For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6, NIV)
Merry Christmas
Reply
Tag Archives: jesus
Trusting in more than the sunset
I find comfort in the setting of the sun.
The knowledge that today is over and night is on its way
Like the rhythm of the tides the pattern of sunrise and sunset are the timetable of the earth.
When all the world around me feels like its lost its beat. God reminds us that its all in his hands.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
(Matthew 6:34, NIV)
I sometimes find myself smiling at the above scripture, Jesus is teaching about letting go of our worries and just focus on today. Just like the sun tomorrow will be here at some point just focus on the now.
The reason I smile is this though the part where Jesus says “each day will have enough trouble of its own”. It reminds me that life is chaotic and sometimes unpredictable and what seems like gigantic today will maybe seem trivial tomorrow.
I look back down my life and see those days where I was so stressed about bills or health issues, when I couldn’t sleep due to anxiety for something that may happen only for the next day to bring a solution or the worry not even to manifest. All that anxiety, that stress for nothing.
Then on the other side, in 2008 Livvy had the best year in a long time, walking independently when doctors said it would never happen. Seizures coming all under control. 2008 was the time I finally stopped stressing about losing her and look what happened. She was gone in a blink of an eye.
No one knows what tomorrow may bring but as the day ends with the setting of the sun and rises at the next dawn I find comfort in the one who does.
The creator of the gift of nature, the painter of that glorious night sky , the artist of the majestic dawn.
Our Lord knows the plans he has for us.
I trust in him.
Stepping out in-courage
I sat there alone basking in the irony.
Here I was watching a conference on community, hearing stories of wonderful God blessed friendships, of lives fulfilled by the roles they play as the friend.
I wondered as I logged in, why am I doing this to myself, am I just torturing my soul? Doesn’t it ache enough?
The videos began to play and my heart began to search, my heart began to listen, then finally it began to hear.
In these stories I had found home, my hurts, my pain. The soul tearing I had felt wasn’t just mine to own. These ladies too had feared community, feared stepping out, felt alone within a crowd.
How can these videos effect me so much, why are these stories resonating through my whole, why oh why are the tears falling down my face?
Because they speak the truth, they guide me towards what the heart knows but the head was refusing to accept. I am afraid, I am fearful, I am scared.
Friendship is a word that reaches into my body and stopped the blood from pouring into my heart. It leaves me cold.
I’ve tried it once before and it failed miserably, women I walked along side left when the road got rocky and obstacles stood in the way. I didn’t help, I don’t help. I didn’t cry out please don’t leave me, I too just stopped returning calls or making invitations.
Seasons of life,
I’ve heard this said before but had I let the understanding, the acceptance soothe my soul as the healing balm it could be.
My answer is simply no!
I’m not new to the stories I’m hearing , I have followed the writings over the past year or so.
But have I been reading but not understanding?
YES
Have the words really penetrated the walls that I have surrounded my heart with.
NO
The excuses got in there first, “They have it all together” “I could never write like that” “or maybe its different in America” are just a few that I resurrect each time the words got too close.
Raising my shield against stories, against the truth.
Reading in-courage but having none.
Lying to myself about acceptance of a life alone. “Hey I don’t need friendship”, “I have great kids a wonderful husband” etc etc lies told to my own heart.
Ignoring the passages of God’s word where he calls us together to be a fellowship, to be all parts of the one body of Christ.
That can’t be for me, Ive tried it once, it just isn’t me, it wont work out.
Yet here I was signing up to watch the conference!
From the moment I pressed play I wasn’t alone, I felt the love of God surround me, Jesus was crying out to my heart, please listen,this is what I want for you.
Friends are my gifts to you, they are the physical beings of my love. Open your heart dear child, let them in.
You have never been alone and you are so loved. Please step out in-courage.
If this is madness
At church yesterday our Pastor mentioned that sometimes people believe that Christians must be mad, to believe in a God which you cannot see.
I wondered on this a while and without any real great theological debate I have come to the conclusion that if being a Christian is madness then being insane is awesome.
The truth is I know that Jesus died on the cross because he loved me.
I know that this life isnt everything that I have the promise of eternity.
I live a life full of endless love.
I trust that I am never alone.
I live my life full of hope.
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Martin Luther King, Jr
I am running up those stairs in faith.
Parachute belief
I signed up without a second thought.
Excited about the learning.
The fellowship
A chance to spend time with God.
A lover of courses.
I didn’t expect it to feel this way.
Imagine jumping out of a plane and needing belief to be your parachute.
You can’t feel the weight on your back, no straps across your shoulders, no pull cord in your hand.
Believe it’s there and you are free.
I was sure I understood.
Jesus died for our sins,
Yet inside I was thinking ‘why would he die for me’
God loves you.
“why or how could you love me”?
Free falling
The ground crashing quickly towards me.
I am saved by the Grace of God
Join Bonnie over at Faith Barista as she is “Unwrapping Love”
What about Mary?
I’ve been thinking a lot about Mary the mother of Jesus and how she was feeling at this time.
When I was expecting my children the excitement used to bubble up inside of me. The plans I had for them, the lives I was dreaming for them. The desire to protect and keep them safe.
I’m sure Mary was feeling all those things but for her the truth was so different. Her son was coming into this world to be a saviour for all. Even If we just put aside the amazing way the child inside was conceived Mary had a lot to face.
We never really hear of the courage of Mary but I wonder if I could have been that brave. To risk everything to have a trust and faith so strong to say yes to God.
I get frustrated at times at the way Mary is perceived as a meek woman who does her duty. To me she is an incredible warrior who stayed strong in faith against all that must have come around her. The judgement, the scorn.
Then on that glorious night after labouring her child in her arms she held her precious son. The saviour to all who comes to him.
How did she feel? Was she scared for the future before him? Was she full of pride knowing her son was destined for greatest. Did she ever consider the cost of such a sacrifice?
With a mothers heart I feel for Mary as she watched her son suffer for us all.
With a sinners heart I give great thanks for the birth of our saviour Jesus Christ.
No Disappointment
“God appoints people who do disappoint – to point to a God who never disappoints.” Ann Voskamp
I first heard this quote about two weeks ago after listening to the keynote speech from Ann at the relevant conference. While the whole speech was amazing these words stayed tattooed to my heart.
You see I wake up each morning and hate what I see in the mirror. The desire to be a different person consumes me. I want to go back and live my life all over again. Be a better person, stay purer, erase the years of sin.
I want so much to be a person who God can use. A vessel for his glory.
Yet all I see is disappointment.
So when I heard the words, “God appoints people who disappoint ” my heart ached with relief.
I get so caught up in my disappointment of myself that I lose the glory of who God is. That the grace of God is so much more than I could ever comprehend.
How easy would it be for God to use a righteous person to proclaim his words. How their words should be enough. Yet Jesus took the fallen and raised them up. Just as he spoke to the woman at the well he speaks to me.
Jesus didn’t take only the educated, the wealthy to follow him. Jesus didn’t judge by appearances. The size of your bank balance didn’t matter it was the size of your heart he searched for.
Yes I have disappointed and I’m sure I will disappoint again but in Jesus there is no disappointment. Our God is one who never disappoints.
You Can Give Hope – Compassion Sunday 2011
Take a look around you, all your possessions ask yourself the question. Are they a need or a want?
Go to your fridge is it full of food, turn on your tap fill a glass with water. Do you realise what a gift that is.
Today is Compassion Sunday a day when I want to ask you how you would feel if you watched your child cry with hunger and not knowing where the next meal will come from.
Had to walk miles for one bucket of water, then as you give your child the water you are not sure if it’s clean or not.
Watching your child die of an illness that can be cured but you cannot afford the medicine or reach the hospital.
Listen to your child talk of his dreams to be a Dr, lawyer, farmer etc but then imagine knowing she will never be going to school. Never stand a chance.
You can be that chance!
For a small monthly donation you can sponsor a child. Your money will provide, food, shelter, education but most of all hope.
Who We Are
Compassion is an international Christian child development and child advocacy ministry. Partnering with local churches, we are committed to the spiritual, economic, social and physical development of children living in extreme poverty in 26 countries, enabling them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.
Our Mission
Releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name
In response to the Great Commission, Compassion International exists as an advocate for children, to release them from their spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults.
As a family we sponsor a child with Compassion UK at first all I thought about was what we could give the child what surprised me was what the child gave us.
Looking through the pictures of children to sponsor was hard, so many caught our eye, so many in need. Our decision was finally made by Brodie who after seeing a photo of a child without shoes and no smile decided that she was the one. When we received more details about our sponsored child it was like getting to know someone who already had your heart. When our first letter came the house was full of tears as we realised how blessed we were to be part of this girls life and extended family.
For a small monthly donation you can feel that joy. As a family we do have a tight budget I mean foster carers don’t get paid a lot let me assure you of that but the truth was this didn’t stop us. By cutting back on take-aways and coffee we were able to sponsor a child. We have got more from this sponsorship then any takeaways or posh coffee that’s for sure.
What is Compassion Sunday?
The purpose of this special, one-day event is to draw the attention of the Church to the needs of the world’s poorest children. It’s a powerful opportunity for God to use you to share with the members of your family His deep love for children – and show how each of us can intervene in the life of at least one child in poverty through sponsorship.
So today I join with thousands of others as we pray that people will find it in their hearts to join the child sponsorship scheme and in doing so give hope.
Amazing love
As today is Good Friday I feel this post should be about the amazing sacrifice Jesus made for us. I just don’t know where to begin. My mind cannot comprehend the vastness of such love.
We all believe we would give our lives for our loved ones but imagine giving up your life for someone who hated you, who tormented you, who mocked you.
I wonder what was going through Jesus mind on this day. If he ever considered we just wasn’t worth it. With every beating he took did he resent us more.
He didn’t and this is the bit that leaves my heart raising, that drags me to my knees. He just loved us more.
Luke 23:34 (NLT)
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
Mark 14:24-25 (NLT)
And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many.
Should we try to imagine God
Today I sat and listened to a service where the Pastor was talking about how we see God.
As she spoke it struck me that this is one of the problems within faiths, religions. We all try and picture God in our own way. Yet I believe the reality is that we cannot picture God. The mere concept is to great. God is way more than the human mind can ever imagine.
Our God is a loving God who deserves our praise our respect. Yet to try and fit him into a someone, a something is an insult. God is EVERYTHING.
As Christians we are so lucky we have Jesus. God gave his only son not only to sacrifice for our sins but he gave us someone to relate to, he became human so that we could love, respect something we could understand. Jesus gave us so much in his teachings, his example,his death.
I personally don’t try to imagine God I feel the limits of my mind would limit his greatness. I just hold tight to his everlasting love and the faith that eternity will bring the answers to my searching soul.
“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
(Jeremiah 32:17, NIV)