Kathy Weckwerth

Everyday Encouragement

By: Kathy A. Weckwerth

Looking Back for God Moments

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As each year is ushered out with the ringing in of the New Year, I take time to contemplate on life … my life, my job, my family, my friends, and God’s goodness.

I look back at the months and ask myself …  where did God meet me?

Did I find Him in moments of joy as I looked into the eyes of my grandchildren? Was He there in conversations with guests on my radio show?  Did I see Him in the tears of women who attended our Best Life conferences?  Or was I aware of His presence in the everyday world here at the farm?

Over the course of my life, I have found it important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.  When I am focused in on myself and my failures, or worse yet, my disappointments in what has occurred or even in others, I only see a miniscule section of a very big picture.  So often, I find myself feeling alone.

But I have trained myself to step back now and look for God.  I look for God in the big moments, when He is found clearly in directing my steps.  I look for Him in my dark moments when I feel His presence in my soul.  I wait for Him in the blurry moments when I don’t know what to do.

But mostly what I have found over this past year of 2016, is that when I seek God for everything … I see Him in everything.

What about you?  Have you taken time to reflect on the goodness of God over this past year?  It’s time to look back and see where God showed up, where He met you and where you truly sought His presence.

Let’s declare that 2017 will be a great year.  Let’s work at becoming our best version of ourselves!

I Chron. 22:19, “Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God. “

The Peace of Christmas

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When I get to the Christmas season, I begin to do some comparison shopping.  No, I don’t mean the kind where I’m looking to see if Target has a better sale than Walmart.  I mean, the kind where I look to see … how is everyone else handling things?

How are my relatives, friends, co-workers handling the pressures of the season?  I want to compare myself and see if I’m measuring up.  Am I tired out?  Am I critical and cranky?  Am I accomplishing all that I need to do?

The answer to those are as follows:  yes, yes, no.

I’m not getting it all done and I have found that I often have a bad attitude to accompany the day-in-day-out drama.

This morning I headed over to the little church.  I walked in the door to feel the warm sunshine bursting through the windows.  The temperature gauge registered -5 degrees below zero, but inside, well, something was different.  There was a welcoming warmth that I took time to enjoy.

The new furnace hummed a quiet tune, while the Christmas trimmings glistened in the rays of sunlight.  I looked at the accomplishments of photos from the past … the pastors from 1897 to the 1980s.  I looked at pictures of their families, their farms, the parsonage, and I relished in the fact that whatever they’d accomplished for God, I knew it was great work!

Over the past three weeks, I have played piano at nursing homes, I have been a main session speaker for events, produced my radio show and magazine, have done many things, and each time I get finished I have a feeling of satisfaction. Maybe I didn’t get everything done perfectly.  Maybe I didn’t check everything off of my list.  But for today, here in the warmth of the little church that Farmer Dean and I bought for $1.00 four years ago, I feel a peace.  I feel a peace that scripture talks about … one that passes all understanding.  A peace that envelopes my spirit and says, “You’re doing just fine.  Keep up the good work.”

Christmas isn’t about the presents and cookies.  It’s not even about the events and sing-a-longs.  It’s simply about the Savior. He’s come to bring salvation and peace into a world in turmoil.  Into a soul in turmoil.  And as He sends the light through the glorious old windows of the church, I see Him there … in the rays of sun, in the warmth through the bitter cold, and in my heart.  Welcome Christ Child!  Bring your peace.

10 Tips to a Peaceful Christmas Season

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tree-and-roadSometimes in the busyness of the season, we become frantic trying to grasp what we believe is “the perfect” Christmas eve. For years, people have tried to dictate the perfect gifts to give, the perfect Christmas card to create, the perfect cookies to bake, and the perfect meal to make. We’ve tried it all and here’s what the staff at Best Life Ministries knows … the only perfect thing about Christmas is the Christ child!

This year, join us as we work on feeling grateful, thankful, calm, and at peace with our lives, our family, our friends, our jobs, and our world. After all, peace starts with us.

This Christmas, make things simple:

  1. Set your table ahead of time. The holiday table settings and centerpiece will make the room look festive and you’re ready to go!
  1. Decorate your tree early. Enjoy it every single day! The season is short.
  1. Make yourself go to bed at a decent time each night. You want to be your best.
  1. Listen to Christmas music. Put Christmas CDs in your car and your CD player.
  1. Check out local TV listings like the Hallmark channels and UP TV for good-feeling movies. Many of them have the true Christmas message!
  1. Mark your calendar for fun events. Be careful not to overbook.
  1. Bake an extra batch of cookies. Find needy people (elderly, college kids at the dorm, singles, and businesses) and deliver happiness.
  1. Purchase presents and wrap them throughout the year. Make a list and stick to it! Make sure you do not go overboard, even though you may be tempted to do so.
  1. Allow family and friends to help. Often people offer to help and we ignore them. This year accept their help; it will benefit you both.
  1. Read the Christmas Story. You can find the story in Luke 2 and Matthew 1.

The season isn’t meant for perfection, it’s meant for remembering the only One who is perfect. Enjoy it … savor the moments with family and friends … and start 2017 out right! Merry CHRISTmas!

Big Boots to Fill

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P1050405I keep a couple pairs of my daddy’s cowboy boots in my entry way.  They just sit there on a mat next to the closet door, to remind me.  They remind me of the person I want to become, the person I think God needs me to become.

When I was little, from the moment I remember, I was obsessed with my father.  I wanted to be near him, I wanted to be with him, I wanted to be like him.

As my siblings and I would scramble out to the car on a Sunday morning, I would hurry out so that I could sit between Mom and Dad, nestled between them in the big old Plymouth’s front seat.

At church, I’d hurry in, wearing my little brown dress with the orange flowered smocking at the top, white anklets with lace, and black patent leather shoes.  I towed my Bible in my right hand, while my left hand held Daddy’s.

“What I want to be when I grow up is a pastor.  I want to tell everyone about Jesus.  That, and I want to be the lady with the big, tall hair who plays the piano.”

My daddy would smile and encourage me that until the day I was taken from this world, it was my job to let people know about Jesus.  That was 50 years ago.  In that time I have worked hard to teach people about a Savior and lead worship to six congregations.

As a child growing up, my father was present.  He was there for piano recitals, band concerts, meetings with teachers, and meetings with pastors.  He cheered me on when no one else did.  He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself.  And he loved me so genuinely that it taught me how to love.  He prayed so tenaciously, that it taught me how to pray.  He loved God and music so passionately, that it taught me to do the same.

 

When I went through difficult times, my dad prayed with me.

 

When I fell down, my dad would pick me up and ask me what I learned from the fall.

 

When people around me let me down, Dad would say it was a lesson on who to trust.

 

When I prayed and didn’t get an answer, Dad would encourage me that waiting was the answer.

 

And for the most part, whatever I didn’t know about life but thought I did, Dad helped me along the way.

 

He loved genuinely.  He laughed heartily.  He felt deeply.  He appreciated greatly.  He gave willingly.  He acknowledged the broken and lifted them up.

He reminded me of someone.  Someone who we read about, someone who we prayed to, someone who we believed died on a cross for our sins.

Yes, he was someone who I could only hope to emulate, because he strived to emulate the One we followed … the One I follow.

He was like Jesus.

And my hope is that when I see those boots on the mat, that every day that I walk out my front door and see those boots sitting there, I will be reminded that he was a wise and wonderful man who loved me and loved God.

I want to be like that for my husband, my children, my friends, my God, my world.

They are big boots to fill, but I’m trying, Daddy.  I’m really trying.

The Lake of Life

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Lake picture

My husband’s family owns a cabin up north.  It’s nothing spectacular or fancy, but just a very simple structure that sits up high on a grassy hill, overlooking a lovely lake.

From the wrap-around deck, you can relax and nestle into a comfy chair, sipping your tea, while busy little hummingbirds flit about you, sipping their nectar and jetting to and fro.

For these past eleven years, I’ve made my way from the deck at the top of the hill, down those 97 wooden steps to the glorious deep blue-green waters of Lake Vermont.  The trek down is never really difficult; you just have to make sure you go slow enough so as not to lose your balance and fall.

I’ve been out on the lake when it’s been calm and peaceful, like a big clear pane of glass.  I’ve breathed in clean, crisp air, while I’ve watched the cows chew cud across the way, and gazed at the turtles sunbathing in the warm light of a summer’s day.  I’ve relaxed and enjoyed the very essence of the moment.

And then there were days when I was out on the lake with my family and we panicked as the gas gauge was misread, and ended up stranded in the middle of the lake, wondering how we’d ever reach home.

On other occasions, I’ve been out on the boat when a sudden rain storm would move in, setting the boat to rocking back and forth, waves pushing us side to side, while my heart pumped a little harder…..a little faster.

One day, I happened to be in a large yellow inner tube in the middle of the lake, rising to the occasion of riding the waves, fearful as my little Iowa-girl- self, incapable of swimming, was certain that near-death experience was close by.  I settled into the tube, while settling into the fear of being tipped over, and soon, gasping for breath, was suddenly overtaken by the realization that I had been thrust out, only soon to discover I was wearing a bright red life jacket which would save me.  I bobbed to the surface, having seen my life flash by in a few seconds all the while hoping this would not be the end.  My own family watching my excursion remained calm and confident in that life preserver.

While on that lake, I’ve felt pleasure and contentment, rest and relaxation, but I’ve also known fear, panic and dread.

At times the lake was calm and I would feel confident in myself and abilities, and yet at other times the waves came crashing down and I felt very, very small.

This beautiful lake reminds me of our lives.  There are days where we tenaciously make our way down the 97 wooden steps and jump into the Lake of Life, releasing our spirits to lap up every beautiful ray of sunlight and every glorious echo of rippling water and cooing loon.  But on many occasions, there are days when we lose our balance on our own steps, while trying to get there, falling and bruising our egos.

There are days when out on that Lake of Life, we feel stranded in the middle….unaware that somehow….someway…we are completely out of gas.  Or we feel the waves as they are crashing in so hard on us, and we’re thrown into the depths of despair, sinking towards the bottom, desperately searching for a life preserver.

Here’s what I know about this Lake of Life.  I know that we can learn from scripture and the story of the disciples out on a troubled trip, filled with storms and crashing waves.  In Mark 4:37, Jesus and the disciples were on a lake.  “A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it.”  But the thing that bothered the disciples was that Jesus was peacefully sleeping right through it.  No fear …. no concern.

When the disciples finally wake Him up, He addresses the lake and says, (vs 39) “Quiet! Be Still!”  And then to the disciples He questions, “Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith?”

The Lake of Life can be smooth transitions.  It can be rough waters.  It can offer times and spots that are troubled and frightening.  But that’s just it…it’s life.  Jesus did not protect the disciples from experiencing the storm.  Instead, He allowed them to journey through it, while He rested peacefully next to them.  And when they woke Him, He reminded them that through Him, they had the power to not fear or dread….but to experience the Lake of Life faith-filled.

Sometimes the challenge in our lives comes from tripping down the stairs as we head onto the Lake.  We get off the beaten path, we get lost and stumble.

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Sometimes the challenge in our lives comes from being in life and experiencing trials and hard times in our marriages, our jobs, or with our families and friends.

Often we can find ourselves in the middle of life and we’ve just run completely out of gas.  Or the next wave is coming up so high; it’s going to drag us under.

What I know is simply this … if you know Jesus as Savior, you are never alone.  He rides the waves with you; He’s there with the gas tank called His Word.  He is the Life Preserver that you wear around your chest.  He is the One who stills the crashing waves and will not let you drown.

He is also the same Creator who provides the days of sunshine and warmth, when life seems filled with good things and beauty.  But He’s in that boat with you and He’s out now on your Lake of Life.

In John 10:10b, Jesus declares this strong foundation for our daily life….
“I came to give them real and eternal life.  More and better life than they ever dreamed of.”

No matter where you are today, whether you are walking down the 97 steps, or out in the boat on a calm day, or even in the midst of a horrible storm…. you are never alone.  Jesus came to help you live a better life than you ever dreamed of, and the way that you begin, is by putting your faith in Him no matter what’s happening out on the Lake.

And I believe that the “better life” Jesus speaks of is simply this …  experiencing through Christ Your Best Life.