Tag: Christian faith

Lagom

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We were sitting outside a cafe in Zaandam (not far from Amsterdam) when a hangry seagull suddenly swooped down & grabbed my entire lunch! The chef made me another Dutch avo smash & we moved inside!

The cafe was called Lagom, a Swedish word that means not too little, not too much but just enough. Just the right amount of milk in the coffee. Just the right number of photos on the wall.

It conveys the idea of life being well-balanced. Just enough work, rest & play.

It reminds me of the story of Goldilocks where the chair, the bed & the porridge she chose were just right.

Often we are overwhelmed with too much. Too many clothes. Too many toiletries Too much food. We’re bombarded each day with too much choice. Too much social media. Too many options. We need the balance of just enough.

I’m reminded of the story in Exodus chapter 16 when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness & God provided just enough manna each day. They couldn’t gather more than their daily requirement (except for Sunday) But God provided just enough & the people were miraculously nourished.

Our God is {infinitely} more than enough with unlimited resources & strength. Yet He often chooses to provide just enough- our bread daily & our current needs rather than our additional desires.

When we’re in difficult situations in, He often gives just enough light for the step we’re on. Just one step with Him rather than illuminating the entire staircase.

One of God’s Hebrew names is El Shaddai (eg Genesis 17:1) which  means God the All Sufficient One. 

He is Always Enough for this journey called life.

Even if the unexpected happens.

Even when we come to the end of our resources.

No matter what.

God knows our deepest needs & only He can fulfill them.We’ll find enough grace for the day, strength for the hard chapters & hope for the future when we turn to Him for help.

And He provides just enough grace & tender mercy for each new day.

‘But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”’

‭‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Blessings,

Ruthx

Counting blessings

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Today, I feel blessed. Just over twenty-nine years ago on a bright sunny Saturday in Belfast, Rob & I said ‘I do!” And so began our married life. There have been many unexpected twists & turns along the way & bumps in the road to navigate. But we’ve traveled the journey together.

Wise Solomon wrote that children are blessings from God.(Psalm 127) When Caris & Ethan were born they both had a striped birthmark on their foreheads. A paediatrician from India told me that in his culture these marks would be viewed as a sign of god’s blessing & people would visit just to see!

We are blessed with a roof over our heads, clean water & nourishing food. These provisions are so basic that sometimes I forget to be thankful for them!

I feel blessed with family & friends but above all by the goodness & grace of God that has both led us & followed us.

We are truly blessed if God is our God.

Being blessed means so much more than just happiness. It’s not luck or karma. It’s deeper than prosperity & wealth. It means to be favoured by God- to know His gracious hand upon our life.

I recently read these words:

‘Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭146‬:‭5‬ NIV‬‬)

We visited an African church when we visited Bruges recently. In the middle of the Sunday service. there was a pause in the vibrant worship to share both struggles & blessings. And so often in everyday life, our blessings & struggles are braided together by the loving hand of our Heavenly Father.

In the dark chapters, God is our ever-present help, & steadfast hope.And we are  blessed!

The Psalmist wrote:

‘He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-he remains faithful forever.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭146‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

He is Creator of everything we see & He is forever faithful- the Unchanging One in our ever-changing world.

So,

‘blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭144‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Blessings,

Ruth x

God’s watch-care

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I often think on the first part of Psalm 121- how we can gaze on the lofty mountains & know that our help comes from our Creator God who made it all (Especially when I’m surrounded by mountains)

But today, I read the last verse of this Psalm:

‘the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭121‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

This Psalm was originally sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. In this season of travelling, God will watch over our comings & goings.

He is our keeper, watching over our daily transitions. As we move through our homes, our work, our churches, He is there. And He is looking on with loving care.

Indeed verse 7 states that He watches over our entire life- day by day, step by step. 

God never sleeps.

God is our ever-present helper & the protector who guards our path. We can rest in His unceasing care.

And can trust Him

{today & always}

Blessings,

Ruth x

The Sound of Silence

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In the North West corner of Italy, tucked in just below the Alps & the Swiss border, you’ll find Isola d’Orta- the Island on Lake Orta. 

We visited Lake Orta in June & were blessed with cerulean blue skies & happy memories .

On the island there’s a stone path known as The Walk of Meditation, or the Way of Silence.

Nowadays, silence is rare & hard to find.

We need to intentionally seek it. To find silence in our deafeningly noisy world, we need to switch off digital distraction & quieten our inner chatter.

We need to pause in our frenetic days- pause rather than rewinding or fast forwarding the soundtrack of our lives.

One sign marking the path in Orta states:

‘In the silence you meet the Master’

The word in Italian translated Master is Maestro, also used for a classical musical conductor. Our Master God is the conductor of our lives bringing the melodies & harmonies together, blending the major & minor keys in life, creating calm out of chaos.

When we turn off the noise, we can hear our Master’s voice. We can sense His presence as He guides us home.

Blessings,

Ruth x

Mountain Maker

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Yesterday we left the bright blue shores of Lake Orta behind. Soon after takeoff we were flying over the snow frosted Alpine peaks, their lofty summits stretching as far as we could see.

I thought of the Psalmist’s words:

‘I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭121‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

We find help for today from our mighty, majestic mountain-making God. The hands that crafted mountains & lakes in our big, beautiful world, are holding us together, day after day.

He is holding & helping

In halcyon days

And turbulent times.

In the waiting.

In anxious moments.

In good weeks,

And hard seasons.

Through it all, we find evidence of the goodness & presence of God.

Our creative God was present before the mountains were born & is from everlasting to everlasting. (Psalm 90) And we can find comfort in knowing Him:

‘The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.‘

‭‭(Deuteronomy‬ ‭33‬:‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

We find peace & safety in Him:

‘Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭62‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Blessings,

Ruth x

For the one

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For the one living in darkness, He will shine His light and illuminate the path ahead.

For the one weighed down by the burdens of this world, He will lift the weight and bring rest to your soul.

For the one who is hungry, He will satisfy you with good things. He will provide for your every need, for He is the Bread of Life.

For the one who is thirsty, He will quench the parched places, for He is the Water of Life.

For the one who is tired & weary, He will give you true rest.

For the one who is afraid of what tomorrow might bring, He will be your peace.

For the one who feels forgotten, He will never leave nor forsake you.

For the one who is stumbling & feels  lost, He is the Way forward, the absolute truth and abundant Life.

For the one who is brokenhearted, He is closer -closer than you think.

For the one navigating uncharted waters of grief & loss, He whispers comfort & the hope of eternal life.

For the one tossed & turned by doubts, He is the Anchor, steadying your struggles.

For the one feeling bereft & unlovely, He is the Good,Good Father who names you Beloved

For the one who knows they need to be forgiven, He sent His One & Only Son to die for you.

For the one who is wandering along the path of life & wondering what lies ahead , He is the Good Shepherd who leads into lush meadows, along gentle streams & through the darkest days of life.

For,

‘The Lord is my shepherd; 

I have all that I need.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

And for the one, He will leave ninety-nine other sheep, so that you might be found,

Be-loved & belong

Welcomed & wanted

Adopted & accepted

Saved & secure.

Blessings,

Ruth x

Just three words

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I used to love listening to ‘Just three words’ on Radio 2 drive time. Listeners texted snippets of their news into the radio station in just three words. eg:

School Play Tonight

Broken finger ouch!

Yummy Birthday Cake

Peppermint tea please

Brand new puppy

Homework’s all done

Although the above collection of three words are about relatively minor life events, it got me thinking about the power of words. Just three words:

God is love

If you ever land in Dublin airport, you’ll see those words on a steeple as you walk out of the terminal. The Bible declared it first in 1 John 4:8: ‘God is love.’ The essence of God is love. At the heart of God there’s love- redeeming love.

God loves you

It’s one thing to know that God is love, but quite another to know that He loves you. We may feel unlovely or unloveable at times but we are never unloved. We are loved by the One who knows us best- our Creator God.

God so loved

One of the most well-known verses in the Bible states:

‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.’
(John 3:16 ESV)

God so loved that He gave. He gave His One & Only Son.

Love came down

God,
whose very essence is love,
sent His Love down to our  planet &
wrapped Love in flesh & swaddling clothes.


Love walked earth’s dusty, well-trod paths.
Love grew and gave.
Love brought hope to the hurting,
total healing to the sick,
sunsets and rainbows to the blind,
walking & leaping to the lame.

Love gave,
and kept on giving
to a world dying to know true Heaven-sent Love.

When Love’s God-appointed Day arrived,
Love gave Himself for us-
Love nailed to a cross,
yet held there by Love-
that we, the unlovely,
would know that we are truly, deeply loved by God.

But,
even brutal crucifixion could not kill Love,
for, 

Love rose with the sunrise in the garden,
and returned to heaven in a cloud.

Now Love dwells in heaven- interceding And Love’s Spirit dwells in the hearts of we who believe.

So, always remember- no matter where you are on this journey called life:

You are loved

{by the One who knows you best-yet loves you most}

Blessings,

Ruthx 

The Helix of life

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The sun is shining with a gentle breeze & life blossoms & blooms around us. Yet even in these spring days, life can feel precarious. 

Politics are in disarray. God’s laws are disregarded. There is no absolute truth (we’re told)

We can look around & sigh. And conclude that the world is deeply wounded & broken. For our earth is a groaning planet. Our world is fractured by sin.

‘We are all broken-that’s how the light gets in’ according to Ernest Hemingway or Leonard Cohen. And how we need the Great Light of the world to shine!

As children of God, we live in tension & contrast. We are made in the image of God- yet struggle with our flaws & failings.

It feels like Evil is crouching nearby, ever ready to pounce on Goodness. The darkness seems deep yet flickers of light break through.

There’s toil & trouble yet {thankfully} the hope of glory.

At a personal level, day to day life rarely feels smooth or predictable . While we have many blessings there’s usually something to taint our happiness.Even bright sunny days can be overcast by boulders carried in our hearts. Shifting circumstances can eclipse our joy.

But I am convinced that joy & sorrow, love & suffering, peace & pain are inextricably linked in an even more intricate way than parallel tracks or tides on the shore.

Perhaps, they are intertwined like the twisting double stranded helix molecule of DNA – the blue print of life itself. Just as DNA is held together by hydrogen bonds, the twists & turns in life are stabilised by intricate bonds of the love & mercy, grace & goodness of our God.

Just now, in this moment of time, our lives may seem like a tangled mess. But with the eye of faith, we can choose to see that even the troubles & trials, stresses & strains, the bitter & sweet are part of the intricate plans of the perfect infinite wisdom of our God.

Our God created the cosmos, designed our souls & planned our destinies. Yet He carries our burdens and collects our tears.

The Psalmist David wrote:

‘You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn through the sleepless nights, Each tear entered in your ledger, each ache written in your book.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭56‬:‭8‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

We have to choose to see the unseen,to trace the invisible fingerprints of God in our lives, as He weaves His thread of blessings through the twisting helix of life. He alone can weave all things together for our good (Romans 8:28) into the plans He has for us (Jeremiah 29:11)

Even when things don’t seem to make sense, & everything seems random & chaotic , we can praise Him where we are at in the messy middle.

God brings blessing to our dark days. And often, the greatest blessing is the gift of God Himself. The gift of knowing He is there- with us. And that knowing God is better than knowing why bad things happen.

God’s tender mercies & gentle blessings come even {maybe especially} when everything feels broken. For He is the Redeemer of lost things & the Mender of broken lives.

God said:

“And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness-secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.”

‭‭(Isaiah‬ ‭45‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Our God gives:
Treasures in the darkness
Calm in chaos
Peace in the storm
Hope in our dark days
And His presence forever
And ever!

{Amen}

Blessings,

Ruthx

Berries & Bears

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The French artist Henri Matisse said, ‘There are always flowers for those who want to see them’

His statement is literally true just now. Cherry blossom, tulips & blue bells are appearing everywhere ! Blossoms & blooms are ubiquitous in springtime.

But of course Matisse meant flowers metaphorically too. ‘Flowers’ of beauty (&truth &grace} are there in the garden of our lives when we seek to pick them out & notice them. We need to develop a positive,open mindset.

My counsellor used the analogy of berries & bears. In the forest of life, we may imagine bears- dangers & threats lurking round the trees. But we need to train our minds to look for the good things- the berries growing too. We can cultivate gratitude & mindfulness-& notice the tiny joys along the path.

An unknown person coined the phrase,’It’s the thoughts we water each day that become the garden we live in’ That’s powerful imagery. I imagine we’d prefer to live in a garden bursting with green-life & vitality, rather than one overgrown with tangled weeds & briars.

The Bible guides us how to think:

‘Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.’

‭‭(Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Ultimately, God is the Source of all beauty, truth & grace.

And He says:

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

‭‭(Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Blessings,

Ruth x

Entrust

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The Psalms were written mostly by David & inspired by God. These ancient poems can bring encouragement & hope into our lives today.

I recently read these comforting words:

‘Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭143‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

David asks for daily reminders of God’s unfailing love & acknowledges that he has put his trust in God.

Sometimes the morning brings a new set of struggles, instead of thoughts of God’s never ending, never failing love. We can be accosted by worries in our waking moments.  We can be overwhelmed with anxiety, bombarded with feelings of doom & dread.

Yet,there’s so little we can actually control.

There’s so much outside our tiny circle of influence.

But our God is in control of all.

Worry actually alters nothing.

But we can trust our God who never fails.

We can entrust everything & everyone to Him.

The childrens’ song states the truth:

‘He’s got the whole world in His hands’

God has got it all in His hands & under His control:

Everything we worry about.

Everyone we value & care about 

Our very life- heart & soul.

Entrusting our life to God shifts our focus, from our problems & pressures to His sovereign care.

We can actively surrender our worries & outcomes to God & leave everything we care about in His hands. We can rest in His care & gain emotional relief there. Then we will experience the peace only He can give.

Entrust everything to our Father God, with confidence in His care.

Blessings,

Ruth x