Ponderings

As I settle into my sixties and a season of "early retirement," I find myself wondering how long this season will last or whether God will call me back into the work force one last time.  After resigning from my previous job earlier this year to take care of family matters and assist with a kitchen renovation project, I began spending many hours in prayer and studying scripture to try and ascertain what God's plans for my future might look like.  I still don't have a clue.  I only know that if I am called back into the work force I want it to be in a position that He has uniquely qualified me to fill.  For now, though, I am content to be on call for whatever might arise in the course of each day, whether that be transporting a friend to an appointment or taking care of more mundane tasks around the house. The past few months have been delightful.  I am immensely grateful for a closer walk with God and the flexibility to travel, spend time with family, and just "b

People are pondering many things these days -- why COVID is still with us, why there is so much hatred, and why there is so much violence in our land and around the world.  Recently, the Kroger store in my hometown of Collierville, TN, was the scene of a horrific mass shooting that resulted in the death of a dearly-loved member of the community and serious injuries to more than a dozen others.  The shooter took his own life as he concluded his vicious assault.  No one knows why.  We are all still numb with shock, utter disbelief, and unbearable sorrow.  Even though I no longer live there my heart is broken.  I shopped in that store for fourteen years prior to moving out-of-state, and my son worked there during high school. Many of us follow the news these days -- perhaps a little too closely -- and wonder what could possibly happen next?  Sadly, something will come along to eclipse recent events and shake us to our core again.  I find it all a little overwhelming, don't you?  Overw

A few months ago, I made the prayerful decision to step out of the work force in order to take care of some personal matters, tend to family business, and focus on my relationship with God.  At the time, I was dealing with a lot of anxiety, or perhaps the restlessness that sometimes occurs when God calls us to another area of service.   The benefits far outweighed the apprehension of forfeiting a paycheck.  I have enjoyed the freedom and flexibility of having time to travel and spend time with out-of-state family; doing domestic duties and running errands during the week instead of on the weekends; and most especially, spending more time with God each morning, reading and writing scripture and praying about all that is going in the lives of family, friends, our community, nation, and world.  That in itself is a full time job, and at times a stressful one! Still, I have often wondered, Is there something else I am supposed to be doing with my life? Before I officially pronounce myself &

Like many, I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook.  I saw a mean-spirited post this morning that offended me enough to make me want to pull the plug on Facebook, but I had a change of heart and simply blocked the post.  Why not just go with my first instinct and take a break from social media?  Because that is precisely what the devil would have me do.  (Yes, Satan does exist.  Last time I checked, I don't take my orders from him!) Facebook is a tool many of use to keep up with family and friends, especially those in areas hard hit by natural disasters or who are in need of prayer because of illness, financial hardship, or personal loss.  If Satan can keep us from praying for and encouraging one another, he wins the battle -- and make no mistake, there is spiritual warfare on social media.  Facebook is also a place where many people go to find inspiration, encouragement, and fellowship with other Christ-followers.  It is often a platform where ministry and blessings happen. 

Another day finds me wondering what God has in store And longing to find a little something more  More grace, more patience, more love for mankind More knowledge, more wisdom, a little more time To do what is needed and things I want, too To offer up prayers for my loved ones and you To see more of God in the world that surrounds me To sit in God's presence until his peace astounds me To relish this day as his love gift to me Since another day is not guaranteed Help me know what to do, Lord Make the most of this day So that others might know you're The Life, Truth, & the Way Copyright © 2020-2021 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com

So I say to my soul,      “Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be disturbed.      For I know my God will break through for me.”      Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again.      Yes, he is my saving grace! -- Psalm 42:11, The Passion Translation With everything that is going on in our world today -- the COVID pandemic, natural disasters, mayhem in Afghanistan, poverty and hunger, human trafficking, escalating crime, political corruption, and social unrest -- many of us are spending much time in prayer and doing what we can financially to help those in need.  Yet our prayers seem ineffective and our money insufficient to provide any meaningful relief. We might even wonder if God hears our prayers.   Many of us are in constant prayer for God to remove COVID from our midst, to ease the tensions and bring peace to Afghanistan, to restore and rebuild lives and livelihoods that fires and hurricanes have destroyed, and to do away with all the evils in our world.  To what end? 

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God?  Or am I trying to please people?  If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.   G alatians 1:10 NIV Approval.  Validation.  Gratitude.  These are things many of us seek, things I struggle with daily.  Even though as believers we long to follow God and live to bring him honor and glory, few of us would agree that man's approval means absolutely nothing to us.   For years I have struggled with approval addiction.  As a devotional writer I want to know that the meditations I share are helping and making a difference in the lives of others.  How else can I measure that except by the number of Facebook likes or Twitter retweets I receive?   How different would our lives be if we lived each day with God's approval as our goal and stopped believing the lie that man's approval is a valid measuring stick?  What if we spent less time seeking validation on social media and more time in pr

At times we all feel like we are on a sinking ship, don't we?  We can't pay our bills, don't understand why we lost our job or our health, and the problems we face are bigger than the iceberg that sank the  Titanic .  Like the disciples, we may feel like Jesus is asleep in the boat without a care in the world, while we are headed down, down, down.   At some point in life most of us have heard the familiar story in the gospel of Mark, where Jesus calms a storm.  Sometimes a Bible passage can become so familiar to us that we miss the little nuggets God hides inside.   Mark 4:35–41 (ESV): 35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said

Happy New Year!  I really mean that.  There is not a reason under the sun why we must experience another year of misery as we did in 2020.  Sure, many of us had the dickens kicked out of us by adversities and loss, sickness and suffering.  We couldn't see coming everything that life dished out.  But, the past is past and if we change our focus a little, I truly believe we can live above our circumstances and experience joy in 2021. Here are a few of the things that 2020 taught me: 1.    God is in control.   Now it may not seem that way to you, but nothing takes him by surprise.  Neither is God to blame for all the bad things that happen to us.  God doesn't cause natural disasters, racial riots, political misconduct, or anything else that man brings on himself or his neighbor because of his own sinful nature and willful misconduct, but he does allow us to suffer the consequences of those choices.             The Bible is filled with scriptures that attest to the sovereignty of G