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Little things

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I appreciate the little things in life. Snowdrops. Cherry blossom.Good coffee. Emojis 🥰 Coloured pens. Pretty notebooks. My favourite mug.

At Christmas, I loved sourcing the childrens’ stocking fillers-the small surprises that didn’t cost much.

Sometimes, with hindsight, little things aren’t so little after all. Small things can make a big difference. Small tweaks in our daily routine. Small adjustments in our attitude. Listening to seemingly small details relayed from our childrens’ days.

Sometimes it’s small conversations that encourage us most. It’s the depth rather than the amount of the words. I still smile when I think of the old lady saying, “Good to see you back!” as walked into work after almost one year off.

My mother-in-love can recall the midwife bringing a bag of jelly babies over sixty years ago when her baby brother was born. This kind gesture had a lasting impact & influenced her own career choice!

We should ‘Find beauty in the small things‘

Make time :

*To star-gaze

*To go outdoors

*To chat to your children, no matter what age they are!

*To drink coffee by the fire

*To read a book

*To watch an old movie with popcorn

*To send someone a little gift for no reason

*To carve out time for the little things that are actually important

*To create space to connect with others

*To be intentional

Small things are often bigger than we realize.

In the Bible we can read of many small things:

*A tiny baby who was Almighty God

*Five stones used to slay a giant

*Five loaves & two fish used to feed a crowd of thousands

*A pearl to illustrate the priceless kingdom of God

*An ant -a tiny creature of little strength, yet it stores up its food in the summer.

*A small seed that highlights the potential of even little faith:

Jesus replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.””
(Matthew 17:20 NIV)

And it’s sometimes little things that cause trouble. Wise King Solomon wrote:

‘Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.’
(Song of Solomon 2:15 NIV)

*A small pin can burst a balloon

*A small piece of grit can irritate our eye

*A small part of our body (the tongue)can cause infinite damage.

We ourselves can feel small in our weaknesses & failings. Yet, God uses small things like us:
‘But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.’
(1 Corinthians 1:27)

In the film The Hobbit Gandalf proclaimed, “It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”

Small acts of kindness & love

Small acts of kindness :

*Might scatter like dandelion dust

*Might bud into a blossom

*Might cause a spark to fan into flame.

* Might ripple across the pond of life.

Going the extra mile begins with one small step. We may have to take small steps every day. But they may have a bigger impact than anticipated.

This week start small, with little things. You never know what they’ll grow into!

‘Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.’

(Mother Teresa)

Blessings,

Ruth x

Walking with God

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We celebrate baby’s first steps & once they start walking they tend not to stop!

We walk automatically everyday & there are benefits to our health as we increase our steps. Longer hikes through beautiful scenery, along beaches & trails can really boost our mood. 

Each day we live on Earth, the Christian life is a walk with the Lord- step by step, day by day.

Walking with God has been a theme of the Bible since the start of time.

In the very beginning before the fall, God walked in the Garden of Eden with Adam & Eve. A few chapters later, even after sin had entangled the world God created with love, we read of Enoch ‘walking in close fellowship with God.’
(Genesis 5:24 NLT)

Later in the book of Genesis, Jacob also referred to God walking with His people:
“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,”
(Genesis 48:15 ESV)

In the New Testament in Luke 24, Jesus walked {unrecognised} with two followers on the road to Emmaus.

The Greek word ‘to follow’ means to keep company as well as ‘to walk in the footsteps’ 

When we entrust our life to God, He is our companion along life’s journey. He is there as we meander along the happy places, when we feel the warmth of sunshine. We can wonder at God’s deep mercy & rich lovingkindness as we wander along with Him.

And He accompanies us in the desperate times when we’re clambering through the ruins of our life. And when the way becomes foggy &  we can’t see God’s  hand, we can trust His heart.

As we walk through life together, He will rekindle our hope & refresh our souls. He will leads us through lush pastures & quiet places, & even through dark shadowy valleys too.

God is our Great Friend & Good Shepherd even when life is not good.

God has rescued us from the Kingdom of darkness so we can walk in His light:

‘So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.’ (Psalms‬ ‭56‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

‘Now I stroll at leisure with God in the sunlit fields of life’ (v.13, MSG).

We can marvel at God’s grace that guides our path & leads us home.
‘And by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us.’
(Getty/Townend)

‘May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you [filling your heart with the spiritual well-being and serenity experienced by those who walk closely with God].’
(Jude 1:2 AMP)

Blessings,

Ruthx

A Psalm to live by

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‘In my heart I store up your words’ (Psalm 119:11 ESV)

Time with God in the Psalms is a good start to any day & everyday!

Psalm 37 has been a favourite Psalm since teenage years.There’s a list of beneficial things to do when our minds are overwhelmed. When we feel like we’re on the edge of a precipice. When we’re holding our breath until the next thing happens.

Psalm 37’s theme is ‘Trust in the Lord’ And its first words are ‘Do not fret’ And that command is repeated in verse 7 & 8.

So what can we do instead of fret?

*’Trust in the Lord, and do good’ (v3 ESV) God is our anchor in this uncertain world. We can trust in His unshakable character, in His goodness even when our circumstances are not good.

*’Dwell in the land’ (v3 ESV) We can live calmly, & gratefully, day by day.

*’Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.’ (v4 ESV) We can focus on God & find joy in Him. He will provide for us- body & soul.

*’Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.’ (v5 ESV) Pray through your day- hand it all over to God. And leave your troubles with Him, for He knows you & cares deeply.

*’Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him’ (V7 ESV) Quieten yourself before our God, & wait for Him to work- in His way & in His time.

*’Refrain from anger, and turn from wrath!’ (V8 ESV) Cultivate gentleness & self-control- even when it’s hard.

Trust God for the week ahead, no matter what’s looming or lurking around the corner.

May you know God’s presence & help on this journey called life.

Blessings,

Ruthx

When I am afraid…

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But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭56‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

King David was in a fearful place when he wrote this Psalm- his enemies the Phillistines had seized him in Gath.

Fear can loom large in our own minds. Anxiety can take over our hearts & hijack our peace. Our enemies can appear to prosper. Our world feels as though it’s spinning out of control!

Yet, when we are afraid, we can trust in the One who holds us & who holds our world together.

Faith & fear are entwined together. We can still have faith, even though we fear.

In Psalm 56, David also writes:

‘You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭56‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

What a beautiful image of the tender mercies of our Father-God! He knows our secret sorrows- our heartache & loss. He gently gathers our tears. With compassion, He gathers us close to His heart & comforts us.

David declares:

‘In God I have put my trust and confident reliance; I will not be afraid’

(Psa 56:11a, AMP).

We can trust in our God for the next week, the next step, the next right thing.

Blessings,

Ruth x

Be still!

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There’s so much busyness, hurry & worry in our daily lives. And there’s distraction in every direction.

Often there’s turbulence in this journey of life- unwanted & unexpected!

And there’s so much noise- literally as well as digitally. So much chatter in our brains!

Yet in our restlessness, God says:

“Be still, and know that I am God!”

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT)

“Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God”

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

God wants us to step aside with Him, to gaze on His greatness & goodness (instead of our problems)

We need to slow down enough to listen to God’s still,small voice whisper to our troubled souls:

“Be still, and know that I am God!”

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT)

Be still.

Cease striving.

Calm down.

And know.

Deeply know.

Truly know in your heart

& acknowledge God-

The Great I AM

Who always was

& always will be.

The Maker of heaven & earth

Yahweh is Lord of all-

Over all things.

Yet always there

ready to help:

‘God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Blessings,

Ruth x

Cast away

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casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.’

‭‭(I Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

These words were written by Simon Peter , follower of Jesus. He was a fisherman before He became a disciple. In fact he & his brother Andrew were casting nets when Jesus called them to follow Him(Matt 4:18)

He knew about casting- throwing nets forcefully into the Sea of Galilee to catch fish. He urges us to cast our cares upon God, who tenderly cares for us.

We can cast our worries, our concerns & our troubles unto God, who is Almighty & can take them for us.

‘Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a centre of fear’ wrote Corrie Ten Boom.

Someone said that worry is like a rocking chair- you can sit & rock, but you’ll never get anywhere! Yet, I admit I’ve spent a lot of time on the rocking chair.

My counsellor pointed out that many things that we worry about are beyond our control. We should shift our focus onto things we CAN control – like our attitude, how we treat others, how we talk to ourselves,how we spend our time & how we react.

Yet there’s so many more things that are outside our control – we can’t control the weather nor other people’s opinion of us – never mind the future!

But there’s deep comfort in the anchoring truth that everything is under God’s control. All things(including us) are in His hands.

‘In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭94‬:‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

God’s consolation whispers peace to our soul.

The disciples were {understandably}fearful after Jesus’ crucifixion, meeting behind closed doors. ‘Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.’

‭‭(John‬ ‭20‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Today, Jesus offers us His peace- 

to nourish our mind & heart

to dispel our worries 

to calm our troubled hearts

to enable us to get through the day {with Him}

May we walk with Jesus, the Prince of Peace, through this journey called life.

May we hear His gentle voice say to our anxious souls,in this noisy world, “Peace be with you”

May His peace lead us home.

Blessings,

Ruth x

Because He lives!

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On the third day at break of dawn, the grief-stricken women went to the garden to anoint Jesus’ body.

They had witnessed the horrors of Friday, endured the stony silence of Saturday & now it was Sunday.

But things weren’t how they expected!

The stone was rolled away.
The tomb was empty.

And suddenly an angel appeared, radiantly bright exclaiming,”He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.”

‭‭(Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

When Jesus cried ‘Tetelestai’ -“It is finished” with His final breath, it was a declaration that He had completed His redemptive work.

And now Jesus has risen & lives forevermore! He arose, ascended & in now lives in resplendent glory in heaven.

He died & rose to bring:

Light out of darkness

Beauty from ashes

Hope in place of despair

Atonement for sin

Everlasting life for those who believe

‘Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.’ (Hebrews 7:25 NIV)

If we trust Jesus for forgiveness, He will completely save us (The older versions say ‘save to the uttermost’) And now, Jesus ‘always lives’ to intercede for us. He is our Mediator. He liaises between us & God, acting on our behalf.

‘But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.’

‭‭(1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭57‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Because He lives, we can know eternal life.

Because He lives, we can face the future. It’s in His hands.

Because He lives, we don’t have to fear

Because He lives, He is there to guide us through trials & sorrows

Since Jesus conquered death, we can place our hope in God- not merely for this life- but for the next. Our hope transcends time into eternity.

These are great truths to ponder & cherish.

Today let’s worship the Life-Giving, Death-Defeating God who gives us the hope of never-ending life.

Today & forever. 

Now & always, for

Jesus said,”And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:20 NIV)

Easter Blessings,

Ruth x

Held by love

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Scotland has a special place in my heart. It’s where I studied at university & where I met Rob! When the kids were younger we travelled to Scotland often. One Easter, we visited Glasgow. 

There, we saw the famous painting by Dali in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery. It depicts Jesus on the cross, suspended high above the earth, in space. A closer look reveals that there are no nails in Jesus’ hands or feet. No nails-illustrating the fact that it wasn’t the nails that kept Him there on the cross.

Jesus could have summoned a myriad of angels to carry Him away from the suffering. But, instead He chose to die for you and me – because of His love for us.

Paul wrote:

‘God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’ (Rom 5:8 – NIV)

I used to have a little bookmark in my Bible that said:
‘I asked Jesus, “How much do you love me?”
“This much” He answered,
and He stretched out His arms and died’

‘This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son, His one and only Son’ (John 3:16 – The Message)

The cross is God shouting through history how much He loves us! The cross declares in blood red letters that God is love.

But, on deeper reflection, I realised that it wasn’t only love that held Jesus there on the cross:
‘It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished’
(From the hymn ‘How deep the Father’s love for us-Townend)

‘It was my sin that held Him there’

The prophet Isaiah gazed down through the years and foresaw the suffering the Messiah would go through for us: 

‘He was pierced for our transgressions, 

he was crushed for our iniquities; 

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.’ (Isa 53:5-NIV)

In love, He hung on the cross, taking the punishment for our sin.

In love, He redeemed us, paying for our salvation with His own precious blood.

This is what makes the darkest day in history Good Friday. 

And the amazing thing is this –‘He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?’ (Rom 8:32 –NIV)

Our Father God gave His Son for us- & He will give us every good gift from above. We are blessed by the amazing love & lavish grace of our Everlasting Father {today & always}

Easter Blessings,


Ruth x

Troubled hearts

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It was the night before the darkest day. The evening before Life’s death on a cross.

Jesus gathered together His closest friends. The Lamb of God shared the Passover meal with His disciples. During their Last Supper, Jesus spoke words of encouragement to sustain His followers in the days ahead.

Jesus said “Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me.”

‭‭(John‬ ‭14‬:‭1‬ ‭AMP‬‬)

Unspeakable trials & tribulation would storm into the disciples’ lives in the hours ahead- betrayal, denial & the horror of crucifixion.

Yet Jesus urged “Do not let your hearts be troubled”

There’s so many things to trouble us. Inner struggles. Family stresses. Illness & death. Conflict & Disasters. World politics.

Unexpected, unwanted & unexplained things.

There’s much to shake & unsettle us, to perplex us & cause anxiety.

Yet, in the midst of everything we face, Jesus wants us to believe in Him, to trust Him. He will give us the strength to keep going when we feel spent. We can hold on to Him when we feel lost. We can rely on Him when we feel alone.

On that night before He bled & died for us, Jesus said, “I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

‭‭(John‬ ‭14‬:‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

When we’re facing a storm, He brings calm. Where there’s chaos, Jesus brings peace. It’s His gift to us- a balm for our souls. Shalom peace for mind & hearts.

May you know this peace from God.

May you know this God of peace-

When storms are raging,

And in the halcyon days

When it feels like winter in your soul,

As well as in the hopeful times of spring.

{now & always}

Blessings,

Ruth x

Our Bothy

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-A refuge for the troubled mind

‘The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭18‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

We read this verse at the Precepts Bible Study on Wednesday morning.There’s such powerful imagery of God being our safe, secure shelter.

As I pondered these things, my thoughts drifted to the word bothy- the Scottish word for a hillside hut, a shelter in the mountains for hikers.

I like the idea of a bothy- somewhere to shelter in the mountains or by a Loch as we discover & explore the wilderness! I like the thought of God being like a bothy.

A refuge. A haven. A shelter.

‘The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.’
(Nahum 1:7 ESV)

In this bothy, our Father God is so close that we are under His shadow & we are shielded by God Himself.

A bothy is not for glamping . It’s a simple hut to protect from the elements. And so with God our bothy. In troubled times He has promised to provide needs – not our wants.

He gives comfort rather than keeping us comfortable.

He gives shelter in the storms of life. Sometimes He calms the storm & sometimes He calms His tear-stained & heavy-hearted child- in the bothy.

The One who scattered the stars collects our tears. He knows our name & He knows our hearts. And He still loves us.

We can’t go back to change events that caused the storm. We can’t erase our mistakes or undo our past. But we can come to our God & find shelter in the difficult days & peace in the dark chapters.

We can share our heart as we pray to our Maker. We can trust Him at all times, through all our days.

‘On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah’
(Psalms 62:7-8 ESV)

When the axis of our world suddenly tilts,

When the cadence of everyday life is unexpectedly disrupted,

When our journey is interrupted by a bump in the road & we stumble-

Even then {especially then} our God is the Great Unchangeable One- our Rock,our Fortress, our Shelter- Our Bothy.

Blessings

Ruthx