Ever felt like you’ve not got very far?

Ever felt like the journey is v-e-r-y l-o-n-g?… and that the end is further away than the beginning?

Ever felt like the encouragement to press in and aim high is more than you can handle … today?

It’s called discouragement!… and for some it’s a familiar companion, that we’d love to lose down a deep hole!!

Many journeys we take have a limited length. My husband and I often drive from our home to London to visit our children there. The Sat. Nav. usually gives us an estimated time of arrival… about six hours after we set off, but invariably it takes us nearer eight! I don’t enjoy that extended journey –especially when I know the train only takes just over three hours! But I can put up with it because it is limited and the end result, seeing our family, is very worth it! But there are journeys in life that seem to be forever journeys and the destination is a little bit undetermined as to its eventuality!

When our 5 children were little and we did road trips that lasted hours, sometimes a day or so, I used to plan treat bags for them. Two bags, one for Continue reading

Pray for Japan!

“More disasters!! When will it stop?” someone said to me, “There seems to be more and more of these happening! It’s scary!”

Yes it is… but not unexpected! Jesus said in Matthew’s Gospel chapter 24:

4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

I’m no expert on “end times” or on theological arguments about the return of Jesus, but I do know that in these days of recession, wars and rumours of wars, nation rising against Continue reading

Time to work!

Spring has arrived!!! The sun has been out for three whole days and, biggest wonder of all… I worked really hard in my garden pruning, chopping, digging, and clearing the greenhouse, replanting strawberries – and Mark worked even harder chopping and tidying hedges!

The amazing thing is – I still have loads more to do before it will begin to grow the crops, plants, shrubs that I work with!

It got me thinking (in the bath afterwards!) … all this hard work!

It’s the season for hard work! We have just left behind the season of dark nights, for huddling up in front of the fire, closing curtains early and being cosy!

Even naturally it has been a resting season… where the land rests, plants replenish themselves and get ready for the next season, animals hibernate and use up old stocks of food!

But there comes a wonderful time called Continue reading

I was chatting to a dear friend the other day who was feeling the weight of being a Mum! I knew exactly how she felt … more along the lines of the non-stop multitasking a mum needs to do, especially when there are a “few” childrenabout!

I remembered an article I read from a book on Babycare, when my oldest (who is now 28!) was a newborn, and I wanted to encourage her with it. I have extracted it and posted it here – Thank you GK Chesterton!

“A Mother’s Special Role

Daily, mothers recognise the magnitude of a mother’s role – so do others.

Especially during the first few years of her child’s life, a mother must perform a multitude of functions. She is her child’s first and most important contact with the world and through her he will learn about himself. In “What’s Wrong With The World”, Gilbert K. Chesterton wrote that Continue reading

Today – Monday morning! Recession, no money, need a holiday, last weeks issues and problems resurfacing? A sneaky despair comes creeping into our hearts when we are not seeing progress as we would like to see it, or feel like we’ve missed God’s best for us or taken a wrong turn. Sometimes the pain of what others have done or said weighs heavy on our shoulders. Sadness catches us in its grip and it is hard to see beyond and into the spring of promise. In our souls, we lose the ability to believe that things will ever change.

A vague thought that things will eventually will work out and a “this too will pass” attitude isn’t what we need. No, we need more… we need something solid and strong to cling to, something that is true and will never fail.

The prophet Jeremiah understood all this:

“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.” Continue reading

At the end of an email that I sent to an old friend, whom I had not seen or been in touch with for many years, I wrote the words, “keep in touch!” I didn’t want the connection to be lost again!

Someone else said to me after I visited her at home the other day,“Don’t be a stranger”… encouraging contact and communication and that closer relationship.

The Bible has a lot to say regarding strangers: how to treat them , welcome them , look after them etc.

It also talks about how we can be a stranger to God… not knowing Him and His ways.

Psalm 39 :12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD,
And give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner, as all my fathers were.

That’s not the heart of God… He wants relationship! He doesn’t want us to be a stranger in His presence! Continue reading

The Lord said…
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
I will rebuild you, (and you will be rebuilt) Jeremiah 31: 3-4

What sort of love is this??

It is Everlasting love: not the current trend of romance and love – but an Everlasting love that’s stays for us whatever our situation, our mood, our likes and dislikes . Love is not a feeling …… it’s an act of the will – a dedication, commitment and willing heart to believe in, live for , serve, give everything for the “object” of our love.

It is Unfailing love: the love that endures – doesn’t wane, doesn’t grow weary of loving, even when not loved in return, of keeping on keeping on…

Love that doesn’t let you down or disappoint, love that doesn’t give up on you when you mess up

It is Drawing love: love that Continue reading

I blogged this a couple of years ago – but just felt it would encourage you again !! You are not forgotten!!

1 Corinthians 1:7-9 (The Message)

“Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.”

I was reading Corinthians in The Message over the weekend, just for a change, and was so struck by this short passage. I have been going over it again and again and just letting it settle in my spirit… God is going to keep me steady and on track!!! Wow! that is such a comfort to know and that He will never give up on me! I love it! All His master plans and designs for my life – He will bring to completion … Paul says it again to the Philippians in Phil.1 v 6 “There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.” Continue reading