The name ‘Wendy’ is a wonderful name, isn’t it? When I think of it, I think that whomever owns such a name must be filled with beauty and grace. And that is certainly true about a friend of mine with that name. Her name is significant. She truly is a woman of beauty and grace. I’ve been fortunate enough to have known her now, for several years … and I’ve shared some common struggles and challenges too. She and her hubby have invested in my life greatly too. They see God at work and believe He can do great things. I wonder if Wendy had any idea He’d be using this ministry to do great things in her very own life!

I received an email from Wendy last week, and as the week progressed, I learned that God was taking Wendy back to her past, showing her how it’s effected her today and has begun providing much needed healing to her heart. When she read my website and learned that was exactly my ministry focus, she connected with me and made plans to attend the concert on Saturday.

It was one of those weeks for me … stress upon stress; the kind of weeks where it seems like Satan is trying everything to prevent what God wants to happen. I’m delighted to say that God’s truth and power so greatly prevailed; Wendy’s testimony and the concert to prove it!

The concert at this tiny, traditional church came; it was the 300th Anniversary of their denomination and they wanted something special, hence this concert following a pot luck dinner. So responsive, so encouraging,.. the evening flew by and I felt as though I was above the clouds. Wendy came, and apparently the tears ran frequently throughout the evening as God’s message through the words and songs seemed to reach her deeplly. Her hugs and encouragement following the concert was a joy, yet over the next few days, the letters in my email box is what told even more of the profound ways God was working so clearly in her life. Her accolades and encouragement touched my heart, yet to see first hand God’s vivid working in her life through her specific testimony is worth more than all the words one could convey. And furthermore, as God is bringing His sweet healing to her life, He’s showing her how those painful things are something He’s using to do great things in her life now and in the years to come. God is sooooooo good!

Wendy has a story … like we all do. Her story began with a not so good Once Upon A Time – one that had pain and fear. God works in ways that astound us though, bringing about His joy and hope amidst the pain. And all we have to do is be faithful to HIM, living our lives faithfully to what He puts in front of us to do. That’s what Wendy is doing, and He’s richly blessing her for it! He’s writing her Happily Ever After right before our eyes, and I must say, it’s an absolute delight to watch! Thanks for sharing your life and story with me, Wendy. God is so greatly at work in your life!

I’m learning to look at pain as a good thing, but why is pain such a difficult thing to deal with? Seriously though, today I’m talking about physical pian – when we are hurting and suffering – why is it something that we dread?

A friend of mine just asked me how I handle the pain disorder that I encounter from day to day. (For those of you who don’t know, I have Fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder that is caused from my body not getting enough REM sleep at night, therefore my connective tissues not healing from the damage done to them each day. Because of that, my muscles work extra hard, and I’m often times in GREAT pain.) Sure, I’ve got things that I’ve learned which helps me personally – diet, exercise, elilminating stress, and this amazing juice called Xango which especially helps me sleep better at night. I’m so thankful for those things that God has provided for me to help this physically hurting body. Yet one of the greatest things I’ve learned is what God has promised in His Word … ‘When we are WEAK, then He is STRONG! I can do ALL things through Christ who STRENGTHENS me.’ What God longs for is a broken and contrite heart.

The pain I feel varies from day to day. And one of the biggest things I’ve had to learn is to give myself grace on the bad days. It’s okay to not judge my ’successfulness’ on how much I check off on my ‘to do list’ on those days … rather, I take advantage of finding ways to rest and rejuvinate, my demands a little less, and I’ve noticed that it’s in those days that God tends to encourage me, speak to me all the more, and equip me for the good days I have. And my attitude is something I have to revisit on those bad days. When I hurt, it helps me to recall all that God has done in the past, all that He is doing now, and all that He can do as I walk this journey in faith, one moment at a time.

So, I’m learning to look at this pain as somewhat of a treasure. As I consciously trust God to use me as I’m hurting, He does! He shows up and it’s more rewarding and effective than on those days when I’m feeling 100%. Pain can be a treasure … if I choose to look at it in that way.

Why do we doubt God’s ability to work powerfully when we’re not ‘at our best’? Doesn’t His Word remind us that His strength is made PERFECT in our weakness? I share about that when it comes to Jesus healing our wounds from the past in each concert, yet it really read my story this weekend as I tackled two engagements – Indian Head Church of God, Saturday night and First Church of the Brethren, Sunday morning – with a cold I thought I was keeping at bay. Moments before I was to take the mic at each church, the cold was reminding me that it was still present and fears tried to flood the scene and prevent me from resting in the Lord. When the music began, when I grabbed the mike from behind the mic stand and after encountering the the ivories, I had to put my trust in God all the more because all eyes (and ears) were on me! This was a privellage and a position which God ordained for that moment … and in my weakness, God was strong.

God is always at work around us, in the day to day … my question to you today is, are you standing in the way by being distracted by your weaknesses, or are YOU allowing Him to show himself strong through it all?

I received an email today from a friend who is longing to leave this troublesome and messed up world we call ‘home’. Travis’ face in this picture I took last summer, communicates how my heart is feeling today too. Sad, perplexed, weary, overwhelmed, contemplative and even possibly troubled. It’s been an overwhelming month, as you may know, with unwelcoming circumstances flying at us right and left, trying times beyond our means of controlling. And even now, I sit here and type this with a cold – not good when you have a concert Saturday night and another singing engagement Sunday morning! But aside from the mundane, I heard from a Pastor yesterday who lost 9 members of his church family in a tragic fire this past week. I think that would be classified as ‘troubling’. It’s a church where I’m planning on ministering later this month. The pain and grief this community must be in is hard to fully grasp, as my heart is very heavy at just the thought of this happening. I sit here … I ponder … I pray. I rest in the comforting fact that God won’t allow Satan to throw anything at us that He doesn’t first give him permission to do so. My finite mind often has a hard time understanding why God even allows it, yet I know it’s necessary. And I realize that my God doesn’t want to harm us, He is with us and able to do more than we can even fathom through us as we cling to Him in all of this. But my feelings indicate that, yes, these are troubled times. A good thing to be reminded of, I guess. If I feel like this now, and I know Jesus, … what about all those people who don’t have the hope of Jesus to cling to? What about the emptiness and sadness they must feel. That compels me to act on the Word of God – on the truth that I know during these troubling times. Jesus says, “In this would, you will face trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world!” While these troubling times surround me … while I even feel the troublesome effect on my weary heart, mind and body, I will cling to the Truth and the Hope I have in my Savior. And I will pray for the troubled ones whom God can use me to impact for Him. I will be reminded that He is still on the throne and in control, regardless of how things may seem. The surprise of hearing the ‘Idol Gives Back’ show last night closing with the song ‘Shout to the Lord’, reminds me that God is moving, although sometimes it seems very mysterious and even when we feel troubled.

Travis and I had the special honor of being part of a Benefit Concert this past Friday night held at the United Methodist Church in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. As the evening’s Emcee, Travis made those in attendance comfortable by telling a few jokes, impersonating Ryan Seacrest (ha!), and focusing all on what was at hand. I sung and played a few of my concert songs to encourage and edify those who listened so intently. We had such a great time!

This Benefit Concert was to raise money to build a building for a congregation in the Philippines to meet in. This church is finding it difficult to meet outdoors in the extreme heat (during the dry season) and constant rain (when it’s the wet season). The pastor, who begun this church years ago, came and in the best English possible, spoke with Travis and I about this church in the Philippines before the concert began. There was a great need. This was a special task at hand.

The night was long, filled with worship, laughs, and enjoyable entertainment. I can whole heartedly say that the mission was greatly accomplished. An amazing amount of $3,415 was raised from the 50-60 people in attendance! Yes, God is good! 

We are thanking God with Bennie and Christine!