Tag: faith

God-words

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The Psalms- God-given & God-inspired words. Words to guide us on the Way , to shift our thoughts above, & to soothe our troubled souls. Ancient words that remain relevant today.

Psalm 119 is of course the longest Psalm (176 verses which consists of separate units beginning with consecutive letters of the Hebrew alphabet) And each verse reminds us that God’s Word & truth are as dependable as ever. 

We can read God-words when things are going well, when the sun is shining & life feels good. But the Psalms are there too when things are going wrong for us.

The writer of Psalm 119 wrote:

‘Everything’s falling apart on me, GOD; put me together again with your Word.’ 

‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭119:107-The Message)

God’s Word can put together the broken pieces of our lives & help us to flourish in the wabi-sabi of life.

His Word is like a torch for us in the dark parts of the journey of life, as the Psalm reminds us:

‘By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.’

‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭119:105-The Message)

God meets us where we are at & His Word directs us to where He wants us to be. We can focus on God, realign our steps with His & get back on track:

‘When I took a long, careful look at your ways, I got my feet back on the trail you blazed.’

‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭119:59-The Message)

When we gaze on God’s goodness, we can see how our God can weave all things together for our good {& His glory}

The Psalmist wrote:

‘My troubles turned out all for the best-they forced me to learn from your textbook.’

‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭119:71 The Message)

We can recall hard times that caused us to rely on God through His Word- quiet times reading the truth given to us for comfort & growth. 

Whatever this week brings, whatever our situation,may we return to & rely on God-words.

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

As for me

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‘As for me, I trust in the Lord.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭31‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

In day to day life, I will trust the Lord.

When challenges loom large, I will trust in God, my Saviour.

When the days ahead seem unclear & uncertain.

When things don’t go as planned or anticipated.

And despite disappointments-

I will trust the Lord.

In small things {that aren’t so little after all} I will trust in my God.

Whenever I am afraid, I will still trust Him. (Psalm 56:3)

I will trust in Him rather than my own feelings & fears. I will trust in the One who sees my troubles & cares for my soul.

Even when the world shakes & quakes, I will trust in our God.

For,

‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

So,

‘As for me, I trust in the Lord.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭31‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

As for you, trust in our God

{today & always}

Blessings,

Ruth x

Loved

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Yesterday was Valentine’s Day. As you know, it’s a special celebration of love- typically romantic & sentimental love declared with flowers ( & maybe chocolate!)

Our human capacity to love comes from God whose essence is love. He poured His perfect love into our ruined lives for, God is love!

John declares:

‘We love because he first loved us.’

‭‭(1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

We may feel unlovely at times but we are never unloved. That’s a truth worth acknowledging.

God’s love is boundless. And Paul prayed that we could somehow grasp the dimensions of this limitless love:

‘And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ’

‭‭(Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

God’s love is beneath us, holding us at our lowest moments. It is deeper than our sin & shame. It stretches higher than our dreams & aspirations. God’s love is wider than we can imagine, encompassing the whole world. It is longer than life itself flowing from everlasting to everlasting.

And God’s love doesn’t change.

‘Though our feelings come & go, God’s love for us does not’

(CS Lewis)

What can be our response to such amazing love? Isaac Watts wrote:

‘Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all’

Blessings,

Ruth x

The Gift of Peace

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It’s one month since Christmas Day & it feels so distant already, doesn’t it ? The Christmas food has been scoffed. The presents have been enjoyed. The Christmas decorations are packed away into the loft. The twinkling lights are with them.

Yet the greatest gift & hope of Christmas shines on in our hearts & minds. For Hope is not just a wish, it’s a Person. A Person named Jesus. And Jesus is our Everlasting to Everlasting God, Who was also forenamed & known as the Prince of Peace.(Isaiah 9:6)

Later in Isaiah’s prophecy, he wrote these comforting words:

‘You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.’

‭‭(Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Just before His death on a cross, Jesus told His disciples:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

‭‭(John‬ ‭14‬:‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Today, the Prince of Peace offers our souls this peace in our turbulent times. Storms may batter our day to day life. Life’s fabric may fray. Upheaval may come. But Jesus is our Rock- our storm-calming, peace-bringing God. The One we can trust forever.

May we know God’s presence & perfect peace in this week & the year ahead.

May our prayers dispel anxiety & fear give way to faith. May chaos turn to calm as we trust in our God.

Blessings,

Ruth x

Elevate your everyday

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January has been {unfairly} described as one long Monday. But it’s reinvented itself as a time of coziness with warm fires, favourite books & hot cocoa. And a time of re-setting – the rest & repair of wintering.

There’s a whimsical trend on social media to elevate our every day by looking for tiny joys & creating micro-adventures. And by cultivating meaningful moments with mindfulness or in conversation with friends.

We can elevate our daily fuel with barista-crafted coffee, artisan sourdough & nutrient dense meals. We can indulge ourselves with those top-tier toiletries received as Christmas gifts.

Romanticising our routine may help us through the dark days of winter. And while elevating our day can boost our mood, the Bible speaks of elevating our mind. 

We often focus on the microcosm of day to day life- homing in on us & ours. Yet God wants us to elevate our perspective. He says:

‘Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.’

‭‭(Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Or as The Message paraphrases this verse:

‘Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.’

‭‭(Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Our priorities & thoughts should be on God’s Kingdom- on the Not Yet rather than merely the Here & Now. But it takes effort to cultivate this heavenly focus! We need to meditate on the truths in God’s Word the Bible.

We can elevate our days by gazing on God’s majesty & might, His grace & goodness. 

We need to open our eyes & hearts to the ways God is at work in our lives & in this world {now & forever}

Blessings,

Ruth x

Day by day

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2026 stretches out towards the horizon in front of us. Its days are as yet unlived; its paths untrod. The year ahead is  brimming with uncharted waters & unknown days.

There may be much to look forward to , yet I’m sure we all find aspects to be apprehensive, even anxious about.

The great reassurance is that we don’t have to face anything that happens alone. God will be with us through it all:

Our trials & the triumphs.

Our frustrations as well as the celebrations.

Our disappointments & the desires.

Our hopes & fears. 

Our burdens & blessings.

Our Father God deeply cares for our needs.

So, Jesus said:

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

‭‭(Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭34‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

The best thing about our future is that it arrives just one day at a time. We are designed to live in 24 hour chunks of time. We can focus on each day rather than worrying about tomorrow & tomorrow. 

Today is our precious gift from God. That’s why it’s called the Present. That’s where we dwell.

During the week, I read this paraphrase in the Message. May these words calm our anxious hearts:

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

(Matthew 6:34 -the Message)

So, may we follow our Shepherd one day at a time. May we trust Him day by day this week & through 2026 & beyond.

Blessings,

Ruth x

Surrounded

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I read these ancient words during the past week in Kendal:

‘As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭125‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

We may feel overwhelmed with struggles & pressed down by stresses. Yet, we are surrounded by our Mighty, Majestic God, & encompassed by His love & power.

Psalm 125 was one of the Psalms that Jewish pilgrims sang as they journeyed toward Jerusalem. As the Psalm states, the city of Jerusalem is encircled by mountains (including the Mount of Olives)

We are protected by the mountain Maker- the One who was the Everlasting God even before the mountains were formed (Psalm 90)

As Moses wrote when He blessed the tribes of Israel:

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

‭‭(Deuteronomy‬ ‭33‬:‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

We are safe & secure, for we are surrounded by God & kept in His arms {now & forever}

Blessings,

Ruth x

Love like bread

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As we’ve travelled round the Lake District on these auburn autumn days, we’ve ate bread in Ambleside, Grasmere & Kendal. Crusty sourdough & fresh tin loaves. One local bakery is aptly called Lovingly Artisan. As I savoured the hand-crafted loaves, I thought of a poem I read long ago:

‘Love doesn’t just sit there,

like a stone,

it has to be made,

Like bread;

remade all the time,

made new’

(Ursula K Le Guin)

Making bread requires effort- kneading, stretching & folding the dough.

In the same way our love should be intentional. Love needs to be nurtured – just as a sourdough starter needs to be fed.

It’s been said that love is a verb. Love is dynamic.

The Apostle John wrote:

‘Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.’

(‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Human love may go stale-yet God’s lovingkindness remains fresh- it’s new every morning! God’s ubiquitous love is the Truest Love of all. It is the starter from which all love flows:


‘Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.’
(2 Corinthians 5:14 MSG)

Time moulds & kneads life into different shapes & directions as we move along in life. But whatever our circumstances, we are urged to follow God’s way of love:

‘Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.’

‭‭(Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

As we journey through this week, we can trust in God, the Master Maker & His love:

‘And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.’
(1 John 4:16 NIV)

Blessings,

Ruth x

Aroma

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We live & move through this world using our five senses- sight, sound, touch, taste & smell. Our sensory experiences can be positive or negative- pleasant or terrible. Last week I experienced the sights, sounds & smells of Scotland’s capital city.

I walked through the buzzing cobbled streets in Edinburgh. The Dome was already fully decorated & the scent of cinnamon & pine lingered- Christmastime was definitely in the air!

We sprayed fragrance testers in John Lewis in St James’ Quarter while those around searched to find their signature scent.

The welcoming aroma of freshly ground coffee ushered us into the Old Town.

Later, I sensed the crisp scent of amber autumn leaves as I ran (slowly!) in Edinburgh’s leafy suburbs. Later still, I lit a jasmine & sandalwood candle in the van.

Scents connect us to memories & emotions. Aromas are nostalgic- reviving our memory & enhancing the moment. They bring the past to the present again!

Science has shown that scents affect our mood & even our work performance.

The Bible compares believers to an aroma:

‘For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.’

‭‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

This imagery evoked memories of the aroma of incense & burnt sacrifices offered during Old Testament times at the Temple.

However, this smell is perceived differently by others & has a contrasting effect:

“To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?”

‭‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

This verse is a powerful word-picture. To the  disobedient & perishing we are the rotting stench of doom & death. (The same word is used literally in John 11:39 to describe the odour of Lazarus’ body in the tomb)

Yet to those who believe & are being saved, we are the scent of life- a sweet smelling perfume.

‘Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God’

(2 Cor 2:15 MSG)

This is an awesome responsibility.

We can enhance the sweetness of the atmosphere as God is within us. By His Holy Spirit we can show God’s presence & share the message of Jesus. 

The essence of God permeates the space  around us – flowing out of our relationship with Him into other’s lives through our words & deeds.

May we spread God’s fragrance of grace, life & hope as we cross others’ paths this week

Blessings,

Ruth x

Photo credit-Daniel J Schwarz via Pexels