Tag: journey

My bothy

curlysue028

–A refuge for the troubled mind

I’d completely forgotten the word bothy until we discovered Bothy Coffee this summer.

In Scotland Bothy means a small hut that walkers can shelter in eg Ernie’s Bothy in Balmoral Estate or closer to home Salt Island Bothy on Strangford Lough is accessible by canoe

I like the idea of a bothy- somewhere to shelter in the mountains or by the Lough 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)

‘You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.’
(Psalms 119:114 ESV)

And His Word is trustworthy:
‘This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.’
(Psalms 18:30 ESV)

‘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)

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 child- tear-stained & heavy-hearted in the bothy.

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

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)

Blessings

Ruthx

*Photo – Mountain Hut in Lauterbrunnen taken by Rob

Running toward rainbows

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I hadn’t ran for over 3 weeks due to an injury so I was determined to lace up my ASICS & get going. The clouds over Strangford Lough at the Narrows looked threatening. Usually I feel blessed to live & work in an area of outstanding natural beauty. But that day I felt overwhelmed & annoyed at myself that I’d been clumsy enough to fall. And annoyed that I still had a niggling pain in my left shin even after 3 weeks relative rest! Sure enough the rain fell. But I didn’t mind getting wet, I just wanted to feel more relaxed!

Then, I looked up & a rainbow appeared between the clouds & rain! It was such a powerful reminder of God’s presence on a very ordinary Tuesday in August!

As you know, the first rainbow appeared after the flood, after the ark rested & the water subsided.

In the calm after the storm God said “Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
(Genesis 9:16 NIV)

The rainbow is a reminder of God’s promises in the storms of life, & the aftermath that ensues. It is a visual reminder that we can hold on to hope in the worst of times.

‘His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises’
(2 Peter 1:3-4 NIV)

There are so many great & precious promises:

*The promise of adoption into God’s family, if we believe:

‘Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God’
(John 1:12 NIV)

*The promise of relationship:

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
(Revelation 3:20 NIV)

*The promise of strength:

‘but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.’
(Isaiah 40:31 NIV)

*The promise of His presence:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
(Isaiah 41:10 NIV)

*The promise of His presence, no matter what:

“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. 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 GOD, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior.”
(Isaiah 43:2-3MSG)

*The promise of His presence, always:

‘God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.”
(Hebrews 13:5-6 NIV)

*The promise of sustaining grace:

‘Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.’
(Psalm 55:22 NIV)

*The promise of a future:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
(Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV)

*The promise of guidance:

‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.’
(Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)

Which promises are most precious to you?

Whatever this week brings, run toward rainbows for:
‘His every promise is enough for every step I take’
(Keith & Kristyn Getty)

Blessings,

Ruth x

PS Edited from a post originally on http://www.blessedme.co.uk

Start well

curlysue028

There are two types of people on this planet- those who are morning people, & those who are not! You either rise & shine or slumber & snooze. In the past I was definitely an owl rather than a lark..

So, I was intrigued to read:
‘The first hour is the rudder of the day.’
(Henry Ward Beecher)

I was also fascinated by the number of times the Gospel writers record that Jesus got up early to spend time with His Father e.g. Mark records, ‘Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.’
(Mark 1:35 NIV)

The challenge of course is that if Jesus, God the Son found it necessary to begin the day with His Father,how much more do we as mere mortals, & saved sinners need to begin our days with God?

I do believe I should begin my day with God but as I said initially I’m not naturally a morning person. I struggle with getting up early enough & hit snooze repeatedly in a dozy state.

I’ll sadly admit, I’ve only managed to start my day with God consistently for two periods in my life. The first time was at university in Dundee when I chose to get up early on a Monday morning to attend the DUCU prayer meeting. The last time was for several months after the New Horizons conference, triggered by pledging to pray for Iraq at 6:45am. But after a trip away from home I defaulted back to my old ways.

I am now trying to reform this habit. I believe its an important habit for me to re-establish.

‘Habits are the invisible architecture of daily life.’
(Gretchen Rubin-Better than Before)

I was challenged by these two clarion calls from yesteryear:

‘Let God’s voice be the first we hear in the morning’ ( M’Cheyne)

‘Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him.’
(Hudson Taylor)

The tasks & tempo of life vary with what season of life we are in. But whatever stage of life you are at, it will always be challenging to create the time you need to start well each day.

‘The constant sensory input from all sides is gently addictive-we become used to being entertained and diverted, and it is difficult to carve out the spaces and silence necessary for serious and thoughtful reading of scripture’

This was written by DA Carson in 1998 in the preface of his book For the love of God.This was written before Twitter, Facebook & iPhones. How much more input bombards us now!

The fact that I often chose to begin my day with Facebook rather than communing with the King of the Universe is a sign of how broken I am. I am truly grateful that God Isn’t Finished With Me Yet!

Our lives need to be infused with God’s Word.

Our souls need His truth as an anchor.

‘The soul responds to space, silence, and Jesus.’
(Emily Freeman )

There really is no substitute for time alone with God.

This past week I have been reading about Moses’ relationship with God:
‘The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.’
(Exodus 33:11)

‘When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.’
(Exodus 34:29)

Our faces may not visibly glow after time with God, but the positive after-effects will radiate out to affect our daily lives.

‘Let’s remember to exchange whispers with God before shouts with the world this morning. Let’s take a moment to pause. Get into God’s Word and let it get into us. Before the craziness of another day begins, before checking our phone for text messages, before logging onto our computer…let’s soak in the life-giving truth of God’s Word’
(Lysa TerKeurst-The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands)

I love that idea-whispers with God before shouts with the world.

‘When I begin the day with God’s word, with silence, with a grounding sense of his love for me, then I find it’s easier to bring those things with me throughout the day, and it’s harder for me to locate them if I didn’t pause with them at the start. So let’s begin together. Let’s savor this day’
(Shauna Niequist)

To truly savour each day we need to nourish our souls with unhurried uninterrupted time with God. We must be intentional in removing distractions & creating soul space so we can hear the still small voice of God.

This quiet time is not an empty ritual but a relationship- one to One with God. He sees our hearts & knows our true attitude. Yet He still loves us & desires to spend time with us, that we might know Him.

Starting well requires discipline- from the moment we chose to go to bed & the time we chose to set alarm for.

Some simple steps to starting well:

•Get to bed early
•Set the alarm at a time that allows enough time
•Don’t hit snooze
•Get organized- keep a Bible & whatever else you need in one place
•Read the Bible before you read anything else
•Talk to God before anyone else
•Keep your phone in another room during Quiet Time

If we are intentional with our time with God, He has promised that He will meet with us:
‘Draw near to God & He will draw near to you (James 4:8)

‘This is always the realest, hardest, truest thing — the exhaling relief:you can always have as much of God as you want.’
(Ann Voskamp)

‘Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.’
(Psalm 143:8 ESV)

Blessings,

Ruthx

This was originally posted at http://www.blessedme.co.uk & I’m still working on my morning routine!

Excess baggage

curlysue028

‘He who would travel happily must travel light.’
(Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

We’re just back from holiday. We camped in Austria, Switzerland & Italy. Rather than turning up at Eurocamps where the tent (& everything you might need!) is waiting for you, we decided to bring our tents & camping stuff with us. The added challenge was keeping to the Ryanair Family Plus baggage allowance!

We just about managed & as we made our way through security I was reminded how much things had changed since our honeymoon 21years ago. Back in those days we had bought a large terracotta planter & jar. They had to be placed in the cockpit with the pilot!

Last year, Caris bought a flowering cactus at the Flower Market in Amsterdam. It travelled with us on the rest of the Road Trip & made it home to bloom in NI!

I’m learning the skill of packing what is truly essential for road trips. But it’s much more difficult to reduce the excess baggage as we journey through life.

In the past, I’ve listened to the audiobook ‘Packing Light: Thoughts on Living Life with Less Baggage‘ by Allison Vesterfelt. This tells the story how Allison packed away her unnecessary possessions & crammed the essentials into her car to tour all fifty two states of America. In the book Alison shares insights gleaned along the highways:
“A special kind of simplicity happens when you leave behind all things unnecessary, and even some necessary ones. There is no noise, no chaotic motion—just silence. All of a sudden feelings start to rise to the surface you didn’t even know you had. You start to think thoughts you didn’t realize you were capable of thinking.”

So where can we leave the unnecessary excess baggage that’s weighing us down on this journey of life? How can we get rid of the bricks in our rucksacks?

I love the picture in Pilgrims’ Progress of Pilgrim’s burden falling away at the cross. The forgiveness of God alleviates our heaviest baggage- our sin & gives us freedom to travel lightly.

After I trusted Jesus to forgive my sin during Easter 1988, I remember singing Charles Wesley’s words with all the gusto I could muster:
‘My chains fell off
My heart was free’

God’s grace ushered in a lightness in my spirit. The weight of condemnation had been dealt with & my broken relationship with my Creator was restored.

But as time goes by, we gather baggage.It’s all to easy to pick up burdens we were never meant to carry. We can bear heavy bundles from our past, emotional baggage caused by anxiety, failure, regret or inadequacy. Their constant weight can hinder us in our onward journey.

I hate self-service checkouts. I mean- what is the point? We need assistance from the store staff 90% of the time,especially when the till declares ‘unexpected item in baggage area’ In life sometimes memories or situations load unexpected baggage onto us.

We need to retrace our steps back to the feet of Jesus & lay our burdens down. We can leave yesterday’s regrets, today’s pressures & responsibilities & tomorrow’s worries with Him.

‘Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden’
(Corrie Ten Boom)

When it comes to achieving balance & travelling light we need the help of the One who holds the whole world in His hands. When we feel like we’re juggling umpteen balls in the air, we need to look to our Creator God who keeps our solar system & light years beyond in orbit. We need to trust Him to deal with our baggage. Relief comes when we give our baggage to God to carry.

‘Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.’
(Psalm 55:22 NIV)

‘Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.’
(1 Peter 5:7 ESV)

‘I wonder how much of what weighs me down is not mine to carry?’ (Live life happy) That’s a good question!

Jesus said,“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
(Matthew 11:28-29 ESV)

I’ve been reminiscing with vintage Don Francisco songs this week. These words can soothe our burdened soul:
‘If you’re tired and weary
Weak and heavy laden
I can understand how
It feels to be alone
I will take your burden
If you’ll let Me love you
Wrap My arms around you
Give your heart a home’

‘So I will lay down my struggles
I will lay down my shame
All the fear I drag around through this life
like a ball and chain
(All my questions and confusion)
I will sing Hallelujah to the One who sets me free
And you will find me at the feet of Jesus’
(Steven Curtis Chapman)

Blessings,

Ruthx

PS You May like this article Emotional Baggage & Max Lucado’s book Travelling Light

Rear view mirrors

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I rarely look in a rear view mirror in our VW van. I never drive it at home or on holiday (Those who know me best know that driving or should I say parking isn’t a strong point!)

But for some reason, somewhere between Nenzing & Kitzbuhl, between tobogganing & Swarovski crystal (while Rob was driving in record breaking temperatures) I looked in the rear view mirror. In it I saw an Alpine mountain range that we’d driven by without realising it. I took the photo (above) but it doesn’t truly capture the grandeur of the scenery!

The rear-view mirror showed views that I would have otherwise missed. It gave a different perspective on the journey.

Oftentimes, we don’t realise how far we have journeyed till we look back. It’s never a good idea to dwell in the past (especially if hurt, regret & other damaging emotions live there) but looking in life’s rear view mirror can be positive & beneficial.

‘The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us, & we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, & we only know them when they are gone’
(George Eliot- Scenes of a clerical life)

Moments whizz by. Summer days go too quickly. Holidays are fading into the background behind us.

After happy times, we can look back at memories created & remember where we’ve been! As the saying goes, ‘Don’t cry because it’s over- smile because it’s happened!’

Even in challenging times, reflection brings clarity.

As teenagers await their A level results I was reminded again of that stage in my own life when things didn’t go as {I’d} planned. I ended up in Dundee- the right place for me to be, where I met great friends & my husband!

We can trace God’s grace as we look back:
“I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse.”
(Philip Yancey)

Anniversary celebrations this week cause me to look in life’s rear view mirror back over two decades years of marriage. It’s a while since we’ve listened to ‘I could never promise you‘ by Don Francisco. This vintage Christian song was sung by two of our bridesmaids Sharon & Joanne on our wedding day:
‘I could never promise you on just my strength alone,
That all my life I’d care for you, and love you as my own.
I’ve never known the future, I only see today,
Words that last a lifetime would be more than I could say.
But the love inside my heart today is more than mine alone.
It never changes, it never fails, never seeks it’s own.
And by the God who gives it, and who lives in me and you
I know the words I speak today are words I’m going to do’

When I look in the rear view mirror, of a great marriage, I am reminded that we wouldn’t have got through sickness & trials, & the unexpected twists & turns of life without God. Promises & human love aren’t strong enough,but:
‘A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.’
(Ecclesiastes 4:12 NIV)

In my Bible reading today, I read how Samuel led the Israelites in victory over the Philistines. He then paused & looked back.
‘Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”’
(1 Samuel 7:12 NIV)

We may not place stones along the wayside. But we can record God’s provision in a journal! We can pause & trace His grace along this journey we call life. We can cultivate a grateful heart.

Even when we don’t like the view in reverse any better than when we were living through it, we can pour out our feelings to God. Even if the rear view mirror smashes in frustration or anger,we can give all the pieces to God.

‘He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.’
(Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV)

Whether we are traveling through green pastures, by still waters or through dark valleys, if we gaze in life’s rear view mirror long enough, we will see the goodness & love of our Shepherd-God following us.

‘Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’
(Psalm 23:6 NIV)

‘I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side’
(Chris Tomlin)

Blessings,

Ruthx

Edited from original post at http://www.blessedme.co.uk

Decluttering our mind

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Every week I see posts and advertisements about decluttering our homes

Marie Kondo’s book ‘Spark joy’ guides us to get rid of items that don’t.

Josh Becker ‘The more of less: finding the life you want under everything you own’ inspires us to clear the clutter.

It’s a good idea to get rid of unwanted items & sort the mess in our homes. But what about our minds?

My introverted mind is never quiet. There’s constant mental chatter. My mind rarely feels tidy or sorted.

Thoughts collide & merge like black scribbles in my brain.

There’s just so much to take in ..that I don’t actually have to!

‘Information overload keeps us mired in noise…. This saps us of not only willpower (of which we have a limited store) but creativity as well.’
(Daniel Levitrin)

‘We don’t have the capacity to handle all the input that’s catapulted at us day in and day out.’ (Marian Vischer)

Before long, distracted thinking leads to distorted thinking. Emotions like anxiety anger, resentment, regret compound the issue.

There’s so much mental clutter. I may resolve to sort things but it’s like I’m still carrying things around in mind. Like how black bags of charity shop donations stockpile in the corner- or in the boot of my car.

Worry & overthinking just adds more overflowing bin bags to the pile.

Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism says: ‘We need space to escape in order to discern the essential few from the trivial many. Unfortunately, in our time-starved era we don’t get that space by default—only by design.’

We don’t have the mental bandwidth to deal with everything. We have a choice & we need to curate our thoughts. We need room in our minds to think clearly.

‘The mind feasts on what it focuses on. What consumes my thinking will be the making or breaking of my identity’
(Lysa Terkheurst)

We need to focus on our thoughts.

‘We should start choosing our thoughts like we choose our clothes for the day.’
(Farnoosh Brock)

We always have a choice & we must choose wisely:
‘The soul becomes dyed by the colour of its thoughts’
(Marcus Aurelius)

‘Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.’
‭‭(Proverbs‬ ‭4:23‬ ‭NCV‬‬)

That’s too true.

Peter Pan urged ‘Think happy thoughts!’

If only it was as simple as that. Banish the bad thoughts & usher in bright ones!

We need to move from the mind candy of distractions & screen scrolling to nourishing brain food.

‘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)

We need to renew our minds:
‘Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.’
(‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:2‬)

While it is God who can change our way of thinking, we can play our part:
‘You can be the air traffic controller of your mental airport. You occupy the control tower and can direct the mental traffic of your world!’
(Max Lucado- Anxious for Nothing!)

We can create mind space by shifting worrying thoughts- turning our cares into prayers:
‘Don’t fret or worry.
Instead of worrying, pray.
Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.
Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.
It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.’
‭‭(Philippians‬ ‭4:6-7‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

I love that image of Christ displacing worry in our life. He can settle our minds & calm our thoughts when we trust Him.

How can we declutter our minds?

*Create mind space- allow your thoughts to marinate- when it’s just you & your thoughts- no music/podcasts/radio/TV. Maybe go for a walk unplugged!

*Have a thought download -clear your mind by listing what thoughts are consuming it now. Write it down.

*Reduce input -unsubscribe & limit scrolling

*Anchor your distracted mind by reading truth- like the verses mentioned above.

Blessings,

Ruthx

Healthy body, healthy soul

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When I’m running, I always wear ASICS trainers! ASICS are recommended by podiatrists & favoured by runners everywhere! (Apparently there’s been at least one pair of ASICS on the winner’s podium of every Olympic marathon!)

The brand ASICS is an acronym for the Latin phrase ‘anima sana in corpore sano’

It means a ‘healthy soul in a healthy body’

That sounds like idyllic perfection! But it’s not a new concept. In the New Testament John wrote:

‘I pray that you may prosper in every way and that your body may keep well, even as I know your soul keeps well and prospers’ (3 John 3 -AMP)

We are familiar with the concept of a healthy body. And, it is important to look after our bodies. Paul reminded Christians in Corinth ‘Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives among you?’ (1 Corinthians 3:16 NIVUK)

Just as we look after our bodies, we need to tend to our souls.

We expend a lot of effort & energy on our bodies-diet & exercise & of course clothes, hair & make-up . However, in our instant, modern world, a healthy soul is a somewhat more abstract, alien concept!

CS Lewis said, ‘You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body’

Our bodies are our outer wrapping. Our souls are the very essence of our being.

But truthfully, most of us spend very little time thinking about our souls. But we’ve missed the point if we focus only on our bodies, that last only for our brief lifetime of ‘3 score year&10’

Jesus said,
‘What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?’
(Mark 8:36 &37 NIV)

We cannot ignore & overlook our eternal souls. For nothing is worth more than our soul. Our soul is the part of us that goes on forever & ever. Our soul is immortal. It has everlasting, eternal value.

The Bible says ‘He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart’ (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV)

He has planted the seed of eternity in us. Our life & our time here on earth is like a water droplet compared to the vast ocean of eternity. After death, our soul lives on forever, either with God, in heaven, or without Him, in torment. That’s not a popular or PC statement, but it’s what God says in the Bible.

‘Life is the soul’s nursery, its training place for the destinies of eternity’ (William Makepeace Thackeray)

Each of us are created for eternity. CS Lewis wrote ‘If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world’

We are made in God’s image. Each of us have a God shaped hole at our core, in our souls- a space that only He can fill. Deep within us all there is a longing, a restless yearning, that nothing or no-one but the Eternal God can satisfy.

St Augustine said,‘ Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee’

In the beginning we were created perfect in body, mind & soul. The world was an idyllic perfect paradise. But our human souls were darkened, forever tainted & stained by sin, back in the Garden of Eden, as a result of disobedience. Only God redeem & restore our soul.

God said,
“Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.”
(Isaiah 45:22)

The Bible says ‘Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.’ (John 17:3 NIV) For, God wants us to ‘seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.’ (Acts 17:27 NIV)

Maybe in the past, you did turn to God in faith. Maybe over time, life has got cluttered, your soul has been distracted. God desires to have a close relationship with you again:

God says ‘I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” (Isaiah 44:22) So, ‘Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.’ (Lamentations 3:40)

But once we have turned, or returned to God,how do we nourish our souls?

‘Faith and prayer are the vitamins of the soul; man cannot live in health without them’ (Mahalia Jackson)

In Jeremiah 17:7-8 the Bible says:
‘But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.’

What a lovely picture of vitality! If we nourish our souls, our whole lives will flourish from the core of who we are, from who we were created to be!

Jesus said in John 15, “Remain in Me” or “Abide in me” –like the vine & its branches. Staying close to God is the key to a healthy soul.

Close to Him, our soul flourishes & we are vibrant & fruitful.

Apart from Him, we can do nothing- like a dry twig lying on the ground, separated from the main plant.

Jesus also said, “Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (Matt 11:28-30 MSG)

Those soothing verses are like a spa for the soul!

We can make our own individual choices for a healthy body, but a healthy soul comes from turning to God, abiding in Him & finding true rest there. God alone can restore & redeem our souls-after all it was He who created us & planted eternity within.

‘The soul, like the body, lives by what it feeds on’ (Josiah Gilbert Holland) So, we need to make time, & spend time feeding our souls. For, ‘Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul’ (Dorothy Day)

Psalm 1 echoes the sentiments of the verses in Jeremiah. It mentions those ‘whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night’ (v2) ‘That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.’(v3)

We need to ‘delight’ in God’s Word- to soak in His truth & replenish our spiritual energy by faith & prayer. If we nourish our souls by being in a relationship with God, our whole lives will flourish. We will be the person we were created to be.

So,‘I pray that you may prosper in every way and that your body may keep well, even as I know your soul keeps well and prospers’ (3 John 3 -AMP)

Blessings,

Ruth x

Fashionably Busy

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Have you noticed “busy” is the new “fine”?

People ask “How are you?” We answer “Busy” or “Busy as always!”

And it’s true- we’re busier than ever before. Even before the school routine is up & running after summer, I feel like I’m scrambling to keep on top of work responsibilities. Time spent working is mushrooming out of my control. Like many, I’m drowning in a sea of paperwork! We often are so busy we feel dizzy & weighed down by pressure!

‘Beware the barrenness of a busy life’ urges Socrates

‘Busy is not the same as productive’ states minimalist Joshua Becker

We’ve got to face facts-there’s never going to be more hours in the day.Twenty four hours are available, & that’s it.

The challenge is to re-orientate our days & maximise our time.

We crave the utopia of life-work balance. To achieve it, we must look to the One who keeps planets in orbit -our Creator God who made the world then rested.

How can we maximise our time?

Seek God first

‘Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.’
(1 Chronicles 16:11 NIV)

In quiet moments with God, consider:
*What has God given you to do?
*What is your assignment from Him?
*Are you where God wants you to be?

If you honestly answer these questions, I suspect you’ll either feel a calm assurance or an unsettling realization that something has to change.

At the Worldwide Convention, I heard Jamie Taylor (great-great grandson of Hudson Taylor) ask:
‘How is God using your profession as a profession of faith?’

‘Your career is what you’re paid for.
Your calling is what you’re made for’
(Holly Gerth)

Once you discover your God-given assignment, don’t hide from it (like Saul who hid in the baggage when Samuel was choosing the first king- see I Sam 10)

Samuel later urged Saul:
“But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.”
(1 Samuel 12:24 NIV)

Whatever you do pray

Samuel’s challenging last words to Saul were:
“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you”
(1 Samuel 12:23 NIV)

We can pray about our day ahead, our family, friends & co-workers. We can talk to God about our pressures & frustrations.

Make good choices

In her devotional book Savor, Shauna Niequist encouraged me to make a list of things I do & things I don’t do. This helped bring clarity to what I should agree to, & things I should decline.

‘Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t matter’ (Francis Chan)

Make time for healthy habits

If we are to stay well enough to accomplish what we’re meant to, we need to eat well & get adequate rest. We need to carve out time for exercise. For me- preferably in the great outdoors. There’s nothing like connecting with creation to clear the mind!

Cut out distractions

“It is impossible to do everything people want you to do. You have just enough time to do God’s will. If you can’t get it all done, it means you’re trying to do more than God intended for you to do (or, possibly, that you’re watching too much television.”
(Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life)

We all need to relax & unwind at times. But, we all waste time. Maybe you binge-watch TV? Perhaps, like me, you’re busy surfing (the net) On 24th August 2017,there were 1 billion Facebook users in a single day!

“One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time.”
Hard hitting words from John Piper

Like David, we can pray:
“Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”
(Psalm 119:37 NIV)

Just do it!

So, as we start another week, in our unique God-given assignments :
‘My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.’ (Colossians 2:6, 7 MSG)

And remember, you don’t have to complete your assignment alone, God is with you & will give you the strength you need:
‘We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.’
(Colossians 1:12 MSG)

Blessings,

Ruth x

The adventure begins

curlysue028

Adventure– definition: ‘an unusual and exciting or daring experience.’
Synonyms: exploit,escapade,experience,
‘but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.’
‭‭(Daniel‬ ‭11:32‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

I was walking across Conway Square en route to Caffè Nero for a caffeine boost.

I glanced to my right. A t-shirt in the shop window said ‘It isn’t an adventure till something goes wrong!’

I smiled. It’s true! I smiled more as thoughts of real life examples proved its truth.

Like the time Before Children when our hired car suddenly started smoking like a dragon – in the picturesque village of Macugnaga near Monte Rosa in the Italian Alps. Right in front of their annual parade. ‘Rapido! Rapido!’ the Italian police man roared- his main concern was clearing the obstruction rather than our safety the smoking car! The parade was interrupted for a few minutes- our holiday was interrupted for a few days!

A hitch hike down the valley, a train journey to Orta followed by a 2 mile walk to the villa ended the day. Then a few days of negotiations with the hire car company!

Or the time we were travelling to Eilean Donan castle. We stopped at a picture-perfect Inn complete with a majestic stag & snow-capped mountain outside. We ordered breakfast & without any shaking or warning Ethan’s ketchup exploded over his face & the walls & curtains of the dining area.

Or last year when the aircon in our campervan broke right at the start of our summer road trip. Instead of driving south toward Italy we turned left & kept going to Copenhagen! Sometimes you have to embrace the detour!

Yeah- it’s not an adventure till something goes wrong!

When I was a student in Dundee, I used a devotional book called ‘Adventure with God’ I liked that idea- doing life as an adventure with God. Back then life was ordered & contained. Studying & time with friends. Minimal responsibility ( though I don’t think I appreciated the lightness of this) Days were bright & carefree

Steven Curtis Chapman wrote this song –The Great Adventure:
‘Saddle up your horses
We’ve got a trail to blaze
Through the wild blue yonder of God’s Amazing grace
Let’s follow our leader into the Glorious unknown
This is the life like no other
This is the great adventure’

I’ve heard him sing it in concert- it’s got a feel-good country n western vibe. I was reminded again of the song as I’m reading his biography Between heaven & the real world.And it’s a great image- trail-blazing through life in God’s amazing grace.

‘In the surety of God’s love we can let up on the reins of our everyday, and enjoy the panoramic view of his covenantal faithfulness, stretching as far as the eye can see’ (Amanda Bible Williams-She Reads Truth)

As we travel along this journey called life, God will guide us through lush green pastures & verdant valleys with pleasant vistas to the mountain tops where we gasp at the grandeur of His Grace.

But it isn’t an adventure until something goes wrong!

‘All who sail the sea of faith
Find out before too long
How quickly blue skies can grow dark
And gentle winds grow strong’
(Scott Krippayne)

During halcyon days disaster can strike.
An unexpected phonecall.
A sudden illness.
An unwanted label.
The end of a relationship.
Bad things happening to good people.
Life interrupted.

Storms can hit our life in different ways at different times- altering its course but ‘Smooth seas don’t make for skilful sailors’ (African Proverb)

In this adventure called life, God never promised to take away the storm but to be with us in it:
‘Sometimes He calms the storm
With a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea
But it doesn’t mean He will’
(Scott Krippayne)

‘Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea— the Lord on high is mighty.’
‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭93:4‬ ‭NIV)

‘Sometimes He holds us close
And lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times He calms His child’
(Scott Krippayne)

In the dark days, in days of difficulty & lament, in this life we live as an adventure with God, we can declare:
‘This is not where we planned to be
When we started this journey
But this is where we are
And our God is in control’

Steven Curtis Chapman wrote these poignant words after his daughter Maria died in a tragic accident at their home:
‘This is not how it should be
This is not how it could be
This is how it is
And our God is in control’

No matter what, God is Sovereign. He is in control of our adventure with Him. He is with us in the trials & these may even bring us closer to Him.

Charles Spurgeon wrote “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.”

Painfully challenging words.

Dave Furman has written a book entitled ‘Kiss the wave: Embracing God in your suffering’ He is a pastor in Dubai who has suffered debilitating nerve pain for years. His wife Gloria wrote this blog. Watch this short video about Dave’s story.

In our adventure with God, He is present with us in the dark chapters.
‘Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.’
(‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23:4 NLT)

‘Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.’
(John Newton)

‘God takes us where we did not intend to go to produce in us that which we could not produce on our own. It’s called uncomfortable grace.’
(Paul Tripp)

In this great adventure called life we are never alone. It might not feel OK (it might never feel ok) but He is there.

‘God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.’
‭‭(Hebrews‬ ‭13:5-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

No matter what chapter we’re in – still waters, green pastures or the valley of dark shadows He is with us.

As we trek through this adventure called life, God says:
“Don’t be afraid,
I’ve redeemed you.
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 GOD,
your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.”
(Isaiah 43:2-3MSG)

‘Maybe it’s here in the waiting
that you learn to get lost:
lost in the adventure of learning to know Him more
because you know that whatever happens,
He has wonderful things in store.
And even when it’s hard
It’s worth waiting for’
(Morgan Harper Nichols)

‘Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations’ (unknown)

Blessings,

Ruthx

Believe

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Believe
verb– accept that (something) is true, to have confidence in the truth

‘Be who you are, and not who you think you cannot be.’
(Claire Díaz-Ortiz, The Better Life: Small Things You Can Do Right Where You Are)

Maybe you are different to me & made of stronger stuff. But my mind gets clouded quickly.I can forget easily.

I mean, I can accept this as fact on a mellow Sunday afternoon:

I am a child of God. Abba’s child.

But the truth can evaporate quickly when the reality of a Monday morning kicks in before my coffee does. Or when I’m triggered & my short fuse blows. Big time.When I’m the worst version of myself. When I fail even by my standards. When can’t even love me- let alone anyone else.

Yet, even when I think I’m doing well, my efforts will never be good enough- ‘for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (Romans‬ ‭3:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬) ‘We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags’
‭‭(Isaiah‬ ‭64:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

The only thing we bring to the equation of salvation is our sin.

But God… {perhaps the biggest BUT in time & eternity}:
‘But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’
(‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭NIV)

‘It’s not about our character- it’s about His’ (Michele Cushatt)

We need to preach this Gospel to ourselves- often.

‘God loves you unconditionally, as you are and not as you should be, because nobody is as they should be.’ (Brennan Manning)

‘God’s love is not based on you but placed on you’
(Lysa Terkheurst)

Thankfully our relationship with God is based on His eternal love, amazing mercy & audacious grace.

Not our feelings & failings.
Not our best efforts.
But God stepping in with love,mercy & grace.

I am His & He is mine

Fully known yet forever loved

I am a child of God.

Abba Father, I do believe. Help my unbelief.

For, ‘faith is the art of holding on to things in spite of your changing moods and circumstances.’
(CS Lewis )

Abba Father, we trust in You. It’s all about You:
‘Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.’
‭‭(Romans‬ ‭3:23&24‬ ‭MSG)

‘Through Him we also have access by faith into this [remarkable state of] grace in which we [firmly and safely and securely] stand. Let us rejoice in our hope and the confident assurance of [experiencing and enjoying] the glory of [our great] God [the manifestation of His excellence and power].’
(ROMANS‬ ‭5:2‬ ‭AMP‬‬)

We are truly loved by God‬‬. If we began to grasp & believed the enormity of this truth, it could make all the difference in the world.

‘Sooner or later we must distinguish between what we are not and what we are. We must accept the fact that we are not what we would like to be. We must cast off our false, exterior self like the cheap and showy garment that it is .We must find our real self, in all its elemental poverty, but also in its great and very simple dignity: created to be the child of God, and capable of loving with something of God’s own sincerity and his unselfishness.’
(Thomas Merton)

‘You have stories worth telling, memories worth remembering, dreams worth working toward, a body worth feeding, a soul worth tending, and beyond that, the God of the universe dwells within you, the true culmination of super and natural. You are more than dust and bones. You are spirit and power and image of God.’
(Shauna Niequist)

‘You are who God says you are’
(UCB)

‘In your greatest moments,
you are never more than a sinner embraced by the love & mercy of God, forgiven at the expense of the death of His Son.
And in your most broken times,
you are never less than a daughter of the king,
a chosen child of the Father,
& an inheritor of every blessing in Christ’
(Valerie Murphy)

And in the good times and the bad, our Abba Father draws near:
‘He comes to me where I live and loves me as I am.’
(Brennan Manning)

Jesus said, “Make yourselves at home in My love”
(John 15:9 MSG)

Abide
Dwell
Remain in His love

Feel at home in this love.

Home is where the heart is

Believe in your heart, not just your head.

Believe you are who God says you are.

‘You were only meant, created, commanded to be who you are’
(Shauna Niequist)

‘I’m not looking for a better version of myself, but a truer version of who I have always been: loved, cherished, beautiful, strong.'(Alia Joy)

I am a child of God. Abba’s child.

Believe:

‘It is enough & everything to belong to God & know it’
(Dale Hanson Bourke)

Blessings,

Ruth x