It has been wild weather here recently, high winds and storms bringing flooding with it.

It’s not pleasant being out in this sort of weather and most people don’t like it, stay indoors and wish it was summer!

As I was driving to work I noticed that a couple of the fields, that are often prone to flooding, were very badly waterlogged!

As I was watching it and was thinking how awful it must be for the land owner, a flock of swans arrived and skidded to a halt on the temporary “lake”. It made me laugh because then I noticed about a dozen or more ducks happily swimming around too, and a couple of seagulls joined the party shortly after!

It looked a really happy scene in the middle of this flooded area, and it made me realise how easy it is to Continue reading

For many the Christmas story is as familiar as the route to work,  and because of its familiarity, we  oftimes don’t notice what’s en-route .

I’ve been pondering the Christmas story, and am very aware of inaccuracies and discrepancies people point out… yet despite those I do believe God would have us know the story of Jesus’ birth, as vague as some would make it out to be!

I found that Luke’s account tells us that the couple, Joseph and Mary had to find a place for their son to be born in a place where the animals were housed because there wasn’t a lodging room available.

It may have been, according to some accounts, that there never was an Continue reading

I’ve been looking at wells!

The sort we read about in Genesis 26. Isaac dug again the wells that his Father had dug  and the local people quarrelled and argued with him over them…he moved on and kept digging until he found a resting place that didn’t have the strife the others had.

Here are some of the things I have observed … maybe they will encourage you in your situation today!

Sometimes we need to dig wells… find the supply for the first time… we need to know where there is a River of Life and go there!

Sometimes we need to re-dig wells that have been dug but covered over, forgotten about or spoilt for various reasons … we forget sometimes the refreshing places we used to have – places of reading God’s Word, the place of worship and the place of prayer… intimacy with your God!

Don’t give up – Continue reading

I have been studying the story of Elijah, and the victory over the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18-19) and how Elijah crashed after this episode… very interesting!

I have been fascinated how Elijah so easily forgot the victories he’d previously known, the miracles- both initiated and seen by him, the promises of God and the Words God spoke to him! …and how that is so… ME!!

Don’t you find it easy to forget the gifts of God to you, His life, His promises, His victories and provision in your life?

It’s easy to identify with Elijah, as he has had enough, is so wearied and tired of the journey and the battles to keep strong! I find his story to be one of such hope and encouragement when I’m past myself and wanting to stop, give up and find hope is frail!

Amazing how God sends His angel (not Himself) to give Elijah the very simple, basic, stuff he needed – which by the way, was probably not what Elijah would have chosen – bread , water and sleep. Now if it had been me(!!) – a spa retreat, a few Continue reading

Everyone’s favourite job haha!!

Recently I’ve been doing some sorting of records, teaching notes, lesson plans, books, etc … It is taking quite some time to go through records of years and years, most of which is not really relevant, now, but some is!

Some of these files brought back very happy memories… some very funny, some very testing times and situations, and memories of God’s faithfulness and Grace!

Isn’t it amazing how things that were vital at one point in your life are not so years later, and I suppose things that we have no idea about their importance now, will become so later.

It made me realise the transient nature of our lives and the importance of the words of Jesus when He said, “Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about Continue reading

I love stories! I love telling stories and reading them. I love hearing other people’s stories … other people seem to have such wonderful adventures and have amazing tales of excitement, and places they’ve been!

Even their troubles and heartaches seem to come over with such a sense of success and achievement!

Isn’t it funny how “my own story” never seems enough, or exciting … or even worth telling?!

I began to listen to what others said about their lives and their journey in life and so often they would despise or have a disdain for their “own story”.

I thought around that for a while, and realised how precious the “most ordinary” story is! Your story is yours… it tells a bit of who you are, where you’ve been and what has affected Continue reading

Mark and I have just come back from a long journey: our journey from home and back again took place in cars, ours and someone else’s, busses, shuttles, transits, travelators, trains, planes, metro, walking – lots.

We had a great time chatting to our hosts on the first evening, to our travelling companions on the journey, reading and listening to lots and lots of various instructions in different languages and finding out places and ways of getting to our destinations by ourselves!

Some of them were wonderful… the transit train from airport security to the gates for flight and the same on the return journey, had a very pleasant lady’s voice, but quite insistent that we “don’t get off this transit at this stop”! Three times she insisted that passengers did not “get of the transit at this stop”, as it wasn’t where we were supposed to be! Another instruction was at both ends of the flight the chief flight attendant thanked us for travelling with the airline and, “would advise you to collect all your belongings before leaving the cabin. Please be careful when opening the overhead lockers as objects may fall out due to movement during the flight, and do have a pleasant onward journey to your final destination!!!

Pretty obvious … but it is a journey we are on! It will have a “final destination” (heaven… when a new adventure will begin!), but for now our “journey in life, our journey together as a local church, will have many mini journeys! Some may feel pretty epic and not so mini, as we navigate people, issues, problems, attitudes and changes… on our way to our Continue reading

Ever been in a position where you feel the need to say something, but are not exactly sure just what to say?

Where you’d like to give your opinion but sometimes it just might not go down too well?

Or where you’re asked for your thoughts and you know really well that, whatever you say, they won’t hear it or will be highly offended?

Wisdom is very often “when you say nothing at all!”

Wisdom knows when to speak a word in season, when it is right to say what is asked for; even when you know it won’t go down too well!

Oh for wise people to speak out, and stay silent… and knowing which is when!

The Bible has a lot of things to say about what we say! That our speech ought to be Continue reading