When people think of idolatry, they see an image of a statue or other physical object that sits in a place of honor and worship in their home or workplace. I picture the large gold-clad Buddha statue in a temple in Neimenggu, Inner Mongolia, where I watched the young Chinese men I was instructing as they lit incense and prayed. I couldn’t understand much of their prayers, but I offered them my respect as I stood silently by, praying to the one God over all. In my life, I want there to be only one idol—God.
As I’ve grown in Christ, I’ve learned that idols can take many forms. Some are shapeless and exist only in our hearts and minds. Idolatry, as defined by many, is placing anything before God. I prefer to define idolatry as anything or anyone that takes my focus away from God. When I sense myself growing resentful, frustrated, or depressed, I recognize how these are not of God. But they often succeed in taking my focus off God. And that, dear friends, is unacceptable.
My adopted dad taught me, through his life, the importance of keeping my priorities straight. Those priorities were God, family, country, then job. Situations in life often dictated how items two through four got shuffled. The lower something is on my priority list, the more it gets shuffled. Life’s priorities require a certain amount of flexibility and our priorities must change to adapt to the pressing needs. My first priority and allegiance will always be to God, and when other priorities encroach upon that, I look for the reasons. I find where idolatry has crept into my life.
With a health diagnosis and needing to prioritize caregiving for a loved one, I’m finding potential idols in my life as I attempt to keep “all the plates spinning.” Being busy, in and of itself, is a good thing, but when my busyness causes me to lose focus on God, then I’m allowing those things to become idols. And that, my friends, is what this post is about.
Keeping God front and center in my life makes everything else possible. But when those “else” things pull my focus from God, the plates begin to wobble and fall. That’s where I find myself today. My solution? Fewer plates.
For months, I’ve been praying that Father shows me where idols exist in my life, and as only He can do, God has caused me to search my heart. The first step in releasing an idol is recognizing you have one. The next is giving it to God. For me, I think this is the hardest part because my mind has been hard-wired to believe that a man can do it all. I take pride because I can run a consulting business (albeit part time in semi-retirement), run a ranch, be an author, and be a caregiver. What I’m finding is that in trying to do it all and be all, I’m putting the focus and reliance on myself and not God.
While God can show me where potential idols exist, some are quite unintentional, He can’t take them until I release my grip and lay them down at the Cross. If I’m not willing to give them up, to lay them down, then it’s a pretty good sign that it’s an idol.
We don’t always keep our idols on a shelf. The biggest ones live in our hearts. #EliminatingIdols #LayThemDown #FocusOnGod Share on XI’ve learned that being a caregiver for a loved one is something that demands we have the peace of God within. With His peace, I’m able to be gentler, more patient, and understanding as I endeavor to meet the care recipient’s needs. Simply put, I cannot be the best caregiver I can be without God’s help. I cannot be the best anything without God.
When I allow the stresses and demands of trying to balance and perform all the other things in my life, then God’s peace wanes. That’s where idolatry comes into play. If something or someone is robbing you of God’s peace, then it’s becoming an idol. Some potential idols in my life include:
- My beloved Cross-Dubya ranch
- Caring for the livestock, land, and all that goes with that (equipment maintenance and repair, increased costs, and so on)
- Christian writing for publication
None of these are bad things, and I still believe God called me to each one. But when they chip away at my time with God or conflict with the priority of caregiving, they have the potential to become—if they haven’t already—idols. The only way I know to confirm they’re idols is to lay them down at the foot of the cross and let God have them. If He is still calling me to those things, then He’ll return them to me. If not, then I’ll be much better off without them. And this, my friends, is what’s leading me to this announcement. It’s time to lay some things down. Some may be permanent, others only temporary, but giving them to God ensures that I’m trusting Him with my future. When tears flow as I’m laying things down, I know that I’m holding on to them more tightly than I should.
I am exploring the sale of the Cross-Dubya ranch. It’s a beautiful, serene place that a dear friend calls “Holy Ground” because they too feel God’s presence in every square inch. But, if God is calling me into a new season of life elsewhere, I can’t let Him lead me there if I’m not willing to let Him move me. I’m also setting aside my blogging and writing for publication (articles, devotions, books) for an indefinite period.
While I will continue writing as time allows, as it’s the best way for me to process things and express myself, I’m putting writing for publication on hold. Being a Christian author is far less important to me than being a Christian and caregiver. Being a rancher is far less important than being a godly husband, friend, and man. I can’t lead effectively from a weakened state, either physically or spiritually. And as my life verse (Philippians 4:13) reminds me, He is my source of strength.
While I don’t know how long a break I’ll take, or if God wants me to continue as a Christian writer, one thing I know. If the ranch, our home, the cattle and other livestock, or Christian writing have become idols in my life, then I’m asking God to take them from me.
If He wants me to continue writing for His glory, then He will bring me back to it. If He doesn’t, and He agrees I was idolizing the thought of being a rancher, Christian author, etc., then I will lay those idols down and give them to Him.
Precious friends, while this will be my last post for a while, I want each of you to know that I’ll continue praying for you each day. Just because you’re not reading my writing, I want to encourage you to continue reading and seeking God. My website and email (author@jdwininger.com) will remain active, so please reach out with your prayer requests. I cherish communicating with each of you, so don’t be strangers. About six weeks behind in reading, commenting, and sharing others’ blog posts, I still have them (over 400 of them) and will work through the backlog as time allows. I won’t be as active on “anti-social” media, but will do my best to keep up with your lives, successes, and needs.
As God makes things more clear in my life, by removing all that is base, I’m certain all aspects of my life will improve. Until we chat again, I pray God’s blessings upon you, and I will cherish your prayers for my family during this new season of our lives. I pray we keep the joy of our salvation at the forefront of our lives, so everyone we interact with can see the difference God can make in their life.
God’s blessings,
Oh, J. D., you and your Godly wisdom will be so missed by me and countless other readers whom you’ve inspired with this blog. But there is a time for every season under heaven, and your trust to leave all that could be idolatrous at the feet of our Savior is what all of us should do when we feel our priorities have shifted.
Know that I will continue to pray for you and Diane. Should you need any special prayers, you have my email. Please stay in touch!!!
God bless you always!
It is hard to take those good things that have been placed in our hands and turn them over 100% to God. In those moments of letting go of my ideals, my heart breaks. But in the aftermath, God brings more joy and peace. It is so difficult to think our good things can actually get in between us and our BEST thing: a pure and holy relationship with Jesus. Thank you, dear brother, for sharing your heart even in the midst of struggle. Blessings, Carla P.
Bless you, J.D. You are an inspiration to all of us. I have had the same prayer. Is anything else more important than the Lord? Do I get too stressed out about writing instead of focusing on why I do it? The Lord told me just to write to “find the one.” If one person is blessed by something I write, then that is more important than any number of followers. You and Ms. Diane are in my prayers. Your reward is great for placing your priorities in the right place.
Oh, J.D., as soon as I saw your email the tears welled up. Then about halfway through I wondered, “Is your Cross-Dubya an idol for me too?” Sounds silly doesn’t it? But it’s like a childhood dream of mine that never materialized, except you don’t have a horse. I would require a horse.
My heart is aching … But God!
You are a wise man—a godly man.
God knows your heart and He always honors those who honor Him. This life is too short not to.
God is leading you and Diane through this valley and you see it. Peace that passes understanding is always ours when we do things His way. I know that’s the desire of your and Diana’s hearts.
The Cross-Dubya is not the only Holy Ground in Texas. Hey, there’s some Holy Ground here in Virginia too. Come on over! We have room for you here in the New River Valley!
Well, if God does move you, we know He has the perfect plot hand picked for you and it will be good because He’s a good, good Father.
We love you and Diane so much and are praying for you. HUGS!
My wonderful, cherished friend, I will greatly miss your wisdom and beautiful analogies from the ranch and you animals. I do pray for you and Ms. Diane and will continue to lift you up to the Father. I trust He will lead and direct you to the place you are to be and it will be gloious! You said: ” I cannot be the best anything without God.” That is absolute truth for each one of us. I learned that very clearly when I first became a mother and nothing has changed in over 40 years. Be well my wonderful friend.
Someone has said our hearts are idol factories. We can make idols even of God’s gifts and calling. What a wise response to lay them at His feet and only pick back up what He gives.
My heart hurts that you might have to give up your ranch. Yet I’ve experienced caregiving when we took care of my mother-in-law in our home the last five years of her life. It’s a calling and a ministry, but it is weighty–especially when you have health issues yourself.
May God guide you in the decisions ahead. And when you have a chance, pop in to let us know how you and Mrs. Diane are doing, even in an unofficial, informal post.
As you might expect, dear Brother, I’m not surprised. In our prayers for you, Diane and I have sensed that the decisions you’ve shared in this challenging post would be coming. It would be a lie worthy of a leftist political promise to say that we’re not deeply saddened for the personal loss that your announcement represents for us. But of course that sadness isn’t because we don’t think it’s the right thing for you to do. Anytime one of God’s servants makes a painful and difficult change in life in order to move into closer alignment with where God wants them to be, it’s praise time. It’s another opportunity for the One who called us to demonstrate His faithfulness and show that He’s able to “work all things together for good” for those that are called according to His purpose, and we’re convinced that you are that above all else.
The changes on our end will only involve our cherished back and forth and the heartwarming and nourishing fellowship we’ve gotten to share over the past few years. You have been part of our family around here for a while and that isn’t going to change. Our prayers for you and your sweet Mrs. Diane will continue and we will endeavor to stay in touch in whatever way might allow that without adding additional burdens to you. We don’t know where when or how this hard journey will conclude, but if there’s a gathering at some point to celebrate, we’d love to be there.
Regardless, our hearts continue to be knit with yours and our faith in the One who has prepared a place for all of us remains unshakeable. Eventually, whether down here or over there, I look forward to hearing how God has sustained you, strengthened you, provided for you, and displayed His love and grace in both you and your precious Diane.
Ron, I always enjoyed reading your insightful comments. This is all beautifully expressed. Thank you.
God bless you and Diane.
I hear and identify with your heart, my friend. I will continue to pray for you and Ms. Diane and for God’s leadership as you enter this new phase of life. I will miss your posts and news from the Cross-Dubya but know you are filling the role God has called you to at this time. I am here if I can help in any way.
Oh, Mr. J. D.,
You are going to be greatly missed! You and your blogs have been a blessing to me! But I truly understand your decision. I think God is calling many Christians, myself included, in this time to reprioritize their lives—to put Him above all else—even when it requires laying down everything at the foot of the cross. Please know that I will be praying for you and Miss Diane as you both enter this new chapter in your lives.
J.D., tears show we’re human. I love how the Scripture records times Jesus shed them. Those tender feelings help us connect with others in their suffering. I’m reminded of Paul who wrote, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ” (2 Cor. 1:3-5). May the Lord breathe in you new vision and grant you peace, hope, and joy, even as this season includes releasing the familiar in exchange for the unknown. God bless you and Diane.
You are a great inspiration to me and to many people. Thank you for sharing your honest feelings with us. I’m praying for you and Ms. Diane. You both are dearly loved. Thank you for the reminder that sometimes we need to lay down things so that we may draw closer to God. God bless you and Ms. Diane.
J.D., Although I am saddened by your post, I understand. I’ve often wondered how you manage to do all that you do. You are an inspiration to us all. I’ll continue to pray for you and Ms. Diane and for the Lord’s guidance as you seek His will. You are a blessing.
Thank you for your faithfulness, encouragement, and friendship. Whatever we lay down for Jesus, is not loss, but gain. Praying for you, JD.
J.D., I love how you said, “Being busy, in and of itself, is a good thing, but when my busyness causes me to lose focus on God, then I’m allowing those things to become idols.” That’s good insight my friend. While I’m kind of sad for us your readers for your break, I understand. And it’s an inspirational and honorable thing to do. I’ll be praying for you and Mrs. Diane and the entire ranch as you seek God on next steps and what He would have you do. God bless!
J.D., or Sir as I call you, you and Ms. Diane have been in my and my Larry’s prayers for a long time. I do not see your names coming off our list anytime soon.
I know setting aside each of these items must be rough for you, but you are wise to do so and wait upon the Lord’s directives. I sure hope we see you blogging again in the future, but if God says no, it’s great we can still reach out to you. I will miss your wonderful, deep and thought-provoking posts, but I totally support your decision and your reasons why. Don’t be a stranger, we love hearing from you!
Blessings to you both.
Dearest JD. I will miss the blessings from reading your words and encouragement but I know you are doing the right thing by placing it in God’s capable hands. He will never leave you or forsake you.
Philippians 4:13 is Bill’s live verse too. We need to get down to visit sooner than later.
J.D., this is such a hard and weighty decision. I will miss your writing, your ranch analogies, and your godly wisdom. You have been such a source of encouragement in ways you have no idea. You and Ms. Diane will be in my prayers as I know the Lord will be with you to guide. I hope you will give updates as time permits. I am grateful the Lord crossed our paths! May He keep His hand on you, Ms. Diane, and Cross-Dubya ranch.
Led by the Master’s hand
J.D., no doubt I will sorely miss your weekly posts. But I admire and will remember your willingness to open all that you have to God to allow Him to sift and choose His best for you. I used to think I’d do certain ministries for God for the rest of my life. They seemed to be part of my lifeblood. But I’ve since learned God calls us to certain activities for certain seasons. I found it hard to let go when the time came, but I also experienced peace in the process. I can testify that what He chooses for me is always, hands down, better than whatever I’ve dreamed for myself. God bless you and your sweetheart as you move into the next season. Please keep in touch, my friend and brother.
Ah, Mr. J.D., even now, you’re still teaching us. Even though we will miss the interaction here, God will continue to use you as a vessel of wisdom and encouragement to the people you encounter each day. Don’t underestimate that. Your verbal witness about the love and grace of Jesus Christ and your obedience to physically living out your faith will touch more lives than you can imagine.
Thank you for all you’ve done thus far and all you’re going to do for His glory. Praying for you and your wife as you continue in your journey.
I’m somewhat on the other end of the loving type of care you are giving. I’m so grateful for my
husband’s patience, kindness, and foresightedness. Absolutely certain the object of your care
is, too. Bless you.
My dear friend, I’m deeply saddened by your decision, but understand completely. I also had to take a break from writing, blogging, and social media to be a caregiver for Farmer Bob. It’s a precious gift of love for our loved one. Thank you for the inspiration and encouragement you’ve given to me and so many other authors. You are a true servant of our Lord. Please let us know if we can help you in any way. As always, I’ll be praying for you and your sweet bride. May God bless you and surround you with His loving care and compassion.
You have been a great friend and inspiration to me, and I will always cherish you, JD. I’m sorry but not surprised at your announcement, and I totally understand. I have my plates spinning here too, with caregiving, homemaking, and writing, not to mention family sorrows. I will tell you that, in my opinion, you are doing the right thing–give it all to God and let Him give back what He wants you to have. I’m sure He’ll give you back your writing, and after a break, you will be stronger and refreshed. But for now, family comes first. I hope you don’t have to sell your ranch (who will take care of the animals or do they go too?) because I dearly love your cows. Know that you and Ms. Diane will continue to be in my prayers. Blessings and Christ’s love to you both.
J.D. I’m so saddened by your decisions, and I will miss your insightful posts from the Cross Dubya. But I know the Lord is with you and I’ll be praying for his continual encouragement and strength as you seek to follow him in this new chapter! May he bless you and your lovely wife!
Dear J.D.,
While I’m saddened by what I know was a difficult decision, I totally trust you’ve made the right call. I know you sought God’s guidance long and hard before taking this step. I will miss you! You’ve truly inspired and taught me so much over the last five years or so. I will be praying for you and Ms. Diane.
J.D. ~ I’ve been new in this writing neighborhood the last couple of years, but I have been so blessed by your ministry of generous and kind encouragement to other writers (me included!). Your blog has been a delight and blessing and I will miss it! But I respect your decision to step back in this season, and I pray the Lord will give you grace for every need as well as His perfect peace. God bless you and Ms. Diane ~
Although I’m very sad to think of not being with you symbolically at the ranch, I so admire and appreciate your willingness to forsake any potential idols. It is a worthy exploration and I know the Lord has led you. I’ve been on that journey in many ways at different times. Though it’s hard, it’s in the end beautiful. Praying for you, JD.
Well, my rancher friend and fellow encourager, I have lamented over your post for a few days now not knowing exactly how to respond. I am sad – for the way you feel, for life’s circumstances, for losing you as a visible Christian writer, for your animals, for your ranch, for your health, for Ms. Diane’s health. Geez, I’m just sad. But it’s not about me.
There’s no other way to say it. I know you do not agree, but I wish to kindly express my disagreement with your perspective of idolatry. I do not see all of the things you listed as idols. What I see is a forced change in priorities. Those “idols” in your life were consecrated to the Lord so in my mind, they were not idols. Yes, they were time consumers but as we know, even while having your time consumed by “things,” one can still praise and worship in your heart. You did that all the time, J.D.! I mean, you can’t call caregiving an idol although it is going to consume your time, too. Right? We learn to bring God into our day regardless of what fills it. I do anyway. Yes, I have separate time devoted to God. (You do, too.) And yes, I am busy practically every single day. But I realized that everything I do is dedicated to God. Sometimes I do stuff for the sake of others. You know, God’s people. It lifts them up (and oftentimes me), while at the same time, bringing glory to God. Yeah, I wish there were times I didn’t go to my elderly friend’s house on Tuesday mornings to pray with her, but it brings her such joy. I could give up my organ job and all the practice that goes with it to focus more on writing, praying, and studying but God blesses my efforts and sacrifice. People worship as I play. (At least I hope they do!) I am using the talents He has given me. I simply cannot accept the idea these activities are idols because of the time they consume.
Anyway, I miss you already. I saw it coming when John died. I get it that you need to make yourself more available for caregiving. I entered that world four years ago. It is a demanding role that only gets more demanding. At least I can share it to some degree. On the positive side, you need to do some caregiving on yourself, too. I’ve been concerned about your health, J.D.
I know you must do what you feel is best and that is admirable. God will honor your efforts, no question. I appreciate your explanation before closing your blog. You are loved by so many. Your writing has touched many hearts. You have a way with words that evoke truth, compassion, and realism. I am grateful for your friendship, your encouragement, your wisdom, and godly example. I shall continue to pray for you and your family through my grief (yes, it’s true) during your transition. Please keep your friends updated the best you can. We care. I care and love you.
My prayers are with you and Diane. Thank you for sharing so that we might learn as well. I believe we all struggle with “idols” in our lives. It is admitting it that is difficult and letting them go for the Lord to decide what to do with them. So easy to let other “things” be put first in our lives…..even though they are centered around Christ, if we are not putting Him first, then we are in trouble. Praying God gives you wisdom on what your next step or phase of your journey will be. Love you with the love of the Lord!
J.D., I weep with you as you lay down the ranch, land, animals, and farming. I loved the deep, spiritual lessons you taught through life on the ranch.
But even more, I respect you as my brother in Christ. Anything that hinders our highest calling by God, is truly an idol. I am also a caregiver, for my disabled brother and aging parents. I often look at how much others accomplish in their Christian ministries and writing and see how I cannot meet those standards. But I must pray daily to keep my connection with Christ first and honor my family next.
May God bless you, anoint you, and give you favor in all you do. Especially in your relationship with Jesus and your role as a husband and caregiver. I hold you in highest regard. I needed your example to help me stay true to the Lord in the years ahead. Thank you for living out our faith in spirit and in truth.
I am praying for you, your wife, and family.
Your Sister In Christ, Melissa McLaughlin
Mr. J.D., I missed this blog with travels and some illness, so now I more fully understand the issues you’ve been struggling to juggle. I appreciate your willingness to share your thought process when praying about and analyzing next steps in your life. I understand making the decisions you’ve made, but I hope you know how much I’ve enjoyed and benefitted from you sharing your journey on the Cross Dubya and with your Christian writing. It’s taught me many good lessons and brought many blessings. I know God will guide you along this next leg of your journey, and I pray He blesses you and your lovely bride abundantly! ✝️
I have somehow missed this last blog and began truly missing your posts. In looking to find them I saw this and have been praying for you ever since. I recognize the pain and victory in caregiving and in your decision, and am praying for you both. May the strength and comfort of Jesus be yours as you walk this path.