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Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  James 1:2-3

No one enjoys the messy parts of life, but as I get older, I do see them as being essential in our Christian walk. Just think back at your life and in what moments did you grow the most as an individual and in your spiritual walk? Was it the time it was all smooth sailing with sunshine and smiles? Or was it more in the times when you were faced with tears, troubles and uncertainties? None of us like it when trials come our way, but if we were being honest, can we see how those are defining moments of our character and present beliefs. During life’s storms, we may feel crushed under the weight and burdened down with the pressures we come face to face with. But those battles we endure, shape and mold us into the individuals we are today. Look back at past circumstances that you didn’t think you could overcome, but yet here you are today on the other side of that dark valley. Think of some of our most valuable gemstones we have today. Diamonds and rubies are made in an environment of extreme heat and pressure from deep in the earth’s ground. They had to go through a not so pleasant process to become the sparkling beauty we see displayed in stores. Through our trials, we can let the Creator work on us to polish away the rough and ugly places to help us come out of the dirt a little stronger and dare I say a little more attractive. I think the more time we spend with God, the more pleasing we can become to be around and even to look at. When I refer to appearance, I am not talking about beauty that fades, but living in a way where we are different. We are joyful. We are kind. We are compassionate. We can shine his light. We can smile, despite the turmoil that may be all around us, knowing he is with us always and he can work good from any situation life may throw at us. We can either choose to get mad at God and run from him, or we can trust his word and lean into him more. He is our strength, our fortress, and our salvation. He is our hope when all else seems lost.

The past few months I have watched my loved ones’ struggle with troubles that come with this life. As much as I want to fix it for them and provide the answers, I am also reminded that growth happens in the dirt. When things are muddy, messy and dirty, the one who created us is still at work. It may be hard to see, but I try to encourage them to just keep pressing on and have faith that he is hearing their prayers. I think of a tiny seed and how before it comes a plant or tree, its most important growth happens in the dirt. What happens down in the soil sets the foundation and the plant’s future depends on it. I reminded my loved ones’ that when they face tough situations, they should pray daily even if they don’t feel like it, and give grace where needed, and keep moving forward little by little. Ask for God’s help for clarity and wisdom. Rely on his strength and guidance to get them through this season. Give themselves time to heal and ask for eyes to see how they can grow as a person and as a Christian.

What is YOUR foundation based upon? What or who do you rely or count on? What we do when trouble comes knocking at our door sets up an opportunity for growth if we will let it. Our choices matter. When we are faced with the unknown or our expectations were not met, what is our reaction? Do we run to God or from him? This steps on my toes a little because I have struggled with this in my life. There are times when my initial reaction is one I am ashamed of. This flesh wants to get upset and push God away. I want someone to blame and even more selfishly, I play the “Why me?” card. If any of you reading this can relate than you know this train of thought only leads to muddier waters where soon enough you will find yourself stuck. It is important to stop this kind of thinking immediately. Shift your thoughts to Philippians 4:8.

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things.

Focus on the good in your life, I promise you there is some there even if you have to dig a little to find it. Look back at all the valleys God has brought you through. Don’t worry about tomorrow, just be present in the moment of today. There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for.

Maybe this Thanksgiving you are coming through a dark, stormy season. One filled with hurt, uncertainty, anger, anxiety. You may be wondering if you will ever feel joy again, or perhaps you have no idea what the next step you should take should be. I pray you can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I pray you know there is only one light that matters and is truth. That is Jesus. I have seen him turn ashes into beauty and graves into gardens. He truly is a waymaker if you will just surrender it over to him. Life is never easy, but living your life for Jesus is one that is worth it. You may not always feel him close to you, or you may not see him working in your life, but I promise you he is. Just hang on and keep moving forward!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Hayley W

God once again showed up and blessed me with an opportunity to get up in the sky. He simply amazes me at this goodness, especially when it is so undeserving.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV

Last week, we just finished having our annual fly-in at work called Beech Party. I believe this year we had around 750 people with 140-145 planes that flew in. It is always an exciting time at work. Everyone is just happy to be there and the sounds of the planes coming in and out is music to my ears. The past 2 years at Beech Party, I have been fortunate to have gotten opportunities to go up fly. In 2021, it was in the Starship. In 2022, it was in Parish Twin Beech. The thought had crossed my mind that just maybe this year I may get an opportunity to go up in the star of the museum, the Staggerwing. Rides in a Staggerwing are highly sought after and I thought to myself, if I end up having to ride in the back seat, can I do that and keep the contents of my stomach, well inside my stomach. You see, I am not a good car rider. Just ask my poor husband. If I am a passenger, especially if it is in the back seat, I need air. Fresh air, windows cracked and I do not care how cold it may be outside. I get a little nauseated to say the least. I just want to take a minute to thank my dad for that. He used to love to take the scenic route to and from our destinations. Thirty minutes road trips would take an hour and thirty minutes to get from point A to point B. By the time we would arrive my sister and I would be begging to get out on solid ground. I love you dad, but I know you will chuckle if you are reading this because it is the truth!! So anyways, I didn’t mean to get off on that rabbit trail, but I had done told myself that if I have to say no to riding in the back, I will just have to get over it. The problem was I wasn’t sure I could say no to an opportunity like that.

At Beech Party there is a dinner the three nights of the event. The past two years, I have chosen to just leave after my work shift and not join in with the meals. I have a tendency to shy away from big crowded areas. Even though I talk to the guests multiple times that week, I still didn’t feel like I knew anyone well enough to sit down at a table and eat with them. In my mind, I figured that they would want someone they could talk planes or aviation with and after all I just work in the gift shop. This year our Friday night dinner was our 50th Anniversary celebration and I had heard that one of our volunteers was getting an award. Les Marsh is a huge asset to the museum, a great guy who is so giving with his time and knowledge to make BHM a better place. With the encouragement from my co-workers, I decided that Daryl and I would attend dinner on Friday night. We arrived at the dinner and my co-worker , Sherry and her husband, had offered to sit with us but she had family attending the meal. I told her we would be fine and she needed to go sit with her family. On the inside, I was thinking who in the world will end up at the table with us? It made me think of a scene from a movie when the young kid is sitting at a lunch table, and no one ever sits with them. I had already played it out, just me and Daryl at this big, round table in a sea of people. But two gentlemen, a father and son, ended up sitting with us. When I saw their name tags, I knew these two were a valuable part of the museum. They were life time members Dick and Scott Hansen. They both have been involved with the museum for many years. We had some conversation and I told them a little bit about how I ended up working at BHM. Scott asked me if I had ever been up in a Staggerwing and I said no. He then looked at my husband and me and said, “Would you want to go up in one?” Of course my answer was yes! I told Scott he could come find me in the gift shop on Saturday whenever he was ready to go. I arrived to work on Saturday and was trying to contain my excitement. I noticed the wind had picked up quite a bit, so I was starting to lose hope that it may happen. Daryl showed up around 3pm and Scott came and said it was just too windy to try then. He would try to make a final decision around 5 or so. Daryl had to leave to go home and attend to other plans. He had told me to stay and if I get the chance to go up, do it. I waited and a little after 5pm, Scott came into the gift shop. He said, “Do you want to go?” I replied, “Really? Yeah, I want to go!” I was so excited to hear the words, “Let’s go!”

Not only did I get to go up in a beautiful, orange Staggerwing with a skilled, experienced pilot but we also did a formation flight with another Staggerwing. It was amazing. I have a whole new level of respect for those who fly in formation. What skill, precision, and focus it takes! And guess where I got to ride because it was just me and the pilot, in the front seat! Thank you God for coordinating that ride, down to every detail . In my mind none of that was coincidental. He is so loving and so kind to us all. If I am being honest, I know I can be a real jerk to my heavenly Father at times. Especially when things are not going as I want them to go. But he looks past the ugly part of me, and says here you go child. I love you. I see you. I care about you. Those dreams tucked away in your heart, who do you think put them there? I did.

What a mighty God we serve. The little mundane moments in our lives can hold just as much of his love and power than the big miracles he performs. We just have to be intentionally aware and have open hearts and minds to receive them. They are there. Look for them. Grab hold of them! Don’t let the drops of love that he showers us with daily go unnoticed.

He loves you. Don’t forget it!

Keep moving forward,

Hayley Williams

Sometimes I can imagine my heavenly Father looking down on me just shaking his head. There are even moments where I envision his head is cradled into his hands with the disappointment I must cause him, more frequently than I would like to admit. Life is a hard. A daily rhythm of ups and downs, good decisions and bad, battles of victory of our flesh over our spirit. Am I the only one who is in constant combat with the above? I am ashamed to admit it, but then again when you read the Bible, it is full of accounts of good, faithful servants repeatedly falling short. I feel seen. I feel like I can relate to their moments of weakness and their proneness to mistakes. It gives me hope to know God can use even the lowest, the imperfect and unpolished. The devil likes to make us feel like we cannot be used because of our past mistakes and current flaws. But let me remind you, the devil is a big, fat liar.

I may imagine these thoughts of God, but in reality, I know it is more like he is holding his arms wide open, with his nail scarred hands reaching out for a sinner like me. A sinner saved by his wonderful, most amazing, and endless grace. From the deepest parts of my heart, I have come to cherish and embrace the word “grace”.

Grace- the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.

And why does he shower us with his compassion and kindness? Because he loves us. All we have to do is believe on him as our Savior. Our One and Only God. He is the way. He is the Truth. I do not know where I would be without his unending mercy and grace.

As humans, we are stuck in this flesh. I don’t know about you but my flesh is selfish, greedy, judgemental, sinful…….dare I go on (sigh). I fail him daily, but yet he has never failed me. He has never wandered off because of my stupidity and unfaithfulness. How great a God he is to love me despite the long list of flaws I have. And guess what, he loves you too!

Over the past few years, I have tried to remember how much grace God has bestowed upon me, and in doing so I try pass it on to others. Now, please note I said “tried”. It is downright hard some days, I get in the way and instead of showing grace, I show my sinfulness. Just the other day, I had a moment where it was like a smack on the hand from God. I was driving through town, and well there were a few crazy drivers that got in my way causing me to get a little upset and a not-so-nice word came out of my lips. Okay maybe a few not-so-nice words. I didn’t think nothing about. A few minutes after that, a contemporary Christian song came on the radio and I started singing along to it. That is when a very strong and clear thought came into my my and heart. The lips you use to sing worship and praise, are the same lips you just used casting out those not-so-nice words. Can I just say OUCH! It humbled me real quick and made me think how fast my attitude can change. I can go from child of God to a prisoner of this sinful flesh causing him dishonor. I’ll be honest, I went from belting out those lyrics to that song, to more less just mumbling them in a whisper.

In those moments when I fall short, God’s grace abounds. Praise God for that! And this hasn’t happened just once, but more times than I could ever keep up with.

Contemporary Christian artist Matthew West has a song called Grace Wins. I encourage you to go listen to it. Here is the chorus:

There’s a war between guilt and grace, And they’re fighting for a sacred space, But I’m living proof, Grace wins every time, yeah, No more lying down in death’s defeat, Now I’m rising up in victory, Singing hallelujah, Grace wins every time.

Keep moving forward my friends,

Hayley W

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Jeremiah 29:11

A little over 21 years ago, God put Daryl and I on a path that forever changed us. We were expecting our first child. As exciting as pregnancy can be, my journey had a lot of bumps in the road to say the least. If there was a less than 5% chance of having some weird, unpleasant symptom as a result of being pregnant, well my body would claim it. The first 12-14 weeks found me thrown over a garbage can, a plastic bag, or anything that would catch the contents of what little my stomach may have held. Gross, but it was the truth. I love my 2 babies that the good Lord blessed me with, but my body did not agree well at all with carrying them.

At our appointment to find the sex of this baby, we were excited to see if it was a boy or girl. The excitement quickly faded when we were told there was an issue with the baby’s arms. It was a girl by the way, but we were told they couldn’t see anything past her elbows. Did she have hands? Did she have fingers? Those were just a few of the questions that were looming over us that day as we left the appointment. At first, we didn’t want to tell anyone. Maybe it was shame or embarrassment, or both. But after some time, we knew the only way to get through the next few months would be prayer!

I was sent to a specialist who did an amniocentesis. He didn’t explain much at all and was lacking in bed side manner. I will never forget watching the monitor where I could see the baby, and see as they inserted this large needle into my belly. As soon as they did this, that baby knew there was something going on and immediately moved to the far side of my stomach. (Just a side note, that little human being growing inside of me was fully alive and aware of her surroundings) The amnio didn’t give us anymore information, and the so called specialist just told us we should consider an abortion. That was not an option for us.

The rest of my pregnancy was filled with uncertainties. We had no idea what to expect or how to prepare for her birth. We had a lot of people praying for us and our baby girl. It was during this time that the Serenity prayer became a source of guidance and peace for me. When my heart and mind would get overwhelmed, I would be reminded of the words of the prayer.

God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the Courage to change the things that I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.

The day came when her arrival was anticipated. We were beyond happy to see her little hands with all 10 fingers! She was born with Tar Syndrome. It is very rare, and both parents have to carry the gene. Even though you carry the gene, there is only a 25% chance of you passing it on. She was born without her radius bones, so we could tell her little arms were special. She also had a very low platelet count we had to keep an eye on. We decided to name her Serenity and the name has been a perfect fit.

That sweet little girl is fixing to celebrate her 21st birthday. I guess that is why today I am reflecting on her. It has all went by so fast and I could write a book on all the life lessons I have learned through her. Raising her has been one of the biggest blessings and challenges and she may not know it, but she has helped me in my walk with God. Watching her live with such strength, courage, and love for her Creator just inspires all those around her. She is very quiet, more the type to sit back and observe than to be the center of attention. She is compassionate, kind, a good listener and a loyal friend to those who choose to be a part of her story. She has a servant’s heart and stands up for what she believes in. She knows what it is like to be mistreated or judged based on her differences. She knows the hurt from careless or rude comments or even the long stares, but yet she stands and she smiles. Sure there have been many times the tears have come, but she lets them fall knowing it is part of her journey. Instead of letting those negative things make her bitter and angry, she strives to be a better person. She knows in her heart that God doesn’t make mistakes, even though the questions can sometimes linger, “Why me?”. Butterflies mean something special to her and I can see why. Their transformation from a caterpillar to the beautiful creature they become is a delicate, but sometimes harsh process. I have watched her transformation for the past 21 years and it fills my heart with so much love and gratitude. I am excited to see her life as it takes flight into the next chapter of adulthood. I am a better person having her in my life. She really does strive to live a good life and encourages others to do so.

So, as one of my biggest writing supporters and favorite followers, this blog is dedicated to you, Serenity. You are the one who encouraged me to write in the first place and to start my blog. There are times I hold back because I don’t want to write your story, but the thing is, your story is part of my story. One I will treasure forever. I love you so much. Happy birthday my sweet Serenity! Continue being you, because from where I am standing, you are pretty amazing!

Love,

Hayley W

I love spring and summer. The flowers start to awaken and come forth bursting with colors. It just puts joy in my heart when I look outside and see the vibrant reds, oranges, pinks, and yellows. For years now, I have planted sunflowers along side my garden vegetable plants. I enjoy a variety of sunflowers and am always eager to see what colors they will display.

This year I have three random sunflowers that have come up in my front flower bed where there is rock. Now, I have other plants that grow in this area such as rose bushes and various lilies, but I have never planted sunflowers in that bed. When I saw them sprouting up, I thought it was pretty interesting and decided to just let them be and see what happens. These plants, which I left to grow so I could admire their beauty, have also been serving another purpose. Every morning when I let my dog outside, I always smile because the sunflowers will be facing eastward just basking in the morning sun. It has been a good reminder for me to also start each morning with a grateful heart, and I too find myself basking in the sun. Not only in the physical sun, but my heart thinks on the One who created it. If nothing else, for a few moments I try to just be like the sunflowers and embrace the warmth and sustainment he offers to me. One of the things I just admire about these flowers besides their beauty is their willingness and obedience to face the sun throughout the day. They follow it. What an example in God’s creation that is for us! Keep our minds and hearts upon the One who loves us most. It doesn’t mean your day will be stress free or without problems, but it does mean you don’t have to bear it alone. He walks with us. He guides and protects us, but just like the sunflowers, we have to be obedient to do what we were made to do. Follow him. Seek him. Commune with him. He is such a good, good Father!

It has also been a good reminder of the quote, “Bloom where you are planted.” You may not be in the place or season that you thought you would be in currently. You may not understand the purpose of it. You may not have chosen it either, but you can choose to find the beauty and thrive with the Lord’s help. Like I have said so many times in my Christian walk, it isn’t always easy but thank goodness we don’t have to bear it alone. He is there, willing and able, to help guide us down these life paths, no matter how bumpy it may get. We are to keep our eyes on him. I pray no matter what you may face today, you will feel his presence all around.

Here are my sunflowers in the front flower bed. Is there anything in your yard that serves as a daily reminder as well? I would love to hear about it!

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W

Ahhhhh. The ocean. Such majesty and power, but yet so calming and relaxing to our souls. The mysteries of the deep are intriguing, and its beauty is never dull to the eye. I cannot sit and look at the ocean without admiring the One who created it.

The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, Yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.  Psalm 93:4

My son graduated in May, and we were fortunate to be able to go the the beach for a few days following his graduation ceremony.  The beach is always so soothing to my mind and body. It is a place of astounding beauty. The soft sand squishing beneath my toes and the constant sound of waves crashing in is therapeutic. It is like it tunes out all the noise and distractions going on around you, or even those racing around in your mind and heart, and causes you to focus on the vastness of it's existence. You soon just hear the repetitive sound of waves rolling in, one after another. Every now and then you may get a couple of seconds of complete silence, causing your eyes to pop open only to see the next wave barreling onshore.

One of my favorite things to do on a beach vacation is to get up to watch the sunrise. Sleeping in while at the beach is just not an option for me. I eagerly await each morning's arrival. The anticipation builds as I think of what shells I may find on the beach and what colors will be unveiled as the sun makes its appearance. One thing I did notice on this trip was that we, as humans, are not very good stewards of the beauty God has given us. As I walked the beach at the start of each day, there was garbage left behind from beach goers the night before. I thought, "How hard is it to take your trash with you when you go?". It got to the point it was frustrating me even more with each piece of garbage I picked up. The net I used for catching shells in the waves became my little portable trash bag each morning. I passed a lady one morning and she spoke the exact words running across my mind. "How can anyone see the beauty of the ocean and leave all this litter behind?" 

As I was grumbling about those who left their litter behind, God in his gentle ways, nudged my heart about looking at my own life. There is a lot of beauty in my own life, but I too, also litter it with the garbage of this world. Maybe it's the shows I watch, or the music I listen to. It could be the time I spend on social media when I could be spending it with him. Perhaps it's the lies I listen to from my enemy and instead of shutting them down, I let them linger so they start to take over my mind and root out God's truth about who I am. The choices I make each day can leave a trail of ugly on what God has called beautiful. The garbage in my life could come from what is being stored in my heart:  resentment, jealously, bitterness, comparison and insecurity. The list could go on and on. 

We all know that life is messy. It is hard and complicated. But, it is also a gift, it is a blessing, and should be treasured. It should be protected and valued. Don't be a litter bug! Whether it is actually leaving  garbage behind in God's wonderful creation, or letting the trash of this world pile up so much in your own life that it covers the beauty God has given you by allowing you to experience another day. 

What about you? Do you have anything littering your life today that needs to be cleaned up? I know I do. I encourage you to seek his help and do what you need to do to find the beauty again.

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Matthew 11:28 ESV

Repeat after me: It is okay to rest.

Did you hear what you just said? Now, do you believe it? I am not taking about others resting, I am talking about YOU taking time to truly rest.

Repeat it one more time: IT IS OKAY TO REST.

I feel like for most of us, this is a hard concept to grasp and live out. We live in a world that esteems busyness as a sign of success or productivity. An active schedule adds value to your life, or so is the lie we are told. We fill our calendars and lists with more activities than we have the energy for, but yet, we just keep pushing forward and adding more. Rest is just a nice thought of something we will get to in the future. When we get caught up at work, then we will rest. When all chores are done, then we will rest. Once this month is over and the schedule clears up, then we will rest. But guess what, there will always be chores, activities, or events that come up to fill our hours and days. So we press on, pushing our mental and physical health beyond its limits. I dare say that eventually our spiritual health will take a few knocks as well as a result of our overwhelming agenda.

Below is the definition of rest from the Dictionary app:

Rest – the refreshing quiet or repose of sleep; refreshing ease or inactivity after exertion or labor; relief or freedom, especially from anything that wearies, troubles, or disturbs; a period or interval of inactivity, repose, solitude, or tranquility; mental or spiritual calm. ( I really like the 3rd definition – freedom from anything that wearies, troubles, or disturbs. Who doesn’t want that? Can I get an Amen? )

We NEED rest. When we continue to run at our highest speed day after day, we will at some point crash. We should not feel guilty or have shame for taking care of our physical bodies and our mental health. Mental health issues have sky rocketed the past several years. I see it and I hear it all around me. People are exhausted, worn down, and fatigued. They want to rest, they need to rest, but yet they feel guilty for taking time to find that calm their soul craves. Have you ever felt that way? I have repeatedly over the years. I don’t know about you, but when my life is busy and chaotic, I am not at my best. Those closest to me take the brunt of the consequences when I run myself ragged. Sometimes it comes down to my body just being wore out from all the go, go, go! But there are other times, when from the outside looking in, things are at a slow pace, but boy if you could see my mind…..it’s like a hamster on a wheel who has had one too many energy drinks. I try to keep up with the daily flow, but all it does is dig a deeper hole mentally. I am learning, and it hasn’t been easy, to just say no. It is difficult to release myself from the guilt, but it will be okay if I say no to that invite, event, or activity. I am learning that what I need to do to regain my thoughts and sanity is not what others may need or even agree with, but guess what? It is okay. I know my limits and I have felt the consequences from where I continue to push myself.

In today’s world, it seems like the word “rest” can sometimes be can confused or looked at with a negative mindset. I do think that how we view rest and how we seek it in our lives are very different. We are all created uniquely with varying personalities, needs, and wants. Some in my circle of influence are extroverts, some introverts, and several fall in the the middle having traits of both which is called ambivert. The older I have gotten, I have tried to learn more on the different personality types to better understand and I have found it helpful to my relationships. Let’s be honest, we can be very judgemental towards the personality group we are not a part of just because of the diversity. Extroverts can see introverts as “anti-social, selfish, or lazy” . Introverts can see extroverts as “loud, bossy, or attention seekers”. Do you see where this thinking can lead to some trouble in relationships? Whether you are extroverted or introverted, you are not wrong, nor do you need to be fixed. You are who God made you to be for his purpose. You should not feel guilty for just being you. You should not feel pressure to be more like the other. Either way, God can use you! I have become aware that how we use energy and spend energy is as different as night and day. What extroverts see as a way of charging one’s battery, introverts see it as mentally draining. The way we seek out peace and rest can be just as opposite.

I am an ambivert, but definitely lean more towards the introverted scale. Reading up on the different personality traits, it has opened my heart and eyes to how my perspective was skewed. We throw labels on people so easily without taking the time to consider one’s actions or motives. Being intentional and taking time to understand one’s “why” can help us to show more grace and understanding.

Do take care of yourself. Do what you can to make good choices for your mental and physical health. Do not feel guilty. God never created us to be so overbooked and burdened down by the things of this world. Instead, I think he wants us to take more time to just sit and reflect on him. I pray that if you find yourself in the midst of chaos and busyness, you can find a way to slow down, seek God and find some time to just breathe. Whether it is physical rest you crave, or mental solitude, God can help you with both if you let him.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  Matthew 11:29 ESV

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W

FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out

I will go ahead and warn you, this post may just step on some toes or tug at your heart a little. If it does, don’t worry, this topic has made me a little uneasy as well. I do feel like it affects everyone, whether we want to admit it or not. It may not be a warm and fuzzy post, but I pray it encourages you . I will be the first to raise my hand. I would never want to admit to being a jealous and bitter person, but……I can be. Let me ask you a hard question and it is important that you are honest with yourself.

Do you ever look around and feel like everyone around you is just succeeding and living a great life, and you are over here in the shadows just trying to survive? It may seem like they are thriving and flourishing, and you are living each day just barely hanging on to your hope and sanity. Most of the time when we get into this mental rut, our eyes are focusing on the wrong things. Material possessions. We start to embrace worldly perspectives on measuring success. We look at what we have compared to others and feel like we are lacking. In my opinion, this is one of Satan’s greatest tactics to use on God’s people, and he is sneaky! In a world with information and social media at our finger tips, we are bombarded with visions of other’s successes daily. We start to compare, which leads to discontentment and a loss of joy in our own lives. The older I get, the more I start notice when this attitude will creep in and I have to redirect my thoughts and my vision with intention. If not, it can lead to a haughty, “holier than thou” mindset. What I mean by that is this, have you ever gotten so focused on the blessings others receive that is makes you question God’s goodness and love for you? Do you become judgemental when others succeed? Are you genuinely happy for those around who seem to be more successful than you? What emotions stir deep within when you hear of those around you getting good news, or receiving blessings? It can range from getting a promotion, moving to a new home, buying a new car, or getting engaged. There is an endless list of things we perceive as successes or gifts that can leave us feeling like we have been short handed by our maker.

Repeat after me:

Their success does not diminish your success.

It doesn’t lessen your value or worth to God.

It does not mean you are necessarily doing anything wrong. It is just a part of life. Period. We all face trials and we all receive blessings. I heard this statement on a podcast by Candace Cameron Bure and Heather MacFadyen. One of them made this statement, and it struck a chord within me. It was one of those aha moments.

When you are living in God’s will, you are not missing out on anything.

As I kept repeating that statement, I have to say that encouragement and peace just filled my heart. The only race we should be worried about is the one we run for Christ. All the other stuff along the way, is just stuff and fluff! You cannot base God’s love for you by what you have, or what you receive. Yes, God loves to give us good gifts, but he is also fully aware of our capabilities, our strengths and weaknesses. He knows what is best for us in the season we are in. He doesn’t withhold anything from you because he favors your neighbor or your friend more than he favors you. God doesn’t owe us anything. I think we often forget about the greatest gift he gave and that was his son Jesus. He died our death on that cross. Even if he did nothing more, we could never live a life perfect enough to pay that debt. But yet, while here on earth, it’s like just because we call ourselves “Christians”, or we go to church, or we help others, or read our Bibles daily, we sometimes feel like He owes us. Yikes….did I just say that??? But isn’t it the hard truth? We are spoiled little brats! May God help me and help you to be better stewards of the life he has blessed us with living on this Earth. May we focus on our blessings and have a heart of gratitude for every day he gives us. May we become aware when we start to groan or complain, whether out loud or within our own hearts, about how we think our lives should be. We each have been given a unique journey to live out. No two are the same.

Some may be asking, “Well how do we know we are living in God’s will?”. Good question. The answer can prove to be a little more difficult and everyone has varying opinions. For me, it is when I am seeking God daily for guidance in all things. When I am being obedient to what he has called me to do. Spending time with him. Relying on his strength for each day. Loving others as he commanded us to do. Giving grace as I have received mountains of it in my lifetime. Trying to live my life in a way that is pleasing to God and not this world.

Easy to type these words, harder to live them out each day. God does offer his help, we just have to ask and accept it. He will never force it upon anyone. He wants it to be an individual choice.

Whether you are living in his will or not, never give up. Keep trying and keep moving forward. Every day is a new beginning to choose Jesus.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.  James 1:17

Hayley W

I am a list maker. Post-it notes make me happy. Keeping up with appointments, events, and projects that need to be done in my planner helps me to stay focused. As I accomplish each task or complete a project, it feels amazing to check it off my list or calendar. Feeling productive helps clear my mind of all the clutter life can throw my way.

When I start to backslide on my to do list, my mind gets overwhelmed. Instead of tackling the next item, I start to let the number of items slowly increase causing me to feel burdened and weighed down, which leads to me avoiding the list all together. Procrastination kicks in and it is not my friend.

It is interesting in how we were all created differently. Some thrive in the chaos and freedom of no lists or schedules. They feel imprisoned when it comes to being structured and disciplined. The thing is that sometimes it comes down to our personalities and perspectives. What I may see as irresponsible actions in my life, others engage in that behavior because they are more creative and free. It suits their life and purpose. Some thrive in chaos, but I find my calm in routine and schedules. Keeping my life on track by notes or lists just helps me move forward in a positive state and no doubt it gives me a sense of control.

 I have learned that if I am not careful, this list making habit will roll over into my spiritual life. I start to make a mental checklist of actions that I feel like I should do to be a better Christian and to draw closer to God.

Go to church on Sundays. Check.

Read my daily devotion. Check.

Say my prayers. Check.

Listen to worship songs. Check.

Tithe to the church. Check.

Study the Bible more. Check….well half a check, I need to improve in this area for sure.

I am learning that I over complicate what God wants from me. God created the universe with design and order, and sometimes I can let the order and routines in my life become my focus. It then takes away from the place of genuine fellowship with God.

He simply wants me. He simply wants you. We do not have to do any polishing or cleaning up. We can approach him as we are. In our mess. In our struggles. Even in our disbelief at times. In our anger or our sadness. He sees it all anyway. You and I cannot hide anything from our Creator. But the thing is, he doesn’t want us to. As unpolished & imperfect as I am, He gave his life for me. He wants a relationship with me and with you. I hope you know that he gave his life for you, so that you could truly live in freedom with Him.

He says to come as you are. Bring your baggage. Bring your burdens. Bring your junk.

Yes, He has called us to go out and serve and let our lights shine for His glory, but more than anything, He just wants you and me to just be present with Him. That can mean a variety of things to different people. I feel closest to Him when I am out in His creation. The peace and solitude of nature calms my weary soul from the current chaos in my life, and I can just take a breath and just be in the moment, with my mind on God. I don’t even have to utter words. He sees what is on my heart. It is in those moments that I feel closer to Him. I don’t have to travel far either, it can be just stepping out my front door in the early morning to a new day. Seeing the colors of the sunrise. Hearing the birds sing praises to their creator. Seeing the trees and flowers starting to wake up after being dormant during the winter months. Where do you feel His presence and peace the most?

Now your moments may seem somewhat differently than mine and that is okay. We were each created with a unique set of traits and characteristics. We may worship, praise, and pray to God as differently as we look. We were all created with a God given purpose. Don’t get so caught up in checking off the boxes of what you think a Christian life should include that you miss the many opportunities to just “be present” with your Creator. He loves you and he longs to spend time with you. There is no to-do list that can be completed that is comparable to time spent with your heavenly Father.

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W

Recently, I was getting down some containers from our attic. I recalled that I had put away some of my kid’s baby items in totes. Clothes, baby books, cards, their artwork and all sorts of little do-dads. As I was going through them, I came across a few pieces that I had written for this little paper that was circulated amongst our church people. I read it and thought, that wasn’t too terrible! Even though I had scribbled it down over 20 years ago, it caused me to stop and do some soul searching. I just thought I would share as it helped me re-evaluated some of my current choices and behavior.

G-U-I-D-A-N-C-E.

I recently spent some time meditating on the word guidance. I started to notice the word breaking down into parts. The word “dance” kept popping out at me. As I thinking on this term, I thought about how living out God’s will for our lives can be compared to that of two people dancing. When two people both try to take the lead, the motions do not flow smoothly and they seem to be stumbling along. Instead of a graceful, flowing movement across the dance floor, it can look quite jerky and uncomfortable. But when one person takes the lead, and the other follows their prompts, they can become as one seamlessly moving as one accord. The lead dancer gives gentle cues, perhaps a nudge, or a gentle pull in the direction he is moving towards. The dance takes surrender, willingness and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes were drawn back to the word guidance. When I saw the “G”, I thought of God, followed by “u” and “i”.

God, you, and I dance.

As I thought about the past few months of my life, had I been trusting God to guide me down the right paths? Was I surrendering my will to let him lead my life? Oftentimes the answer is no. Why is it so hard to stay in rhythm with him? He has never led me down the wrong path, but too many times, I choose to let go of his guiding hand, and go off on my own. It never ends well. I make the wrong moves, miss a few steps, and eventually fall flat on my bottom.

My prayer is that I can become better at dancing through this life with God’s guidance. Trusting him to lead me wherever that may be. My hope is I can improve at surrendering to his lead, and be more attentive to the direction he pushes me to. I pray the same for you.

The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.   2 Timothy 4:22


Keep moving forward,
Hayley W

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Recently, I had an incident happen that left me quite rattled.

Anxious. Frustrated. Uneasy. Angry.

Those emotions just followed me into the days ahead like a dark shadow. I was on edge for a week. I couldn’t help but to become paranoid, just waiting on another attack. Someone had used my bank’s phone number, called me during business hours, acting like they were with the bank’s fraud department. They put on a good act of trying to reassure me that they were trying to help me by stopping the fraud charges on my account, when in reality they were the imposers trying to do just the opposite. Talk about feeling violated, I did. Why can’t people use their skills for good? Why choose what is evil and no good? There is a better way and it starts with one named Jesus. As mad as I was, I just kept thinking, you know, Jesus died on the cross for them too. I am not going to lie, I wanted to pray that God would send some punishment their way, but instead chose that he would open their eyes to his truth.

People can take away many things from us here on earth. Our material belongings. Our trust. Our money. They can even try to steal our identity. Along with that they can disrupt our peace and joy if we let them.

But one thing they cannot take from me is Jesus. I am his child. The day I believed on him as my Savior, and asked for his forgiveness, I became secured.

When the troubles of this world come pressing in from every side, I can rest knowing he is with me. He is my strength. He is my refuge. If all I have is Him, that is more than enough.

This past week, he reminded of the killdeer bird. Every summer, we have these birds that make nest in our driveway. Sadly, most eggs never hatch. Between predators and car tires, the survival rating is pretty low. One summer though, one made a nest up close to our house. It was out of reach where my dogs couldn’t bother it, but close enough to them, that the dogs were a deterrent for other predators. I believe she ended up with 5 eggs. They blend into the gravel so well, so I put up property marker flags to help protect them from getting ran over. I checked on them daily and finally the moment came where the babies started to hatch. I have never seen anything so adorable. They look just like their parents, just much smaller. They had only been welcomed into this big ol’ world a day or two, when we had a heavy, torrential rain. I was worried about them, but wasn’t sure I could do much to help. I remember looking out and seeing that brave, little momma bird with her wings out a bit, so all her babies could find refuge under them. It was the sweetest thing. She was getting pelted by hard rain, but yet she stood there protecting her little ones. My mind instantly went to Psalm 91:4. How great it is that we have a Heavenly Father who we can find refuge in when life’s storms press down on us.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. Psalm 91:4

I hope things are going smooth right now in your life. If your like me and have had a few potholes & speed bumps in your path, don’t try to go through it alone. God is with us and he offers you a place of refuge, don’t turn it away. This world and its troubles are growing worse each day it seems. I desire a safe place and God is that for me. I pray you can say the same. Life’s trials are much easier to walk through when you walk through them with God.

Here is a picture of the 4 killdeer babies that did survive. So sweet!

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W

Some of my blogs published do pertain to current circumstances, others are ones I have written in the past but at that moment didn’t feel like it was time to share. This one was actually written last year but I just now felt it was time to post it. So here you go, I hope it encourages you.

I am fixing to be pretty vulnerable at the moment, but in hopes it will help encourage someone and let them know they are not alone. I see it as fitting that as I write this, there is a storm brewing outside these doors. Dark skies, heavy rains, an occasional thunder that makes the walls shake. You can almost feel it from within as it rumbles. It seems parallel to my mood and spirit the past few weeks. Gloomy. Gray skies. Just blah. Usually with God’s help, I can navigate through troubled waters when they start to rock my life boat and keep rowing on course. But, if I am being transparent, the past few months have left me drifting. Drifting from the One who is my anchor.

I know we all go through seasons in our spiritual walk, but it is the struggles we tend to shy away from sharing with others. After all, no one wants to be seen as a weak Christian. Lately my spiritual walk has been “meh”. That is the only word that I tend to use to describe it. Not hot, not cold, just lukewarm which honestly can be dangerous ground. It is here where I find that I tend to get lazy. I slack in my effort in putting on the whole armor of God each morning. I get careless and lackadaisical in my relationship with God. I do not make my prayer time and devotional reading a priority. I hate to even admit it, but it is true. When I ponder why I must be in this season, all I seem to get is a shoulder shrug to sum it up. I have tried to think about what may have led to this. Is God trying to teach me something? What have I done wrong? At the beginning my efforts were going strong, but as time passed, and each trial came into my life was like a crashing ocean wave, one right after another. It wore me down. I was drained mentally and physically. Exhausted, I started to lose my focus, and so I started to drift. The thing about drifting is before you know it, you find yourself distant from solid foundation, and those you love, and more importantly the One who created you.

I have been a Christian for 33 years and with my experience this is just part of our walk that we will face periodically. We will all go through seasons. Today, I cannot tell you why I went adrift the past few months. It isn’t the first time, and unfortunately it won’t be the last. It is in these seasons, that is very easy to veer off the straight and narrow, and slide on it the wide path. The path with least resistant and more of ease. Let’s face it, every day we must choose Jesus. We must stay intentional in our relationship with him, and put his will over our will. So easy to write or say these words, but so hard to do. Especially when day in and day out, you feel like you are doing a decent job living a Christian life, but troubles just keep coming relentlessly. They don’t have to be on a grand scale to put off massive ripples either. Enough small ones can do just as much harm in rocking your boat. There are times when your just done. You just want to quit trying. The past 3 years have been filled with struggles it seems. It gets tiresome. I dare say at some point, maybe even several times, we have all wanted to just wave the white flag and say “I give up!!”. Maybe it has even gotten to the point, your faith has wavered and you have strayed from your heavenly Father. You wonder where God is and why is he not showing up. May I remind you that God is always present in our lives, the good and the bad. He sees your tears. He hears your murmurs when words just don’t come. His word tells us we will have troubles in this world.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 ESV

 I want you to know you are not alone. If no other person ever admits it to you, I have been there. I have struggled to keep up the good fight of faith.

 But God.

He sends me reminders of his love for me. He calls to my attention his goodness in times past and present. He takes me back to all those moments where I couldn’t see a way, but lo and behold, he made one appear. He reminds me of all the blessings I have in my life. He brings to my mind of his faithfulness and there has never been a time, where he wasn’t close by. Whether it was sitting on the bathroom floor, driving home one night, or just sitting on the couch letting the tears fall. He was there, counting each one. He sees it all. The good. The bad. The in-between. And yet, he still forgives me for my short comings and his love for me is steadfast. Not only for me, but for you too. There are times it takes intention to see and feel these things. Slow down, take a deep breath, and know God has you. Completely and securely.

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W

Hope. My word for 2023.

I started picking a word to focus on for each year starting in 2021. It was something I saw others do, and just felt a nudging in my own heart to do so. It is not just a random act of choosing a word, but one that I ask for God’s help on. I believe my word for 2021 was perseverance. Looking back now, man how fitting was that word for a year filled with recovery efforts from a pandemic, which had also ushered in many changes along with fear and uncertainty. I feel like in 2021, there wasn’t a choice, we were in survival mode and each day we had to keep moving forward with finding a new normal. I had to persevere for my kids and family. Surrender was the word for 2022. Now, surrender has been a hard one for me. I tend to like things to go my way, I like plans and schedules. This past year, I have learned that the more tightly I held on to the reigns in my life, convincing myself I was in control, the more miserable I became. It also became apparent that the tighter the grip I had on my circumstances, the more relaxed I became with my relationship with God. I was not very attentive in my spiritual walk. I was just floating along. Thank goodness in time, God opened my eyes to how hardened my heart had become. Compassion was gone. My attitude stunk. Positivity disappeared. One day I thought to myself, how did I get here?

Being intentional in our relationship with God is crucial. We must make a him a priority in our lives. It takes discipline and being obedient to his call on your life. Is this easy? Absolutely not. Is it worth the cost? You better believe it is! Living in this flesh, is it even doable? Not in our own power, but with God’s help and guidance, it can be done. Will you mess up and fail from time to time? Of course, but he is greater than our failures and mishaps. He knows we will not be faithful, but He will be. Every. Single. Time. Every day we must choose Jesus.

This brings me to my word: Hope. I love the hope God offers.

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

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, All ye that hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;. Hebrews 6:19

It is because of our hope in him that we can face another day. It is because of him, that we know a better day is coming for all of those who believe on him. It is because of his great love for us, we can know that he can bring good from situations that seem impossible. It is what helps me to keep moving forward. I cannot imagine life without it, nor would I want to. No matter what circumstances we may face, our hope can rest in HIM. He is faithful and we can stand on what his Word says. As long as we live and breathe, we will have trials and struggles, but do not forget that he is with us and he is GREATER!

Who or what do you place your hope in? I pray that if you do not know the hope I am writing about, that you will seek the one who can give it to you. He is the Light in this dark world. He is waiting on you to surrender to him. Let go of the fear and doubt, and seek him fully. I pray he will make his presence known to you, and pour his love and peace into your life so you too, can experience the hope that will be your anchor when life’s storms come your way.

If you have a word for 2023, please feel free to share in the comments. I would love to hear what God has put on your heart for the new year!

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W