Another very thought provoking piece, Wendy. I learn something every time I read what you write.
For instance - this paragraph:
"I also think God takes the experiences of our lives, especially the gnarly ones, and crafts a ministry for each of us who follow Him and His Son. He takes a blend of the gifts He has given us, our natural abilities, our traumas and failures, our hopes and dreams even hidden from ourselves and as the Master Weaver, He begins a tapestry of our life."
While I knew this partly inthe sense that our experiences shape our character, it took me a while to understand that God can use me to reach out to others who are experiencing similar things. That's a lot of what I write about now through my essays and stories.
As an aside, I don't know if I ever told you that our paths are reversed somewhat. I was in the Navy in the Bay Area. When I got out in 1979, I moved to Eugene and started school at Lane Community College. That is the cauldron where God began stirring my soul. In 1981, ater a couple of years in Eugene, He directed me in no uncertain terms (even though I had yet to submit to Christ) to head back to my home in Charleston, SC which I had left eight years before. It was during that trip that God met me on the street in Omaha, NE. My life was transformed and I have been serving him ever since. Long story you can read in my Memoir on The Talking Pen Substack (https://mytalkingpen.substack.com).
Thank you so much again for "putting it all out there" and being such an inspiration to so many of us out here in the Substack world.
Cork, what a kind and humbling comment back to me, I am grateful. I always want to be of encouragement to others.
Funny about our divergent life experiences, re: Eugene and Lane Community College. LCC was a tender and smaller slice of life than Univ. of Oregon and I enjoyed the few classes I took there. I am enjoying reading your travel adventures (and misadventures…) in Canada! Just dealing with cranky human beings, much of the essence and rawness of life in 2024. Be safe out there and keep Psalm 91 front and center. God bless and keep you, Cork!
Thank you, Wendy! I am from the class of ‘72, Memphis, TN. God brought us on different paths from that far off (and so different) world of the 60’s and 70’s; however, I sense in you a kindred spirit - a person who loves God and earnestly desires to serve Him during this season of life. The world would dismiss us, and deny our usefulness. But not our Father! 👍🏻❤️🙏🏻
Humble thanks, dear Miriam Castiglione! Our Boomer generation certainly went through tumultuous times. I am grateful God kept calling me back from my 35 years as a Prodigal to my Christian faith. His mercy is more than amazing and for however many years I have left, I do want to be a conduit for the love and mercy of God and His Son. I desperately need it and I know others do, too. Bless you! Wendy
Thank you, Nurse Kristin! You are an excellent writer and it always means so much to have good comments from a fellow writer! I managed also to change the misspelled word in the title…I did find out one can edit AFTER a post is published! I did not know that and grateful to learn that. Have a blessed weekend! Wendy
Oh Wendy if I had a nickel for all of my post publication edits!! I could read a hundred times and still miss the tiniest misplaced comma! It took me months and months of trying to figure this thing out before I gave up and just wrote. You too as far as the blessed weekend. XO.
Many thanks, Nurse Kristin!!! I know we all strive for a perfect writing piece...but it is also our flawed humanity which connects us to each other. I would not trade authenticity for all the "perfection" in the world. We all keep on, don't we?? Blessings to you, Wendy
Another very thought provoking piece, Wendy. I learn something every time I read what you write.
For instance - this paragraph:
"I also think God takes the experiences of our lives, especially the gnarly ones, and crafts a ministry for each of us who follow Him and His Son. He takes a blend of the gifts He has given us, our natural abilities, our traumas and failures, our hopes and dreams even hidden from ourselves and as the Master Weaver, He begins a tapestry of our life."
While I knew this partly inthe sense that our experiences shape our character, it took me a while to understand that God can use me to reach out to others who are experiencing similar things. That's a lot of what I write about now through my essays and stories.
As an aside, I don't know if I ever told you that our paths are reversed somewhat. I was in the Navy in the Bay Area. When I got out in 1979, I moved to Eugene and started school at Lane Community College. That is the cauldron where God began stirring my soul. In 1981, ater a couple of years in Eugene, He directed me in no uncertain terms (even though I had yet to submit to Christ) to head back to my home in Charleston, SC which I had left eight years before. It was during that trip that God met me on the street in Omaha, NE. My life was transformed and I have been serving him ever since. Long story you can read in my Memoir on The Talking Pen Substack (https://mytalkingpen.substack.com).
Thank you so much again for "putting it all out there" and being such an inspiration to so many of us out here in the Substack world.
Cork, what a kind and humbling comment back to me, I am grateful. I always want to be of encouragement to others.
Funny about our divergent life experiences, re: Eugene and Lane Community College. LCC was a tender and smaller slice of life than Univ. of Oregon and I enjoyed the few classes I took there. I am enjoying reading your travel adventures (and misadventures…) in Canada! Just dealing with cranky human beings, much of the essence and rawness of life in 2024. Be safe out there and keep Psalm 91 front and center. God bless and keep you, Cork!
Thank you, Wendy! I am from the class of ‘72, Memphis, TN. God brought us on different paths from that far off (and so different) world of the 60’s and 70’s; however, I sense in you a kindred spirit - a person who loves God and earnestly desires to serve Him during this season of life. The world would dismiss us, and deny our usefulness. But not our Father! 👍🏻❤️🙏🏻
Humble thanks, dear Miriam Castiglione! Our Boomer generation certainly went through tumultuous times. I am grateful God kept calling me back from my 35 years as a Prodigal to my Christian faith. His mercy is more than amazing and for however many years I have left, I do want to be a conduit for the love and mercy of God and His Son. I desperately need it and I know others do, too. Bless you! Wendy
This was a very nice piece to read this week Wendy. I agree, God finds us and meets us wherever we are :)
Thank you, Nurse Kristin! You are an excellent writer and it always means so much to have good comments from a fellow writer! I managed also to change the misspelled word in the title…I did find out one can edit AFTER a post is published! I did not know that and grateful to learn that. Have a blessed weekend! Wendy
Oh Wendy if I had a nickel for all of my post publication edits!! I could read a hundred times and still miss the tiniest misplaced comma! It took me months and months of trying to figure this thing out before I gave up and just wrote. You too as far as the blessed weekend. XO.
Many thanks, Nurse Kristin!!! I know we all strive for a perfect writing piece...but it is also our flawed humanity which connects us to each other. I would not trade authenticity for all the "perfection" in the world. We all keep on, don't we?? Blessings to you, Wendy
Nope, me either. Imperfect and loved