In Monday’s Bible study, Pastor Brynen challenged us to spend time remembering our spiritual past that brought us to our present. So…I have. I started pondering while I was there….and the thoughts & memories have continued.

I don’t remember a time that my family didn’t go to church. However, my personal journey began in my 3rd grade year. I can picture the conversation I had with my dad when he came back to share “the ABCs to becoming a Christian” with me. [They are the same ABCs I still share when teaching the Bible lesson during VBS.] Now, when I was a child, I was quiet & shy. For those who know me now, that may be hard to imagine, but it was true. [It still can be depending on the setting.] Since I was a “Bashful Girl” (seriously, that was even my CB handle – because our family had one.), my mom told me that she would walk up the aisle with me if I wanted her to. I remember the invitation hymn began, and I grabbed Mom’s hand. We walked up to the pastor. He told us that it was the quickest he ever had someone walk the aisle.

My next memory was being baptized. Our family attended Calvary Baptist Church in Shelbyville, IN. I remember when I came out from getting dry clothes on a little boy named Daniel kept hugging me. He was mentally challenged, but he was my biggest fan. He was worried that the preacher had hurt me when he baptized me.

My next memory takes us to Madison, IN. Our family moved here before 4th grade started. I remember visiting a couple churches. One we visited, no one but the person at the door talked with us. At another, we arrived when the time on the sign said it started, and there wasn’t a single car in the lot. We later learned that they had changed their service times, but they hadn’t changed their sign yet. That “sign” brought us to Calvary Baptist. We visited. We returned and attended Sunday School. I remember my family joined on Easter Sunday. That was the spring of 1980. That was the first church where I was able to join with the rest of my family since I had become a Christian the year prior and been baptized.

My memory of being in the children’s ministry was the children’s choir. The wife of the music minister led it, and she had one of those voices that could easily sing opera. I remember singing a duet or trio in one of the musicals we did. My favorite song was, “It isn’t hot…in the furnace, man. It isn’t hot…..in the furnace, man. It isn’t hot in the furnace, man, this furnace is…Cool! Cool! Cool!” Ahhh, memories. My favorite musical, the one that had me singing my first ever solo, was Down by the Creek Bank. Gosh! I loved that thing. Even now, as I work with our children’s ministry, I think how much I would LOVE to have our kids do that program (I think it’s out of print). Only this time, instead of singing “I Am Adopted” (15:45 in the video) I would do the parts that Ginny did (18:15) as the leader. [The video is NOT our church…that was way before YouTube. LOL]

Then, I finally made it to the youth group. Calvary called its first part-time youth pastor, Tommy Campbell. He lived in Louisville at the seminary. He got married in January to Becky, his college sweetheart.

It was while I was in the youth group that I began to realize that when I accepted Christ it wasn’t “just” as my Savior, but He was also to be my Lord. Tommy & Becky (and the rest of the youth leaders) taught us about having a quiet time. I grew up going to church, but I don’t remember family devotions or reading the Bible at home. It wasn’t until I was a youth that I realized that for my commitment to be a true relationship…it needed to go both ways.

Was I perfect in reading the Bible? Obviously not, but it was during those years that I started to grow in my faith. I remember “youth-led Sundays” where we would do a skit. I remember sharing my testimony. It seemed that was my designated task whenever we had one. Hmm, I guess this post is similar…only I am able to edit & revise before sharing it.

It was during those three years that Tommy & Becky served at our church that I learned that I could actually “act” a little. We did a play called “The Stone Congregation”. The leads were acted by my friend Kirk & myself. However, he wasn’t able to go to youth camp that summer. Tommy was his “understudy” and took his place as we performed the play at the camp. My only memory of that experience was how “weird” it was for him to be playing Kirk’s part. Why? The two leads were on a date and running away from someone. Anyway, I still remember the take-away from the play, “Remember, if you don’t start doing the Lord’s work today, you will find yourself in a church of nothing but stone.” [They ran into a “museum” which was an old church….that had turned to stone….in a world where faith wasn’t a part of life anymore.]

During Tommy’s last summer at our church, he took us on a mission trip to Gary, IN. During the mornings, we taught VBS. During the afternoons, we worked on the church building doing various tasks. It was during this experience that I realized I had abilities to connect and teach kids. I had already had a high school math teacher suggest I become a math teacher. My French teacher encouraged me to consider becoming a French teacher. However, after that experience, I knew I was going to become an elementary teacher.

After high school, I journeyed to east Tennessee and furthered my education at Carson-Newman College. It was here that I not only learned to teach, but I was forced to find who I was away from my family and away from my church. I decided whether or not I would attend church on Sundays and if I would go to a Bible study. Not because it was expected, but….because that’s what I wanted to do to have a real relationship with the One who saved me and loves me.

Besides that, I also became involved in Baptist Student Union and attended BASIC (Brothers & Sisters In Christ) on Wednesdays. Thinking back, I realize it was while serving in a position on BSU council that I began my affection to write. I think I was “secretary,” and I began doing a monthly newsletter of the ministry opportunities and events. Most of my closest friends from college were either the ladies I lived with or the friends I met through BSU.

During my second semester of my senior year, I was awarded the Laura Brummit Award for Outstanding Student Teaching. I was stoked (even though CNC never did get my plaque to me – LOL). I was confident that I would walk into my own classroom when fall rolled around. I put applications in at various schools and towns in east Tennessee. I also put my application in back at home. You see, my plan was to stay in Tennessee. However, God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. My road led me back to Madison, but when fall came….I was still without a classroom. So, I continued praying as I tried to trust Him through the wait.

I had no idea how long that wait would be. From the fall of 1992 to the fall of 1996, I served as a substitute teacher, worked at Wal-Mart, worked at a video store, served as a summer children’s minister at my church, and accepted the job of “part-time BSU director” through the Indiana Baptist Convention to the students on Hanover College’s campus [Note, they all weren’t at the same time…I’m not Super Woman. Hehehe].

When my pastor asked me that first summer to serve in the BSU position, I told him, ” I’ll say yes, but if a teaching job opens…I’m taking it.” I often wondered why that wait lasted four years. One evening at Bible study out at Hanover, I said, “When I get to heaven, I’ll ask Jesus why I needed to wait so long for my teaching job.” One girl looked at me and said, “That’s easy. If you had a teaching job, you never would’ve said yes to leading BSU and BASIC.” She was right. I continued to lead that ministry for several years while I was teaching, but when it grew to the point it needed more than just a few hours each week….I knew it was time to step aside.

It was at that point that my church decided it wanted to have a children’s minister all year. I went in that direction. I love teaching. I especially love teaching kids about Jesus and lessons from the Bible. At this point, the pastor switched children’s church to last the entire worship service. Children went from an hour of Sunday School to an hour of children’s worship. As the children’s minister, I was available to sub for any SS teacher the first hour, and then I would lead children’s church for 60-90 minutes. When summer rolled around and VBS loomed ahead, I remember working on decorations and plans…with tears in my eyes. They were not tears of joy. There was an uneasiness within my spirit letting me know that “staff ministry” wasn’t my calling. As others came to fill that position, I still helped with the children, but…it was a choice to serve rather than my “job.” My joy returned.

That was decades ago. Since then, I’ve experienced mountain tops and walked through some valleys. Through both, God walked with me. It may seem cheesy, but…looking back….that Footprints poem comes to my mind. During some of the hard seasons and even some of the bright seasons, I let Him and my relationship slip from my focus. Yet, He was there. Holding me…walking beside me….loving me.

My current conviction is a reoccuring one. Not to get so busy doing for Him that I neglect my time with Him. Praying. Reading & meditating. Loving. Trusting.

In the end, my journey isn’t perfect. But…it’s the path He ordained for me, and I will trust Him…and walk it. Hopefully, while I walk it, I will bring Him glory as I know He brings me good.

Thanks for reading. What about you? What do you remember about your faith journey

Right now. I’m struggling with staying awake. My brain was overthinking as I went to bed last night, so it took a while to fall asleep. Then, today at church, I had…NINETEEN kiddos back in Kids’ Crew. I was zonked. Afterwards, a small group of us journeyed out to Hanover College to enjoy their special holiday brunch for St. Patrick’s Day….so I ate too much (I mean, it was $17, so I told myself to eat for the day – LOL). So now, the only thing keeping me awake is….the fact that I’m doing laundry and listening to the sermon I missed while I was back with kids.

Pastor Brynen asked us, “How do you know Jesus loves you?”

I immediately start singing “Jesus Loves Me” in my head – just call me Jodi Jukebox!

But…do I stop and think and mediate on the truth that Jesus LOVES ME! Me. Ms. Jodi. Ms. Pflaumer. Me.

So many times…we…well… I get so wrapped up in serving Christ, doing for Christ, and being what my church & my friends expect me to be. So busy… that I can neglect taking the time to truly experience the love and presence of the One who died for me.

As I listened to the sermon I missed (I mean, teaching kids brings me a lot of joy!), I realized that I need to spend more time BEING with Christ than merely serving Him. Not that serving Christ is wrong, but…we can’t serve Him and neglect being with Him. Experiencing the love and peace that only comes from spending time with Him is foundational in our relationship with the One who died for us.

So, if you’re struggling with this like I am, then I challenge you to do what I’ve been challenged to do. BE with Jesus. Experience His love and presence. Jesus Loves YOU! Find a peace that surpasses understanding by being with Him…not just on Sunday mornings…but every moment of every single day.

Live in the freedom we have in Christ. Move from understanding that Jesus loves you to experiencing His love. Rest in His presence. Rest in His love.

On the way to work this morning, I was listening to the song list for this Sunday’s service. As I listened to the lyrics, I had one of those “chills” moments. You know what I mean? When you know…that you’re supposed to “get something” and “see God’s work”.

Let me step back. Last night, one of the challenges in the Ash Wednesday service was to pray about how you could shine His light more, share His Word more, and spread His love. I was reminded that…I have a blog and a love of words, so…use them. As I drove home, I told myself that I would write AT LEAST one post a week through Lent (and hopefully longer) to share my ponderings.

Side note. In Charles Dickens books, things all seem to connect by the end. So….if you read the entire post, you’ll understand the title I chose. And…let’s just say the Author of my journey is more trustworthy and loving towards me than Charles Dickens ever was. I mean, he just left me books to read.

Well, as the lyrics played and my smile appeared, I knew what this post needed to be. So, I told myself that as soon as my day was prepped, I would begin this week’s post.

To share the message I need to write, I need to go back a couple years. Back at the end of 2022, Jon Gordon shared a post about “picking a word” for the new year. Likewise, I heard the same thought on K-Love. So…I did. My word was going to be JOY. At the time, I was seeing the church family I have grown up in and love dearly continue to decline in membership. My heart hurt, but I was certain that I was to “find the Joy” in the sorrow. Throughout 2023, I looked for JOY in sad moments. When you look, you find it.

At the end of 2023, I pondered my new word for the new year. Our church membership continued to decline, and my heart hurt. As I read Bible passages about hard times, I saw again and again how God’s people trusted Him. So, my word for 2024 was TRUST. I was encouraged to TRUST Him in the midst of the decline. So, I did my best to trust as people I loved exited our church family. I didn’t get it. I was still serving and being challenged. In the midst of my sadness and confusion, I trusted.

In October of 2024, I sat with my pastor and learned that he was going to begin transitioning out of the pastorate of our church. I knew it was coming, but it caused worry. What would happen? I reminded myself that I was supposed to trust. In the midst of this tidal wave of uncertainty. I determined my new word would be HOPE. I trusted Him through some very hard times at my church, and that trust prompted me to hold on to hope this His plan was good and His power would uphold us.

It made sense to me since my hope comes from my faith. My hope is built on the foundation I find at Calvary – not the building, but the cross of Christ. Regardless of how long we would be without a pastor, I had hope. I knew the lives of my church family mattered to the One we worship and serve. That knowledge…that trust…told me to hope. He had a plan and eventually…we would see the good in the midst of the hard times. We would experience the joy that follows the storm. We would again see the mountaintop after walking through the valley so long.

My word for 2025….Hope. It was picked in October. But alas….God knows me. In December, the deacons started having ‘talks’ with a church that had split from its ‘parent church’ a year and a half (I think) prior. It was planned for us to share Christmas Eve service. There were multiple reasons behind that plan. One, we were without a pastor who would normally lead our Christmas Eve service. Two, they had a growing congregation and their previous Christmas Eve service became a “standing room only” due to the limited space they had. Finally, it gave us a chance to see how well our two bodies could combine into one. It went well.

That led to us sharing three services in January/February. Then, both churches voted to continue to worship together and contemplate the possibility of our churches merging into one.

Ah, the hope. There is so much joy on Sundays…and throughout the week as we join together for Bible study and other ministry events. Honestly, I’m ready to vote to merge into one body of believers now. Perhaps others are not, but….I still hope.

Oh, let me tell you the chills moment. The song was “Good, Good Father”. As I listened to the lyrics, these words…these words brought chills to my arms, a smile to my face, and happy tears to my eyes….

Oh, and I’ve seen many searching for answers far and wide
But I know we’re all searching for answers only You provide
‘Cause You know just what we need before we say a word

Yes! Through my years of JOY and TRUST, I was searching for answers only HE could provide.

He knew what we needed. We needed our hope to be found at Calvary. We needed to trust that He had an answer that only He could provide. No one ever thought of our Southern Baptist Church possibly merging with a nondenominational church. It just….happened. Why? Because…God. God knew. He knew the valley we’d been walking through. He knew we needed our joy restored. He knew our hope was found in His Cross at Calvary, and that through Him…our Hope could be found.

Now…if you know me, you know I love PUNS. Are you ready for the name of the church we’ve been worshiping with. It is Hope Valley. Yep. Our Hope is found at Calvary. We’ve walked through the valley and now….we are reminded of HOPE….through Hope.

I’ll keep you posted on the journey.

But….what do you HOPE in? Where is your hope found?

If it’s not found in Calvary and the cross of Christ….you’re missing true joy, genuine hope, and a peace that surpasses understanding.