A Heart Untroubled

Sometimes as Christian's, we don't understand the value of what we actually have.  We look around us and say "I have nothing to offer", "I can't do anything", or "I have nothing to do". God sees things differently to us. (Who knew 😀) Last week I looked at the feeding of the 5000 in Mark 6.   When the disciples first ask Jesus what they should do about feeding the people, Jesus response is "YOU give them something to eat".  That must have seemed like a ludicrous statement.  In fact, they even said something to the effect of "What? You want us to go and get a few loaves of bread", but I am sure that '200 pennyworth' wasn't enough to feed 5000 people! Jesus goes on to essentially ask them "So what DO you have?"   They look about and find 5 loaves and two fishes.  We know that Jesus takes this and it multiples in the hands of the disciples as they distribute it. Back in Exodus chapter 4, we find ...

Have you ever looked at your circumstances and panicked or become dissatisfied, frustrated or fearful?  Every day we have the opportunity to do this.  Things around us speak to our hearts, and let's face it,  many times the message they carry isn't one of joy, hope and peace. Worry is a kind of mediation; it's just a negative form!  When we look around and see things on surface value (carnally) and not from a spiritual truth, we can always find something bad to get us down. Today I want to encourage you to 'look up'. In Mark 6 we read the well known account of Jesus feeding 5000+ people.   Sometimes, we have to really put ourselves in a story to let it impact us as we become so familiar with things Picture the scene: thousands of people have been milling about, listening to teaching, and it's getting on a bit in the day.  Some people are murmuring about needing to get home, and some of the disciples rub their bellies as they hear them grumbli...

This has been an interesting month for me; just enjoying rest.   In my adult life I have had vacations of course, but this is the first time I would say I have had 'season' of rest. I've enjoyed being able to focus on the things that I wouldn't normally have time for, but have you ever noticed how easy it actually is to make time to do the things you really want to!  Let's face it, if someone offered you a million dollars/pounds and all you had to do was go and pick it up, you'd make a way!  But I realize that I am not alone when I say, that we struggle to live our lives in a balanced way that enables to do what we need to, but also gives us time to invest in our relationship with the Lord. 1st Corinthians 10:23 tells us that all things are lawful for us, but not all things are expedient or edifying. That word 'expedient' means convenient or practical.  In context Paul is probably also using this word to allude to something improper, but the truth h...

Some of you may remember the Weebles!   They were toys a few (ahem) years ago when I was growing up.  The pic on the right is a slightly more modern version, but the principle is the same.  The slogan for these toys was " Weebles wobble but they don't fall down ". These toys can tip almost horizontal, but they bounce back up again.  They never fall over. I was talking with a friend and I realize that sometimes, when I let my focus wonder from the Lord, I can feel a bit like one of these things!  I feel as though I am having a wobble, but I these days I know that I won't fall down! Paul said "We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;" 2 Corinthians 4:8 I can't answer for the guys, but for me as a girl, I know my emotions can sometimes get a bit ahead of me (maybe I am the only one like that???).  In those moments a situation may feel overwhelming, but I need to remember that I am like the Weebl...

In this day and age, we are all aware of the problems and stresses that occur when our identity gets stolen and our information is used to benefit someone else at our unauthorized expense! However, today I see that many Christians are victims of a different kind of identity theft.  Around the world Christians don't realize that someone has taken their true identity and left them with a lot of negative consequences, and they simply carry on living like that. John 10:10 says The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy.    Satan has been the original identity thief since the Garden of Eden!   When the serpent appeared to Eve and suggested that she really could eat the fruit, he said  “ God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God , knowing both good and ev il.” (Gen 3:5) He challenged her identity, but in chapter 1:26, God said he was going to make man i n his image ! Eve was already like God, but...

This is my first blog from the UK.  I am very excited about this next step in our journey. I've lived in 3 countries, travelled to many others, and been in Christian ministry for many years. One thing (though not the only thing by any means) that all people seem to have in common is the fact that nobody really likes change! It seems to me that for some reason we naturally gravitate towards routine and the familiar, and yet, change is all to constant in our lives! There's a lot that I've learned in the last 10 years with all the changes that we've experienced, and I am working towards find a way to embrace, and even love, change! I think God's view on 'change' is somewhat different to ours.  As far as God is concerned He never changes. He remains the constant, regardless of what goes on outside of Him. In this way, change never phases God.  We are made in His image and so I think that we are made to behave that way also; to be so secure in our ide...

This week as we were running around Toronto finishing up the last errands in preparation for our move back to the UK, we were listening to the radio.    The speaker was talking about how, when we were kids, we used to have an infallible system to find out if someone liked us!!  It seems as though this system may have transcended cultures, as I definitely remember it! He was talking about the passing on of notes!! Do you like me? Yes ✓ No And you really hoped it came back like that! Did you ever send or receive one? I don't remember if I ever got one, but I certainly remember being the delivery person for one of my friends!! Wouldn't it be great if we could sometimes pass a note to God and ask him. " Do you love me? " I used to wonder that sometimes.  Did he really love ME.  Did he want to be around me?   Sometimes, I just didn't FEEL like He did. Since that time thankfully, I've realized that God knew what we were like, and so he gav...