Dear 2009...

Dear 2009,

I can hardly believe you've come and almost gone already! It seems like we just met one another, and here we are, about to say Good-bye. It hardly seems possible, doesn't it?

I wish I could say, as I look back over the past 12 months, that you've been one of my favorite years; but, in the words of Simon Cowell, "If I'm being honest..." (which always means, "brace yourself, I'm about to get brutal..."), I must say I don't think I'll miss you very much. Although it's true that you gave me some really good times, (like the Cruise 4 Chicks in January, birthdays with my kids, and that awesome trip to Arizona); fun memories (like the Church 4 Chicks retreat in Dahlonega, laugh-out-loud hysterics with my girls and Boy Wonder, and great times in ministry with people all over the country); and, let's not leave out one of my fav's: a smaller waist size and healthier body (thank God it finally happened! I'm almost 20 pounds lighter than I was this time last year ~Hallelujah!). Okay, so, admittedly, you haven't been all bad; but, well, let's face it, you have just about killed me in the most personal of ways and I'm not going to be sad to see you go. There, I said it.

2009, you have hurt me in ways I can't even post here and that's part of what has made this year so painful--as I've said before, pain wouldn't be painful if it wasn't so personal. And, every time I began to think things were calming down and I could breathe a little easier, you'd go and punch me in the gut from my blind side--again, and again, and yet again--even in the past week. I've heard that the greater the need, the greater the grace given. I've known that to be so true in the past. Like in 1990 when my parents divorced and I had to choose who I would live with, I thought that year was the toughest I'd ever experience. Then in 1999, when I went through an unwanted divorce myself, I just knew no year could ever be more painful or challenging. In 2004, when I experienced 2 back-to-back miscarriages in mid-trimester, I was in pain of a whole different kind: no 'person' had hurt me that year, so I had to face the challenge of choosing whether or not I would continue to trust God when He would allow such incredible pain to happen to me. There wasn't anyone else to blame but Him. Ironically, that was also the year He called me into ministry. It was the year He brought about my greatest healing of past hurts. Funny how He works, isn't it?

But 2009, let me say, if there was ever an award for the most painful, most challenging year, I think I'd be giving it to you old friend. I don't remember another year that just insisted it was going to kill me. (A bit melodramatic? Hardly!) This isn't to say you were worthless--far from it. Just like in 2004, God has used you to teach me and heal me in ways that no amount of comfort, ease, or luxury could do. You've been a priceless and extremely valuable part of my journey. You've been used to help clarify what ministry is really about, and how priceless authentic, honest, and grace-filled relationships are. You've taught me to be ever so careful about who I allow to speak into my life, and to guard the truths of grace and identity in my own life and the lives of others. You've brought incredible, wonderful, and really cool people into my life who have already impacted my life in extremely positive and wonderful ways. You've given me some of my hearts desires that I've been longing for for years. You've deepened existing relationships in beautiful ways. You've been used by God to remind me how fortunate I am to be Stephen Hendrix's wife, and Amelia, Macey, and Jackson's mom. You've even reminded me of the great gift I've been given in my ratty, old, ugly 13 year old dog, Buddy. (*smile*) He's been with me through all but one of those earlier painful years mentioned. You've taught me to take the best care of my mind, emotions, spirit, and body, so that I'll have something of value to offer others. You've taught me how wonderful, beautiful, imperfect, incredible, precious, messy!, and diverse is the body of Christ, and how fortunate I am to be a part of it. You've shown me that there are people out there who do love me for me-and not just what I can do. (And it is a good thing since I can't do very many things well!) You've helped me become more free than I've ever been--less fearful of what others think or imagine about me, and free to walk in integrity knowing who I am in Christ and knowing that this really is more than enough. Oh how grateful I am for GRACE! And how grateful I am for those who have walked in grace for years and are willing to walk there with me, taking my hand and guiding me along an unfamiliar path.

As I look back, I will wave a fond good-bye to a year I would never, ever, no NEVER want to re-live, but am grateful to have walked it for the person it has enabled me to become. 2009, you've accomplished a whole lot in 365 short days, and I'm forever changed. I can't say that I will miss you, but I can say I am grateful for you.

Philippians 3:12-14, The Message, says it for me:

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.

P.S. 2010, if you're reading this, please be nice to me. Thank you.

An excerpt from the upcoming book...

From Chapter 3, "You Can't Change Your Past, But You Can Redefine It." This is just a brief snippet. I'd love to get your feedback. Thanks!

One of my all-time favorite stories ever is the story of Joseph found in the Old Testament. You can read his story in Genesis Chapters 37-50. You are probably familiar with this story and how it begins with a young man who dreamed of greatness and how jealousy from others continued to try to destroy those dreams. When we don’t embrace and enjoy the God-given dream for our own lives, we often become dream killers for those who are pursuing their dreams. In our quest for meaning, purpose and significance, we often miss out on living out our own dreams because we become competitive of others whose dreams seem so much bigger and better than our own. Some of us have stopped dreaming—what we’ve experienced in life has taught us to believe that dreams don’t come true and so we believe we’ve moved beyond those childish fantasies and are living life all grown up.

Thankfully, Joseph didn’t allow his pain or his past to rob him of his destiny! Joseph came to realize, in his pain, that God was still good. Very good. He came to accept, like Joni Eareckson Tada has so beautifully stated again and again, “Sometimes God allows the very thing He hates in order to bring about the very thing He loves.” This truth has given me courage on more than one occasion; courage to take another step in the right direction; courage to trust one more time; courage to not give up.

If anyone had a reason to allow his past to dictate his future, it would have been Joseph. He had a great start in life: a father who adored him, plenty of wealth, good looks, and little responsibility. His father favored him over the other brothers because of his great love for Joseph’s mother. This great start didn’t guarantee him a pain-free life. Because of the father’s favor towards Joseph, and because of Joseph’s excitement (and perhaps a bit of immaturity) in sharing his incredible dreams with his family, his older brothers’ jealousy became more than they could stand. They devised a plot to get rid of this pest full of dreams in a way that would enable them to no longer have any competition for their father’s affection and approval. It’s so sad when you think about it. Perhaps if Jacob had been healthier as a dad to all of his children, this whole mess could have been avoided. Joseph’s brothers were sick to death of hearing Joseph’s dreams and seeing the evidence of their father’s special love for his youngest son. So, in their hatred and jealousy, they got rid of him. They sold him! They sold him into slavery to foreigners! Then they told their dad that he died a horrible death, mauled by a wild animal.
To add insult to injury, Joseph continued to have bad things happen to him even when he was walking in honesty, humility, and integrity. He would be elevated in position only to be knocked right back down. He was falsely accused, forgotten, and abandoned. Life is hard. No one is exempt indefinitely. If you were to read Joseph’s story in a modern psychology journal it might use his life to demonstrate how criminals are created. It would be understandable that Joseph’s heart would have grown cold, callous and uncaring. It would seem like the inevitable thing for him to give up on trying to be a man of God. But Joseph didn’t. Somewhere along the way he grasped something far more valuable than any human affirmation, social position, or material possession. He realized that His God was with him. Because he never gave up, and because he chose to continue to trust God even when life got really tough, Joseph was in a position spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically to walk right into his destiny when the time was right. The day finally dawned when he would be released, once and for all, from the chains of his past, into the place of his greatest blessing. A place where he would not only live in blessing, but also live to be a blessing to others—including his own family members. He was able to offer grace, rather than revenge, to those who had so deeply wounded him and robbed him of so much. He was able to say with confidence that what they had meant for evil, God had meant for good.

There are some painful memories in all of our pasts. Some pain stems from things we ourselves have done. Some pain stems from things others have done to us...

...If we'll allow God the opportunity, in His amazing timing, He will show us how those very things we hate that we have on the resumes of our lives will become the very symbols to us of our Heavenly Father's unexplainable grace! If we'll include Him in our journeys, realizing that He sees and He cares about every single moment of it, perhaps we too, will be able to experience what Joseph must have felt when he was able to say, "God meant it for good."
***********************************************************************************
My Prayer for each of you this Christmas Season is that you'll experience the amazing Grace of our wonderful Creator; maybe in a fresh way, perhaps even for the first time. I love how my friend John Lynch (who is far better with words than I) has put it: "Jesus sits in heaven, next to His Father, the hour before He must suspend His ability to remember He is God...before He places Himself into the earthly protection of a human whose race He must ultimately rescue. The hero of the universe setting off on a journey to save a planet. Never has love been so reckless, to prove itself so intimate, so real, so tender, so beyond the power of fear, sin and death."

Now, that my friends spells "Joy to the World!"
Merry Christmas~
Shelley

Christmas Gift ideas

Hey Everyone!

If you're looking for some unique and inexpensive gift ideas, I wanted to let you know that Amelia (my daughter) has made some really beautiful items that I know you'll just love! She has been doing a great job with her new business and I wanted to help her get the word out about this to help you find some unique and special gifts that in purchasing also help the Church 4 Chicks ministry as a portion of all proceeds are donated to C4C!

Below are some pictures to give you an idea of what types of items are available. Please email me at Shelley@Church4Chicks.com and I'll get Amelia in touch with you to discuss what item(s) you'd like to order. You can make checks payable to Shelley Hendrix.

Amelia and Sarah at the Product Table at a recent ministry event

Assorted bracelets, necklaces, and earrings


Assorted Bracelets
(in various lengths, some for small wrists of children and some for larger wrists as well)


All of the items are made with genuine stones, metals, and are hand-made by Amelia

Bracelets and keychains

Amelia also has some really cute gift boxes that can be purchased as well.

Many thanks from Shelley and Amelia for your support!

Merry Christmas!!