Author: Megan Wurzelbacher

Faith/

Learning About Relationships

One thing we all have in common is our need to have relationships. Whether you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert doesn’t matter. As humans, we all desire to have a relationship with others. We all crave those connections with others because that is exactly how God has created. God created us in His image just as He says in His word, Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.” (CSB) God himself also desires to be in a relationship with others.

God has always existed in a relationship as the Holy Trinity; God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son. God also desires to have a relationship with us, His children. If God, the creator of all, needs relationships, then we should see just how important they are for our lives. We can see throughout scripture how relationships are an integral part of who we are. For example, Genesis 2:18 says, “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.” (CSB) From the very beginning, God knew it was not good for us to live this life alone.

Now we know we were created to need them, but do we know exactly what that means? What constitutes a relationship? What does relationship even mean? I think the first thing we think of when we hear the word relationship is of a romantic relationship with someone; like a date or a spouse. But according to the American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology, a relationship is, “A continuing and often committed association between two or more people, as in a family, friendship, marriage, partnership, or other interpersonal link in which the participants have some degree of influence on each other’s thoughts, feelings, and actions…” (ASA Dictionary, 2023). Our relationships include all the interpersonal connections we have with those closest to us.

The difference between the relationships God has with us and the relationships we have with others is that we are not perfect. As humans, we live in a broken and fallen world, therefore; we have broken relationships that make these much-needed connections complicated at times. There is no perfect relationship on this side of Heaven. No matter what type of relationship we are looking at, we can quickly see they all definitely take work and patience.

The best way to build meaningful and lasting relationships is also to set boundaries. Though we will save the topic of boundaries for another day, it is very important to note that they are an integral part of having healthy and thriving relationships. It is important to note here that unhealthy relationships happen and no matter what type of relationship it is (born into or chosen) just because we are Christians we are not supposed to stay in those types of relationships.

Because of the role relationships should play in our lives, I will be sharing some helpful tips on how to create new relationships, mend broken relationships, walk away from toxic relationships, and start thriving in your existing relationships. As we begin to dive into relationships, I am looking forward to sharing what God has placed on my heart and look forward to this next part of the journey.

Megan Wurzelbacher

https://www.meganwurzelbacher.com/

 

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®,

“Relationship.” American Psychological Association Dictionary, American Psychological Association, https://dictionary.apa.org/relationship . Accessed 10 Feb. 2023.

Uncategorized/

Organizing Our Lives Around God

For those of you who don’t know me, I should probably tell you a little about my personality first. I am a Type A planner full of some major ADHD and maybe a few OCD tendencies. For, example when I’m watching a Netflix show, I can’t just watch one episode. I am always binge-watching the entire thing no matter how many seasons or how many hours of sleep I lose out on because again my sweet ADHD induced insomnia, Type A brain just needs to know how it ends and I can’t sleep anyway so I might as well just stay up all night and watch the whole series. One of the shows I have binge-watched is The Home Edit. Have y’all watched it? I am seriously obsessed with the show and all their products. The Home Edit is a company that was started by two women, Clea and Joanna, who love to organize. They became famous after going viral on Instagram with pretty pictures and they organize celebrity homes. They want to make sure that the spaces in your home are efficient, user-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing. They start by cleaning out the space either a closet, a pantry, a refrigerator, or a garage etc. obliterating everything. They then purge anything you do not need and donate things that can be reused which is the edit stage. Then anything that is staying gets organized by category. They bring in their team that will add shelving, baskets, drawers, and these little nice clear bins that are all labeled. They then arrange everything in rainbow color order so it looks pretty.

After watching the Home Edit the entire series, you know at once obviously; I had to completely redo our house. The first place I started was our refrigerator. I hate a messy fridge and especially if it has anything expired in it. My mom is here and can attest to the fact I will show up at your house and if I get something out of the fridge and it’s a mess, not in order, or has anything expired I will clean it out for you no shame at all it is just something that needs to be done. So, the fridge was naturally where I needed to begin my own Home Edit. I then just had to go to one of my favorite places, the giant TJ Maxx Home Goods combo in Pensacola this is not a sponsored ad I am not getting paid to tell you this but if you have not been you are just not living your best life, so I highly recommend you go! I went to my favorite place, and I loaded my buggy with all the clear plastic bins I could fit in our refrigerator. Bins for fruits, vegetables, cheese, butter, kids’ snacks, eggs, and a little spinning container for condiments. I mean, I went all out. Go home and I must hand wash all these bins because, of course, they are not dishwasher safe. That would be way too easy. Get my fridge looking amazing and pleasing to all my OCD tendencies and just like Joanna and Clea from The Home Edit team would do it. However, what this show forgot to film was how after spending all this money and time buying, hand washing, and organizing these cute little bins, I have now created so much more work for myself.

You see, we have six people in our family, and we homeschool we eat at least 2 meals a day at home not including snacks and second breakfast. Second breakfast is a homeschool thing for those who have never homeschooled. This is where if the kids eat breakfast before 8 AM they then very desperately need a second breakfast by 10 AM because they are starving and I am a terrible mother if I do not feed them again. We are home eating every single day literally all day long. Y’all I could go to the grocery every day and still not have enough food in our house.

Now my cute little bins are cute empty bins. I now have to handwash those bins again before I can fill them up with more food because little hands have touched them, spilled things on them, put cracked eggshells back in them. I realized if I never would have bought these cute little bins and if I just had the regular old Piggly Wiggly squeaky foam egg carton, my eggs would be gone and I would walk that not so cute piece of foam straight to the garbage can and that would be it. No more extra work. Just throw away the empty egg carton.

But no, thanks to The Home Edit Team getting all in my head and my brain being completely satisfied by the aesthetically pleasing organization in my fridge I’m over here handwashing 50 plastic cute bins before I can unload $500 worth of groceries back into them each and every week! 

Now these bins have created so much more unnecessary work for me. Guess what even though I know that without a doubt I have added more work for myself you know what I’ll be doing in the middle of the week this week when I run out of groceries again, that’s right handwashing 50 cute bins plastic again. It’s complete insanity. What if I told you we actually are doing the same thing in our relationship with God?

When Lauren asked me if I would pray about speaking at this event, I had no idea what I was going to talk about.  I asked her to pray about what I would share with you tonight and I started praying. But no, God didn’t lead me to just talk about my ADHD induced insomnia, Netflix binging, and OCD organization issues. But he did lead me to start thinking about something he has been showing me in my own life recently.

Because I am a total planner, which is really just a nice way of saying I am a total control freak. I want everything in my life to be organized and separated into categories that, just like my fridge, I can place in their bins and boxes and have everything the way that I want them. I started to realize that I was doing the same thing with my faith and my relationship with God. Maybe you have been doing the same thing too without even noticing.

Now I am not saying that God doesn’t like organization because he does. Throughout the Bible, we see God using organization, rules, and procedures. Specifically, in Exodus chapters 35-39, we read about the Israelites being obedient to God’s instructions to Moses about the tabernacle. Moses received these instructions during his first 40 days on Mount Sinai. There were specific instructions for the materials that were to be used for the tabernacle. Specific instructions on where to put everything in the tabernacle. In chapter 39 verse 43, we even see that Moses inspected their work, “Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So, Moses blessed them”. Then in chapter 40, God commanded Moses to set up the tabernacle according to his organized plan and in his specific time.  

Chapter 40 verse 1-5 says, “Then the Lord said to Moses: 2 “Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month. 3 Place the ark of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. 4 Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5 Place the gold altar of incense in front of the Ark of the Covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

These instructions God is giving continues through verse 15 on exactly how God wants them to organize and set up the tabernacle.

Verse 16–17 continues with, “16 Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him. 17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year.

These are not your basic instructions. They are very detailed, making sure everything is in the right place at the right time.

Then, in verse 34, we see God carrying out his plan for the Tabernacle and why those instructions were so important.  

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

The last verse, 38, is showing that now as the Israelites continue to travel forward in their journey, they are not doing it alone they are doing it with the guidance directly from God. Though, God uses organization, rules, procedures. But that’s not what is most important to him. Our desire to be obedient, our relationship with Him, and our intentions in that relationship are more important so we can carry out his plan. Just like the Israelites, we need to follow his instructions and his organized plan, but we need to be doing it with the right intentions of glorifying him.

You see, what I came to realize was I was organizing my relationship with God. I was placing him in a box. I had God in a Sunday bin, a Wednesday box, a with my Christian friends’ box, a during homeschool bin, its Bible study time bin, my I’m having a bad day prayer box. Just like my Home Edit bins, I have been creating more unnecessary work for myself by separating God from all areas of my life. I have made things harder for myself, which ends up in me being more stressed out. Which affects my husband, my children, my family, my friends, my business, and everyone around me. It even affects me carrying out God’s plan of sharing the gospels with others. Generally just making everything harder. Though it was not on purpose once I realized what I was doing, I knew I needed to be more intentional in not placing God in a box.

 We should be organizing our lives around God instead of God around our lives. Everything we are and everything we do should be for the glory of God. We are specifically given those instructions in 1 Corinthians. Starting in Chapter 10 verse 23, 23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

Then verse 31 through 33 continues 31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God — 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Do you remember that little highlight reel introduction I gave… I am married, I am a homeschool mom of four children; I am a writer; I am a property manager, and I am a realtor. Ladies I know you are like me with every role possible weighing on you. We are a room full of wives, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, friends, sisters, granddaughters, nurses, teachers, chefs, chauffeurs, maids, and the list goes on. We have calendars packed with appointment and activities galore and we do not have time to be washing any extra dishes or making any kind of extra work for ourselves that are not necessary! The same is true of our relationship with God. We are missing out on opportunities to share His Gospel with others when we are making extra work and placing him in neatly placed boxes. That is exactly what 1 Corinthians 10 is showing us. We should be do everything for God’s glory. That means he should be in everything. We should be presenting him in every part of our life so those who do not know Him can see Him in us.

We need to stop trying to plan, control and organize every part of our lives while keeping God in a separate box that we only open on church days. We shouldn’t be trying to make our lives look more like everyone else. We are called to put God in everything and let him completely transform our lives, so the way we live our lives looks different from the rest of the world. Romans 12:2 says, 2 Do not be conformed to this world, [a] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. [b]

We should be taking God out of the box and everything we do and who we are is all for Him. If we are putting God in every aspect of our lives and he is our priority, we will look different. When we look different and people say, hey what’s your secret? How have you been married for 40 years? Why do your teenage kids want to hang out with you on the weekend? Why is your business successful, yet you’re not sacrificing family time? How are you balancing it all? Why are you not falling apart after everything you have been through? That’s our perfect opportunity to share the gospel with others. That’s when we say it is not a secret it’s all God. That’s when you share your hardest of days and say but because of God, I made it through. Because everything we are doing is for Him and His glory.

I had been a stay-at-home mom for about 6 years when we moved here. After a lot of prayers, I decided to go back to working outside of the home but not in the career field I was familiar with and, of course, not what I have multiple degrees in either because that would just make too much sense. I started something brand new and began my real estate career. Working in a new career that is highly based on having connections, relationships, and referrals in a new state where you don’t know anyone is hard and beyond frustrating. But I knew this is what God was leading me to do. I stuck with it. I have been able to grow my business while still homeschooling our children, and it has truly been a blessing. But not without hard work and a lot of God.

With social media and everything available on the internet, you can find online master class courses, downloadable e-books, Facebook groups, podcasts, and YouTube videos on just about anything you would want to learn. As an avid learner, I was listening to podcasts, YouTube videos, taking all the online training classes I could to continue learning about real estate. I came across a Podcast called the Prosperous Agent,  but this one was different from all the others that had been recommended to me. This was for realtors who are believers and want to put their faith and family before their business. There was a guest speaker on his podcasts this day. Her name is Heather Shriver Burns, and she is an entrepreneur her podcast is called Seek First CEO and she shares her journey about owning businesses and putting God first in everything she does in her business. After listening, a light bulb went off. I started praying and doing my bible study and I knew it was God’s way of telling me; I needed to take him out of the box. I was keeping him in this separate box and not including him in my business because that’s what business experts tell you to do. You know, like you’re not supposed to include God in your business, because what if it offends someone? I could lose clients if I am sharing about God on my business, social media or in conversations with clients. But God was showing me how wrong that was. I mean who better to turn to and give me direction on how to grow and run a business than the one who created me, who created this business, who gave me the ability to work in this business, who allows me to meet with people I never would have met outside of this business, who I can then share the gospel with. If we should be doing everything for His glory, that includes all of our roles, even our jobs.

We have self-help books, conferences, parenting books, and relationship seminars, all these things set up to help us and guide us which are all great tools but if we are not taking God out of our little church box and covering those things with His word and wisdom, then none of those other things will help us. We should be opening his word and leaning into our prayers daily when we need advice, encouragement and support, or help in our marriages, our parenting, our friendships, our relationships, our education, and our business.  

My husband and I have talked about how sometimes with our human way of thinking we feel like God has so many things, so many people, and much bigger things to worry about than our little problems. So we don’t take those things to God. We feel like those small things are not necessarily something he needs to worry about. For me, I didn’t think God needed to worry about how many clients I had this month. Because I had this separation of God in a box, my business in a different bin, then over here my parenting in a box, my marriage in a bin, my homeschooling in a box. But in reality, we are to take all things to him. What we often don’t realize is when we don’t include him in everything, we are discrediting who He is and the power that we have through his gift of the Holy Spirit.

His word instructs us in John 14:15-17 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

We should be taking everything to the foot of the cross and laying it all out before God and praying for His guidance and discernment. Why not present my life to everyone just as it is with God as the priority and his role in my business, my parenting, my marriage, my homeschooling, my relationships, and every single aspect of my life? I started to feel like maybe God is trying to show me I need to step out of the way and step up and obey. I needed to take God out of the box.

The first week that I wrote down all of this and my prayers and my bible study notes for how I was going to start making these changes and take God out of the box and incorporate him into everything no matter how insignificant I thought they may be. I started to feel less frustrated with work. I started getting more business. I started noticing more opportunities to share my faith and, therefore, the Gospel with both strangers and friends alike. I continued to feel God pushing me out of my comfort zone to start sharing more of my life through social media and videos, which are way out of my comfort zone. Our family just started a YouTube channel which we are sharing everything about Faith, Family, Homeschool and Real Estate because that is what I feel God has called me to do. To use every area of my life to share Him with others to share what he has done and continues to do for our family. Again, that verse 1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. When we take God out of the box and cover our lives with his presence, his plan can unfold just the way it’s supposed to and we all know His plan is always better than ours.

Now please do not leave here and go tell my husband that my Home Edit show and organization issues have misled me. Because my brain honestly is just so happy with all those bins and organizing techniques. I will continue to handwash all the bins. But I will not continue to place God in a box. Don’t you just love how God can use anything, even a Netflix show about organization, to teach us a lesson that applies in all areas of our daily lives? So ladies let’s start tonight take God out of the box, let go of that control, and don’t cause more work for yourself and let’s step out of the way and step up and obey while we are doing everything for God’s glory.

Thank you, ladies. Let’s Pray together.

Dear God,

We thank you for the reminders that we need to take you out of the box we have placed you in and place our priority in you in everything we do and in everything we are. I pray that you would open our eyes to the opportunities you have laid before us to continue to share your word with others so that they can hear the Gospel and accept your gift of salvation. Father, I pray if there is anyone here tonight that needs to take that first step in deciding to have a relationship with you that they would lay it all down at the foot of the cross and reach out to any of the ladies here on our women’s ministry team or someone sitting at their table to ask them for support and guidance in that decision. Continue to remind us that nothing is too big or too small to bring to you. We thank you that just like the Israelites we know we are not alone in our journeys and that we have you as our guide. I pray Lord that you would bless each woman here tonight in her walk with you as we grow individually and collectively as a community of Godly women. I pray that we will be reminded to do everything for you and with you.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Faith/

Trust and Obey

Growing up in a Southern Baptist church I am familiar with all the old hymns. As I have grown older I prefer more contemporary praise and worship songs but some of those old hymns still have a special place in my heart. One of the songs I sing to myself as a reminder is Trust & Obey. As a type A planner/control freak I am constantly fighting the battle of my pride thinking I’m in control versus knowing I should humble myself and submit to God’s plan completely. This old hymn is my reminder to know the only way to submit and follow Jesus truly is to humbly trust and obey Him as well as His plans, not mine. Let’s take a moment to just read through these powerful lyrics,

 

“When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

 What a glory He sheds on our way!

 While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

 And with all who will trust and obey. 

(Refrain:)

 Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

 To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

 Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

 But His smile quickly drives it away;

 Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

 Can abide while we trust and obey.

 Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

 But our toil He doth richly repay;

 Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

 But is blessed if we trust and obey.

 But we never can prove the delights of His love

 Until all on the altar we lay;

 For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

 Are for them who will trust and obey.

 Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,

 Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

 What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;

 Never fear, only trust and obey.”

Songwriters: D. B. Towner, J. H. Sammis. For non-commercial use only.

 

My go-to lines for my daily (mostly multiple times a day) reminders are, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”. It does not get much clearer than that. There is no other way to make it through this life without completely trusting God’s plan. His plan for all is to obey His Word and take action to spread the Gospel. God as our creator knows us better than we know ourselves therefore his plan for us is better than anything we can ever imagine.

 

If you’re struggling to trust in who God is and that he will work all things for our good even during those difficult seasons of life think of this song and lean into your faith. Write scriptures on post-it notes, in your journal, on your notes app, or even as a screen saver to remind you of his trustworthiness and goodness. Here are a few verses to get you started.

 

  • Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”( ESV)
  • Psalm 37:4-6 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” (ESV)
  • Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (ESV)

Spend time in prayer asking God for guidance and trust as you fully submit to His plans. Build that trust and take that leap of faith. Don’t miss out on the goodness He has for you because of the fear the enemy has planted in your mind. Trust and Obey with complete confidence in who our creator is and what he has called you to do then watch as his goodness overflows into all aspects of your life.

-Megan

Blog – Megan Wurzelbacher

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Faith/

Let Go, Let God

Today’s Office Space
Our backyard
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities God continues to give our family. Today school is done, work is going well, Jason received good news at his job, we have a beautiful yard to allow the kids to play and for me to work outside.
As I’m looking around I’m reminded how God not only provides but if I just get out of my own way he shows up with his Plan that is so much more than I could have even thought possible.
I always struggle with letting go and letting God.
I’m a serious planner aka control freak despite that I always say I trust God and I trust His plan. But then on the backend, I’m always grasping onto everything trying to make things go my way. Which only discounts God’s plan and who He is. Obviously, I know my plans and my way could never compare to the amazing things God has in store yet it’s a daily struggle.
So I’ve been really focusing on taking everything to God and waiting in prayer instead of holding on to every detail only to feel overwhelmed and lost. He continues to show me He is all I need to focus on.
As long as we are focusing on Him the rest falls into place, just how he intended it to. Does that mean every day is full of rainbows and butterflies absolutely not. But when I let go and let His plan play out the end result is always so much better than what I could have done.
So here’s your (and mine) reminder to fully trust God. If it’s in business, family, school, relationships, travel, or housework, doesn’t matter, nothing is too small or too big for God. Just put Him first and focus on Him.
Faith/

Mama On A Mission

Being a mom is one of the toughest if not the toughest jobs there are.

It is demanding in every way possible; physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and financially.

But it is also the most rewarding calling.

Growing up I never really knew the answer to the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up”. Many years later and with one undergraduate degree, one graduate degree, plus many other vocational certificates, licenses, and training programs and I would always joke and say I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I’ve always been multi-passionate which I think is just a fancy term that confirms my ADHD.

However, I did always know I wanted to be a mom but I never saw that as substantial enough to be a job on its own. I mean obviously, there is no paycheck so it couldn’t hold the same value as a career. At least that’s how our society and our world portray it.

Once I found a career in real estate I actually felt like this was the job for me. Especially when my brokerage allows me to work remotely from home. It felt like a win-win. I could bring home a paycheck, I could be home with my kids, I could still homeschool them, and I could still be the wife at home taking care of the household.

But I still found myself feeling pulled in every direction. Feeling like any success in one area of life meant I was failing in another. So if a business was my focus and things were going great then that was time taken from my kids, those were nights of working instead of one on one time with my husband, those were nights of no sleep and days full of piled up kitchen counters and laundry piles. If I was spending extra time focusing on my kids, the housework, my marriage, myself then that meant business was slow and paychecks were less and finances were tight.

The weight of it all was becoming too much. Finally, God intervened and opened my eyes. He reminded me of who I am and whose I am. I find it seriously ironic that I had lost sight of all this when I have written a book titled, You Are Trusting God to Define Who You Are. Oh yeah, I also like to write and published a book and have another one I will finish…one day.

I had gotten so caught up in the way the world views my roles and my success I had forgotten something God has taught me so many times before. My identity is in Him. He determines my roles. He determines my success. He is in control. I just need to be faithful and obedient. I need to trust in Him fully.

Recently I have been trying to figure out ways to balance it all better and to be successful in all aspects of my life. After prayer, bible study, podcasts, youtube videos, Pinterest posts, and every other available source of information He showed me what I was doing wrong.

I was caught up in doing things the way others expect me to do them. Not how God has laid them out and planned them specifically for me.

There is a quote and I’ve shared it on social media multiple times before because it speaks so much truth to my inner struggle.

“We expect women to work like they don’t have children and raise children as if they don’t work”.

I don’t work just for financial benefit. I work because it fulfills a part of me that God created in me, on purpose. My work does not give me purpose. My God gives me purpose.

We chose to homeschool for many reasons but one of the main reasons we have continued over the years is to create a family bond that is unique in that we are together so many hours (okay let’s be real… all the hours) in a day. I cherish the time I have at home with my kids especially as we are about to have our oldest say goodbye to his elementary years this summer. It goes by incredibly too fast.

So all of this to say we are making changes in our home and my business. What’s a better way to teach our kids how to live a life built on faith and obedience to God than to show them firsthand. I will be integrating my career and my role as a mother even more than before. My four assistants are being promoted to my four business partners. They will be around while I’m working not quieted in another room. I will no longer shy from posting social media videos to grow my business because I have four kids running around in the background. They will be helping me create my business marketing materials. (Kanen was up for the task already this week as he’s super excited to make more Facebook posts) . They will be interrupting virtual meetings. They will be laughing in the background of important phone calls. They will be present and I will be present with them. They are the most important part of my day and why not show them that every chance I get. That doesn’t mean I will fail as a Realtor or businesswoman. It only pushes me to show them how we can do anything in life as long as we are trusting God and stepping out in obedience to what he has called us to do.

I’m not just a mom. I’m not just an entrepreneur. I’m not just a realtor. I’m not just a housewife. I’m just who God created me to be which is a multi-tasking, multi-passionate, mama on a mission who is incredibly grateful for all the blessings in my life.

So be ready for all things Jesus, Real Estate, Homeschool, Housewife, and Chaos Coordinator related and enjoy whatever loud live videos and blooper reels are headed your way.

www.meganwurzelbacher.com

www.MeganWurzelbacher.eXpRealty.com

 

Faith/

Legacy of Faith

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy  6:5-7 (ESV)

Two weeks ago our family suffered the devastating loss of our Mamaw. I am incredibly thankful for all the time I had with her as she would’ve turned 88 next month. But despite the memories I have the loss was so hard; thinking of how much she will miss in our lives and in our children’s lives. My heart was completely broken having to say goodbye to her.

I spent most weekends and summers with my Mamaw and Papaw growing up. They lived near my childhood home. Every weekend my entire family would gather at their home for food and just to spend time together. The house was always loud, full and chaotic full of memories and fun. Most all vacation memories included them as well as spending time at their place on the river in Indiana and trips to Gatlinburg, Kentucky, to get ice cream just because after dinner, and other road trips.

As I grew older the relationship, I had with my grandparents changed but we were closer in a new way. I would visit them often. Continuing to spend the night at their home even after they moved back home to Kentucky. I called them at least weekly just to keep in touch with them and hear their voices. They were always so easy to talk to and just enjoy sitting in their living room. As I watched the two of them in the matching recliners watching some terrible tv show or blasting the news as loud as could be so my Papaw could write his notes about current events in his notebooks he kept; while she would be hand stitching a quilt to give to someone in the family or hemming pants. We would talk about everything and anything and especially about the Bible and church even when it was not a priority in my life.

In July 2010 we suffered the loss of my Papaw. Though we knew his health was declining it was too a devasting loss for our family and especially for my Mamaw. She had spent her life devoted to my Papaw. If you knew him you would know that was a job within itself haha! She was by his side as a Pastor’s wife, a working mom of four, and later as a stay-at-home wife in their retired season of life. She catered to him at home for his every need. They went everywhere together, even if that meant he sat in the car while she tried on clothes and shopped at every Goodwill in town. Second to the Lord, he was her whole world.

Ever since he passed away she was ready for it to be her turn to go home, to Heaven. Mamaw was so lonely after Papaw passed away she would come to visit at my parents’ home. Eventually, she moved in with my parents.  I am so thankful for that extra time we got to have with her. Because we homeschool and traveled for five years we were able to take time whenever Jason was in different states visiting and staying with her at her home or at my parents’ home once she moved. The kids spent days breaking up beans from the garden with her, making buckeyes in the kitchen, watching her sew quilts, and fixing stuffed animals for them. We spent time watching Hallmark movies together every year around Christmas. Listening to her tell stories of her past and of our family heritage.

The bond we had and the bond she had with my children was a unique one for a grandmother and great-grandmother. One I know was a rare gift that many people are not able to have.  Of all the memories and all the things, I am most grateful for her Legacy of Faith.

Because Papaw and Mamaw’s faith being a priority in their life they passed it down to their children and grandchildren. Psalm 78:4 “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.” (ESV)

Her relationship with Jesus was so important to her that she had even prepared a letter to be read at her funeral for all the family to hear. My dad read her words for us all to hear at the funeral. She wanted to make sure her family all came to know Jesus as their own personal Savior. She wanted us all to be reminded to be ready for the day we are taken from this world, or the day Jesus returns.

I am so thankful for her boldness to share her faith with us without apology. Even if it made someone feel uncomfortable, she was going to make sure you knew how important it is to live your life with Jesus as your number one priority.

I feel like so many times when someone passes away we are so quick to think and say things that are meant to bring comfort but not always true. Like when we say they are in a better place. They have gained their wings. She is flying high above now. Hope she rests in peace. Though these sayings may have good intentions they are not true.

The only way to be in the better place, more accurately to be in Heaven with our Savior is to be saved according to the Scriptures. To be saved you must repent of your sins. You must believe that Jesus is the son of God and that he came to Earth died on the cross and rose again 3 days later. Then commit your life to make Him your priority in all aspects of your life. Being saved goes beyond being kind and doing good works. We are saved by grace through faith, not our works. You must have a personal relationship with Jesus and spend your days growing closer to Him through prayer, reading His Word, and continually growing in Him through the process of sanctification. You must commit to sharing His Word with others and grow together in a community of believers.

We can’t simply just know there is a God and be a good person because it’s impossible to be a good person when we are all born into a sinful world therefore, we are all inherently sinners. When we die, we do not become angels as amazing as that may sound. God created angels as separate beings. We will not be resting in peace when we die either. If you are saved and have that relationship with Jesus, we will spend eternity in His presence glorifying him and singing of His praises. Like Heaven is a real place so is Hell. People don’t like when pastors preach about Hellfire and brimstone, but the truth is Hell is a real possibility for so many people that do not know Jesus as their personal savior or that may be confused about what salvation truly means.

I am so thankful for the priceless inheritance I’ve been given through the Legacy of Faith my grandparents and great-grandparents have created for my family. I am thankful I am able to pass that down to my own children. I pray that my Mamaw and Papaw’s Legacy of Faith is spread throughout our family and that we all will continue to seek out the truth about who God is and what true salvation looks like. I look forward to the day that I get to Heaven to be face to face with Jesus and reunited with my grandparents and all my loved ones who too had that personal relationship with Jesus.

Seek God’s guidance in creating your own Legacy of Faith

Exodus 20:5-6   Matt 6:20-21     Proverbs 13:22     Proverbs 22:6    Psalm 112: 1-3  Psalm 127:1   Psalm 145:4       2 Timothy 2:2

~Megan

www.MeganWurzelbacher.com

Faith/

Truth

I know you’ve heard someone say, “The truth will set you free”. However, sometimes the truth in certain difficult situations is not ours to share.  For someone like myself who prides themselves on being real and being honest no matter what the costs, no matter the embarrassment, no matter the shame that may come to me personally; not being able to share a full truth because of the consequences it may bring to others including those who are innocent in the situation but still affected is really hard for me. I’m the type of person that likes to put it all out there.  My life is an open book and I truly believe the mistakes, hardships, and difficult times in my life not only shaped me but can also help others to get through their difficulties.

Recently I have really been struggling with a difficult situation that has been a part of my own life. There are different situations in our past and in our present where we may be affected by something that has happened to us or those close to us; to heal from them we need to share the truth with others. But when those situations may hurt others, or they may not be fully your story to tell you cannot always share the full truth.

I’ve wrestled with this scenario over and over in my head (and in confidence in speaking with my husband). If the truth will set me free, then how can I speak the truth with keeping true to myself and without hurting others among other serious consequences that may follow?  As I’ve contemplated how to best address situations like this, I’ve been stressed out without finding an answer to help me handle it correctly.

After spending some time in my daily bible reading in the book of John chapter eight, I was able to realize what that saying actually means based on its origins and original context. John 8:32, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Jesus was speaking to the Jews who believed in Him, and He told them, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8: 31-32 NIV). Jesus then continues, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:34-36)

I don’t need to share the full truth with others in certain situations for myself to receive healing and freedom. I need to seek the Son, Jesus, and share the truth with Him. Then I need to immerse myself in His truth, His Word, the Bible. The word of God is the truth that is being referenced in these verses. For me to find healing and to handle the situation correctly without causing harm to others I need to know His word by studying it and asking for God to give me guidance and wisdom on how to apply His word to all aspects of my life especially in difficult and delicate situations like I’ve been struggling with.

If there are areas in your life where you too are struggling to find the right way to find your freedom and your healing without exposing or hurting others in the situation turn to the one and only truth, God’s word, the Holy Bible. His word is relevant to every aspect of our lives, and it is a living source of wisdom and power through Him. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 ESV) No matter the difficulty, no matter the situation, no matter the shame, no matter the hurt, no matter the guilt His Word is our source of healing.

~Megan

www.MeganWurzelbacher.com

Faith/

Perfectly Imperfect

One of the biggest misconceptions about Christians is we think we are perfect. Honestly (most) Christians are more than fully aware that they are not perfect and that is exactly what brought us to have a relationship with Jesus in the first place. We need our relationship with him because we need our Savior to cover all our imperfections with his unending grace.

When I first felt like God was calling to share my journey and to be honest about all my imperfections it was scary. I felt like He couldn’t use me because of my past and my current struggles. I felt like who I was and what I had done in my past would cause others to not believe that I was a Christian and I had made changes in my life. I also struggle daily with a lack of patience, anger, being brutally honest with my words which leads to speaking with a lack of grace when I speak more times than not. So, I thought if I share my journey and my relationship with Jesus, people may doubt the authenticity of that relationship if they knew me in the past or maybe if they knew me yesterday when I lost my patience and didn’t listen when the Holy Spirit was guiding me to just shut my mouth and I said what was on my mind instead.

Thankfully I have learned that it is exactly what the enemy would want me to do. Satan would love nothing more for Christians to not share about their struggles and how we need Jesus because of those struggles. So regardless of my shortcomings I can promise you I am a Christian and I am nowhere near perfect or without sin, and I never will be in this lifetime. That is why I need Jesus and I am so grateful for his unending grace that I do not deserve but he so graciously gives every day. So no, I am not perfect, I am human. I am a Jesus follower, and he has led me to share openly and honestly about my life including the not-so-Christ-like struggles so others can see just how much we need Him and just how much He has already done and continues to do in my life.

So, if you are looking for encouragement you are in the right place. Jesus has taken each part of my brokenness and has used it for His glory. I can relate to those who struggle to be gentle, patient, and kind. I can show you that despite the years of partying, waking up in places not knowing where I was or who I was with, showing up to class in high-school drunk weekly, being full of shame because of sexual sins, being involved in bar fights, and so many more aspects of my life that show my imperfections God has forgiven me and given me new life. My past is forgiven but I can use that to relate to those who are in those same broken places and show them the way out, through Jesus.

-Megan

www.MeganWurzelbacher.com

Faith/

Self-Care With God

What do all women have in common? Besides love and the absolute need for dry shampoo, it is our ability to multi-task and fulfill multiple roles at once. Think about your own roles for a moment within your own home, career, church, family, and community. You may be a wife, mom, daughter, employer, employee, volunteer, student, teacher, and a combination of those plus so many more. We are constantly trying to balance our various roles and responsibilities. No matter what roles you find yourself fulfilling you are constantly pouring yourself into others all while placing your own needs, desires, and sometimes basic human essentials on the back burner.

We often get so busy with life, in general, we forget to take care of ourselves. We are unable to make time to rest, refresh, and reconnect. Sometimes based on our circumstances of career, family, and maybe even church and community we do not even have the option of self-care.  Unfortunately, our relationship with God can often succumb to this busyness of fulfilling our roles and lack of self-care.

I know I personally struggle with finding time to just fulfill my roles and responsibilities let alone find the time and energy for self-care. My family and I travel for my husband’s career and our life is not the traditional family life. My husband works out of town full time and we travel with him the majority of the time. We call Kentucky home and when we are on the road we have stayed in hotels until recently we now stay in a travel trailer at a campground. I homeschool our children ages four, six, and eight all while trying to keep our one-year-old from climbing on absolutely everything! My husband often works eighty-plus hours a week leaving the responsibilities of the house and now the camper, the groceries, the meals, the school work, the packing, the preparing, and the children to me.

Because we are out of town we are away from family and friends which means babysitters are basically non-existent without extensive planning ahead and travel on my part or our family that is willing to help us out when needed. This also means I do not have friends local to me to call to come over for some adult communication. By the time my husband gets home from work all the nail salons, hair salons, and anywhere else I could think of for some mama self-care have closed. Therefore, for me in this season of life self-care is not exactly how social media portrays it.

Maybe you can relate as a single mother trying to do everything on your own going out with friends, having a day at the spa those things are impossible when you don’t have the support you need. Maybe you are the one in your family working the eighty-plus hours at work leaving you with no clue what self-care even means. Being a college student that works full time, I’ve been there, there is no free time to relax. For some of us, there is no me time, no downtime, no self-care.

Often times our me-time, self-care time, or any free time can be the time we dedicate to focus on our relationship with God. Those times can get lost in the shuffle of our schedules and our roles. When our bodies are telling us we need that extra sleep in the morning instead of our quiet time with God. When we are unable to make it to church because of our kid’s extracurricular activities. When work keeps us from extra time studying our Bible. Unfortunately, when we are missing out on our alone time with God in prayer, bible study, in worship, and/or in connecting with him daily we may find ourselves feeling disconnected from Him.

This rut of disconnection from God is easier to fall into when the rest of our lives, though busy, are going well. When we are in the mundane of everyday life with little to no trials, tribulations, or emergent needs can easily be swept away by the busyness around us. Not having an urgent need or desire to bring to God we can be caught up in our daily life and pray our simple prayer or our routine grace before eating meals or maybe skip prayer completely. We may be so exhausted from fulfilling our roles as women we take those extra quiet minutes in the early morning to sleep in instead of reading a devotional or listening to our favorite podcast. We know we have a relationship with God, we love Him, we need Him, but we may not realize our lack of putting forth effort and time into our relationship with Him is actually causing us to slowly stop pursuing him altogether.

When we are not pursuing God and not seeking him in our daily lives we are not just taking a quick break or resting. We are, however, risking everything. Becoming less connected to God and allowing our spiritual priorities to become less important than our worldly priorities sets us on a path of disappointment and total spiritual burnout. When we are not fully in pursuit of God and striving for a deeper, intimate connection with him on a daily basis we are allowing a distance to wedge between us. Then when we hit a speed bump in our life like a struggle, a trial, or a tragedy it makes the direction we should go less clear. It allows the enemy to fill that gap between God and ourselves. Then the hopelessness creeps in, doubt, fear, and anxiety begin taking over. We begin to doubt God and question our faith.

We all need rest, trust me as a mother who has not slept since 2009, I know we crave rest. Actually, God wants us to rest. He himself rested, “And on the seventh day God finished His work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all His work that he had done.” Genesis 2:2 (ESV)  He rested because his job was finished. We often need rest before our jobs are finished and that is okay and to be expected. We should be searching for that rest in God.  He is our safe haven, our refuge. We should be in a dire need of rest in God. “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” Psalm 62:8 (ESV)

Instead of just doing the bare minimum in our relationship with God and thinking we can just coast by as long as we are saved we need to invest ourselves fully in Him. We need to pursue him in the deepest most passionate way. We need to strive to meet with him daily over and over again. We need to submit ourselves, our days, and our roles over to Him. We should be fully immersed in the relationship with God instead of coasting by until we feel like we need his help. Jesus even took the time he needed to be alone and pray to God, “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35 (ESV)

Once we have committed ourselves to God and we engage in that relationship fully and purposefully we may just find that balance and that rest we have been searching for. God created us for His glory and purpose. So why not allow the one who created you to define you, your roles, and your priorities. Give yourself the most important aspect of self-care, your relationship with God. If you are struggling with finding the time here are some quick ideas. 

5 Ways To Find Time for Self-Care With God

1.    Lunch break: No matter what your lunch break may look like this is a perfect opportunity to connect with God. Take 15 minutes to yourself, at your own kitchen table (or like most moms standing at your kitchen counter), at your desk at work, in your car in the drive-thru parking lot, whatever works for you! Open your favorite daily devotional and spend some time in God’s word. Maybe devotionals are not your thing and that is okay! Open your bible start in Matthew read one chapter each day at lunch.

2.    Early risers: If you are anything like me this may be the hardest idea for you. I am not a morning person in any sense. However, on those very rare occasions, I choose to get up before little hungry kids wake me up the quiet of the morning makes for a perfect time to do some bible journaling or just to spend some time praying. Write down your prayers in a notebook or on your phone and look over them the next few months see how God moves in your prayer life.

3.    Night owl: This is my personal favorite. When you are laying in bed and you cannot sleep instead of scrolling Pinterest for all the lovely ideas you do not have time to do, listen to your favorite podcast. Grab your headphones, get comfortable, and just soak in someone’s message about God from a podcast you love.  If podcasts are not for you then grab your Bible and a booklight and sink into your favorite Bible study.

4.    Mama: To all the other busy moms I know finding time can seem impossible. Take 15 minutes every afternoon. It could be during nap time or after school. Tell your older children to find a quiet activity, turn their favorite movie on, read a book, play a game on their tablets, whatever works for you and your family. Set that time aside for you to listen to sit down and just spend quality time with God. Pray, journal in your Bible, find a verse that encourages you and write it down.

5.    Working women: No matter if your career is at home, in the office, or on the road finding downtime is incredibly difficult. Turn on some praise and worship music while you are getting ready, in the shower, in the car, at your desk, while making breakfast, or whatever can work for your schedule. Just take that time to worship God through music.

Carve out the time anywhere you can find it. In the car, in the morning, at lunch break, after the kids go to bed, whenever you can get it.  Invest fully in your relationship with God and allow Him to move in your life giving you a purpose and the tools you need. Start scheduling in your self-care time and remember the best way to take care of yourself is to fully invest and commit to your relationship with God.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved

Mama/

Mama 10 Ways To Renew Your Joy

Hey Mamas!

As a mama to 4 kids ages 7 and under I can so often find myself getting caught up in the mundane of each day, as well as the task and checklist I have. Add in the house,  homeschooling, activities, careers, and everything else and you quickly find yourself just trying to get through each day. We often need a refresh to remind ourselves (and our kids) we need to take time to add joy back in our days and make amazing memories to look back on. I know I am not alone in feeling like I need a mama refresh so here are 10 simple and fun ways to renew the joy in your motherhood!

Download the FREEBIE here as a quick reminder for renewing your joy!

  1. Start your journey back to joy with a dance party! My kids love it when we blast some music and dance around the living room! You can also turn on a slow song and twirl your little ones around and everyone will be full of smiles and giggles in no time! 

2. Ice cream makes everything better! Who doesn’t like a surprise treat every now and then! On days when we all need a little joy refresh in our house I load everyone up in our Wurzel Wagon (aka our giant van) and we hit up our favorite ice cream drive-thru. It makes it extra special when I do not tell the kids where we are going and as soon as they see the ice cream place cue the joy and screams! Don’t want to leave the house, then grab some ice cream and toppings at your next grocery shop. Surprise the kids with an ice cream party let them add their own toppings and enjoy some mama chocolate time along with your littles!

3. Movie nights are popular in our house. A movie allows some downtime and even some rest for Mama. Grab some popcorn or any other favorite snacks, pile up on the floor, on the couch, or our favorite, the bed! My kids really love getting on Amazon and watching old movies from my and Daddy’s childhood!

4. Lunchtime is often a little chaotic with school work, hungry kids, and a sleepy baby. So a great way to switch things up and add some smiles on everyone’s face is to have a simple picnic either indoors or outdoors. Make some quick PB & J, fruit, yogurt, and a juice box, and my kids feel like they have won the lottery. They would rather eat a snack like lunch than a homecooked entre any day and the simplicity makes it easier on Mama too. Throw a vinyl table cloth (Wal-Mart usually has holiday/seasonal ones that the kids love and they are about $3) on the floor and you have an easy clean-up picnic!

5. Bake Goodies! Our family is obsessed with Food Network! My kids love watching the Kids Baking Championship show. They have their own pretend  Baking Championship with cakes made of Legos, blocks, and other toys all the time. So we had a Brownie Baking Championship with different flavor brownies they all got to try and judge to pick their favorite. They loved it! Baking any type of goodies is always a way to add some joy to our days.

6. Craft Night is another winner in our house. Grab some construction paper, glue, tape, glitter paint, you know all the messy stuff! Let them go outside or use the vinyl tablecloth again to keep your mess contained. Give everyone a theme for their crafts or just let them use their imagination.

7. Break out the camera or use your phone and help your kids create their own TV Show or Podcast! My kids love to make their own news show updating on their day or the weather. They have also recorded their own show where their sister is the host and she interviews her brothers like a talk show and it is hilarious to watch!

8. Family game night! Break out the board games or simply play some tic-tac-toe! Make your own Pictionary games or charades. We have yet to try this but next on their list is a family Double Dare night!

9. Camp out in the living room! You can either hang out for a while in your campout or sleep all night! Throw some blankets and pillows down or sleeping bags if you have them. Make some blanket forts and tell campfire stories. Of course, you cant have a campout with smores! We recently made smores in a bag which was easy and less mess for Mama! Just melt some marshmallows or use marshmallow cream mix them in those little individual bags of honey teddy grahams, add mini Hershey bars or chocolate chips grab and spoon, and enjoy!

10. Have a family talent show! Think America’s Got Talent, The Voice, American Idol… everyone can take turns showing off their talent whether it’s magic tricks, dance moves, or singing their favorite songs! Make sure you participate too Mama the kids love it when I sing my favorite old-school songs (at least I pretend as they do) lol!

Have fun Mamas and renew your joy while making precious memories with your littles!

Have other ideas that your family enjoys let me know in the comments!