Have Thine Own Way, Lord

That was the title of a classic hymn that speaks to the importance of an attitude of surrender to the Lord – allowing His Way to be the only WAY! We’ve been having to surrender many things in the last couple of months during this quarantine period. Surrendering hopes, dreams, time, gathering together in churches, schools, meeting places, gyms, restaurants, weddings, parties, and on and on.

Many of us submitted to the "surrender" while many of us held on tight like the reins of a runaway horse. We weren’t about to let go of control until there were no more options. That old hymn was a prayer of surrender. I know I need to make it my theme song and sing it with undaunted trust in my Potter.

“Have thine own way, Lord. Have thine own way. You are the Potter. I am the clay. Mold me and make me. After Your will. While I am waiting – yielded and still.”

That hymn was written by Adelaide Pollard when she was a discouraged missionary. It became a prayer of surrender and yielding to God’s way instead of her way. Her words depict the clay – to be molded into whatever the Potter chooses to be the exact representation of His Master Potter’s hands -- yielding to His fine design, intricate details with expertise and brilliance – as the Master Craftsman.

Although it may be challenging and uncomfortable when we submit to the Potter's touch, we experience the joy of His perfect will. We’ve had to do a lot of laying down our wills during this pandemic, haven’t we? We may have willed to go to work or go out to eat in a fine restaurant or get together with friends and loved ones, but our will had to yield to the laws of our land.

Just maybe we’ve been forced to comply to yielding our wills, so that yielding to God could become easier. In fact, if we had learned to yield to God’s will before all this “forced yielding”, then maybe the forced yielding would not have been so difficult. To say “Yes, Lord” when He asks us to relax and "be" instead of always "doing" or when He asks us to surrender our time to give time to encourage someone or to gather our kiddos in our arms and realize how precious are the gifts He has given us, is surrendering our wills to Him. And, in that loving our own, we understand our Heavenly Father’s love for us – wanting the best for us – to make us vessels of honor that display His likeness in love, character and honor.

We have the opportunity and privilege to partner with God during His sculpturing process. Maybe in our surrender to Him, we can help decide the end result -- that vessel of honor, humility, faithfulness, compassion and one who bears a prayerful, peaceful spirit in the midst of chaos. Have Thine Own Way, Lord! I surrender all!

Isaiah 64:8 “But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

Happy St. Patrick’s Day – Why I Love the Cross

Amidst all our attention to the C-virus, I want to give attention to the cross of our Savior who took on all our sins and diseases. Now, we can profess the Apostle Peter's words and claim them as true for us: "He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24)

I treasure this Celtic cross. It is said that the Celtic cross was introduced by St Patrick, who was attempting to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity. Some of the pagans worshiped the sun, so Patrick combined the Christian cross with the circular pattern of the sun as a way to associate light and life with the Christian cross in the minds of his converts.

My husband loved St. Patrick and his heart for evangelization. St. Patrick was his patron saint (a saint who intercedes for you). He wore this Celtic cross most all the time. Today, it’s one of my treasured possessions. I wear it often. I’m wearing it today as a reminder of St. Patrick’s and my husband’s love for Christ. I’m also wearing green and having my own St. Paddy’s Day celebration and having sweet memories -- especially those of St. Patrick whose great faith changed the lives of so many.

St. Patrick was born A.D. 389 in England. At 16, was kidnapped and sold as a slave in Ireland. Six years later he escaped and returned home to Britain, but became burdened for the spiritual condition of the Irish. He returned to their land as a missionary for 30 years where he established more than 200 churches and led more than 100,000 to faith in Christ. He used the 3-leaf shamrock to explain the Trinity. His death on March 17, 461 is remembered each year as St. Patrick’s Day.

Here we are – still reeling with all the concerns of the coronavirus. Most of us staying confined to our “safe place”. Can you imagine what must have gone through Patrick’s mind when he heard the Lord’s call to return to the land where he was once a slave? Instead of running to his safe place, he followed God’s plan for his life. And, isn’t that exactly what we are called to do?

Listen to how utterly consumed St. Patrick was in his relationship with God in his Breastplate Prayer: ”I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me, God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise. Christ in the heart of everyone one who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. I arise today through His mighty strength.” That prayer tells me St. Patrick wanted to be consumed by God!

And, that’s what I believe would provide 100% protection from any plague or disease. If we became saturated – through and through with Christ, and His precious blood that He shed for you and me, then we would be invincible and impenetrable.

St. Patrick boldly listened to God’s call for his life and achieved so much for God’s glory. His witness, his prayers, and his example should be celebrated today. This blog and the green I wear today honors him and honors the God he served. I’m in good company with him because I also desire to be consumed by Christ. St. Patrick’s prayer is my prayer, too!

The Darker the Night, the More Crucial our Light

At church on Sunday, during our public prayer petitions, we heard: “For the victims in the El Paso and Dayton, Ohio shootings, and for their families, we pray to the Lord”. I had not heard the news. I think: “Dear Lord, have mercy. More tragedy? More crazies with guns?”

I didn't watch the news, but I know gun laws are being debated again. No doubt, mental health is being analyzed again. And statements of remorse and promises of prayer are being offered. Coming up with solutions to keep us and our families safe is being considered. But where would that be? Especially since the El Paso shooting was at a Walmart and the Dayton shooting was at an outdoor food festival?

Most importantly, families are grieving the deaths of loved ones and those who were at the locations of the shootings will be wondering “What if I or my family were the victims?” Their lives have all been changed. And, what about us – where do we go where there isn’t a possibility that it could be us the next time?

But more important than analyzing, debating and trying to figure out the killers’ mental and spiritual health, gun control and keeping us safe in the future, what would Jesus do now? When Jesus encountered those who were suffering, his first reaction was not always to try and fix their problems. He typically started by listening to them, taking their hand, or simply weeping with them. He would get to the healing and bigger issues eventually but usually not before he’d taken the time to empathize with them and understand their pain. That’s who we should be for our friends, loved ones and even casual acquaintances. The darker the night, the more crucial our light.

I enjoy following the daily blogs of Dr. Jim Denison who brings spiritual insight and perspective to current events. He said this: “While society should obviously take all effective measures to protect itself, here’s my biblical point: Jesus can change any life He touches. He can heal any trauma. He can redeem any crisis. The God who turned a murdering Pharisee (Paul) into a missionary of grace can transform anyone.

The more secularized our culture becomes, the more evangelistic our churches must become. The more that people ridicule our prayers, the more they need our prayers. The more traumatized and victimized our society, the more vital our compassion. The greater the threat of violence, the more urgent our message. That’s why we must do all we can to reach the next shooters before they strike. We must use our influence to permeate our broken culture with biblical truth and grace. We must share God’s Word and love with everyone we can in every way we can.

One lesson of El Paso and Dayton is that every community is a mission field. As a result, every Christian is a missionary. Jesus is weeping beside twenty-nine graves today. He is calling us to join him with heartbroken compassion for the victims and their families and a renewed commitment to our gospel mandate. We are still the only “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). The darker the night, the more crucial our light.

This morning, I hear our Lord asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8). What is our answer to Him?”

St. Patrick Knew Who He Belonged To

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I know, like other religious holidays, this is another "watered....er' beered down" day when we get distracted from the true meaning of this day, but, just in case you may not know, I want to honor St. Patrick by sharing who this man was.

He was born around AD 389 in England. At 16, he was kidnapped and sold as a slave in Ireland. Six years later he escaped and returned home to Britain, but became burdened for the spiritual condition of the Irish. He eventually returned to their land as a missionary for 40 years and established more than 200 churches and led more than 100,000 to faith in Christ. It is told that he used the shamrock to talk about the Trinity. His death on March 17, 461 is remembered each year as St. Patrick's Day. "What the enemy meant for evil, God turned for good". (Genesis 50:20)

St. Patrick REALLY knew God -- and that He belonged to God. This is part of his Breastplate Prayer. Read how utterly consumed he was with his relationship with God in his prayer.

"I arise today through God's strength to pilot me, God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise.
Christ in the heart of everyone one who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today through His mighty strength."

No doubt, St. Patrick knew God’s plan and purpose for his life. Today, you may be facing a storm of monumental proportions. Your world may be turned upside down. Maybe a dream you worked so hard to fulfill, flopped. Or your once rock-solid marriage has started crumbling. Or the cancer came back. Or something you were positive God put on your heart to do didn’t quite turn out the way you expected. I’ve learned that in these times of disappointment, failure or loss we need to be grounded in our identity in Jesus Christ. Look at St. Patrick’s prayer again. He was consumed in God. Sometimes we cave into the pressures of life, and we allow the things of this world to define us — like what we look like, what kind of car is parked in our garage, what title we hold at the office, how much money is in our bank account, our marriage, how well our kids are doing, how many followers or likes we have on social media.

But as Jesus followers, none of those things define us. Looks fade. Financial situations change. Jobs come and go, friends and followers, too. So who are we? Maybe the better question is, Whose are we? We are children of God. And because we belong to Him, we can endure even the toughest of times. Psalm 16:8 “I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

When life throws us curve balls and surprises us, it’s easy to doubt ourselves, God’s plan, even God Himself. But when we’re hurt, disappointed or frustrated by the plans-gone-awry, crushed dreams and painful losses, we can still hold on to God’s truth. Like St. Patrick, we can set the Lord continually before, in front, behind, beside, inside, underneath, when we arise, lie down or sit down. We can choose over and over to trust God and believe He’s still got a plan for our lives, even when we don’t have a clue what that is. We may feel shaken by emotions and circumstances, but we’ll always have Someone to hold on to. Someone who will never ever let us go. When we know Whose we are, it changes everything ABOUT everything.

BAM -- Be a Miracle!

Jesus gave us a command "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Mark 16:15. Our world may be to our next door neighbor, our community, state and around the world.

Yesterday afternoon, our two young missionaries, Payton Wallace and Alexia Wallace, returned home from Guatemala (along with the other 51 who were with them) -- exhausted – wanting a shower and just go to bed to regain their bearings at home. But, not before we squeezed them for as many details as we could get about their trip.

They were beaming as they shared about the 31 different locations where they ministered through skits, singing and speaking. They went to several schools where young people were hungry to hear the stories of Jesus and the love He has for them. I’m so thankful the Guatemalan government welcomes the Gospel being shared. The latest report is that over 3,500 people gave their hearts to Christ during their week of ministry. And if that wasn’t thrilling enough, the ways our student missionaries were touched by God, themselves, was the icing on the cake. Lots of stories of life transformation from the locals, as well as our own young people.

Of course, our little blondie, Alexia, attracted those beautiful brunette girls wanting to touch her hair, asking her what shampoo she uses. Girls will be girls – everywhere we go!

I was overcome with joy as I watched their tired eyes glisten as they shared so many stories of faith, the students who were touched in so many precious ways and the excitement to go back again next year.

I talked about this before they left in my daily FB post, but just to re-emphasize how beautiful it is for our kids to have these kinds of opportunities. As parents (and grandparents), we want and hope many things for our children. We want them to be well educated, well-rounded, kind and compassionate, athletic, musical, and the list goes on. I sincerely believe that there are ways to grow our children in ways that no sports team or high dollar vacation could ever compare to. If we believe we were created to give glory to God with our lives, then we probably believe that about the lives of our children as well. God can and will use each of us right where we are, if we submit to His plans for our lives and seek to love God and others every day. We don’t have to go anywhere special to be used by God.

However, I have seen, with my own eyes, how going on a mission trip can change the course of a life. Going on mission trips changed me countless times, so I know that He can do that with our kids, too. When we leave the comfort of our homes with the intent of being a blessing and serving others, I believe that it pleases God to answer those prayers we have for the hearts of our children to be changed in the process.

We know from God’s Word that it is better to give than receive. So, what if we actually lived that out in our lives and took our kids along for the ride? I realize there are many valid points for staying home and serving those in our communities, but if a foreign missions trip comes up for your children (and even you), then seize the opportunity.

"Being a miracle" is not only a blessing to the ones we're giving to, but somehow, the satisfaction of having helped someone, brings rewards that money can't buy and no one can ever take it away from us. What could ever compare to "being a miracle" in someone's world?

Where He Leads Me, I Will Follow

My heart was very tender toward God, even as a young child -- so much so, that whenever a missionary came to our church and talked about the missions work they were doing, I wanted to join them. At the end of the service, when a plea would go out to those who would be willing to go and serve in the foreign fields of ministry, I would raise my hand high and pray "Lord, send me!"

While I never joined a missions team, besides our local ministry involvements and being my daughter's travel companion during her "traveling" ministry days reaching out as far as South Africa, my passion was pacified when my husband and I did missions work in Mexico, Trinidad and Belize. It was such a privilege. We sang an old gospel song that represented my surrendered heart as a child, and our hearts to be used by God in however He chose. This was the chorus:

"Not what I wish to be, nor where I wish to go.
For who am I, that I should choose my way?
The Lord will choose for me, 'tis better far I know.
So let Him bid me go, or stay."

I've endeavored to put down solid roots since my move to Frisco. Yes, I purchased a lovely home to come home to, and I'm so thankful for it. But I received a clear message from God last week about "settling". I was in Austin, and since I'm an early riser, it was quiet in the Wuerch household. I took my devotion books and sat on their back patio and found myself being utterly romanced by my Heavenly Father. Of course, He knows my innermost thoughts and desires, so I didn't even have to express myself, except that as I was "delighting in Him" (Psalm 37:4), I began to sing that old gospel song (above) that I had not sung in years and years. And, when I sang those words, I could hear my Lord saying "Let me choose for you. Listen to my voice....when and where to go and when and where to stay!" I began to weep at the clarity of His message to me. My ways were to find a fixed spot and settle, but His ways are for me to "leave the plans and places to Him".

I went into the house and found my son sitting at his kitchen table having his morning devotion and, in tears, I shared with him about my "romance-time" with my Father. It resonated with him AND me. I'm going to answer the call of God that I heard as a child, and unless He tells me otherwise, I'm going to be "on call" to respond to His call. I know of family members that I'm supposed to visit, friends that God is directing me to encourage. I said to my son, "And even if this is 'my farewell' tour, so be it, but if not....I'm going to be on a mission to fulfill assignments He has for me -- to "go, when He says go".

I thank God that, throughout my life, He has been so evident in every season. My new proclamation is this: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20

Be on the lookout.....Donna Wuerch may be coming to a city near you! Where He leads. I will follow. This weekend -- it's Tulsa, OK!

We Will Change the World

What a Motley Crew the disciples were. There's Peter -- one minute he was walking on water by faith, and the next, he was sinking in doubts. He was impulsive, emotional, and, then His worst failure was denying Jesus. And, then there’s Matthew, a dishonest tax collector. And, you gotta’ love Thomas who, to this date, is known as “doubting Thomas". But, then....old things passed away. Peter became a bold evangelist/missionary and one of the greatest leaders of the early church. Matthew heard Jesus words, “Follow me”, and he left everything and obeyed. His eyewitness account, is the first Gospel of the New Testament. And, I love that Thomas, though he initially doubted the resurrection, became a man of great faith. He found the truth and also became a great evangelist and missionary. Yes, they changed the world.

And here we are 2,000+ years later -- do you see in this photo how Jesus is pointing His finger at you and me? Though this is a photo and script from "The Bible Series", the message is clear….God is calling US to change our world, also. Though we may have hang-ups, fears, doubts, and other character flaws, and even, like Peter, deny our Lord by our actions, the transforming power of Christ can change US from being a member of the Motley Crew to dynamic and devoted followers of Christ. Like Peter, Matthew, Thomas, and the millions of others throughout the ages.....let's heed the call, and do our part. Could it be that's why God put us here, at this time, to carry on the message, and be a WORLD CHANGER, too?