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Author Confessions: What My Dogs Teach Me About My Relationship With God, Part 6 of 7

Sep7
Reading Time: 3 minutes

What My Dogs Teach Me About My Relationship With God, Part 6 of 7

If you haven’t read my previous posts you can find them here, here, here, here, and here.

As I mentioned in my last post. A day after putting Cooper down, I found a rescue up for adoption, the breed I wanted. It was a puppy. I didn’t want a puppy but my husband did. We brought home a dog that was slated to be killed at a Wisconsin Amish puppy mill. He had a broken tail and a wonky jaw. Absolutely adorable.

TRAINING IS GOOD

After a few months I took dog obedience training with Oliver and a small group of people and their dogs. Oliver was a champ there, but not so much at home. The training was more for him than for myself. I still can’t get him to sit or lay down when I ask him to.

Training takes time, one-on-one time. Oliver is really good at is coming when I call him, and dancing for a treat. He’s pretty good at doing his business outside.

How much more do I need training? Not just for getting a dog to obey, but so that I can obey God? Time in His word, Bible study’s and small groups at church as well as Sunday worship all help me grow in my ability to grow more and more into the likeness of Jesus.

MENTORS ARE IMPORTANT

A week after we got Oliver, my husband had surgery. I figured Oliver needed a buddy, an older dog who could show him how to be a dog. We found Marley, a sweet old boy, whose owner was no longer physically able to care for him. He came with some bad teeth so he was a much happier dog after we had them removed. Marley helped Oliver understand how dogs do dog things.

I need people to mentor me and have been blessed with several over the years. It’s also good for me to mentor others as well, to encourage them on how to grow in their faith, and navigate a complex world filled with choices and decisions. We can’t navigate the Christian life on our own very well. Even as an author I need other writers to help show me new things, or point out where I might need to make corrections in my craft.

BE CAREFUL OF IDOLS

Marley wasn’t with us for long which saddened us greatly. I love my dogs but I firmly believe they are animals, not humans. Caring for them is caring for part of God’s creation and they bring much joy—and teach me so much. I don’t have an bottomless bank account though and cannot invest thousands of dollars to find out an old dog has dementia or a brain tumor. When Marley refused to take medication that seemed to calm him down and prevent him from possibly biting, his time was over and it still saddens me that couldn’t keep him longer. A dog that bites is a liability and we did as much as we could for as long as we could safely keep him in our home.

Before we needed to say goodbye to Marley, we could tell his time was going to be short. Oliver enjoyed having his big brother around so we started searching for another dog.

I can’t make any dog, or human, more important than God.

NEVER SAY NEVER

I decided long ago that I would never adopt an Amish puppy mill rescue. They are often traumatized and unsocialized and take a lot of effort and energy to rehabilitate. Oliver was only six months, almost too young to have been horribly impacted. The sweet shy puppy we adopted has become an energetic, happy, and almost too friendly dog, believing that everyone is his friend and wants to give him love and attention.

The rescue had some pure-bred Shit-zu puppies, all females, who had been slated for death because they weren’t producing enough puppies. Minnie Pearl (formerly Dolly Parton) was the last left to be adopted. Minnie was underweight, and had a lot of teeth removed. She was shy and submissive. No tail wags, but no snarls either. We adopted her because she needed love. I guess I needed to be reminded that God laughs when we say never.

Minnie has tested my patience, and my selfishness. Funny how a dog can show us our sin, right?

Do any of these lessons resonate with you? My dogs continue to teach me about my relationship with God and I hope I never stop learning.

Minnie Mentions: Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven (Book Review)

Sep4
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Minnie Mentions: Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven (Book Review)

As a younger rescue dog, I wasn’t around in September 19, 1997, when musician Rich Mullins died in a car accident. Mom says she remembers returning home to her apartment after being gone and her friend Kathi coming over and sitting her down to tell her about his death. She had always loved Rich’s music since she first heard Awesome God, but only got to see him in concert once or twice. His music became a lifeline for her in so many ways and to this day there are a few songs she sings to herself: Hold me Jesus, Bound to Come Some Trouble, The Love of God. When her grandmother was dying she played for her All the Way My Savior Leads Me, something she’d been working on for months in her guitar lessons. Unfortunately, she’s not picked up her guitar for years now and would not be able to figure out those complicated cords again without some serious help! I’ll attach a video of her singing it nine years ago.

With that anniversary of his death coming up she stumbled upon the book, Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven by James Bryan Smith.  She also read Rich Mullins: Step by Step. That little book contains short essays by Rich. Mom read the biography over a long period of time, taking it in small chunks to savor it. The book is exceptionally well-written and contains behind-the-scenes stories of Rich’s life, experiences, thinking, and of course songs and how they came to be written.

Rich was an artist who felt deeply and thought philosophically and didn’t mind wading into the difficult concepts that beset living in a fallen world. He was flawed and imperfect, and not many people liked the way he looked at times, coming to concerts in torn jeans, barefoot, looking like a hobo. But his music was compelling and Mom still listens to it to this day, finding new meaning and depth to the lyrics.

This book was refreshing and highlights the burden an artist can carry when they seek to authentically follow Jesus and live out His teachings. The book has many underlined phrases because Rich was a soul who experienced life deeply and the author was personally acquainted with him. He includes stories from family and close musical artist friends.

Mom wouldn’t tell me much more because to try to summarize this book would be to cheapen the life that Rich lived and ministry he had. The beauty of his work is that it continues to not only inspire and draw people close, even today, but helps to fund further ministry to disadvantaged Native American children.

If you’ve never heard of Rich Mullins, I’d encourage you to listen to his music. If you want to be challenged in your walk with God, through the example set by Rich in the way he struggled and lived this life, then read Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven. Because Mom liked it so much I’ll give it five bones, because I’m a dog and that’s what I do.

 

 

 

Author Confessions: What My Dogs Teach Me About My Relationship With God, 5 of 7

Aug31
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: What My Dogs Teach Me About My Relationship With God, 5 of 7

If you haven’t read my previous posts you can find them here, here, here, and here.

ALWAYS WELCOMED HOME

Spatzle began to exhibit signs of dementia and one day when he and Cooper had been out exploring, Cooper returned but I couldn’t find Spatzle. I drove all around the property looking for him and was about to take Cooper out to see if a Lhasa Apso could also be a bloodhound. Before I could do that, Spatzle came trotting through the backyard, happy as could be, filled with burdock. Oh, he had gone exploring all right! Of course, I welcomed my little prodigal home with delight and he suffered the consequences from his wanderings with a pretty intense brushing and a scissors to cut out all that burdock. He still gave me kisses and I, of course, was grateful he’d returned as dementia could have left him lost. After that I had to keep a closer eye on him.

What joy I had when my old dog returned from exploring beyond safe boundaries. He had no idea the dangers that could have been awaiting him. How much more does God try to protect us, but even when we get a little lost, He welcomes us back home with open arms.

DELIGHT IN PLAY

Cooper did well as a dog in our home but when the time came to put Spatzle down, I was concerned that Cooper would be the one grieving. He wasn’t. We of course were heartbroken and I wondered if I would need to find another dog. I didn’t. Cooper became a better dog being an only.

Cooper loved his tennis ball. I would toss it down the hall and it would bounce on the door there and he would run, grow at it and then pick it up and run back to the living room, drop it, growl at it, pick it up and then run back down the hallway. I did have a spare in case he decided he’d rather chase the ball than carry it. He would not play this game outside. We discovered a lazer pointer was even more fascinating for him. We had a routine of him chasing the red dot down the hall and back and forth every night. It was his treat at the end of the day for being a good boy.

What does that teach me? God delights in giving us good things. Rest and play are as important as duty and service. While I can’t quote Scripture and verse on that, in the book of Zephaniah 3:17 it says: “Adonai your God is in your midst— a mighty Savior! He will delight over you with joy. He will quiet you with His love. He will dance for joy over you with singing.” (TLV). God delights in us as much as I delight in my dogs, or my children when they were little and playing. How much more when I’m resting and enjoying this world He created?

Cooper was an amazing dog and when his health failed it broke our heart to put him down. My husband was due to have surgery so we had determined to wait before finding another dog.

That lasted one day. Obviously God had more to teach me.

Do any of these lessons resonate with you? My dogs continue to teach me about my relationship with God and I hope I never stop learning.

Author Confessions: What My Dogs Teach Me About My Relationship With God, 4 of 7

Aug24
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: What My Dogs Teach Me About My Relationship With God, Part 4 of 7

If you haven’t read my previous posts you can find them here, here, and here.

JOYFUL

When my dogs wag  their tales, that is an indication they are happy. Whether it is because they see someone who might  pet them, or give them a treat, or simply because I came home, they exhibit joy. My current pup, Oliver, always seems happy and a neighbor commented on it. I told him that if he’s not happy, he’s resting. He can go from zero to 100 in no time flat from contentment to pure joy. I would love to be more like that. Dogs are in the moment, fully present for whatever is happening. And joy is a large part of that. They don’t focus on negative possibilities, but only on the great thing that is happening right now. A lesson I would do well to emulate.

FAITHFUL FOLLOWER

Benji was old when we got him, a Bichon Frise/Shih tzu mix. He was my shadow and followed me everywhere. He slept in a bed under my desk.  If I went to the bathroom, he would stand in the doorway to make sure I was OK. No matter where I went, he was there.

Even in the kitchen, often getting underfoot.

I want to be God’s shadow. I want to faithfully follow Him everywhere.  Benji had issues and once tried to bite my foot when I bumped him. I don’t want to be a follower of God who snips at God when He surprises me with a new direction. Yet, how many times will I grouse when things don’t quite go the way I had planned?

RUNNING JUMP

Benji was pretty spry for an older dog, but cracked us up with how he would back up and take a run before jumping up on furniture to be with us. God doesn’t mind that we sometimes need a warm up to get moving and connecting with Him.

IN YOUR FACE

Benji, once making it to my lap, would often just put his face right in front of mine. It didn’t matter if there was a laptop open, he would push His way forward to get my attention. God wants me seeking His face too. He’s never too busy for me, and I shouldn’t hesitate to come to Him just to be close. No treats expected, just love.

TWO BY TWO

Benji and Spazle played together. It was the first time I’d ever seen Spazle really play other than the tug of war we used to do when I would come home. We lived in the country and I would let them go outside off the leash. I would find them walking back from down the lane, side by side, stopping to sniff something, or just happily trotting together. It was so sweet to see them. This happened with Cooper as well. Such a joy to see!

How much more do I need others as I go about this life. Having someone to serve with, or take a walk with helps keep me on the right path, but also can provide great joy. I’m grateful for those God has put in my path on this journey.

Benji helped Spazle to live a good life while he was with us but eventually Benji bit me—hard. A dog with that kind of unprovoked bite is a liability and we needed to put Him down. We all grieved deeply. Benji was a pain in the neck, needing a belly band all day long and crate at night, but he was still sweet. We only had him eighteen months.

After Benji died, Spatzle grieved deeply and lost some of the pep in his step. They would play together, and take walks down the lane. It took several weeks scouring all the rescue and adoption sites. I need a dog that doesn’t shed, and we wanted and older dog, figuring a younger dog, while we might have it longer, would be more stressful for an old dog to deal with.

We found Cooper, a Lhasa Apso mix. Their relationship was different, but they still enjoyed those walks!

Do any of these lessons resonate with you? My dogs continue to teach me about my relationship with God and I hope I never stop learning.

Author Confessions: What My Dogs Teach Me About My Relationship With God, 3 of 7

Aug17
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: What My Dogs Teach Me About My Relationship With God, Part 3 of 7

If you haven’t read my previous posts you can find them here, and here.

PEACE IN THE STORM

Spatzle  was by my side during a difficult season in life. Years ago, when my kids were young, my oldest Hobbit would sometimes experience an emotional meltdown, I would go to sit by my son and speak softly to him in an effort to calm him down. Spatzle was not intimidated by my son’s outburst which could be loud and aggressive. My dog would jump up and sit on my lap and I would pet him. The motion was calming for me but also I suspect, for my son. I would pray out loud for my son during those times as well. Spazle just continued his steady presence.

ASKING FOR HELP

Dogs can’t tell us they are hurting. Spatzle was not a demanding pet. If I was a little slow in taking him out regularly, he might come and tell me. But when he started barking at me while I was working and then putting his paws on me, it usually indicated something was wrong. Lyme disease and back issues plagued him, but I wouldn’t have had a clue if he hadn’t sought me out. Both issue made it difficult for him to go up and down stairs, of which there were many inside and outside our home. Having to carry him in and out of the house at first felt like he was seeking attention, but he wasn’t. He was in pain. Once he had some medication, the issue resolved and he was back to taking the stairs and jumping up to the back of the couch.

When Oliver was a puppy, he got stuck in a box and barked as if to say, “I’m stuck! Help!”

I hate asking for help. I don’t want to be seen as needy. We all go through seasons where we should ask, and generously receive, help. Our first call should always be to God.

DO YOUR DUTY

Spatzle didn’t demand attention. He was the only dog in the house and confident in his position and my love. He slept at the foot of my bed every night and at times would jump up to sit by me in a chair while I read. He took his duty seriously to protect our family. We didn’t need a doorbell, as we had a dogbell. We rarely heard the doorbell ring because Spatzle was on the job. Now Oliver glady takes that position in our home.

He kept watch without any encouragement from me. He had food, shelter, affection, and was safe. His needs were met and he rewarded us with his bark. He had a job to do and took it seriously.

I have a job to do as part of the family of God, and I pray I can be as dependable as my dog in fulfilling the calling God gives me.

PART OF THE FAMILY

Spazle would  bark if someone came over and I chatted with them. He’d stop once I picked him up. He insisted on being part of the conversation and didn’t want to be left out. If someone came over and refused to acknowledge him, he would also let them know, in uncerstain terms, that he was someone to be reckoned with and once they gave him a pet, he would go back to his watchpost. Spazle was part of the family and never let us forget it.

It would be easy to forget that I am also part of the family of God and when the time is appropriate, to be acknowledge as existing. That’s partly why I love my church. I’m not invisible there even if people don’t know me. I’m not more important than anyone else, but I’m also not less important. I’m part of the family. And if I ask God to hold me while He’s speaking, that’s OK by Him.

In spite of all that, I remember that sweet face so fondly, and the lessons my dog taught me about my relationship with God. Do any of these resonate with you?

Author Confessions: What My Dogs Teach Me About My Relationship With God, 2 of 7

Aug10
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Author Confessions: What My Dogs Teach Me About My Relationship With God, Part 2 of 7

If you haven’t read my previous post you can it here.

UNIQUENESS

As you will see in upcoming posts, each of my dogs are unique in so many ways. It is a delight to explore that with them and watch them express themselves and teach me different things about them, and God. How dare I try to compare myself to anyone else when God has also made me unique and delightful? We all have our own quirks and unique journey in life and I need to embrace that, just as I have welcomed and embraced these dogs.

I want to start going into each of my dogs individually. Not all in one post, but they all have different things to teach me.

First up is Spatzle. I got him at 4 years of age. He had been surrendered by his owners because “He barked too much.” He didn’t bark at all for months.

NO PLAN

Dogs live fully in whatever moment they find themselves. They will try to let me know if they need to go out because they’ve been trained to, but once outside even relieving themselves might need to wait until they sniff around, or check for other people around who might pet them. If the weather is bad, however, getting their business done and coming back into the house are the plan. They trust me to lead them on a walk or to feed them and because I leave food out and they can eat when they are hungry.

SUBMISSION

When training a dog, one has to establish who is the boss, or the alpha. The dog learns the rewards of submitting (usually a treat or praise) and the consequences of disobedience (no treat or sometimes, I’ll be honest, a scold).

God is the ultimate Alpha. He is King of the Universe. He is above and beyond anything grand my finite brain can fathom, yet how often do I fail to seek His face?

My sin is exponentially worse than my dog peeing or pooping in the house. I can clean up those, and sometimes the consequences of my own sin are that easy to manage. If my dog escapes the leash thinking freedom is wonderful, and refuses to come when I call, it could mean his death if he were hit by a car or some other tragedy befalls him or her.

God will always be there, no matter what the consequences and His love never ends no matter how egregious a sin I might commit. He will not always rescue me from the consequences of that sin. Not that He couldn’t, like if I cannot grab my dog before a car runs it over, but because He allows the natural world to run its course and nothing is ever wasted, even my suffering due to my own failure to submit to the One Who loves me best.

ONE ON ONE TIME

Spatzle was a Maltese mix, part Maltese, part Shih Tzu. We rescued him on Valentine’s Day which was also my middle Hobbit’s birthday. He cried all the way home. Three hours of non-stop whining no matter how much we petted him. He also didn’t poop for days!

He quickly adjusted to our home and made himself comfortable and chose me as his person. The breed can be known for separation anxiety. Spatzle was respectful. He rarely had an accident in the house and never chewed up things he wasn’t supposed to. He did bark, and was most vocal with the postal carrier. I suspect he couldn’t understand why that person wasn’t staying to give him some love.

Initially Spatzle would rush to the door when I came home, and bark incessantly to be picked up. I refused to do that until I had set stuff down or hung up my coat. Then, I would give him my attention. I would pick him up and snuggle and then he was fine and would run off to keep  guard against any mail deliveries.

Eventually he understood I would come for him and he would run to wait for me in the living room, on the sofa. Once I got in there, I would grab his favorite toy and we would play tug of war, with me often spinning him around on the hardwood floors. Oh, he absolutely loved that! He would eventually win the war and jump back to the sofa with his prize. We were both happy.

When he grew older, he didn’t have the energy for that and he would bark at first and then wait for me to come and acknowledge him.

Spatzle trusted that I didn’t forget about him, and that I loved him. How much more do I need wait for God to reveal Himself to me? It might be in a different way in different seasons. His love is constant and He delights in time spent with me. Seeing me happy to be with Him, makes God’s heart happy too.

I love looking at what my dogs teach me about my relationship with God. Do you resonate with any of these?

Author Confessions: What My Dogs Teach Me About My Relationship With God, 1 of 7

Aug3
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: What My Dogs Teach Me About My Relationship With God, Part I of 7

The other morning, as I was about to open my Bible to read, my sweet puppy, Oliver, jumped into my lap and sat across my journal. I stopped and petted him. I started to think about what my sweet dog can teach me about my relationship with God.

Before I go further, let me explain that there is a difference between Special Revelation (The Holy Bible) and General Revelation, how all creation cries out in testimony of who God is. In Romans 1:19-20, Paul states: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

I’ll be likely writing more than one of these so I wanted make sure you understand that this is what I am learning from the humble and sweet, dogs that God has entrusted me with. I apologize to owners of other types of pets, but maybe some of these will resonate with you regardless of what kind of pet you have.

I want to start out generally. I’ve often thought that a dog’s life was easy but as a human being I realize it is not.

DEPENDENCE

My dogs have to completely trust me. They need to pee or poop outside (although they sometimes fail to follow through on this as I would prefer). I can use the bathroom whenever I feel then need and not at the whim of someone else without access to a facility to relieve myself. I get the comfort of a bathroom as well, not needing to use the facilities regardless of weather and temperature.

My dogs also have to wait for me to return home and provide them with food. I hope I am as faithful as they need me to be in providing them with good food and plenty of fresh water.

As a human being I would struggle with this.  Sure, as a child I was utterly dependent on my parents to provide me with food and water, but when they left the house, when I was little, they provided me with a babysitter, until I got old enough to care for myself.

My current dogs are in a crate during the night, waiting for me to release them in the morning without whimper or complaint. They are in a playpen when I am  gone, sometimes with music playing and food and water available. They have no idea if I’m going to be gone for one hour or eight. And if I’m lucky they won’t leave me any gifts to clean up.

While we are all, as human beings, interdependent on others. I sometimes forget how dependent on God I am. For my every breath, or money for the rent, food to eat, a safe place to sleep at night. God has provided me far more than I deserve. How much more should I be climbing into His lap to express my gratitude.

KINDNESS

My dogs trust me to be kind to them. One, as I will explain in a future post, has a traumatic past, so she can still be shy about that and while most dogs will be chagrined if scolded for bad behavior, she will cower in fear. How much more should I quake before the holiness of God?

When I call their name, their tales wag and they come close. They anticipate good from me, whether it is a treat or some petting. God is calling me to meet with Him, not to discipline me, although He needs to do that too at times, but to show me His goodness.

It’s been a deep joy for me coming to our church after some wounds from our previous congregation. I anticipate with joy being with others to worship God! That is how it should be but hadn’t been for a long time. My dogs, likewise, jump and bark for joy when I come home because they delight in being in my presence! There is more freedom for them when I am there, and of course, the potential for treats. I’m glad I can experience that joy going to church, but the reality is I can experience that every time I pray or read His Word or talk about Him with someone else.

Oh, there is so much more to explore about what my dogs teach me about my relationship with God. Maybe you can suggest some you’ve experienced with your pet!

Author Confessions: Who Are You?

Jul27
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: Who Are You?

Many years ago, I attended a Christian conference for people in the field of psychology. The workshops were great. A few of the women decided to go to lunch. I had never met any of them before.

I asked them the question beyond your name, Who are you?

The first one started to talk about their position working in a non-profit helping unwed mothers. While that is a noble career, I needed to stop her. I said, “That is what you do, which is great, but who are you?”

Another one made an attempt to answer the question but again talked about their work. Fair enough, we were at a conference to help us in our careers.

Maybe I’m obnoxious, for sure I was persistent. I said “Who you are is not what you do for a living.”

What would an example be? I’m a child of God. I’m and encourager, creative, I love hearts, flowers, and gardening (but am not a fan of weeding). I can be impulsive and silly at times. I love music and singing. I love the church. Now I would probably add, I love being married to Ben, playing mini-golf, and occasionally driving a skid-steer. I’m also an INFJ and while I love being with people I prefer one-on-one conversations to large groups. I’m a WISIWIG – what you see is what you get. I’m not good at putting on airs and while I might reveal all my history or secrets, I’m pretty honest and my face will sometimes communicate more than my words might say!

After I gave them an example they struggled to find ways to describe themselves and separate their profession from their identity. I am not what I do, however, who I am will express itself in how I do whatever work I undertake. I could eventually, upon a closer connection to someone, share some of the lessons I’ve learned from the experiences that have shaped who I am today.

How about you? If someone asks you: Who are you? How would you respond? It’s easy and almost a way to brag and also put up a wall, to give a profession or degree, or successes.

If I say I enjoy writing books, which I do, it is different from saying I’m a multi-published author of over 38 stories. Well, that definitely sounds more impressive and if I added “best-selling” or “award winning” into that description it might give you an elevated view of who I am. Awards or book sales, or a job that pays a high salary, are not things that define WHO I am. They might describe a fleeting moment in time, and make up part of my story, but they are not my identity before God.

When I write my character might start out with some kind of job, but the fun of a story isn’t learning about their work, it’s learning about the person themselves and what makes them tick. A romance can’t be built only on career compatibility (is there such a thing?).

I will confess there are times when I want to toss out my experience, education or successes, but it doesn’t matter to God in the long run. While earthly achievements are nice and in many ways a form of validation from the world, and maybe from God, it is more the work of our heart and our desire to honor Him in all things that will matter more.

It takes more time to get to know someone beyond their job, but it is a worthy endeavor. I have two neighbors I want to get to know better and neither of them work outside the home. I’ve been a homemaker myself for many years. I look forward to learning more about the things that they enjoy and what stirs their hearts and what kinds of hopes and dreams they may have. And maybe be able to encourage them with the challenges they face.

God isn’t going to say “well-done good and faithful servant” to me based on a GPA, or the level of education I have or the amount of money I made during my lifetime. Only HE truly knows the number of people whose lives have been impacted by interacting with me – both positively and negatively.

Who are you? How would you answer that question?

 

Author Confessions: The Gift of Quality Time

Jul20
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: The Gift of Quality Time

If you’ve ever studied The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, you might know that one of them is quality time. That is one of my top love languages and I will often go out of my way to connect with people via one-on-one connections. However, if I offer a potential new friend my contact information or suggest connecting face to face and they aren’t responsive when I ask to set a time/date/location, then I let it go. I’m not that important to them and that’s fine. I’m not everyone’s cup of tea.

Since I’ve moved, I will easily make the forty-five minute drive back to my hometown to connect one on one with a friend, or family. I don’t mind the drive and figure friendships are worth the sacrifice of time. A few years ago, my husband and I drove cross county, over 1,200 miles from Wisconsin to Houston Texas, to connect with a friend, although maybe next time I’ll fly!

A few weeks ago I had a birthday and my daughter texted a few days before saying she wanted to connect, in my town. I felt so honored that she would make time and drive to have a little lunch with me and see our house-in-progress. Then a few days later, another friend made the drive and took me to lunch, even looking for a place that I hadn’t tried before (and was wonderful). We got to sit and talk for long time. She made me a lovely birthday gift and I will think of her every time I use it, which will be often.

Two times in one week, people who love me showed that love by coming to spend time with me. Quality time. What a gift.

When I write, most of the best interaction between characters are in person, face-to-face interactions. Not just phone calls, social media posts, and text messages. Since Covid, we’ve become less inclined to do that in real life because we’ve become too comfortable with the distance. We sacrifice love for the sake of perceived safety. In a novel, those personal interactions are where people can go deeper in their understanding of one another.

When my husband and I are busy with all of our projects, sometimes I have to tell him that I need that quality time, away from the house, where we can talk about a lot of things, not the urgent work that sometimes takes priority. We regularly spend an hour at night talking before we go to sleep and I treasure that connection. Quality time is an essential part of our marriage.

I spend time reading the Bible and journaling every morning. It struck me that while I might think I’m really great at coming to meet with God, and it is, there’s more. Sure, I want to grow closer to Him. I want to grow in my faith and knowledge of God. In wisdom. I find that my time with God makes my day better.

I was missing something more important. God comes to meet with me. From heaven to earth, through the Holy Spirit, it might not be forty-five miles, and it’s more than 1,200. It is a distance I cannot fathom. Because of Jesus and His death on the cross, and the gift of the Holy Spirit indwelling, I have the honor of God meeting with me at great cost to Himself. I started taking it for granted. I’d lost the wonder of how miraculous and what a gift that God, the Creator of the universe would drop everything to meet with me any time I call upon Him, because He dwells within me by His Spirit. What a mind-boggling gift!

I don’t expect my friends to travel long distances to meet with me. Maybe I don’t feel like I’m worthy of that even though I will gladly do that for them. God loves me even more than that.

How far have you traveled to give the gift of quality time to someone? Do you have friends you would go to great lengths to go to spend time with them? How about God? Are you treasuring the time with Him? My depth of appreciation has deepened for the time I spend with God, since to real life humans reminded me, just by showing me their love, that the gift of quality time is precious.

Author Confessions: My Journey to Faith

Jul13
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: My Journey to Faith

It dawned on me I never shared how I came to have a relationship with Jesus, so figured now was as good a time as any.

I was raised in Wisconsin and am the oldest of 6 children. As a child I would pray and was drawn to God. Even in private religious school I couldn’t seem to get close to Him and longed for that. My journals from way back then are filled with prayers and longing for Him (See? I was a writer way back then!). When I got to public high school I heard some kids talk about Campus Life/Youth for Christ and the meetings and concerts they would go to. They thought I was a Christian. So did I! I kept begging to be invited.

That first meeting they talked about misconceptions people have about Christianity and it was the first time I understood that I could have a personal relationship with Jesus. No mediator. I already understood that I was a sinner and that Jesus died for my sins, but longed to be close to God and didn’t know how to get there. Now I did! I prayed that night and my life was drastically changed. I was fifteen.

A week later I was in the local Christian bookstore to purchase a Bible. I ran into the director of Youth for Christ and told him my experience. He said, “It sounds like you’ve been born again.” I’d never heard those words before but it sounded right. I began devouring Scripture and attending meetings to learn and grow in my faith. The first Bible verse I ever memorized as a new believer was “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8). I became eager to share what I was reading and learning with my family, wanting them to come to know Jesus. I confess I was overzealous and obnoxious. My mother insisted I talk to their church leadership who then informed me I could not read the Bible without him guiding me. My parents forbade me from reading Scripture.

I wanted to honor my parents but realized from what I had already read in the scriptures, that my primary duty was to honor God. So, I read my Bible, but didn’t talk about it much at home. I continued to attend the church of my parents but also would attend a church that preached the gospel. I began to see how the religion I was brought up in didn’t square with what I was reading.

When I was 18, I was baptized by immersion and stopped attending my parent’s church. Funny note, the church I was attending didn’t have a baptismal. They would use one at another church building, but that June they hadn’t heated the water. I was instead baptized in a neighbor’s backyard swimming pool. At least it was warm!

I’ve been walking with God for 45+ years now. He has been with me through all the ups and downs of life, leading and guiding me, often out of my comfort zone. I could tell countless stories where He has worked and done sometimes even small things to show His love and power to me, and that even when I was in a difficult place, He hadn’t forgotten me. That includes leading me to my husband, Ben. God’s fingerprints are all over our meeting and courtship. I cannot imagine going through life without Jesus.

When I started writing I couldn’t help but have faith be a key part of any story. I tried once to write a story without it and failed and had to rewrite it. The faith line in Whitney’s Vow is not blatant, but it is there!

We recently moved and found a new church. God has taken the brokenness of the past and given me renewed joy in worshipping and seeking Him in this new season of life. We might be building a house (with God’s help!) but He’s still doing a remodeling project in me.

Notice I haven’t mentioned any denomination or religion in my post. That is by design. Christianity is not about a religion but a relationship and I’m so glad!

Psalm 19:14 is the prayer of my heart: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

What’s your journey to faith in Jesus?