Short Thoughts 2017

Challenged

‘Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel,

praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven.”...

Amazing Generosity

‘But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.

God sent him to buy freedom for us..

A New Way of Living

There is a new village being developed near to where I live.

As I drive past the advertisement boards, I am irritated by the slogans which declare:

‘A whole new way of living’ and ‘Surround yourself with happiness’....

Sacrifices to our God

‘Pharaoh replied, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks?

 Get back to work!  Look, there are many of your people in the land,

you are stopping them from their work.”...

Altars

On a recent visit to Cyprus, I visited the Tomb of Kings in Paphos, a necropolis

(large ancient graveyard) where underground tombs had been dug in the rock.

As I wandered around the thing that caught my attention was an area

filled with stones placed one on top of the other, like altars....

Freewheeling

I've recently made a new purchase…. I’ve bought a bike!  

It’s what I’d call a ladies bike....

Desert Time

No one likes doing ‘time in the desert’.

Time waiting for God, or is that on God?

Time waiting: hoping that He will show us the way out into a more prosperous land, and soon...

Recognition

There’s a road close by my home, which rises steeply as it winds and climbs upwards. 

A few years ago when walking along this road, I was faced with one of its steeper uphill inclines,

an overwhelming fear gripped me....

About Turn!

In the past few months my husband and I have navigated through a significant life change...

Fearing  

“Arise, my love, my beautiful companion, and run with me to the higher place.”  

(Song of Songs 2:13 The Passions Translation)  

I have been wrestling with God through a time of expansion, a time where  

He is pushing back the edges of my world and inviting me to fill new boundaries...   

The Box

For many years I lived in a box.

A metaphorical box.

 I can't recall how I got in there, but it became a place of safety and hiding....

Israel’s Wilderness Detour

’When Pharaoh finally let the people go,

God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory,

even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land.  

God said, “If the people are faced with a battle,

they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”  

So God led them in a roundabout way....

Awakening

One of the greatest biblical examples of an awakening is that of Saul of Tarsus.

Saul, an aggressive persecutor of first-century Christians, was feared by many.

He witnessed the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr....

Which way will you choose?

Jonah, a prophet of The Lord, was given a tough mission:

to take a message to the people of Nineveh announcing God’s judgement against them.

Jonah heard God.  But his response was to go in the opposite direction;

he wanted to get far away from God and not accept what He was asking of him...

The Promised Land

When Joshua was entrusted by the Lord with leading the Israelites

after the death of Moses, He speaks this promise over him:...

Kingdom Life Purpose

‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ 

(Matthew 4:19 NIV)

When Peter was called out of obscurity as a Galilean fisherman,

Jesus hinted at his future purpose.

Over the three years of His ministry, Peter followed Jesus closely....

Moving beyond with Jesus

‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’

‘Come,’ He said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus.‘

(Matthew 14:28-29)

Peter was a fisherman; he’d spent many years in a boat.

 It was his place of training, living and provision for his family;

it was his place of familiarity, comfort and safety...

The Mist

​

Time on my own, a blue sky and a coastal path in Cornwall.

Just the setting I love to see the majesty of God's creation and allow God to speak to me through it.

I had the time on my own and the Cornish coastal path, but there was a thick sea mist

and everything more than two metres away could not be seen....

Casting your Net

The disciples have spent three life changing years following and living with Jesus. 

They have lost their friend, their Lord.

  In grief, bewilderment and disillusionment they have returned to something

which they know to be familiar; they have found their boats,

taken to the waters and returned to being fishermen.

Normalising, comforting, safe...

Fear not

A few weeks ago, almost overnight, a large painful mass appeared on my scapula muscle.

The consultant whom I was referred to didn’t like the look of it...

Release our Grip

I am sure we have all seen, at some point or another, a sad looking tube of toothpaste all tight

and squeezed half way up the neck with a big lump of paste still left at the bottom. 

It looks so odd and seems so irrational that anyone would think that squeezing paste

out of the top of the tube, where there is NOTHING left, would come to any fruition! 

Surely, one thinks, it would be much better to release the squeeze and push up from the bottom!

How much like these poor little tubes of toothpaste can we also be....

Choices

It’s been a tough year: dreams have been shattered, trust broken and

life has unravelled in glorious confusion, shame and grief.

Yet in the midst of all the darkness, the pain, the loneliness, God has been constant. ...

Prepared by God

‘The Lord does not look at the things people look at.  

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’

(1 Samuel 16:7 NIV)

David was chosen by God for a special task: to become king.

He was not the expected choice but he was God’s choice...

Open the Door and Step Out

I attended a creative workshop run by Acorn Hearts a few months ago entitled ‘Thresholds’.

To give you context, we began the day in a little foyer area, and in front of us were some closed double doors....

Space for new

Throughout last year I took on a project;

one which was hard work, yet very satisfying....