Godly Gals ~ Sarah Peppel

I swirled the boiling water, watching as black flecks of burnt food dislodged from the bottom of the pan thanks to the cleansing miracle of baking soda. One more dinner down the drain simply because I let it heat for too long, let it burn to the bottom of the pot and be destroyed in a matter of minutes. Why? Because, I was at my computer writing a blog post, trying to get the words right, trying to edit and publish in the few precious minutes I could steal. Sound familiar?

When I quit my day job and decided to commit more time to writing, I had no idea how much extra time would get sucked into online “research” as I built my relationships within the blogging community and let my home responsibilities and dinner menu slide. But, I am having fun, I rationalized. This could certainly lead to some sort of writing income, right? For awhile, it only led to burnt dinners and forgotten laundry piles.

Then came a break-through. I was hired, based on my online writing, to teach Writing for the Media at a local Christian college. In one fell swoop, I became a college professor — teaching writing and blogging and loving it. I also became a columnist in our local paper, based on the teaching job. My dinners still burnt occasionally but I did try to get more organized in my weekly planning (admittedly an ongoing struggle).

What I found as a professor and in my cooking was that things have to be tended along the way to avoid a crash and burn at the end. In school, I had to fail a couple of students for the first time in my life. I was heartbroken for them but they simply didn’t turn in the homework and couldn’t get caught up at the last minute.

Knowing that God, the ultimate teacher, had a lesson for me in all of this, I looked in His word. Luke 12:35 says “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.” I think of the times I let things slide in my personal devotions, my walk with the Lord. I let little irritants build up and then they come out in some sarcastic or ugly remark when I least expect it.

Watching the bottom of my pan come clean, I was reminded that God doesn’t throw us away when we mess up — like a pot believed to be beyond repair. By spending time daily with God, we get rid of those dark ugly stains that build and threaten our walk in the Lord and relationships with others. And, just like the hard-to-remove burnt-on food particles or piles of whatever, some things we let get out of control take more time than others to recover from but God is patient and kind, merciful and just. He is there ready to take our hand and walk the journey with us as we repent and turn our lives around for him.

Like baking soda on burnt food, let God’s love be the miracle cleanser in your life today, loosening the hardened spots, removing those ugly sins and washing your heart as good as new.

Sarah Peppel of Genesis Moments and DIYFrugal is a stay-at-home mom, frugal living columnist, part-time college professor at Valley Forge Christian College and president of women’s ministries in the Philadelphia Metro-West Presbytery of the PCA (Presbyterian Church of America). She serves her community as a local Republican committee woman and president of her neighborhood. She has also enjoyed work as a background actress in several major motion pictures and independent films. Sarah is blessed with two beautiful pre-teen girls, a wonderful husband and an insane little beagle.

Thank you so much Sarah for sharing with us today! I love watching “Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith” in action and how each and every one of us can (and do) make a difference!

If you’ve thought about writing something for Godly Gals, or are thinking about it now, I’d like to challenge you to step out in faith that God has called you to share something. It’s usually something very specific to you, meaning it grabs your heart & makes you sit on the edge of your seat to talk about, that is just the right thing for so many of us.

Email me at melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com for a copy of the Submission Guidelines, I’d love to see your words posted in Mel’s World as a Godly Gal too!