Month: April 2016

Carlene Wooddell

My baby boy

moving day

My baby boy is definitely not a baby anymore. He’s 6’4″, stocky and almost 20. But, if you are a parent, more specifically a mom, than you understand~he will always be my baby.

He moved out last weekend, into his very first apartment with his cousin and cousin’s fiancee. Now, it did not appear he would have much to take, until the time came to load the moving van and take it away.

I am happy for him that he was able to do this and even happier that he is still close enough to come by and visit.  He’s already warned me that he will be coming here to do his laundry; personally I think it’s an excuse to see me and raid our fridge, but I’ll take it.

He has taught me so much about love and giving of yourself and being there in times of need.  And through a lesson, many Christmases ago, God allowed me to teach him about faith and what it looks like.

He was about 9 or 10 and we were getting ready to put up the artificial tree, when lo and behold, the plastic tree stand snapped and one of the legs broke.  He was devastated. Asking me things like, “now what will we do?””we have to have a tree, mom” and knowing I didn’t have enough money to go buy another tree or a tree stand.

I  told him, we could pray about it. He looked at me and said, what good will that do?

I explained that if you have faith and you believe, with God anything is possible. I asked him , “do you believe that God can help us fix this stand and it will hold the tree with all the decorations and ornaments on it?” and he said, yeah I guess. Once again, I questioned him, “do you really believe God can do it or are you just saying that?”  He said I believe.

So, I got my trusty duct tape and started working on the tree stand leg and then found a board to secure the tree stand to, with more duct tape.(saying my own silent prayers). And then Michael and I prayed and asked God to make the tree stand work, to hold the tree with all the ornaments and lights and decorations so we could enjoy the beauty of the tree and celebrate Jesus and His birth.

God is so good.  That tree withstood a curious kitten climbing the tree and batting at ornaments and the plastic stand just didn’t last for one season, but four.  And just something as simple as a broken piece of plastic, held together with duct tape and prayers, taught my son about having faith and trusting God.

You see God will use any situation to grow us. It doesn’t have to be anything monumental, just be willing to let him in and you will see miracles happen right before your eyes.

So, even though, I miss our daily good morning hugs and I love you mom goodnight talks, I know Michael will be okay, because he knows God is with him and for him and I am just a call or text away.

May you be able to see God working in your life today. He loves you. Blessings and peace,

Carlene

 

 

 

 

 

Carlene Wooddell

It Is Done

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As I shared with my readers earlier in the month, big changes were happening in my life.  So, now I am confident I can share these changes with you.

I have worked for a great company over the last 16 years and truly imagined that I would still be at that company when I reached official retirement age(which is still quite a way off).  After struggling with several medical issues that cause my body great pain and difficult in walking and moving, I started praying earnestly asking the Lord to lead me and guide me in making the decision to stay or leave.

I know that I made the right decision to resign earlier than planned.  I have HIS peace and for the first time realize that having a paycheck isn’t all there is to life. I realize we all have bills to pay and yes, we need money to survive; but when you make budget cuts and rearrange your budget, you can do it. Am I scared? I can confidently say I have no fear. Which if you knew me at all and how I have always operated, you would understand my reluctance – at first – in understanding what God was telling me to do. I have never in all my life left a place of employment, without having something lined up to go to next.

I have always been very practical in that way.  Always have had a backup plan; not this. time.

This time, I am trusting God to lead me where He wants me to go. I believe He is calling me into using my gifts of words to minister to others.  So, with that being said, I am currently working on a book to encourage others and offer hope. I will continue to write this blog, not just to share Jesus with others, but because I feel this is a small part of His plan for me.

The end of this week will signify the end of one long chapter in my life and the beginning of a new one. As always, I can’t wait to see where God leads me!

May you be blessed and know the God Loves You–right where you are! Much love,

Carlene

 

 

 

 

Carlene Wooddell

Stepping out in Faith

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Soon, I will be taking the biggest step of faith in my life. I have been in prayer the last several months trying to decide what is best for me in my life. Seeking God and His infinite wisdom and asking for His peace that only He can give has been a journey of sleepless nights and daytime struggles. As I write this, the peace that has permeated my soul and heart, I know I am doing what God thinks is best for me.

I have always believed that everything happens for a reason.  Always. I know God has the best plans for me.  I know that every door that has ever opened or closed was because God made it happen.

Proverbs 3:5 New Living Translation (NLT)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.

I am so thankful this verse is in His Word. If I only do things that make sense to me, and don’t walk in obedience, than I am not applying the Word to my life and not trusting Jesus.

I am reminded that many times, when I have been called to walk in obedience and step out in faith, that there has been discomfort and wariness. I’ve even asked God, are you sure? Which is totally ridiculous because He doesn’t make mistakes. Not one. I know that during these many times in my life, when I just couldn’t possibly see with my eyes that everything would be okay and work out; that when I decided to take that step of faith onto the ledge of the unknown , He blessed me in so many ways, that I could never have imagined it would turn out in the ways it did. Do you ever feel that way-that your plan has so many obstacles-and God laughs-and says, “trust me” or “why do you doubt that I don’t have your best interests at heart”? I used to think like that. Haven’t we all? God is the potter and I am the clay.

Isaiah 64:8 New Living Translation (NLT)

8 And yet, O Lord, you are our Father.
    We are the clay, and you are the potter.
    We all are formed by your hand.

Trust when you hear that small voice – from our Great God. That is why he gave us an advocate, The Holy Spirit, to be with us, to guide us on this amazing journey we call life.

As a daughter of God, I am reminded when I do something outside of His Will, the sadness that seeps into my heart and the conviction I feel, I know I am walking outside of His Will for my life. When I hear Him correctly and know through many confirmations, that I am walking in His Will, I have a Peace that cannot be explained any other way that the Peace of God.

And as this new chapter of my life (as I choose to look at) begins to be laid before me, there is a tiny bit of uncertainty as to where I am heading and what I will be doing, but there is great Peace in knowing that I am doing what He is calling me to do. Right now, I am hearing “trust me with everything”,”lean on me”, “let go of things that cause you pain” and ” trust me, I’ve got so much more for you than you can possibly fathom.”  When I, myself know the more, than I will share it with my faithful readers. God always places the right people in my life at the right times and they always know the right things to say~it never ceases to amaze me how much God loves me.

Jeremiah 17:7 New Living Translation (NLT)

7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
    and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

God loves you too! If you’re in the crux of making a decision that you can’t seem to find a way around. That the timing isn’t right, or you have fears about stepping out in faith and trusting God, because you just can’t see a way. Trust Him. He has great plans for all of us!

Blessings,

Carlene