Hey Friend,
I know that I will date myself with this story, but some of you may remember this. Others will get a glimpse into a different place and time. I remember, as a kid, studying the back of cereal boxes. Why? Often they had a special, must- have kind of toy advertised that you could send away for. All you needed to do to get the prize, was send in three or four cereal box tops plus a nominal amount of money ($1) and in 6-8 weeks it would arrive in your mailbox.
Now think about that for a moment. In order to collect three or four box tops, that was a lot of bowls of Wheaties or Cheerios that you had to gobble through. Then came earning the money to send away for said toy. THEN to top it off you had to wait 6-8 weeks for it to arrive. That, my friends, is a lot of waiting!! Children in this day and age would never wait that long for gratification or satisfaction. It would be unheard of.
What children (and adults) are missing out on these days is the joy and hope found in expectancy.
Because we live in a "gotta have it right now" world, we miss out on the gifts found in waiting.
God asks us over and over again, in the Bible, to wait. Not so that He can frustrate us, but for a cause much greater - to build our character and to bestow His gifts upon us.
I would like to share some of my favorite scriptures on waiting and what gifts the discipline of waiting brings. God offers the gift of:
Strength: (Isaiah 40:31) But they who wait for the Lord will renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be faint.
Hope: (Psalm 130:5) I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.
Blessings: (Isaiah 30:18) Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
Goodness: (Lamentations 3:25) The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
God's blessings, for those who wait upon Him, are endless. But, when you are in a painful place, waiting is one of the hardest things you can do. Let's face it, it is often nearly impossible to wait. The world tells us that having to wait is bad. Actually, the opposite is true. Learning to wait and learning how to wait is, in fact, good for us.
I can look back over my life and I can clearly see that is was in the times of waiting that God drew close to me. When we can't "work" the problem and simply have to be still and wait, God comes and abides with us and pours out His gentle love upon us. I love the following quote:
"Teach us, O Lord, the discipline of patience, for to wait is often harder than to work." (P. Marshall)
Furthermore, God not only tells us to wait, but He tells us How to wait. Okay, God, now you're really asking us a lot...He says to wait patiently. Patiently meaning free from anxiety and worrying. Patiently? Really?
Psalm 27:14: Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes wait patiently for the Lord.
Psalm 37:7: Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.
The last verse I will reference is my "Life Scripture" which you can find under headings. There was a time that I had to wait through excruciating depression and anxiety (we're talking years) until I was able to be restored to find joy in living. I Know, full well, how difficult waiting can be especially when you don't see anything (seemingly) changing. Take heart, God is always behind the scenes working. That's why He calls us to be still and let Him do His work in us.
Psalm 40:1-3: I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry...(I'll let you look up the rest)
Three things I have learned in my waiting:
He (God) is worth waiting for.
Waiting is good for us.
God blesses those that wait.
Sometimes the blessing is not realized in this earthly realm, but if we are believers, we can know that we will be blessed beyond belief in eternity.
My prayer is that I would become better at waiting patiently. Patience is not my middle name. I also pray that my children will grow in the discipline of waiting patiently. Last of all, I would pray that you would find love, joy and hope in the expectancy of waiting. God makes good on His promises because He is good and He loves you!
In His love,
Bev
ps. If you need prayers in your season of waiting, feel free to leave a prayer request in the "Comments" or email me with your request.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Friday, February 21, 2014
When The Answer Is, "I Don't Know."
Hey Friend,
I was recently wed on January 18, 2014. It was a day full of joy and life and hope. Right after the ceremony an impromptu receiving line of sorts formed. Not surprisingly among the first to greet me, to greet us, was my best friend, Cindy, from high school. She had traveled from New York City to little Cary, NC to share in my special day.
Squeals of joy erupted as Cindy grabbed my two hands and held them over my head as if I had just won the gold medal in finding love. "Can you believe it? You're married," she beamed. Her beautiful eyes danced with joy as she enveloped me in a big bear hug. This was Cindy - always bubbly and effervescent in her view of life.
This was my friend with whom I had shared my deepest secrets, heart throbs and heart breaks, hi jinx and escapades...Life. It was no accident that Cindy and I would have several opportunities to interact that evening. It was almost like God kept drawing us together. Not, unlike how He had drawn us together so many years ago.
That's why my heart ripped in two and I fell to my knees when I got the phone call that eleven days after my wedding, Cindy had collapsed due to cardiac arrest while attending a charitable fundraiser. She went into a coma and had passed away less than a week later. "O God, NO!" was all I could manage to say over and over. Only weeks ago she had been fully alive and exuberant at my wedding. This couldn't be. It didn't make sense.
Cindy had her first cardiac arrest at the age of 27. Three more defibrillator surgeries later, she was still seizing life and fighting for the underdog. I remember emails from Cindy as she and her husband spent eight weeks in Xi'an China volunteering at the Starfish Foster Home. Starfish's goal is saving lives of Chinese orphans with special medical needs. See www.starfishfosterhome.org
I could tell from her writing that they were falling in love with one particular little girl who lay there in her lonely crib with a large sac on her head and spina bifida. This little angel was undernourished and under loved. There were only so many arms to go around. It came as no surprise to me that Cindy and Pat decided to adopt this little girl and provide her with the life saving surgery that she so desperately needed. This was so in keeping with Cindy's golden and loving heart.
Cindy lived the scriptures and mirrored the heart of God, who holds dear, orphans and widows.
Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. (Psalm 82:3)
"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40)
Surely the life of this woman who looked after orphans in their distress was one to be saved?!
So, Why? Why did my dear friend pass away when her daughter was only six and she was doing such wonderful works to champion the cause of these little helpless ones? My mind searched and I couldn't find an answer that made sense. For days I've alternated between spells of crying and prayers of seeking and searching for answers.
I wish that I could offer you some definitive answer, but honestly the real answer is simply, "I don't know." I can't pretend to know the vast mind of God. His ways are so much bigger than our ways. The one thing that came to mind when I prayed was Proverbs 3:5:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
When I don't understand the ways of God, I need to know the heart of God.
God is good all of the time and all of the time, God is good.
Above all...God is Love!
This is what I cling to when life doesn't make sense. God is Sovereign. God is in control. God is good.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
On this side of Heaven's gates we only see in part. One day we will have the answers to all our questions, but for now, we must trust. I must trust. I will have to sit with the not knowing.
This I do know...when I reach Heaven, Cindy will be among the first to greet me. She'll grab my arms and hold them victoriously in the air and she'll beam as she always does. Then she'll squeal with joy, "Can you believe it...we made it?"
Not goodbye...but till we see each other again. I love you and miss you my dear friend...
In His love,
Bev
ps. Just a reminder that if you read my blog, know that I pray for you every morning and every evening. May you be blessed...
I was recently wed on January 18, 2014. It was a day full of joy and life and hope. Right after the ceremony an impromptu receiving line of sorts formed. Not surprisingly among the first to greet me, to greet us, was my best friend, Cindy, from high school. She had traveled from New York City to little Cary, NC to share in my special day.
Squeals of joy erupted as Cindy grabbed my two hands and held them over my head as if I had just won the gold medal in finding love. "Can you believe it? You're married," she beamed. Her beautiful eyes danced with joy as she enveloped me in a big bear hug. This was Cindy - always bubbly and effervescent in her view of life.
This was my friend with whom I had shared my deepest secrets, heart throbs and heart breaks, hi jinx and escapades...Life. It was no accident that Cindy and I would have several opportunities to interact that evening. It was almost like God kept drawing us together. Not, unlike how He had drawn us together so many years ago.
That's why my heart ripped in two and I fell to my knees when I got the phone call that eleven days after my wedding, Cindy had collapsed due to cardiac arrest while attending a charitable fundraiser. She went into a coma and had passed away less than a week later. "O God, NO!" was all I could manage to say over and over. Only weeks ago she had been fully alive and exuberant at my wedding. This couldn't be. It didn't make sense.
Cindy had her first cardiac arrest at the age of 27. Three more defibrillator surgeries later, she was still seizing life and fighting for the underdog. I remember emails from Cindy as she and her husband spent eight weeks in Xi'an China volunteering at the Starfish Foster Home. Starfish's goal is saving lives of Chinese orphans with special medical needs. See www.starfishfosterhome.org
I could tell from her writing that they were falling in love with one particular little girl who lay there in her lonely crib with a large sac on her head and spina bifida. This little angel was undernourished and under loved. There were only so many arms to go around. It came as no surprise to me that Cindy and Pat decided to adopt this little girl and provide her with the life saving surgery that she so desperately needed. This was so in keeping with Cindy's golden and loving heart.
Cindy lived the scriptures and mirrored the heart of God, who holds dear, orphans and widows.
Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. (Psalm 82:3)
"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40)
Surely the life of this woman who looked after orphans in their distress was one to be saved?!
So, Why? Why did my dear friend pass away when her daughter was only six and she was doing such wonderful works to champion the cause of these little helpless ones? My mind searched and I couldn't find an answer that made sense. For days I've alternated between spells of crying and prayers of seeking and searching for answers.
I wish that I could offer you some definitive answer, but honestly the real answer is simply, "I don't know." I can't pretend to know the vast mind of God. His ways are so much bigger than our ways. The one thing that came to mind when I prayed was Proverbs 3:5:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
When I don't understand the ways of God, I need to know the heart of God.
God is good all of the time and all of the time, God is good.
Above all...God is Love!
This is what I cling to when life doesn't make sense. God is Sovereign. God is in control. God is good.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
On this side of Heaven's gates we only see in part. One day we will have the answers to all our questions, but for now, we must trust. I must trust. I will have to sit with the not knowing.
This I do know...when I reach Heaven, Cindy will be among the first to greet me. She'll grab my arms and hold them victoriously in the air and she'll beam as she always does. Then she'll squeal with joy, "Can you believe it...we made it?"
Not goodbye...but till we see each other again. I love you and miss you my dear friend...
In His love,
Bev
ps. Just a reminder that if you read my blog, know that I pray for you every morning and every evening. May you be blessed...
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Divorce is Brutiful
Hey Friend,
For those of you who follow my blog, you know that I was married on January 18th to wonderful and godly man who truly cherishes me. This has been a dream come true. God truly blessed the broken road that brought me to this point! In our darkest times...He is faithful. He promises to bring us through our trials and not leave us stuck in them.
This week I offer you a special view into my wedding through the writings of my daughter, Nicole Duncan. Like her momma, she finds power and comfort from putting her thoughts into words. I hope you will click on this link to read Nicole's thoughts on divorce and hope. She also shares her maid of honor speech she gave at the wedding which brought me, not surprisingly, to tears.
I give you Nicole: http://nicole-duncan.blogspot.com/2014/02/divorce-is-brutiful.html
In His love,
Bev
For those of you who follow my blog, you know that I was married on January 18th to wonderful and godly man who truly cherishes me. This has been a dream come true. God truly blessed the broken road that brought me to this point! In our darkest times...He is faithful. He promises to bring us through our trials and not leave us stuck in them.
This week I offer you a special view into my wedding through the writings of my daughter, Nicole Duncan. Like her momma, she finds power and comfort from putting her thoughts into words. I hope you will click on this link to read Nicole's thoughts on divorce and hope. She also shares her maid of honor speech she gave at the wedding which brought me, not surprisingly, to tears.
I give you Nicole: http://nicole-duncan.blogspot.com/2014/02/divorce-is-brutiful.html
In His love,
Bev
Thursday, February 6, 2014
When You Are Chosen
Hey Friend,
At some time we probably have all experienced what it is like not to be chosen. For me, it was often in gym class when pick up teams were being chosen for dodge ball or softball. I knew all too well the dejected feeling of being the consolation pick at the end. I knew I didn't have a very good throwing arm and so did the athletically inclined girls in class.
But, what about the thrill of being chosen? I get super excited if my name is drawn out of the hat for the door prize because I rarely win those types of things. Maybe you know the thrill of being chosen for a team? a date? an award? a job?
I went to a high school with over 3,000 students. I thought, at the time, that the pinnacle of being chosen was to be selected all four years for the cheerleading squad. I practiced hard for those tryouts and I endured the looks (you know the kind) and the catty comments. This was surely what being "chosen" was all about...
That was until I caught on to what being "chosen" was all about in God's vernacular. Worldly choosing is about luck or looks or athletic prowess. God's choosing is based on love. Worldly choosing is based upon competition. God's choosing is based upon being called.
You are chosen by God: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, (Hebrew translation for the word knew is chosen) before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5). God was speaking to Jeremiah. He also is speaking to you and me.
God set His people Israel apart to be His own: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9).
The Bible says that God's choosing is not based on anything we do to earn or deserve His love. He loves us and chooses us to be His own because the very definition of God is love. It's really pure and simple.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28).
Know that the Lord as set apart the godly for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him. (Psalm 4:3).
God chooses you simply because He IS love and you are the object of His affection. He chooses you to be in relationship with Him...to be the beneficiary of His great love. He chose to send His son to die for you.
The emphasis here is not on the one being chosen, but rather on the One doing the choosing.
In worldly choosing it is the survival of the fittest. In God's economy it is being chosen because the creator of the universe loves YOU that much! He loves you just for being YOU!
While we were yet sinners, God chose to love us. He sets us apart and draws us into Himself and wants to wrap us in His love and whisper to us, "I choose you." I pray that you will welcome being chosen and that you will accept God's gift of unfailing love.
In His love,
Bev
At some time we probably have all experienced what it is like not to be chosen. For me, it was often in gym class when pick up teams were being chosen for dodge ball or softball. I knew all too well the dejected feeling of being the consolation pick at the end. I knew I didn't have a very good throwing arm and so did the athletically inclined girls in class.
But, what about the thrill of being chosen? I get super excited if my name is drawn out of the hat for the door prize because I rarely win those types of things. Maybe you know the thrill of being chosen for a team? a date? an award? a job?
I went to a high school with over 3,000 students. I thought, at the time, that the pinnacle of being chosen was to be selected all four years for the cheerleading squad. I practiced hard for those tryouts and I endured the looks (you know the kind) and the catty comments. This was surely what being "chosen" was all about...
That was until I caught on to what being "chosen" was all about in God's vernacular. Worldly choosing is about luck or looks or athletic prowess. God's choosing is based on love. Worldly choosing is based upon competition. God's choosing is based upon being called.
You are chosen by God: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, (Hebrew translation for the word knew is chosen) before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5). God was speaking to Jeremiah. He also is speaking to you and me.
God set His people Israel apart to be His own: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9).
The Bible says that God's choosing is not based on anything we do to earn or deserve His love. He loves us and chooses us to be His own because the very definition of God is love. It's really pure and simple.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28).
Know that the Lord as set apart the godly for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him. (Psalm 4:3).
God chooses you simply because He IS love and you are the object of His affection. He chooses you to be in relationship with Him...to be the beneficiary of His great love. He chose to send His son to die for you.
The emphasis here is not on the one being chosen, but rather on the One doing the choosing.
In worldly choosing it is the survival of the fittest. In God's economy it is being chosen because the creator of the universe loves YOU that much! He loves you just for being YOU!
While we were yet sinners, God chose to love us. He sets us apart and draws us into Himself and wants to wrap us in His love and whisper to us, "I choose you." I pray that you will welcome being chosen and that you will accept God's gift of unfailing love.
In His love,
Bev
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Reflections On An Island
Hey Friend,
Oh Antigua how I miss thee! As my new husband and I walked our dogs in the single digit temp plus wind chill, I couldn't help but drift back to where I was just one week ago. We were sitting on our lounge chairs nestled in the white sand beside the crystal clear teal blue waters of the ocean in Antigua. The moderate 80 degree temperature, along with the soothing island breezes was the perfect respite after eight months of planning a wedding.
One guest at the wedding remarked that it was evident that God was/is at the center of our marriage. I am so blessed to be equally yoked with a godly man who shares my beliefs. The ceremony and reception really couldn't have gone more beautifully. Now here we were in this tropical jewel of God's holy creation. Surely this was one place God smiled upon as He pronounced his creation "good"!
Our very first day in Antigua a typical brief shower blew in, pushed the sunshine aside and sprinkled down drops of refreshment for the native lush flora and fauna. In the islands, if it rains, just wait for a little while and it will pass. Soon the sun began to shine once again through the rain and what did God paint across the sky, but a brilliant and bold complete double rainbow. My heart lept inside my chest. Surely this is how Noah must have felt - what a harbinger of God's faithfulness. What a blessing with which to begin our marriage!
I quickly fell in love with the beautiful people of Antigua. Their bright smiles and "no problem" attitude toward life were contagious. Our taxi driver, J.J. summed it up well when he said, "If I am alive, it is a good day." What an attitude of gratitude. One day, driving into the port of St. John, one of those brief passing showers came through. "Today is a good day, " J.J. remarked. During the non-rainy season, rain is a sign of a good day. What a difference in perspective I thought to myself. To us, rain was a damper on a good day; to the natives to the island, rain was symbolic of a good day. Just a little heavenly attitude adjustment.
In addition to the native islanders we met some lovely people from all over the globe. The U.K. and Canada were well represented. I quickly adopted the phrase that I was "on holiday" instead of being on vacation. Holidays are to be celebrated and being in this lush paradise that only God could have dreamt up was truly worth celebrating!
Another delightful pleasure was going "unplugged" for an entire week. No television, no cell phones, no ipads or other technical gadgetry. Instead we enjoyed the pleasure of conversation with each other and with others that we met. I also basked in the luxury of actually reading a book while sipping on a pina colada poolside. All things coconut are truly Heaven sent lol. So were the papayas, mangos, passion fruits, and various assorted melons that we breakfasted upon each morning. This java junkie also became a fan of the locally grown mountain coffee.
Outstanding were the sunsets over the ocean wherein God silhouetted the palm trees against the brilliant pinks and oranges of the clouds. Several nights we dined watching the sun set, sipping a glass of wine and listening to the steel drum band or soothing island reggae music. It was a rhythm that was easy to fall into. There was no need for a watch...we were on island time and our only dispute was trying to agree on what day it was. Ahh, pure paradise.
I've been snorkeling many times, but God had a lesson for me in this snorkeling experience. We just so happened to pick one of the rougher days to go out, by boat, to the reef to snorkel. The waters were white capped and very choppy. Half of the would be snorkelers backed out due to the rough sees, but not this girl...I was going in.
Above the water, the wind blew and the waves crashed and the boat rocked. But, once I stuck my mask below the water, a great sense of calm came over me. It was silent and peaceful here. The neon and brightly colored fish swam calmly between and amongst the coral outcroppings. Their color, beauty and diversity were amazing. The fan coral waved gently, beckoning me to swim closer and get a better look. Just as He is so many times, there was God - providing me with a peaceful calm amidst the swells of life. All I had to do was trust Him and dive in.
Sadly, after a week in paradise graced with hummingbirds and hibiscus, we had to begin our long journey home - back to reality. God had given us a mountaintop experience in order to help us venture back into the everyday world with a renewed awareness of his love and goodness. I am so thankful to have been blessed with the opportunity to delight in this one small piece of God's glorious creation. His creation is indeed good and so is God.
Maybe you aren't in the Caribbean islands today, but God will show you a measure of His love and care for you if you are willing to look for it. Will the rain, snow, sleet or ice dampen your day or will it help to make it a good day?
The choice is yours...wishing you a "no problem" kind of day!
In His love,
Bev
Oh Antigua how I miss thee! As my new husband and I walked our dogs in the single digit temp plus wind chill, I couldn't help but drift back to where I was just one week ago. We were sitting on our lounge chairs nestled in the white sand beside the crystal clear teal blue waters of the ocean in Antigua. The moderate 80 degree temperature, along with the soothing island breezes was the perfect respite after eight months of planning a wedding.
One guest at the wedding remarked that it was evident that God was/is at the center of our marriage. I am so blessed to be equally yoked with a godly man who shares my beliefs. The ceremony and reception really couldn't have gone more beautifully. Now here we were in this tropical jewel of God's holy creation. Surely this was one place God smiled upon as He pronounced his creation "good"!
Our very first day in Antigua a typical brief shower blew in, pushed the sunshine aside and sprinkled down drops of refreshment for the native lush flora and fauna. In the islands, if it rains, just wait for a little while and it will pass. Soon the sun began to shine once again through the rain and what did God paint across the sky, but a brilliant and bold complete double rainbow. My heart lept inside my chest. Surely this is how Noah must have felt - what a harbinger of God's faithfulness. What a blessing with which to begin our marriage!
I quickly fell in love with the beautiful people of Antigua. Their bright smiles and "no problem" attitude toward life were contagious. Our taxi driver, J.J. summed it up well when he said, "If I am alive, it is a good day." What an attitude of gratitude. One day, driving into the port of St. John, one of those brief passing showers came through. "Today is a good day, " J.J. remarked. During the non-rainy season, rain is a sign of a good day. What a difference in perspective I thought to myself. To us, rain was a damper on a good day; to the natives to the island, rain was symbolic of a good day. Just a little heavenly attitude adjustment.
In addition to the native islanders we met some lovely people from all over the globe. The U.K. and Canada were well represented. I quickly adopted the phrase that I was "on holiday" instead of being on vacation. Holidays are to be celebrated and being in this lush paradise that only God could have dreamt up was truly worth celebrating!
Another delightful pleasure was going "unplugged" for an entire week. No television, no cell phones, no ipads or other technical gadgetry. Instead we enjoyed the pleasure of conversation with each other and with others that we met. I also basked in the luxury of actually reading a book while sipping on a pina colada poolside. All things coconut are truly Heaven sent lol. So were the papayas, mangos, passion fruits, and various assorted melons that we breakfasted upon each morning. This java junkie also became a fan of the locally grown mountain coffee.
Outstanding were the sunsets over the ocean wherein God silhouetted the palm trees against the brilliant pinks and oranges of the clouds. Several nights we dined watching the sun set, sipping a glass of wine and listening to the steel drum band or soothing island reggae music. It was a rhythm that was easy to fall into. There was no need for a watch...we were on island time and our only dispute was trying to agree on what day it was. Ahh, pure paradise.
I've been snorkeling many times, but God had a lesson for me in this snorkeling experience. We just so happened to pick one of the rougher days to go out, by boat, to the reef to snorkel. The waters were white capped and very choppy. Half of the would be snorkelers backed out due to the rough sees, but not this girl...I was going in.
Above the water, the wind blew and the waves crashed and the boat rocked. But, once I stuck my mask below the water, a great sense of calm came over me. It was silent and peaceful here. The neon and brightly colored fish swam calmly between and amongst the coral outcroppings. Their color, beauty and diversity were amazing. The fan coral waved gently, beckoning me to swim closer and get a better look. Just as He is so many times, there was God - providing me with a peaceful calm amidst the swells of life. All I had to do was trust Him and dive in.
Sadly, after a week in paradise graced with hummingbirds and hibiscus, we had to begin our long journey home - back to reality. God had given us a mountaintop experience in order to help us venture back into the everyday world with a renewed awareness of his love and goodness. I am so thankful to have been blessed with the opportunity to delight in this one small piece of God's glorious creation. His creation is indeed good and so is God.
Maybe you aren't in the Caribbean islands today, but God will show you a measure of His love and care for you if you are willing to look for it. Will the rain, snow, sleet or ice dampen your day or will it help to make it a good day?
The choice is yours...wishing you a "no problem" kind of day!
In His love,
Bev
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Why I Write: One Year Anniversary
Hey Friend,
It is a day to celebrate...for it is my one year blogging anniversary! I want to say a big Thanks Y'all to those who have been with me from the beginning! You have been my steady encouragement. To everyone who has joined along the way, I am honored and humbled that you make time to read my posts!
Congratulations to Ellen B. and LaRhonda L. who won prizes in my anniversary giveaway drawing. It pays to subscribe and to comment :). Ellen won a copy of Ann Voskamp's best seller, "One Thousand Gifts - A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are". I highly recommend this great read. LaRhonda won a DaySpring mug featuring Isaiah 40:31 and a Starbuck's gift card. Thanks ladies!
At age 52, I am still pondering what I want to be when I grow up...anyone else feel like that?
I have done my stint as a professional in the business world. I also taught for several years with a break in between to concentrate on my most challenging and fulfilling role as "Mommy". A little over a year ago a complicated knee surgery sidelined me from teaching. When I literally couldn't put weight on my leg for six weeks (can you say stir crazy), I returned to my "first love" which has always been writing.
What greater topic to write about than our great God who created each of us and loves us with a love that our tiny minds cannot fathom. This God of loving-kindness has faithfully walked with me through all sorts of trials and tribulations. This blog, "Walking Well With God" is a tribute to His faithfulness and fulfilled promise to never leave nor forsake me.
I have tried my best to Keep It Real in this boat called Life that we do together. I have dared to be vulnerable with my life experiences so that we could support each other and grow together.
I guess you could say that my writing is my faith applied...lived out in order to bring glory, not to myself, but to God. I am a cracked vessel through which Christ's light shines...at least I try to be.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? (James 2:14)
As the Sunday school song favorite goes, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine." My cup overflows with God's great love for me and He has asked me to pour out His love on you. Do you know how great God's love is for you? I hope that reading some of my posts has given you an inkling!!
In 2013, my little blog through God's abundant grace, has reached almost 10,000 readers across the globe. That, my friends, is God at work!! In 2014, I have chosen the word, "Intentional" as my word for the year. It is my heart's desire to live each day with more intention and purpose - through my actions and my words.
I have a lot more words to share. Are you with me for another year? I hope so!
I'll end this post with the mediation I always pray before I press "Publish" each week:
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight O Lord. Amen.
In His love,
Bev
ps. I will be taking a two week break for my upcoming wedding and honeymoon. I invite you to catch up on my 47 other posts in my absence. You will continue to be in my prayers...
It is a day to celebrate...for it is my one year blogging anniversary! I want to say a big Thanks Y'all to those who have been with me from the beginning! You have been my steady encouragement. To everyone who has joined along the way, I am honored and humbled that you make time to read my posts!
Congratulations to Ellen B. and LaRhonda L. who won prizes in my anniversary giveaway drawing. It pays to subscribe and to comment :). Ellen won a copy of Ann Voskamp's best seller, "One Thousand Gifts - A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are". I highly recommend this great read. LaRhonda won a DaySpring mug featuring Isaiah 40:31 and a Starbuck's gift card. Thanks ladies!
At age 52, I am still pondering what I want to be when I grow up...anyone else feel like that?
I have done my stint as a professional in the business world. I also taught for several years with a break in between to concentrate on my most challenging and fulfilling role as "Mommy". A little over a year ago a complicated knee surgery sidelined me from teaching. When I literally couldn't put weight on my leg for six weeks (can you say stir crazy), I returned to my "first love" which has always been writing.
What greater topic to write about than our great God who created each of us and loves us with a love that our tiny minds cannot fathom. This God of loving-kindness has faithfully walked with me through all sorts of trials and tribulations. This blog, "Walking Well With God" is a tribute to His faithfulness and fulfilled promise to never leave nor forsake me.
I have tried my best to Keep It Real in this boat called Life that we do together. I have dared to be vulnerable with my life experiences so that we could support each other and grow together.
I guess you could say that my writing is my faith applied...lived out in order to bring glory, not to myself, but to God. I am a cracked vessel through which Christ's light shines...at least I try to be.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? (James 2:14)
As the Sunday school song favorite goes, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine." My cup overflows with God's great love for me and He has asked me to pour out His love on you. Do you know how great God's love is for you? I hope that reading some of my posts has given you an inkling!!
In 2013, my little blog through God's abundant grace, has reached almost 10,000 readers across the globe. That, my friends, is God at work!! In 2014, I have chosen the word, "Intentional" as my word for the year. It is my heart's desire to live each day with more intention and purpose - through my actions and my words.
I have a lot more words to share. Are you with me for another year? I hope so!
I'll end this post with the mediation I always pray before I press "Publish" each week:
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight O Lord. Amen.
In His love,
Bev
ps. I will be taking a two week break for my upcoming wedding and honeymoon. I invite you to catch up on my 47 other posts in my absence. You will continue to be in my prayers...
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Things I Would Have Done Differently
Hey Friend,
I'm sorry it's been a long while since I have written. I guess you could say that life has been tugging on my heart strings. You know those times...when life sometimes just gets too hard to bear. I have been having to measure out tough love to my almost twenty one year old...not an easy thing to do. Perhaps if I had practiced more on the small stuff, it would have made tough love on the big stuff easier to measure out?!
Ahh reflection. That's what we're supposed to do when we greet a new year - reflect on the past and make resolutions on how we will make changes in the new year. Perhaps I have been reflecting upon my years of child rearing and asking myself if I had it all to do over again, what would I have done differently?
The answers came all too quickly. Yes, I would have done some things differently. I think that my children exited the womb and came bursting upon the world screaming, "I want!" Not, I need, but I WANT!!!! You see I am a baby boomer parent and that means that I grew up with a healthy fear of my parents. There was a certain respect granted to our parents, teachers, and other authority figures. We had regular chores and got menial jobs when we turned sixteen and were happy for the pay that we got.
We didn't get cars on our sixteenth birthday (I felt fortunate to be able to drive the family beast of a station wagon on special occasions). I grew up in a small three bedroom house with one bathroom and when I graduated from high school, I didn't go on a trip to a foreign country. I went out to Wright's Seafood Restaurant with my family (which in those days was a big deal). In short, I had a healthy sense of gratitude which my children, and I believe other children of the baby boomer generation, do not have. In our quest to give them everything we did not have, we have deprived them of the gift of gratitude. Look at other countries with far less than what we have in the US and their level of gratitude for all of God's gifts.
I'm sure to some, I sound like an old curmudgeon. Perhaps if I had used the word "No" as an answer to the primal scream of "I Want" more often, I would have more grateful children. Maybe if instead of planning family ski vacations, I had planned more trips to the local shelter to serve meals to the homeless, there would be more hope for this next generation? Perhaps...perhaps...
I pray that God, in his goodness, will fill in the cracks where I fell short (and those are plenty). There are, I realize, some things that I would have done the same. Such as: I would be fully present with my children. I would not be consumed with technological distractions. I would often put down whatever I was doing in order to give them the gift of importance.
I would also have kept my rule of one activity per child. None of this running every night of the week to a different activity. On the days when there wasn't an activity, homework came first and then, wonder of all wonders, I shooed them outdoors to play. It's amazing the life lessons you learn in a pick up game of neighborhood roller hockey. If they got bored...all the better. Some of the world's greatest inventions came about because someone was allowed to get bored.
Most importantly, I would have definitely wielded the sword of truth - scripture. My children used to teasingly call me "Bible Lady" because I would quote scripture to them on all occasions since they were tiny. I believe there is power in the Word. We need to teach it to our children.
Teach them (God's precepts) to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, ... and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Deuteronomy 11:19)
I believe that the Word will not return void when used. We may not see the fruits of our labor right away (yes, I have a prodigal child), but I do believe that in time the truth we have impressed upon them will yield a great harvest.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
Thank you for your patience with me in my sabbatical from writing and then returning with a reflective editorial. If someone can learn from my mistakes and my victories, then let me be transparent.
More than anything, know, in 2014 that you are loved beyond all measure by the God of the universe. He has great things in store for you this year. Be open to His leading and let His light shine brightly through you.
In His love,
Bev
ps. Even though I haven't been writing lately, I still continue to pray for each and every reader of my blog in the morning and in the evening. Praying you will be blessed!
I'm sorry it's been a long while since I have written. I guess you could say that life has been tugging on my heart strings. You know those times...when life sometimes just gets too hard to bear. I have been having to measure out tough love to my almost twenty one year old...not an easy thing to do. Perhaps if I had practiced more on the small stuff, it would have made tough love on the big stuff easier to measure out?!
Ahh reflection. That's what we're supposed to do when we greet a new year - reflect on the past and make resolutions on how we will make changes in the new year. Perhaps I have been reflecting upon my years of child rearing and asking myself if I had it all to do over again, what would I have done differently?
The answers came all too quickly. Yes, I would have done some things differently. I think that my children exited the womb and came bursting upon the world screaming, "I want!" Not, I need, but I WANT!!!! You see I am a baby boomer parent and that means that I grew up with a healthy fear of my parents. There was a certain respect granted to our parents, teachers, and other authority figures. We had regular chores and got menial jobs when we turned sixteen and were happy for the pay that we got.
We didn't get cars on our sixteenth birthday (I felt fortunate to be able to drive the family beast of a station wagon on special occasions). I grew up in a small three bedroom house with one bathroom and when I graduated from high school, I didn't go on a trip to a foreign country. I went out to Wright's Seafood Restaurant with my family (which in those days was a big deal). In short, I had a healthy sense of gratitude which my children, and I believe other children of the baby boomer generation, do not have. In our quest to give them everything we did not have, we have deprived them of the gift of gratitude. Look at other countries with far less than what we have in the US and their level of gratitude for all of God's gifts.
I'm sure to some, I sound like an old curmudgeon. Perhaps if I had used the word "No" as an answer to the primal scream of "I Want" more often, I would have more grateful children. Maybe if instead of planning family ski vacations, I had planned more trips to the local shelter to serve meals to the homeless, there would be more hope for this next generation? Perhaps...perhaps...
I pray that God, in his goodness, will fill in the cracks where I fell short (and those are plenty). There are, I realize, some things that I would have done the same. Such as: I would be fully present with my children. I would not be consumed with technological distractions. I would often put down whatever I was doing in order to give them the gift of importance.
I would also have kept my rule of one activity per child. None of this running every night of the week to a different activity. On the days when there wasn't an activity, homework came first and then, wonder of all wonders, I shooed them outdoors to play. It's amazing the life lessons you learn in a pick up game of neighborhood roller hockey. If they got bored...all the better. Some of the world's greatest inventions came about because someone was allowed to get bored.
Most importantly, I would have definitely wielded the sword of truth - scripture. My children used to teasingly call me "Bible Lady" because I would quote scripture to them on all occasions since they were tiny. I believe there is power in the Word. We need to teach it to our children.
Teach them (God's precepts) to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, ... and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Deuteronomy 11:19)
I believe that the Word will not return void when used. We may not see the fruits of our labor right away (yes, I have a prodigal child), but I do believe that in time the truth we have impressed upon them will yield a great harvest.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
Thank you for your patience with me in my sabbatical from writing and then returning with a reflective editorial. If someone can learn from my mistakes and my victories, then let me be transparent.
More than anything, know, in 2014 that you are loved beyond all measure by the God of the universe. He has great things in store for you this year. Be open to His leading and let His light shine brightly through you.
In His love,
Bev
ps. Even though I haven't been writing lately, I still continue to pray for each and every reader of my blog in the morning and in the evening. Praying you will be blessed!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)