Category Archives: Faith

Abide, Faith, Holy Week Reflections

LOCKDOWN-HOLY WEEK REFLECTIONS-DAY 2

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Observe His Word and His teaching

Yesterday I wrote worrying about the future doesn’t do us any favours. It takes away the joy we can have today. So, what can we do to help us take our minds off the noise going on around us when in lockdown? 

Learn to lock-in during lockdown

I have experienced issues with my hearing for as long as I can remember. As a child, I was affected with numerous ear infections. Over the years I have had various operations to try and help reduce what I have been experiencing.

More recently I have been suffering with a condition called Tinnitus. This is where you hear a ringing, buzzing or humming in your head or ear. Sometimes the noise can be so loud it distracts you from doing every day normal things. 

Research has shown that stress and anxiety can often make tinnitus symptoms worse. I’m pretty sure the current coronavirus situation and the enforced isolation of social distancing would be classed as a stressful situation. 

One of the ways to help alleviate stress and reduce tinnitus is by relaxing more. Another solution to help reduce tinnitus is to try and block out the noise and to focus on something else. Focussing on the tinnitus can sometimes make it worse. 

Cancelling out the noise in lockdown

This is the same with our current situation. There is so much in the news and on social media about the Coronavirus and lockdown that we don’t know what to listen to. So much noise that it can make us apprehensive and stressed. 

The solution I use to help with tinnitus can also be used in the current situation we find ourselves in with the Coronavirus lockdown. We need to find a way of cancelling out the noise going on around us and focussing on what is important. 

One way to do that is to focus on His Word. We don’t need to read whole books of the Bible. We just need to find those nugget verses that help us to get through the stressful times. 

Here are a few to help…

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand” Isaiah 41:10

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5-6

Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take”

“I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

“…God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Something to think about…

Do you have a favourite go-to scripture? Why not write it out on some card and stick it somewhere prominent. That way it acts as a reminder when distractions start to get louder. Why not share your scripture in the comments below for others to read. 

Prayer

Lord, thank You for Your Word and for the truth within its pages. Please help me not to be distracted with the noise of the world around me, but to set my mind on things above. I ask you to keep all distractions away so I can soak in the truth if Your Word. Thank You that You are here with me wherever I go and that I do not need to fear what is around in this world. Amen. 

Abide, Faith, Holy Week Reflections

Lockdown-Holy Week Reflections-Day 1

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Lockdown – Day 1

The last couple of weeks have been interesting to say the least. When the government announced on 26th March that our country was going into lockdown, panic ensued. The thought of not seeing our friends or family for weeks, maybe months on end brought about a sense of fear. 

But do we really need to be afraid?

This is the question I ask myself and the answer has taken me a while to lock into. The answer is found in the Word itself. 

LOCKDOWN

Over the next week, starting today on Palm Sunday and finishing on Easter Sunday, I am going to be looking at what each of these letters can mean to us. I will focus on how we can use lockdown as a way of not being fearful, but being fearless. 

Let’s not be afraid of the unknown. In this time of uncertainty, let’s come closer to the One who wants to be known to us. 

Let’s not be afraid of the unknown. In this time of uncertainty, let’s come closer to the One who wants to be known to us.  Click To Tweet

Let Go and Let God

Four months ago I had never heard about Coronavirus, let alone think I could ever be affected by it. Who could have predicted the whole world being on total lockdown? I had plans, which I’m sure we all did. 

This week should have seen me having an operation which I needed, and I should be in bed right now recovering from it. A month ago I was assured there was no need to worry about my operation being cancelled. Two weeks later, surely enough it was. 

Secretly, I think my husband is pleased. And I guess I am in a way too. Who wants to be in a hospital in a time like this? The safest place is to be at home. Right?

We were both concerned about me having an operation at this time. As much as it was needed to improve my health, we thought it would be compromised more given the situation we are facing. 

Let God Worry

There have been a few instances like this over the past month where I have been concerned about situations. One by one though I have seen events be cancelled and opportunities taken away. 

Usually when this happens, I go into this downward spiral and start to wonder why all this would be happening. “Why me, God? Why me?” Instead, I find myself in a place where, although there is a little anxiety about what is going on (I won’t lie about that) I feel a sense that God is here and He has this in His hands. 

Worrying about the future does us no favours at all. It takes away the joy we can have today. When we allow ourselves to dwell on what may or may not happen, we end up losing out on the gift we are given. Today. This is why it’s called the present.

There are a lot of unknowns in this world today, and that’s probably the understatement of the century! Why not trust God with our future so we can focus on what takes place today?

Matthew 6:34: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Something to think about…

Letting go and letting God is not easy. I get that! Start with the small things you are holding close to you. One by one, you will start to feel lighter. It may be surprising how free you feel and how unafraid you may be once you do let go.

Prayer

Lord, letting go of all our worries about the current situation we are facing is super hard. We are afraid of the unknown. But you Lord, are not afraid. You know everything that is going to happen. Prise our hands away from gripping tightly onto what we do not know. Worrying about the unknown does us no good. Instead, help us to open our hands to the gift you have given right in front of us. A new day. Help us to focus on what we can change today and let you carry tomorrow in your hands. In your name, Amen. 

Abide, Faith

Why Writing My First Post Of The Year Has Been Hard

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I always find writing my first post of the year a hard one. Most bloggers have done their first post and are onto a second…or third! And yet, I’m still contemplating on what to write for my first. Well, I say contemplating. I’m probably more procrastinating.

Truth is, I’m tired. Christmas was lovely, but the lead up to it was super hectic. It didn’t ease either once it was over. Life with twins has turned out to be absolutely wonderful on one hand, but completely crazy on the other.

Why the wait?

I’ve been thinking about direction since we started into the new year. Well, what else do you think of when you turn into a new year? You look back to where you have been over the past year, and then look forward to where you would like to go in the next year.

Not only do we reflect over the year this time though, we find ourselves looking back over the last decade as we come into 2020. How scary is it to think we have gone through another decade?

As each New Year comes and goes, I find myself wanting to draw closer to God more. I want to move forward in my faith with God. Whether I achieve that or not, I’m not quite sure. Maybe I get a little step closer as each year passes by? One thing’s for sure, I’m not where I use to be!

This year, the desire to want to draw closer feels stronger than ever. I don’t know why. I have this feeling God wants to do something great. He wants to use me in ways I would not have imagined.

For this to happen though, God needs to do a deep work in me. If only I let him.

Each year, for the past few years, I have focussed on a word instead of making any New Years resolutions. This year the word came quite clear to me. But ever since accepting it I have done anything but do it. The word?

Abide

For me to produce the fruit God wants me to, I need to be nourished in the right nutrients to make me grow. I liken myself to the plants I have in my home. I don’t have many. Not because I don’t like them. I think plants can look really pretty and make the home feel more colourful…if tended to and looked after.

I’m not exactly the green fingered type of person. It takes a lot of time and effort to cultivate a beautiful flowering plant. With all the distractions life throws at me, I forget I need to tend to my plants. Sooner or later I remember them, but by then it’s too late. They have withered and died.

I forget to give my plants their basic need to survive and flourish in this world. Water. Plants need water to soak deep into their roots to thrive. Without it, they wither, and then soon die.

I am like my plants. I forget what I need deep down. In order to flourish in this world, I need to abide in God. Without Him I will wither and die. I don’t die physically but spiritually I do.

In order to flourish in this world, I need to abide in God. Without Him I will wither and die. Click To Tweet

How do I flourish?

I need to soak in the love of God deep down…right into my roots. Just like a plant needing water. This takes time and effort. Something of which I know I have not been doing lately. I have been trying to survive in this world by my own means and I’m neglecting what I truly need.

I know this is not going to be easy. But in order for me to grow into a beautiful flowering plant, I need to spend time with God in His Word. I need to abide in Him, and let Him abide in me.

Now, I can’t expect to dive straight into this by spending hours on end in prayer and reading my Bible. I need to start off with what best suits me in the season I am in. I need to start off small and with bite sized chunks. Just enough to keep me sustained.

Something to think about…

Can you help me? Yes, you can! If you are reading through this and find a Bible verse comes to mind, please share it with me. I know this is not going to be an easy journey. Especially in these early stages of growing and given what we are going through in the world right now. (Growing can be painful you know!) So, any Bible verses, prayers or words of encouragement you may have, please share them with me.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you that you would want to be close to me and spend time with me. Your Word says that if I abide in you then you will also abide in me. I want to abide in you. Please Lord, I ask that you put a seed in me that wants to abide in you above everything else. Help me to pray continuously throughout the day and to keep my eyes open for opportunities to dive deeper into your Word. Amen.

Faith, Five Minute Friday

Rushing Doesn’t Solve Anything

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Today’s Five Minute Friday prompt is quite apt for me. Rush. This is what I always seem to be doing lately. 

Rushing here…

Rushing there…

I’m rushing everywhere!

Getting into a new routine with five children and being back at work part time is taking a little longer than I anticipated. Ok, so maybe my goal of getting it right on the first day was a little overstretched. 

A mother can dream though, hey?

This morning was just a prime example of everything coming together at once and having no time to sift through it all to see where I am. 

The result? 

I locked myself out of the house! I have NEVER done this before in my entire life. (First time for everything, hey?) 

Three guesses where I left my keys. Pretty much where I always leave them. The funny thing was (and I can laugh about it now…just) I looked there first! I could swear they weren’t in there before. 

How many of us go through life rushing around and don’t see what is there right in front of us? We’re constantly seeking something to fulfil our lives and looking for quick fixes. I do this a lot, but then I miss out on a lot too. 

This is a great reminder to me about the current season we are in. 

Advent. 

Advent is a time when we stop for a minute and think about the One who is coming. The One who will provide the answer to everything we are looking for. The One who we don’t have to search very far for. Because guess what? He is right here folks. He has been right here all along. 

This morning I was rushing around and suffered the consequences. I didn’t even give myself two minutes to stop and pray for help. The result? A very frustrated mummy! I prayed when I got back and lo and behold I quickly found my keys.  

With a little bit of time and a whole heap of slowing down, we may save a lot of time in the long run with not rushing around and missing the point. Don’t miss the point of this season with all the rushing taking place. Take time to think and reflect. You never know what time you would save later on. 

I am trying to intentionally slow down this season, in the midst of my hectic life. I need to reflect on what is important. One of the ways I am taking stock is reading through a series by Shelly Miller.

Shelly has thought provokingly written a series for her Sabbath Society called Slow Christmas. She is providing some focus for keeping Christmas slow and intentional rather than rushed and busy. 

If you feel you need a little help in slowing down this season so you don’t miss the point of it, I’d like to encourage you to join the Sabbath Society. You will then quietly receive an e-mail each Friday where Shelly shares how we can breath and exhale, creating a sense of calm and peace.

Now, who doesn’t need that in this busy season? Click on this link and it will take you to where you need to join.

Faith, God’s Love, Write 31 Days Challenge 2019

Day 20 in God’s Love – The Woman at the Well

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One of my favourite stories in the Bible is the Samaritan woman at the well. I love how Jesus meets her there right where she is. He sees her with all the shame she is carrying and just loves her for who she is. It doesn’t matter what she has been through. He still loves her.

I often imagine the woman at the well is me. The one carrying all the shame. Jesus loving me just for who I am, no matter what I have been through. This is what I would imagine…

The Woman at the Well

It was the heat of the day. No-one is usually here at this time. It’s the only time when I feel safe to come out. I looked around just to make sure no-one else was about. But you were there. 

You sat by Jacobs Well looking tired. Your feet were dusty and I could see the sweat on your brow. 

I didn’t know what to do. 

I contemplated on whether to come back another day, but I needed water. My jar was empty and I was thirsty. I am always thirsty. 

For water. 

Thirsty for love. 

For life. 

Hesitantly, I made my way to the well, constantly looking around to make sure no-one else was watching. As I approached the well I kept my head down so you couldn’t see my face. 

I didn’t want you to look me in the eyes. Looking into someone’s eyes can reveal a whole story about themselves and I was too ashamed for you to see mine. 

If only you knew the pain I had to bare. The shame I had to carry.

“Will you give me a drink?” You asked. I sharply looked up. You spoke to me. 

Me.

A Samaritan woman. Surely you were speaking to someone else, but no-one else was around. Aren’t you ashamed to be speaking to me?

You could see the shock on my face. I was scared. No one ever speaks to me unless it was to show me how displeasing I was to them. I am so use to being rejected. No-one values me anymore.

But there was something about you that was different. You weren’t like the other Jews. You were gentle and kind and your eyes showed love towards me. A different kind of love to what I am use to. I have never seen this love before.

You then spoke to me with such tenderness in your voice and told me about a gift God has for me.

Living water.

Did you realise how ridiculous this sounded? Living water? Who can offer living water unless they were the Son of God? Surely not I thought. You had no bucket from which you could retrieve this water so I didn’t know if I could take you seriously.

I questioned how you could do this. I didn’t believe you, but then you said something which made my heart skip a beat.

“Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

Oh how I wanted this water. I wanted to be satisfied. Revitalised. Clean. Free. I needed this water so much. More than you would ever know. If only you knew the real me. Maybe you wouldn’t be giving away this “living water” so freely.

What you asked me next though made my heart sink. You wanted to see my husband. I felt so ashamed. You must have seen the awkwardness I had written all over my face.

I said I had no husband. I wasn’t lying. It’s just that I didn’t want you to judge me. There’s this man that lives with me, but we’re not married.

You said you knew. How? Did you speak to someone before you saw me? I know they all talk about me behind my back. That wasn’t all you knew either.

“You don’t have a husband” you exclaimed, “for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”

I could feel my face going red, and it wasn’t with the midday sun. There was only one way you would have known this. You must have been a prophet. What you revealed to me next just blew my mind.

You are the Messiah.

You are the chosen one and you spoke to me. Me, a broken, shame-filled, unclean woman. Do you have any idea how that made me feel? For once in my life I no longer felt rejected. You released the shame I had carried inside me every day of my life. I felt so dirty, but you washed me clean with your love.

I felt free! For so many years I was an outcast and felt alone. You changed this and accepted me for who I was. I didn’t have to change myself either to be welcomed by you. You loved with open arms.

I couldn’t keep this feeling inside me, so I ran as fast as I could back to the village. I no longer felt the need to hide from anyone anymore. Everyone had to hear what you told me. And they listened. For the first time in my life people listened to me.

Because of you, I was no longer rejected by my people. Because of you, my life has been turned around. I have been set free from everything that kept me in chains. You have provided me with a hope and a future. I will be forever in your debt.

Thank you!

Because of you, I was no longer rejected by my people. Because of you, my life has been turned around. I have been set free from everything that kept me in chains. You have provided me with a hope and a future. I will be forever in… Click To Tweet

Something to think about…

Can you imagine yourself being the woman at the well? Is there something in your life which you feel has tainted you? Jesus can provide you with a way of being released. You no longer need to feel shame for what you have been through. He loves you for who you are, just as you are.

Prayer

Lord, thank you so much that you meet us where we are in our circumstances. Nothing in the world will deter you from loving us. Thank you for accepting who we are. Help us to lift our eyes to you so we can see how much you love us. Amen.