Six years ago my family and I began a two-day journey to the place we now call home. We left behind a church family, many friends, close relatives, and the city where I had lived a lifetime. Apprehensions were few because we knew this was what God had ordained. As we celebrate our new life here and the many blessings we been gifted since our move we cannot help but give thanks to the One who orchestrated it all.
Three months after we changed our address I stepped into a job that became a ministry and a great source of joy. I found a new family and friends who have loved and supported our family in so many ways, and I am blessed beyond measure. We all are. But just as God saw fit to move our family away from everything that was familiar, He has been stirring something inside me and calling me to leave home once more in search of His next assignment.
Today I officially step down from a dream job to move on to whatever God has in store next. The move has been prayed over for many months and the pandemic has brought clarity in the decision-making process as I have had much time to press in to God and really seek His heart. I realize that there are many people who will not understand my decision to leave a job which was such a perfect fit, and I pray they will know that they are the reason the decision did not come easily. I will always love the congregants I served and look forward to maintaining and nurturing the friendships that have been made these past six years.
Time does not stand still for any of us. There is work to be done for the children of God, wherever we find ourselves. The coronavirus pandemic and the protests raging across our nation this very day ensure our job security as prayer warriors on the front lines.
I don't know what the future holds in terms of my work, but I entrust my future and the care of my church family to the Lord who holds us all in His hands.
To my Bethany church family, know that I am stepping away in obedience to God's call -- not for lack of love for our church family or because of any of the challenges we have faced. You are my family and I love you. But God has said it's time for me to "leave home" and move on to the next assignment. I covet your prayers for His provision and guidance in the days to come, and I will be praying daily for you.
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Broken Sacrifice
Lately many of us have struggled with emotions. The coronavirus pandemic has created stress we did not anticipate, yet has provided a golden opportunity to look at present circumstances and determine if we are living our best life, or if there are some changes we need to make.
Much of what we have experienced is heartbreak, plain and simple. There is a grieving process we go through -- or grow through -- when things change. Whether it is the loss of a job due to unforeseen circumstances or a shift in our ideology brought on by outside forces, it is natural to mourn the loss and be anxious about whatever changes we may need to make. For the introspective among us, deliberating and thinking about these things can bring on a brokenness and guilt that is oppressive.
As I was praying about my emotions, I felt led to write the words of Psalm 51 in my journal. It is a familiar psalm to many of us. Of particular comfort to me were the words in verse 17: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (ESV).
If God regards a broken spirit as a sacrifice, and does not despise a broken and contrite heart, then why should we feel guilty about the emotions and sorrow we may feel during this very stressful season of our lives?
God is merciful. He understands. Rather than fret over our lives and the hard challenges we may be facing, let us offer up our broken hearts as a sacrifice of praise.
Copyright © 2020 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com
Much of what we have experienced is heartbreak, plain and simple. There is a grieving process we go through -- or grow through -- when things change. Whether it is the loss of a job due to unforeseen circumstances or a shift in our ideology brought on by outside forces, it is natural to mourn the loss and be anxious about whatever changes we may need to make. For the introspective among us, deliberating and thinking about these things can bring on a brokenness and guilt that is oppressive.
As I was praying about my emotions, I felt led to write the words of Psalm 51 in my journal. It is a familiar psalm to many of us. Of particular comfort to me were the words in verse 17: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (ESV).
If God regards a broken spirit as a sacrifice, and does not despise a broken and contrite heart, then why should we feel guilty about the emotions and sorrow we may feel during this very stressful season of our lives?
God is merciful. He understands. Rather than fret over our lives and the hard challenges we may be facing, let us offer up our broken hearts as a sacrifice of praise.
Copyright © 2020 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
The Challenge to Change
The coronavirus pandemic has given many of us the opportunity to reassess our lives and make changes, whether we want to or not. Some of us have viewed this uncertain time as a curse while others have taken advantage of this season to sit back, take stock, and reassess our lives in hopes of finding a better way to live going forward.
For many families the pandemic has resulted in financial difficulties they never saw coming. With little warning, jobs have been lost, businesses have closed, and income has stopped. Bills have continued to arrive and savings accounts have been quickly depleted. Difficult decisions are being made. Do I pay the utility bill or feed my family? If I don't pay the car note and my car is repossessed how will I look for a job or get to work after all this is over? If this ever happens again, how can I do things differently so that the consequences won't be so devastating?
Our family went through a financial reversal during the last recession after my husband lost his job. We were sitting on a mountain of debt with absolutely nothing in savings. Yet God met all our needs. Some of his provision came in the form of food stamps and unemployment benefits, but much of it came from caring friends and our church family. I believe that our obedience in the area of tithing to our church while we were both employed resulted in God's generous provision in our time of need. We learned a lot of hard lessons about financial management during that time and determined to do everything in our power to more prudently handle money once the crisis had passed. We changed habits, slowed our spending, paid off our debt, shared the lessons we learned, and positioned ourselves to not only be able to face the next crisis with greater financial stability but to also be able to help those in crisis. As we reassessed our lives during that time of financial hardship, we changed our reality with God's guidance and the help of others.
I love the story of Job. He was a righteous man who loved God wholeheartedly, yet suffered great loss in a very short period of time. While God didn't cause Job's suffering, he allowed it. He allowed Satan to have his way in Job's life -- to strip away everything of value, including Job's family, possessions, and health -- yet God forbade Satan from taking Job's life. Job did not blame God (Job 1:22). In fact, when his wife urged Job to curse God and die he said to her, "Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil" (2:10)? Job experienced his own season of doubting, complaining, and questioning God. After all, he was human. His well-meaning friends fanned the flames of Job's disappointment and despair. But in the course of time, as he continued to seek answers to the hard questions brought on by his calamity, God revealed himself to Job, perhaps in ways Job could never have experienced otherwise, and Job repented his sins of self-pity and doubt. Scripture tells us the LORD restored Job's fortunes and "blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning" (Job 42:12). Don't you just love a happy ending?
As you take the time to reassess your life during this season of uncertainty, what are the lessons God would have you learn? Are there changes you need to make in order to more fully live out the purposes God has for you?
In chapter 23, verse 10, Job declares of God -- "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold." May we all allow God to use the challenges we face to fit us for his purposes and change us to be more like him.
Copyright © 2020 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com
For many families the pandemic has resulted in financial difficulties they never saw coming. With little warning, jobs have been lost, businesses have closed, and income has stopped. Bills have continued to arrive and savings accounts have been quickly depleted. Difficult decisions are being made. Do I pay the utility bill or feed my family? If I don't pay the car note and my car is repossessed how will I look for a job or get to work after all this is over? If this ever happens again, how can I do things differently so that the consequences won't be so devastating?
Our family went through a financial reversal during the last recession after my husband lost his job. We were sitting on a mountain of debt with absolutely nothing in savings. Yet God met all our needs. Some of his provision came in the form of food stamps and unemployment benefits, but much of it came from caring friends and our church family. I believe that our obedience in the area of tithing to our church while we were both employed resulted in God's generous provision in our time of need. We learned a lot of hard lessons about financial management during that time and determined to do everything in our power to more prudently handle money once the crisis had passed. We changed habits, slowed our spending, paid off our debt, shared the lessons we learned, and positioned ourselves to not only be able to face the next crisis with greater financial stability but to also be able to help those in crisis. As we reassessed our lives during that time of financial hardship, we changed our reality with God's guidance and the help of others.
I love the story of Job. He was a righteous man who loved God wholeheartedly, yet suffered great loss in a very short period of time. While God didn't cause Job's suffering, he allowed it. He allowed Satan to have his way in Job's life -- to strip away everything of value, including Job's family, possessions, and health -- yet God forbade Satan from taking Job's life. Job did not blame God (Job 1:22). In fact, when his wife urged Job to curse God and die he said to her, "Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil" (2:10)? Job experienced his own season of doubting, complaining, and questioning God. After all, he was human. His well-meaning friends fanned the flames of Job's disappointment and despair. But in the course of time, as he continued to seek answers to the hard questions brought on by his calamity, God revealed himself to Job, perhaps in ways Job could never have experienced otherwise, and Job repented his sins of self-pity and doubt. Scripture tells us the LORD restored Job's fortunes and "blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning" (Job 42:12). Don't you just love a happy ending?
As you take the time to reassess your life during this season of uncertainty, what are the lessons God would have you learn? Are there changes you need to make in order to more fully live out the purposes God has for you?
In chapter 23, verse 10, Job declares of God -- "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold." May we all allow God to use the challenges we face to fit us for his purposes and change us to be more like him.
Copyright © 2020 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Sheltering in the Right Place
"Shelter in place" is a commonly-used term these days because of the coronavirus pandemic. It is also used when we are threatened by events such as mass shootings, natural disasters, and other emergencies. Often we associate the word disaster with something we can see -- something which we are warned about ahead of time and can prepare for. However, nothing could have prepared us for the disaster we are now experiencing -- this deadly virus that is as invisible as the air which has carried it all over the world. Despite every effort to contain it, we have realized that we are no match for this silent enemy and that our best defense against it is hygiene, social distancing, and sheltering at home whenever possible.
As I was having my quiet time this morning I came across the following familiar verse:
The Bible has much to say about shelter. Psalm 91:4 (NLT) says, "He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection." Did you hear that? God's promises are our protection! How can we know His promises? By reading his Word to us, the Bible.
Ecclesiastes 7:12 (ESV) reads: "For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it." Seems like wisdom is pretty important, right? So, where do we find this wisdom? Where do we find the truth we need to make sense of and survive the difficult circumstances of life, such as this global health and economic crisis we are experiencing? From the 10:00 news? No. From God's Word. Psalm 12:6 (NIV) tells us that "the words of the LORD are flawless." With God, there is no such thing as fake news!
As you ride out this pandemic, make sure you are standing on God's Word. In it you will find the wisdom you need and God's promises of peace, protection, and provision in these troubling times. Use this time of sheltering in place to draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. As you do, you will find that your loving heavenly Father is a solid rock on which to stand and a strong tower to shelter you until the disaster has passed.
Copyright © 2020 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com
As I was having my quiet time this morning I came across the following familiar verse:
"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed" (Psalm 57:1, NIV).As many times as I have read that verse I have never really noticed the last phrase, "until the disaster has passed." This morning it caught my attention as never before.
The Bible has much to say about shelter. Psalm 91:4 (NLT) says, "He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection." Did you hear that? God's promises are our protection! How can we know His promises? By reading his Word to us, the Bible.
Ecclesiastes 7:12 (ESV) reads: "For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it." Seems like wisdom is pretty important, right? So, where do we find this wisdom? Where do we find the truth we need to make sense of and survive the difficult circumstances of life, such as this global health and economic crisis we are experiencing? From the 10:00 news? No. From God's Word. Psalm 12:6 (NIV) tells us that "the words of the LORD are flawless." With God, there is no such thing as fake news!
As you ride out this pandemic, make sure you are standing on God's Word. In it you will find the wisdom you need and God's promises of peace, protection, and provision in these troubling times. Use this time of sheltering in place to draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. As you do, you will find that your loving heavenly Father is a solid rock on which to stand and a strong tower to shelter you until the disaster has passed.
Copyright © 2020 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com
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