Nothing like a Carolina Sky
Currently, I am teaching a neighborhood Bible study by John Eldredge titled “Get Your Life Back” and last night’s session reminded me of the amazing wonders that God has created. How many times do you see things in nature; the running water in a meandering stream, a beautiful sunrise with the burst of colors, a deer walking in the woods at dusk, an eagle soaring in the sky, and never really see them? How many hours do we spend in the day scrolling through countless social media reels or watching mindless TV. Can you imagine if you spent just a portion of that time not just glancing at the beauty God created, but actually receiving this gift? None of what God created is happenstance, it was created in perfect harmony and with intent. He created the plants and trees to give us life-giving air, the rain to pour from the sky to provide us the water for all the living creatures to include the plants that provide our air.
The Lord will be with you wherever you go
I have served in the military for over 30 years. Throughout those years, I have traveled the world, experienced more than I ever expected, and worked with amazing people that have resulted in lifelong friendships. In all that time, I have been part of deployment ceremonies as a soldier and a spouse. I have attended countless deployment ceremonies and, regardless of the size of the unit or the mission of the deployment, each one brings me back to each of those ceremonies that I participated in as a soldier and a spouse. My husband’s first deployment after 9/11 occurred in 2003. I can still recall sitting in those stands numb to the hundreds of people in attendance. The only thought that continued to race through my mind was “what if”. What if he didn’t make it home? What if this was not just a see you soon hug, but a final goodbye?
We thrive in crisis
I am blessed to both work for one of the largest utility companies in the nation as well as serve in the military. In both these roles, when natural disaster crises arise, we are often at the forefront. I get to be a part of amazing teams that step outside of their day to day roles and orchestrate the most complex of responses while keeping our communities calm in the storms. Today, as I traveled from site to site, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride at my teammates, many of whom had to leave their homes to ensure the safety and well being of the greater community. They are the humble servants that give of themselves so others will have power, clear transportation routes, necessary supplies, and be comforted in the warmth of their homes.
God is the light of the world
I am sure some of you started the New Year with the goal of reading the Bible in a year. In previous years, when I had this goal I would listen to the audio version of the Bible while I walked or completed other tasks. Last year, I decided to spend more intentional time in reading the Bible so I would sit, and read, and meditate on what I read. I immediately noticed a difference as I read that “the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep” (Genesis 1:1-2, NIV). The next verse states that “God said, “Let there be light", and there was light” (Genesis 1:3, NIV). The world went from being formless and empty to being filled with light-can you imagine that moment?
Where do you turn when you are lost?
Not once, but multiple times today I heard a simple question…What do you do when you are afraid or close to losing hope? What do you do when you are lost? I shared where I too had felt lost or without hope and that I had to turn it over to God. I didn’t do it out of reverence or belief, I did it out of desperation and having no other hope. In that moment and the moments that would follow in my life, I saw God active in my life. The answer or direction may not have been what I expected, but it was and always has been God’s perfect plan.
Run the mile you are in
I am not a fan of running. Let me clarify, I sprinted on my high school track team because I needed a sport to get into West Point and no one would describe me as coordinated! I am not a fan of running long distance (anything more than 1/4 way around a track!) My husband, on the other hand, loves to run. So, running in races became part of our family bonding. I used to say I am not a runner, but a racer. I would sign up for a race with the best of intentions to train and would catch myself on a treadmill the Monday before a race, in my typical procrastination form, trying to cram in a one hour run before a ten mile race that weekend…never a good training plan.
Forgiveness, never easy but a must do
I love teaching Max Lucado’s Bible studies and have recently started listening to his daily devotional. As I was catching up on some of the older ones, the one titled “The Call to Forgive” described forgiveness in such a powerful way. In John 13, Jesus washes the feet of His disciples, all of His disciples including Judas. He knew that Judas would betray Him, yet He did not hesitate to wash his feet just as he did all the other disciples. Wow-how is that as an example of forgiveness? He knowingly washed the feet of the man that would lead Him to suffer and be crucified. Who are we to question the call to forgive when that is the example that has been set? What wrongs could be done to us that are any greater than that?
Who doesn’t love Isaiah?!?
This past session, we studied the widow that gave her last two coins. We shared stories of not having much but finding ways to tithe in spite of not being sure when or where the next paycheck would come. The part that resonated with me most, was that in spite of how little she had, or how much she had lost, she still came to Temple, she still remained faithful and THANKFUL. Wow! I know there have been plenty of times in my life where I am not sure my first thought would have been how I can give back to God or how could I show my thanks.
Not a chance meeting
It never fails to awe me when I see God working in our lives. This week was another one of those moments, just not for me. Like many around us, the New Year always leads to a refocus on physical goals and activities. Rob and I had a head start and started down this journey prior to our Mt. Kilimanjaro hike, but he decided he wanted to start F3 again. F3 is a men’s group focused on Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith that launched in Charlotte, NC. He reached out to a dear friend and fellow F3 member that, through Rob’s hike on the Appalachian Trail and recent adventures, he had not spoken to in quite awhile. He contacted him to re-engage with F3, but the results of that “chance meeting” for coffee was so much greater than a morning workout.
The love of a parent
A parent never wants to see their child in pain. They would do anything they possibly could to prevent their suffering including taking the pain on themselves. That is what a parent would do if they could, but we can’t. The fact is, we will never be able to protect our children from feeling pain. We can never shield them from the hardships of life and the struggles they will encounter on their journey. We can’t control every aspect of their lives in hopes that we will make everything perfect and no harm will come to them…As I reflected on the day today, I became more and more grateful that God is our Father.