We’ve all had days when everything seems to go wrong in a short span of time. I’m not speaking of tragedies, but a series of first-world problems strung together to really mess with our attitudes. Welcome to my Terrible Tuesday. Nothing about this day made me want to sing, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” Psalm 118:24 (ESV).
It began at 1:30am when our college son’s shell-shocked voice woke me out of a deep slumber, “I’m okay, but my car is totaled.” While he stood yards away, a drunk driver had flipped onto his car. He was safe, but financial repercussions abounded.
Hours later, our oven short-circuited while I baked fifty homemade scones for a local coffee shop delivery. It wasn’t the worst thing to happen, but it was challenging for my home business.
Lastly, the finale to my terrible Tuesday: As I pounced into herculean cleaning mode preparing for my first “Moms Night Out at Jen’s” since quarantine lifted, our well water pump broke. Fifteen young moms were coming in a few hours, and with no running water, that meant no flushing toilets either. That was my reality.
Though I’m not one to be overly dramatic, I admit to raising my fist for a brief moment, “Seriously, Lord? In twelve hours, we’ve had a totaled car, an oven fiasco, and now a broken pump? All this amidst our step of faith to fix up The Becoming Cottage? Can You give me a break?”
I yelled to my brother who was trying to help outside, “We serve a God who raises people from the dead and turns water into wine. Surely, you can strike that thing in Jesus name and water will flow!”
He smirked. I prayed. No water.
I knew how much all the moms had been looking forward to gathering. As their mentor mom, I’d been waiting in expectation to create a safe space to reconnect after an exhausting mothering year for us all. Stress-wise, canceling was the wise move, and friends assured me that everyone would understand if I postponed. But in that moment, I had a choice. Even though my frazzled spirit already felt defeated, I knew that if this much opposition swirled against our evening, there was no way I could cancel. I would not stand in the way of how the Lord would move through our time together. He was up to something special, so I begged Him to take my terrible Tuesday and transform it into changed lives.
The powerful interactions that happened are too much for this article, but would you believe that while I expected fifteen women, twenty-five showed up? And not only did they show up, but they were early? Do you know how much I accomplish in the last ten minutes before my gatherings? I digress, but I share the details over on my instagram.
All evening I took mental snapshots of women laughing, crying, connecting, and even sharing with absolute strangers.The repeated theme overwhelmed me.
Chaos came in, but grace flowed out.
I don’t recommend hosting a house full of people with no water, but we must extend invitations now more than ever. Start small until open-door living becomes second nature.
As we begin to experience the fullness, richness, and joy that comes from practicing one simple life-giving invitation to another, we unleash the promises of God in ways we’d never expect.
After a year of isolation, hospitality takes a bold kind of courage, but you can do this. Pursue it with the knowledge that Christ is enough. If you feel like you can’t do it, hear Him remind you, “You’re right. You can’t. But I can.” Hospitality is where He can teach you bold new lessons about trust, humility, faith, and love. And wow, did I experience growth in both trust and humility that Tuesday!
When I replay this truth about God’s sufficiency to transform lives in spite of me, I see again that it’s not about me. I have nothing to prove. He delights to work through my imperfections. If people are blessed and impacted, it’s only because He’s gracious to take a broken, weary, and completely frazzled woman and use her desire for serving Him to point others to Jesus.
Let this truth sink deep and receive it as absolute freedom: Stop striving for the unattainable. Stop worrying about what others think of your performance. Focus solely on your One-person audience, knowing this focus will always lead you to loving others.
Throughout the evening, women hugged my neck (that alone got me emotional) and thanked me for not canceling. Over and over, they told me they’d been waiting so long for this and how it was exactly what their hearts had needed.
Sweet friends, if He can work through my terrible Tuesday when I had to slip away to pour jugs of water down a toilet (and yes, we had more crazy moments), just imagine the other miracles He can perform when we step out in faith during our ordinary, everyday lives. He unlocks the door to so many meaningful possibilities in our lives.
Kingdom adventure awaits as we shift our focus from “not on this terrible day” to “Yes, Lord, I am here for it.” God’s promises are for the taking when we choose to show up.
If I had canceled that evening, I would’ve missed out on the chance to declare, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” It was certainly a day to rejoice and be glad because of what He had done.
Leave a Comment
Ruth Mills says
Simply, AMEN! Thank you for sharing.
Jen Schmidt says
Yours so welcome, ruth. Thank you for being here in this space.
Madeline says
Life happens. Amen
Jen Schmidt says
Yes, life happens again and again, doesn’t it? 🙂 we keep pressing on.
Cathy says
This speaks!
Amen Sister and thank you for sharing.
Jen Schmidt says
Thank you, cathy. Grateful you are part of this community.
Irene says
This is wonderful, Jen! A real lesson in God’s outpouring on our attempts at hospitality. Bravo for soldiering on! Well done!
Jen Schmidt says
Thank you for sharing, Irene. Soldiering on is a perfect phrase for areas of our life as we give it to Him.
JENNIFER E HASSEL says
Thank you Jen. I am always working on recovering from perfectionism. What you wrote to me above will certainly bless others too. As I continue trying to share my own words with those who grieve, I will keep your wisdom in mind. If I keep Jesus at the center, all will be well despite the messiness.
Jen Schmidt says
Thank you for being a part of encouraging those that grieve. Such an important place to be.
Dawn Ferguson-Little says
This speaks. To me. I say Psalm 118 verse 24 every day. As no matter what we are going through. It is still the Lord’s day. We are to rejoice in it no matter what. God can teach us something in theses things. Even when we feel why is this happening to me. Why why. God is there we have a lesson to learn from it. I can remember years and years ago. Both theses deer elderly people who are in Glory now. We gave a lift to Church. We just spent lot of money on the car we had at the time getting it fixed on different times. As we couldn’t afford to buy another one. So we were sure this time Nothing is going to wrong with the car this time. Then on the way home from Church with theses two deer ladies in the car. What happens the car starts to slow down and then stop. My Husband looks at me trying to hold his patients. I knew by his face what now. Has gone wrong with the car. We got pulled into the side of the road. One of the elderly ladies said don’t worry God has it all in control. My Husband didn’t feel much as if God had. So I said it will be all right. Then people from our Church came round the corner and saw us stopped. Said can we help. They got as started to get us all home. But I knew we had to change the car. As it would only give more trouble through time. We then prayed and so did the Elderly ladies. That God would show us what to do. My Husband said we have to get the car fixed to help us out for the time being. We did that. God did bless us as when we had that car my Husband was only temporary in his job. We still through it all kept our faith in God and Tithed to him first no matter what. Then he go a full time job. With the people he working with now. See because we put God first. All our needs were met. We then we’re able to change the car. The next one didn’t give any troubles. Like you Jennifer you did cancel your evening. Look it was great time you all had. As God was in it. No matter about the water. See if we honour God put him first in everything. God will bless us. I stand on Phil 4 verse 19 which says “My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in glory according to Christ Jesus.” How true that is. Love what you wrote Jennifer. Love you all incourage. Keeping you all in Prayer. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xxx
Jen Schmidt says
Yes, Dawn. Always grateful for the way you share your heart and put so much thought into your comments here.
margueritecoutinho@yahoo.co.uk says
Wow, Jennifer! What a testimony! Jesus took a fiasco and turned it into a rainbow. Just like He took water and turned it into wine. Our Lord never ceases to amaze me and I am amazed by your courage and tenacity. Well done, woman of God!
Jen Schmidt says
Marguerite – thank you for your encouraging words. I love your reference to the rainbow. His faithfulness is always present.
Jasmine says
Focus and press on. Amen
Jen Schmidt says
Yes, praying for focus on Him today.
Beth Williams says
Jennifer,
You heard God whisper “go ahead with the meeting” & obeyed Him. By doing so you got to witness Jesus making beauty out of ashes. Putting a rainbow at the end of the stormy day. All He asks of us is to be available for Him to use & you most certainly were. That has become one of my “dangerous prayers” Here I am Lord use me. Use me to encourage patients, RNs, CNAs at work. Use me to cook & pray for others. Whatever you need Lord show me & Ill do it. I want to be a part of the Kingdom adventure & latch onto His promises by showing up.
Blessings 🙂
Jen Schmidt says
Yes, Beth – praying this with you as we step forward in our ordinary to ask it for His Kingdom.
Bomi says
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Jen Schmidt says
Bomi – so thankful you’re part of our community 🙂
Theresa Boedeker says
What a story! I call these life’s hiccups, or speed bumps. They disrupt our plans and day. But because we have God on our side, we can ultimately look back and laugh at these times. This will become one of those stories you will laugh about in years to come. “Remember when the pump broke and all those ladies came over?” and those in the know will laugh and those who were not there will want to know the story. God uses both the serious and funny to point to him and his abounding grace.
Teresa says
I loved this message! We have had similar water issues not once but 5 times! Fortunately our company has been in between the episodes. 8 houseguests one time and 13 family members the next. God is good! We do have well water thankfully to keep refilling the toilets like you did. Way to go to not cancel a wonderful much needed gathering.