WPDC Pulse

One thing I have been trying to work on is not complaining. Paul says in Philippians 2:14-15: “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky” (NIV).

We experienced such unity and harmony at our WPDCAnnual Conference, which was held recently for the first time in Michigan! More than 200 women came out(and some men too for the men’s track), and the worship and fellowship was so sweet. The lectures were informative, engaging and thought provoking. There were many taking time to talk with one another and get caught up on life.

After my mother passed, I received several plants.Prior to this, I did not take much interest in caring for plants. It seemed I could never keep them alive! But once Mom was gone, I began to develop more of an interest in plants. Since I lived alone at the time, they become part of my family. I would talk to them and water them and pull off the dead foliage to ensure they would continue to grow.

There is something about praise that will lift your spirit, give you hope and renew your joy despite what is happening all around you. That’s why the Bible says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6, NIV).

Last year, my neighbor decided to remove a tree in their back yard that I had been concerned about. If that tree were to fall, it would have come straight for my house and caused significant damage. The same day the tree was removed, a strong storm came through my area, uprooting trees and some homes. That was no coincidence the tree was removed earlier that day. The Lord was my help.

We recently had an opportunity to visit the SmokeyMountains in Tennessee. It was a wonderful time. My husband and I hiked in the national park, rode ATVs through the mountains (I was praying through part of it—Jesus help me!) and visited some local shops and restaurants. We were thankful to the Lord to have time for rest and relaxation.

I am reenergized after attending the CMDA VirtualNational Convention on April 29 – May 1, 2021, where the theme was “Courage Through the Crisis.” We we reencouraged by the plenary speakers to have courage despite the obstacles we may face and to realize thatGod can bring good through our difficulties.

Just as the coming of our Savior was predicted 500 years before Jesus’ triumphal entry in Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 21:5), so His second coming has been predicted and will surely come. We do not know the time or the hour of His return, but we can see some of the signs of the end times. What is our responsibility during this time? Are you preparing forHis coming?

I started with the verse in Psalm 103 and the song lyrics to give God praise! He is deserving of all the glory and honor due His name! Sometimes the first words out of our mouths each morning should be praises to our Lord. Give it a try. I am confident it will improve your mood first thing in the morning and set the stage for the rest of your day.

We are well on our way into 2021. I hope you have had some time to reflect and time alone with God, to see how He is directing you for this year. This is not a time for us to be stagnant as believers. There is still work todo for His kingdom, it just may be done in a way that is totally foreign to us. God is very creative and has away of turning a bad situation into something good—something that will bring Him glory! Be open to new ways in which God may direct you to use your gifts to edify the body and to minister to unbelievers.