Trusting in His Goodness: Week Four - Chapter 4, Swept Off Your Feet

Have you ever been swept off your feet with love? As a new bride, my husband swept me off my feet—in fact he still does. From my children’s conception they owned my heart. I’ve also been swept off my feet with friends who’ve claimed my love. Strangers living in distress have broken my heart and won my care. This chapter asks me to consider whether I realize how much God desires to sweep me off His feet with His love. Writing that sentence overpowers my heart with the realization that the God of the universe is courting me!

It would be easy for me to make a long list of the many ways God has wooed me—but I’ll just stick to today. He gave me breath this morning, welcomed me to the day, strengthened me for the task, and blessed me with wisdom and insights for my work. I felt Him speak quietly to me when words were missing and gently remind me of what is important when I was tempted. And this is all before 4 pm! I’ve been rested, fed and cared for even as I live with my weaknesses and chronic pain. I feel His love as I sit in His presence. Reading this chapter and soaking in the holy habits draws me even closer to Him.

There are dark nights of the soul—you may be in one right now. One of my friends has been in one for as long as I’ve known her though she continually faces God, waiting for Him to lift her from this place of disconnect that feels so distant from Him. Can we trust that even in distance He is loving us? Can we believe that in pain, suffering, injustice and hardships His love is never-ending? These are hard questions and as I read this chapter I had to confront them. Life tries to teach us to be wary of “God’s Love.” Is it for real?

I would love to hear how you respond to this chapter. Maybe you’d like to comment on how you are engaging with one of the holy habits to help you grow in realizing God’s amazing love for you.

Trusting in His Goodness: Week Three- Chapter 3, Dancing in Life-Giving Light

You will want to dance your way through this life-giving, encouraging chapter. Mimi’s and Shelley’s personal stories reflect the wonderful truth they are presenting in this chapter. I had taken the book to my bedroom where I hoped to read a bit before resting on this hot afternoon. Instead, their words woke me to a truth too exciting to read while lying down. In fact, I wanted to get up and dance when I read the prayers they suggest for spiritual and heart sight. “Shine your light in me so that I may see what you see. Use my eyes.” (p. 44) Though I often pray to see life from God’s perspective, I think there is a difference in their prayer and mine.

I also loved the words about our transformation into being the Light of the World that Jesus talks about in Matthew 5:14. Not only can God help us see what He sees, He can use us to show the world Himself. He is so gracious to use us in our imperfection and so powerful to transform our willingness to be light and reveal Himself to those who need His light. This is exciting stuff to live!

This week, as you read and ponder this chapter, please let go of “shoulds” and “oughts" that may cause you to assume you already know this truth. Let God take you deeper into dancing in His life-giving light. When you post, please share any new insights you’ve gained or the holy habit you wish to develop to help you grow in this amazing truth.

My Response:

It is really amazing that God’s power and light is great enough to shine through us to the extent that we are called to shine our light for the world to see Jesus! Amazing! One of the fun parts of our recent move from the West Coast to the East Coast has been learning to make friends with people who are from the “Big Apple.” Their no-nonsense reputations and lack of friendly exterior made them a bit intimidating to me—but as I started being who I really am, a pretty friendly child of God, people have begun to respond. We say “hey” as we meet someone on the street—they glance at us in surprise—and then they smile and greet us. That is pretty cool.

Looking clerks in the eyes and calling them by name with a kind word also gets a surprised response—but then a smile and some connection. This is just a small way for me to be light in my community—but I think it is a fun way to bring LIFE into the world around me. This has become a holy habit for me—one I hope to continue to practice!

Trusting in His Goodness: Week Two - Chapter 2, Out from Behind the Curtain

I will try to tell this story succinctly. My aunt had to move to a dementia care facility last fall. She was able to take her beloved cat with her. But, about a month ago he bit a fellow resident and was kicked out of the home. My nephew, Caleb, took Simba to live with him but his roommate’s allergies made cohabitation impossible.

My family lives in Washington and I live in New Jersey. I’m my aunt’s durable power of attorney—her happiness is my responsibility. Where to put Simba became the dominate topic of cross-continent phone conversations. Suggestions were often DOA, they just didn't work. Phone calls, posts of FB and conversations with friends only yielded suggestions to put the cat down, lie to Aunt Corrine and be done with it. But, my Mom and I just couldn't get peace about taking one of the last things my aunt has left and ending it with an injection. How could we dishonor her wishes? What would we say to her? Would we be able to find a solution? We agonized and we prayed.

God, who has allowed my aunt to have dementia, to lose her ability to live in her beloved condo surrounded by her life-long friends in her favorite city, found a home for her cat. God, who knows my aunt's sufferings from the indignity of loss of control, provided a way for us to honor her love for Simba. God, who sees my aunt surrounded by people who don't know where they are or remember who they are and who say really strange things, said yes to our plea for a solution for Simba. It seems incongruent to me. In the unwanted mess of aging, His goodness shows up in the attention He gives to a cat my aunt loves.

Somehow this encourages me in a baffling kind of way.

Why didn't He say yes to our prayers for my aunt to not have to walk this path? Why another burden for my Mom's slender shoulders? Why all the loss of dignity, health, home and friends? Why? I don't know... But, I see His love for her and even my mom when He gave my mom the idea of calling my cousin Sandy and she said yes to an aging, grumpy cat. I feel Him lifting my chin, forcing my eyes to look into His to see His goodness, His love, His care, His sorrow, His presence. In the incongruent He is here.

This afternoon, my Aunt Corrine rode with Simba, Caleb and my Mom to the old family farm. Sandy assured them Simba, a 15-year-old cat, is welcome to live with her and her 14-year-old cat. In fact, she'd wanted a new cat. I spoke to Aunt Corrine tonight and she sounded so happy to have spent part of the afternoon with Simba, happy that Simba has a new home. I'm happy, too. Thank you, God, for showing up in the discordant elements of my aunt's journey.

One of the Scriptures Mimi and Shelly will take us to this week is, "Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy” (Acts 14:17). The truth they write about in this chapter can be summed up in that verse.

God is good—we can look and see His goodness in creation and in His Word and in His care for us. I wonder, how you will read this chapter from the context of your setting. Where do you see the goodness of God this week? I look forward to reading your comments. I hope you’ll enjoy and be challenged by this week’s reading. Be sure to leave enough time to practice the Holy Habits and thoughtfully respond to the questions.

Where I’ve Seen God’s Goodness:

• This week I have seen God’s goodness in the healing of a friend whose heart was broken after her second miscarriage of a baby she has tried years to conceive. As I talked with her today, months after she lost the 2^nd baby, I’m hearing her be able to respond to God’s love and care and life that is all around her. The pain is still there, but there is also healing which can only be God’s amazing goodness.

• I’ve also seen His goodness in conversations on my couch with women who are really hurting. As l listen and cry with them, I also see God meet them right where they are and bring healing and hope to their troubled lives. I’ve started looking at my couch as a very sacred place!

• I’ve also seen God’s goodness while Skyping with my 2-year-old, precious grandson—such a gift to our family.

• I’ve seen His goodness in the strength He gives my Mom, the help He gives Kevin for his huge job as Executive Pastor at our church, and me with my work at Link Care.

I have so much to be thankful for—even my little window sill herb garden that is finally starting to thrive. God’s goodness has been in the hard places this week—and in the life-giving moments, too. I love Him so very much.

Trusting in His Goodness: Intro and Week One-Chapter 1

Introduction to Our Study

Welcome to this wonderful book study by Mimi Wilson and Shelly Volkhardt. My hope for us is that we will take time to sit in the truths of each week’s lesson and allow our lives to be changed. Please read each chapter early in the week so you will have time to reflect on the two concluding parts of each chapter.

• *“Holy Habits” will give us practical ways to respond to the truth of God’s goodness presented in each chapter.

• “Responding to His Word” will allow us to dig deeper into relevant Scriptures and answer pertinent questions to increase our understanding of this truth.

This isn’t a study to rush through. Let’s invite God to search our hearts and show us what we really believe, to teach us His truth, and release us from any lies we may believe and live by. I’m very excited for this study—and I’m very excited to complete it with you.

Our study will be as good as our participants’ comments. The purpose of this blog isn’t to give us ideas about books—instead, this blog is meant to be a community of online friends and companions who can read a book together and share thoughts and responses with each other. So, your comments really do matter. My hope is that you’ll be able to post your comments (either here or our private Facebook group) towards the end of each week. Each week’s chapter will be added to the blog on Monday.

Some Reasons People Don’t Post:
Other’s comments seem so wise, deep and intimidating
This is such a public forum
Not feeling safe or feeling shy
Lack of time to write a thoughtful comment
Not believing that what you have to share is important

Some Great Reasons To Post
You are just as wise and deep as others—you have a lot to contribute
It is public, but private, too as this isn’t a searchable blog site
This is a friendly community—we understand that we’re all at different places in our spiritual journey. We promise not to judge or condemn but to try and understand
Writing can take just a few minutes—and it is important to make time for you to be part of this community
What you have to say will impact the other readers

With that introduction and plea for your participation, let’s get started! My heart is hungry to learn more about God’s goodness. I expect to be changed as we read this book.

Welcome to this study!

Linda

Chapter One: 360 Degrees of Absolute Goodness

My husband and I recently made an umpteenth move—this time from California to New Jersey. Compared to past moves when our kids were still home, or when we moved to Venezuela, Ecuador or back to the States, this has been a very easy move. We are very happy in our new location. Except.

Except is such a powerful word and it is a word I’ve been focusing a lot on. Because, I’m very happy here except for the fact that one of my life-long friends seems to have decided that she is done changing her address book to make room for my new contact information. She isn’t responding to Skype, Facebook, emails and she’s not taking my phone calls. I don’t know what’s up or how to repair our friendship when she is unavailable to me. Our interrupted relationship has been a huge downer for me since we moved and it isn’t getting any easier.

I’ve just re-read our first chapter for the second time. Quotes from these pages challenge my heart’s perspective.

“Why would I sit under a tree and focus on the fruit I cannot have? ….Like Eve, we often look to what we don’t have and decide (many times without realizing it) that God must not be good since we cannot have what we desire” (p. 13).

“Goodness is His essence” (p.15).

“If all mankind had a cup and could dip it into the goodness of God’s character at the same time, our cups would be full and He would not have a drop less of goodness in Him” (p. 17).

“When we don’t pay attention to the goodness of God surrounding us, we starve our belief that God is good…” (p. 17).

“The first step to noticing God’s goodness is opening our eyes and looking for it” (p.18).

Lately, I’ve allowed my focus on what I can’t have to rob me of what God has given me. He is so good.

I hope you will enjoy this week’s reading. Please feel free to reflect in your comments about the” Holy Habits” and any “Responses to His Word” you’d like to share. But, what I’d really like to hear is what you’ve seen this week when you opened your eyes to notice God’s goodness. Would you at least share that with us, please? I know we’ll be greatly encouraged by each other’s observations.

A New [Spiritual] Direction Begins July 18

A Place for Spiritual Growth in Community Begins on July 18.

Linda Swanson, author, reader, WOTH Retreat speaker, spiritual director and current blog host, will continue to lead as we change direction in our purpose.

• Linda will pick a book and engage us in a conversation with the hope of helping us grow closer to Him, pointing us in His direction and providing a wonderful community with the purpose of keeping us spiritually fresh as we serve globally.

• And to create a more intimate and secure setting for you to grow, we will be taking our discussion to a new, more secure place: a Private Group created on Facebook, "WOTH | Book Club Blog"...to join, please refer to the left sidebar for instructions.

• The first book to get us started on our transformational journey is: Trusting in His Goodness, by Mimi Wilson (WOTH Retreat Speaker) and Shelly Volkhardt. See right sidebar for more on their book.

Join our FB Private Group and come back on July 18 to begin building community with women just like you!

If you don't want to be on Facebook, we welcome your participation here as well.

The Hawk and the Dove: Week 5- Book 3, Chapter 4 - Chapter 8

This is one of those books that I hate to turn the last page. Have you enjoyed reading about these Fathers and Brothers who lived so long ago and the lessons God taught them? I know I have—and I feel like I’ve been on a treasure hunt for quotes that give great insights into life and faith.

I especially was entranced and challenged by the conversation about life and death Tom and Peregrine have on pages 466-476. On page 473 Peregrine says, “God did not watch me weep, watch part of me die in misery. We share one breath, he and I. God also wept, groaned, died. He carries my wounds in his body. My gut clenched in sobbing, and it was the heartache of God. All my fear and defeat are scars that he wears on his breast. But, God lives in eternal bliss. God can’t die. Surely that was the point about Jesus; he came so we could have life—to put an end to death. God’s supposed to lift us up! It’s a poor do if our miseries drag God down in the dirt too, isn’t it?”

The conversation continues, but I will stop there because I have to say I agree and disagree with what Peregrine says. I live because of the life God breathed in me. God cares deeply and I do believe He shares my suffering/sadness. At the same time, I don’t believe my suffering weighs Him down even though he feels it deeply. He is God. He is bigger than our shared sadness over the suffering of the world. So though He feels sadness, anger, and maybe even frustration—He is above those emotions because He knows He will complete His good work, He knows He will redeem everything. He is so amazing and worthy of our respect and worship.

As we come to the end of this book, what do you take away from our last reading and from this book? I look forward to reading your comments. Thank you for reading with me!