Editor’s Note: This writer approached me recently concerning her desire to spend time in the presence of seasoned Christians in order to glean their wisdom and to put these interactions into article form for Christian Ladies Fellowship. This is the fifth of several interviews that she has written with the intent to help and motivate a younger generation of Christian ladies to examine how much more of their lives can they give to God. I know each reader will be encouraged through these unique interviews by Abigail Medford.
An Interview with Arlene Dendy
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6
In our recent conversation, Mrs. Arlene Dendy quoted the above passage to me when I asked her if she had a life verse. Her life, she feels certain, was divinely-ordered by God, and she has seen the fruit of trusting Him as she follows that path He has set for her. Her life and testimony are evidence of some important truths about the paths of our lives.
God will give you a unique path.
Mrs. Dendy grew up in Pennsylvania. Here is her salvation testimony, in her own words:
“I was saved when I was 23. It was around Easter, and I had been searching…For about a month, I went to the Catholic Church early Sunday morning, and then after that I attended a Southern Baptist Church for Sunday School and church with my aunt and uncle. One evening, I watched an Easter movie on TV and was shocked [by] what Jesus went through so my sins could be forgiven and I could have a home in Heaven. I came under conviction, knelt, and asked Jesus to save me. I decided the next Sunday I would again attend the Catholic church and the Baptist church, but after that, I would just attend the Catholic church. God knew better. I was surprised to find myself walking down the aisle, making my salvation public, getting baptized, and joining the Baptist church. Needless to say, I never went to the Catholic church again.”
After Mrs. Dendy and her husband moved to Florida in 1988, they joined what is now Immanuel Baptist Church, becoming faithful, hardworking church members. Around 2001, the Dendys were asked to teach a Sunday School class for adults with special needs called the God’s Special People Class. Mrs. Dendy has taught that class with aplomb ever since.
While teaching Sunday School is certainly part of it, this class requires many more unique aspects of its leadership. Here are some of the many ways she has served her class: weekly transporting her attendees to and from church and its activities, taking them to doctor’s appointments, working out their insurance coverages, being consistently available to answer the phone when they need her, allowing them to spend nights at her house, organizing class trips out of town, planning birthday parties for them, and acting in many ways as a surrogate parent. God provided Bro. and Mrs. Dendy with the perfect array of talents, schedules, and abilities in order to thrive on the unique path that He had planned for them.
He will provide strength and grace for that path.
Mrs. Dendy explained that she used to spend a lot of time worrying over problems, concerns, and “what ifs,” but she learned that, “He never gives us the strength and grace for the ‘what ifs’ but supplies our needs abundantly when things actually happen and we need the strength, grace and peace that passes understanding that only He can provide.” When her husband passed away last year, she was faced with her biggest fear. She testified to me that, especially in this trial, God has still been faithful to her. Her class’s reaction to Bro. Dendy’s death allowed her an opportunity to see God’s comfort in action. Most of her class mourned with her, even passing her tissues in church whenever she needed. In contrast, one of her class members named Billy was unable to understand her heartache because, as he confidently told her, Bro. Dendy was in Heaven now, so she did not need to be sad. Instead, she needed to begin planning his birthday party, which was coming up in a few months! Through God’s help, she was able to continue to teach her class and meet their needs, even throwing Billy the birthday party he so greatly desired.
He will send others to meet you on that path.
Two of Mrs. Dendy’s class members, Renee and Shelley, grew up in Pennsylvania, just like Bro. and Mrs. Dendy. All four, of course, ended up in the Jacksonville area, and Mrs. Dendy firmly believes that God planned for them to meet. Renee and Shelley are twins, but they live in different group homes and have no family that is willing to care for them. For several years, Bro. and Mrs. Dendy have arranged for the sisters to meet and spend time together. Because Renee lives about an hour away now, Mrs. Dendy picks her up for a long weekend once a month to stay at her house and go to church. If the Dendys had not moved to Florida, started attending Immanuel Baptist, or committed when asked to teach the God’s Special People Class, these twin ladies would never get to see each other. The other members of Mrs. Dendy’s class are also a blessing to her: comforting her during hard times, encouraging her with their faithfulness, making her laugh, and helping her to see the best in people. Mrs. Dendy stated several times that she feels that God added the members of her class to her family.
He will work miracles for you on that path.
Throughout our discussion, Mrs. Dendy brought up miracle after miracle that God has given her. God gave her husband twenty more years of life after a serious open heart surgery. God allowed them to tutor Billy in his reading skills, and now he is on his fifth read-through of the Bible. God gave her a health miracle of her own. When our church moved locations, the setup of the new facilities seemed impossible to navigate with her chronic health condition. She and her husband considered finding a new church, but prayed and decided to step out in faith and try one Sunday. Her disease has been in remission ever since. Mrs. Dendy stated that these miracles only came because she has allowed God to direct her path.
Have you considered your path recently? Perhaps you, like me, are often focused on the cares and chaos of the small moments in life. Another load of laundry, another spreadsheet at work, another clean up after dinner, another diaper changed, and another ride to church. I ask you today to take a moment to zoom out until you can see the full, God-directed path of your life. Your life’s path may be vastly different from Arlene Dendy’s, but I do know that it is a God-given path for which He has provided grace and strength for each step. I also know that He has ordained people for you to meet and to help on that path. Best of all, if you by faith will stay on it, He will work miracles for you, just like He has all these years for Arlene Dendy.
by Abigail Medford
