And, SUDDENLY……

My word for today is SUDDLENLY: quickly and unexpectedly, immediately, instantly, without warning

Meet Red Gerard. Talk about SUDDENLY!!! On Saturday, 17-year old snowboarder, Red Gerard, from Colorado was sitting in last place heading into his third and final run. He was hoping to just get a good run and 4th place. But when the pressure was on, he delivered. During his run, Gerard's creativity was on full display, as he repeatedly used features of the course that other riders were ignoring. Red scored 87.16 from the judges, putting him in first place. The top competitors failed to exceed Red’s scores. Red received the first gold medal awarded to the U.S. team at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics AND he was the youngest snowboarder to ever win a gold medal and the youngest male athlete to win a Gold Medal since 1928 in a Winter Olympics. SUDDENLY Red's life changed forever.

I remember another SUDDENLY. Small town of Checotah, OK and the small town girl raised on a farm there -- Carrie Underwood, who just decided to try out for American Idol. Out of all those competitors she won the grand prize and SUDDENLY her life changed forever. We still love to follow her because she represents the SUDDENLIES that can happen to any who are willing to pay the price of going for their dreams.

How do we deal with the SUDDENLIES in our lives? SUDDEN illness, SUDDEN financial loss. Sudden wealth. Sudden fame.

Last week I was at a very prayerful night with others, when all of a sudden, I heard a gal who was looking at her phone exclaim “Oh, my God, NO! The stock market has crashed!” SUDDENLY, her world turned upside down, at least for that time being.

Now, let’s consider our God – Who is a God of surprises AND SUDDENLIES. And because He is God – he usually doesn't work the way we want or think. But this one thing I’ve come to know – His SUDDENLIES, for those who are His devoted followers, are filled with His power, His grace, His mercy, His love AND have learned to wait for His perfect timing. God's SUDDENLIES happen with our best interests at heart.

God always operates in a place above what we can think or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). That’s because His thoughts and ways are so much higher above ours (Isaiah 55:8).

Just when we think we're boxed in on every side, God SUDDENLY provides a way of escape. Just when the last penny is spent, God SUDDENLY surprises us with a bonus. Just when we thought we were going down for the last time, God SUDDENLY shows up in a boat or helicopter. The lesson? Three words. DON’T GIVE UP!

Is the road long? Is the night too black? Are you in last place? Don't stop. God is watching. For all you know -- right at this moment -- the check may be in the mail. Opportunity could be knocking at your door -- right now! The SUDDENLIES in our lives can bless us – whether they are overwhelmingly disappointing or overwhelmingly over-abundant blessings. The point is – embrace the SUDDENLIES. They are part of the MASTER Plan of God to get us from Point A to Point Z. Don't quit. For if you do, you may miss the answer you've been waiting for!! Expect surprises. Expect SUDDENLIES!

Here, There and Everywhere!

Here, There and Everywhere!
Yesterday, Austin....today, Frisco! An old song I remember went like this "Where He leads me, I will follow; where He leads me, I will follow. Where He leads me, I will follow. I'll go with Him all the way."

That really is my prayer, and His leading me has sure taken me on the road A LOT, for the last several months. The Wallace's Speech and Debate tournaments were at Concordia University in Austin last week. How handy it was to stay with Ryan and Shawntel who live just a short distance from there. Now, we're back in Frisco, and Ryan and Shawntel and the boys drove up to be here for the next couple of days because Brennan (their 12-year old) has baseball tournaments here. How crazy is that? Of all the places we could be, as a family, we are either here or there. Of course it's no surprise to God, and neither should it be for us because if we place ourselves in His hands for leading and guiding us, then whether we go, or stay, we'll be exactly where we're supposed to be at any given time.

That's why we should never be surprised by surprises, or suddenlies, because God always has something up His sovereign sleeve. While at the speech and debate tournament, we ran into some surprises that could have taken us off center -- things that came up as somewhat negative and concerning. But, then when we stepped back to look at the bigger picture of what God wants to do in and through us, even the negatives can be used to bring honor to Him. Staci made the statement, "I'd rather that my kids learn from their challenges well -- even more than a trophy or special ranking. Even in the losing.....we learn, tweak and move forward with a fresh perspective." I loved that, because there were lessons to be learned, and victories to be won -- both Alexia and Payton qualified for Nationals. They'll be competing at the National level at St. Paul, MN in June.

Back to that song, "Where He leads me, I will follow" -- it's easy to say that when the roads are flat, wide and the speed limit is 80 mph (Yes, here in Texas, you'll find those stretches of high speed ability -- yikes!), and you think, "eazy peazy"! Then comes along those 2-lane, winding, bumpy and twisting roads, and speeds slowed down to 25 mph, it's still even in those times, God is using the bumps and the ups and downs to get us to His perfect plan for our lives. That's why, at the end of the day.....we just keep on keeping on, following Him -- wherever He leads!

God leads us and blesses us so that we may bless others by what we do, what we say and how we live for Him. Often life’s hardships, conflicts, and needless worries hinder us and we often may fail the test -- not because God is unable or willing to help us, but because we help ourselves too much. The true test of our sincerity and faith is demonstrated by our willingness to trust and obey Him, giving Him the free license to lead us. Since God knows the way through the wilderness and over the mountain -- we might as well stop trying to be the leader and let the ONE who knows the way -- lead. All we have to do is follow!