Debbie W. Wilson

Refreshing Faith

What You Need to Know About God’s Sovereignty

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When a fictional protagonist acts out of character, I know I lack the full picture. Yet, when the actions—or lack thereof—of someone I love injure me, I’m offended. They should know better.

Why do I give made-up characters slack and assume the worst about those I know well? I’m not alone in this. Many of us do it with God.

The actions of a TV character don’t affect us. But we feel the effect of a careless word or action. And since these people know us, shouldn’t they know how their choices will affect us? Our hurt feelings squelch reason, and we forget what we know to be true.

God’s sovereignty is a topic that stirs such emotions. It brings great comfort to some to know God has supreme power. We know if God allows something, no matter how wrong it appears, He is working behind the scenes for a greater good. But for those suffering a terrible loss or injustice, the topic causes confusion.

If God has the power to stop wrong, why does He allow it? If God foreknew the drunk driver would be on the road, why didn’t he delay your child’s bus trip? Why would He waste your time and money on a mystery illness if He could heal it?Continue Reading

How Can My Weakness Be a Gift?

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I was reminded of how much I hate being weak when I had to hobble around duck-taped together because of a swollen knee. God used this to renew my perspective on weaknesses. I hope this excerpt adapted from Give Yourself a Break will encourage you too.

Embrace Weaknesses

We love our strengths. They open doors, garner accolades, and earn money. But no one has only strengths. Everyone has weak areas. The person who gets things accomplished may bruise people. The people person may be easily distracted from tasks. These weaknesses may frustrate and embarrass us. They sidetrack us, but they’re also gifts from God. They keep us humble and reliant on Him, which is His goal.

What about weaknesses caused by emotional or physical injuries, not DNA? Are those also gifts? Continue Reading

How a Sick Dog Changed How I Look at Easter

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My son and I spent the evening before Easter in the pet emergency clinic. Our female standard poodle had woken up vomiting. Bloody diarrhea replaced her nausea as the day wore on.

By: Nana B Agyei

Four different pet emergencies arrived at the clinic about the same time we entered. The assistant visited with each of us to rank our urgency. A woman and her grown daughter arrived carrying a dog that had been viciously attacked by another dog. She rightly gained first spot and was sent on to the NC State Vet School.

Next, the chocolate-gobbling pooch was seen. Easter candy? The doctor quickly returned with good news. The chocolate was out. We continued to wait for our turn.

Cosette shifted in quiet misery. She looked like how you feel when your body aches with an acute virus. No position is comfortable. Cosette, usually our little sparkplug, barely noticed the other dogs that passed by her.

The vet said Cosette was dehydrated and needed IV fluids. She had to stay overnight. They hoped she didn’t have her older brother’s dreaded Addison’s disease.

That night, the word “substitute” floated through my sleep. I’m not sure why. Maybe it came because it was Easter and I’d been reading Isaiah 53. But remembering the Bible says the Lord counsels us in our sleep, I mused about how it related to my sick dog.Continue Reading

3 Sure Steps to Success —While Suffering

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How do we thrive in tough times? The patriarch Joseph was familiar with suffering and injustice. He also knew how to prosper in terrible circumstances. Like Frank Lebby Stanton’s poem, he knew how to “Keep A-Goin’!”

Genesis 39 tells what happened to Joseph after his brothers sold him into slavery. Following Joseph’s example will make us successful too.

1. Invest your energy in the present.

Joseph could have wallowed in self-pity and bitterness over the cruelty his older brothers had shown him. He could have whined the “if only’s.” But he didn’t. Instead of wasting energy complaining about the unfairness of life, Joseph invested in being the best slave he could be. As a result, Joseph and his owner, Potiphar, prospered.

Do you want to succeed in tough times? Invest your energy in the present. Don’t waste it in regret and resentment. Don’t wait for better times to start moving. Let go of the loss that became an excuse for apathy or lack of hope. “Keep a-goin’!”IMG_0093 3Continue Reading

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