Today is one of gratitude and special celebration. For three years now I’ve had the joy and honor of “walking the WOLK,” walking the words of loving kindness. And lest you think WOLK is something I put together, let me be clear: This was a God-thing through and through, and it continues to be a God-thing through and through.
Starting Our WOLK Together
Three years ago, I received an invitation that would change my life and change my life in no small way. When I was asked to speak with a special group of ladies in a smaller town in Eastern Washington, I had no idea what I would say, what we would discuss.
I said “Yes” to a speaking engagement that was really not a speaking engagement. It was an opportunity to sit down and talk about how these dear ladies might be a light in their community, how they might plant seeds of love, joy, peace, and hope in the fields of challenge surrounding them.
After agreeing to meet, I had one of my many “Dear God” moments, as in “Dear God, what do I talk about? How do I help these ladies have a conversation?” No divine revelation.
Next day, same prayer. Again no divine revelation.
Next day, same prayer.
The next Sunday was Mother’s Day and our pastor ended his sermon quoting a small verse from Titus, chapter 3 about God’s loving kindness being our saving grace.
Titus is a letter that the apostle Paul wrote to a co-worker in the faith. I was not familiar with Titus. Oh, let’s be honest. I wasn’t sure I’d ever read Titus.
That Sunday when I got home from church, I looked up Titus, chapter 3 and there I found not only life-saving sentiment, but life-changing instruction, ways we can be a light in dark places, ways we can plant seeds of love, joy, peace, and hope in the fields of challenge that surround us, exactly what the ladies in Eastern Washington had been hoping for.
Divine revelation!
You see Paul knew that Christianity would be most compelling when we fully participate in public life–What Jesus did!–when our lives look culturally similar on the surface, but when it’s revealed that we live by a totally different value system out of devotion to a totally different God, a God of generous grace. And through his instructions to Titus, Paul shows us how to be agents of change who are devoted to Jesus and the common good.
For three years I’ve had the joy and honor of writing about God’s loving kindness, speaking about God’s loving kindness, sharing God’s loving kindness in the smallest ways. Together we’ve “walked the WOLK,” walked the words of loving kindness.
And then Karen Rae here at Fave Lifestyles asked, “Have you ever thought about doing a live show?” Karen was not just inquiring, but suggesting I think about doing a live show.
At which point I had a panic attack. Live! Live! Really it’s gotta be live???
And then another “Dear God” moment, as in “Dear God, what do I talk about? How do I do this live?”
No divine revelation.
Next day, same prayer. Still no divine revelation.
Next day, same prayer.
And then came the title for a show, “Morning WOLK with God.” W-O-L-K, words of loving kindness.
And then came some ideas for episodes.
Yep, divine revelation.
I contacted Karen and said, “I’ll do it. Give me a month” thinking if I’m going to do this, I’d better give God plenty of time, right?
Today’s WOLK episode is #30. Together we’ve shared antics and vulnerabilities that have hopefully connected to bigger, more important lessons in life, words of loving kindness for ourselves and those around us.
Looking back, I’ve had 30 weeks with at least 30 “Dear God” moments: “Dear God, why me? Of all the people you could have chosen, why me? Dear God, what am I going to say?”
Why me? What am I going to say?
But ladies, it not about me. It’s never been about me. It’s not about us. It’s never been about us. It’s about God. It’s about what God’s doing in us, through us, and all around us.
In his letter to Titus, Paul asks us to be part of something very different from life as we know it, but it’s only possible and only sustainable with God’s love, God’s WOLK, God’s loving kindness that became our saving grace.
It’s not about what we do. Our best intentions will be just that: our best intentions. Yes, we’re women of faith, but we will fall short.
We’re part of a broken world. God’s loving kindness changed us. God’s loving kindness continues to change us. God’s WOLK saves us.
When focused on what I will do, what we will do, obstacles loom. “I don’t know what to say.” “I don’t know what to do.” “I can’t.”
Nope, it’s not about us. You and I are planting seeds, small seeds, very small seeds. We’re dropping God’s love and kindness on those around us, sharing His WOLK. We’re covering them with prayer, watering them with God’s grace, and waiting for God to bring them to life.
You and I live by a different value system out of a devotion to a totally different God, a God of grace. We show up differently, because God shows up in us. We get to be compelling examples of a totally different value system, because God changes us. We get to have a meaningful impact on those people and places that mean the most to us, because God works through us. We get to plant seeds of love, joy, peace, and hope in the fields of challenge that surround us, because God is all around us.
Continuing to inspire our “Morning WOLK with God” is a verse from Paul’s letter to the Romans in chapter 15:
Watch for it. Be ready for it. Because God needs you and me to be a part of it.
Remember the song, “They’ll Know We are Christians by Our Love”? We are one in the Spirit, ladies. We are one in the Lord. And I pray that all unity may one day be restored. And they’ll know we are Christian by our love. Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
By God’s love. May we all walk the WOLK!
