by Cheryl Schuermann
I never entertained the thought of writing a devotional book.
That is, until I met the church doors.
We discovered them in a lonely metal shed on The Farm, the recreational land my in-laws purchased many years prior. Amid flying dust and a thick curtain of cobwebs, my husband and I cleaned the doors with rags just enough to reveal the arched glass panels and heavy brass handles and hinges. Though the doors were not ornate, we found them to be extraordinary.
Before he passed, my father-in-law mentioned how he rescued several doors from the old church before it was demolished to make room for a new building. Crafted in the 1920s, these sturdy pine doors served as the front entrance to the Methodist church in this small town. As we finalized construction plans for our turn-of-the-century farmhouse, the doors came to us as a beautiful gift.
Now rescued and restored, they welcome family and friends into our country home.
If the front doors could speak, they would be the main characters in a novel. They carry a wealth of stories and experiences and I wish they could share them with me. They might describe weddings, baptisms, and other joyful occasions. The doors could tell of families praying for help during the Great Depression and farmers beseeching God for relief from the ravages of the Dust Bowl. They would share stories of mothers in the early 1940s seeking comfort after saying goodbye to their sons headed for the war.
Along with the doors, a host of other characters joined in the adventures at The Farm. Dozens of tarnished century-old doorknobs, hinges, and escutcheons required hours upon hours of scrubbing with steel wool. Others served time simmering in a crockpot in an attempt to release decades of caked paint. Pulled from their home in the rusty buckets, they were made clean, renewed, and given new life according to their design.
These and other items reinforced our motto, Redeem…Restore…Repurpose.
The 1922 porcelain laundry sink, rescued from a plumbing parts graveyard, spoke of a time long past and the value of hard work. Antique washstands sparkled after a good cleaning and looked stunning with their new copper sinks mounted on the marble tops.
Spiritual lessons flowed from inside to outside. From the millions of stars on a moonless night to sunset displays over the pond to the cedar waxwings rejoicing in the drops of water from the lawn sprinkler, all have a story to tell.
What could we learn from the foundation stones, the Secret Spring, and the wildflowers blanketing the meadows in summer?
This writing journey began with a gift of hundred-year-old church doors.
They inspired a long season of thanksgiving, worship, and resting in God’s goodness. What we deem ordinary may be extraordinary, after all.
Farmhouse Devotions: God’s Glory in the Ordinary is scheduled to launch in May 2024 from Bold Vision Books. This 60-day devotional combines sound biblical truth with the timeless appeal of all things farmhouse. Original artwork and family-friendly recipes are added as sweet treats.
Preorder now:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1962705188/
Cheryl Schuermann
Cheryl Schuermann devoted her professional career to literacy education as a classroom teacher, consultant, and curriculum trainer in schools across the United States. Her published books include the award-winning parenting book Raising Kids for Tomorrow’s World:12 Keys to Preserving the Faith, co-authored with her husband, Stan, and When the Water Runs: Growing Up With Alaska.
Cheryl is a Word Weavers International president and a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, CAN/CIPA, and Serious Writer. Cheryl and her husband enjoy living near family, including thirteen grandchildren. The Farm is their favorite place to write, play with family, and host ministry groups.
For more information on Cheryl, visit her website:
