January is Coming

December 27, 2023December 27, 2023 / The WheatandTares

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, and I wish you a very happy New Year’s!

With Nee Year’s comes new year resolutions, reservations for new school vents and sometimes even “revolutions” to start a new thing and accomplish it with fire!

But then, after only a few months, we often see so many temporarily quit, back up or walk away altogether from their declarations. Why?

More often than not, it’s because a great proclamation can’t change the heart.

If you too closely resemble the world you are wanting to change, it will be harder for you to being about change.

If you never implement accountability, you’ll never have a foundation for truth and honestly.

If you never truly come out a be separate from that thing you are leaving, how do you ever believe you can truly transform?

So, as the new year quickly approached, let’s do some reflecting. Let’s go some pondering.

But most of all, let’s do some deep soul searching to find the true depth of the change we want and so desperately need.

And then, let’s step out of the comfort zones. Let’s rip through the veils of secrecy.

And let’s shine the light of absolute truth and stand apart from what was to become what can and will be.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light..
1 Peter 2:9

For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Deuteronomy 14:2

Choosing Fear

December 11, 2023December 10, 2023 / The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

You’ve heard the statement Faith over Fear, or maybe you’ve seen the tshirt, but what does it really mean?

To embrace faith, do you truly let go of fear?

To hold onto strength while pushing away intrepidation?

Or do you simply grasp fear by the throat with one hand and link arms with faith with the other and walk boldly forward through the raging fire and burning flames?

I say truth faith is the latter.

True faith is when the pain takes your breath away, and you have no idea what brings tomorrow or if it will even come, but you square your shoulders and take the step onward.

That’s real faith.

And I’ve seen it in living color…

And it’s all together inspiring and beautiful.

And oh. So very rare.

But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…
Isaiah 43:1-3

Do the Hard With Grace

December 10, 2023December 10, 2023 / The WheatandTares

What is something others do that sparks your admiration?

I have a friend whose husband has just had his leg amputated this past week because of diabetic neuropathy. He was cracking pirate jokes the day after, and she was back in church worshipping on Sunday.

I have a friend whose husband travels extensively throughout the year as a lawyer who defends faith rights as she stays home with her littles, and she still offers a friendly hand, makes a phone call to the hurting, reaches out to the lonely.

I have a friend whose husband was shot in the line of duty, and she works hard to raise their fifth child while also sharing with others about her faith and the peace Jesus can bring in spite of pain, and she’s also working vigorously on her own degree in the study of law.

I have a friend whose wife died tragically in a car wreck, and the very week following her funeral, with tears still to shed, he got on a plane to fly to her hometown to preach the gospel and tell people about the Jesus that she desperately loved.

Each of these friends have heart wrenching stories with details that might break the next person. But each them stand in their faith and keep loving, keep reaching, keep grieving, and keep worshipping their Creator. I’ve watched some go through much less and blame God, walk away from Him and even curse Him.

And you might wonder what’s the difference. Or maybe look at them with criticism and scoff at their faith. Or maybe you gaze upon their path and wonder how in the world you could do the same.

But I’ll tell you what I admire most: their admiration of their King and their ability to do the hard with the deepest of grace.

Their adoration inspires me.

Their vigor admonishes me.

Their dedication and determination encourages me.

It’s not your circumstances that make you.

It’s what you do with those circumstances that makes the difference.

Choosing grace over anger creates an atmosphere of strength and fortitude that cannot be easily silenced.

Choosing faith over despair creates a contagious courage that cannot be ignored.

It doesn’t mean pain is not felt, and it doesn’t mean fear is not faced, but it is the warrior within who brings a peace to those following which cannot be shaken by what’s to come and is sought after as if for fine gold.

This is what ignites my admiration.

This is what sparks the flames of my praise.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.
2 Corinthians 4:7-9

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:3-5

Happy Thanksgiving

November 23, 2023November 20, 2023 / The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

No matter where you are today or where you’ll be tomorrow,

From our family to yours,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Eat well. Be at peace. Embrace hope.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

Thanksgiving is an Attitude

November 22, 2023November 20, 2023 / The WheatandTares

Thanksgiving is not an event to be attended.

It’s not a holiday to be survived.

It’s not a date to be dreaded or anticipated.

Thanksgiving is an attitude of the heart.

It begins with gratefulness and ends with love.

It is consumed with peace and wrapped up in hope.

Thanksgiving can be now, and it can be tomorrow.

As long as you never leave it behind.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Colossians 3:15

Thankfulness Begins With A Thought

November 21, 2023November 20, 2023 / The WheatandTares / 3 Comments

Gandhi said,

Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.

Although, I don’t follow the teachings of Gandhi, there is truth in those words.

Scripture tells us this in a much simpler form,

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Thanksgiving isn’t a date on the calendar or a time of year, it’s an attitude of the heart that should be lived out every single day.

What are you thinking about today?

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
Proverbs 23:7

Thankfulness in a Cup

November 20, 2023November 20, 2023 / The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

When you have a grateful heart, it doesn’t take much to make you happy.

It can be a cool summer breeze or the first snowfall is winter.

It can be a bright spring flower or a golden falling leaf.

It can be a newborn baby’s gentle sigh or an elderly loved one’s hand pat.

It doesn’t take much to bring a smile because the heart is settled within and at rest.

Are you grateful today?

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3

Embrace the Healing

November 2, 2023November 2, 2023 / The WheatandTares

When you feel your strength returning and your lungs filling with air, don’t turn back.

When you can see more clearly and hear more accurately, don’t turn back.

When you can think more precisely and plan more purposefully, don’t turn back.

You didn’t mend to unravel.

You didn’t rebuild to deconstruct.

You didn’t heal to destroy.

Don’t regress. Don’t recede. Don’t retreat.

You fought for this.

Now, move forward. And win.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:1

Keep Healing

November 1, 2023November 1, 2023 / The WheatandTares

Sometimes, healing comes instantly, but more often than not, it’s a long and tedious process.

Just as it takes a broken limb weeks, even months to mend, the heart needs so much more.

We are emotional beings. We are thought-filled humans, and wounds are like a heavy broomstick lying atop a tangled web of cords.

You’re not going to move that stick without disturbing the cords. You can’t just grab it, swoop it up, and call it a day.

You’re gonna have to move slow.

You’re gonna have to breathe deep and exhale at a snail’s pace.

You’ve got to ensure the healing is there.

And sometimes, a tiny gesture, a simple word, a small memory can come crashing in to slam that stick back onto the pile and even twist it a good bit!

Slow down, one more time.

Breathe in deep, one more time.

Exhale slowly, one more time.

Now, go work on picking up that stick again, one more time.

You can do this hard.

It might be messy, excruciating and long, but I promise you:

The healing is worth it.

Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.” Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.
Mark 8:22-25