A solitary place to pray
During one of Rob’s deployments, I found this amazing little mountain house that was built in the 1920s. It was a home that I dreamed of as a kid. She had good bones and I imagined all the memories created there through all the years. It was a two story white farmhouse with a front porch that faced the road. It sat on over 20 acres of land and had a creek running down the middle of the property. The minute we drove up to the property, I knew this would be our home. It was a solitary place, you had to drive over 30 minutes to the nearest grocery store (that has its own challenges when a dog steals your Thanksgiving turkey-story for another day!) To anyone else, it looked like an old farmhouse in the woods. To me, it was peace.
God wants a personal relationship with you
So many moments to share today! Someone asked me if God is more active now than in the past or if I am seeing God in more things now that I have a relationship with God. I personally think the answer is yes to both. Everyday I find more and more people that are open about their faith and willing to talk openly where many used to be cautious. I also see God at work in ways that I overlooked in the past. I had a couple of those moments today. It was a hectic day- it started early and I had to travel for work which always puts an additional stress on the day. When I landed at the airport, my stress level was high as I was trying to figure out where I was going for my first meeting realizing I was already late. As I loaded the vehicle and turned on the car-remember, I was late before I started and had to exchange vehicles, praise music began to fill the vehicle. I just smiled and whispered a thank you God for reminding me that He was there. Godwink.
Godwinks everywhere
Sometimes we overlook the small things, the things that seem insignificant. Today was a day of a lot of small things that continued to remind me how God is always there. These small moments remind me that nothing is coincidence as I stand in awe of God’s miraculous creation of this perfect harmony that we call life. Each instrument playing its individual part and coming together to create music that could never be created on its own. “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or auhtorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17, NIV)
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable
I recently heard these words from a senior leader in my civilian job. The timing of these words didn’t feel coincidental as my transition to a new role was announced that same week. In less than five days, I would be leaving a role where I served for greater than five years. My children became teenagers in this role. I watched teammates go from individual contributors to leaders and mentors to those that stood in the shoes they once filled. I remembered when I took the role wondering what in the world someone was thinking when they put me in as the lead of a Fleet organization. And here we are, five years later, feeling like I am leaving home and a family forged through trials, tribulations, and celebrations. I sat in the audience of hundreds feeling like the message was meant just for me…get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Go be a witness
I think one of my favorite outcomes from this blog has been how many people reach out and share their Godwinks and stories of their own faith journeys. When I started writing this blog, I knew it was for a greater purpose than for me to see my words in print. I felt God calling me to share and in doing so, to encourage others to share. I have reminded us to be bold in our faith, that now is not a time to sit in the shadows. In the Book of Acts, Christians are reminded that the power they will receive from their faith is not for their own purpose, but for the purpose of being a witness to others, to spread God’s word. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NIV). In the past week, I have heard and seen the boldness of faith and many that have become witnesses to others.
Some days, I’m just tired
I don’t know about you, but some days I just feel tired. These last few weeks have been full speed ahead in all things. We have been in the midst of winter storms which requires me to be engaged both with civilian job and the military and that also means our girls are usually staying home from school. On top of all that, I am in the middle of a transition with my civilian employer since I was recently identified for a new role that is a significant change from my last. . Just a normal day, right? I get asked all the time how I do it all and the simple answer is, I do not. Through the years I have come up with a few simple steps that help me find balance in this chaotic world, accomplish what;s important, and not burn out. Today, I am going to share the one I used to help me make it through the day…even if all I wanted to do was take a nap! (Sign up for my free guide on my web page to receive the reaming tips!)
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?