Weebles Wobble

By Elaine James –

“…but they won’t fall down.” My friend pointed that out to me as I was describing to her my full calendar. I was upright with regular routines, but quite wobbly with new obligations and commitments. After her comment, I Googled the ‘Weebles’ to realize I was, indeed, looking like the Wobblin’ mom these days. I looked at the schedule and couldn’t imagine getting everything done and keeping my family sane.

Am I the only person in the world to have this problem?

Thankfully, God reminded me of the days when I spent lots of time with Him learning how important to put Him first. He trained me to put family next and to take one day at a time, being careful to say “no” to things that would distract me. I had to stop meddling in other people’s business and stop worrying about how they did things. Each day I prayerfully stay focused making sure not to neglect my time with the author and perfecter of my faith.

We can start a Weebler club. You may find the club members to have financial troubles, lack of job security, troubled friendships, schedule changes or an illness. Our mission would be to acknowledge God’s presence and His willingness to be faithful. He wants to be there for you. Do you believe it?

Even if an earthquake comes; our gravitational force (God) brings us Weeblers back into an upright position. Join with me and make are club motto “We know we will wobble, but with Christ we won’t fall down.”

PRAYER: Be my ever present guide. When I think I will fall help me to be reminded You designed me to not fall. You are there for me.

‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the LORD, who has compassion on you” (Isaiah 54:10 NIV).

Skywriters

By Cheri Cowell –

I have always enjoyed watching skywriting planes. How many of us have stopped in the middle of an important errand to watch one of these planes in action? We are in awe of the skill the pilot must have, and admire the years of training this must take. We are curious as to how this is done and what kind of person would go into this type of a job. But most of all, we just want to know what the sky-writer is going to say. Is it an advertisement, a political comment, or possibly a proposal? We want to know, so we stand there with our eyes squinting to block out the sun, staring into the sky waiting for the plane to write enough of the letters that we can figure it out.

The Pharisees were looking for a sign from heaven to tell them that this man, Jesus, was really the Messiah. The problem was that all the letters had been spelled out for them and they still didn’t get it.

Jesus had just performed one of his greatest miracles, the feeding of the five thousand. I love Jesus’ response to the Pharisees’ request: He sighed deeply. You can just imagine how dumbfounded He must have been at their lack of vision. His rhetorical question is one that still applies to our generation as well. How many of us want a sign from God before we will fully surrender? How many of us are still staring into the sky long after all of the letters J – E – S – U – S – has been spelled out?

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for giving me eyes to see You in ways that are difficult for others. Forgive me for sometimes needing more before I am willing to take steps of faith. Help me see more fully the ways in which You are writing in my life.

“The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side” (Mark 8:11-13 NIV).

You are God’s Passion

By Jodi Whisenhunt –

Three teen girls giggled late into the eve of youth camp. They talked of hairstyles and makeup, fashion trends and boys. Ah yes, boys! Carly already had a boyfriend and Cyndi was shy, so the question hanging in the air alighted upon Me.

“So who do you like?”

Without hesitation, “Richard Whisenhunt,” escaped my lips. We didn’t know each other well. In fact, he was more a friend of my brother’s than of mine, but an overwhelming peace sifted through my entire being that assured me he was It. I knew in that moment Richard would be my life mate, and the spark of passion ignited.

Twenty-seven years have passed since that night, and as you can guess from my last name, I married Richard Whisenhunt. When my husband is passionate about something, he becomes almost obsessive. Take for instance, cycling.

Inspired by Lance Armstrong’s seventh Tour de France victory, Richard began road bicycling. Let me tell you that’s a world of its own, and Richard dove right in. Through trial and error, he learned proper riding techniques, assembled top performance components, and learned necessary maintenance workings. He rode with experienced riders, studied online and print tips, and asked lots of questions. Oh yeah, and he rode (and still rides) an average of two hours a day, trekking thirty to forty miles or more each ride. Occasionally, he participates in pay or charity rides, and recently he took up racing. Riding is Richard’s passion. Through dedication to the sport, he has become confident and masterful.

For nearly nineteen years, without hesitation, I have been honored to say, “I am Richard Whisenhunt’s wife.” An overwhelming peace still permeates my soul in knowing he is It. I’m awed by my husband’s commitment and I’m inspired by his passion. But even his devotion does not compare to that of our Lord!

Did you know that you are God’s passion? It is His great desire that none should be lost; that all should be saved by His grace. He knows you inside and out. In fact, He knew you before you were born (Jeremiah 1:5)! He searches your heart. He studies you. He sees when you sit and when you rise. He perceives your thoughts. He knows your comings and goings. And He is there with you wherever you go. The depths cannot separate you; darkness cannot hide you (Psalm 139). He rejoices over you with gladness and singing (Zephaniah 3:17). As my friend Gina told me, He is crazy for you!

I am no longer a giggling teenager, but I do get giddy when I think of how God loves me. A few days ago, I awoke from a restless night with Matthew West’s “More” running through my head. What peace overcame me to know my Father loves me more than the sun and the stars that He taught how to shine, that I am His, and I shine for Him too. He loves me more yesterday and today and tomorrow. I am His passion! And so are you.

Next time you dive full-force into a project, assignment or hobby and you feel the drive and the desire ignite, be awed by the Lord’s commitment and inspired by His passion…for you. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1).

The Hope of Heaven

By Carin LeRoy –

Yesterday while driving home from running a few errands, I noticed the bad condition of the road. As I drove over potholes and patched sections, I saw its ugliness. Unsightly orange cones lined one section where road repair happened. Litter cluttered the side. My thoughts turned to what heaven’s road will look like. They sure won’t look like the scene I saw.

When scripture speaks of the New Jerusalem it says, “The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass, (Revelation 21:21 NIV). While we pave our streets with black tarmac, heaven has streets of pure gold. Earlier in the chapter, it speaks of the foundation of the city walls. There are twelve layers, each with a different precious stone – jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, carnelion, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst. The twelve gates in the city are each made with a single pearl. That’s hard for me to imagine, but how beautiful that must look!

As we go through life in a fallen world with sin, sickness and pain, heaven is our hope. Not only because of its beauty, but because it is where we will spend eternity with Christ and where life’s struggles will end. I’m sure when we get to Heaven, the joys we experience will far outweigh the burdens of earthly life.

So when life gets you down, remember that Heaven awaits!

PRAYER: Lord, thank You that I have the hope of Heaven. Someday, when life’s struggles are over, thank You that I will get to enjoy the great wonders of Heaven and an eternal life with You.

QUOTE: “If you’re a Christian suffering with great pains and losses, Jesus says, “Be of good cheer,” (John 16:33 NIV). The new house is nearly ready for you. Moving day is coming. The dark winter is about to be magically transformed into spring. One day soon you will be home–for the first time. Until then, I encourage you to meditate on the Bible’s truths about Heaven. May your imagination soar and your heart rejoice,” Randy Alcorn, from Heaven.

Seeing Beyond Sight

By Peter Lundell –

How can you see better after going blind?

Janet Perez Eckles has. She’s one of the most cheerful and enthusiastic people I’ve ever met. I got to know her at a writer’s conference, and afterward I waited with her at the airport until her husband came. Were they ever in love! She’s a constant inspiration.

At age 31 Janet lost her eyesight to Retinitis Pigmentosa, a hereditary disease that deteriorates the retina.

“I used to be a run-of-the-mill chica,” she says. “After going blind, I’ve gained insight about life, depth as a person, and I’m living with purpose.”

She’s obviously not glad she went blind, but through her faith in Christ, she has learned to see life better now than she did when she had physical sight. She naturally went through a period of despair and struggle. But she didn’t stay there. She knew she had to make a decision about how she would live. This is her key: “I’m able to find joy in the darkness.”

Where Janet lacks physical sight, she’s learned to discern unseen things more than most of us who see. She puts it this way, “I’ve learned to see beyond eyesight. God showed me that my blindness is a tool in his hands to show me how to help others see the best in life.”

She writes books and travels nationally and internationally as an inspirational speaker—alone with her cane. And she doesn’t seem to have time or interest to think about her handicap, because she’s so concerned about other people.

We all make choices about what we see and believe. Those choices determine everything else in our lives. What choices have you made—or could you make—to take a bad thing and grow something good?

PRAYER: Lord, take me beyond complaining about the bad things in my life. Whatever my personality may be, and I may not be like Janet, but I can turn to you and rise up and choose to see troubles differently. Open my eyes to do that. Lead me to take what is bad and from it grow something good, something wonderful.

“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 NIV).

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