Mark and Helen Smith

Feeling low?

I woke up this morning with a very heavy “Monday morning” feeling! Well it was Monday… but the sun was shining, I had the day off (I thought) and I’d slept longer … perfect you might think! But I also woke up with the most intense feeling of “Oh no! Not another week! How am I going to be content and strong and filled with faith this week?!”

Ever been there?

Some of you have I know – others maybe aren’t hit with these feelings as much – or ever… but bear with me … because I hate these feelings… when everything should be great but the heaviness just isn’t that easy to shake off!

It’s Monday evening now and I survived the day! Haha! But there’s another one tomorrow!

What did I do? – stay in a sad state? Do lots of work? Try and forget ?

Well I tried all of that and, nope, I didn’t feel loads better… maybe a wee bit but for most of the day I felt this weariness and heaviness on me. It’s not like I feel like this all the time, but it does hit me now and then and recently this has been a tough, long haul it seems.

For those times, albeit taking a big effort, I have to admit, I get up, shower, have coffee and “do” what is needed. I play inspiring music, walk in the sun and talk to people (not about the gloomies!), but about life, about them, about good things! I hung out with the person who understands me most and let him pray for me, speak the hopeful words of tomorrow … and I made it!

Maybe tomorrow will be better, but if not – I will do it again … get up and be me, speak hope and faith into the day, into my life and those around me. I will encourage others with hope for the future, speak words of faith and encouragement into them… and i know that soon the darkness will lift and the sun will truly shine in my life again!

²² The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
²³ Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!” Lamentations 3:22-24 (NLT)

*** I have posted this because I know, for many, despair, and depression is a constant battle. Take hope, dear heart, do the day’s work and know there is a hope and a future … and that you are not alone!

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 edible treats, and one for amusement treats… they could choose what they picked. Every so often, usually when we felt the sitting time was getting close to a major  melt down, we would bring out these treat bags and, having chosen their treat, they would settle for a while longer, until we could find somewhere to run and exercise  before continuing… they needed to step out and stretch (so did I!) in order to keep going.

We would never have considered NOT taking a long journey – we just needed to stage it and have things ready for the “boring bits” and the “nothing happening” bits!

Our “boring” bits are where discouragement rears its head and can make us stop, opt out or ease off in our journey.

God hasn’t called us to break the speed record to get to the “goal”, whether a personal one or a team goal. But he has called us to “walk by the Spirit”, to Wait on the Lord and renew our strength for the journey. To enjoy the way He has set before us :  The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him. Psalm 37:23

So take some time to be refreshed for the next leg of the journey… go to a movie, eat out, laugh with a friend, take a walk and be renewed in what the purpose of the journey is .

Set out with fresh purpose and know every step takes you closer to the goal, every prayer is nearer to the release of the answer and every encouraging word is a step up!

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 nation – Egypt, Lybia, Christchurch, Japan… Jesus said “see to it that you are not alarmed!” Another translation says – Don’t be troubled!

How can we do this? …not be troubled when we see such things happening?

I think these things should make us go to prayer  and to be sure of where we stand in faith.

God is not mean, he has said that the earth would be like this and that men would hate each other… but He has also made a way, through Jesus, for us to find help, peace and strength in these days.

James 5:8 tells us to, “Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near!”

Let us pray for the nations of the world – they are filled with people that God loves so much!

Let us take courage, press in to know our Saviour better and show others His great love and mercy

Let us reach out to love and help where we can and lay aside the petty differences and doubts we have with each other.

Let us Love God, Love Life, Love people!

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.”

But he didn’t stop there! He called to mind something that was deeper, more solid and sure than his despair… “ Yet I still dare to hope  when I remember this:

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations 3 NLT

Hope is a solid place for us to stand in the midst of despair… God is faithful! God never fails to show loving kindness. God’s great love is the reason we can dare to hope! You may not feel it today but these words are true! Let them be as a grappling hook… a mountain climber’s security -when he throws the rope with the hook high up, to catch the solid rock and hold him securely while he climbs to the heights!

Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Saviour and my God! Psalm 42:5

God tells us in the book of Hosea that He “Will transform the valley of trouble into a Gateway of Hope” Hosea 2:15

So today … throw your hook of hope into God’s promises of unfailing love and faithfulness – He will be your strong and steady Rock !

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!

^“That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all…” Ephesians 2:19-22

For many, it is so easy to allow our busy lives, our routines, our circumstances and the people around about us to make us “strangers “ to God – we don’t know Him as we should, maybe as we used to – we’ve lost contact with Him through lots of reasons. Just as I lost contact with my friend … It took me a few moments to discover her address, and put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard now!) and make that contact again! Finishing my letter with – keep in touch! – she did! And the lovely thing about it is she has now been in touch with a few more of our mutual friends, because – I made contact again – I picked up the friendship we’d had a long time ago.

God really wants us not to lose contact and He’s not slow to contact us as it were – He just waits for the invitation to be part of our lives. His Word is full of the grace and mercy we need to give us hope for the days ahead.

It’s really nice knowing barriers are down, the renewed contact has such potential with my friend… but with God it’s more than just a letter or phone call now and then… it’s a daily relationship and lifestyle He offers us… look at some , just some of the promises He gives to those who walk with Him:

Matthew 11:28-29 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Psalm 27: ¹⁴ Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!

John 14: ²⁷ Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Matthew 28:20 I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

SO many invitations to have the best! There are many invitations to come and have what we long for inside… relationship, friendship, wisdom, peace, health.

We simply have to receive the invitation and accept it… maybe for us it’s time to respond to God’s email/ letter /phone call to us… to actually become a friend of God and not a stranger anymore.

Simply ask Him – then read His letter (His Word) to you and get to know Him better

EVERLASTING LOVE:

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 attracts you, draws you – gently and firmly and persists in letting you know you are valuable, precious, treasured, worth more than nations and wealth.

Love that will not let you go, love that always believes in you, love that lets you make choices, doesn’t force or mislead you

It is Building Love… always believes in you, encourages you, tells the truth and helps you grow. Love that doesn’t allow messes to hinder your development and becoming all that is planned for you to be .

Love that never gives up. Love that completes what has been started. Love that holds you and strengthens you … Love that “gives you wings” to soar beyond your own capabilities into the capacity believed for you.

Love that doesn’t destroy or tear apart, Love that is patient, firm and strong, Love that is so KIND… not soppy , but genuinely kind an strongly gentle!

Love that promises and keeps promise… to rebuild you!

This love is God’s love for you!!

GOD IS LOVE (1 John 4: 8)…. not just shows love – He IS love!!!

We can have fun and romantic  days at valentine’s weekend but the Love of God is this very love we have been looking at – Immense .so free, so wide, so high, so boundless and  unlimited . so empowering… we need never fear not being loved!

And His invitation is “Come to me” Matthew 11:28

“Come – let us reason together” Isaiah 1:18

^{John 635} Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again.

Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
John 7:37

Song 2:10-12 (NKJV)

¹⁰ My beloved spoke, and said to me:

“ Rise up, my love, my fair one,
And come away.
¹¹ For lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
¹² The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of singing has come,
And the voice of the turtledove
Is heard in our land.
Come – Believe- Rise up… and let His Love equip and empower you for Life!

A work in progress

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.”
It makes me really want to allow God more access to my life to see His handiwork in me – that I might bring Him honour!

Have a “muse” on it yourself … it is a wonderfully encouraging Scripture … a work in progress – a masterpiece at that!

Seeing!

What do we see? I mean what, when we look at a picture, a view, a movie, do we really see?

I was chatting to a precious, older lady, today, who was telling me about something she once taught her class, many years ago. She was showing them a beautiful garden picture with many shrubs, trees and pretty flowers in it , and asked her class what they could see… as expected the children pointed out the colours of the flowers, the trees an occasional bird, the clouds… everything that she expected them to see. Only one or two, though, took time to “see” into the picture and find the butterflies and snails that were camouflaged in the flowers!

I was reminded of the “Where’s Wally” books that my children poured over when they were younger – looking to see if they could spot the elusive “Wally”. How hard it was to see the real Wally when there were so many stripes to distract you from the unmistakable (or was it?) Wally-hat!

It took time, and patience, to filter through, stand and wait and keep looking, keep on keeping on … until he was found.

God says: “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree “I’ll turn things around for you. I’ll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you”— GOD’s Decree — “Bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.” Jeremiah 29:12-14 (The Message)

Keep still, keep looking… Keep on Keeping on – He won’t disappoint!