Tag: life

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

Letting go

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I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” said Anne of Green Gables (by L.M. Montgomery)

Autumn is my favourite time of year. I love seeing nature’s rich kaleidoscope of colour blowing in the breeze. I like crisp mornings & cozy evenings. I love the sentiment of change- of endings so we can begin again.

At this time of year, the trees show us how beautiful it is to let things go.

Just as the trees let go of their leaves & let them fall to the ground to create a beautiful patchwork carpet, so we need to let go.


What do we need to let go of ?:

*Past failures
*Regrets
*Selfish ambitions
*Choking Fears
*Broken dreams
*Emotional baggage
*Pet sins
*Unrealistic expectations
*Pride
*Harmful relationships

*Disappointments
*Over-thinking
*(False) Stories told only to ourselves

{And whatever other personal hindrances come to your mind.}

How can we let go? 

We need to bring these things to God. We can pour out our hearts to the One who knows us best. Let go of the things that are troubling us. And most importantly leave them with Him. We can release  our burdens to God’s care, seek His forgiveness if required, then walk in the freedom of His grace.

It is a time of endings, so we can begin again. For, ‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens’
(Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV)

Our Creator God can bring beauty from brokenness ,when we let go & leave our greatest fears & biggest burdens with Him.

‘He has made everything beautiful in its time.’ (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV)

Letting go is a necessary step for growth to take place.

For, in this autumn of the soul,
‘You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.’
(Matthew 5:14MSG)

Blessings,

Ruth x

To know Him

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We make  thousands of seemingly small choices everyday. Many of our decisions seem inconsequential at the time. But, when we string these decisions together, they determine how we spend our days, & ultimately how we spend our life.

We have many considerations, responsibilities, challenges & distractions. 

Each day, we cram our lives & minds with many things (There’s a new word for that-stuffocation!)

But the Bible shows us that a crucial part of our life is to know God (& make Him known)

God created us & knows us. And He sent Jesus to bridge the gap caused by sin, so that we might know Him too. He made it possible for us to know Him with our heart & mind.

When He walked this earth, Jesus said:

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

‭‭(John‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

True,everlasting life means getting to know our Creator God.

Read these beautiful words written many centuries ago by the prophet Hosea:

“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)

Hosea wrote of the unwavering commitment of God to His people, despite their unfaithfulness to Him.

We need to actively pursue & cultivate a relationship with God, trusting in Him. We ought to recognise & accept His greatness. And He will respond to us.

When we have a personal relationship with God, He will refresh our lives, just as the heavy spring rain soaks into the earth, nourishing it to bring forth life.

We are blessed to have God’s presence in our lives, while we wait & long for Him.

In our noisy world that incessantly clamours for our attention, we can choose moments of stillness before God. Then we can know God’s lovingkindness & His awesome power, His perfect peace & daily companionship.

Each day, we should create space for God- to walk with Him, grow into Him & fill our souls with His goodness & grace, His mercy & majesty.

Long ago, the Psalmist David urged us to do this:

‘Seek and deeply long for the Lord and His strength [His power, His might]; Seek and deeply long for His face and His presence continually.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭105‬:‭4‬ ‭AMP‬‬)

Our Father, Saviour, Maker, Shepherd, Redeemer, Almighty God is beckoning us into a closer relationship with Him. If we seek Him first, we will find Him- & the tranquility & purpose He brings.

Blessings,

Ruthx

Thrive where you’re planted

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‘You may not be everything
you thought you’d be by now
But you can be the one who loves,
serves & gives her all,
& waters & nurtures
every plant in the garden
that God has already given her’
(Morgan Harper Nichols)

I love those words- partly because I can easily identify with the sentiment that I’ve fallen short of my own ideals (never mind anyone else’s) But I also love the sense of place and space. There’s a boundary-a limit to what we have influence over. Although there’s a whole wide world, God has gifted each of us a garden to tend to.

That’s especially important to reflect on in days like today- on days with frightening headlines- assassinations, wars & earthquakes.

While it feels like this planet we call home is careering out of control, 

while the gravity of situations weigh heavy on our hearts,

& while we can pray for our whole wide world (which is all under God’s care)

God gives each us our garden to look after.

Our patch of Earth- that only we can tend to.

Our home- more than just the bricks & beams, but our family & friends that bring it to life- the children that grow before our eyes.

Our neighbourhood where we do life & meet others day by day.

Our church where we can thrive together

In our garden, the soil can be a dark seemingly lifeless place. But new life starts in dark places- even in this world where truth is despised & chaos seems to reign.

We are placed by God, for His purposes:

‘Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there.‘

‭‭(1 Corinthians‬ ‭7‬:‭17‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

So let us hold on to the truth. And focus our eyes on our Creator God who gives us His fresh perspective on things. He causes the sun to shine & the gentle rain to fall to encourage us to flourish.

So we can say:

‘I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.’

(Psalm 131:1 NIV)

We can trust God & His Word:

‘So In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.’
(James 1:21 MSG)

As we look after our garden that has been gifted to us from our Gardner God, we can only do it with His help. When we draw near to God,His Spirit works in our hearts & helps us cultivate fruit in our lives. 

‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.’
(Galatians 5:22-23 NLT)

God will water our gardens & produce fruit that we cannot grow on our own. So let us remain close to our Creative Gardener God.

Sometimes we are overwhelmed & don’t know what to do in our garden:

‘Sometimes life is so hard you can only do the next thing. Whatever that is just do the next thing.  God will meet you there.”
(Elizabeth Elliot)

*What is our next thing to tend to in the garden we have been gifted?

‘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,

Ruth x

Between awe & atrocity

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It’s hard to believe that autumn is on the other side of the weekend! We have spent the last days of summer in Austria & Bavaria, Germany. We’ve been surrounded by Alpine peaks & strolled along impossibly turquoise lakes & tumbling rivers.

One morning I read these apt verses:

‘God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.‘‭‭ (Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭31‬a NIV‬‬)

Yet one place that deeply affected me was Kielstein otherwise known as Eagle’s Nest, near Salzburg.At 1834m it’s a historic mountain lodge with a beautiful Alpine panorama of peaks & meadows as far as the eye can see. It’s a travesty that it was a 50th birthday present for Adolf Hitler from the Nazi Party in 1938. Here in this Alpine retreat Hitler partied & plotted.

The juxtaposition is stark: awe-inspiring, created scenery, yet also a place of dense darkness and pure evil, where atrocities and genocide were planned. Horrors lurked behind this idyllic place.

Now at Kielstein there is also a large wooden cross standing above the lodge- a reminder to me that God came into the midst of our world to overcome evil. The cross where justice & mercy met, & love & grace dealt with the sin of the whole world.

Our world is ruined by sin- the headlines tell the facts. Our lives tell the story. Yet God’s fingerprints are still visible & His goodness shines brighter than evil.

‘For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.’

(‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

God has created light out of darkness from the beginning of time & He illuminates our hearts for us to shine His light, as we gaze on Jesus’ beauty & glory.

We might feel insignificant-but it only takes a candle to dispel darkness from a cavern. And we are called to let God’s light shine brightly in the present darkness of our fallen world:

‘You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.’

‭‭(Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬ MSG‬‬)

We see God-colours in the kindness of others, in their love & joy. And we are called to reflect the light of God’s love all around.

No matter how dark it feels, shine God’s bright light.

Blessings,

Ruth x

Circle of calm

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Once upon a time we may have banished worries from our life, but they tend to barge back in unexpectedly & uninvited- hijacking our brain space & diminishing our mental bandwidth. Then overthinking & overreacting invades our days again

When this happens {& it will!} it is such a blessing to stumble upon verses like this:

‘When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭94‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Or as The Message paraphrases it:

‘When I was upset and beside myself, you calmed me down and cheered me up.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭94‬:‭19‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Our imaginations go into overdrive conjuring up fearful outcomes & precarious situations. Our anxieties can feel relentless & heavy to carry. Yet, God is bigger than our worried heart!

For, true calmness isn’t found on-line in an app or on the pages of a book- but in God’s abiding presence. In him we find a cornucopia of deep peace & understanding, comfort & consolation.

God can create a circle of quiet calm in our heart & mind from the spiral of anxieties. He quells our fears in this tempestuous world. And he can make every tangle & twist beautiful in its time (Ecc 3:11)

The prophet Isaiah wrote these soothing words:

‘You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.’

‭‭(Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

When disappointments hurt,

When the unexpected happens,

When our heart breaks ,

When we feel crushed & overwhelmed,

When our foundations are shaken,

We’ll find God right there- in the middle of our troubles, heartache & despair.

And we can declare:

“It is well with my soul!”

Breathe in His presence- Know God & the peace only He can give. And deep joy & gladness will dispel the turmoil of life!

Blessings,

Ruth x

Be present 💫

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‘Wherever you are be all there’

(Jim Elliot)

How can we be ‘all there’?

It’s relatively easy to think of examples when we aren’t all there:


*When we check & scroll down our smart phones when we’re out with friends or family.

Nowadays we are always switched on & never unplugged!The average smart phone user checks it 186 times a day. I read that checking our phones is as contagious as yawning!

*When we’re not really listening when someone is talking because we’re planning how to interject with our news at the next pause.

*When we think about week ahead as we sit in church rather than focusing our minds on meeting with God.

We need to train ourselves to block these distracting thoughts & listen to what God is trying to say

*When we are consumed with worries about tomorrow & it hijacks today.

To be ‘all there’:

*Don’t let the urgent squeeze out the important.

*Don’t let the trivial impact the important.

*Don’t let digital displace reality.

To fully engage in this adventure called life we need to unplug. We need to appreciate the moment & savour the little things. For sometimes little things are actually big things in disguise.

We need to stay tuned in.
Focused.
Undistracted.
Engaged.
Intentional.

This very moment is where past, present & future intersect! Moments like these weave together to make the fabric of life.

If we aren’t ‘all there’ we can become oblivious to the important things in life as it rolls by. We can miss the daily blessings of our everyday life.

‘The past is frozen & can no longer flow. The present is lit up with eternal rays’
(CS Lewis)

God has dealt with your past, He’s in control of your future & He’s given this moment as a gift. Now is the present!

So,
‘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,

Ruth x

Thrive

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Tis the season of stretched-out days, hopes of sunshine, iced coffee & good vibes! Beach walks & barbecues- & lazing beneath shady trees. Blooming roses & teeming window boxes bursting with colour. Thriving life is visible all around!

The Greek word ‘bios’, (from which we derive biology & biography) means physical life–existing rather than dying!  It’s life in black & white- survival.

But another Greek word ‘zoe’ means spiritual life from God. This word is used in the verses below & many other times in the Bible. ‘Zoe’ means never-ending, abundant, multicoloured life. Life as God intended it to be- the life we were created for!

Just before His death, Jesus prayed:

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

‭‭(John‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

True life springs from a personal relationship with God- the One who knows us best & loves us most. The One who sent His Son Jesus to live on earth & die to give us true life.

Jesus also said:

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

‭‭(John‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Without God, our life can feel flat & monotonous. We merely exist day to day. If we trust in God, our life is totally transformed- like the crawling caterpillar metamorphosing into a beautiful butterfly!

With God & in Him, we can have the life we were created for! We need to connect with our Life-giving Creator by communicating with Him -talking with Him by prayer & reading His Word in the Bible. Then, we can abide in God day by day & thrive where we’re planted.

The opening verses of Psalm 1 proclaim that blessed {favoured, happy-in-God} is the one who truly loves & deeply ponders God’s Word. They are described like a lush tree planted by a riverbank that is fruitful & evergreen.

We flourish in our relationship with our God when we are rooted  in His word & His love.

May you thrive & know the overflowing, abundant life that is found in God alone!

‘Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!’

‭‭(Romans‬ ‭15:13‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Blessings,

Ruth x

The sacred outside

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‘’Some old fashioned things like fresh air & sunshine are hard to beat’
(Laura Ingalls Wilder)

There’s nothing like the great outdoors-the world outside our window. There’s nothing like a walk along the beach or in the hills or woods to clear our minds & refresh our perspective.

The Norwegians have a word friluftsliv literally meaning ‘free air life’ which sounds much more poetic than ‘outdoors’

Shinrin-yoku in Japanese literally means ‘forest bathing’ -soaking in the atmosphere of the forest for relaxation & well-being. Our world has all the blue space & green space we need to reduce stress & boost our mood.

We recently visited Zadar on the coast of Croatia. One of its attractions is the Sea Organ. Tubular structures arranged under the marble steps allow the rhythm of the waves of the Adriatic Sea to produce a mesmerising melody. It’s architecture, music & creation combined. It’s a song that never ceases!

‘Creation sings the Father’s Song’ wrote Getty & Townend. Yet often, we’re too distracted to hear the song.

It’s not that God’s music has stopped but often there’s just too much noise to hear. We need to get away from our tech & distractions & soak in the God-made environment. Life feels better barefoot & getting out in nature helps us unplug & unwind- detached from pressures, surrounded by creation.

Our mighty God’s creative artistry is evident on this planet we call home in:

Starlight & sunshine,

waterfalls & waves, 

sunflowers & ladybirds, 

alpacas & puppies,

freckles & fingerprints, 

heartbeats & brainwaves,  

rainbows & ripples, 

moonbeams & mountain peaks.

God’s finger prints are seen across our amazing world- designed & hand-made by Him.

And Yahweh who breathed life into humankind & our world is even more awesome than all of His creation. David wrote:

‘You are glorious and more majestic than the everlasting mountains.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭76‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

We can ‘Stop look around & praise the Name of Him who made it all’ {as engraved on a rock in Tollymore Forest}

It’s like therapy – creation therapy!

And we feel blessed & grateful.

I recently finished a book The language of rivers & stars by Seth Lewis. He wrote:

‘This world was made for wandering, & your soul was made for wonder!’ 

So this summer, wherever you go & whatever the weather, make sure you find some inspirational calm in creation. And more importantly meet the Maker!

Take every chance to appreciate something beautiful. Marvel at God’s handiwork displayed all around!

Blessings,

Ruth x

Little things

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I appreciate the little things in life. Snowdrops. Cherry blossom.Good coffee. Emojis 🥰 Coloured pens. Pretty notebooks. My favourite mug.

At Christmas, I loved sourcing the childrens’ stocking fillers-the small surprises that didn’t cost much.

Sometimes, with hindsight, little things aren’t so little after all. Small things can make a big difference. Small tweaks in our daily routine. Small adjustments in our attitude. Listening to seemingly small details relayed from our childrens’ days.

Sometimes it’s small conversations that encourage us most. It’s the depth rather than the amount of the words. I still smile when I think of the old lady saying, “Good to see you back!” as walked into work after almost one year off.

My mother-in-love can recall the midwife bringing a bag of jelly babies over sixty years ago when her baby brother was born. This kind gesture had a lasting impact & influenced her own career choice!

We should ‘Find beauty in the small things‘

Make time :

*To star-gaze

*To go outdoors

*To chat to your children, no matter what age they are!

*To drink coffee by the fire

*To read a book

*To watch an old movie with popcorn

*To send someone a little gift for no reason

*To carve out time for the little things that are actually important

*To create space to connect with others

*To be intentional

Small things are often bigger than we realize.

In the Bible we can read of many small things:

*A tiny baby who was Almighty God

*Five stones used to slay a giant

*Five loaves & two fish used to feed a crowd of thousands

*A pearl to illustrate the priceless kingdom of God

*An ant -a tiny creature of little strength, yet it stores up its food in the summer.

*A small seed that highlights the potential of even little faith:

Jesus replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.””
(Matthew 17:20 NIV)

And it’s sometimes little things that cause trouble. Wise King Solomon wrote:

‘Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.’
(Song of Solomon 2:15 NIV)

*A small pin can burst a balloon

*A small piece of grit can irritate our eye

*A small part of our body (the tongue)can cause infinite damage.

We ourselves can feel small in our weaknesses & failings. Yet, God uses small things like us:
‘But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.’
(1 Corinthians 1:27)

In the film The Hobbit Gandalf proclaimed, “It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”

Small acts of kindness & love

Small acts of kindness :

*Might scatter like dandelion dust

*Might bud into a blossom

*Might cause a spark to fan into flame.

* Might ripple across the pond of life.

Going the extra mile begins with one small step. We may have to take small steps every day. But they may have a bigger impact than anticipated.

This week start small, with little things. You never know what they’ll grow into!

‘Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.’

(Mother Teresa)

Blessings,

Ruth x