by wendy | Nov 11, 2021 | Lifestyle Encouragement
Did I ever tell you that I once prayed for adventure? It was during a time when I was feeling lost, abandoned, and like I was missing out on life. I had already cried all of my tears, prayed my heart out, and slept a lot of my days away, when I began to yearn to live again. I craved adventure and so I asked for it. Do you know what happened? God gave me Jerry Custer!
This man has been an adventure since the moment I laid eyes on him! He keeps my life interesting and things around here are never dull. This farm, the animals, our family, our friends, our life – even a trip to Walmart is interesting with him! One of the first things I loved about Jerry was the way he made me laugh, and he is still cracking me up today!
Today is Jerry’s birthday, and while we don’t have any special plans – I might not even get to see him today đ – I am celebrating him. This man makes all my dreams come true. Jerry believes in me, loves me, shares his dreams with me, and tolerates my craziness every day. While he is not perfect, he is perfect for me.
Happy Birthday baby! Here is to a lifetime of adventure!
by wendy | Nov 11, 2021 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Encouragement from the Word, Godly Relationships, Lifestyle Encouragement
We stopped by Walmart on the way home from church today and it was teeming with people! Thankfully, we weren’t in a hurry because we had the chance to visit with several of our friends and neighbors. Shortly after grabbing the first few items on our list I bumped into Ms. Sally from our church. “I just cannot find the crackers,” she mused.
“They are on the aisle labeled snacks,” I responded – and then just to make sure, I walked there with her. As soon as we rounded aisle 7, I could clearly see there were no crackers. I was standing there confused when another friend, Cheryl, walked by. “Where did the crackers go?” I inquired. “I was sure they were here.”
“They have been moved to the back where the drinks are,” she informed us. Ms. Sally wheeled off in search of her crackers. After a few moments she returned to report that she had found them.
Meanwhile, we stood and chatted with Cheryl and her husband. It was a great conversation, animated with sharing of family news and concerns for those in our community. I stood talking with my arms full of bread and soup and spaghetti sauce. In the midst of the conversation, a man excused himself as he interrupted. “Where did you find the bread?” he asked. He gestured to his family following him, “we are not from here and we don’t know where to find the bread.”
I smiled and gave directions, pointing with my free hand in the direction of the bread aisle. As I often do, (maybe it comes from years of teaching distracted teens) I repeated the directions to be sure I was clear. He and his wife expressed their gratitude and headed off to find the bread.
We continued in conversation, but after only a few moments, a former student, Eric, tapped me on the shoulder. “Since you are giving out directions,” he quipped, “can you help me find this?” He held out his cell phone to show me a photo of chicken bouillon.
“That is on the soup aisle,” I explained. I glanced at his expression and then lead him down the soup aisle. “Here is what you’re looking for,” I smiled as I handed him the jar. Returning back to my group I joked, “I guess I am the traffic director today!” Inside I thought, “hmmm – we have a theme!”
All around us people are looking for direction. I feel so blessed when I can point someone the right way. Whether it is where to find the bread, how to deal with their child’s addiction, or where to look in the Bible for words of hope, giving direction is one of the most honorable jobs. It implies that someone views me as approachable and available, they recognize my wisdom or knowledge, and they trust me to help them get there.
If we want to help with those searching for the right way, we must be approachable and available. Two of my encounters today came while I was in the midst of conversation. It wasn’t that I was not busy, but I had a smile on my face and I made eye contact with people as they walked by. If I wear an expression that says, “Don’t bother me!” then likely people won’t. I like to be interrupted – I want to be asked – I love to engage with people. I didn’t stand in the middle of the store with a sign that said, “Ask me!” But then again, I really did!
We must first know how to get there ourselves if we want to direct others. If we don’t know the way, we must simply ask someone who does. I don’t always know the answer, but I can usually find someone who knows. Part of being in the position to help is being willing to admit that I don’t have all of the answers! I knew where the crackers used to be, but it wasn’t hard to locate someone who was more familiar with the changes. Ms. Sally might not have asked Cheryl because she didn’t know her. I was simply the connector. Wisdom and knowledge is helpful, but true wisdom has as much of a desire to find the truth as it does to know the truth!
Finally, sometimes giving direction is not enough. Often, we need to walk along with someone until they reach their destination. People don’t always recognize what they need until it is taken from the shelf and placed in their hand. Something familiar and commonplace to me can seem foreign and out of reach for another. When asked, I must be willing to point the way and then lead the way.
I didn’t solve the problems of the world today, but the crackers, the bread, and bouillon were all found. I left Walmart with the items I came for and a sense of purpose. I am a traffic director – can I help you find your way?
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
by wendy | Nov 11, 2021 | Lifestyle Encouragement
This photo popped up on my feed today as a memory from one year ago. This is one of my favorite picture of my four kids. It brings a bevy of emotions, but today it made me think of all the things you don’t see when you look at this picture.
Right away, I noticed how much my kids have grown since this was taken – in more ways than one! I love that they are dressed up and look nice. I love how close they are standing and that they look like kids that like each other. I love that, in general, they appear to be happy, healthy, kids on a snowy afternoon. But here is what you don’t see in this picture …
This picture was taken outside of their grandmother’s house on the way to bury her. One of these kids was suffering with extreme anxiety, depression, and a drug addiction. We didn’t make it through the day without a meltdown. One of these kids despises getting his picture taken. One really wants to hug his brother but isn’t allowed. Three are just happy there is no drama going on in this moment.
I would be willing to bet you didn’t see all of that. While a picture is worth 1000 words – it can also hold a lot of secrets. You may wonder why I even like this picture when I clearly know the back story. I suppose it is because it was one bright spot in a day full of other emotions. It was a moment when my broken family was whole and happy. It was a moment when things seemed good.
But this picture also serves as a reminder of several things. It reminds of me that we stood in line for hours on end while people filed through to share wonderful stories of how my mother-in-law had blessed their life. It reminds me that even when we were struggling through a difficult time, we came together as a family. It reminds me that, even though that was a dark and frightening period, we are now in a joyous place of healing and recovery!
I can look at this photo with all of its secrets and tell you the happy news of today. Yes, my kids are now bigger and taller, but they have grown in so many other ways. Our son is now recovering from his addiction as well as his depression and anxiety. We have had frequent family time with no meltdowns or drama, and he even lets his brother hug him now. Actually, I would say that our whole family is closer than ever before. I have seen a confidence develop in each one of these kids over the last year. I am so proud of all of them!
by wendy | Nov 11, 2021 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Encouragement from the Word, Lifestyle Encouragement, Trusting God
Animals are funny creatures!  They tend to be fairly self-sufficient, but occasionally we do have to step in to help them out.  When our goats are growing their horns, they reach a particular point where they can push through the fence to eat the grass on the other side (an entirely different story!), but when they decide to pull their heads back through they are stuck!  The frantic goat will pull and pull and cry loudly until we come over to help them.  Most of the time, when we take hold of the horns to help the poor thing navigate back through the fence, the goat will push against us and refuse to cooperate!  Neighbors may hear me yelling, “You silly goat, I am trying to help you!”
Just the other day, one of the newborn piglets wriggled its way through the rails of the birthing stall into another part of the barn.  The mother had no way to rescue the little stray and it was squealing in frustration as it was separated from its litter mates.  I ran around to the back of the barn and picked up the piglet to return it to its mother.  That piglet squealed
 like a “stuck pig” all the way around the pasture.  Both of our sows were snorting at me and Gertrude, the lost piglet’s mother, looked as if she wanted to come through the fence to charge me.  She grunted furiously as I slipped her piglet in through fence so she could nose it into the barn with the rest of the litter.  As I tossed the piglet in and retreated quickly, I snapped at Gertrude, “Don’t you know I am just trying to help you?”
The very same afternoon, I let the chickens out of the run to peck around the yard. Â Several of the nosey hens made a beeline for
 Roadrunner, our mama hen that had just hatched 5 little chicks.  Immediately, she puffed up and started going after every chicken that dared move within a 5 foot radius of her precious little ones.  I quickly began to gather up her chicks as they darted to get away from the mayhem.  Roadrunner, spying me scooping up her offspring, came after me!  Thankfully, I was able to capture all 5 chicks and move them safely to a coop where she joined them.  Through the wire of the coop door I fussed at Roadrunner, “I was trying to help you, crazy mama!”
This morning, as I desperately tried to think of a way to “rescue” one of my own children, God made those words I have been uttering to my animals ring out loud and clear in my heart. Â I have been struggling, wrestling, and pushing against Him as I feel
 helpless in the situation.  My child is out of my reach and in harm’s way, yet I am powerless to assist.  I want to fix it – I want to help – I want to protect – and in that desire, I rail against the one who truly has the ability to rescue.  Oh, that I could just get out of the way!  It is the kindness of God that He has shown me, through my own ability to rescue my animals in sticky situations, that where I am unable – He is able!  I choose to trust Him, knowing that He loves my child infinitely more than even I can.  In that love, I find my hope.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Â Psalm 46:1
by wendy | Nov 11, 2021 | Direction, Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Encouragement from the Word, Lifestyle Encouragement
On the first day of the year, I was determined to clean out the deepest, darkest place in our home – our bedroom closet – or so I thought. It turned out that God would show us that we had deeper and darker places that needed our attention. Isnât it just like God to use those revelations to teach us to draw closer to Him?
I started out the day with a warm shower and a hopeful motivation. I was feeling inspired to get rid of the clutter in our overstuffed closet and the driving force was the desire to find my missing slipper. I coaxed Jerry into joining me in the project and we managed to remove 4 trash bags of clothes and shoes that were headed for donation, as well as another bag that landed in the garbage. We swept away the dust that had been hiding under that clutter and found more than just the missing slipper. We felt accomplished and Jerry headed off to the shower, returning shortly to question me about why there was no water pressure.
The day quickly turned from a hopeful motivation to a desperate searching. Jerry became tense and sullen. He tested the electrical connection and found that, though power was flowing to the wire, the well pump was not working. We stood at the top of the well and looked into the hole wondering, what are we getting ourselves into? Jerry searched the Internet for answers, phoned a friend or two, and we rode silently to the home improvement store to purchase a new well pump – a big expense that wasnât in our post-holiday budget. As we arrived at the store I asked my normally confident husband, âAre you okay?â
He surprised me with a short, âNo.â
While Jerry was perusing the well pumps and scouting for the necessary tools, I wandered around the appliance section and gave him some thinking space. I sensed that this project was leaving him stumped and concerned about the expense of calling a professional. I knew he was feeling helpless and I was completely powerless to assist. âLord,â I prayed, âPlease give Jerry wisdom – and some help.â
I meandered back to the plumbing department but my husband was no longer there. I tried calling him but he didnât answer. Finally, I located him and he was talking to someone on the phone. âWe may not need to buy a well pump,â Jerry explained, âDwayne is coming over to help.â
On the way home, I discovered that Jerry had suddenly thought to call our contractor friend to ask his opinion. It âjust so happenedâ that Dwayne and his wife had experience with well pumps and they had the tools to do the job! When they arrived, It took 5 of us to pull the well pump 350 feet out of the hole! The guys were able to find a severed wire that had caused our pump to stop working. They patched the wire, secured it to reduce the possibility of that happening again, lowered our well pump into the ground, and we had water!
Later that evening, I asked Jerry, âWhat was going through your head when you said you were not okay?â
âI didnât know how to fix the problem,â he confessed.
I often brag about my husband that he can fix anything. The truth is – while he is very good at repairing many things – he canât fix everything. My faithful man had forgotten for a brief moment that Godâs strength is made perfect in our weakness, and his lesson taught me just as much. When we rely on ourselves for knowledge and wisdom we will come to the end of ourselves. But when we rely on God, the author of wisdom, we will never reach the end.
Jerry and I thought that clearing clutter and dissipating dust would bring light to our deepest, darkest places, and while those were good aspirations, they merely scratched the surface. God desires to do more in our lives than clearing the clutter. He wants to reach into the depths of our hearts and pull out the frayed cords that are shorting out the lifeblood of our souls. Whatever it is that is holding you back from a complete trust in God – fear, pain, unforgiveness, bitterness – God wants to pull it up, bring it into the light, and mend it. He longs to be source of everything you need – your strength, your wisdom, your savior.
Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgements, and His paths beyond tracing out. Who has known the mindset of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.
Romans 11:33-36
by wendy | Jul 29, 2021 | BarnaBus - Scattering Seeds of Encouragement, Direction, Trusting God
âAnd my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.â
Philippians 4:19
Jerry and I are converting a school bus into a tiny home on wheels! This isnât a new thing in our lives – we have been researching and planning for over a year and we actually began the conversion process several months ago – but we only recently began to share the process. The response from friends and family has been wildly mixed – some think we have lost our minds and others are living their dreams out vicariously through our adventure. And an adventure it is! This project is unique, difficult, frustrating, and exciting all in one. But the best part of the story for us is that we believe we are following Godâs plan for our lives in this season and we love watching Him at work.
Building a bus requires planning ahead and thinking through each step in advance. Even though we are nowhere near ready to build the bathroom, we realized that we needed to know what size shower we would use before building anything else. The drain has to work around the wheel wells and fuel tank, so the placement of the shower base determines everything else in the bus. We have been discussing all kinds of solutions, but they are expensive and will still need to be modified to fit into a bus!
Yesterday, we set out to visit a truck salvage yard in search of a seat for the passenger (another thing that will determine placement of other things!) Unfortunately, the salvage yard didnât have what we needed, so we decided to make use of the trip by checking out the Habitat Restore. It was near closing time, but we quickly browsed the store and a young man that worked there asked if we needed help. We explained that we were looking for shower stalls and he directed us out back to see what was in stock. It only took a moment to realize that all of their shower stalls were too large for the bus, so we made our way back in. He checked on us again and asked if we found what we needed. As we described our bus project, he immediately agreed that they had nothing that would fit.
Jerry and I continued to browse – we are looking for lots of things right now – and suddenly the young man reappeared with a bewildered expression.
âAre you faithful people?â He asked. âDo you pray? Who is this bus for?â
We werenât quite sure what this kid was asking, but Jerry replied, âYes we pray.â
âThe bus is for us,â I answered, âBut we are hoping it will include a ministry, so I guess it is for God too! Why?â
The boy still looked incredulous. âBecause a man just pulled up out back and he is donating a shower the exact size you are looking for!â
Jerry and I chuckled and followed him out back to check out our new shower. We are always in awe of Godâs provision – but not surprised. He has a way of showing up at just the right time. We were blessed by the shower – but the best part of the whole experience was watching the faith of the young man that discovered it for us! As he helped us load the shower into our car (remember we werenât expecting to buy a shower stall that day!) I reminded him that if God provided the shower then He would certainly make a way for it to fit – and it did!
In my Instagram post, I noted that we must be building the bus for God – or maybe He is building the bus for us – but I truly believe He is building this bus for His work and for HIs glory. We just get the privilege of participating!
âAnd we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him who have been called according to His purpose.â
Romans 8:28
