Tag: journey

Feeling abandoned – but never alone!

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Loving God means trusting Him when life hurts

Readings: II Corinthians 4:8&9, Isaiah 43:1-3

I dreaded my 30th birthday for a long time! I remembered how much I hated turning from 19 to 20 and I was sure changing from twenty something to the big 3- 0 would be even worse!

But no matter how many ‘big’ birthdays pass, I am sure they will not be as bad as my 29th. For 16th June 2003 was my worst birthday, in fact it was the worst day of my life so far.

On that day, I was admitted to Knockbracken- a psychiatric hospital. I had been struggling with severe mental illness for 7 months. I was anxious, depressed and even suicidal. I felt so alone. My husband was at home with my two small children, trying to explain “Mummy’s gone to hospital because she’s lost her smile”

A lot of my family were away in America at a wedding. I felt so low as I looked around the grey walls of the ward, wondering how I was ever going to get out of this place. For the first time in my life I felt abandoned by God. The words “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” echoed through my mixed up mind.

Yet even in this deeply dark time, God’s still small voice reminded me that Jesus knew how I was feeling. For on the cross, the cry from Jesus’ anguished heart was “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

On the cross, to a much greater extent than we will ever know, Jesus felt abandoned by His Father God as He took on the sins of the world. And at that time, in the middle of my deep depression, I could take comfort from the fact that Jesus understood, that He could sympathise with my weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15)

The next day Pastor Baird came to see me and read Isaiah 43 and the Word of the Lord was deeply comforting – ‘

But now, this is what the Lord says-
He who created you, O Jacob,
He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour” (Isaiah 43:1-3-NIV)

The Message phrases those words this way- “Don’t be afraid,I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
it won’t be a dead end –
Because I am your God, your personal God”
(Isaiah 43:1-3-The Message)

No matter how hard life gets, no matter how down we feel, no matter how much we feel on our own, we are never alone. God is there with us – in the middle of our troubles, heartache and despair.

‘The Lord is close to the broken hearted; He rescues those who are crushed in spirit’ (Psalm 34:18 – NLT)

Like the foot- prints poem reminds us, in our darkest hour, when there is just one set of footprints in the sand, we are not alone, God is carrying us.

Slowly and steadily over the days, weeks and months, I began to feel better – thanks to God and a very supportive family (and of course medication and my psychiatrist too!) Looking back, I can see God’s hand at work. I can see how He brought us through and how He taught me to rely on Him.

There are some things that can only be learnt in the middle of difficulties. When our backs are to the wall, we tend to fall to our knees. Our heart cries out to God and He hears us. There are treasures of darkness – times of feeling God close against the odds – character building, spiritually defining times.

And these dark threads are necessary in the tapestry of life. God, the Master Craftsman is working on us, His work of art – and the dark areas give depth and character to the tapestry of life. It’s hard to see all this at the time, but at the end, when His work is complete, we’ll gasp in awe and realise truly that our God does work together all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28)

It is in the valleys of life (not the mountain tops) that the real fruit grows. And God wants us to be vibrant, productive, fruitful Christians.

A diamond sparkles best against a black back- ground. God the Master Craftsman knows that we, His precious stones reflect His glory best when times are tough.

Yes, we may feel abandoned, but we are never alone.

‘We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going’
(II Corinthians 4: 8&9 NLT)

As I said before, it’s just as well we don’t know what is around the corner of life – and it is. But God knows, and He is holding us, leading us on. And all around, and underneath are His everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27)

In the midst of all our trouble, Heartache and despair,
We have a God who stands beside us,
A Friend Who’s always there,
A Hope when things seem hopeless, A Faith when things go wrong,
A Love that will never fail us,
That’s never been more strong!

‘But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold’
(Job 23:10-NIV)

‘Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.’
(James 1: 2-4 – The Message)

A prayer from the heart

Lord, I need You.
I need You now more than ever before.
I need You to minister to me-to help me
rise above the problems and difficulties of life.
I need You to fill up my emptiness, because
I’m completely wiped out and spent.
I need Your grace at this time of need.
I need to sense Your love now more than ever.
I need to feel Your arms of love around me, to enable me to feel safe and secure, despite the turmoil around. I need to be touched by You- so that
I can reach out to others.
I need Your strength at my time of weakness.
I need Your joy now, when life hurts deeply.
I need You to know the cry of my heart, a cry so deep, so silent that no-one else hears.
I need Your patience to take one day at a
time, step by step with You.
Lord, I know that You are all-
sufficient. You are my All in all.
I CAN depend on You- my Rock,
my Song, my Awesome Father God.

(This prayer was scribbled in a journal during another hospital admission. It was truly a prayer from the heart)

The words of our Father

“I am your fortress in times of trouble,
My love is the anchor when things go wrong,
You are precious and in all situations,
I am working to make you strong!

I am your Rock when life seems uncertain,
My presence will guide when things are unclear.
You are loved and in all your problems
You can trust and have nothing to fear.

I am your Helper in times of testing,
My strength shows up best when you are weak, You are my child and through all the tough times, You can know my strength whenever you seek”

P.S. My 30th birthday (& 40th too!)has long been and gone! On my 30th we had a great barbeque-complete with an adult sized bouncy castle. It was a bright, sunny day- and more importantly there was sunshine in my heart- a complete contrast to my 29th! 

Blessings,

Ruth x

*Revised & updated from ‘Its all about love’ self published in 2007

Celebrate the moment!

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The love of God means today is for really living


Readings: Lamentations 3:22-26, Psalm 118

‘Just a tiny little minute, only sixty seconds in it’
But, it’s the minutes that make up the hours. The hours turn into days and the days become weeks. The weeks make up the months on our calendars. The months mark the seasons, and so the year rolls round. The years blur as major life events, birthdays and anniversaries make landmarks in our lifetime.
In these ‘wiping years’ when we’re wiping little bottoms, noses, faces and messes, it’s easy to let the day go by in a blur of seemingly mundane tasks!
We aren’t able to see beyond the messy room, the endless dirty dishes and laundry. And we feel like we’re going to scream if we hear “Mommee!” one more time!
Sometimes, we merely exist, rather than truly living life as God intended it to be. It’s easy to miss the point. It’s easy to miss the wonder of these years when our children are growing, discovering and absorbing so much.
But, no matter what, the Bible says: ‘This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it’(Psalm 118:24-NIV)

‘Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.’
(Psalm 90:12- NLT)

On 1st September 2001, I took my 6-month-old baby daughter for a walk along Ballywalter Beach. It was a bright, sunny day. The tide was out and the water sparkled. It was the first day of the new school term. A woman stopped me to say, “Make the most of it! My baby has just started school!”
And now, 19 years later, I wonder where the years in between have gone. Caris is now at university and that walk along the beach is just a distant memory- though we’ve walked that beach together many, many times since. I’m just glad that I chose to go for a walk that day and didn’t just get bogged down with the housework!
A Scandinavian proverb says: ‘This day is a gift from God. What you do with it is your gift to Him’
Some one put it like this:
‘Yesterday is history,
Tomorrow is a mystery,
Today is a gift,
That’s why it’s called the Present!’
Every new day is a fresh opportunity to experience God’s love and mercy.
‘The unfailing love of the Lord never ends!
Great is His faithfulness;
His mercies begin afresh each day’
(Lamentations 3:22&23 –NLT)
‘God has called us out of ho-hum mundane living to experience the abundant life’
Jesus said:
“My purpose is to give life in all its fullness” (John 10:10 – NLT)
“I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of”
(John 10: 10 –The Message)
I was very challenged by something that Gloria Gaither said in an interview that was published by In Touch magazine in March 2001: “When your children are saying “Mommy, mommy” and you’ve got other things to do, I think you have to ask “Is there any eternity in it?” and give yourself away for things that last forever. A child is more eternal than a clean house…A calling builds itself into a calling out of a lot of days of regular stuff. There is eternity in every moment”
Wow! Think about it-there is eternity in every moment, when we see those tiny little minutes from God’s perspective! ‘Everyday we stand on chords that vibrate throughout eternity’ (Charles Finney)
We have got to ‘Make the most of every opportunity’ (Colossians 4:6-NIV)
What we think is an interruption may be a divine appointment. Don’t let opportunities pass you by because you think you know how your day should unfold! Listen to those inner promptings, and gentle nudges that come from the Holy Spirit. And remember, a coincidence is when God acts and decides to remain anonymous!
God wants our tiny little minutes, our days and our 24-7 lives to be given to Him.
‘Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him’
(Romans 12:1-The Message)
I probably don’t need to remind you that just 10 days after that carefree walk on the beach, the unthinkable happened.11th September 2001. 9-11 is a date etched on our minds forever- the day that shook the world.
And many more terrorist attacks, natural disasters & unexpected events have happened since. Just now, our planet has paused- reeling with the effects of coronavirus.
We truly don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one. Tomorrow might never come.
I truly believe that God wants us to seize the day- Carpe Diem! What a difference it would make if we viewed our limited, precious time from God’s perspective.
‘Celebrate God all day, everyday’ (Philippians 4:4-The Message)
‘And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him’ (Colossians 3:17 – NIV)
‘What you have done and created and loved in the Name of Jesus is all that will last’ (Angela Thomas)

We have this moment

‘Hold tight to the sound of the music of living,
Happy songs from the laughter of children at play;
Hold my hand as we run through
the sweet fragrant meadows,
Making mem’ries of what was today.

Tiny voice that I hear is my little girl calling
For daddy to hear just what she has to say;
And my little son running there by the hillside
May never be quite like today.

Tender words, gentle touch, and a good cup of coffee, And someone that loves me and wants me to stay;
Hold them near while they’re here, and don’t wait for tomorrow
To look back and wish for today.

Take the blue of the sky and the green of the forest
And the gold and the brown of the freshly mown hay,
Add the pale shades of spring and the circus of autumn,
And weave you a lovely today.

For we have this moment to hold in our hands
And to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand;
Yesterday’s gone, and tomorrow may never come,
But we have this moment-today!
(Gloria Gaither-quoted with permission)

‘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 ‭MSG‬‬)

Blessings,

Ruthx

*Edited & updated from my book ‘Its all about love’ 2007

Who am I?

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These are unprecedented days, when it feels like earth’s axis has shifted & our planet is holding its breath. We struggle to function normally & find stability.

We must look beyond ourselves to our Creator & His love for us:
‘Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is an illusion’
(Brennan Manning)

‘For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.’
(Zephaniah 3:17 NLT)

If we trust God as our Saviour, we can find hope & peace. For these days & anyday.

‘Not because of who I am
But because of what you’ve done’
(Who am I-Casting crowns)

‘You are one in whom Christ delights & dwells, & you live in the strong & unshakable Kingdom of God’
(James Bryan Smith)

‘I am chosen
Not forsaken’
(I am who You say I am)

‘You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
And You say I am held when I am falling short
And when I don’t belong, oh, You say I am Yours
And I believe’
(Lauren Daigle-You say)

‘I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God’
(No longer slaves)

‘See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.’
‭‭(1 John‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

I am Abba’s child & I can rest in that truth- today & always.

Blessings,

Ruth x

Psalms-words to live by

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‘God’s words, creating & saving words every one,hit us where we live’
(Eugene Peterson)

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

Time with God in the Psalms is a good start to any day- everyday- especially days like this!

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 it feels like the world has been put on pause (as my son said) When we’re all holding our breath.

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)

*’Dwell in the land’
(v3 ESV)
Dwell calmly, securely & gratefully

*’Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.’
(v4 ESV)
Focus on our Unchangeable God rather than our ever changing world situation.

*’Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.’
(v5 ESV)
Pray through your day- hand it over to God

*’Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him’
(V7 ESV)

‘Quiet down before GOD, be prayerful before him.’
(Psalm 37:7 MSG)

*’Refrain from anger, and turn from wrath!’
(V8 ESV)

Cultivate Gentleness & self control

I love these soothing words from another Psalm:

‘When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.’
(Psalms 94:19 ESV)

And there are many cares just now. COVID has entered our world as ‘the pestilence* that stalks in darkness’
(Psalm 91:6 ESV)

*The definition of Pestilence is a ‘Highly contagious devastating infectious disease’ And there’s been pestilences throughout world history from the Psalmist David’s day till now.

We can focus on the Most High God who’s great name is mentioned in the same Psalm a few verses before ‘the pestilence’

‘He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”’
(Psalms 91:1-2 ESV)

Blessings,

Ruthx

PS I like this post- CS Lewis on Coronavirus

You might also like ‘Calm for the anxious mind’

Waiting for the fog to rise

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We are blessed to live between the Lough & the Sea. So there’s often fog in the morning especially when the seasons are changing- from summer to autumn or winter to spring. A couple of mornings this week the fields surrounding our house were clothed in a layer of fog.

Fog can descend on our life too. Looming life changes, stressful events & current news headlines can reduce our clarity & vision. Even our excessive busyness or our poor choices can produce fog.

Fog descended quickly during my Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition in the Antrim Hills. We followed our path for a couple of hours, trusting our instinct rather than the compass. When the fog lifted, we were right back where we started, having wandered in some convoluted loop!

In this journey we call life, the Bible is our Compass & God is our True North!

So, if we feel like we’re muddling through the middle of fog:
‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.’
(Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV)

Sometimes (over)familiar words leave a deeper impression when we read them in a different way:
‘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)

‘When I took a long, careful look at your ways, I got my feet back on the trail you blazed.’
(Psalm 119:59-60 MSG)

In the fog we need to look to God rather than our feelings. We may feel frustrated, fearful & alone.

‘We must navigate by what we know is true no matter what we feel’
(Sheila Walsh)

When we are confused & uncertain in the fog, we can trust that God’s goodness & mercy are following us as we journey. We may need to slow down enough to sense this truth.

And,
‘Sometimes, it’s by walking into that very mist that we grow in ways we never would have otherwise.
Sometimes, it’s through what becomes the fog’s reprieve that we can appreciate the blaze of the sun.’
(Kara Lawler)

When we can’t see clearly because of the fog,
‘God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.’
(CH Spurgeon)

Last month I read through Genesis with She Reads Truth. We followed Joseph’s life through the unexpected fog of slavery & imprisonment. Yet, when the fog lifted,Joseph had the clarity to tell his brothers:
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”
(Genesis 50:20 NLT)

And at the end of his life traversing the fog of deception, wrestling & grief, Joseph’s father Jacob blessed him &said, “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)

We need to get to learn to trust our Great Good Shepherd:
‘So let us know and become personally acquainted with Him; let us press on to know and understand fully the [greatness of the] LORD [to honor, heed, and deeply cherish Him]. His appearing is prepared and is as certain as the dawn, And He will come to us [in salvation] like the [heavy] rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.’
(Hosea 6:3 AMP)

In the fog, we can turn our worries into prayers:
‘casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].’
(1 Peter 5:7 AMP)

We can dare to hope in the uncertain days when we can’t see clearly where our next step leads:
‘Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.’
(Lamentations 3:21-23 NLT)

‘And hope is what keeps you going in the fog’
(Emily P Freeman)

When the fog descends may we look away from ourselves & listen for the voice of our Shepherd- who knows us best yet loves us most.

And remember:
‘The fog always rises.’
(Kara Lawler)

Blessings,

Ruthx

A thrill of hope

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Hope was my word for the year. As we lived through 2020 it was easy to loose hope in the world & myself.

‘Here is the world.
Beautiful & terrible things will happen.
Don’t be afraid’
(Buechner)

I was reminded of hope as we listened to carols:
‘A thrill of hope
The weary world rejoices’
(O Holy Night)

And it’s true:
‘Without the weariness there is no thrill of hope’
(Shannon Martin)

God stepped into our weary world at just the right time.

‘Hope arrives, small & warm’
(Shannan Martin)

Hope wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger.

‘Because of Bethlehem-
Love is born
Hope is here’
(Max Lucado)

Hope has a Name & our hope is renewed when we trust Him.

‘Hope isn’t about about thinking something will get better. Hope is about believing Someone better is already here.’
(Ann Voskamp)

Hope saves us from our sin & ourselves.

Hope anchors & grounds us.

Hope lifts us & leads us.

‘This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary’
(Hebrews 6:19 NLT)

Hope is not lost in personal tragedy or trials.

Hope is not shaken by world events.

‘When everything shakes, God remains unshaken’
(Max Lucado)

The anchor in the storm. The constant in our chaos.

‘O Lord, let me not fear too much the storms & winds of my daily life & let me know that there is ebb & flow.. but that the sea remains the sea’
(Henri Nouwen)

We’re holding onto Hope.

‘Sometimes you don’t hold out much hope for tomorrow – only to find Hope Himself is already holding you now.’
(Ann Voskamp)

Yes, we’re holding onto Hope, but He’s holding onto us!

‘Tomorrow could bring beauty; it could bring heartache. But as I’ve been reminded, even in my darkest moments, Christ holds me fast. Each moment is laced with His grace.’
(Melissa Zaldivar-She Reads Truth)

‘The seasons change & you change, but the Lord abides evermore the same & the streams of His love are as deep, as broad & as full as ever’
(CH Spurgeon)

So, as we begin a new decade
‘Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future.      
(Robert H. Schuller)

‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.’
(Romans 15:13 ESV)

‘Hope now
Hope always’
(Psalm 131:3 MSG)

Blessings,

Ruthx

In-between Right Now & Not Yet

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Hope is my word for the year.

I’d almost forgotten all about it, but since September felt like a new beginning, hopeful thoughts were replenished.

I read about living hope:
‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead’
‭‭(1 Peter‬ ‭1:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

‘Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future.’
(1 Peter 1:4&5 MSG)

We have everything to live for:
‘Jesus said, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”
(John 10:10 MSG)

Through Jesus we have new life that never ends:
‘And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.’
(John 17:3 ESV)

And here & now we’re trusting & believing the promise that Jesus will return. Now we’re ‘waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
‭‭(Titus‬ ‭2:13‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

We have hope of eternal glory.

But not yet.

Just now, we may face

Life-altering diagnoses.

Life-shattering events.

Life-draining stresses.

But, ‘What is happening in your life just now is not going to last forever’ (Billy Graham)

‘In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.’
(1 Peter 1:6 NIV)

For a little while, we live in the space between the promise & its fulfillment.

For a little while, we live on planet earth:
‘What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.’
(James 4:14 NIV)

Just now, we wait for our living hope.

For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;”
(Hebrews 10:37 ESV)

C.S. Lewis wrote of Aslan’s return in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe:
‘Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.’

‘Is everything sad going to come untrue?’ Sam asked in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.

In a little while.

Not just now.

Not quite yet.

Just now, we’re in Narnia where it’s always winter & never Christmas. We long for Spring.

How long is this little while? It’s God’s perfect time & He works outside our time in eternity.

A little while is just a moment for the Ageless One to whom a thousand years are like a day.

It’ll be just the right time
‘You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.’
(Romans 5:6 NIV)

At Christmas, we celebrate ‘when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son’
(Galatians 4:4 NIV)

And in a little while, at just the right time, God the Son will return & truly be Immanuel (God with us)

‘And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
(Revelation 21:3 ESV)

Now we hold onto:

Faith
Hope
Love

Then,
All things will be made new.
Faith will turn to sight.
Hope will be fulfilled
Love will remain.

For God is love.

And God is forever.

God’s love flows from eternity past, grounded in grace.

This love makes the little while a little longer:
‘The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’
‭‭(2 Peter‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Till then, between here & now & not yet, dare to hope, for:
‘The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.’
‭‭(Lamentations‬ ‭3:21-23‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

For these inbetween days, Jesus said:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33 NIV)

‘Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God’
(J Oswald Sanders)

Between now & not yet,
For time & eternity
He will be our God forever
For He was before the beginning & after the ending.

And He promises:
‘Strength for today
And bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine,
With ten thousand beside
(Thomas Chisholm)

So, trust for a little while longer.

If you’re journeying through
Green pastures or dark valleys,
Still waters or stormy seas,
Hold onto Hope, for a little while longer

‘And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.’
(I Peter 5:10 NIV)

Blessings,

Ruth x

PS I’ve read the last page of The Book & it’s going to be ok:
‘He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.’
(Revelation 22:20-21 NIV)

Grace all the way from here to eternity.

Grace to carry us all the way from Just Now to Not Yet.

Amen!

Broken & blessed

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These days may feel like dark days in our families & our community. In our nation & across the globe.

There’s too much bad news to bear. A global pandemic. Unwanted diagnosis. Unexpected death.

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

We can look around & sigh. And conclude:
‘The world is broken. I am broken. And my need is dire.’
(Rebecca Reynolds)

‘We are all broken-that’s how the light gets in’ according to Hemingway. 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.

The Darkness seems deep yet flickers of light break through.

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

Evil feels like it’s crouching nearby, ever ready to pounce on Goodness.

Our earth is a groaning planet-earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, war.

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.

Rick Warren has spoken of how his wife Kay was diagnosed with breast cancer at the same that his book ‘The purpose driven life’ was becoming a bestseller.

I listened to an audio-version of Rick’s wife’s book ‘Choose joy for happiness isn’t enough’Her words feel even more poignant since the tragic news that their son committed suicide. In the book, Kay describes joy & sorrow like parallel tracks on the railway of life.

Lisa Harper wrote:
‘Delight and despair absolutely coexist. They ebb and flow like the tides. Circumstances may prompt one to rise to the occasion and eclipse the other for a while.’

I too am convinced that joy & sorrow, love & suffering, peace & pain are inextricably linked –but 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 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:

‘You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in your book?’
(Psalms 56:8NASB)

‘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.’
(Psalm 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 storm- even when our hearts are torn’ (Casting crowns) 

God brings blessing to our dark days. And often, the greatest blessings 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.

As Laura Story wrote:
‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise’

I listened to that song on repeat during days of dreadful diagnoses & life threatening surgery in our family & pondered:

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?

God’s tender mercies & gentle blessings come even {maybe especially} when everything feels broken:

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
His presence forever
And ever!

{Amen}

Blessings,

Ruthx

The last photo

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I wish I could post the last photo-but it was only allowed to be taken if I promised not to. I wasn’t allowed to take a photo of their first day back at school in the Autumn, but we made an agreement back then that I could take a photo of their last day at school together (before both finished for study leave & one leaves school forever)

I nearly forgot- but realised just in time that Friday was that last day. My teenagers dutifully stood side by side on the front step- as they have done many times before wearing their school uniforms. The moment was digitally recorded & I promised again that there would be no sharenting.

This significant event almost passed without acknowledgement.

As we walked along Knockinelder Beach that evening, we talked about how parents mark their childrens’ firsts

*First tooth

*First steps

*First shoes

*First word

*First birthday with cake & candle

*First day at school

*First wobbly ride on the bike sans stabilisers

We applaud these first milestones & the happy memories that coincide.

But the lasts go unrecognised.

There was a day when I picked up & carried my children for the final time and then never lifted them up again.And I have no recollection of that moment.

Or of other finales:

*The last bed time story

*The last pair of Doodle shoes or red check summer dress

*The last McFlurry between school pickups

The lasts sweep by because we don’t grasp the significance of the moment.

Of course the lasts & firsts are part of life & as our children grow there’s different firsts to celebrate eg first time driving

I don’t cope well with change & can get sentimental about the cute memories of the past (yet I’m very proud of the two teenagers that I’m blessed to call mine!)

It’s grounding to know that God is beyond all of our firsts & lasts. He is Alpha & Omega. He is the Ancient of Days- present from before He created time.

He is before & after all:
‘From life’s first cry to final breath’
(Getty)

We read the anchoring words of Psalm 90 in church last Sunday:

‘Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.’
‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭90:1-2‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Our life is like a droplet in the oceans of eternity.

God can help us to make the most of our time, to redeem it & make it count.

‘Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.’
‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭90:12‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Carpe Diem- Seize the day!

Blessings,

Ruthx

PS You might also like Memos to myself & Captured Time

Give me your eyes

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Apparently,’The eyes are the mirror of the soul'(Yiddish proverb)

The missionary Amy Carmichael famously prayed that God would change her brown eyes to blue. He didn’t – for good reason.

Often our eyes betray our true emotions, so when Irish eyes are smiling, our hearts are smiling too!

One of my best discoveries in recent years has been trail running. I love running through nature, listening to God-songs. The song ‘Give me your eyes’ by Brandon Heath is on my ‘On the run’ playlist. These words challenge me every time:

‘Give me your eyes for just one second.
Give me your eyes so I can see,
Everything that I keep missing,
Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted,
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten,
Give me your eyes so I can see’

Wow! Imagine having God’s vision for even just one second! Imagine being granted a brief moment to truly see others & get a glimpse of their reality through the lens of His penetrating gaze & his heart of love.

Yet, looking beyond ourselves & even glancing at others & considering their wishes at all is so counter- cultural to society’s norm.

God’s eyes look beyond polished exteriors & designer clothes to the heart- the reality deep within, the attitude of the heart & the burdens carried there.

For,’The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’(1 Samuel 16:7)

Our God is the God who really, truly,deeply sees directly into our heart & souls. Hagar had fled, barefoot & pregnant from her unbearable situation. She was found by the Angel of the Lord in the desert. Hagar gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13 NIV)

‘Eyes are the home of silent prayers’ (Alfred Tennyson) & God saw through Hagar’s eyes, into her heart, & answered her unspoken prayers.

Sometimes, as we meander through life, we have our eyes wide shut!

It’s true that ‘People only see what they are prepared to see’ (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

So,what will we choose to see?

We can get distracted by eye candy – attractive, dazzling sights-photos & advertisements that disappear from our screens & visual fields too quickly.

To have God’s vision & perspective, we need to set our eyes on Jesus.We need to focus on ‘fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.’ (Hebrews 12:2 NIV)

Jesus, God the Son, could also truly,deeply see into lives.‘When He saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed & helpless, like sheep without a shepherd’ (Matthew 9:36) The Message says that His heart broke, as He saw how confused & aimless the people were.

‘Keep the Son in your eyes’- a T-shirt slogan exclaimed last summer!

If we have Jesus in our eyes, if we see through His eyes, we will even be able to ‘Look at annoying people with imaginative love'(Carolyn Simon)

With His perspective, we can see beyond angular personalities & prickly people, through the lens of His love & grace.

For,’The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes’
(French Novelist Marcel Proust)

‘For beautiful eyes look for the good in others’ (Audrey Hepburn)

‘See need
Show hope
Know joy’
(Slogan for Show Hope)

Blessings,

Ruthx