Devotionals for the Heart: Walking with God in this broken world

Walk Humbly With God
A devotional by Wade Webster

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God."

–Micah 6:8 (NIV)

When my brother turned 50 he went golfing because it's what he loved to do at that stage in his life...even though it was November 19 in Michigan. The temperature was in the mid-30s with a colder wind chill. It's not surprising that he had the course to himself.

A year and a half later I knew I had to do something special for my 50th birthday, too. Since I discovered my love of writing at 47, I began my blog on my 50th birthday. Yeah, much more climate controlled. I started sharing about my life growing up on a farm in Michigan. By late summer I caught everybody up on where I was then so I needed something else to write about every week. I decided to do a devotional Christmas series based on the first Christmas.

For those of you familiar with The Chosen series my devotionals were in much the same I kept the characters in their biblical setting but gave them contemporary language. To get more familiar with this very familiar section of the Bible I read and re-read the verse(s) I would be writing about while I ate my breakfast. Yeah, I had breakfast with Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, the shepherds and everyone else involved. It was quite an eye opening experience.

I didn't used to think the Bible had much to say about Joseph, Jesus's stepdad. Now I know he was an extremely remarkable teenager. The more I learned about Joe, the more I realized he lived out Micah 6:8 better than anyone I ever knew in my life.

The first part of the verse that Joseph emulated was when he acted justly about what he planned to do with Mary after he learned she was pregnant with a child that wasn't his. He knew he couldn't marry her because she wasn't trustworthy.

He had three main options when it came to putting Mary away. He could have her stoned, He could divorce her publicly and taken her dowry, or he could divorce her quietly and simply walk away from her. By choosing the third option he proved that he loved mercy on his beloved.

After Joseph's dream visit by an angel who confirmed to him that Mary was telling him the truth about becoming pregnant with the Messiah, Joseph did a mighty deed that hardly any teenager would do. By not having intercourse with his wife until after the Messiah was born, an act that he was well within his rights to do, he showed how much he humbled himself before God.

As we come into this Christmas season, let’s see what we can do to improve ourselves in living out Micah 6:8 in or own lives.

Perhaps you can act justly by not winking at sin quite so much. Admit it for what it is.

Don't condemn folks caught in sin, show them mercy as Jesus did so many times.

And walk humbly with God by remembering what He did for you to bring you into His family. The Cross was the ultimate reason for Jesus Christ coming to Earth. His death was made in our place to restore our relationship with God our Heavenly Father. Now we can walk as God’s child in complete dependence on Him.

I hope that this Christmas brings you closer to this baby (Jesus Christ) who died for you (John 3:16) and now lives for you.

A Christmas Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, break into my life like you broke into this world. Quietly, yet brilliantly. Help me be just, merciful and humble...just like Your Son. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ.

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

Devotionals for the Heart: Life Lessons Learned from Making Banana Cake

Banana Cake
A devotional by Wade Webster

“While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.” 

– 2 Corinthians 5:4 (NLT)

My life as a truck driver is fraught with many challenges. One of the main ones is the choice on what I'll eat while out on the road for several days at a time. Truckstop food is better than it used to be but can add up quickly in costs and calories. Squeezing a big rig through a fast food drive thru is a challenge I don't even want to think about.

Growing up relatively poor made me appreciate simple solutions for my meals. Sandwiches are a great option for me. I can make enough to last a week before I leave home. The small fridge in my tractor is a fantastic tool, too. Adding some fruit and nuts makes my diet quite healthy in an occupation known for making its minions fat. I fit it all in a cooler to transport it to work.

That is when I remember to pack everything into said cooler before I exit my apartment. One week, I left my bunch of five bananas on the kitchen counter instead of bringing them along for the ride. When I returned home Friday night they were still waiting patiently for me. They just had less of a green tint and much more of a brownish yellow hue. That's the challenge with bananas, they don't have a long shelf life.

My mom did her best to keep all seven of her children well fed as we grew up. Bananas were an important part of that regimen. When she had to buy yellow ones they would go bad before we could eat them all. No, we didn't throw much food away. She always used those mushy fruits in a recipe that would change their consistency and shelf life.

Fortunately, one of my sisters made a cookbook for me that she put some of mom's favorite recipes in. I found the banana cake recipe and fired up the oven. After putting several of those pieces of cake in the freezer, I ate those bananas for several weeks.

God has a similar challenge when it comes to taking His children home to heaven after our shelf life is completed. The first 10 verses of 2 Corinthians 5 explains in detail how we groan in our current bodies but that God gives us new bodies after we die. Yeah, the older we get the more we groan.

2 Corinthians 5:9 (NLT) gives us a great summary and life goal to reach for. “So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please God.”

So, my friend, groan if you must to make it through your day. It's normal and good.

Remember that a new, pain-free body is waiting for all who accept Jesus Christ into their heart, believe in Him and follow Jesus all the way to Heaven!

Do your best to please our Heavenly Father (God) while in this decaying body here on Earth.

Let's Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for seeing me through another day. Use my aches and pains to remind me of the perfect body you have prepared for me when you bring me Home.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ. 

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

Devotionals for the Heart: Dreams

Audacious Dreams
A devotional by Wade Webster

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."

–Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

Here in the United States of America, school children are often taught this poetic statement, “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”

Today (Oct. 12) is a special day here in the USA. This day was set aside to commemorate good old Christopher Columbus. That sailor who discovered the new world. There are a few interesting details about this voyage that should be looked at.

First off, he had a hard time getting funding for this historic event. It seems most governments were convinced the prevailing thought of that day was correct and the earth is flat with the oceans setting the edges of this supposed boundary.

Columbus kept two separate journals during the journey. One entered the accurate events and measurements that they were traveling according to the stars. The other one gave a more optimistic view of things. He hid the accurate one and kept the good news report available for the crew to see if they were curious about things.

When the three ships did find land again, they all thought they were on the west side of India. That's why they called the native folks Indians. They had no way of knowing there was another continent and an even larger ocean to cross before they reached that destination.

I'm sure there are even more interesting tidbits of information about this but those are the only ones I know of that I remember. The most important thing to keep in mind is that Columbus had an audacious dream that he believed in and followed through with. That's why we have this day in remembrance of him.

Many people have dreams. Most of them are small like where they want to go for their next vacation, or what color to paint the rooms next. Some folks have big dreams like getting a degree or going back to get a bigger degree to advance their career. Very few have audacious dreams, dreams that will change the world like Christopher Columbus did in his day.

The challenge with dreams is that they pull us out of our comfort zones. We like the familiar where we’re safe. We want to know what will happen next. We want to keep as much control of our lives as we can maintain.

God wants us to change the world for the better and to do that, we must dream out of our comfort zone. We need to read Philippians 4:13 (NLT) like we mean it: “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” And then we need to show the world what that looks like. Yes, this will shove you out of your comfort zone but that’s where God does his best work.

So, my friend, where has God been prompting you to go where you have not gone before? What can you do to change your part of the world for the better?

Even if all you can do is pray then pray like there’s power in every word you send to our Heavenly Father because there is great power there!

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ.  

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

Devotionals for the Heart: Why it's important to listen to God's Voice

His Master's Voice
A devotional by Wade Webster

Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.'"

–Joshua 4:21-22 (NIV)

I found it next to a dumpster in the apartment complex I live in.

It probably meant something to somebody when they acquired it quite a while before they discarded it.

I could tell it had been stored in obscurity before it found its way here. Three sides of the wood frame promised a dark brown hue. The left side was covered in a thick layer of dust and pet hair. It was solid so I took it home.

I had some time so I removed the center section and applied a few coats of Murphy's Oil Soap to the wood. It soon returned to its new luster. I've always loved wood grained articles. The main portion was made of glass so a couple of applications of Windex cleaned that up in no time. An amateur screwed two screws into the back of the frame so I took those out and made it so it would lie flat against the wall again.

The wall I decided to hang it on held a puzzle my ex-wife did several years go. I've been replacing her items as I can to help me move on. Once in place I stood back and let the message on the glass speak to me again.

It’s an old ad for the Victor Talking Machine Company. The original record player is what they created. There's a dog with his head tipped as he's peering into the cone that juts out from the record. The backdrop is now a mirror. The caption under the dog is why I appreciate this piece and why I exerted so much effort in restoring this treasure that somebody trashed. 

Just three words: HIS MASTER'S VOICE

That's what the dog recognized. That's what I hope people say about me once they get to know me. I want them to say, “Wade heard his Master's voice,” especially when they learn that my Master is Jesus Christ.

When Joshua led the people of God across the Jordan River during flood stage (read about it in the Bible book of Joshua, Chapter 3), he had a man from each tribe carry a stone out of the riverbed that was now dry (read about it in the Bible book of Joshua, Chapter 4). The mission for those simple rocks was an easy stack to remind the people of how and where God repeated the Red Sea miracle. He knew everyone who had experienced that event would soon die off. The power of their God must be remembered for those who followed so they wouldn't stray away from Him.

In closing, let’s read Joshua 4:24, which says, “He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

Reminders of past events can either hold us back or propel us forward. Do your best to display something that will improve your service and devotion to God.

What do you have set up to remind you of this invisible God you serve?

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ.  

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

Devotionals for the Heart: Quarantine

Quarantine doesn't mean separation
A devotional by Wade Webster

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” –Romans 8:35 (NIV)

Quarantine is a word we seldom used before 2020. There was never a situation in our personal lives that demanded such drastic measures. But that pesky little COVID-19 virus changed all that.

I came across the word when I drove for Conway Freight. We transferred freight of various sizes around the world for several companies. In the wintertime, a blizzard or ice storm would make driving in a particular region unsafe and/or impossible. A hurricane would cause the same scenario during the summer months. The company would call a quarantine for that area. No freight was allowed to go there until the situation improved.

To slow the spread of this Coronavirus, we've been asked to quarantine our bodies at home until further notice, especially for those at high risk of infection. Technology makes it possible to remain in touch with loved ones but that has its limits. Seeing a face and hearing a voice is nice but there's nothing like a human touch to build a bond.

Introverts handle such isolation better than extroverts do. Extroverts thrive on human interaction. They need it to recharge. Introverts prefer to be alone to get back in touch with themselves.

So, we isolate ourselves to protect us and to keep from adding to the statistics. Then the loneliness settles in ... even for introverts. God told us in the opening chapters of the Bible that it's not good for people to be alone. When that forbidden fruit was eaten by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, a separation occurred. That perfect, face-t0-face relationship Adam and Eve experienced with God, died. They were quarantined out of the Garden of Eden for the rest of human history on Earth.

The following chapters of the Bible are filled with failed attempts at restoring that broken relationship with God. Sin was the virus that kept the statistics high. It took God's Son (Jesus Christ) becoming a man and sacrificing His life, to restore our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Sin still tries to step between us and forever quarantine us away from God.

While it feels at times like we will be forever separated from God, we can rest assured that’s not possible because of what God says in His Word (The Holy Bible). Let’s read His Words in Romans 8:38-40 (NIV). The Apostle Paul, who wrote this book of Romans, underscores this point in the very last verse of that magnificent chapter. He said: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

That's quite an exhaustive list. We can add any virus, pandemic, or personal quarantine as well. Sin still taints our relationship with God as long as we walk this earth. But because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice, we have hope of experiencing a time that will never end. A time when we'll know God as He is and fully realize face-to-face with Him that we are His precious child. God will be that perfect Daddy who we've always longed for.

Hold on, my friend. Quarantines will be lifted. Hugs will be all the sweeter when they come ... especially that hug we receive from Jesus Christ when we see Him face to face.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ. 

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

Devotionals for the Heart: A Spiritual Lesson Learned from farmers

Preparing for The Harvest
A devotional by Wade Webster

“But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” – Matthew 13:23 (NIV)

I spent a day driving in Kansas recently. There's quite a variety of terrain there, contrary to what certain movies show. Yes, there's a lot of wheat grown there. In fact, it was being harvested while I drove down the interstates. I wondered how many seeds were planted compared to the amount being collected. Old farm boys think about such things.

I had to be in Hays that evening so I could deliver first thing in the morning. The sun set as I drove up I-135. The clouds to the west were a long ways off as best as I could tell. Their tops were all I could see at first against the fading dusk. The crescent moon ducked behind them for a time only to poke its head back out briefly.

As the sky grew dark I witnessed and interesting phenomenon. There was lightning in those clouds that didn't reach the ground. I've seen this before. It's what's known as an electrical storm. One of the interesting things about these storms is that they seldom make rain. All of that churning in the atmosphere causes sparks but has no benefit for anyone.

Thunderstorms have many blessings attached to them. Not only do they drop rain to water the vegetation but the lightning also puts nitrogen into the water to aid in making plants green. Not so with electrical storms. They make flashes of light for witnesses to see and that's it.

It makes me think about the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. Seeds fall to the ground in several different soils. Most of the results are abysmal at best. The good soil is mentioned last in the story to show the desired result.

The wheat fields being harvested had been prepared well by the farmers to attain the results they were achieving. Weeds had been removed to assure the plants weren't starved of the nutrients being offered in the soil that was fertilized and tilled properly. Experience and hard work were paying off. These farmers didn't just talk about what needed to be done. They did it.

That electrical storm was all show with no results. I hope you aren't like that. Too many folks are. They talk a good talk but don't walk a good walk. They don’t put in the effort to make the necessary changes to bring lasting results for God's kingdom.

Reading the Bible is a good start but you must apply what you're learning to let it transform you. Once you change to become more like Jesus Christ, then amazing things will happen. People will notice something different about you. They'll be attracted to your behavior and grace. They'll ask you what your secret is. That's when the fruit will be harvested.

I pray that you have not already, you will become like the bountiful wheat fields I saw instead of the storm that dropped no rain.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ.

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

Devotionals for the Heart: How to bloom wherever God plants you

Bloom
A devotional by Wade Webster

The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel.” 
–Ruth 4:14 (NIV)

In April I told you about my desire to help people cope with their isolation during this COVID-19 pandemic by posting pictures of wildflowers on Facebook. It began in late March when I drove to south Texas. I thought I would finish this task at the end of April. Many of my friends voiced disappointment when I posted that I would be ending this series. Then I found new flowers blooming. This kept me going into mid-May.

My job as a truck driver was deemed essential by the government so I was able to get out and about to take these pictures. About the time I thought I would run out of new flowers to post, I would be sent to a new area that had fresh flowers or new flowers would sprout up in some of the spots I had been to previously. I was disappointed many times when there was no safe place for me to pull over to take pictures of all of the flowers I was seeing.

When I did pull over to take a picture of what I could see from my driver's seat I was always surprised. Many smaller flowers awaited me. Flowers that I couldn't see while scanning the bigger landscape. Oftentimes these were more beautiful than the first blooms I desired.

One day I had to wait for my load to be produced so I paced behind the factory. It's a large area closed in by high walls. The loaded trailers are staged here until us drivers are ready to leave. As I walked about I saw an interesting occurrence. The concrete surface I was on had cracks designed throughout to allow for expansion and contraction of the cement during temperature extremes. Out of these cracks grew what most folks would call worthless weeds. What I saw was a new variety of flowers yearning for their time in the spotlight.

I titled that day's pictorial “Bloom Wherever You're Planted.” Many people were inspired by those tiny flowers growing out of seemingly impossible terrain. God blew their seeds there to show that He can use anything anywhere He chooses to.

It makes me think of the book of Ruth and how God helped her “bloom.” She married into a Hebrew family that was vastly different than her Moab lifestyle. There was something about these foreigners that drew her into them. So much so that she swore allegiance to Naomi's God as they moved to her mother-in-law's homeland.

Waiting for them was a man named Boaz, whose mother was born in Jericho according to Matthew 1:5. Boaz apparently never married but was farming the land near Naomi's former home. In a way only God could orchestrate, these two misfits come together while harvesting grain. They use the rights of the kinsman-redeemer to form a legal bond and create a son. In this son's family line would come the greatest king the nation of Israel would ever know, apart from The King, Jesus Christ.

Rahab's son and Naomi's daughter-in-law made the grandfather of King David. Only God could bring such a story together.

I don't know what terrain you find yourself planted in today. I also can't see what chapter of your life is being written at this moment. But I can assure you it is in God's will. He has a plan for every aspect of what's happening. God can make beauty bloom out of the hard places and tough terrains of life.

Bloom wherever you are planted today. Trust Him to bring it all together in His time.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ. 

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

Devotionals for the Heart: God's View

A Higher Perspective
A devotional by Wade Webster

“As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:9 (NIV)

I've spent the better part of the past thirty years or so driving trucks for a living, 18-wheelers mostly. Like any job, it has its good parts and its bad parts. Sharing the roads with people who seem to routinely make unwise maneuvers while driving on the road, has got to be the worst part of it.

I've seen so many not so smart moves on the road that I've learned to expect other drivers to do the most unexpected thing. That way I'm not disappointed very often. Yes, if I'm totally vulnerable with y'all, I have to admit to performing my share of not so smart things while being behind the wheel myself.

I've hauled everything from dirt to a fully tripped out military Hummer. I delivered Christmas mail and completely decorated Christmas trees. It's been quite frustrating when I have a load of mattresses while forcing myself to stay awake while driving down the interstate.

I've lost count on how many kids have pumped their fist in the air at me just to get me to blow my own air horn. God only knows how many bugs have splatted on my windshields over the years. I've endured my share of blown tires and breakdowns. Driven through thunderstorms and blizzards … all for the satisfaction of a job well done ... and a paycheck, of course.

Oh, sure, there are many disadvantages to pulling a small warehouse down the road, like turning a corner on city streets. It's considered bad luck to run over nice people who are simply trying to cross that same intersection. So why won't those not so smart drivers back up in the left turn lane so I can swing out far enough to keep my rig off the sidewalk? Yes, it does take three lanes to safely maneuver a right hand turn.

One of the main advantages of driving a big rig is the ability to see farther down the road than most drivers. My driver's seat sits so high it's like I'm sitting on the roof of a large SUV or pickup. I do my best to look over those four-wheelers so I can slow down when I see brake lights glaring ahead of us...even if drivers who are zooming around me don't trust my judgment. Their brake lights work eventually.

My ability to see ahead better than other drivers reminds me of God's perspective in my life. Isaiah 55:8-9 explains this better than I can: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

I don't know about you, but my life hasn't made much sense for quite some time now. I know I'm ready for a career change. That's for sure. But I trust God always works things together to make me more like Jesus Christ everyday.

I remind myself that God has an eternal perspective on everything that sees much more than I ever will. His plans might not make sense to me now, but someday they may. Even if they never do I still trust my heavenly Father to keep me safe and build me into the child He wants me to be.

Whatever you're facing in your life that doesn't make sense to you, trust God to see what's ahead in your life that needs this training you're going through now.

Even if it's painful, God will use it for His glory.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ. 

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

Devotionals for the Heart: Flowers

Comfort Flowers
A devotional by Wade Webster

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
– 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)

“Keep them coming.”

“Please keep them coming.”

This has been the most popular response to something I've been posting on Facebook recently. I knew it would help folks get through this virus quarantine. That's why I do it.

Most of these friends are either family members or folks I went to school with in Michigan. Winter is depressing enough. Early spring isn't much better. When my mom was alive she said April was her least favorite month because the snow melt leaves everything dirty until things begin to grow in May.

I moved to Texas to get away from the long, cold days that seemed to never end. October was my favorite month to drive in Michigan because of the abundance of color on display from the fall foliage. April is my favorite month to drive in Texas because of the incredible wildflower show on the roadsides.

We had a mild winter this year with plenty of rain. That makes for an especially vibrant flower show So now I stop when I safely can and take pictures of these marvels of God's creation. People are now longing for my next exposition...even Texans who are cooped up in their homes.

As a truck driver, I get paid to get out to see this color show. I know I shouldn't hog it all to myself, especially with the technology available to me these days. There were too many times in my youth I longed for a camera. Now I have one built into my phone that I carry with me. Life is good.

I know how therapeutic the flowers are to me so I share it to apply 2 Corinthians 1:4 in a very real way. God comforts me with His beauty. I then in turn comfort others with the same flowers.

This is only one way this verse can be applied. There are several hardships we endure that give us an audience that will listen to us only because we've gone through the same thing they're going through.

I'm in a couple of Christian divorced groups where I can encourage others going through this same life stage that we never expected. My encouragement is accepted because of the stories I share about my divorce.

Nothing is wasted in God's economy. God will use your pain to comfort others after you learn to trust Him more. Jesus Christ’s disciples were only beginning to grasp His resurrection the day after it occurred. Their stories now inspire us in remarkable ways.

Find those who need to hear what you've endured. You can help build their faith now.

Let’s Pray: Dear Heavenly Father help us pass along the hard lessons you taught us through this life. Don’t let anything go to waste. In Jesus's name I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster lives with his best friend (Jesus Christ) in Plano, Texas.

He attends Stonebriar Community Church and derives most of his income from driving 18-wheelers.

He enjoys running, dark chocolate and being in nature...but not necessarily in that order.

He's the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer and blogs at http://wadewebster.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: Life, death, prison ministries and a Bible story

Not Dead
A devotional by Wade Webster

Key Scripture: 

Ezekiel 37:1-14 (NIV)

I've been involved in Kairos Prison Ministry for a while now. It's an intense outreach to hardened felons. It's extremely effective for several reasons. The main one being that it's covered in prayer.

Each team is dedicated to one maximum security prison. This way we can become personally involved with the inmates after their conversion to Christ to help guide their spiritual walk. The inmates begin their Kairos experience on a three-and-a-half-day weekend. A series of talks are given by the outside volunteers. Discussions are held after each talk. The focus of the talks surrounds God's desire to become their friend. Some creative readings are given to bring out other subjects for the prisoners to think about.

One of the things each volunteer is required to do for this weekend is to write a letter to each of the 42 inmates. Each letter has their name on it. Each envelope is sealed. This will be the only unopened envelope these prisoners will receive while they're incarcerated. The length and subject of each letter is up to whoever writes it.

Some volunteers write a short note or copy a poem. I like to call upon the Holy Spirit to guide me in writing these letters. I write most of them weeks before the actual weekend because there's little free time once the time inside begins. I'm surprised by what words come from my pen while I write. Once I get the bios of the inmates, then I discover who I wrote each letter to by divine guidance. For many of these felons, these letters are the turning point in their decision to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.

I usually write a few letters based on simple subjects that will speak to people locked up behind bars. God turning caterpillars into butterflies is such a topic. So is the condition of most trees in winter. I point out that these trees look dead, just like these incarcerated folks must feel like as they're locked up away from society because of something they did.

There's nothing worse than feeling like you're dead when you're still breathing. But then the warmth of spring comes. Sap begins to flow into the branches. Leaves and blossoms soon appear. What looked dead now comes back to life. That's what God can do for anybody if we let him.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 describes how God took a valley of dry bones and brought them back to life as a vast army to show how he would bring the nation of Israel back from captivity.

I don't know where you find yourself spiritually as you read this. I do know God isn't through with you no matter what you feel like at this moment. There's a good chance you feel useless, perhaps forgotten or neglected. God can still use you no matter what has transpired in your life. Your dormant season can end at any time. God will bring you back to life and make you fruitful again. Believe it, my friend.

You might have a smaller impact than you once had. But God often builds his kingdom one person at a time. Reach that one person.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster lives with his best friend (Jesus Christ) in Plano, Texas. 

He attends Stonebriar Community Church and derives most of his income from driving 18-wheelers.

He enjoys running, dark chocolate and being in nature...but not necessarily in that order.

He's the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer and blogs at http://wadewebster.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: For the Lonely on Valentine's Day

Rejected Love
A devotional by Wade Webster

And the LORD said to Samuel: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.” 

–1 Samuel 8:7 (NIV)

The season of love is upon us. At least that's what Valentine's Day means to many folks. But for some of us it's just another day, or one we'd rather skip altogether.

I remember vividly the day of April 14, 2015. I had to have my wife sign our tax forms for what would be the last time we filed jointly. She had moved out over a year prior to this. I was doing my best to pursue her to no avail. Divorce was imminent even though there were no biblical grounds for it. I did the best I could to offer my love to her. I couldn't force her to accept it.

A month and a half earlier I gave a eulogy at my mom's funeral for my six siblings. It was excruciating. I had to hold off my remorse while I traveled from Texas back to Michigan. Then while I prepared my talk. I finally found a moment of semi-solitude in the church during the viewing before the funeral service. The tears and anguish flowed for the woman who gave me life and then devoted her life to her seven kids and her husband who passed on eleven years before her.

I went for a stroll in my neighborhood that evening after I talked to my wife. Grief was mounting again from this loss. This loss that seemed so unfair and unnecessary. Fortunately, I was next to a wooden fence when the grief wave struck. I leaned into the barrier and let the tears flow. They tasted just like the ones at my mom's funeral.

I knew God was with me, as he always is. When I walked a half a block away a thought struck me so I asked God a question. “Is this what you feel like when somebody rejects you?”

The prophet Samuel felt this same rejection when the Hebrews requested a king to replace him. The sting was personal until God assured him that it wasn't directed at Samuel but God himself. When we tell others about the amazing gift God offers through his Son, Jesus Christ, don't take it personally when they reject it. It's not you they're rejecting. They're rejecting God.

For those of you who have a special someone in your life, enjoy this time of love like there's no tomorrow, because there might not be one. Also keep in mind those of us traveling alone at this time in our lives. We long for love, too.

The sting of rejection and loss can be unbearable at times. Give us some encouragement by letting us know we're still important to you. Give us some of your time. Pray for us to draw closer to God during this test in our lives.

~*~
Author Bio: 

Wade Webster lives with is best friend (Jesus Christ) in Plano, Texas. 

His main source of income comes from driving trucks. 

He has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside. 

He's the author of a book titled 100 Prayers of a Writer.

Connect with him via his official website, wadewebster.com. 

Devotionals for the Heart: Being Still

You Need Only Be Still
A devotional by Wade Webster

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only be still.” –Exodus 14:13-14 (NIV)

“What verses do you use for encouragement when God is silent in your life?”

My life as a truck driver can be quite mundane most of the time. I deliver mattresses to stores.

This was the question Mary posed after we unloaded her order. There were no customers there at the time. I gave her a copy of my book, 100 Prayers of a Writer, a few months before this time when I heard Christian music being played on the radio.

I opened with how impactful Joshua 1:9 has been many times. She shared that that is the verse she has on her Facebook profile.

Then I went on to share how God led the Hebrews into a trap against the Red Sea, the mountains and the Egyptian army just so they would see His desire to fight for them. All they had to do is be still.

Before I finished tears were rolling down Mary’s cheeks. I normally don’t like making beautiful women cry but I knew God was speaking through me to her so I continued. “Do you believe the sun is still shining on a cloudy day?”

Mary blinked and wiped her cheeks. “Yes, of course it’s shining. I just can’t see it.”

“That’s the same way God is when we can’t experience Him the way we want to. He’s still there only silent. Keep believing and taking one step at a time. He’s there for you every step of the way.”

Mary shared that the theme of being still was the message being repeated to her. She also told me that she was just reading that section of scripture in her quiet time. God was definitely speaking to her about this. I was one more conduit He was using.

A month later I had the chance to put this theme to use in my own life. My sister let me use her lake house for a day alone before the Maranatha Christian Writers’ Conference. I planned on fasting and praying that day but the prayers didn’t come.

I spent the previous week on vacation visiting my six siblings one at a time. My old car was acting up again. Distractions were everywhere. I felt the Spirit speak to me to just be still. So I was. It was exhilarating.

As I went to the conference my car got worse. It looked like I was going to miss the first half day of it. After being misdiagnosed twice the problem was found and fixed in a matter of minutes. I only missed the first few minutes of the opening keynote address.

My first four one-on-one appointments were met with the same response, “Sorry, but your platform isn’t big enough for us to publish you at this time.”

Then the only agent in attendance asked me to send him one of my manuscripts. The next publisher asked for a different one. God was in control of all of it. I just had to be obedient and still and persistent.

I don’t know what problem you’re dealing with today. I know you’ve been doing all you can to fix it with no success. I have an idea for you to seriously consider. Let it go into God’s hands.

He can solve this dilemma in ways you never thought of.

All you have to do is be still.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ.

He currently lives in Plano, Texas. He's the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. 

Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side ... and the front and back and inside. 

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

~*~
Connect with Wade:
Website: http://wadewebster.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWadeWebster
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wadewebster1

Words of Faith: Umbrella Faith

Umbrella Faith

A Words of Faith story by Wade Webster

Hope and faith are very similar. What’s the difference?

The best example I ever heard is that both hope and faith pray for rain during a drought. After the prayer hope walks out the door, faith stops and grabs an umbrella before he heads out.

I’m doing my best to live out this form of faith in my life right now.

Barb and I met at Grace Bible College in Wyoming, Michigan when we were both in our mid-twenties. We married during Christmas break just over 29 years ago now.

We had the typical financial struggles early on. Barb endured a few surgeries along the way. No children blessed us. Cats filled that void.

We both loved walks in nature and fishing at a private lake of a distant family member. Memories were built well and often. Barb introduced me to birding. I took her hunting twice.

God tugged at both of our hearts to move out west near the end of our first decade together. Too many failed attempts that had us return to her parents’ vacant winter home added to our memories and tested our sanity. Nobody we knew understood that type of faith we displayed with no job or housing lined up at the other end of most of those moves.

God never let us go hungry or homeless.

Such a nomadic lifestyle made for no long-term friendships. I couldn’t fill Barb’s emotional needs by myself. She began to pull away just before our move to Plano, Texas.

I was driving trucks for a temporary agency at that time which did little for my stability emotionally. My mind was too far away for us to carry on any deep conversations during our walks.

We did find a fantastic church home filled with marvelous Christian brothers and sisters that I hoped would fill Barb’s needs for female friends to help her cope. The distance between us only grew.

Over three years ago Barb physically moved out to match the emotional distance we lived.

All attempts by me blew up in my face rather than reconcile anything. Marriage counseling was off the table by her as an option.

I had a choice to make at that time. I could let her go and end our relationship to pursue my happiness, or I could do my best to honor God with my commitment to Barb.

I chose to please God before myself. I accepted that I’m to love her as Christ loves the church. I continued to pay off her car and gave her access to the checking account.

I wrote Barb a letter telling her I’d continue to save her seat next to me every Sunday at church. Yeah, we both still attend the same church. She hasn’t walked totally away from God.

That empty seat next to me is my umbrella of faith as I continue to pray for God to touch her heart in His time.

Over a year ago I made the last payment on her car loan and lost my well-paying job in the same month. She filed divorce papers after that. Her seat is still on hold next to me each week.

Our county court system says we’re no longer married, but I know in God’s eyes and in my heart I vowed to keep Barb my one and only till death separates us. My ring hasn’t come off my finger and I don’t plan on it happening.

There’s no guarantee Barb will come back to me because of my faithfulness.

Paul told the Corinthian church that the trials of this life are light and temporary compared to the glory that awaits us someday (2 Corinthians 4:17). He then goes on to give a definition of faith as concentrating on what we can’t see because of its eternality.

Your circumstances may be difficult and baffling. Things may be out of control as far as you can see. Trust your Heavenly father to be pleased by the faith you grow as you obey Him today.

Don’t forget to grab your umbrella before you head out the door, my friend.

~*~
Author bio: 

Wade Webster lives in Plano, Texas with his best friend, Jesus Christ. He gave his heart to Jesus so young he doesn’t remember not being born-again. 

Most of his income is derived from driving trucks. He was 47 years old before he knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. Now writing is his passion and future career. 

You can get a taste of his writing styles and read his blog at http://wadewebster.com. 

You can find links to some prayer e-books on his website which will be in print under one cover soon. Yes, that link will be on the website, too when it comes to life.