have stuck around long enough to discern if this sign was from God or not. I'd have been scared.

But thankfully Moses didn't run. Oh he might have been scared - but he didn't run. Instead the bible says in Exodus 3:4, "When the Lord saw that He had caught Moses' attention, God called to him from the bush, 'Moses, Moses!' 'Here I am!' Moses replied.'

Here I am! Don't miss that!

God goes on to explain to Moses that he's called him to a big task. Perhaps this was the opportunity of a lifetime. God saw the misery of the Israelites in Egypt. He heard their cries and was going to rescue them from slavery in this foreign land. And he was calling on Moses to go to Pharaoh to release God's people from suffering.

A big job. Why? A little back story (the cliffs notes version)...

Israelites were trapped in Egypt and were created as slaves.
Pharaoh was the king of Egypt.
Pharaoh instructed that all Hebrew sons born in Egypt be thrown into the Nile - only allowing the girls to live.
Moses was born as a Hebrew, hidden by his mother for 3 months.
She put Moses into the Nile in a basket - attempting to spare his life.
A daughter of Pharaoh found him and raised him as her own.
Moses lived a life of privilege with the Egyptians.
When Moses grew up he had a real heart for the Israelites and their mistreatment.
He witnessed an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew slave and he killed the Egyptian, burying his body in the sand.
Feeling badly for what he had done, and being threatened by the Pharaoh to be killed, he fled to Midian, built a new life with a wife and son.

And now God was appearing to Moses from a burning bush to ask him to do what? Quite possibly - the unthinkable. Go back to the land he fled, to fight with a new Pharaoh to release God's people from slavery.

I can just hear the confusion in Moses' voice when he says in Exodus 3:11, "But who am I to appear before Pharaoh? How can you expect me to lead the Israelites out?"

I like how Max Lucado describes this in his book, Cast of Characters... "Moses at 40 we like. But Moses at 80? No way. Too old. Too tired. Smells like a shepherd. Speaks like a foreigner. What impact could he have on Pharaoh? He's the wrong man for the job."

And I bet he thought so too.

As often times in the bible - the person God calls is first reluctant. But I like how God responds to Moses through Moses' uncertainty and doubt. He tells him, "I will be with you."

The story continues in Exodus, chapter 4, where we see Moses pleading with God, "Oh Lord, I'm not a good speaker. I never have been, and I'm not now. I'm clumsy with words." In verse 13 Moses begs, "Lord, please! Send someone else."

My commentary suggests that perhaps the reason Moses didn't want this particular assignment was because he had a speech impediment or that maybe all of his years in Midan made his Egyptian rusty. At any rate, he doubted his speaking ability - but God didn't. And as my commentary reads, "Perhaps what God desired was not eloquence or cleverness, but simplicity and directness - not the oily, false-compliment-dripping speech of a courtier, but the bluntness of a working man who hated oppression."

Have you ever been asked to do something that scares you to death? Takes you out (FAR out) of your comfort zone? Have you ever been asked to give your testimony or speak about something in front of a group of people and the idea of sitting in a dentist chair having your teeth drilled sounded far more enticing to you?

I've got to tell you that some of the BEST speeches I've heard in my life have come from unsuspecting speakers. Some of the most gut-wrenching, heart-breaking, life-altering stories have come from ordinary people filled with God's passion and purpose.

I was sitting in church a few Sunday's ago when a young man was invited to stand before the congregation to give his testimony. I could tell from the minute the boy arrived on the stage that he was nervous. Scared. Afraid. I can imagine the thoughts that were going through his mind when he began to tell his story, "Lord, why did I get up here to tell this story? I'm nobody special. I have no real gift in speaking." But as he left that podium that morning, there wasn't a dry-eye in the place. Was it his eloquence? No. Was it his well-crafted biography? No. Was it the music or the way the soft lighting hit the cross behind him on the stage or who his parents were or how much good he had done in his life? No, no, no and no. It was his sincerity. It was his authenticity. It was his willingness to step out of his comfort zone for the benefit of others who's lives might be touched by his transparency and openness.

I've heard a lot of speeches in my life. I've watched a lot of podcasts and I've been privy to a lot of rich talent, but I will NOT forget the audacity of a young man who didn't let fear of rejection, reputation or inadequacies stop him from answering the call of God.

When God called Moses to lead the people out of slavery in Egypt, He knew what He was doing. He called on Moses because he saw in Moses something Moses didn't even see! He saw a man who was faithful. Brave. Strong. Honest. He saw a man of integrity, who feared the Lord. Where Moses only saw PART of the picture (the HUGE request too big for one man to do alone), God saw the WHOLE picture.

I believe what Moses struggled with - we struggle with. Don't we?

It's that little voice inside our heads saying things like:

You'll never be good enough.
You're not smart enough.
They really could care less about you.
You don't have what it takes.

But I believe with all my heart that if God is calling you to do something - He's already equipped you with everything you need to make that something happen! Period. Our only job is to obey Him. Even if we don't understand it all. Even if we don't feel good. Even if we're scared. Even if we think someone else should go instead of us. Our only job is to obey. If (and when) He says to go, we must go.

The choice of obedience is up to us. Will our answer be, "Here I am Lord, send me."? I'm praying every day that I will continue to yield to Him and respond in obedience to His calling on my life.

Philippians 1:6 says, "God began a good work in you, and I am sure He will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes back again."

Here I am, send me!

Giveaway: Winner!

2011-12-17T09:39:00.004-05:00

A couple days ago I announced a book giveaway here on The Journey.

... and the winner of the book is....

MARTHA!

I will be contacting you soon about the details of getting your book to you!

Thanks for those who entered to win! And stay tuned for more giveaways here on the blog!

Happy Reading!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

A Giveaway!

2011-12-14T05:29:00.006-05:00

Well - it's that time again! Time for another GIVEAWAY here on The Journey.

Our next Women of Thanks study will be on the book, A Perfect Mess, by Lisa Harper. In this beautiful book, Lisa takes her readers through the Psalms in a very honest and fun way. She teaches us in very practical ways how we can apply some honest truth mixed with God's graces as we seek to unpack the way God sees us... as His precious daughters in need of His perfect love.

Taken from the back cover...

"In this liberating look at how God adores and transform imperfect people, Bible teacher Lisa Harper weaves poignant stories of her own personal foibles with a fresh take on selected psalms to reveal a loving Father who remains your greatest champion, even when you don't feel anywhere close to Holy. Join Lisa in discovering what happens when we stop trying to hide our inadequacies and doubts and instead trust God with our anger, frustrations, flaws, and regrets. As you accept God's loving invitation to exchange your junk for His joy, you'll find the imperfect pieces of your life shaped into a glorious pattern of divine grace."

Beginning on Thursday, January 12, a group of women and I will begin our 12-week journey through this book together. In addition, I will sharing our insights and some highlights from our group discussions with YOU here online at The Journey.

I am so looking forward to diving in after the first of the year! And I believe this book is going to knock you socks off!

Okay... on to the GIVEAWAY info!

Here at The Journey, I will be giving away ONE copy of A Perfect Mess by Lisa Harper (a $13.99 value). The following are the rules for participation:

1.) Comment HERE on the blog (bottom of this post - click on comments). Provide your first name, contact information (email address), and a little bit about yourself and why you think this book is a MUST READ for you. :)

2.) Submit your entries no later than Friday, December 16, at midnight.

3.) Check back on the blog as I reveal the random winner on Saturday, December 17.

That's it! Simple stuff! One lucky blog reader will win... and it could be YOU!

Ready... set... enter!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Weeks 10 & 11: One Thousand Gifts

2011-12-09T08:58:00.005-05:00

I was SO sad to see our study of One Thousand Gifts come to an end!! But I am SO grateful to have shared this journey with all of the women who fulfilled their commitment to stick it out with us in our study on Thursday night and SO thankful for those of you who have endured these weeks with us online! As I said in the beginning, this was a project that was MANY months in the making. I did a lot of praying over this particular study and spent literally months praying for the women God was going to bring to this study. I hope this book challenged your thinking on gratitude and thankfulness. I pray that this book has been a blessing to you and that you've been encouraged to share the principles found in this book with those closest to you.

I'm going to do something a little different with these last two chapters and simply jot down a few quotes within the chapters that really struck a chord with me personally. And then, as always, I will add the video sessions at the bottom.

Chapter 10, Empty To Fill

"A life contemplating the blessings of Christ becomes a life acting the love of Christ."

"Jesus is about to let flesh be broken with nail, heart be broken with rejection, the chains be broken with bleeding love. And in His last hours before His earthly end, He doesn't run out to buy something or catch a flight to go see something, but He wraps a towel around His waist and kneels low to take the feet of His forsakers gently in hand and wash away the grime between their toes."

"I am blessed. I can bless. Imagine! I could let Him make me the gift!"

"Christian hands never clasp and He doesn't give the gifts for gain because a gift can never stop being a gift - it is always meant to be given."

"He calls us to serve, and it is Him whom we serve, but He, very God, kneels down to serve us as we serve. The servant-hearted ever serve alone. Spend the whole of your one wild and beautiful life investing in many lives, and God simply will not be outdone. God extravagantly pays back everything we give away and exactly in the currency that is not of this world but the one we year for: Joy in Him."

"The way through the pain is to reach out to others in theirs."

"I give happy thanks for the daily mess with a smile a mile wide, because this is again my chance to wholeheartedly serve God, to do full-bodied eucharisteo with the hands and the heart and the lips. I can count each task a gift, pure eucharisteo. Grace! This work - the thousand endless jobs - they each give the opportunity for one to become the gift, a thousand times over! Because with every one of the thousand, endless jobs, I become the gift to God and to others because this work is the public God serving, the daily liturgy of thanks, the completing of the Communion service with my service."

Here is the video session with Ann Voskamp for Chapter 10. Don't forget to go to the bottom of this page first and pause the music from my playlist on the blog so that you can hear the audio. :)

One Thousand Gifts: Chapter 10 from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

Chapter 11, The Joy of Intimacy

"He will rejoice over you with joyful songs." (Zephaniah 3:17)

"It really is like C.S. Lewis argued that the most fundamental thing is no HOW we think of God, but rather WHAT God thinks of us. 'How God thinks of us is not only more important, but infinitely more important.' Years of Christian discipleship, Bible study, churchgoing had been about me thinking about God; practicing eucharisteo was the very first I had really considered at length what God thought of me - this ridiculous and relentlessly pursuing love, so bold. Everywhere, everything, LOVE!"

"Gratitude is the most fruitful way of deepening your consciousness that you are... a divine choice." (Perhaps one of my FAVORITE lines in the entire book!) ;)

"Nothing I am counts for anything, but all that I count of Him counts for everything - seeing eyes might illuminate the glory of Christ in all."

"... we're called to do more than believe in God; we're called to live in God. To enter into Christ and Christ enter into us - to cohabit."

Here is the video session with Ann Voskamp for Chapter 11. Don't forget to go to the bottom of this page first and pause the music from my playlist on the blog so that you can hear the audio. :)

One Thousand Gifts Chapter 11 from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

Blessings my friend! Again - thank you for journeying with us!! We have LOVED every minute of our time with you!!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Lessons On Gratitude

2011-11-22T19:27:00.007-05:00

It was a cool spring day. I remember it well. And it had been raining. An ordinary Tuesday morning. Or was it?

We had been to a series of doctor appointments for my husband. And each one harder than the next. I remember how tired I was of hearing the statistics. Each one revealing truth to us that my ears were not prepared to hear.

"You realize, Mr. and Mrs. Bender, this is a risky surgery, don't you?" One doctor had said. So cold. So.... matter-of-fact.

"Doesn't all surgery come with some sort of risk associated with it?" I'd asked. Frozen in fear and retaliating against what I already knew would be his answer.

"Yes. Yes you are right about that. But this one is... well... more risky."

And hadn't it been just 18 months ago that we underwent the same risk? Didn't he know what we had been through? His first surgery was risky. It was on on a business trip in Arizona just before Christmas of 2009. What was supposed to be a routine 4-day trip turned into a 21 day ordeal. A high fever... a severely elevated white blood cell count... a grim prognosis... diverticulitis... doctors preparing for the worst...thousands of miles from his home... a call to a wife with hard news... a ruptured bowel... inevitable surgery...surgeons... complications... respiratory failure... re-intibation... 50% chance of survival...a flight to Arizona... a scared daughter... a frightened wife and mother... a long recovery... painful restoration.

I wanted to run out of that doctors office. I wanted to run and hide and remember a more happier time. A cold, crisp day in March, some 15 years before when we had exchanged wedding vows in the First Presbyterian Church. Weren't we so beautiful then? So alive? So in love? So... whole?

I had known sad days before. I had known bad news before. Like the call we received on a cold snowy day in February that his friend from high school had been killed. Tragically. A car accident had taken the life of this 27 year-old man in front of his own daughter!

Or like the day we lost my sweet grandma. She was seventy year's young when God called her home. And we weren't ready. We weren't prepared. A visit to her bedside as she lay in a white, sterile hospital room were the memories I had of my last words with this sweet lady who had practically raised me!

But this time it was different.

He was my husband. And I wasn't ready to make such big decisions concerning life... and death.

But life is like that, isn't it? Some things sort of sneak up on you when you're not looking.

And I remember clearly the words of a pastor who once said, "You're in one of three stages in this life. You're either just coming out of a tough season, you're in one now or you're getting ready to go through one soon." And it's true. We all land in one of those 3 categories.

And I had already been counting gifts at this time. Knee-deep in a gratitude project I'd started months before. Inspired by a book and based on a dare, I had committed to listing 1,000 things I was grateful for.

Seemed simple really. Who can't find one thousand things they are grateful for? And it's so easy to find the things you are grateful for when you are paying attention...

Your children's laughter
The smell of a freshly baked apple pie
A cool afternoon breeze in the spring
The crackling of a fireplace
A smile
A hug
The birds
The trees

It's all beauty. All around us. And it's when we choose to SEE these things with eyes wide open that we can truly give thanks to the God who created this vast universe with all it's pleasures.

But what do you do when you're counting gifts and the joy doesn't come because all you hear is noise? When the reality of your world is doubting doctors and grim prognosis's and you can't see past today because today is littered with uncertainty and pain and sadness and tears? What then?

And I dig deep into the word to find it and I desperately call on God for help because this journey - it's not easy. And the road is sometimes curvy and the valleys sometimes run too deep and too wide. And we get tired and we loose sight of why we're here.

This... this is reality.

It's reality for cancer patients.
It's reality for parent's who've lost a child.
It's reality for victims of rape.
It's reality for those who've been imprisoned or impoverished.

It's reality... we all hurt sometimes. And I search for what to call it... maybe it's this "fight for joy" that's so hard sometimes.

But we have a word that we can hold tightly too. It's a word I've only recently discovered. The word is Eucharisteo.

The Greek word, Eucharisteo can be found in Luke 22:19... "And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them..."

Gave thanks reads as Eucharisteo.

And isn't that a beautiful word?

Eucharisteo.

The root word for eucharisteo is 'charis', meaning, "grace". Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and grave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be a gift and He gave thanks.

But there's more!

Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, 'charis'. But it also holds it's derivative, the Greek word 'chara', meaning "joy".

So consider this word... Eucharisteo... like a braid of three cords...

Grace - that which God gives us.
Thanksgiving - that which we can offer back to Him.
Joy - that which can be found in the midst of thankfulness.

And isn't that PRECISELY what Jesus did before He endured the cross.

He "took the bread and gave THANKS."

He gave thanks.

And still... even still... knowing what sort of pain and suffering He would endure... He shared a meal with his beloved disciples and gave thanks.

I find these words breathtaking.

But it's what Jesus came to do. He came to save mankind from their own sin and suffering. He endured the pain that should have been for you and for me. He erased the debt. He went to the cross doing what? Giving thanks.

It was in pure gratitude that He became the least to become the greatest story ever told.

And doesn't God expect the same from me?

Jesus offered thanksgiving for even that which would break Him and crush Him and wound Him and yet yield a bounty of Joy. So that you and I can experience the life filled with joy which is found on the mountain of gratitude.

Gratitude, I believe, can save us from all the pain this world has to offer. And we have REAL pains. REAL problems. REAL sickness and disease and suffering.

Gratitude, according to Psalm 50:23 is directly linked to our salvation... "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."

And isn't that it? Isn't expressing gratitude often times a sacrifice?

It was for me. On that cool spring day in early 2011.

I will admit the gratitude that had once poured from my lips before that spring day now came to a screeching halt. The words... they wouldn't come. My reality was overwhelming and the mountain was too big. Gratitude would not come easy and this gratitude journal seemed to have become another unfulfilled commitment.

But on that drive home it hit me. On that drive home in that early morning in April God spoke to me as audibly as I have ever heard Him before. In my spirit I heard these words... "Wendy - Trevor is not yours, He's mine. He belongs to Me. And I love him more."

"I love him more."

I can't explain the calm that came over me on that crisp spring morning. The peace was incredible. And now it began making sense.

You see - God doesn't promise us days without rain. He doesn't promise us a life without pain. But when we can take the pain, the suffering, the ugly in this world and turn it in to praise before a Father who's grace is freely given, He can use it and make it something beautiful.

Phil 4:11-12, "I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."

It was Martin Luther King Jr. that said, "If you want to change the world, you've got to pick up a pen." And wasn't that what I was doing - counting gifts... blessings... before I allowed fear and bitterness to settle in and make it's home within me?

"Life change comes when we receive life with thanks and ask for nothing to change."

I had found myself continuing to ask God - why me? Why him? Why now?
But "God wants our questioning of Him to be smaller and or desire for Him to be bigger."

We were created by God - for God. To bring honor and glory to Him. Period. That's it. Why are we so trying to complicate it? Everything we do should bring honor and glory to Him. And how can we do that when we're questioning His goodness? I am reminded of a song that really got me through those few rough weeks before Trevor's surgery this past June... Maybe you've heard it - it's called Blessings by Laura Story. Here's a portion of those lyrics...

"We pray for blessings. We pray for peace. Comfort for families, protection while we sleep. We pray for healing, for prosperity. We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering. We pray for wisdom, your voice to hear. We cry in anger when we cannot feel you near. We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love. As if every promise from your word was not enough. But what if your blessings come through raindrops, what if your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know your here? And what if trials of this life - are your mercies in disguise?"

When we fail to give thanks... when we fail to extend gratitude - we are basically saying we doubt God's goodness and we don't believe in His sovereignty.

You see I have been abundantly blessed in this life.

I've been blessed by parents who adore me.
Blessed by a wonderful husband whom I don't deserve.
Blessed by a daughter who is smart and respectable and who loves the Lord.
I have a nice house, have had some wonderful jobs, great friends, wise mentors, good health, reliable transportation, and a deep relationship with my Heavenly Father.

But it is only when we are completely emptied that we become most full. Because it's through the cracks that we can see the most light.

I have a pitcher at my house that was broken some years ago. A family heirloom that was shattered into pieces when it fell from the top of our refrigerator some years ago. Not wanting to part with this precious pitcher that had been used to pour drinks from by my grandma and my grandma's grandma, I decided to attempt to put the pieces back together. It was a long process and it took a lot of time and patience. But I was able to restore MOST of the pieces to their original location, forming together once again... a whole pitcher. The one thing it is lacking in it's wholeness is the ability to be used for holding liquids. There are too many hairline fractures that would not be able to withstand a heaviness of water or juice or milk. But that is okay. I can use it for other things. I can use it to remind me that God uses us... in all of our brokenness... in all of our failures... even when we've messed up... even when the joy is gone... even when there are too many cracks in us. God can still use us. I am convinced that that pitcher is more beautiful now than it was before it was cracked - because now it allows the sunlight to penetrate it's porcelain walls. A life's lesson was birthed through that cracked pitcher. And I am thankful for the story I can now share with others who need to hear about restoration and reconciliation. And gratitude.

Because what I have learned is that Thanksgiving is the evidence of our acceptance of whatever He gives.

Whatever He chooses to give.

Eucharisteo... the Greek word with the hard meaning.

I don't want to live in the darkness. I long to live in the light. I long to find the joy that Christ died on a cross for me to have. And so I must learn to accept every gift He gives and receive it with gratitude in my heart and thanksgiving on my lips.

And so my gratitude project continues. And I realize it's not just about keeping a list. It's about making thanksgiving a habit in my daily living. In order to honor Him I must learn how to be thankful with everything and in everything. And so I press forward in my fight for joy. Because pleasing the Father is what is most important... to me! It's the discipline this weary soul needs because though the world is ugly, it is beautiful. And I can slow and I can trust and I can receive each moment as a gift. Eucharisteo. Eucharisteo. Eucharisteo.

And again I read... "Life change comes when we receive life with thanks and ask for nothing to change."

My list continues. Those things I am thankful for? I'm past 700 now in my journaling. Still practicing. Still building the discipline that will draw me closer to my creator.

# 604 Smiles from strangers
# 618 Wind through my hair
# 638 Early morning quiet times with God
# 692 A full tank of gas
# 699 Lazy Sunday afternoons
# 711 A cracked pitcher
# 723 Good... no great doctors
# 740 A husband's restoration of health
# 749 God's mercy
# 754 A second chance

I choose gratitude. Habakkuk 3:18 says, "I will take joy." And I believe it starts with a heart of gratitude.

I choose gratitude. Will you?

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Weeks 8 & 9: One Thousand Gifts

2011-11-22T08:36:00.006-05:00

I am couple weeks behind and I hope that you can forgive me! I decided to go ahead and post both for chapters 8 & 9 and in 2 weeks I will post for chapters 10 & 11 since December 1 will be our last (boo-hoo) week for this study together.

It is my sincere prayer that you have enjoyed each of these weeks as we dove headlong into this idea of gratitude. I pray that we will each find our own way of living out Eucharisteo every single day of our lives!

Chapter 8, How Will He Not Also, is a very honest chapter about Ann's life. What she would describe as "messy".

Stories. We all have them. Some of them as messy. Most of them contain a balance of joy and pain... but each one containing a single common ingredient... GRACE!

The big question... Can we learn how to be grateful through situations we don't understand? Can we trust when we don't know what's coming ahead?

If you are ANYTHING like me - you might be a bit familiar with a need to control everything. But God asks that we TRUST. And that means leaning back and letting God take over. And taking over EVERY aspect of our daily lives.

"Stress brings no joy." Ann says on page 147. We can say we are joyful... but when we live in stress... we cannot possibly be living in joy. Joy comes from trust. "Stress isn't only a joy stealer. The way we respond to it can be sin." (page 146) Ouch! What are we saying when we are stressed? That we can't TRUST in our wonderful Creator?

How do we slow ourselves? Because remember it... LIFE is NOT an EMERGENCY!

My favorite part of this entire chapter rests on page 156. She says this...

"Wasn't that too His way with Moses? 'When My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove My hand and you will see My back.' (Ex 33:22-23 NIV). Is that it? When it gets dark, it's only because God had tucked me in a cleft of the rock and covered me, protected with His hand? In the pitch, I feel like I'm falling, sense the bridge giving way, God long absent." She goes on... "God is in the tremors. Dark is the holiest ground, the glory passing by."

SUCH a beautiful analogy!!

When the way is dark... and all of us will encounter that darkness sometime or another... it is only then when God is covering us... protecting us from falling. He is our rock. He hides us to protect with His very hand. Oh praise God!!!

Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus!

We are called to live a life of YES! To THANK HIM in the midst of whatever He gives.

Thank you Jesus!

Below is the video from week eight. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog to pause the music from my playlist in order to hear this video.)

One Thousand Gifts: Chapter Eight from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

Chapter 9, Go Lower, is a beautiful chapter of perspective. Ann talks about the perspective of her sweet little girl taking pictures... and how much different things look when you're only 3 feet tall. The looking up at everything. Just the way God desires for His children to look UP to Him!

We learn through this amazing chapter that my perspective changes when I see everything as something I don't deserve. Only THEN does it truly become a gift!

"The joy" Ann says, "makes life large." (page 167)

Oh how I want that!

Ann talks about expectations that we have. She says on page 169, "Expectations kill relationships - especially with God." And what happens when we expect the blessings to come and they don't? How does faith play a role in that then? Or does it?

Because all gifts... ALL gifts Ann says... are "unmerited luxuries".

On page 170 she says it beautifully... "Is it only when our lives are emptied that we're surprised how truly full our lives were?"

So how do we live a life of gratitude... being thankful with ALL we have... NOW... so that we don't miss the beauty of how full our lives are and risk looking back with regret?

"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30.

"The FEELING of joy begins in the ACTION of thanksgiving." (page 176).

And I love what she says on the top of page 178... "And what do I really deserve? Thankfully, God never gives what is deserved, but instead, God graciously, passionately offers gifts - our bodies, our time, our very lives. God does not give rights but imparts responsibilities - response-abilities - inviting us to respond to His love-gifts."

She ends with this on page 181... "I can't be receptive to God unless I receive what He gives."

Let's receive what He gives. With palms up... let's allow Him to pour out to us the blessings we don't deserve. And together - let's respond with THANKSGIVING!

Below is the video from week nine. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog to pause the music from my playlist in order to hear this video.)

One Thousand Gifts: Chapter Nine from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Scripture Memory: November 1

2011-11-07T08:22:00.003-05:00

Better late than never I suppose... Again. ;)

I can't believe we are on scripture # 21 already!! WOW! Where has the year gone??? It's overwhelming to me how quickly the time passes.

Here is my scripture memorization for November 1...

Romans 12:2 (NLT)
"Don't copy the behavior of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is."

God's will is good, pleasing and perfect!

AMEN for that!

Happy November friends!! Press on with your scripture memory! I am praying for you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Week Seven: One Thousand Gifts

2011-11-04T14:40:00.006-04:00

"You have said, 'Seek My face.' My heart says to You, 'Your face, Lord, do I seek.'" Psalm 27:8 (ESV)

I can't help but remind myself through each of these chapters... "Hammer to the nail... building the wall of joy... so that we have somewhere to land, something to lean against... something to help us to stand when the crises comes." And they will come. "Hammer to the nail. Hammer to the nail."

Chapter 7 was all about being broken. The chapter about... toast. And brothers. And the ugly that can creep so quickly into our broken messes. Even in the midst of counting gifts. The beautiful blessings. The ugly can creep in so easily if we allow it an entry point.

And for Ann, this entry point for the ugly was the morning when brothers broke into battle over.. toast.

And isn't it always the small things that get the best of us? The insignificant? And why is that? How and WHY do we allow the small things to get at us the most? Could it be that it's not really about toast at all? Could it really be that there is something more going on?

Ann longs on page 124, to return to the moon.

Remember the moon?

Ah - the beauty of the moon.

"Why?" She asks. "Can I just go back to the moon and the brazen glory?"

And it's a reminder of the story of The Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36). The story of where Jesus went up to a mountain and took with him Peter, James and John. It would be a time of prayer. "And as Jesus was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothing became dazzling white." (vs 29). Moses and Elijah appear before them and my bible records this event as being a "glorious sight to see." (vs 31). And then it was Peter who blurted out what I find myself relating to well, "Master this is wonderful!" (vs 33).

Oh - if we could only stay on the mountaintop with Jesus!

If we could only live in the blessing every second of every day!

If we could only feel this much joy all the time!

But we can't. The mountaintop isn't where the real life is lived out. And Ann knows it. She says on page 124, "But there's always the decent from the mount. The meeting of the crowd, the complaining, the cursing. Obvious and immediate transfigurations exhilarate the faith, but the faithful can forget transfigurations, faces that once changed appearances. We betray Who we know. Didn't Peter?"

WOW.

Didn't Peter?

Oh that's right. He really did.

... "I don't even know this Man." (Luke 22:57)
... "No I'm not [one of them]." (Luke 22:58)
... "I don't know what you're talking about." (Luke 22:60)

Three times. He denied. And He betrayed. Don't we too? There' ugly stuff - but there are also ugly people. And sometimes aren't we?

There's always the decent from the mount.
There's always a time when we have to get back to the real world.

And she asks the question that my heart longs to know the answer to, "How do I see grace, give thanks, find joy in this sin-stinking place?" (page 125).

That's the question we desire to have an answer for.

HOW?

Is it possible?

It's driving the hammer. Hammer to nail. Discipline. Practice. "The discipline of thanks only comes with practice." (page 135)

And it's hard. It's really hard. A daily struggle. But VITAL to our survival in this sin-stinking place. VITAL!

Ann chooses in the moment... albeit not immediately... to choose joy. To find out what the REAL problem is.

Because it's never just about toast. There's always more going on. Something else.

Ann so eloquently tells the story of Jacob and his wrestle with God as depicted in Genesis, chapter 32. The story of Jacob wrestling with a man... an unknown man... the day before making peace with his brother, Esau. The wrestle with this man left Jacob with a hip joint out of place. The sinew of the thigh. (Sinew means tendon, but also means the source of strength and power.)

The man... "breaks Jacob." (page 137) But Jacob refuses to let go. And he doesn't even know who this man is whom he's wrestling. "Just a man in the dark, a man he couldn't see. And in the black, all that night, it was the face of God over him that he was struggling against." (page 137)

"God is behind the face."

And there's always the wrestle before we can see God.

"The Lord has to break us down at the strongest part of our self-life before He can have His own way of blessing with us." (page 138)

Glass to God. Can we really see Him behind the faces?

Behind the faces of those we are angry with?
Behind the faces of those who are ugly with ingratitude?

It's a challenge that's for sure! And I know the struggle well.

Resentment or gratitude. Which will you chose?

Because it's not just the recording of gifts that's going to change us. It's the LIVING IT OUT.

We were created to bring honor and glory to the Father. HOW will we intentionally CHOOSE joy? Because we were created to point to Him!

Keep your gaze on heaven friends! Keep your gaze on heaven!

Below is the video from week seven. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog to pause the music from my playlist in order to hear this video.)

One Thousand Gifts Chapter 7 from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Week Six: One Thousand Gifts

2011-10-28T11:14:00.008-04:00

"One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple."
Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

We had another amazing night at book club last night! I have to admit I am sad that we are already half way through the book. As one of our participants said, it feels as though we have to do the book over again to really get this discipline deep down in our souls. And it's true. There is so much to this book that I would encourage you to take the time to read it through again if you get a chance. I found that I got SO much more out of it when I took the time to read it again and I even found sometimes that reading ALOUD was very helpful as well. Ann's writing style can be a little hard at times... to fully comprehend, so that is just a way I found works really well to really absorb what's she's trying to communicate.

Please know that we are PRAYING for each and every one of you all the time! We are SUPER excited for this book club - and too, for those of you who are joining us online - we are THRILLED to have you! We are praying that God would reveal Himself to you through the pages of this brilliant book, One Thousand Gifts.

This week we reviewed Chapter six, What Do You Want? The Place of Seeing God. This was the story about the moon! On page 102, Ann's sweet husband, who understands her souls desire for finding beauty... for counting gifts (she had already been naming gifts for many months at this point and had passed 1,000), tells her, "You will want to see this."

In the rushing and chaos of her day - he interrupts her softly, inviting her to see something he KNOWS she won't want to miss. THE MOON. But for a moment, in her rush to put food for 8 on the table, she finds herself slightly irritated. Not at him, so much, as the disturbance of the rushing.

And for a moment I am Ann. And I can feel the irritation. I've been distracted... disturbed... momentarily by something that takes me away from the concentration that "the thing" is begging from me... and I can feel the same frustrations in myself.

But he... the husband... who knows the woman counting graces would be so hurt to have missed the opportunity to SEE this... THE MOON! "The moon rounds immense, incandescent globe grazing ours." (page 105)

But then again, it's just a moon. We'll see another. Or will we?
But then again, it's just a moon. We've seen one before. Or have we?

SEEING the moon THAT night was as if she were FINALLY seeing with eyes wide open.

Surely there had been another moon so... so magnificant before... but where had she been? Sleeping the whole time? And HOW had she missed such beauty... beauty that was RIGHT in front of her?

And yet aren't we that way?

Don't we notice beauty around us - but truly fail to SEE the beauty in it? The God-beauty?

On page 107 she speaks of Jacob, waking from sleep before full moon rising, "Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, 'Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn't even aware of it!'" (Genesis 28:16-17).

Isn't Jacob's words, our words? SURELY the Lord is in THIS place, and I wasn't even AWARE of it!

Surely I have been a witness to some beautiful sun rises... but did I fail to notice that the Lord was in it?
Surely I have seen the birth of my child... but did I fail to SEE that the Lord was there too?

And what about in the trees, or in rain, or in the falling leaves or the sunset or the ocean?

Are we really, truly choosing to SEE with eyes wide open?

"The only place we have to come before we die is the place of seeing God." (page 108)

Of SEEING God.

That's it!

I want to SEE God. In everything.

In the good. In the ordinary. In the spectacular. In the pain. In the suffering. In the light. And the dark.

I want to SEE God.

Because God is good and I am always loved.

Always.

I want to be paying attention.

On page 111 Ann writes, "I pay tribute to God by paying attention."

I want to be paying attention. I don't want to MISS it!

Because what if THIS is the last moon I will be able to SEE with these human eyes?

What if?

And Ann beckons us to ask the question of ourselves. The one she's wrestled with herself...

If I can see God in the beauty, can I, too, then, go back into the chaos of my life and find beauty THERE?

Can I see God HERE? And in turn can I find JOY here too?

Because joy can be found where God is found... so can I find God here? In the mess I've made? In the pain I've suffered? In my frailty and weakness?

God CAN be there too!

She closes the chapter with this on pages 120 and 121...

"The world I live in is loud and blurring and toilets plug and I get speeding tickets and the dog gets sick all over the back step and I forget everything and these six kids lean hard into me all day to teach and raise and lead and I fail hard and there are real souls that are at stake and how long do I really have to figure out how to live full of grace, full of joy - before these six beautiful children fly the coop and my mothering days fold up quiet? How do you open the eyes to see how to take the daily, domestic, workday vortex and invert it into the dome of an everyday cathedral? Could I go back to my life and pray with eyes wide open? Praying with eyes wide open is the only way to pray without ceasing."

Can we see... and count gifts (praying)... with eyes wide open?

Will you choose to SEE the amazing gifts He gives?

Because, truly, they are ALL around us!

Let's choose to SEE them together!

Praying for you!

Below is the video from week six. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog to pause the music from my playlist in order to hear this video.)

One Thousand Gifts: Chapter 6 from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Balance

2011-10-25T20:31:00.005-04:00

It is no longer just a good idea to develop a habit of spending time in prayer and preparation for our days... it is CRITICAL to the success of lives.

The following is my speech today at a women's luncheon. I was asked to share my vision for women of this county...

For seven years I served on staff at a local church full time. It was a dream come true for me as I was finally in a position where I was getting paid to do work that I REALLY REALLY loved to do. You see, I am a lover of people and I genuinely care about seeing people reach their highest potential. And what better place to use my gifts and talents in combination with my natural desire to help others grow. I was serving God. I was doing some great things. I was involved in the high calling of making a difference in the hearts and lives of other people. I was invested at a very deep level with Kingdom business, and it was fantastic. But I remember being asked a question in my 7th year of ministry by one of my office volunteers that would alter the course of my life in a pretty profound way. The question she asked me was this..

"When do you find time to do your quiet time with God?"

I have to admit that I was stopped right there in my tracks. How did she know? How could she possibly have known that it had been MONTHS... and I do mean MONTHS... since I could honestly say I was committed to a regular quiet time with God. Here I was fully immersed into full-time ministry working the hardest I had ever worked at anything in my entire life. I was working a minimum of 55 hours a week - not including the events I was serving in as a volunteer. I was attending meetings, facilitating meetings, organizing classes, conducting orientations and trainings, meeting with volunteers, managing an office, hosting events and providing direction for scores of volunteers serving in multiple areas of the church all while being a mom, wife and homemaker. To say I was busy is an understatement. I needed a calendar to keep track of my calendar.

And I'm not complaining. I truly loved every minute of it. I thrive on the busyness. I get the most accomplished when I am rushing headlong into a deadline. I enjoy the stress of the last minute race to fulfill a 3-page to do list. But what I didn't notice was that my life was WAY out of balance.

Oh the meetings and the community events and the classes... they were all really good things. I was RICHLY BLESSED to have been able to be a part of some amazing work with some pretty amazing people. But somewhere in the rushing and the hectic-ness of ministry, I had forgotten the most important aspect to the growth and success of the work I was doing. In my passion to serve God... I had... in essence, left Him out. This was His show... His production... and I had unknowingly and unpurposely left Him out. And it wasn't until my sweet friend asked me that question that I realized that some serious changes needed to happen in my life.

I think that many of you would agree with me when I say that balance in life is a hard thing. And let's face it - we, women, carry a heavy load these days. Many of us work full-time jobs outside of the home, we're involved in our communities, we serve in our churches, we volunteer at our local schools, we cook meals, we manage household finances, we clean toilets, we grocery shop, we organize the home calendar, we do dishes, we do laundry, we run errands, we remember birthdays, anniversaries, shop for Christmas presents, iron, vacuum, and take care of the pets... not to mention the other hats we wear - taxi cab driver, nurse, pharmacist, counselor, teacher... and somewhere in that chaos we're supposed to have time to be a loving wife, good friend and honorable, contributing society member.

I don't know about you - but even glancing over the list of the responsibilities us women have makes me exhausted! It's no wonder we're burned out... wasted... depleted of physical strength and stressed out to the point of seeking medical attention. It's no wonder divorce is on the rise, that anti-depression medication is being sought after by 1 in every 10 Americans... (having grown 400 percent between 1988 and 2008). It's no wonder we are tired and unbalanced. This is quite the juggling act we've become accustomed to.

But in all my experience of dealing with a full schedule, I've come to the understanding that I can NOT be the person God has called me to be without making time with Him the first and most important priority of my day. You see - I believe that somewhere in our translation of success and victory, we've become confused. In our evaluation of priorities we've become unbalanced. And as much as we desire to WIN in our professional life and in our home life, we have GOT to come to a place where we recognize our complete dependency on the Giver of life... the One in Whom all success is possible and graciously provided.

I truly believe that God's desire for us in regard to balance and priorities is more simple than we've made it out to be. I believe God's order of priorities for Christ-followers is this:

God first
then spouse, children, parents, extended family, brothers and sisters in Christ, and then the rest of the world.

But haven't we complicated this method? Haven't we made it all about us? Our children? The calendar? The next thing "to do"? The next race to the finish line?

And yet that is not what was intended for us.

Balance and priorities go hand and hand and so when I was asked to speak at this luncheon on my vision for women of Lenawee County it made best sense for me to speak on the one thing I have personally struggled with the most... balance and priorities.

And I wish I had a 3-step formula that would help all of us in our pursuit of order and balance - but I don't. I wish I could tell you that it's as simple as A-B-C... but that would not be accurate.

What I do know is that to obtain balance we must be willing to come to the end of ourselves... empty and prepared to be filled daily by God's power and strength.

I told someone recently that I would be quite pleased if I could simply add ONE more day to my current week - giving me just ONE extra day to get accomplished all that I need to get accomplished. Can you even imagine that? Asking for ONE MORE week day to an already jam-packed week? How insane does this sound? And it was in my complaining of needing one more day in my week that the thought crossed my mind... "And just WHAT would you do with that one more day?" Would I fill it up with more STUFF? Probably. Would I waste it worrying about the things I can't control? Perhaps. Just one more day. Just one more day.

John 10:10 says this, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Jesus came as the ultimate sacrifice that we might have a FULL life. Not a mediocre life. Not a life consisting of just getting by... but a FULL life. Some versions say an ABUNDANT life.

And "full" is not racing to the next thing. Attending the next meeting. Volunteering at one more sporting event. Full, in my opinion, is living the balanced life where God is the central component. Living the full, abundant life is yielding to God's order of priorities for His children. Living the full life is beginning each day with a confession of dependency to the one who grants us this one more day.

I read something recently that said, "What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?"

WOW. Sadly, for some of us that wouldn't leave us with much.

I believe we are living in an amazing age where women are making a dynamic difference in the world. We are doctors, lawyers, teachers, scientists, marine biologists, chemists, bible study leaders, counselors, business owners, homemakers, nurses, interior decorators, pastors, web designers, chefs and accountants. And it doesn't matter which category you fall under - we have tremendous responsibility.

It is no longer just a good idea to develop a habit of spending time in prayer and preparation for our days... it is CRITICAL to the success of lives.

The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. The thief can be the thing that takes us away from our alone time with God. The thief can be the schedule that owns us. The thief can be those things that keep us from living the full life... the abundant life... that God desires for each of us to have. But Christ... He came to give us the full life... and I don't know about you - but that's the life that I want. The full life. The balanced life. The life centered around His goodness... and His mercy and His grace.

It has been said that we give the most attention to the things that we consider to be the most importance in our lives. And I believe that in order to live in the fullness and participate in the most important things of our lives, we must be willing to give our primary attention to the One from Whom all blessings flow from. To me - it is the KEY to living the balanced life.

And so I ask you the same question I was asked... ""When do you find time to do your quiet time with God?"

Maybe it's getting up an extra few minutes early in the morning.
Maybe it's turning the television off a half hour sooner at night.
Maybe it's sitting alone in your car on your lunch hour.
Maybe it's locking yourself in the bathroom with a sign taped to the door - Mom is unavailable for 15 minutes... do not disturb!

It is my prayer... my vision... for women of Lenawee County to recognize their full-potential in Christ. We CAN live the full life. We CAN make a difference in our community. We CAN change lives and we CAN leave a lasting legacy when God calls us home. We can do all things... only because it is Christ who gives us strength.

I urge you to call on Him. He is crazy about you and He longs to hear what You have to say! He's waiting to be the only strength you need to do all the amazing things you're going to do!

Press on women!! Press on!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Week Five: One Thousand Gifts

2011-10-21T09:55:00.009-04:00

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:21 (NKJV)

Chapter 5, What in the World, in all the World, is Grace, was a difficult chapter. This was the chapter about the hard eucharisteo. Ann tells us the story of her sweet 7-year-old boy, Levi, who when working in the barn doing chores, puts his hand through a fan blade. As she runs to her son, unsure of what she'll see when she gets there, fear fills her body. And she knows... that THIS might be it. "The hard eucharisteo." As she describes on page 80. And she admits, "Now I know that I don't want to know it yet... Ever."

We pick back up on the bottom of page 80, top of page 81, when Ann and Levi return to the house following a three-hour hospital visit. "He has a hand." Ann says to her mom who knows the loss of a child. Who has lived the hardest eucharisteo. "He's cut up bad. But only the index is broken. They're booking us for a surgeon."

And in that moment... relief.
In that moment... praise.

But she wrestles with the tough question of this word... grace.

"And if his hand had been right sheared off?" She asks. "What of God's grace then? Can I ask that question?"

It's one thing to be thankful and to praise God in the good times. When things are going well. When we are in good health, when we are surrounded with the ones we love. When we get good grades. When our marriage is flourishing. When it's sunny. When bills get paid.

But what happens in those hard moments when God's grace is more difficult to see? What then?

Perspective is found on page 82 when Ann reflects back on what she hears on the radio on their way home from the hospital. "The obituaries after the noon farm news. A 13-year-old Mennonite boy, just down the road from the red-roofed dairy farm my husband grew up on. A farm boy, an accident. Date of death. Siblings. Funeral details. No mention of the state of his mama's heart, delta fractures slitting her through."

A boy. Only 13-years-old. Death. Tragic. Sudden. No warning.

Isn't THIS this hard stuff we've feared?

We're all faced with these hard days.

Maybe it was a call from a doctor... bad test results.
Maybe it was a call from a sibling... death of a parent.
Maybe it was a call from the school... a hurt child.

Maybe, like me, it was a call from a friend. A call that would rattle me to the core when I was only 18. Nothing up to that point had been harder. A call that came from a classmate in the middle of the afternoon. "Are you alone?" He asked. WHY was he asking this? Why in the world would it matter? "Yes." I said. "What happened?" And then I felt it. Maybe it's what I heard in his silence. Maybe it was the peircing sound of the silence that followed that gave way for fear to seep in. But I knew something bad had happened. Nothing could have prepared me. I hadn't rehearsed this part. And then it came, "Robbie's been in an accident, Wendy. And he didn't make it."

"He didn't make it."

In that single moment I couldn't define these words. I could not make them out. I heard him... but I didn't know what that meant. Didn't make it?

And then the whole world went black.

A shooting accident that claimed the life of my friend was a turning point in my life. It's amazing how these things change us. For me it was as if the life I had known up to that point ended. And a new one began. The old me was no longer. I was now looking through the lens of grief. Pain. Sadness. The hard eucharisteo.

And I had known Jesus. I had known about this love. This forgiveness. This grace?

But where was grace the day my sweet friend was ripped away, violently, from this world?

And I read it again on the pages of this book and I am reminded... "God is always good and I am always loved." (page 100)

Always.

And isn't that what life is? A balance of the grace moments and curse moments? And then what about thanksgiving? If in the grace moments we are thankful... what are we to do in the curse moments?

Perspective.

I love how her eyes are opened to the perspective.

"I hang up the phone" she says, "and I stand for a long while, just watching Levi breathe. Watching Levi live. He had an extra serving of ice cream on his plate last night and licked the mint right off his plate. He might not have. He slept in a bed last night, on clean sheets, and beside his brother. What if he hadn't? He woke and walked out across the dew grass this morning, the blades all sewed up in dangled gossamer of spiders. Why him? He worked alongside his dad in the barn, swept the broom hard; and when his dad said he was growing quite the muscles, he had laughed. He might not have. Who deserves any grace?" (page 93)

"Why are we allowed two?" Ann asks. "Why lavished with three? A whole string of days? Isn't even one grace enough?" (page 93)

Perspective. How we see.

And how can these pain moments lead to gratitude? CAN we be thankful through the pain? In the midst of pain?

How can we possibly be thankful for the death of a child? For the ominous diagnosis? For the accidents and the senseless crimes and the pure heartbreak? How?

Because the pain will come. For each and every one of us. One day. Maybe today. Maybe next month. Maybe 12 years from now. But it will come. And there's no warning. It will. Just. Come.

In chapter five's video I am reminded of the resurrection.

The resurrection was bloody. It was painful. It was messy. It was the hardest eucharisteo the world has ever seen.

And yet THROUGH the nail-pierced hands we can find hope.
THROUGH the blood-soaked rags we can find strength.
THROUGH the brutal beating we can find refuge.

Not IN this pain... but THROUGH this pain.

Because God wastes nothing. He "makes everything work out according to His plan." (Eph 1:11).

He wastes nothing. Not even your pain. Because God's grace... really is enough.

In the video Ann so appropriately illustrates how gratitude NOW paves the way for dealing with the darkness LATER. She says there's no warning for darkness, but we can prepare ourselves by practicing the discipline of gratitude so that when the days come we have a foundation to stand on.

It's what she calls the ugly-beautiful. "That which is perceived as ugly transfigures into beautiful." And she continues, "The ugly can be beautiful. The dark can give birth to life; suffering can deliver." (page 99)

God is always good and I am always loved. There it is again.

She closes the chapter... "Because eucharisteo is how Jesus, at the Last Supper, showed us how to transfigure all things - take the pain that is given, give thanks for it, and transform it into a joy that fulfills all emptiness."

God wants our questioning of Him to be smaller and our desire for Him to be bigger. Because I am convinced that He is using the pain in our lives to transfigure it and redeem it into something beautiful that only He can use for His glory! The question now is will we allow Him full access to transfigure our ugly into beautiful?

I am praying for each and every one of you.

Thank you for continuing on this journey with us!

Below is the video from week five. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog to pause the music from my playlist in order to hear this video.)

One Thousand Gifts: Chapter 5 from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

We would LOVE to hear your story of redemption! How has God taken the ugly in your life and made it beautiful? In class on Thursday nights we are each participating in a challenge... To reflect on and record 3 evidences of God's grace towards you. And if you are willing - we'd LOVE for you to use this place to share with us how God is transfiguring the pain you've experienced. Simply click on the COMMENTS link just below this post.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Scripture Memory: October 15

2011-10-21T09:24:00.002-04:00

I am in the middle of an amazing bible study on the life of David in the Old Testament. And what an amazing study this has been! I am learning so much about this man, David, who was beautifully called A Man After God's Own Heart. Oh how I LONG to have the virtues of David!

Just after David began his 40-year reign over Israel, he penned the words written in 2 Samuel 7:18-29, offering thanks to God for His grace and for bringing him THIS FAR. In his quite time with God he sits before Him and says these beautiful words that will be my verse for October 15...

2 Samuel 7:18 (NLT)
"Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, 'Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?'""

I, like King David, beg of my Savior, "WHO AM I... that You would choose to bring me this far? WHO AM I... that You would choose to bless me in all these ways? WHO AM I? WHO AM I?

Thank you, Father, for your faithfulness to your lowly servant!

What's YOUR verse for October 15?

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Week Four: One Thousand Gifts

2011-10-14T06:32:00.007-04:00

"We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it." Psalm 39:6 (NLT)

Chapter 4, A Sanctuary Of Time, was a PACKED chapter. I will admit that when I first read this chapter I said to myself, "Could this really be ALL about a bubble? A soap sud? Really?" But as we discussed last night - it is SO much more than that. This chapter really challenges readers to slow down. To discover what it means to live this one life well. To experience the full life in the midst of the hurry and the running and the getting to.. the... next... thing.

How do we slow time down?

How do we stop living life as if it were an emergency? Because life is NOT an emergency!

And what does it mean to have not MORE time... but ENOUGH time?

Ann begins this chapter with her observation of a another gift to add to her list... #362, Suds... all color in sun.

And it's this sud that opens her eyes wide to the gift of time. Making time. As she says on page 64, "I only see it because I'm looking..."

I only see it because I'm looking.

What other things do we miss because we are in such a hurry? What other beautiful gifts have we allowed to pass us by simply because we were not paying attention?

Could it be that this hunt for gifts... for all things beautiful... is JUST the thing that will allow us to slow time down?

Hurry makes us hurt... (isn't that called stress? And don't we do that to ourselves... unnecessarily?)

Hurry empties a soul.

Think about it. I was just saying last week that all would be right in the world if I could just have ONE more day in the week to get accomplished the things I need to get accomplished. Just one more day I begged for. But is it really MORE time I need? Or is it ENOUGH time that I need? Because wouldn't I just fill that ONE MORE day with even MORE unnecessary things? Who really wants more time for worry? Guilt? Shame? More running of errands. More spending money we don't have. More schedules. More crises. Really? Is that what I want?

I love the beautiful way Ann writes it on the top of page 68... "I just want time to do my one life well."

That's it!

My hearts desire is to take this one life I have been given and live it... well! Oh how I long to hear the words of my Savior... "Well done good and faithful servant." (Matt 25:21)

Receiving gifts... naming them... and thanking God for them... is our only hope for slowing time down because it begs for our full attention NOW. One page 69 Ann remembers the words of her sister, "Where you are, be all there." She continues, "I have lived the runner, panting ahead in worry, pounding back in regrets, terrified to live in the present, because here-time asks me to do the hardest of all: just open wide and receive."

And isn't that harder to do?

But "This"... Ann writes, "is where God is."

And I WANT to be where God is.

So could it be as easy as one simple formula... Giving thanks = more time.

I LOVE her analogy on pages 71 and 72.

In John, chapter 6, the story so many of us are familiar with, is the story of Jesus feeding 5,000. Jesus and His disciples had just crossed over the Sea of Galilee, when a huge crowd began following them. It was nearing time for the annual Passover celebration and they were in need of some food to feed themselves and the large crowd that had gathered. And there was nothing. The only thing that was available was a young boy's lunch which consisted of five barley loaves and two fish. "But what good is this with a huge crowd?" Andrew asked. (verse 9) (Oh I can SO see myself in that boy Andrew, can't you? Doubting the very One who had just come from performing all kinds of miracles. Don't we KNOW the miracle worker and still doubt His amazing abilities?)

After gathering the loaves of bread and the fish, Jesus "took the loaves and gave thanks to God and passed them out to the people." (verse 11). John goes on to write, "And they ate until they were full." Jesus even responds to His disciples, "'Now gather up the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.'" (verse 12)

Stop!

What just happened?

Jesus had only FIVE loaves of bread. BARELY enough to feed the 13 of them... let alone FIVE THOUSAND!

Jesus had five loaves of bread and what did He do?

He gave thanks. Those two words. The "bridge words" as Ann calls them. "The crossing over that took the not enough and made it enough."

He gave thanks. There it is again... Eucharisteo.

"Jesus embraces His not enough... He gives thanks... And there is more than enough."

That's it. Again. The miracle of thanks.

Oh what being grateful does. It multiplies the blessing!

So... Jesus gives thanks for the five loaves of bread and it multiplies.
Could we give thanks, then, for the moments so that those, too, can multiply?

Is that the secret to getting more time?

Ann says it best on page 72, "The real problem of life is never a lack of time. The real problem of life - in my life - is lack of thanksgiving."

"Life is a dessert." Ann says, "You don't wolf it down." (page 77)

Wherever you are... be all there.
Life is not an emergency.
Giving thanks = more time.
Slow down long enough to see the miracles.

Because I'm with Ann... "I want to savor long whatever time holds."

And it IS fleeting.

Below is the video from week four. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog to pause the music from my playlist in order to hear this video.)

One Thousand Gifts: Chapter 4 from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Scripture Memory: October 1

2011-10-07T17:32:00.003-04:00

Once again... the date for the Scripture Memory snuck up on me and I totally forgot to post my verse. ALTHOUGH I must say I was thinking about it... I just failed to post it. So - here it is. Almost a week late. Forgive me?

This month's verse has been SUCH an inspiration to me this year. It comes from the Apostle Paul and in his letter to the church in Philippi he pens the words of my October 1st memory verse:

Phil 4:11-12
"I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."

I pray that we can ALL be inspired to live like Paul did. Content with what we have. Grateful for everything... little or small. Satisfied.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Week Three: One thousand Gifts

2011-10-07T14:31:00.008-04:00

"I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving." Psalm 69:30 (KJV)

Can I just say how BLESSED I am to be doing life alongside of some amazing women?? Last night we wrapped up chapter three of our study on Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts.

Chapter three, First Flight, was an uplifting and encouraging chapter. Unlike the first two chapters, which were a little more difficult to get through, this chapter felt like we FINALLY arrived at the meat of the book.

What started out as a DARE from a friend to list 1,000 things she was grateful for, truly turned into her life's mission... a "hunt" as described by Ann herself, to find all things beautiful in a messy, messy world.

We were all encouraged by the words Ann quotes on page 44 from Pierre de Caussade, "When one is thirsty one quenches one's thirst by drinking, not by reading books which treat of this condition." "If we are dying of thirst", Ann says, "passively reading books about water quenches little; the only way to quench the parched mouth is to close the book and dip the hand into water and bring it to the lips. If we thirst, we'll have to drink. I would have to DO SOMETHING."

Kind of like reading God's word. We can read the book all day long. We can memorize scripture. We can be filled with knowledge of His truths, His grace and His love... but if we want it to change us... to REALLY change us from the inside out... we have to DO something. Reading about how to walk in His love will do little for us. We have to take the first steps of obedience and faith.

And so we see Ann's list begin. This naming of 1,000 things she is grateful for:

1.) Morning shadows across the old floor.
2.) Jam piled high on toast.
3.) Cry of blue jay from high in the spruce.

And she says as she begins, "This writing it down - it is sort of like... unwrapping love."

Philippians 4:11-12 is such an inspiring piece of scripture, "I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."

That boy Paul... oh he got it! I want to learn how to live this out too... don't you?

Ann says, "Gratitude in the midst of death and divorce and debt - that's the language I've got to learn to speak - because that's the kind of life I'm living, the kind I have to solve." (page 47)

And so as Martin Luther King once said, "If you want to change the world, pick up your pen."

Can it really be that simple? Perhaps!

Questions for discussion:

1.) Ann accepts a dare from a friend to begin a list, not of gifts she wants, but of gifts she already has. A gratitude list.

Have you ever made a gratitude list? If so, what prompted you to do so? How did the experience impact your relationship with God?

I can say from personal experience that starting my list of gratitude changed my life in MORE ways than I can ever tell you! I think for me, it was in the discovery of the little things I had always taken for granted. Here's some of those from my own personal journal...

11.) Smiles from a friend.
34.) Date night with the hubs.
59.) S'mores at summer bonfires.
75.) The smell of cinnamon.
93.) Air condition.
141.) Bowl full of beautiful red, ripe strawberries.

And so, too, began my list. Could I make it to 1,000? I will see. I'm on my way... 527 to be exact. And still counting.

Is it difficult? Not really. Why? Because beauty is really all around us. Every day. The question shouldn't be can we do it... instead the question ought to be, can we SLOW DOWN long enough to SEE what's been there all along?

2.) Among the first gifts on Ann's list are these:

~ Morning shadows across the old floor.
~ Jam piled high on toast.
~ Cry of blue jay from high in the spruce.
~ Leafy life scent of the florist shop.
~ Wind flying cold wild in hair.

Each gift appeals to one of the five senses - something Ann can see, taste, hear, smell or feel. Thinking back on the last 24 hours, use your senses to name five things for which you are grateful - your own mini gratitude list.

3.) In reading Philippians 4:11-12 (above), Ann discovers, "the secret to living joy in every situation, the full life of eucharisteo." It is in the apostle Paul's statement, "I have learned" (page 47). Take a moment to think of a few things that have brought joy or a feeling of contentment to your life recently. Did you have to learn these things or work at them, or did they just happen, like happy coincidences? How do you understand the relationship between learning or practicing gratitude and experiencing joy?

4.) "This dare to write down one thousand things I love... is a dare to name all the ways that God loves me." (page 59) How does gratitude open the door to ever-increasing awareness of God's love for you? How might you take up the dare to name the ways God loves you?

Did you ever think of it that way before? By naming all the gifts is like naming all the ways God loves YOU?

Think about that the next time you see a beautiful sunrise. When you thank God - be specific in your thankfulness. "Thank you God for giving ME this beautiful sunrise this morning!"

Or what about the next time you hear a beautiful song on the radio. When you thank God - be specific. "Thank you God for giving ME this beautiful song today. The words are so encouraging... it was JUST what I needed!"

I believe NOTHING makes God more pleased with us than when we receive each gift He gives with an offer of Thanksgiving. Pure Eucharisteo. THIS is receiving His grace. THIS is FULL living. Joy-filled living.

And so it is with hammer that we drive the nails... to "rebuild a life - eucharisteo precedes the miracle." And it's not the blanket thanksgiving that changes lives. It is the specificity of each gift. "Life-changing gratitude", Ann says, "does not fasten to a life unless nailed through with one very specific nail at a time."

It's "when I give thanks for the seemingly microscopic, that I make a place for God to grow within me." If I am serious about changing... for bettering my life... for making a difference... than it has to start with my thankfulness for even the seemingly microscopic.

Ann closes the chapter with a statement... a powerful statement... "... life change comes when we receive life with thanks and ask for nothing to change." (page 61)

Thank you for joining us on our journey to joy through gratitude!

Below is the video from week three. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog to pause the music from my playlist in order to hear this video.)

One Thousand Gifts- Chapter Three from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Week Two: One Thousand Gifts

2011-09-30T08:30:00.009-04:00

"Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation." Psalm 50:23 (NIV)

We had another amazing group study last evening as we journeyed through chapter two of our study on Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts.

Chapter two, A Word To Live and Die By, was a RICH chapter filled with all kinds of nuggets. We believe THIS is the chapter that really sets up the rest of the book. It sort of lays the ground work for what's to come in all of the later chapters.

The mutual feeling among most of us last evening was that THIS, too, was a difficult chapter in it's own right. A deep chapter. A thought-provoking chapter. But I think we were able to do some digging and found some real eye-opening wisdom within the pages of this chapter. We are praying that God will continue to open our hearts and minds to the truth and biblical applications of this book. We are boldly asking Him to change us in the process - to become women who find ourselves passionately in love with the Father!

Ann begins the chapter with 2 stories... one of a nightmare she is startled by wherein she is dying of cancer. It feels so real to her that she describes it like this, "waking to the crack of a nightmare, this violent shock through the veins..." (page 26). This nightmare scares her so that it jolts her into thinking... really thinking about this life and how MUCH she wants to live fully. She's not ready to die. She wrestles with the question on page 27, "Is that the message of nightmares and dreams? To live either FULLY alive... or in empty nothingness?"

And what does it mean to live FULLY? Really?

Is it the accumulating of more things?
Is it the visiting of more places?
Is it the packing of more events into our schedules?

Or could it be...

The deepening of our relationship with God?
The richness of our earthly relationships with others?
The laser-focused view of our eternal home in heaven?

Yes... I think THAT is where the full life is!

Ann continues with her second story of a letter she receives from her father-in-law who's wife had just recently passed away. In his own probable wrestling of life and death, he asks the question of his son and daughter-in-law, "Thinking on the beginning of this year, who does He call to come Home? Is it me, Lord? May I be ready. Or us. Whoever." (page 28)

She then asks herself on page 29, "Whoever. Ready for the end here. Whoever. Ready for the first meeting of Him there. Whoever. Soon. Will I have lived fully - or just empty?"

Living with the end in mind... will we be ready? And regardless of the answer - how do we live fully so we are fully ready to die?

Ann challenges us to begin thinking, then, what is it? If living the fullness of life isn't seeing more, doing more, being more, then what is it? Where is it? Isn't it here? Isn't the fullness of life RIGHT here? In this very moment. On page 31 she says, "Isn't it here? The wonder? Why do I spend so much of my living hours struggling to see it? Do we truly stumble so blind that we must be affronted with blinding magnificence for our blurry soul-sight to recognize grandeur?" She goes on to say, "I don't need more time to breathe so that I may experience more locales, posses more, accomplish more. Because wonder really could be here - for the seeing eyes."

Is it HERE for us to SEE... this fullness of life? And can we really SEE it?

Questions for discussion:

1.) A terrifying nightmare in which Ann dreams she is dying of cancer becomes a catalyst that helps her realize how much she really wants to live. How do you generally respond to your dreams? Do you write them down and ponder them, or do you not pay much attention to them?

2.) Studying the word EUCHARISTEO helped Ann to identify "holy joy" as the "more" she had been seeking (page 32). What do you think might be the key to unlocking your desire for the fuller life right where you are in the midst of your ordinary days?

We spent a lot of time on this word... Eucharisteo. What a beautiful word! And here is what we shared with the group:

Eucharisteo
Root Word = Charis (grace)
Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and gave THANKS.
He knew it to be a GIFT and gave THANKS.
Greek Word = Chara (joy)
As long as THANKS is possible, then JOY is always possible.

Think of it like a braid, this word Eucharisteo...
Charis. Grace.
Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving.
Chara. Joy.

Grace was provided to us by the Father (sending his son, Jesus).
Thanks is given by us to the Father.
Joy is received.
Through thank offerings is where we find JOY.

Eucharisteo - Thanksgiving - always precedes the miracle!

Eucharisteo - the Greek word with the hard meaning and the harder meaning to live - THIS is the only way to live... EMPTY to FULL!

3.) The author recalls stories from Jesus' life that illustrate the power of Eucharisteo, of thanksgiving: the Last Supper, the raising of Lazarus, the condemnation of Korazin, and Bethsaida (pages 34-37). When considering the context of these stories, we discover that Jesus is within HOURS of his own death, is grieved by the death of a dear friend, and is rejected by entire towns that experienced His miracles.

Why do you think Jesus chooses to offer thanks at such times?

Could it be that He KNEW what His mission was... WHY He had come to this earth... and He was simply leaving an example for us to live by? Jesus knew His own death was imminent. And he chose to give THANKS anyway! On page 36 Ann writes this, "Jesus offers THANKSGIVING for even that which will break Him and crush Him and wound Him and yield a bounty of joy (chara)." The part that brings me to utter tears is this, "And then what does Jesus directly do, in the face of apparent failure, when no one responded to His teaching and things didn't work out at all? He lives out Eucharisteo. In the midst of what seems a mess, in the tripping up and stumbling down of all hopes, Jesus gives THANKS?" I absolutely LOVE that she ends that with a question mark.

Is it really in the THANKS that real JOY can be found?

How does Jesus' use of gratitude in difficult circumstances inform or challenge your view of what it means to give thanks to God?

Ann ends this chapter with her apparent epiphany spilled onto the pages of 38 and 39. In review of the all-familiar story of Jesus healing the 10 lepers in Luke 17, Ann shares with us her discovery of the word sozo. In the story, Jesus heals all 10 lepers and sends them on their way. One leper decides to come back and thank Jesus for His healing. Jesus asks this leper... this one grateful leper, "Where are the other nine whom I also healed?" And then proceeds to tell him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." (Luke 17:17-19)

But hadn't Jesus already made him well with the others the first time?

In closer examination of the word Saved used in this context, the Greek translation is sozo, meaning "well" or "whole". But it's literal meaning? It is "to save". So - sozo means salvation? It means true wellness, complete wholeness. To live sozo is, then, to live the full life?

So - could it be, then, that our very saving is associated with our gratitude?

"Thanksgiving is the evidence of our acceptance of whatever He gives. Thanksgiving is our manifestation of our YES to His grace. Thanksgiving is inherent to a true salvation experience; thanksgiving is necessary to live the well, whole fullest life." (page 39)

She ends the chapter on page 41 with this question, which I believe needs to be the questions we ask ourselves...

"Eucharisteo. The way through is hard. But do I really want to be saved?"

Below is the video from week two. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog to pause the music from my playlist in order to hear this video.)

One Thousand Gifts: Chapter Two from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Giveaway Winner!

2011-09-29T08:58:00.003-04:00

On Monday I shared with all of you about a giveaway I was offering here on the blog.

I am excited today to announce a winner!

And the winner is....

DEB DELINE!

And here was Deb's thankful post this week... "I am thankful for the gift of music and how God speaks, comforts, encourages, heals and revives you through it. If we experience such joy when we hear it now, what must the music of heaven be like? Chords, choruses, harmonies, words in every language all combining in perfection in Praise to the One and Only!"

Oh - I can hardly wait! :)

I just need you to contact me, Deb, so that I can get you your copy of DaySpring's 365-day perpetual calendar, God In The Moment... inspired by Ann Voskamp's book, One thousand Gifts.

Congratulations Deb! It's great to be sharing in this journey to gratitude alongside of you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

A Giveaway!

2011-09-26T08:46:00.006-04:00

Hey Friends!!

My last giveaway was so much fun - I've decided to do another one!

I am still so amazed that this one book has had such an impact on my life... but it has! It has radically changed the way I see God's gifts and His graces every single day. In her poetic writing style, author, Ann Voskamp, challenges readers to life FULLY right where they are. A dare to see the beauty through the pain and the ugly of this world.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is, "... life change comes when we receive life with THANKS and ask for nothing to change."

DaySpring Ministries has produced an inspirational 365-day perpetual calendar entitled God in the Moment. It's a small sampling of Ann's book as it offers daily reminders of how to fight for JOY in a world of hurt and suffering.

Ann writes, "Could it really be that joy is as simple as planting a seed of gratitude? And that gratitude is as simple as seeing all as a tender gift? The earth beneath, the rain over head, the stars spinning round in all their brazen glory, God offers it even now: this is for YOU, YOU... gifts!"

Here is an example of one day of inspiration... "Why is remembering and giving thanks the core of the Christ-faith? Because remembering with thanks is what causes us to trust - to really believe."

So... I have ONE of these fantastic calendars to give away to one lucky blog reader! And It could be YOU!

Simply leave a comment here on the blog and tell me ONE THING you are THANKFUL for today! Make sure to leave your name and your email address too (so I know how to get a hold of you if you win!)

The deadline for all entries is Wednesday, September 28, at midnight. A random winner will be selected on Thursday morning and announced via the blog AND Facebook (here and here) on Thursday afternoon, September 29.

Thank you for joining us on our journey for JOY and good luck! :)

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Week One: One Thousand Gifts

2011-09-23T12:40:00.009-04:00

"The wisdom I proclaim is God's secret wisdom, which is hidden from human beings, but which He had already chosen for our Glory even before the world was made." 1 Cor. 2:7 (GNT)

Week one of our study on Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts, was amazing! I am thrilled and absolutely humbled to be a part of a terrific group of women who are so hungry to learn more about becoming the woman God has called her to be! I know I have said this already more than once, but you are ALL (even those doing the online version of this study with us) a product of MANY months of prayer and I can't wait to see the wonderful things God has in store for us throughout our remaining 10 weeks together. (It's already going by too quickly!)

Chapter one, An Emptier, Fuller Life, was a difficult one. We all agreed that it was very tough to read about the death of Ann's 18-month-old sister who died in a tragic accident while her family members watched on. The start of Ann's life was rough as she struggled to understand how a loving God could possibly allow such travesty to happen. On page 12 she writes, "Where is God REALLY? How can He be good when babies die, and marriages implode, and dreams blow away, dust in the wind? Where is grace bestowed when cancer gnaws and loneliness aches and nameless places in us soundlessly die, break off without reason, erode away." She goes on to ask the question, "how do I fully live when life is full of hurt? How do I wake up to the joy and grace and beauty and all that is the fullest life when I must stay numb to losses and crushed dreams and all that empties me out?"

WOW.

And isn't that it? Isn't that that question we wrestle with when life doesn't turn out the way we had hoped it would? When marriages end bitterly, when cribs lie empty, when cancer rips the life of our loved one from us much sooner than we were ready to let them go?

This is the ugly stuff in the world. This is the stuff created from the sin that first entered the world. When Adam and Eve were ungrateful for the beauty that surrounded them and so they longed for more.

On page 15 Ann says, "Our fall was, has always been, and always will be, that we aren't satisfied in God and what He gives. We hunger for something more, something other."

We hunger for filling in a world that is starved.

Questions for discussion:

1.) "If I'm ruthlessly honest, I may have said yes to God, yes to Christianity, but really, I have lived the no." (pg 16). What do you think Ann means by this? has this ever been true for you?

Is it easy to say yes when things are going our way only? Is it easy to "sign up" for a life with Christ when we haven't yet lived the ugly this world offers?

How do we FIGHT for JOY?

Everyone has a story. We all have stories that are painful and difficult. But how do we honor God in the midst of pain and struggle. How often do we want to change the story - when we're not even the author?

There is a difference between JOY and HAPPINESS. Isn't there? Happiness is a 'feeling', where JOY is an act of the will. It is possible - wildly possible - to find JOY in the midst of pain. Because JOY is a choice.

2.) Ann describes how the death of her sister, "tears a hold in the canvas of the world" (pg 16) and later writes, "I wonder... if the rent in the canvas of our life backdrop... might actually become places to see. To see through to God" (pg 22). Is this a metaphor you find intriguing, comforting, or disturbing? How do you understand it in light of your own experience of loss?

The "tears" in the canvas of our life. Are these holes that allow light in from the love of God? Are they places and opportunities to "see" through to God.

3.) The author's narrative is right with vivid phrasing and evocative imagery. What lines or descriptions stand out for you? Why do you find them to be powerful?"

And so - the questions we wrestle with is... "How do we choose to allow the holes to become seeing-through-to-God places? To more-God places? How do I give up resentment for gratitude, gnawing anger for spilling joy? Self-focus for God-communion?" (pg 22).

"To fully life - to live full of grace and joy and all that is beauty eternal. It IS possible" (pg 23).

Will you join us on the fight for joy?

Below is the video from week one. Ann is the one in the middle. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog to pause the music from my playlist in order to hear this video.)

One Thousand Gifts: Chapter One from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

Tell us what YOU think!! We're so happy you've joined us on this journey... this journey to JOY!

Next week's homework: Read chapter 2 and memorize Psalm 50:23 (NIV).

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

From Ann Voskamp

2011-09-19T11:06:00.002-04:00

During our first meeting last week of our book study on Ann Voskamp's, One Thousand Gifts, I shared the following with our group of women. I am blessed by her words and I hope you are too. This is just a small example of her poetic and graceful writing style. Oh how I long to learn how to live the full, rich life of thankfulness.

Praying for you, Women of Thanks! Thank you for joining us on this journey of gratitude!

She isn't 24 hours old yet.
Still that heaven scent upon her skin.
When I pull her close I whisper right into her ear.
Whisper in her the meaning of life.
The one thing she needs to know before she's as old as I am and has messed up as much as I have...
moments.
I'd tell her this...
moments - this is all we have.
Microscopic, fleeting moments.
Her eye lashes flutter in dreams and I wonder...
how many moments of my life have my eyes been wide open but I've been rushing, racing, sleeping right through?
How many of the popsicle days and the running and twirling and spinning days.
How many of the moments of melting ice cream and crazy laughter and dangling bare feet and the setting sun igniting the moment of NOW.
Someone wake me up to the beating of wings and splashing of water... the setting of fog at twilight... the way the leaves and the childhood slip away in the woods, torched with the last of summer.
I want to tell her this...
You have GOT to figure out a way to stay FULLY awake!
Time's blurring by and everyone's slipping past and how do we wake to the moments?
How do we stop living life as an emergency... something to be sped wildly through... LIFE IS NOT AN EMERGENCY!
How do we start believing that life can be carried only in the hands of the unhurried?
A bubble held in awe... how do we stop wolfing life down - cuz life is our only dessert - too brief, too sweet, too delectable to hurry.
To live like a boy I once knew... pause between bites.
To wiggle his one tooth loose and whisper, "I love you mom."
And all this... all this... all these moments... all these are for YOU!
Isn't that the voice we have to learn to hear?
The voice that is telling the whole world that the earth under you and the rain over you and all the stars spinning all around you - this is for you... for you... FOR you!
Your true love smile and the nap and the patch of light, the whirl of bike spokes and the wild rose on the sill and that one great puff for flickering candles of a birthday cake... these are all for you.
What if we really figured it out? That gratitude for the seemingly small and insignificant - this is the seed that plants the giant miracle in the midst of it all - so COUNT the ways He loves... a 1,000 more.... never stop... so that when you wake in the morning you can't help unfold your hands to the heavens.
And though you grieve and though you wonder... though the world is ugly... it IS beautiful! And though time moves on - it's moments are holy.
And though the planet spins a blur - you can slow and you can wake and you can trust and you can pay attention to the moments with this offering of thanks.
Because THIS is how you spend your one life well... receiving each moment for what it really is - holy. Ordinary. Amazing Grace. A gift.

Scripture Memory: September 15

2011-09-17T11:56:00.005-04:00

I am a couple days late... BUT... better late than never! ;)

I woke up this morning to the sweet smell of fall. Cool temps... sunny skies... a light dew on the grass. And I was so thankful. Thankful for another day. Thankful for the Michigan seasons. Thankful that we have an amazing God who loves us more than we could ever know!

Here is my September 15th Scripture memory verse:

1 Cor. 10:31 (NLT)
"Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God."

That means everything. All for the glory of God.

Everything.

That means when you're driving your car.
And when you're disciplining your children
And when you're serving at your church.
And when you're cleaning your house.

Everything. All for His glory. We all have the opportunity to do our best for Him. Because He loves us all so much!

What is YOUR verse for September 15? I'd love to hear from you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

All Is Grace

2011-09-12T10:54:00.007-04:00

As we prepare our hearts and minds for our upcoming study on Ann Voskamp's amazing book on gratitude and grace, One Thousand Gifts, I'd like to share something with you. This song, written and performed by Shaun Groves, was inspired by her writings and I am in LOVE with it!

All Is Grace!

I hope you enjoy it as much as me!
(Note: you will need to scroll to the bottom of this page to pause my playlist in order to listen to this video).

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

A Journey To Joy

2011-09-01T14:10:00.004-04:00

Hello Sweet Friends!!

I have never been very good at keeping secrets! Ever. And so it's no surprise that I am simply BUSTING at the SEAMS to share this with all of you!

After MUCH prayer and processing I, along with my great friend Shirley, have decided to answer the call of God and begin a ministry we have named Women of Thanks... a journey to joy. And we'd LOVE for you to join us on this journey!

One Thousand Gifts written by Ann Voskamp, has been a life-changing book for me. As I neared the end of chapter nine, I just KNEW I had to share this with other women who deeply longed for the contentment, joy and peace found only in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

One Thousand Gifts beckons you to leave the parched ground of pride, fear, and white-knuckle control and abandon yourself to the God who overflows your cup. If you are looking to make some radical changes in your lifestyle and long to slow down and catch God in the moment... surrendering to a life filled with more joy than you know what to do with... THIS book study is for you!

Starting Thursday, September 15, we will begin our journey. In our 12 weeks together, we will explore what it means to LIVE FULLY... right where we are. We will learn what it means to live an emptier, but fuller life, to find beauty in the ugly and how to find fulfillment in whatever life is giving NOW. Because, as Ann so eloquently says in her book, "Life change comes when we receive life with thanks and ask for nothing to change."

This is a challenge for women who are serious about making some changes to the way they think about, talk about and live out gratitude. A dare to live FULLY right where they are.

I'd like you to know that we have been PRAYING for you from day one. We have been praying that God would stir in you a desire to join us in the conversation.

Are you in?

Who: Women from all stages of life

What: Women of Thanks... a journey to joy
Book Study on One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

Why: To see women grow in Christ, to see women find their worth and value, to deepen their relationship with God and find some time for themselves... away from the distractions of this busy, hectic world.

We will meet every Thursday beginning September 15 and concluding with a Gratitude Celebration on December 1. We will meet from 6-7:30 p.m. in Meeting Room B, located in the basement of the Tecumseh District Library (215 Ottawa St.).

You will need to purchase your copy of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp before our first evening together. Discussion Guides will be provided for you.

You can find Ann's book at Sounds of Light in Adrian or online at many locations including Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com and Dayspring.com.

I encourage you to check out the One Thousand Gifts blog at: http://onethousandgifts.com/

as well as Ann's personal blog at: http://www.aholyexperience.com/

Please RSVP via facebook email to me by Sunday, September 11, or comment here on the blog. If you will be bringing a friend or family member with you, please include her name as well.

We are EXCITED about this opportunity to grow with you and are praying daily for God to bless our time together!!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Phil 4:11-12
"I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."

Scripture Memory: September 1

2011-09-01T13:56:00.003-04:00

I absolutely LOVE the start to the fall season. Football. Sweaters. Cooler weather. Leaves falling. I LOVE everything about it!

I hope that you are enjoying this first day of September!

Here is my September 1st Scripture memory verse:

1 Thes 5:17-18 (NLT
"Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

Joyful. It doesn't mean the same as happy. You can have a bad day and still be filled with JOY. Why? Because YOU belong to Christ Jesus! And there's GOODNESS and THANKFULNESS found in that! :)

What is YOUR verse for September 1? I'd love to hear from you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Karrie

2011-09-01T09:28:00.006-04:00

I never met her. I don't even know her last name. What I do know is that she was 9 years young, she was deeply loved and her life, although too short, was not in vain.

Her name was Karrie.

Our small group began praying for Karrie several months ago.

We prayed for healing. That wouldn't come.
We prayed for answers. That we'd never receive.
We prayed for peace and comfort. That would be difficult to accept.

But most of all, we prayed for God to be ultimately glorified through her. And for that, He proved Himself faithful.

On Tuesday, August 30, at around 7:30 a.m., sweet Karrie flew into the arms of her Savior, Jesus Christ. It was a bright and sunny morning. And as I read the news I fell to the ground and I wept.

Wept for a little girl I never had the privilege of knowing personally.
Wept for a mother's baby girl whose tears she would never get to wipe away again.
Wept for a father's daughter whose arm he could never walk down the aisle.

I wept.

And then I remembered Jesus wept too. (John 11:35). And he weeps with us now. He knows our pain and He feels our suffering.

And He loves.
And He cares.
And He aches.
And He blesses.

He gives. And He takes away.

And our assignment isn't to understand.
Our assignment is to trust. And obey.

And praise Him anyway.

And so I choose these things.

Not because I understand.
Not because I have the answers.
Not because it makes any sense at all.

But because I believe in a God who is GREATER than any circumstance!
Because through our suffering there is hope.
Because there is power in the resurrection of Jesus.

I choose hope.

I didn't know Karrie. But I look forward to meeting her on the streets of gold one day.

Until that time... I will trust. I will hope. And I will ask God to use my life to glorify Him.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Being Available

2011-08-26T08:47:00.004-04:00

"My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.'”
Luke 10:39-42

I am a serious planner and a hard-core scheduler. Always have been. I plan EVERYTHING. I plan birthday parties, Christmas celebrations, get-togethers, family outings and reunions. I plan dinners typically the evening before, I plan out my morning time with God, I plan weekends by Tuesday nights and daily household chores. I consider it pure joy to sit down on a Sunday night with a pen and pad of paper to map out the events for the upcoming week.

I'm afraid to say I still lay Chloe's clothes out every day. And she's 11.

I suppose there's other words to describe this characteristic trait. Perhaps I'm a control freak?

I believe there is good in planning and organizing. I think God is honored when we take care of lives and find a good balance between all of our daily responsibilities. But I also think there's amazing peace and freedom to be found in allowing ourselves some wiggle room in our daily routines. I think it's as equally God-honoring when we allow ourselves flexibility in our schedules to make room for God to do His work in and through us. Let's call these... life interruptions.

It occurred to me the other morning when I was "busy" with my day. I had, literally, a laundry list of things I had to get accomplished. The usual stuff... do laundry, clean floors, make beds, run 306 errands and make dinner. I believe this was the same day I had also created a "back-up list" of things I wanted to get done if I found myself with some extra time. They consisted of the following: fix the light in the laundry room, sort through old photos, clean out old, dirty tubs in my basement, clean out my dogs treat cupboard, replace the light bulb on the front porch, finish cleaning out the garage from the garage sale, return all of the tables I'd borrowed for my garage sale and send 2 thank you notes and 4 birthday cards (mind you these birthday's were still several weeks out. Don't judge me... I'm a planner!) :) I had mapped out each event and found myself quite joyous to be able to cross them off my to-do list with a permanent marker when I'd completed a task. (Oh the joy of a completed task! A planners dream come true!)

But then it occurred to me. In all of my busy-ness... in all of my hectic-ness... did I allow room for God to use me? Completely? Was I leaving room for Him to take me to the places HE had prepared for me that day? Was I yielding to God and His divine plan for me?

See - a scheduler... a planner... is a person who truly doesn't appreciate when they or their schedule is interrupted. I find it most difficult to stop doing what I had planned to do and "do" something else. For instance...

A storm's arrival after I've planned an outdoor event or party.
A sick child during a long-planned vacation.
A husband who has to work late after I've prepared a big meal... his favorite... with dessert.

Priscilla Shirer describes these interruptions in her book Life Interrupted like this... "When the yellow-brick road of our lives veers off in some unexpected direction."

I don't like being interrupted. The feelings that it stirs within me include uneasiness, frustration, irritability and resentfulness. I don't "do" interruptions well. They are disturbing to my goals and plans and I don't like the loss of control I feel.

But I wonder how much my life would change... your life would change... if we began seeing these interruptions as opportunities. If we truly changed the way we looked at these irritating disturbances and started seeing them as Divine Interventions. I wonder how seeing through this lens would change our perspective. We just might be opening ourselves up to the greatness that God has for us. Priscilla Shirer goes on to say that, "Believing that divine interruptions are a privilege not only will cause us to handle them differently but also to await them eagerly. Knowing that we have an opportunity to participate in God's purposes should cause us to sit on the edge of our seats in anticipation of divine interventions disguised as life's interruptions."

God has a plan and a purpose for our lives. And we have a choice to follow that plan and purpose or to be so wrapped up in and consumed by our own plan that we miss out on our calling completely. HIS calling.

God always has something better for us. Something far greater than we could even hope or dream for. Always.

You may have been late for that meeting, but you missed a car accident on the way that could have ended your life. A God appointed divine intervention.

You cringed when the phone rang from an unknown caller only to discover it was your best friend from college living out of state who desperately needed to hear your voice. You didn't have "time" to talk with her, but you soon discovered that she needed to hear your words of encouragement because after 20 years of marriage, her husband just told her he doesn't love her anymore and is filing for divorce. A God appointed divine intervention.

Your mother is ill. She was just diagnosed with Parkinson's and is going to require round-the-clock care for the end stages of her life. You instinctively want to offer your brothers home or your sisters home for her to stay. After all - you're busy. You have a life. You're too consumed by your own "things" to be disrupted. But after she moves in, you discover the blessing and joy of spending quality time with her every day... and consider these moments as some of the most precious times of your life. A gift. A God appointed divine intervention.

God does not exist for our comfort. He doesn't NEED us to complete His purposes, yet He still chooses us to partner with Him. As Priscilla eloquently writes in her book about a Life Interrupted, "His calling you means that He has chosen YOU above anyone else to do what He is asking. YOU are the one He singled out and pinpointed as His partner for a particular project."

There's a country song that's lyrics come to mind, "I could have missed the pain, but I'd of had to miss the dance."

In this case, the pain (at least for me) is the rescheduling. The realignment of my day. The course derailment. But the truth is that if we choose not to yield to the Father, then we could miss the thing that's intended to bring us the greatest joy.

Looking back on my journal from January 27, of this year, I find a prayer I wrote out. It says this...

"God - give me an open heart and an open mind to the things you are calling me to do for you. Prepare my heart to hear from you and prepare my feet to GO where you lead. Amen." In essence, I am asking God to change my desires to match His. I might have my plans... but God, teach me to want what you want!

Let's remember He still has the whole world in His hands... and He sees the bigger picture. We only see a small slice of the pie. Trust Him to lead. Trust Him to guide and direct. And He will do it!

Carol Kent says in her book, Becoming A Woman of Influence, "If we waited for formal teaching moments to make a difference in the lives of others, most of us would miss the opportunities to 'be Jesus' to the people we have the privilege of influencing."

When we yield to His divine interventions and surrender to His will for our lives, we give Him permission to use us in powerful ways!

Like Joyce Meyer says, "Don’t be so busy with your plan that you ignore God if He tries to change it."

Will you and I allow ourselves to be interrupted as God deems fit? Will we give up our tight grip of control so that He can use us for greater things? I pray we do! This world doesn't need Christians who are control freaks. This world needs Christians who have made their minds up to follow Christ with everything they have. And to surrender everything to Him, even their perfectly orchestrated schedules. We are telling His story... do others get to see His perfect power displayed in us?

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

The Daily Discipline

2011-08-16T09:56:00.002-04:00

My daughter has been on a "tooth brushing strike" here lately. Just this summer, really. She doesn't want to brush her teeth. She claims she's not certain why she has to do it and how it makes much of a difference. She's constantly making excuses for why she can't. I mean really. How much sense does it make that you shouldn't brush your teeth when you're just going to eat again and get them dirty?

I guess it's a phase that many girls her age go through. Maybe? Hopefully it's not just mine! TELL ME it's not just mine!

The other day we were talking about her next dental check-up. She asked me when it was and I told her it would be coming up this fall. I told her, "You don't want to have the dentist examine those teeth and get after you for having not brushed them, right? Because he will know!" Her response was, "He won't know. I can just brush them REALLY good the night before my appointment!" She then proceeded to "show" me how good she could fool him by grinning that big smile revealing her freshly cleaned teeth from just minutes before our conversation. "See mom! They're white and you'd never know I hadn't brushed them for a few days!"

Indeed... her teeth SMELLED fresh.
Indeed... I could tell that she had worked hard that evening to polish them up and get them to APPEAR healthy and well cared for... but the truth was it was a cover up for what was really happening on the inside of those teeth and gums.

And it got me thinking. Isn't this how we are a lot of the time with our faith and with our walk with God?

I see it countless times. We long for the healthy relationship with Him. We long for closeness and intimacy with the Father. But reality is that it takes some work, on our part, to make that happen.

We want things from God. We pray for things like healing, protection, strength, patience, mercy, balance and peace. But we forget that we have a role in this relationship. We want the benefits from a relationship with the Creator of the universe - but we are quick to forget that there are things God wants to teach us through our trust and obedience.

God longs to give us the desires of our hearts. He does. There's a biblical promise that proves this to us. Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." The word delight comes from the Hebrew word, anag, meaning “make yourself moldable and pliable”. He needs for us to make ourselves available to Him so that He can mold us into the person He created us to be. If we aren't able to keep in close relationship with Him and yield to His molding and plying, then He can't use us for the greatness He has called us to! And He certainly won't be able to give us the desires of our hearts.

In close examination of the the second action word in this verse, give, we learn the Hebrew word, nathan, means, "to ascribe or write, add, and apply." You see - God has already provided for us everything we need for this life. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." If we were created in His image, and we were, then all nine of these characteristics are true about us. We have been given all that we need to survive this battle here on earth and it's God's desire to release these to us, but we have to be willing to come before Him broken, availavle and ready to do the work required to fulfill our end of the bargain.

All too often I hear other Christians say things like, "Where was God when this was happening?" And, "I'm just not hearing from God." I hear things like, "God must have forgotten about me", "My life is a mess", "I can't get on the right track" and, "I can't feel this 'joy' that others talk about." And my response to them is almost always the same, "What are you doing to cultivate your relationship with God?"

You see - it's not a one-way street... this relationship with God. In fact, a relationship is never a one-way street. It's a shared road of responsibility. I have to give something in order to get something. It's just the way it works. Galatians 6:7 says, "Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow." Like those teeth that Chloe has been ignoring. If she continues to ignore the health of her teeth, it will only produce a poor check-up at the dentists office this fall. Our spiritual lives are the same way. If we neglect the health of our relationship with God, we will produce a harvest of "decay and death." (Gal 6:8 NLT)

We must get to the place where we are fully and completely dependent on Him. Realizing that apart from Him we can do nothing. We must develop a daily discipline of loving Him apart from what He can do for us. Instead of focusing on Him only when we are at the end of our rope, we need to throw Him the rope and let Him lead us to the greatness He has prepared in advance for us.

Spending time... quality time... with God daily is essential for our well being. It isn't a suggestion or an option.. it is a necessity. Just like tooth brushing daily is necessary for the health of our teeth, spending time with God with praise and gratitude, studying His word and meditating on His promises daily is essential for the health of our spiritual bodies.

In my Daily Devotional book entitled "Jesus Calling", Sarah Young writes about our walk with the Father this way,

"Keep walking with Me along the path I have chosen for you. Your desire to live close to Me is a delight to My heart. I could instantly grant you the spiritual riches you desire, but that is not My way for you. Together we will forge a pathway up the high mountain. The journey is arduous at times, and you are weak. All I require of you is to take the next step, clinging to My hand for strength and direction. Though the path is difficult and the scenery dull at the moment, there are sparkling surprises just around the bend. Stay on the path I have selected for you. It is truly the path of life."

I encourage you to stay with it. Stay in constant communion with God and see what He can and will do FOR you and THROUGH you. Remember - if we DELIGHT (make ourselves moldable and pliable) ourselves in the Lord, He will GIVE (add and apply) us the desires of our hearts.

Psalm 37:23-24, "The steps of the Godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."

He's ready. Are you?

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Scripture Memory: August 15

2011-08-15T08:23:00.003-04:00

Well - back to school is just right around the corner. Stores are filled with all the great school supplies (don't ya just love the smell of new, fresh pencils and notebooks?) and there's a feeling in the air that change is a coming! The end of August means back to the grindstone. Back to schedules and homework. I am so thankful that God gives us fresh beginnings, aren't you?

If you have chosen to join me on this scripture memorization journey... know that I am proud of you. And that I have been praying for you since the first week of January!

Here is my verse for August 15:

Psalm 51:10 (NLT)
"Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.”

Just like the school year is fresh and new... I ask God to renew in ME a clean heart. A heart like His.

What's the verse YOU'VE chosen this August 15th?

I am praying for you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Scripture Memory: August 1

2011-08-01T09:47:00.003-04:00

Ahh - the sweet month of August! Not only is it my mom's birthday month (LOVE you mom), but it's also back-to-school month for my almost 6th grader!!! I can't believe that the summer is nearing the tail end! Where did it go? I hope YOU'VE had a wonderful summer with the ones YOU love!

If you have chosen to join me on this scripture memorization journey... know that I am proud of you. And that I have been praying for you since the first week of January!

Here is my verse for August 1:

2 Timothy 2:4 (NLT)
"And as Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the One who has enlisted you in His army.”

Isn't it so awesome to know we have been enlisted in His army??

What's the verse YOU'VE chosen this August 1st?

I am praying for you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Praise You Anyway

2011-07-30T12:57:00.004-04:00

God... remind me today that YOU are in charge. Not me.

Help me to be satisfied with WHERE I am and with WHO you are.

Help me to realize the things that I NEED may not always line up with what I WANT and that's okay. Because you love me THAT much and You have great things planned for my life.

I have made the decision that I am going to PRAISE YOU anyway.

Through my tears... I'll praise You anyway.
Through the pain... I'll praise You anyway.
Through my doubt... I'll praise You anyway.
Through my fear... I'll praise You anyway.
Through the storms... I'll praise You anyway.
Through the sickness... I'll praise You anyway.
Through the rejection... I'll praise You anyway.
Through all my failures... I'll praise You anyway.
Through the suffering... I'll praise You anyway.
Through the persecution... I'll praise You anyway.

Even if that means standing ALONE.
Even when I don't FEEL like it.
Even when others don't AGREE.

You have never failed me.
You have never given me more to handle than strength to overcome.

You are FAITHFUL.
You are MERCIFUL.

You are GOOD. ALL the time.

And I will choose to praise You anyway.

Amen.

My Continued Journey In Gratitude

2011-07-25T08:26:00.006-04:00

My journey to gratitude began with a simple book. This book. And it changed my life. A dare really. A dare to live fully right where I am. In the midst of pain... to be grateful. In the midst of sorrow... to be grateful. In the midst of tears and suffering... to be grateful. To feel genuine gratitude for everything regardless of how I feel. Regardless of my circumstances. To feel grateful is where joy is found. And it's when I'm on the hunt for those things that I'm grateful for that peace and joy can be most experienced.

I used to believe that being grateful was a feeling. To FEEL thankful or be FEEL grateful for something or someone. But I was wrong. Being grateful is a gift. It's an opportunity. It's not what I have to do - it's what I get to do. Being grateful is a privilege. It's a honor. Because the bottom line is this... if I waited until I FELT grateful, true gratitude might never come and therefore I most likely will be robbed of the joy Christ died for me to have! There is no joy to be had when you're ungrateful.

I could wait until I FELT like thanking God for the things He's blessed me with, but catch me on a bad day when everything is going wrong and I might allow bitterness and regret to seep in and take over. Studies have shown that the human body can only feel one emotion at a time. And if that is true - allowing ourselves to be bitter can only lead to selfishness, making no room for gratitude and thankfulness.

It's a challenge. That's why in Ann's book she calls it a DARE. The journey to JOY is not always easy. Being grateful in the midst of living in this war zone we call our world... our home... is not an easy task. But it's the only way we can receive and own pure joy.

Ann says in her book, "While I may not always feel joy, God asks me to give thanks in all things, because He knows that the FEELING of joy begins in the ACTION of thanksgiving."

The English Standard Version for Habakkuk 3:18 says this, "I will take joy." I love that. It doesn't say I will FEEL joy. It says I will TAKE joy. It's as if we're giving our order, "I'll take joy please." It's how each day should begin. I take joy. I will choose for joy to be mine. And I will pay for that joy with gratitude.

My personal journey to 1,000, which began with a dare... my challenge to NAME ONE THOUSAND things I am thankful for... is growing:

223.) The joy of praying for others
235.) Getting to pick Chloe up from school every day
239.) Good test results at the hospital
257.) A full To Do list and then checking off my progress
262.) Forgiveness and mercy from the Father
272.) An empty tomb!
275.) Gorgeous lavender lilacs sitting as a centerpiece on my kitchen table
280.) Grilled salmon
288.) Green lights when I'm running late
294.) Being a mom
298.) Having a husband who is committed, faithful and loves me unconditionally
305.) An unscheduled Saturday
318.) God's restoration through my weaknesses
320.) Deep bellyaching laughter
327.) Power restoration following a storm
330.) Hearing Chloe memorizing scriptures for school
338.) Watermelon
347.) Long visits with friends
352.) Healing
358.) Live worship

The count to 1,000 continues. I press on daily to find the beauty in everyday living. Why? Because I want to live fully. Because I choose Joy. Because I believe what Jesus said in John chapter 10, verse 10... "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." He didn't die for us to live mediocre lives... barely hanging on. He came so that we could have life ABUNDANTLY. And living with gratitude produces joy which in turn produces abundant lives. I want to experience the abundance. Don't you?

Giving thanks keeps our gaze on heaven.

Be thankful. Take joy. Find heaven.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Code Blue

2011-07-18T09:53:00.006-04:00

Recently my family and I went through a pretty scary event. My husband had major surgery on June 17 and I must admit that many of us were fearful of the outcome. We knew God was in control. We knew that we had many (MANY) people who were fervently praying for us. And still, we were scared.

As I've said many times on this blog, my prayer daily is that God would make me a blessing to others. That God would use me in a powerful way. Every single day I pray that God will empty me of me and fill me with more of Him. Yet I found myself in a place where if using me to be a blessing to others caused me to have to give up the love of my life, my husband, well... then maybe I wasn't as ready as I thought I was.

During the first couple hours of his surgery a loud voice came over the intercom system at the hospital. We had been used to these announcements for a while now... paging this doctor and that doctor. But this one was different. We knew this one was different. Perhaps it was the urgency in her voice. Maybe it was how THIS announcement was more crystal clear than any other one we'd heard that morning. And so... at a table surrounded by people I love the most in this life... we listened. Intently. And here is what it said...

"Attention Hospital... CODE BLUE on surgical floor 2. Attention... we have a CODE BLUE on surgical floor 2."

THIS was my husband's floor! I felt my knees go weak. I felt my heart sink deep into my chest. For a minute I lost it. I felt hot all over. Sick to my stomach and more fearful than I've ever been in my life. And then these thoughts came over me... WHY isn't anyone at my table talking? Could it be that they are as worried as I am? WHY would God take Him from me? This can NOT be happening.

Was this what Paul meant when he talked about suffering for Christ in the New Testament?
Was this this kind of suffering Romans teaches that produces perseverance?
Was this the suffering of Christ?
Was this God's design?
Was this God's purpose of using me to be... a blessing?

For several minutes I was frozen in fear. Unable to talk. Paralyzed.

And then the news came. It wasn't him. Praise GOD!
Thank you Jesus!
Our sighs of relief were heavy in the room.
We were grateful.
Thankful.

But...

Even though the Code Blue didn't belong to our loved one... it belonged to someone. Another family. Someone else's suffering. Their pain had just begun. Our relief was their reality. And thus, once again, my heart was heavy for these who were... left behind.

My husband came out of surgery 8 hours later and we were PRAISING GOD for His protection and His provision... for tremendous surgeons, wonderful doctors and phenomenal nurses who took care of my husband during some of the scariest hours of our lives.

But that family... the one who had lost their loved one on that day.. June 17th. They were still heavy on my mind.

And it got me thinking...

We will all face our own Code Blue one day.
All of us.
Not one of us is exempt.

There will be a time when we will all face our final days. Our final hours. The day that God will call us from this earth to begin an eternity in one of two places.

It's coming.
Our own Code Blue.
It could be today. It could be tomorrow. It could be next year, or it could be 25 years from now.
But we can be sure of one thing. It will come. One day.

So... it got me thinking even further. How are we living today? What kind of life are we living today that will make a difference for tomorrow? How are we allowing God to use us for His glory?

Who's lives are we touching?
Who are we lifting up in prayer?
How are we serving our spouse?
Is our focus on earthly possessions that will pass away or on things of eternity that will last forever?
How are our relationships?
When others see us - do they see the love of the Father?
Do we forgive those who've wronged us?

Life is short. We're only here for a while. Passing through this life. Our goal this side of heaven should be focused on shining for His glory and drawing people to Himself. When others look at us - they should see Jesus and all He died for us to have.

As Gloria Gaither says, "Jesus intended for us to be overwhelmed by the blessings of regular days. He said it was the reason He had come: 'I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.'"

These are the regular days we're living now. But they're the reason Jesus came. The reason He died on a cross. So that we could experience life abundantly. To live fully. To make each day count. Because the bottom line is - no one knows when the end is coming.

John 9:4 (HCSB) says, "We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work."

In a devotional book called A Heart of Forgiveness (100 Devotions for a Woman's Heart), day 81 has this to offer about making each day count...

"The words of John 9:4 remind us that "night" is coming for all of us. But until then, God gives us each day and fills it to the brim with possibilities. The day is presented to us fresh and clean at midnight, free of charge, but we must beware: Today is a non-renewable resource - once it's gone, it's gone forever. Our responsibility, of course, it to use this day in the service of God's will and in accordance with His commandments. Today is a priceless gift that has been given to you by God - don't waste it! Don't stand on the sidelines as life's parade passes you by. Instead, search for the hidden possibilities that God has placed along your path. This day is a one-of-a-kind treasure that can be put to good use - or not. Your challenge is to use this day joyfully and productively. And while you're at it, encourage others to do likewise. After all, night is coming when no one can work..."

I know from experience that often times we focus on things that don't matter. We worry about things we can't control. We spend our days focused on things that won't matter a week from now, let alone in eternity. What matters most to God is that we spend every second of our lives worshiping Him and bringing Him honor and glory. Every day belongs to Him and every breath is a gift from a God who loves us more than we could ever imagine (Eph 1:4, "Long ago, even before He made the world God loved us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.").

How are we living our lives? How are we making each day count? How are we pleasing the Father with our passion for His creation and how are we displaying His love to His children?

Night is coming. Our code blue will be here one day... there's urgency in deciding NOW how we are going to live for Him!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Scripture Memory: July 15

2011-07-18T08:58:00.002-04:00

If you have chosen to join me on this scripture memorization journey... know that I am proud of you. And that I have been praying for you since the first week of January!

I know I am a couple days late on this... but better late than never! :)

Here is my verse for July 15:

Eph 1:4 (NLT)
"Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.”

What's the verse YOU'VE chosen this July 15th??

I am praying for you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Scripture Memory: July 1

2011-07-02T08:44:00.004-04:00

If you have chosen to join me on this scripture memorization journey... know that I am proud of you. And that I have been praying for you since the first week of January! It's hard to believe that we are at July first already!!! Incredible! One of the many things I'm learning through this is that MAN the year FLIES by fast!!!

Here is my verse for July 1:

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NLT)
"So, humble yourselves under the mighty power of God and at the right time He will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, He cares for you.”

What's the verse YOU'VE chosen this July 1st??

I am praying for you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

In Honor of Father's Day, Part 2

2011-06-16T10:03:00.007-04:00

Father's Day is coming and I wanted to do something special here on my blog to honor the two most amazing men in my life. Today's post... My Hubby, Trevor (pictured here at Mackinac City with my Chloe).

Dear Trevor,

Today I'd like to honor you by sharing "Trevor Bender in 100 words or phrases"...

Generous
Faithful
Caring
Loving
Honest
Smart
Funny
Considerate
Happy
Content
Peaceful
Thoughtful
Amazing
Provider
Protector
Defender
Friend
Brother
Son
Uncle
Nephew
Cousin
Husband
Daddy
Helper
Talented
Cook
Creative
Organized
Neat
Supporter
Survivor
Careful
Ambitious
Encourager
Strong
Blessed
Honorable
Giving
Engineer
Handsome
Likable
Humble
Shy
Sensitive
Respectful
NCIS
Seafood
Lake
H2 Hummer
11:11 p.m.
Dave Ramsey
Talk Radio
Country
Travel
Tan
Diet Coke
Four Wheeling
Razor
Zero Turning Lawn Mower
Tractor
Leader
Technology
Problem-solver
Movies
Bonfire
Wrestling
Photographer
Heath Bar
Vanilla
Audiobooks
Coffee
Sensible
Adventurous
Affectionate
Dependable
Hospitable
Easygoing
Loyal
Mints
Nature
Example
Brave
Peanut Butter
Oatmeal Cookies
Fruit Punch Gatorade
Advice Giver
iPad
Selfless
Hard-working
Hudson Tiger
Best Friend
Bones
Travis
Spike
Buddy
Observant
Perfectionist
Informed
Private

I love you for so many reasons... but mostly for loving me and for being the best husband I could ever ask for. You are my reason for getting out of bed in the morning and the ONE I look forward to coming home to at the end of the day! You still make me smile! :)

Love, love, love you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

In Honor of Father's Day, Part 1

2011-06-16T09:49:00.004-04:00

Father's Day is coming and I wanted to do something special here on my blog to honor the two most amazing men in my life. Today's post... My Daddy (pictured here in 2006 with my Chloe and my sweet mom).

Dear Daddy...

On this, Father's Day 2011, I want to THANK YOU for giving me many reasons to love you...

Thank you for loving me unconditionally.
-There has never been a time when I didn't feel your love for me.
Thank you for the way you always provided for mom and I.
-Even when times were tough, you worked hard to provide for us.
Thank you for your generosity.
-You've always demonstrated Godly giving.
Thank you for your protection.
-You've always protected and defended me.
Thank you for always being on my side.
-No matter what, I have always known you had my back.
Thank you for teaching me practical life skills.
-I've always admired your wisdom and problem solving skills.
Thank you for your sense of humor.
-You've always made me laugh and taught me the importance of never taking myself or life too seriously.
Thank you for your honesty.
-I learned to trust because of you.

For giving me life.
For helping me up when I fell down.
For demonstrating Godly character.
For having patience.
For listening.
For laughing.
For loving.
For teaching.
For forgiving.
For supporting.
For growing.
For choosing to stay and be the kind of dad others should envy.

THANK YOU.

Thank you for living out this verse:

Deut 6:5-7, "And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up."

I love you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Scripture Memory: June 15

2011-06-14T20:48:00.004-04:00

If you have chosen to join me on this scripture memorization journey... know that I am proud of you. And that I have been praying for you since the first week of January! If you have decided to join me on this mission of getting closer to God through His word... do you realize that we have already covered TWELVE verses of scripture??? This is exciting friends! Don't give up! I am so proud of you... and God is even more proud of your accomplishment!

Here is my verse for June 15:

Psalm 19:14 (NLT)
"May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to You O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

What's the verse YOU'VE chosen this June 15th??

I am praying for you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

The Shepherd and His Sheep

2011-06-14T20:40:00.002-04:00

In John 10, Jesus taught about being the Good Shepherd. John 10:11 says, "I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays His life down for His sheep."

I heard something the other day that has had me thinking all day. Bestselling Author, speaker, singer and Bible teacher, Sheila Walsh, was on Life Today and she said something that was, in my humble opinion, pretty profound. She said this... "God is the Good Shepherd and we are His sheep. It's not the sheep's job to get home, it's the Shepherd's job to lead us there. God always goes BEFORE us. Our full dependency needs to rest in Him."

This is MORE than good news friends, this means that God is taking care of us. It means that He is our teacher, He is our protector, He is the one who is guiding and steering our paths.

In the book, They Smell Like Sheep Dr. Lynn Anderson says this, "Think of it. Jesus left the comforts of heaven and came into our universe, our pasture, to smell like sheep!" He goes on to say, "Jesus sweated like we do. He walked our pathways, braved our wolves, faced our temptations, and shared our struggles. The Holy One of Israel came in Jesus Christ to be our good shepherd."

I did some studying on shepherds and have noted some characteristics of those who hold this humble job title....

They live with the lambs their entire life
They protect their flocks
They caress their sheep
They feed and water their sheep
They lead their sheep
They protect their sheep from dangerous situations

Notice that in all of the above references, I have referred to the sheep as "theirs". Meaning that the shepherd takes personal responsibility for each animal. They BELONG to the shepherd... just as we belong to our Heavenly Father. He takes ownership of us... we belong to Him. We are His precious ones.

The model we see between Shepherd and Sheep revolves around one word and that's relationship. "When a tiny lamb was born into the wilderness world", says Anderson, "the shepherd took the trembling newborn into his hands, warming it and caressing it. Among the first sensations felt by the shivering lamb was the tender hands of the shepherd. The gentle voice of the shepherd was the first sounds to awaken the lamb's delicate eardrums."

The shepherd is not a dictator. He is not one who sits in the comforts of his cozy couch forming teams of controlling, power-hungry shepherd wanna-be's to do the work for him. He doesn't leave his sheep alone in the wilderness to fend for themselves. In fact the opposite is true. He loves them. He protects them from the dangers of other animals and harsh weather elements. He guides them onto the right path... sometimes gently correcting along the way... but always gently. Always loving. It's his job to get them home safely... but often times it's a job that requires getting a little dirty.

He smells like sheep.

"With the whole flock examined and bedded down, finally the shepherd himself would lie down, stretching his body across the opening. So, the shepherd literally became the door! His body kept the sheep in and the dangers of the night out. No sheep could wander into danger because the shepherd's body held them in. Wolves and robbers could enter to harm the flock only over the dead body of the shepherd. Some claim that even in modern times, morning will occasionally find sheep, without a shepherd. Upon investigation, a bleeding, battle-worn shepherd will often be found somewhere nearby - sometimes even a dead one. The shepherd would literally lay "down his life for the sheep."

I love this.

When we are in relationship with Jesus, He is our shepherd and we are His sheep. I love the message version of Isaiah 53:6... "We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him."

He is taking care of that financial mess you're in.
He can erase the doubt you have.
He is handling your marital crisis.
He is taking care of your wayward child.

He's gone before us and yet walks beside us.

That doesn't give us permission to sit by passively and do nothing. Instead we must listen to the Shepherd's voice and go where He's directing us to go. We must yield to His calling. We must obey His commands. But, friends, it's His job to get us home safely, and if we allow Him full control of our lives, He will do it for us.

Jesus says in John 10:14, "I am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me."

He knows us. Intimately. And the more time we spend cultivating our relationship with Him, the easier it becomes to know His voice and trust His leadership.

1 Peter 2:25 calls the Shepherd, "... the Overseer of your souls."

Without the Shepherd, we are helpless sheep. Wandering the wilderness. Tired, lost, hungry, alone and confused. But God has provided a Shepherd to care for His sheep. The battle is being fought for us... help has been provided. We have a Shepherd who is "willing and able to do accomplish infinitely more than we could ever dare to ask or hope." (Eph 3:20)

Listen for His voice... He's calling us home!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Open Prayer Request

2011-06-07T08:18:00.006-04:00

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:6,7

At noon on Friday, June 17, my husband, Trevor, will be undergoing a pretty major operation. Like many surgeries, this procedure has a laundry list of complications attached to it. And because of all the complications he had with a previous surgery, this has left us a bit concerned about this next one.

We have been told that he will be ICU recovery for 1-2 days, in a recovery room for 4-5, and out of work for 4-6 weeks. Outside of open heart surgery, this operation is a pretty big deal.

I'm reaching out to anyone out there who would be willing to pray on behalf of my husband and our family over the next several weeks. Some specific prayer requests include:

1.) Wisdom and alertness for the physicians, nurses and staff who will be operating and assisting in the O.R. with Trevor.

2.) Zero complications from the anesthesia (this is a major concern from his last procedure).

3.) For God to remove the fear and anxiety from us as a family. Specifically for Chloe, our 10 year-old, who is scared for her daddy.

4.) For complete healing and restoration for Trevor.

5.) For a quick and full recovery.

While we are confident that God is in full control, we still remain a little overwhelmed. We serve an amazing, all-powerful God who is merciful and righteous. So we are holding on to these scriptures with all we have...

Isaiah 43:2, "When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you."

Deut 31:8, "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Isaiah 41:10, "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."

Psalm 46:1,"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble."

Thank you for your willingness to partner with us to pray for Trevor and our family during this time. Your petitions to God on our behalf mean more to me than you will ever know.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Scripture Memory: June 1

2011-06-01T09:44:00.002-04:00

JUNE?? Already???

So... how is your scripture memorization going??? I'd love to hear! Don't forget to comment here on the blog! I love hearing from you!

Here is my verse for June 1:

Col. 3:15 (NLT)
"And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.”

What's the verse YOU'VE chosen to start this beautiful summer??

Remember - don't get discouraged. This memorization journey is not intended to frustrate or overwhelm you. It's intended to grow you closer to God through His word. If you find yourself needing to do a verse over again... then do it! There are no rules here. :)

I am praying for you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

ANYTHING, but...

2011-05-26T21:35:00.004-04:00

We all have good intentions, don't we? I like to think that we all have good, clean hearts and decent motives.

In my opinion, a great example of communicating good intentions is during a crisis in one's life. Maybe it's a death of a loved one. Maybe it's a season of sickness someone is experiencing, a loss of a job, a fire in a home. An overwhelming situation... a difficult circumstance. We all have those people in our lives who say to us... "Let us know if there's anything we can do." Or, "Just say the word and we'll help you with that!"

Good intentions. Right motives. But has that become the "easy" or "predictable" thing to say? I'm not suggesting that we don't MEAN what we say. I think many of us truly desire to be of help to our friends and family in situations such as these. But offering to help... and doing something, are two totally different things. The talk is easier than the walk... would you agree?

I recently received an email from someone close to me who was expressing their genuine, heart-felt desire to help my family and I as we begin a journey involving an uncertain health care issue with my husband. Oh I believe that the heart behind the offering was sincere, however, it was the words that followed that left me a bit confused. The email went something like this... "I'd like to help if I can with ANYTHING you need, but....."

Following was a list of conditions that would prohibit this person from a full commitment of assistance.

I have to admit that I was a little upset over this. I mean, after all, it's hard enough for me to accept help when I need it, and now this? I've done so much for this person myself. I've helped during their time of need... and now... what about me? Now your helping me is only if it's convenient for you?

You see - inside my heart I knew that the motives were right, but the action steps that followed didn't feel so good. And creeping into my flesh once again, came that ugly me-mentality! What about me? Why not me? Can't they do something for me? Me, Me, Me!

And then it hit me. Almost like a ton of bricks! Isn't that how we are with God? I know I'm guilty of doing this quite often...

God... I will do ANYTHING for you BUT not that!

God, I will do ANYTHING you want, but don't ask me to serve THAT person!
God, I will do ANYTHING you want, but don't ask me to forgive Him/Her!
God, I will do ANYTHING you want, but don't send me to Africa for a year!
God, I will do ANYTHING you want, as long as it doesn't cause me pain.

Anything God...
As long as it doesn't cost me anything.
As long as it's peaceful.
As long as it doesn't bring suffering.
As long as it makes me look good.

We offer God our lives, but we're holding on for dear life praying that by offering anything it will virtually cost us nothing. But that is not an image of true sacrifice. That's living with a me-mentality. It's selfish and it will only cause me to miss out on the fullness of life that God created me to have!

If He's calling us to surrender our EVERYTHING to Him... and I believe He is... than we have to be willing to let go and allow Him to lead. Even if the road is uncertain. Even if we're scared. Even if we experience pain for a little while.

Why? Because Joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5), that's why!

We may be a little uncomfortable, but God didn't die for us to live a cozy little life with no trials. He died for us to have life and to have life in fullness. John 10:10 says "My purpose is to give life in all it's fullness." And I believe that living life to the fullness means offering your life as a sacrifice for God and for others ESPECIALLY when it doesn't feel good. Because THAT is true obedience. It's easy to give when we're feeling good. It's easy to give when we have abundance. It's easy to care for others when it lines up with what we have scheduled out for ourselves... but it's much harder to offer our lives when it costs us something. But this is where the blessing of God lives. And it's during these times He wants to teach us more about what it means to look more like Jesus.

If we are going to SAY we'll do anything for God, then we must be willing to DO anything He asks us to do. Period. That means when it's hard, when it's painful, when it's uncomfortable, when it's scary, when it's uncertain, when it's unclear, when it's challenging, when it's risky and when it's unpopular. If it lines up with the word of God and it's clearly something He's asking us to do, then we have to be willingly give up our desires for His. Because dying to self and being filled with Him is the only way we're going to experience the life Christ died to give us.

We need to get to the point in our lives where we are asking God to let us be the vehicle He drives around. Use me, God, to be the thing you use to draw people closer to you. When you say GO, let my feet be as ready as my mouth is!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Lessons In Trail Riding

2011-05-23T21:14:00.012-04:00

Well we took to the trails with the ATV's this past weekend. What an experience! It was the perfect day... warm and breezy with clear blue skies! We set out early in the morning and rode for four and a half hours. It was a great day with the fam... a definite MUST DO trip again.

But...

before this trip I have to admit that I considered myself a pretty decent ATV driver. I mean... I'd conquered those hills at our home. I'd driven through the trails that the hubs had strategically designed for us on our property and put in hours on the four wheeler prior to this excursion. But nothing.... and I do mean nothing, fully prepared me for REAL trail riding with steep hills, berms and twists. And although it was an amazing experience, this body is still reeling from the bouncing and thrashing it endured while navigating through - dare I say it? God's country! :)

While it WAS a beautiful trip and I DID conquer a full day of rough riding, there was a lesson to be learned here... Ah - there's always a lesson!

Trevor decided that he and Chloe would "lead the way" through the trails. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It was good in that he's a much better map reader than I, but bad because... well... I suppose this picture speaks for itself...

It was a pretty dirty ride. I didn't even realize I was getting that dirty UNTIL I removed my helmet. (The laughs from my family members gave it away that something was terribly wrong.)

Now I could have SWORN that I heard Trevor say before we left that these trails were one way only. To me, this would mean that there was only one way in and one way out and that all of the other ATV's were following the same path. To my understanding the reason we weren't passing very many other drivers was because they were either in front of us or behind us. In other words - it never DAWNED on me that there was a real threat of ONCOMING riders. It never occurred to me that there was actually danger up ahead that I couldn't see, because I was safely behind the lead driver in our little pack... my hubby.

You see - he could see far enough ahead to know what kind of danger we might be in. He was navigating. He was leading and he was guiding and he was protecting. If he saw a possible collision ahead, he would need to GUIDE his family to safety by pulling off into a different direction. And even though I couldn't see Him... even though I couldn't see what he saw - I trusted him and had faith in him... that he was taking care of us.

There were times that he got a little too far ahead of me. There were times that the dirt and dust became so thick that I couldn't see him. But I heard him. And I knew he was there. There were moments when he sped up too far ahead of me and I'd get a little nervous. "What was he doing?" I'd think to myself. And then I'd quickly discover that he was only making sure the path was clear enough. He was only making sure that his bride and his child were safe. He was directing my path... clearing a way for me... so that I could have a great riding experience.

Proverbs 3:6 says, "Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths."

My lesson in trail riding is this...

God is leading me. HE is directing my path. He has gone before me and He is orchestrating my journey. I may not be able to see Him. And sometimes I may not know where He's taking me... but I can trust that He is there.

Psalm 23:3 says that "He guides me along the right path."

Praise God for this!

I've discovered that I don't need to fear when God is directing my path. He's got this! He sees what I can't see and He is faithfully protecting me from a a definite head-on collision.

When we worry - we're forgetting that God is leading and directing our paths.
When we doubt - we're forgetting that it's God who's working out all things together for those who love Him.
When we try to control things - we're missing out on the opportunity for God to come through for us.

It's true - I could have decided that I didn't like the way Trevor was leading us on those trails in Leota, Michigan on that bright, sunny Saturday afternoon. I could have easily have decided that I wanted to go off into a direction on my own. Maybe I wanted to do some more sight-seeing. Perhaps I was tired of following all the time and I could have made my mind up to turn left or turn right and trust that I was going to end up in a safe location. But I didn't. Because I understood that I had someone who was willing to lead if I just let him. I trusted in someone who had my best interests in mind... someone who was going to lead me safely to the other side.

I believe it is God's desire for us to fulling yield to His leadership in our lives because He knows what is best for us. Oh - it might be painful for a season. It might be bumpy. It might be scary and the uncertainty might cause us to be, at times, uncomfortable, but His ways are always better than our own. You see, friends - He still has the WHOLE world in His hands. He sees the bigger picture. He is all-knowing and all-powerful. He's already at the end and He already sees the dangers that lie ahead. And as much as we want to do it on our own - His ways are always wiser.

Isaiah 52:12 says that "The Lord will go ahead of you."

He will go ahead of you and will prepare a path that is safe for you if you'll simply let Him.

I love the promise in Deuteronomy 31:8... "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Did you catch that? It says that the Lord will PERSONALLY go ahead of you! What an amazing promise. I don't know about you, but it gives me comfort to know that He is personally leading! That means He's protecting me and that He wants the best for my life.

It's a choice we have to make. Are we going to let Him lead the way... knowing He has our best interest in mind? Are we going to fully trust in a God we can't see so that we can experience the beauty He intends for us to enjoy?

After all... I believe He wants us to have a great riding experience!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

www.wendybender.blogspot.com

The Words We Say

2011-05-19T10:00:00.011-04:00

So... I came across the following piece of scripture the other morning during my quiet time:

Luke 6:45, "... whatever is in your heart determines what you say."

I've read that verse at least 50 times before. I've heard it referenced in sermons. I've studied the book of Luke. But for some reason... on this particular day... Luke 6:45 literally leaped off the page at me. But, then again, God has a way of doing that, doesn't He?

I will never forget the incident that happened last summer. It was a bright and sunny day. Chloe and I were just headed back home from a great day of swimming. {Now, let me first preface this story with a little fact about me I'm not proud of... I have a tendency toward road rage. I know, I know, it's not the most flattering of characteristics - but some drivers... well... they don't always make it easy for me when trying to show the love of Christ.} We were only minutes away from our home when to my left I noticed a car speeding out of a side street. I was forced to swerve widely to avoid a certain collision. The driver, who impatiently waited for me to gain enough speed to get back into the lane he'd forced me to leave in the first place, decided it would be wise to ride my bumper for the remaining stretch of road that led to our street. All the while throwing his hands into the air and yelling out profanities of which included lovely hand gestures as well.

"WHO IS THIS IDIOT?!" I remember yelling out loud as I pulled over letting this barbaric man pass me. "Are you CRAZY or something?"

And then - there we were. With eyes locked and teeth clenched emerged low grunting sounds from the drivers seats of both vehicles. Adults... raging war on the other. As he slowly made his way around my car he rolled his window down and yelled boldly, "Are you some kind of idiot!! Watch where you're going!"

Watch where I'M going? I thought to myself. Me? What did I do?

And then it happened. I said it. The two most profound words of defense in the English language. Yep - I said it.... "SHUT UP!"

Wow. That was deep. Intense. I probably really scared the guy with that one!

And it's not what I said in that moment... to that man. It's what came pouring out of my mouth seconds later that was the most powerful. And deadly.

I wish I could say that I prayed for the guy. I wish I could say that I was as calm as could be as I explained to my sweet daughter the many reasons Christ asks us not to behave like that. I wish I'd have been a better representative of Christ. But that was not the case. The words that followed this incident seconds... minutes... and even hours later... were damaging. Oh not to the man who I let ruin our perfectly peaceful afternoon... but to myself. To my daughter. And to anyone within ear-shot of my fit that day. The only good thing I can say about that day's ordeal was that the Holy Spirit must have been working on me. I could have said much worse than "Shut up", which just so happened to be the only two words my brain registered long enough to get out in the heat of the moment! Thank God for that!

How we react to certain situations speaks volumes about the person we really are, doesn't it? And words are more powerful than we give them credit for! We have a choice, daily, to speak life or to speak death to others and even to ourselves!

Do you ever wish you could go back in time and erase some of the words you said to someone else? I sure do!

When I was about 8 years old I remember being at the dinner table with my family. For some reason on this particular night we were in a hurry... all of us were pretty tired and pretty cranky. I remember looking up at my dad and saying to him, "Gosh - you're eating like a pig!" NOT the best thing to say and certainly not my heart. I didn't think he actually RESEMBLED a pig... but it came out as such. I wish I could take that back.

When I was in high school I got mixed up with the wrong crowd for a season. They were bullies and I craved so desperately to belong that I went along with their bullying of a particular girl who was new to our school that year. She had braces and her family was struggling financially and I remember making fun of her. Over 22 years later even though I can't recall the exact words I said that most likely destroyed her confidence, I am sick with guilt when I consider my actions. It wasn't my heart. It wasn't who I wanted to be. I wish I could take that back.

True story, when Trevor and I were just married I was a very jealous person. Oh, I'm not proud of it, but my insecurities were at an all-time high even in the midst of an overwhelmingly blissful wedding celebration. I remember feeling so confident that Trevor had made a mistake by taking me as his bride... I told him so. I was sure that one day he'd wake up and realize he'd married the wrong woman. That I was never going to be good enough for him and that he should not have wasted his time on me. All of my personal struggles with insignificance came flooding in and I made incredibly irresponsible word choices during what should have been the happiest time of our lives! It wasn't my heart. It's not what I wanted to say. I was so in love but so afraid to give myself completely to the man who'd just made a vow to love me 'till death do us part! I wish I could take that back.

But here's the thing. I can't take those things back. Words once spoken are out there. Forever. I can ask for and be granted forgiveness, but those words will always remain.

Ephesians 4:9 says, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

And in Proverbs 18:21a the bible says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue..."

You see - we have a choice to make every day. We can choose to speak life or death. We can choose to love people by building them up and encouraging them. Or we can speak death and destruction to people by tearing them down and discouraging them.

The bible is pretty clear that we were created to worship the Father. Isaiah 43:7 describes us as, "Whom I created for my glory." We are here for God's glory. Not to make us famous - but to make Him famous. And part of glorifying Him... making Him famous... is choosing and using our words wisely.

James 3:10 puts it this way, "Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." How can we praise God and curse our neighbor at the same time? We can't. How can we say we honor God and worship Him on Sunday and then come Monday morning we're cursing the driver who pulls out in front of us? We can't.

We can't? We do it all the time. I know I do!

And what about the things we say to others about someone else? Gossiping? What about the things we say about even our own family members to other family members. Like, "Can you believe she did that!" Or, "What was he thinking marrying HER?" These things may be said in private, but they are as equally destructive, don't you think?

I read recently that "Character is doing what is right when no one else is looking."

Ouch!

So is this just actions... or does this means words too?

Proverbs 12:18 says, "The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

We have a choice. To bring healing with our words. To speak life into another life. To uplift. To encourage. To motivate. To bring joy and peace and freedom. Because the words that come from our lips are a mere reflection of our hearts. What is in our hearts... will eventually make it to our lips and out of our mouth. And for some of us - that evokes some fear.

You see - I want to live a life that is most pleasing to the Father.. but in order to do that I must examine my heart so that my motives are in check so that my words will reflect who I am on the inside.

I heard something recently that has stuck with me ever since. Joyce Meyer says this... "You may be saved, but is your mouth saved?"

Wow!

We have to begin to think how God thinks, talk like God talks and act like God acts. And it's not easy to do... but it's a conscious choice we need to make every single day if we want to be more like the Father.

Proverbs 13:3 says, "Careful words make for a careful life; careless talk may ruin everything."

May ruin everything.

Words are pretty powerful!

Romans 12:21 says this, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." So the next time someone pulls out in front of you, you can overcome by choosing to speak life instead of death. Chances are pretty darn good that Christ died for him just as much as He died for you and I! And he may never know the choice you're making to speak life and not death, but God will.

Is our mouth saved? Do we sound saved?

Less of me, Father, more of You!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Scripture Memory: May 15

2011-05-16T08:57:00.001-04:00

Hey friends - - how is your scripture memorization going??? I'd love to hear! Don't forget to comment here on the blog! I love hearing from you!

Here is my verse for May 15:

Deut. 31:8 (NLT)
"Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Don't you just love that verse? I have decided on one that really speaks to me as I go through some personally challenging times in my life. I LOVE to remind myself that God is with me - not matter what!

What's the verse YOU'VE chosen for May 15??

Remember - don't get discouraged. This memorization journey is not intended to frustrate or overwhelm you. It's intended to grow you closer to God through His word. If you find yourself needing to do a verse over again... then do it! There are no rules here. :)

I am praying for you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Spring Cleaning

2011-05-07T10:49:00.007-04:00

It's springtime here in Michigan. And I just love spring. It's such a beautiful time of the year. A time for new beginning, fresh starts. Everything smells good. The trees are starting to bud, the flowers are beginning to bloom. Days are longer... afternoons are warm and nights are crisp. And I know I may be weird - but one thing I enjoy every spring is a good deep spring clean. I know, I know - I'm really not right - but of all the gifts and talents God didn't bless me with - cleaning IS one of them He DID bless me with. And I've always prided myself on my ability to clean. I keep a pretty clean house... I vacuum almost daily, I scrub floors, I dust tables, I do the laundry, I do the dishes... and for the most part, our home is generally clean. Now I didn't say that my house is clutter-free, that's a different story (as my husband would say), but I am a pretty good house cleaner.

Last week I decided that as part of my spring cleaning routine, I would clean our refrigerator out. Completely. And so it began pretty early that morning. Everything came out and every shelf was cleaned. No - scrubbed. I remember stepping back after I was all finished to marvel at my work. A clean fridge. One more thing to check off my list. And so I began putting the food items back into the refrigerator. But then it dawned on me... some of these items are expired. As I carefully placed each item back onto the shelves, I realized that some of the items were rotten. Spoiled. And needed to be tossed out. I'm ashamed to admit that some of these items had expired months ago - which only proved that it had been SOME time... too long as a matter of fact... since I had done a good deep clean of my fridge. And the number of things that needed to be purged into the trash that morning were mind-blowing. And what started out as a pretty full fridge, ended with a need to make an emergency trip to my local grocery store!

In Matthew 5, Jesus, referred here in scripture as the Rabbi, was gathered up the mountainside with His disciples to teach the crowds that had gathered. What he taught them has become known as the Sermon on The Mount. Here, Jesus taught on The Beatitudes. Beatitudes are known as supreme blessings. Blessings meaning "happy, fortunate and blissful." The Beatitudes demonstrated that the way to heavenly blessedness is opposite of the worldly path people normally follow to find happiness. In the beatitudes, Jesus describes the character of true faith.

In Matthew 5:8 Jesus says this, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." I love the way this passage of scripture is written in the Message version... "You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world."

What is Jesus saying here? How do we have pure hearts? What does that look like and how is that lived out?

I think Jesus is asking us to make sure that our insides are in check.

You see - I think we can fool just about anyone. But we can't fool God.
People around us - they see what's on the outside, but God sees the heart. And I believe that it's the heart, not the head that we need to be most concerned about.

Oh we're good pretenders. We can fool anyone into believing that we have it all together. We go to church, we put on make-up, we do our hair, we brush our teeth, we say the right words of encouragement to neighbors and friends, we dress our kids nicely, we kiss our spouses in public... but behind closed doors - we're a mess. Just like my refrigerator, I was fooling everyone. My kitchen looked clean. My counters looked neat, even the outside door to my refrigerator was wiped down and shiny - but inside... inside that refrigerator was some rotten, spoiled stuff that needed to be tossed out!

My prayer every day of my life is this, "Jesus, fill me up with your presence today. Less of me, Father, more of You." But folks, the only way can have a pure heart - a heart like His - is to begin acting like Jesus. To begin asking Him to remove the junk from my life so that I can have a pure heart.

Jesus teaches that even though we are in the world - we are not to be part of this world. This world is not our home... we are to be set apart. We are to look different. Every day as Christians, we have an opportunity to minister to those who don't have a relationship with Christ. We have a calling on our lives to show the love of Jesus to those who don't yet know Him... the question is will others scratch their heads and say, "They have something different - I want what they have!"

That "something different" starts with a pure heart.

It's not what we do - it's who we are. God is concerned with our hearts - not how smart we are - not what kind of cars we drive - not what kind of houses we live in - not how good we can act or how much we can smile - He is concerned with our character and what's on the inside of us.

When I think about Godly character and a man who's heart was pure, I think about King David of the Old Testament. David was a man of many colors. Pulled from the comforts of his life as a shepherd boy, the youngest and smallest child in a family of 7 sons, David was possibly the least likely to become King of Israel. David - the least likely to succeed was the same man who slayed Goliath and would later go on to make His heavenly Father proud of Him. However, at close examination of David's life, he made some mistakes. Somewhere along the way, he got off track and encountered a dark side - human sin. David painfully proved the depths to which one can fall after reaching such heights, but even still in Acts, chapter 13, verse 22, God called David, "A man after my own heart."

Max Lucado wrote a book entitled, "A Cast of Characters". In this book, Max talks about common people in the hands of an uncommon God and has written a chapter on David. Here's what he has to say about King David:

"God called him 'a man after my own heart'. He gave the appellation to no one else. Not Abraham or Moses or Joseph. He called Paul an apostle, John his beloved, but neither was tagged a man after God's own heart. One might read David's story and wonder what God saw in him. The fellow fell as often as he stood, stumbled as often as he conquered. He stared down Goliath, yet ogled at Bathsheba; defied God-mockers in the valley, yet joined them in the wilderness. An Eagle Scout one day. Chumming with the Mafia the next. He could lead armies, but couldn't manage a family. Raging David. Weeping David. Bloodthirsty. God-hungry. Eight wives. One God. A man after God's own heart? That God saw him as such gives hope to us all. David's life has little to offer the unstained saint. Straight A souls find David's story disappointing. The rest of us find it reassuring. We ride the same roller coaster. We alternate between swan dives and belly flops, souffles and burnt toast. In David's good moments, no one was better. In his bad moments, could one be worse? The heart of God was a checkered one!"

In Psalms 139:23-24 David pleads with God by saying, "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting."

This should be our prayer daily. Asking for God to search us - to examine our hearts - to test us and know our thoughts. Having pure hearts means trusting in a God who is filled with grace and mercy. What is impossible for man (including having the purest of hearts) has been made possible by God.

In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul says, "So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." THAT, my friends, is keeping a pure heart!

Having a pure heart is evidenced by the way we live our lives. Do we live with good intentions or do we live with intentionality and pureness of heart? How are we living out pure hearts...

It's in the doing for others, it's in our obedience to God, it's reading His word, it's asking Him for guidance and direction, it's forgiving, it's being thankful not for all circumstances, but IN and THROUGH all circumstances, it's being kind, it's cheerfully giving of our time, talents and resources.

One of the things that has helped me over the years is getting an accountability partner. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 tells us that "Two are better than one". When one man stumbles, and trust me we're gonna stumble, the other can pick him up. Accountability partners are an excellent choice if your desire is to have and keep a pure heart before God. We all need someone in our lives to pull us back. To help us up. To dust us off and set us back on track. God created us to be relational beings and we desperately need one another.

At the end of the day it's this.. Jesus knew what kind of person I was going to be... the kind of person you were going to be... and all the silly mistakes we were going to make - and yet He still chose to go to the cross and die a miserable, painful death anyway! If that doesn't bring joy and peace and comfort - I don't know what will.

My prayer for all of you tonight (including myself) is that we would begin asking God to give us a pure heart. To make us more like Jesus. That God would use our messes, our mistakes and our brokenness, for His glory. That what lives on the inside of us would be revealed on the outside. That what we feel begins to be how we live and how we live begins to be that which pleases God. That we would not just have good intentions to live pleasing and faithful lives, but that we become passion-filled people most concerned about what God sees in us that He wants to use to build His kingdom.

A man after my own heart. Oh how I want to come to the end of my life with God saying that Wendy is a woman after my own heart!

We serve an amazing God of second chances. A God who sees what's on the inside and loves deeply, compassionately and faithfully.

Your story isn't over yet... in fact, it's just beginning. Allow God access to your heart and watch the transformation unfold.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Refocusing

2011-05-02T19:05:00.008-04:00

Last week was a rough week.

And it's still pretty rocky this week. We have lots of things, personally, that we are facing. Some unknown roads ahead. And it's a little scary.

I'd like to THANK those who have emailed, called, visited, made meals or sent kind words to us last week. They mean more to us than we could ever say. In a time of uncertainly, there is one thing I know for sure... we have been blessed with some pretty incredible family and friends! I can't imagine my life without you. Thank you for loving us!

Last Friday night I had an opportunity to chaperone a sleepover for my daughter's fifth grade class. Having won a reading contest in March against the boys, the girls got to choose a "reward" for their success. And anyone who knows 10 and 11 year-old girls well, knows that there could only be ONE reward... a slumber party. What made this sleepover unique is that it was AT THE SCHOOL. I will say that I had an awesome time! We ate pizza, played games, watched some of the Royal Wedding, told stories, went swimming, painted nails and listened to music. You know, GIRLIE stuff. I can't even say that I missed my sleep much even though we might have gotten three or four hours in. By the way - can anyone explain to me WHY we call them sleepover's when there's really NOT much sleep involved?

I learned something this past weekend. If you want a sure-fire way to escape from your troubles for a time, simply hang out with some fifth grade girls for a night! It's true. You can't NOT laugh. You can't NOT giggle. It's simply impossible. And if there's one thing I needed Friday night... it was time spent with girls who KNOW how to have fun! It was nice to escape from my reality for a while... to be in the moment with young ladies with pure hearts and genuine joy!

So I got to thinking. Perhaps the BEST way to alleviate the pain, the doubt, the frustration or the fear, is to REFOCUS. My one prayer that never changes is this, "Lord... fill me up with YOU. Rid myself of ME. Less of me, more of You!" So maybe, just maybe, this is what He's using to show me how to make this happen. It's in the refocusing. By shifting my focus from myself to OTHERS brings me closer to the Father. To look more like Jesus requires me to be more OTHERS focused. More mindful on the fact that we are ALL on this journey together. Battling... together. Experiencing loss... together. Wrestling with pain, anger, sadness and hurt... together.

Doing for others frees me up to love unselfishly. With pure motives and authenticity.
Doing for others makes me happy.
Doing for others reminds me that I'm not alone.
Doing for others gives me something to smile about, even when I don't feel like it.
Doing for others demonstrates love.
Doing for others allows me to let go of the hurt, even if it's for a while.
Doing for others generates positive energy that is contagious.
Doing for others helps me to forgive.
Doing for others is being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Doing for others offers hope.
Doing for others helps us focus on what really matters.
Doing for others brings peace.

And I want to be happy. I want joy. I want to know I'm not alone. I want to demonstrate love. I want my joy to be contagious. I want to forgive. I want to be the hands and feet of Christ. I want to show hope. I want peace.

So maybe the joy... the real, true, authentic, selfless joy... comes in doing for OTHERS.

Christ lived for OTHERS. He taught for OTHERS. He shared for OTHERS. He gave for OTHERS. And He died for OTHERS. Our greatest example comes from a man who sacrificed all He had for OTHERS. And pleased the Father most of all.

Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 10:24... "Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others." OTHERS focused.

And again in Galatians 6:2 Paul writes... "Share each other’s burdens..." OTHERS focused.

I love the way Acts 10:38 portrays Jesus by saying... "Then Jesus went around doing good." The message version says He was ready for action. LOVE that! OTHERS focused.

Jesus was about doing for others. And if I want to LOOK more like Jesus, this is ONE thing I have to fully understand and begin living out.

I thank God for the opportunities I have to reflect and refocus.

Less of me, Father, MORE of You!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Scripture Memory: May 1

2011-05-02T08:28:00.003-04:00

Hey Friends!!

I can hardly believe that we are already on memory verse # 9!!! THANK you for those of you who are on this journey with me to knowing God's word better! I pray this has been a real encouraging time for you as it has been for me!

Here is my verse for May 1:

Phil 3:8 (NLT)
"Everything else is worthless when compared to the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord."

Your turn! What's the verse YOU'VE chosen for May 1??

Praying for you daily!!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Fear

2011-04-29T08:33:00.005-04:00

Fear has set in this week.
It was a doctors visit. Just a visit. All of ten minutes and we walked out paralyzed with fear.

It happens, doesn't it? Sort of sneaks in on you when you're least expecting it.

I've prayed.
I've asked for peace.
I've asked for this fear to be removed.
And yet it remains.
I wake up... it's there.
I go to bed... it's there.

He's my husband. And I love him more than anything else or anyone else in this life. Yet what I know... deep down in my soul... is that no matter how much I love him, God loves him more. And what I've learned over the course of my life is that you can NOT out-love God. You just can't do it. He IS love. It's not just what he does - it's WHO He is. And I can't compete with that kind of love.

He loved him first. He loves him more.
He's not mine, Jesus... he is yours.
And I know that.
But even still it doesn't take away this fear. The anxiety. The dread.

And so I hold on. Tightly. To a God who loves me more than I could ever know.
I hold on. Tightly. To a God who knows about suffering the greatest loss a heart could know... the agonizing death of an only Son.
I hold on. Tightly. To a God who's grace and mercy extends as far as the east is from the west.
I hold on. Tightly. To a God who says, "Don't be afraid for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." (Is 41:10)
Oh how I hold on. With both hands. A firm grip.

I am loved.
My family is loved.
I am protected.
I am forgiven.
I am chosen.
I am strengthened.
I am victorious.
I am held.
I am carried.

Deuteronomy 31:8 says, "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord is the One who goes before you. HE WILL be with you; He will neither fail you or forsake you." (emphasis mine).

And so I choose to receive His promise. I choose to be thankful IN my circumstances.

"'For I know the plans I have for you' says the Lord, 'They are plans for good and not for disaster; to give you a future and a hope.'" (Jer 29:11)

"For I know" ... can I trust Him?
"The plans" ... His plans, not mine.
"Plans for good" ... His desires are to see good things happen in my life.
"Not for disaster" ... when we weep, He weeps.
"Hope" ... it's what I choose to hold on tightly to.

And so... I press on. There is still work to be done. Still thankfulness to be demonstrated. Love to be given.

Thank you, sweet Jesus, for THIS day. I will rejoice and be GLAD in IT!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Is God Calling You?

2011-04-19T10:45:00.008-04:00

Moses was 80 years old when God called him out of a foreign land as a lonely, rejected shepherd, and on to bigger and better things. God revealed to Moses that he was sending him back to Canaan, but only after Moses spear-headed the charge rescuing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Odd story, I know, but God made a decision to appear to Moses in a burning bush.

Let me stop right there. A burning bush?

How scared do you think Moses was? There he was - tending his flock of sheep. Minding his own business. Satisfied with his life. Content. Perhaps even peaceful about where he was in his life. He was 80 years old. He was probably settled into his lifestyle. And then... one afternoon... everything changed. Everything changed.

The bible says that Moses was amazed (love that word) because the bush was engulfed in flames, but it didn't burn up.

I don't know about you - but if I went out to my backyard to tend to my dog and I witnessed a bush engulfed with flames but not burning up... I'd probably run for my life. I mean - I ask God for clarity and wisdom all the time... and to show me clearly His will for my life - but I've got to be honest with you here... I'm not sure I'd have stuck around long enough to discern if this sign was from God or not. I'd have been scared.

But thankfully Moses didn't run. Oh he might have been scared - but he didn't run. Instead the bible says in Exodus 3:4, "When the Lord saw that He had caught Moses' attention, God called to him from the bush, 'Moses, Moses!' 'Here I am!' Moses replied.'

Here I am! Don't miss that!

God goes on to explain to Moses that he's called him to a big task. Perhaps this was the opportunity of a lifetime. God saw the misery of the Israelites in Egypt. He heard their cries and was going to rescue them from slavery in this foreign land. And he was calling on Moses to go to Pharaoh to release God's people from suffering.

A big job. Why? A little back story (the cliffs notes version)...

Israelites were trapped in Egypt and were created as slaves.
Pharaoh was the king of Egypt.
Pharaoh instructed that all Hebrew sons born in Egypt be thrown into the Nile - only allowing the girls to live.
Moses was born as a Hebrew, hidden by his mother for 3 months.
She put Moses into the Nile in a basket - attempting to spare his life.
A daughter of Pharaoh found him and raised him as her own.
Moses lived a life of privilege with the Egyptians.
When Moses grew up he had a real heart for the Israelites and their mistreatment.
He witnessed an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew slave and he killed the Egyptian, burying his body in the sand.
Feeling badly for what he had done, and being threatened by the Pharaoh to be killed, he fled to Midian, built a new life with a wife and son.

And now God was appearing to Moses from a burning bush to ask him to do what? Quite possibly - the unthinkable. Go back to the land he fled, to fight with a new Pharaoh to release God's people from slavery.

I can just hear the confusion in Moses' voice when he says in Exodus 3:11, "But who am I to appear before Pharaoh? How can you expect me to lead the Israelites out?"

I like how Max Lucado describes this in his book, Cast of Characters... "Moses at 40 we like. But Moses at 80? No way. Too old. Too tired. Smells like a shepherd. Speaks like a foreigner. What impact could he have on Pharaoh? He's the wrong man for the job."

And I bet he thought so too.

As often times in the bible - the person God calls is first reluctant. But I like how God responds to Moses through Moses' uncertainty and doubt. He tells him, "I will be with you."

The story continues in Exodus, chapter 4, where we see Moses pleading with God, "Oh Lord, I'm not a good speaker. I never have been, and I'm not now. I'm clumsy with words." In verse 13 Moses begs, "Lord, please! Send someone else."

My commentary suggests that perhaps the reason Moses didn't want this particular assignment was because he had a speech impediment or that maybe all of his years in Midan made his Egyptian rusty. At any rate, he doubted his speaking ability - but God didn't. And as my commentary reads, "Perhaps what God desired was not eloquence or cleverness, but simplicity and directness - not the oily, false-compliment-dripping speech of a courtier, but the bluntness of a working man who hated oppression."

Have you ever been asked to do something that scares you to death? Takes you out (FAR out) of your comfort zone? Have you ever been asked to give your testimony or speak about something in front of a group of people and the idea of sitting in a dentist chair having your teeth drilled sounded far more enticing to you?

I've got to tell you that some of the BEST speeches I've heard in my life have come from unsuspecting speakers. Some of the most gut-wrenching, heart-breaking, life-altering stories have come from ordinary people filled with God's passion and purpose.

I was sitting in church a few Sunday's ago when a young man was invited to stand before the congregation to give his testimony. I could tell from the minute the boy arrived on the stage that he was nervous. Scared. Afraid. I can imagine the thoughts that were going through his mind when he began to tell his story, "Lord, why did I get up here to tell this story? I'm nobody special. I have no real gift in speaking." But as he left that podium that morning, there wasn't a dry-eye in the place. Was it his eloquence? No. Was it his well-crafted biography? No. Was it the music or the way the soft lighting hit the cross behind him on the stage or who his parents were or how much good he had done in his life? No, no, no and no. It was his sincerity. It was his authenticity. It was his willingness to step out of his comfort zone for the benefit of others who's lives might be touched by his transparency and openness.

I've heard a lot of speeches in my life. I've watched a lot of podcasts and I've been privy to a lot of rich talent, but I will NOT forget the audacity of a young man who didn't let fear of rejection, reputation or inadequacies stop him from answering the call of God.

When God called Moses to lead the people out of slavery in Egypt, He knew what He was doing. He called on Moses because he saw in Moses something Moses didn't even see! He saw a man who was faithful. Brave. Strong. Honest. He saw a man of integrity, who feared the Lord. Where Moses only saw PART of the picture (the HUGE request too big for one man to do alone), God saw the WHOLE picture.

I believe what Moses struggled with - we struggle with. Don't we?

It's that little voice inside our heads saying things like:

You'll never be good enough.
You're not smart enough.
They really could care less about you.
You don't have what it takes.

But I believe with all my heart that if God is calling you to do something - He's already equipped you with everything you need to make that something happen! Period. Our only job is to obey Him. Even if we don't understand it all. Even if we don't feel good. Even if we're scared. Even if we think someone else should go instead of us. Our only job is to obey. If (and when) He says to go, we must go.

The choice of obedience is up to us. Will our answer be, "Here I am Lord, send me."? I'm praying every day that I will continue to yield to Him and respond in obedience to His calling on my life.

Philippians 1:6 says, "God began a good work in you, and I am sure He will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes back again."

Here I am, send me!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Happy Birthday Trevor!

2011-04-15T07:28:00.003-04:00

Today is my sweet hubby's birthday. I can't tell you how old he is... oh I might get hurt if I do. But I did want to share with you some of the reasons (in no particular order) he's still the love of life... after all these years.

1.) He is an amazing dad to our only daughter Chloe.
2.) He is the most selfLESS person I've ever met.
3.) He supports me.
4.) He encourages me.
5.) He's adventerous.
6.) He's gentle.
7.) He's kind.
8.) He (secretly) likes to shop.
9.) He serves others.
10.) He's generous.
11.) He's an animal lover.
12.) He sees me at my worst and loves me anyway.
13.) He forgives.
14.) He's a hard worker.
15.) He's a provider.
16.) He loves his mom.
17.) He's a family man.
18.) He's a good friend.
19.) He's loyal.
20.) He's trustworthy.
21.) He love's Jesus.
22.) He's a good listener.
23.) He's fun to cuddle with.
24.) He's dependable.
25.) He's fun.
26.) He doesn't take life too seriously.
27.) He likes to laugh.
28.) He's my best friend.
29.) He's smart.
30.) He's fair.

And here's what Chloe has to say about her daddy and the reasons she loves him (straight from her heart, and she DIDN'T see mine):

1.) He's considerate.
2.) He's kind.
3.) He's loving.
4.) He's giving.
5.) He likes to ride four-wheelers with me.
6.) He likes to watch NCIS with me (WHAT?)
7.) He's bright.
8.) He's encouraging.
9.) He likes pizza.
10.) He's the best daddy ever!

I love you, Trevor. And I am proud that you are my husband!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Scripture Memory: April 15

2011-04-14T15:08:00.004-04:00

Is it just me or has this month already FLOWN by??

Sweet friends - - how is your scripture memorization going??? I'd love to hear! Don't forget to comment here on the blog! I love hearing from you!

Here is my verse for April 15:

Romans 11:33 (NLT)
"Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!"

What's the verse YOU'VE chosen for April 15??

Remember - don't get discouraged. This memorization journey is not intended to frustrate or overwhelm you. It's intended to grow you closer to God through His word. If you find yourself needing to do a verse over again... then do it! There are no rules here. :)

I am praying for you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Finding Joy Where You Are

2011-04-14T10:53:00.010-04:00

You might be like me if you find yourself telling your child, "You can do anything you want!"

I've told Chloe that a time or two. And I have good intentions when I say it - but the bottom line is that perhaps she can't be anything she wants to be. But she can be anything God wants her to be. And I believe that with all my heart.

When she tells me that her dream is to become a famous singer I mean well when I say, "Then go for it! You can do anything you want to do!" But here's my honest translation:

"God has big plans for you Chloe! If you want to sing - make a joyful noise unto the Lord! Do the very best you can! If you don't make it famous - know one thing for sure... that you gave it your best for His glory. Find joy in doing what you love."

At the end of the day all I want for my child is to do the very best she can with whatever gifts she's been given. Maybe God didn't give her the best voice on the planet, but if she wants to sing and she has real passion that drives her to be the best she can be - I'm gonna be one proud mama! I want her to know that if God doesn't choose to use her musically, she can still find joy in doing whatever He's called her to do. My prayer for her daily is that she will fall in love with Jesus and find pure joy in her journey.

Isn't that then how our Heavenly Father is with us? He wants the best from us at whatever it is we're doing. Right now. In this moment. We have been called to do something in this season of life... He just asks that we do it unto the Lord, with all of our souls, with all of our minds and with all of our strength. I believe that's what makes Him proud.

Maybe God is calling us to do big things for Him. Perhaps He is asking us to go out and change the world. But maybe... just maybe... He's asking us to first find joy where He's placed us RIGHT NOW. Here in this moment, JOY can be found. Joy isn't ONLY found in this mission field, on a stage or traveling across the country. Joy is also in those small, quiet places that nobody else sees but you. Take what God has given you... blessed you with... and find joy in that.

Maybe that's changing diapers.
Maybe that's working a drive-thru window at McDonald's.
Maybe that's cleaning toilets.
Maybe that's homeschooling.
Maybe that's volunteering in your local church.
Maybe that's mowing yards.

Joy CAN be found in those places too. God is using you RIGHT where you are for this season in your life. And He's preparing you for greatness... you and I just have to learn how to be content with what's He's provided us with so that we're ready to accept the BIG challenges He's got in store for us later on.

I don't mean that we should stop dreaming big! Because what I know is that God has given us all the gifts and talents we need to do, precisely, the work He's called us to do. He has enabled us and if we are willing to GO, He will lead!

I love what John Wesley says, "Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can."

You might have to read that one again.

The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.

God wants our best. At whatever we do. Large or little. The significant things and those that seem insignificant. Luke 16:10 says, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much..."

Do the best you can, where you are, with what you have, now. Take the little. Make it much. And watch God grow you like you've never dreamed possible!

Your story isn't over.. it's just beginning!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

My Continued Journey In Gratitude

2011-04-11T20:59:00.013-04:00

My gratitude journal has been one of the best things I've committed to doing in a long time. I find that it not only takes the focus off of me and onto God, but it gives me joy. Counting gifts. One by one. It's bringing joy in a truly remarkable way!

It's about seeing the world in a different way. Choosing to see beauty through the lens instead of ugly. It's teaching me that there is lovely in the unlovely... beauty in the brokenness, JOY in this journey.

Ah - the diligence of counting gifts. It's about commitment. It's a discipline that is teaching me how to look more like Jesus. It's turning my failures into fruit. I make my way back home... to Him... where I belong.

As told my author Ann Voskamp, "It's not the gifts that fulfill, but the holiness of the space. The God in it... this is supreme gift, time, God Himself framed in a moment."

God made everything. Everything is His.
And since God is love, shouldn't everything we see... everything we touch be seen as such? LOVE. BEAUTY.

My journey to 1,000... my challenge to NAME ONE THOUSAND things I am thankful for... is swelling:

113.) Train rides
118.) Laughter shared between friends
123.) School supply shopping
128.) Women who love Jesus
142.) Fresh, ripe purple grapes
147.) The book of James
153.) Selflessness
167.) Dinner on the deck in late spring
188.) Lazy, rainy Sunday afternoons with the windows open
197.) Pot roast cooking in the crock pot
205.) The sovereignty of God
209.) The power of prayer
214.) Feeling protected and defended

Psalm 50:23 says, "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show Him the salvation of God." Thanksgiving is bringing honor to the Father and through that simple obedience of honoring God through acts of thankfulness we are allowing God to show us His fullest salvation in Christ.

The count to 1,000 continues. I press on daily to find the beauty in everyday living.

When it's hard to smile, when the pain is too unbearable, when the answer doesn't come, when forgiveness is not granted... stop. Count the blessings. See the miracles. They're there. We have to choose to see.

Mary Beth Chapman says it best in her book, Choosing To See (a story of the Chapman's journey of struggle and hope following the death of their young sweet daughter, Maria), "So God confirmed this truth yet again: I can choose to SEE His story, or I can miss it."

"When you SEE this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like the grass; the hand of the Lord will be made known." Isaiah 66:14 (ESV)

Let's not miss His story!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

I'm Scared

2011-04-10T22:03:00.006-04:00

I have to admit something. I am scared.

It seems here lately I have an overwhelming laundry list of things I'm scared about. And I have to be honest... these fears have nearly consumed me.

I remember when Trevor and I were first married. I know I'm dating myself when I say this - but cell phones were still considered a fairly new and radical "luxury item" back then. In those days, a pager is how I communicated with my new husband.

At the time, he worked in Detroit and so his commute each day was about 3 hours! It was grueling and I used to tell him all the time I don't know how he did that for so many years!

It was nothing for him to tell me stories of car accidents he'd seen on his way to and from work every day. It was very common for him to be stuck in traffic due to a highway accident that had claimed a life of a loved one. He saw it all, and I heard it all.

I would prepare dinner and yet it was almost always a surprise as to what time he would arrive home to eat. His schedule varied and traffic was a big factor. I recall MANY nights when I would stand at our big picture window waiting for him to come home. PRAYING that God would keep him safe. I was scared. Really scared. I was consumed by my fear... and many times found myself sobbing at the thought of losing the one God had called me to love most in this world outside of my relationship with the Father. My fear, at times, literally paralyzed me.

And then I had to remind myself, again, that God was in control. He was ordering our steps and He was protecting and guiding. I had to give up the fear and anxiety before it made me physically ill.

I read recently that the phrase "Fear not" appears in the bible 365 times. Do you find that as interesting as I do? That God would choose to use those words in scripture as many times as there are days in a calendar year?

In fact, I heard recently that "Fear not" or a similar phrase such as "Do not be afraid" is one of the most commonly used phrases in all the bible.

Perhaps it's because God knew how much time we would spend worrying. Being afraid.

I love the line in my favorite movie of all times, Steel Magnolias where Julia Roberts is speaking to her mom, played by Sally Fields. Julia tells her mom, "I never worry because I know you're worried enough for the both of us."

Sound familiar?

I worry about all kinds of things. And I'm scared a lot.

Scared about those test results we're waiting on from the doctors office.
Scared about an upcoming surgery of a loved one.
Scared about the direction God is calling me to... can I do it?
... am I good enough?
... am I smart enough?
... am I talented enough?
Scared about my parenting ability.
Scared about being alone.
Scared about death and dying.

The list could go on an on.

I've heard it said many times before that, "God will not give you more than you can handle." I would push back on that and say, "Oh yes He does. And He will. But it's to teach us how to rely on Him more." We are foolish to think that we have any control over things that happen.

The bottom line is God is passionate about us and He longs to have a deep relationship with us. We have to come to Him broken and worn... with all of our fears and failures... and trust that He is going to overcome. He is bigger than our problems. He is bigger and better than the messes we're facing. He is stronger than the troubles that seem to be mounted up against us. When WE are weak - HE is strong.

My weakness is my fear. But God cannot change me... He cannot use me to make a significant difference for Him until I am willing to let go of that fear and release my worry at His feet.

Fear is the wedge that comes between me and the God who loves me and desires greatness for me. Fear is what keeps me from moving forward. Fear is the opposite of trust. I cannot say that I love God and trust that He's all-powerful, all-knowing, Redeemer, Healer and Holy, as long as I remain fearful, scared and worried. I must let go in order to fully live the life He intended for me.

The bible offers many beautiful pieces of scripture about worry and fear...

Isaiah 41:10... "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."

Isaiah 44:8... "Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago?"

Matthew 10:31... "So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows."

And I LOVE 1 John 4:18 from The Message version... "God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love."

God is love. When He resides in us (takes up residency within our souls), we live in God and He lives in us. There is NO room for worry or fear in us since we are filled with His love and there is no fear formed in love.

Wow.

Gives me a lot to think about.

There is NO room for fear and worry in my life as long as God has taken up residency in me and I allow Him full reign over me AND my circumstances. I just have to be willing to let love win.

Easier said than done, but I'm willing to give it a try.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Repentance Box

2011-04-04T23:06:00.006-04:00

As we prepare for Easter... I wanted to do something a little different this year. Our traditions are pretty solid... you know - decorate eggs, Easter baskets, some scripture readings. But I was really longing for a little something more.

In an effort to make the most of this Easter season, our family has decided to try the Repentance Box. (The idea is NOT my own... I have seen them on many blogs recently.)

After all - Easter is what it's all about. It's our greatest reason to celebrate.

We have been forgiven.
We have been cleansed of our sin.
Jesus took our place on a cross.
The tomb is empty.

The Repentance Box is a way for us to confess our sins to the One who took the punishment that we deserved, but didn't have to suffer.

As a family, we will confess our sins by writing them on blank pieces of paper and will place them into the sealed box where they will not be seen by anyone. They will be our private confessions to God. Then... on Good Friday, we will burn the entire box and the contents as a visual reminder of the ultimate price that was paid for us. We will celebrate the freedom from slates wiped clean!

Here is our box...

John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep."

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Change Me

2011-04-01T12:28:00.006-04:00

"Lord, change me."

Those can be tough words to say. They can be down right frightening, can't they?

"Lord, change me."

Hard stuff.

Because here's what I know. When you ask God to change you.. you'd better be prepared to change. Your heart better be fully yielded to make the serious changes necessary for God to mold and shape you into the person He created you to be.

I was having my quiet time the other morning as I regularly do, and something hit me. Like a ton of bricks really. (You know - God's only doing what I've asked Him to do. I'm not really smart, so I've asked Him to sort of HIT ME OVER THE HEAD when He wants to get my attention about something.)

I was actually in the middle of praying when these words came out and I HAD to stop and write them down in my journal. (BTW - if you don't have a prayer journal - you really ought to get one! You never know when God's going to speak to you and you need to be prepared to write it down.) :) I felt like God was telling me this...

It's one thing to say - "Lord, change me, mold me." But it's a whole 'nother thing to allow Him access into your life to make the necessary changes. His desire is to change us to look more like the Father, but we have to have the willingness to be used by Him to change our character. Our behavior has to change. Are you willing to yield to Him and then DO the hard work?

You know - I've never enjoyed gardening. Never. I wish I did. I love flowers and I truly admire the beautiful landscapes of so many of my dear friends' yards, but I am certainly unskilled in this area of my life. I'm envious of those with a green thumb. When God was creating me - He just didn't gift me with a skill for tending gardens. And listen folks - I'm no good with indoor plants either. Don't ever ask me to plant sit for you while you're on vacation. Don't do it - I will kill them. I either under water or over water and I've been told that both will destroy your beloved greenery. I"m just saying - I DON'T have the knack for it.

Don't get me wrong - I'd love to have those beautiful yards you see on HGTV. I ooh and ahh at them, but I'll be honest with you... it's just more work than I'm willing to invest in. I have other things to do. (Like stay inside and watch HGTV apparently.)

I have good intentions. Around about Mother's Day I make the trek to the nursery to pick out flowers for my pots. I LOVE the nursery's in the spring. Fresh, beautiful flowers... Daffodils, Tulips, Crocus. Oh, oh - and Gerbera Daisies are my favorite. (See - I KNOW the names of them even though I can't keep the darn things alive.) I love them all. And every spring I have good INTENTIONS on taking care of them and seeing them past June 21, it just never turns out for me.

But it dawned on me during my quiet time yesterday that it's because gardening is hard work. It requires patience, time, devotion. It requires getting out in the hot sun and getting your HANDS DIRTY.

I suppose we all have those "sayings" we tend to over-use on our children. Like, "I brought you into this world and I can take you out!" (Oh - okay... maybe I'm the only one who says that.) One of my favorite ones I use on Chloe all the time is, "Anything worth it is worth working hard for." And I've got to admit - yesterday I had to remind MYSELF about this one. It was as if God, Himself, was reminding me that anything worth it (even changing me) is worth working HARD FOR.

Ouch!

If you and I are serious about God using us to make a difference for Him and we are truly committed to making the changes necessary in order to look more like our Savior, then we have to willing to do the hard work.

We have to be committed to a daily quiet time.
We have to be committed to daily prayer time.
We have to be yielded to God's divine interruptions.
We have to love others the way that God loves us.
We have to forgive those who've hurt us.
We have to be a cheerful giver.
We have to serve others.
We have to love those who are unlovely.
We have to know we're loved and seek God's approval, not man's.
We have to be grateful for what we've been given and find JOY in that!
We have to have patience.
We have to respect and our spouses.
We have to honor our parents.
We have to learn to follow Him with complete obedience.
We have to submit to authority.
We have to relinquish our pride.
We have to die to self.

Some tough stuff. Maybe even painful. But worth it. A lifetime following Christ is always worth it.

Listen... Jesus knew what kind of person you and I were going to be and He knew every silly thing we were going to do before we did it... and He went to the cross anyway. Hard work? You bet!

Ezekiel 36:26 says, "And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart."

We have to be willing to do the hard stuff. If we want a beautiful garden, we have to be willing to get our hands dirty.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Scripture Memory: April 1

2011-04-01T11:05:00.000-04:00

No April Fooling today on The Journey! :) We are knee-deep in God's word!

By the way - is it just me or is it simply CRAZY that we are already in the 2nd quarter of 2011??? WOWzers!

Here is my verse for April 1:

Lamentations 3:22 (NLT)
"The unfailing love of the Lord never ends. By His mercies we have been kept from complete destruction."

Your turn! What's the verse YOU'VE chosen for April 1??

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

My Reading List and Other Gems

2011-03-29T21:35:00.008-04:00

I love to read. I always have. There's just something about a new book, isn't there? There's something, indeed, magical when you crack open a book for the very first time. The fresh white pages just waiting to be absorbed. I remember LOVING the smells of the library when I was a kid. Albeit weird, I always loved (and admittedly still love) the smell of old, used books.

While on vacation with my mom and Chloe earlier this month, I found a gem I'd overlooked before. The SALVATION ARMY! Books for $2 an $3! Good books. Books in good condition. I even amazed myself that I was able to locate such great finds for so cheap. (Bargain shopping has never been my forte. And I mean that.) I believe Chloe and I walked out with 13 books that afternoon having spent only $31! I was pretty happy! And ready for some serious reading. ;)

Here's what I'm currently reading:
One In A Million, by Priscilla Shirer
Discerning The Voice of God, by Priscilla Shirer
It, by Craig Groeschell
The Life You've Always Wanted, by John Ortberg
Live Big (10 life coaching tips for living large, passionate dreams), by Katie Brazelton
A Perfect Mess, by Lisa Harper
The Grace of God, by Andy Stanley
The Power of Patience, by M.J. Ryan

Other things I'm LOVING right now:
Jesus Calling (Devotional book), by Sarah Young
Promises to Pray Over Your Children (Prayer book), by Roy Lessin
90 Days with David (Devotional book), by Beth Moore
The One Year Mother Daughter Devo, by Dannah Gresch
The McArthur Bible Commentary
The Esther Bible Study, by Beth Moore

Blogs and websites that inspire me:
Perry Noble (pastor of Newspring Church in Anderson, S.C.)
Steven Furtick (pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, N.C.)
Living Proof Ministries (Beth Moore's blog)
Going Beyond Ministries (Priscilla Shirer's ministry blog)
Lysa TerKeurst (President of Proverbs 31 Ministries blog)
Renee Swope (Co-speaker of Proverbs 31 Ministries radio show)
Bring The Rain (Angie Smith's blog. Angie has an AMAZING story - you must visit her blog!)
In the Name of Love (Writer and speaker, Biana Juarez's blog)
A Holy Experience (Ann Voskamps, author of One Thousand Gifts, blog)
(in)courage (Home for the hearts of women blog)
BibleGateway (An online bible resource)

My personal Prayer Journal
If you don't have one - I encourage you to get one. Mine is NOT fancy. It's a basic spiral. But I absolutely love it! Every day I write in it things I am praying about. It's a great resource for me to look back on to see times when God answered prayer and times He was speaking to me through my prayer time. Make sure to date each entry so you can look back and see the times God was working in your life.

My personal Gratitude Journal
Inspired by this book, I am on my way to listing 1,000 things I am grateful for. I'm telling you - if you want to incorporate a discipline that will change the way you see every day living - this is something you HAVE to try! It's hard to be upset and disappointed when you are consistently on the hunt for things that you are thankful for. By the way - I'm on #148.

The version of the bible that I prefer these days is the NLT. Very simple to understand. A second runner up would be the NIV. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE the Message bible and invested in a side-by-side parallel (NIV/Message) bible last year. It's a great all-in-one that has become a regular go-to for me.

There it is. Not all of it, but a pretty good list of what I'm into right now and what's growing, molding and shaping me.

I'd LOVE to hear what you're reading and what you're inspired by! Leave a comment and share in our community!

Don't just be blessed today... be a blessing!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Being a Good Friend

2011-03-29T07:58:00.008-04:00

Photo Credit

I have been beyond blessed by some wonderful friendships in my life. I truly have. But I often wonder if I've been a blessing to them in return.

What makes a great friendship? What's the secret to long-lasting relationships? I think it's pretty simple, really. I think it's about being the kind of person whom the other cannot live without. The greatest friendships in my life consist of selfless people who are good listeners, love to laugh and who make me better just being around them.

Friends are honest with you... even if it's not what you want to hear.
Friends are supportive... they cheer you on to victory and success.
Friends are trustworthy... you can trust them with your secrets and dreams.
Friends have seen you at your worst... and choose to love you anyway.
Friends are drawn to WHO you are... not what you have.
Friends are loyal... they've always got your back.
Friends are filled with grace... they are slow to anger and quick to forgive.
Friends are compassionate... humbly offering their tender heart.
Friends are good listeners... they don't just hear, they listen with their eyes and hearts as well as with their ears.
Friends are selfless... sacrificing their desires for yours.
Friends are generous... giving much and expecting little.
Friends are inspirational... they inspire you to want to be a better person.

I am richly blessed by the friendships I've made along this life's journey. I've been challenged by them, encouraged by them and loved deeply by some of this planets greatest people!

I read recently about "refrigerator rights" friends. These are friends who can walk into your home and help themselves to anything in your refrigerator. Why? Because they are THAT comfortable in your home. THAT comfortable with just being themselves when they are with you. THAT comfortable in their relationship with you. Authentic friends with rights to your life.

Do you have friends like this?

In John 15:13, Jesus is teaching His disciples, His FRIENDS, about how to love each other. He said, "I command you to love each other in the same way I love you. And here is how to measure it - the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends."

Jesus was, indeed, the greatest example of a true friend.

Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend."

We are called to make each other better; to build each other up.

Ecclesiasties 4:9-10 says, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"

We were made to be in community with others. There is strength in numbers. We need each one another... we weren't meant to do this alone.

It's true - I have been blessed by great friendships, but I pray that I may never stop being the kind of person others long to be around. I pray that I would always seek for ways I can be the best friend possible to those God has entrusted me with.

One of life's greatest joys is being able to have and be a friend! Don't underestimate the value of these special relationships! We have this one life to get it right. Will we be the kind of friend Jesus would be proud of?

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Lemony Penne & Broccoli

2011-03-25T08:09:00.002-04:00

RECIPE FRIDAY time!

Got a great recipe for you today. It's healthy, yummy and filling! I made it this week with pork chops and corn. Didn't really need the corn - but Chloe isn't really a broccoli pasta salad person. This would be good even as a main course for me, as I LOVE LOVE LOVE pasta! :)

Hope you en{JOY}!

Lemony Penne & Broccoli Salad

8 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 pound broccoli florets
1 can (19 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 basil leaves
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese

1.) Cook penne following package directions about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the liquid. Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl.

2.) While pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden. Add broccoli, and 1/3 cup water to skillet and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until tender.

3.) Stir beans into skillet and heat through. Add lemon juice and zest, salt and red pepper flakes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and enough reserved cooking liquid to create a sauce. Tear in the basil. Serve immediately with the cheese on the side (I actually put my in as I like a lot of the cheese).

Makes: 4 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes

You're Beautiful

2011-03-23T08:10:00.013-04:00

Good Morning Friends!

Today I'd just like to have a conversation with you. A heart-to-heart of sorts. In a world where there is so much pain and sadness, I feel compelled this morning to encourage you.

Can I do that?

First of all, do you know how beautiful YOU are? How loved YOU are? Do you know that YOU have what it takes? Do you know that YOU were on Jesus' mind when He hung on a cross over 2,000 years ago? I wonder... do you know? Do you really know? Do you know how special YOU are in the eyes of God?

Maybe you are a mother who is struggling with self-worth because at this season in your life, you have been called to change diapers and nurse babies instead of pursue the career path you've dreamed of your entire life.

Perhaps you are a single woman who is lonely and becoming impatient because your prince charming still hasn't arrived on his white horse to carry you away. All of your friends are married with children and it appears as though you've been forgotten about... left behind.

Maybe you are consumed by a job you love but you're sinking into a deep, dark depression because you work so hard, but others seem to be getting all the credit. You feel taken advantage of and severely unappreciated.

You've had your heart broken. You've feel defeated. You're empty. You're overwhelmed. You just want to give up. Besides, the world wouldn't be affected by your absence anyway.

Right?

WRONG!

In Psalm 139:17 it says, "How precious are your thoughts about me, O God!"
Friends - this means YOU and I are in His thoughts! The Psalmist, David, goes on to say, "They are innumerable! I can't even count them!" God... the God of this universe, the One who is All-Powerful, All-Knowing, the King... He thinks we're precious and WE are His workmanship for whom He is most proud! Oh how special YOU are to Him!

In Matthew 10:30 Jesus says, "And the very hairs on your head are numbered."
THIS is how intimately our Father knows us! He cares for us enough to have numbered the hairs on our heads!! Don't miss this!

Ephesians 3:18 says, "And may you have the power to understand, how wide, how long, how high and how deep His love really is."
Dear friends, He overflows with love for YOU and for me. It literally overflows. We can't even fathom this kind of love. It's too wide, too long, too high and too deep.
I'm reminded of the first time I saw the ocean. I was about 13 when I saw it for the first time. It was incredible! What I remember most is that there appeared to be no end. It seemed to just go on and on and on and on. I remember thinking - WHAT is on the other side of that body of water? Could there possibly be ANYTHING on the other side? Is there really an end to this thing?
Listen - God's love for us is like that ocean. That large, turquoise body of water. It goes on and on - there is no end. He is filled with love for us!

1 Peter 5:7 says, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you."
I know it's hard to believe, sometimes, that God has time to really CARE about what happens to you... but He does! His word tells us this! He's not some God who hands out punishments and orders from His throne and then forgets about us. He CARES about us. When we're sad - He is sad. When we are hurt - He is hurt. He feels our pain and He's counted our tears (Psalm 56:8 - "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle.") He doesn't just care about YOU, sweet thing, He cares deeply for you. So much that He collects our tears. Oh how thankful I am for this Holy compassion.

I love Ephesians 2:4-5, "But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so very much that even while we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead." I especially appreciate the NLT version where in parentheses it says, "It is only by God's SPECIAL FAVOR that you have been saved."
Let's not forget that we are God's SPECIAL FAVOR. He loved us THAT much that He was willing to send His Son to take our place. The word favor means: the state of being approved or held in regard. He approves us. He considers us as worthy. We are His favorite! Think about that for just a moment!

And then there's this one... Jeremiah 29:11... "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"
He has plans for YOU. He's not finished with YOU. His plan is to give you HOPE and a FUTURE. (Jeremiah 1:5 says "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb." He KNEW us. He knit us together in our mother's womb and He has a plan and a purpose for our lives. He's created you at this time for a distinct purpose and He's going to use YOU and I to make a difference!

The bible is God's love letter to us. We read about His unfailing love over and over again. The bible teaches us that we serve a compassionate God who is filled with grace and mercy and most of all LOVE.

I hope you are encouraged by His words. And I pray that you never doubt your worth. You are beautiful. You are loved. You are treasured. You are His!

Be blessed today!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Prayer

2011-03-21T10:44:00.007-04:00

Photo Credit

Every Monday morning I ask for prayer requests via my facebook page. And every Monday I receive emails from people who are hurting and are in need of prayer for all kinds of reasons. I hear from women who are going through a rough spot in their marriage. I hear from friends who are struggling with their faith. I receive requests from those who have been sick, struggling to raise children, those overwhelmed by the demands of every day life and those who have been faced with insurmountable odds. I do get most of my requests sent privately to me through my email and I consider it an honor to be able to partner with God on their behalf.

But I want you to know that I take this responsibility very seriously. I have a heart for those who are hurting and many times can relate to the pain because I have been there myself.

But you see - my prayers have changed slightly.

Following my prayer time a couple weeks ago, I really felt like God was asking me to change the way in which I approached prayer for these individuals. Don't get me wrong.... I still pray for healing, restoration and strength, but I've included something so important that I had been missing all along. And this is what I wrote in my journal following this revelation from God....

"When I pray prayers like "Father - encourage her/him today", let me it NOT stop there. Help me to pray that I might be used to BE the encourager."

I think it's time we stop praying safe prayers, asking God to be the encourager, and begin asking God to put ACTION steps to those prayers by asking Him to use US to BE His hands and feet! I don't want to pray prayers asking God to help others get by - I want to pray prayers that would CHANGE LIVES. And I want God to start with me!

For that marriage that is facing divorce - I want to pray boldly that God would use my marriage as an encouragement. That my own relationship with my husband would be the Godly example for these struggling friends. That God would give us wisdom and guide our conversations with these individuals.

For the woman facing challenges in her every day life and the demands at home... being a wife, a mother and a full-time employee - I want to pray boldly that God would use me to be a blessing and an encouragement to my friend. That I would yield to the Holy Spirit's promoting to BE the listening ear and the comforter. That I might offer, in tangible ways, words of hope and scripture references that brings peace.

People are hurting and there is no doubt that they need our prayers. They desperately need to know that God loves them and wants to the best for them - but they also need to SEE this lived out and displayed through us. It is our job, as Christ-followers, to SHOW that love, Christ's love, by demonstrating that love. By encouraging, motivating and uplifting. My prayer daily is that God would use me in a mighty way for His purposes. That when others look at me, they would see Jesus. And this, in and of itself is a pretty intense prayer.

I don't believe that Jesus died on the cross for us to pray prayers that simply get us by. I believe He died so that we can learn to pray boldly and passionately, believing and expecting Him to do more than we could ever dream or imagine. And it starts with using us in a powerful way that draws others closer to Him.

My prayers are changing. I'm asking God to start with changing me first so that I can be used by Him for big things.

Ephesians 3:20 says... "Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think."

He's ready to use us... we just have to ask!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Guest Recipe: Stuffed Shells

2011-03-18T08:13:00.004-04:00

My facebook friend, Holli, gave me this recipe. Super easy and super delicious!! Note: you can make this mixture for Lasagna noodles too - just plan to double the recipe for a heartier meal!

Happy Cooking!

Crab Stuffed Shells (or Lasagna)

1 package of green giant antioxidant veggies in the microwavable pouch...make as directed, then cut up into pieces.

1 package of cream cheese, softened.

1 package of imitation crab or lobster meat. Chop up and mix with veggies and cream cheese.

Spread a layer of spaghetti sauce in bottom of baking dish (I use Prego).
After boiling the shells, rinse with cold water and fill shells with mixture.
After shells are stuffed, pour the rest of the sauce on top and then top with mozzarella cheese and bake for about a half hour at 375 degrees.

Yummo! :) Thanks Holli!

On One Thousand Gifts

2011-03-17T10:35:00.005-04:00

Most of you know I've just finished a GREAT book entitled One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It has been an AMAZING journey for me... truly an inspiring book that I encourage ALL of you to RUN out and purchase! It's also been challenging. A dare... to find and list one thousand things you are grateful for. One thousand gifts.

I know I keep saying it over and over - but this book has literally changed my life. Honestly, Ann is, by far, one of the most amazing authors I have ever had the privilege to read!

Ann was interviewed recently on 100 Huntley Street and here's what she says about her book. I hope you enJOY! (Note: you'll need to scroll to the bottom to pause my playlist before watching.) :)

"He {God} wants us to live abundantly. He doesn't want us to just survive, He wants us to thrive. Not to just meet Him, but to enjoy Him moment by moment."

"God is always good and I am always loved."

"If God is everywhere, beauty has to be everywhere."

I love her comparison to our model, Jesus. Who, when faced with the certainly of death - chose to GIVE THANKS by breaking the bread and sharing it with His disciples. (Luke 22)

It's about choosing to give THANKS right where you are - for whatever God gives.

Remember, God is always good and I am always loved!

Can we pause long enough to see the beauty in our every day lives? The beauty in this mess. The joy in the moment.

My list? I'm on 111. My journey of choosing to SEE the beauty around me and considering it pure JOY. Taking the ugly in this world and finding the beauty... that's where God is! That's where real living is. That's what living FULL is all about.

You can get your copy here or here.

Will you join me on the JOURNEY of GRATITUDE?

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Scripture Memory: Mar 15

2011-03-17T10:30:00.003-04:00

I thought about the scripture memorization post on the 15th. I promise. But - it was my wedding anniversary and I spent the day with my wonderful husband. :) I'm back now... and ready for another scripture memory verse!!

I'd LOVE to hear from those of you who are participating in this scripture journey with me! You can read more about this challenge here.

Here is my verse for March 15:

James 2:14 (NLT)
"Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions."

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Fourteen Years!

2011-03-15T07:10:00.003-04:00

Photo Credit

Dear Trevor -

Today marks our fourteenth wedding anniversary. Fourteen years. All I can say is where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday that we were embarking on this new journey together - and yet here we are... a few wrinkles and a couple gray hairs later.

We were so young when we first started out, weren't we? No real cares in the world. Money to spend on frivolous things if we wanted them. Minimal bills to pay. The world was ours for the taking. We stayed up late, slept in 'till noon and ate out just about every meal. We've seen a lot together and we've come a long way. Through all of my inadequacies and all of my failures, you still love me. You still choose me. And I am blessed beyond measure by your dedication to our togetherness. Our oneness.

Today I celebrate not just the quantity, but the quality of our marriage. Though sometimes masked with confidence when times were tough, your willingness to partner with me proves over and over again your desire to see this thing through. I admire the seriousness in which you take the responsibility you were entrusted. "Covenant, not contract" as you would say. There were times when walking away might have been easier, but you always chose God's higher calling and I could not be more proud to call you my husband.

I love being married to my best friend and I love the memories that we share. I love that you know what my weaknesses are, what my favorite ice cream is, what side of the bed I prefer and what makes me giggle. Nobody knows me like you do and I can't imagine sharing this one life with anyone else.

It's true that I am better for having said "I do" on a cold, icy day in the middle of March. And I promise to keep saying "I do" as long as God allows me air in these lungs.

What a ride this has been... and we're just getting started. Here's to 14 more!

I love being loved by you. I am, indeed, one lucky, lucky girl!

All the love this heart can hold,

1 Cor 13: 4-8 (MSG)

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end

To Be Used By Him...

2011-03-08T19:38:00.011-05:00

...Oh to be used by Him!

Different. Most of my life I've felt different.

I remember as a very small child feeling different than most other kids my age. When the interests of others centered around swing sets, dodge ball, tree climbing and hopscotch, my focus was on reading, journaling, writing short stories, music and performing in front of anyone who sat still long enough to listen. As an only child of two full-time employed parents, I was alone. A lot. And I didn't mind. Maybe it's because I really didn't know anything different. And looking back now I'm grateful for those times... those formative years of mine. I know now that God was molding me, shaping me and preparing me for the woman He would use years later.

It was the summer of 1985 when I was first introduced to Jesus Christ. And it didn't take long for me to fall in love. I was only 12 years old, but something changed deep inside of me that summer. And so, began, the calling on my life.

I was about 14 years old when I first felt like God was calling me to be used by Him for big things. Even through those rough adolescent years God was preparing me for greater things. And looking back, His fingerprints were all over my life. Thank you Jesus!

I've come a long way since those awkward pre-teen years, but the fire that raged inside of me as a young lady, still burns strongly today. My prayer life has matured a bit, but my humble request remains the same... "Lord... use me in a MIGHTY way for Your Kingdom! Place people in my life who need to know about You. When others looks at me... may they see your son, Jesus. Less of me, Father, and more of You."

I've come to realize that if you're going to begin asking God to reveal His plan and purpose for your life, you'd better be prepared to MOVE when He says move and GO where He says to go. And it might not make sense right away. From experience, I can tell you that my calling... didn't make sense at first.

For years, even as a full-time church staffer, I steered clear from women's ministry. I'm not sure why... I just couldn't see myself becoming actively involved with other Christian women when there was a dying world out there that needed desperately to hear how much my God loves them. Quite honestly, sitting in a room filled with women who were already intimately aware of the cross, seemed pointless and unfulfilling. Until God spoke to my heart and changed the way I perceived this type of ministry. God began showing me ways in which women have enormous opportunities to change their world in powerful ways and more specifically, how God was going to use ME to accomplish this change. I remember clearly thinking... "This must be from God, because it's not the path I would have chosen." But now that His calling is clear, my purpose has become my obsession. I have no other choice than to obey. Palms up... ready to serve!

I read recently that "if the size of your vision for your life isn't intimidating to you, there's a good chance it's insulting to God." God's vision for my life IS intimidating, it is convicting and it even makes me a little uncomfortable, but God is using me in the midst of my uncertainties. My job is simply to obey. My one true desire is to be used by Him in a mighty way and I believe the best is yet to come.

Sitting in a bible study recently, we were asked how many of us are actually concerned about feeling "significant". I recall being the only woman in the room to raise my hand. And it's true... I've always been a seeker of significance. But it's not just about FEELING significant... it's BEING significant. It is my hearts desire to be used by Him in ways that draw others around me closer to the Father. And I'm ready. Ready to put hands and feet to the vision God has placed on my life.

I first heard about the She Speaks Conference about a coupe months ago while browsing through blog sites I frequent. Lysa TerKeurst of Proverbs 31 Ministries was talking about the conference and the significant impact it was having on women all over the world. And I was intrigued. But I'll be honest, I didn't feel as though attending the conference would ever be attainable for me... a small town girl with nothing much to offer but her broken mess and a God-sized vision.

My heart skipped a few beats when I read about this incredible opportunity to win one of 2 Cecil Murphy Scholarships being offered. What a privilege and an honor to be able to submit a simple blog post entry to win! And I share this passion with so many other wonderfully talented women that I'm certain the choice will not be an easy one to make. I am grateful for the chance and humbled by those chosen by God to make such gifts available

This conference is about receiving the tools and confidence to answer God's call on the lives of women who simply desire to make a difference. And it's really that simple... I want to make a difference. Attending this conference, for me, would be my first steps of obedience to this call.

But you see... even if I'm not chosen to receive a scholarship to this conference, I am still chosen by the One who loved me first. And I am overwhelmed with gratitude because of the gift I have of partnering with the God of the universe to make a difference in my world today that will have significance in eternity!

And it doesn't get much better than that!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Journey to Gratitude

2011-03-08T10:43:00.004-05:00

Habakkuk 3:18 (ESV)...
"I will take joy."

If you've been following the blog, you've probably read that I'm in the middle of one of the best books I've ever read. It's entitled One Thousand Gifts by Ann VosKamp. Ann was encouraged several years ago by her friend to begin listing things that she was grateful for. What started out as just another "list" to manage, turned out to be her life's quest for finding the beauty in all things. A "hunt" for beauty and gratitude as described by Ann herself. She admits that first it was the dare that kept her going. But slowly, that dare turned into discipline and so it was because of that, the list went from "documenting 100 things I'm grateful for" to 200... to 500... to 700... to 1,000... and beyond. And is it ever ending? I don't believe it can be. When the list stops, does that somehow, then, signify an end to our gratefulness? Can it? I certainly hope not.

And so... inspired by the challenge set before me on the pages of this life-changing book, I've begun my quest for gratitude. All things beautiful.

And what have I learned so far? So much!

- That being grateful leaves little room for feeling frustrated.
Like last night. A night of chores. A busy night. Oh - and trash night. It was and I had forgotten. As I emptied out the kitchen bags - trash came toppling out. All over the floor. In every direction. And then I felt it. The familiar feeling of frustration... mounting high. Temperature elevated. I needed someone to blame. Was it the small hands that piled trash high in a bag that was already overflowing? Probably. Hadn't I already warned that this would happen and NOT to do it? Perhaps.... several times over. But what good did getting mad do? What right did I have to allow my frustrations to turn to anger? Slowly stepping back from the mess I remember. Eucharisteo. Charis (grace). Eucharisteo (thanksgiving). Chara (joy). A triplet of stars. Give THANKS for the moment. This is what brings joy. Think thanksgiving and you have no reason to feel anything other than joy. In the moment. I step back - - breathe deeply. And I choose joy. I choose to be thankful. Thankful that I have a family to even make a mess! Thankful to have a home in which to make the mess in! I am... grateful... and gratitude trumps resentment. It just does.

As Ann expresses in her book, "Feel thanks and it's absolutely impossible to feel angry. We can only experience one emotion at a time. And we get to choose - which emotion do we want to feel?"

I choose thankfulness.

I began this morning during my quiet time, adding to my gratitude list, the mornings simple blessings. They're simple really. Or are they?

- An Alarm clock that works.
- A little girl who is happy and easy to get out of bed for school.
- Bagels with cream cheese. One left! Praise God!
- A washing machine that works!
- A dishwasher that cleans dishes.
- Running water.
- A warm shower.
- Hairspray.
- A healthy dog.
- A working phone.
- Internet.
- Conversations with family members.
- A warm bed.
- Clean sheets.
- Good eyesight to read.
- Beth Moore devotionals.
- Working vehicle.
- A text from the hubs.
- Safe travels to and from school.
- Sunshine.

Things that seems small... trite maybe. But they are blessings. That which I don't deserve.

Colossians 2:7 says, "Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all He has done."

Naming gifts. That's what it's about. "Naming offers the gift of recognition" says Ann VosKamp. "In Naming that which is right before me, that which I'd otherwise miss, the invisible becomes visible." "Naming these moments may change the ugly names I call myself."

And again I read... "Life change comes when we receive life with thanks and ask for nothing to change."

A glimpse into my list... (I'm on # 92)

13.) Hugs
18.) Gentle rolls of thunder
34.) Date nights
53.) Corn on the Cob
62.) Bic Ultra Round Stic Grip pens... in blue
70.) The color burgundy
74.) A full gallon of milk
85.) Lunch dates with Chloe

Remembering to be grateful leaves little room for regret. Feeling thankful trumps feeling frustrated. But it takes work. It takes being intentional. And my biggest problem yet? Slowing down long enough to SEE what's here and now. Right in front of me. And being thankful in the moment. Choosing to SEE. Choosing to be thankful for whatever it is God has given me right now.

I choose gratitude. Will YOU too?

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,