Trusting Like Jewel by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord (Psalm 112:7).

Our Mini Goldendoodle, Jewel, provides a lesson sometimes so I thought I’d share what she brought to mind this week.

Often, Jewel will lay down outside our bedroom door, sprawled across the entry. She doesn’t move a muscle when we try to get through the opening, so we are forced to take a very large stride over her. She seems at peace that we will not step on her when going from one room to the other. I’m amazed at her trust!

I thought, What if we would trust God like that? What if would relax so much that whatever we face, we‘d know He is in control? Do we believe He’s not up there waiting to step on us? He loves us and is a good God.

This week I learned that a co-worker and friend from my television days, Rosenda, was in Hospice, and subsequently passed away. I also worked with her husband at a San Antonio TV station, and our sons went to school together and played on the same football team, so our lives intersected in many ways. She was a strong businesswoman who balanced career and family well. There are many mourning her loss.

Then another news anchor, Bob Johnson, who I worked with in my first television job in Chattanooga, Tennessee, died after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. I found out about both Bob and Rosenda the same day, fueling one of those “blue” days. I wanted to be like Jewel, hanging limp in my heavenly Father’s arms, trusting that He had all this in His hands, but I did not do it. I was anxious and the workload facing me seemed more overwhelming than usual. I almost passed out the morning I learned about both of these past colleagues. Must Be Stress, I thought. I am a Christian leader. Shouldn’t I handle all this better?

That’s the problem. I had wrong thinking. We are not designed to “handle” it alone. We are supposed to load these burdens on our Savior who has the ability to carry them for us. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).

And when we give our anxieties to God, He always answers with hope.

After Bob died, a mutual friend and former Sports Director at Chattanooga’s WTVC, Darrell Patterson, who was very close to Bob, posted a YouTube video of Bob singing His favorite Gospel songs. It was beautiful. We were all very young when we worked together, and I never knew where he stood faith-wise. Back then, I was only a believer, not a follower, so I really did not walk out my faith. But when I watched the video, it’s as if God was saying, “I’ve got this Lisa. He’s with me now.”

What about you? Does all this COVID stuff have you tied up in knots? Are you reeling because you feel out-of-control? Take a lesson from Jewel. Relax—and trust God.

And if you want to feel hope like I did, here’s the YouTube link to Bob Johnson’s medley of Gospel songs: