Tag: Christian faith

Live in the day

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My husband bought me the book ‘How to stop worrying & start living’ by Dale Carnegie. Although it was first published in 1953, it’s still relevant today. The first chapter is entitled Live in ‘day-tight compartments’

The concept comes from Jesus’ words:

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

‭‭(Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭34‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

So many of our worries spring from anxieties about the future. Our thoughts spiral from today into tomorrow & beyond, gathering momentum into next week, next month or even next year. Our mind leaps forward, projecting what we think will happen, jumping to worst-case scenarios & terrible outcomes. 

But we have no control over the future. However, we can look to the One who holds the future. And He wants us to live one day at a time- in twenty-four hour chunks! It’s how we were designed.

We can book-end our days with prayer- committing our time to God each morning & thanking Him for His faithfulness each night. 

When we live each day with the God of peace, His deep peace will pour into our minds & hearts, displacing worry.

Blessings,

Ruth x

Don’t worry…

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‘Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.’

‭‭(Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

These words are easy to read but harder to put into practice!

Last year, I became more anxious than ever before. Sleep was interrupted & catastrophizing thoughts overwhelmed me day & night.

This verse helped me to settle- I repeated the words often. Don’t worry- I told myself-pray instead. 

Thank God for what He has already done in your life in answer to prayer. For gratitude shifts our focus from anxious thoughts.

If we do this,instead of tossing & turning, there will be calm. Instead of stress there will be reassurance.

God’s amazing peace will overflow into our heart & minds (Phillipians 4:7)His love overcomes fear. And faith in God will get us through!

Of course, we may also need medication & counselling (I did) 

But the God of peace will be with us day by day & we can keep on casting our worries onto Him (1Pet 4:7)

Blessings,

Ruth x

A Hint of Spring

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I love to see the emergence of spring flowers at this time of year-a glimpse of the changing seasons.

This week I dandered past scattered clumps of snowdrops. And wondered how these delicate yet tenacious flowers had pushed through the frosty soil.

They’re a sign that spring is on the way.

No matter how dreary we feel, winter is not forever. No matter how dark the night feels, the sun will appear at daybreak.

Our winters of the soul may happen due to discouragement & disappointment. They may be brought about by physical sickness or mental anguish. Bereavement & unexpected loss bring long dark winters in life.

Yet, with God, we can trust that the freshness & new life of springtime will arrive.

Our God will usher in new things- hope & loving-kindness. Grace & goodness. Encouragement & second chances.

‘For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness.’

‭‭(Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Blessings,

Ruth x

Come & rest

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Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

‭‭(Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

On this first day of rest in 2025, Jesus invites us to come to Him.

We might feel worn out & weary already- carrying the same troubles as we did in 2024. Our struggles continue with us. The New Year didn’t erase them, or bring a lightness to our days. Everything didn’t change on New Year’s Day! We couldn’t instantly turn into a better version of ourselves.

Yet,if we come to Jesus, just as we are,He will grant rest. He will give peace of mind & heart. He will be with us through the year- in our tomorrows just as he has been in our yesterdays, now past.

Paul concludes his second letter to the church at Thessalonica with these words:

‘May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.’

‭‭(2 Thessalonians‬ ‭2‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

We can face this year with God’s eternal encouragement & good hope. He will bless our words & deeds, our plans & actions. He will continue to guide our paths with loving-care. His Father-heart will tend our souls.

May we know ‘strength for today & bright hope for tomorrow!’ (Thomas O Chisholm)

May He strengthen everything we say & do. May He surprise us with His endless grace & tender mercies.

Blessings,

Ruth x

Tender mercies

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 The start of Luke’s Gospel records songs uttered in response to God’s redeeming grace announced in our fallen world.

These are Zechariah’s words of exuberant praise after months of silence following an angelic announcement:

“because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

‭‭(Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭78‬-‭79‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

The tender mercy of God our Father ushered in light & peace

Like the sunrise shining light in the darkness so the Light of the World was sent to earth as a tiny baby. He who created light at the beginning of time, stooped into the shadows of this sin-drenched world.

His light shines in our lives- bringing hope & joy.

God guides our footsteps along the path of peace:

Peace the world can’t deliver.

Shalom only the Prince of Peace can bring.

Peace of mind & heart.

God’s unmerited mercy, radiant light & deep peace are at the heart of the Christmas story-at the centre of the narrative of mankind.

We can experience the tender mercies of our Father God in our day to day life, step by step on our path with Him.

We can believe in Him this Christmastime. We can trust Him this New Year {& always} 

Blessings,

Ruth x

Real & eternal

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Jesus said:

“I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”

‭‭(John‬ ‭10‬:‭6‬-‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Jesus came as light in our darkness to shine His hope onto our weary souls. He was sent by God from resplendent glory to give eternal life:

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

‭‭(John‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Jesus came as the Way to navigate life to God Himself. He came as the Ultimate Truth & God-breathed Word. He came to bring true & better life- the best life that we were created for!

Jesus, who entered our time as a tiny baby, fulfilled God the Father’s perfect plan through the ages.

Jesus, Son of the Most High God brought:

Hope in our world

Love in our hearts

Joy in our lives

Peace in our souls

May we know all that Jesus means this Christmastime {& always}

Blessings,

Ruth x

Consider the flowers

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One sunny afternoon I visited my local garden centre. The flowers there were brightly blooming in an array of colour.

I especially liked the red dahlias! And the growing sunflowers too.

As I wandered around, the words of Jesus, the Master Gardner came to mind:

“And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”

(Matthew 6:30 NLT)

God cares for the flowers & cares infinitely more for us.

“Oh you of little faith,” He whispered gently to my heart.

So often we have little faith.

We have little faith when we get tangled up in our worries.

We have little faith when we focus on our problems rather than God.

We have little faith when we try to sort out tomorrow’s issues today!

We have little faith when our mind is filled with fear.

Our faith needs to be bigger than our anxieties.

We often have little faith as we go through life- particularly when things go differently to how we planned or expected. Especially when things aren’t going our way.

Yet God can grow our faith- turning little faith into a lot. We can trust Him with the garden of our souls- tending to our issues there.

Later in Matthew chapter 6, Jesus says this:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

(Matthew 6:34 NIV)

We humans live in 24 hour chunks. We live day by day with our Father & there’s no need to worry about tomorrow!

Just trust!

Blessings,

Ruth x

In Your Name

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‘Ask using my name & you will receive & you will have abundant joy’

(John 16:24 NLT)

“Ask using my name” says Jesus, God the Son.

There are many names of God given in the Bible. I’ve recently been studying the life of Abraham in a Precepts Bible Study. These are some names of God recorded in Genesis:

God Most High -El Elyon (Gen 14:19)

He is God of all & over all- the Creator of heaven & earth.

Lord, Master– Adonai (Gen 15:2)

God is the Sovereign Lord – in charge of the cosmos.

God who sees – El Roi (Gen 16:13)

He saw Hagar in the desert. And He sees into our situations & deep into our heart.

God Almighty – El Shaddai (Gen 17:1)

He is the All-Powerful, Majestic God.

The Everlasting God – El Olam (Gen 21:33)

His power & authority are never ending

God who provides– Jehovah Jireh (Gen 22:14)

He provided a sacrifice for Abraham, as a foreshadow of the provision of Jesus on the cross. God did not spare His own Son, so how much more will He provide all that we need to live for Him? (Rom 8:32)

We can trust in the Name of our Almighty God during our daily life, as we walk with Him.

‘This is the Lord , we trusted in Him; let us rejoice & be glad in His salvation’

(Isa 25:9 – NIV)

Blessings,

Ruthx

The way of love

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‘Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.’

(Ephesians 5:2 NLT)

At Easter, last weekend, we remembered especially Jesus’ death on the cross. He suffered & died for us there, in our place. He offered Himself as a punishment for our sins- a sacrifice for us. This was God’s great plan of salvation, from before time began.

So, it wasn’t the nails that held Jesus to the cross, but rather His deep love for us. His everlasting, never-ending love.

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’

(John 3:16 NIV)

We have to respond to God’s great love by following Jesus to ‘Live a life filled with love’ (Eph 5:2 NLT) or as the NIV puts it ‘Walk in the way of love’

We follow Jesus by sharing His love with others.

For the way of love is Jesus’ way.

The way of love is patient & kind.

It is loyal & true.

It is sacrificial.

It is grace & truth.

It is giving & forgiving.

We walk step by step with Jesus along the way of love.

He is our Example, our Saviour, our Friend & our God.

‘Therefore be imitators of God, as dearly beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us…’ (Eph 5:1&2-ESV)

Blessings,

Ruth x

Just trust

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It’s that time of year to choose a word for the year. Which one will you choose? I chose trust.

Just trust!

‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.’

(Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)

I choose to trust God as this year unfurls.

We can choose to trust God to deal with our past, to cope with the present & to rely on for the future!

We can trust Him for everything, for He is our Rock to lean on:

‘Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.’(Psalms 62:8 NIV)

God is good & He cares for us as we trust in Him:

“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.’ (Nahum 1:7 NIV)

We can trust God with all that we’ve got:

‘Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.’

(Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG)

Just trust

This year

& always!

Blessings,

Ruth x