Month: September 2017

There is beauty in the strangest places. It comes Unexpectedly. Blessed with a trip to the city – when I left for home I had a question in my soul…..why was there beauty this time?
You see, I dislike the city, I dislike winter in the city. I dislike the noise, the smog, the busyness of the city. But as I had a chance to walk in early morning warmth and take in creation from sunrise and again at sunset…..I was struck by the appreciation I had grown for the city. I pondered it and then I left it.

One month and a bit later I was blessed with another trip to the city. And yes, there are parts I still dislike. But once again I was struck by my appreciation and soul-expanding wonder of some elements of the city.

Tonight, I was utterly blown away by the beauty of the city night lights. The blue yellow and red twinkling on the distance has fed my soul and I am in the dark as to why. How do I find beauty in a place I dislike? But I do. And I thank God I do. It speaks to me that this world may be ugly ….but God. People may fail you …but God. Life as I know it may fall apart …but God. I may miss His voice in some seasons and some circumstances where I am bent on following myself…..but God. There is grace. There is beauty. There is promise. There always IS GOD. Always.

Wouldn’t it be more beautiful and rewarding to tune in instead of tuning out? I pray the Holy Spirit would unceasingly prompt us to tune in ….that we would be soul-blessed by gifts God has left us along our path….they are little pockets of beauty and joy that grow our appreciation of the small things. May you hear His whispers for yourself as a new day unfolds ❤

This last month in Children’s ministry, the Bible story has been the friends that brought the lame man to Jesus. I love the simplicity of hearing a bible story aimed at under fives. I always have. And although this story was focusing on the way friends treat each other; I was blown away at their tenacious faith. (and yes, God can speak to you through a kiddies version)
It’s like they refused to take their friend back home lame. Like they had drawn that line and said this far and no further. Too many people here? No logical way to get to Jesus? This far and no further! They lowered their friend down through the roof! Do you know how heavy an adult is to lug around?! They thought out of the box, but they were desperate enough to say “today is the day and we accept nothing else”. What if one friend had been the negative kind like the 10/12 spies; had said “its must not be our day”? …and they had gone home and carried their friend around for the rest of his life?
Their act of unrelenting faith made it into the Bible ?
I like nameless stories. It sounds pretentious when I say I want to be like Gideon, Joshua, Miriam…..but when there’s a nameless story in the Bible its easier to take it and put yourself in there.
Can I have unwavering faith? Believing that Jesus can heal to the point that I will push the envelope for a miracle I know is mine? Will I brave the uncomfortable work of lugging an adult to the top of a roof, the unconventional work of vandalizing a house, the ingenious work of coming up with a plan to tie ropes to a blanket, the work of coming up with a well devised plan to lower someone right to where Jesus was preaching, and the work of community that saw friends working together with the same strong faith?
Faith has history, faith takes work, faith uses my unique brand of creativity, and faith speaks of a future ?

As l looked up at our outdoor lights today I realized how many bulbs were missing. And it reminded me of us. Of how we stop shining, stop working, or we get discarded and never get replaced. And how we are one cord with many lights. How gloriously we could shine for God’s glory if we all stayed put and shone together ?

There are many, many reasons why we no longer shine. There are those of us who have had circumstances break us – and we are missing, either by our own choice or even by the choice of others. I pray that God would restore us regardless of whether or not the circumstances change.

There are those of us who have allowed sin into our lives, and so the power source isn’t lighting up our lives anymore. Light and dark don’t live together. I pray that our eyes be opened and that our hearts become broken to the point  that we return to God, and that we once again take our rightful place within the body.

There are those of us who are beside a bright bulb that draws attention to themselves in a manner that wows people. Maybe alongside that bulb it doesn’t look like your little light is shining. I want to say to those ones that God sees motives – never forget that. Take your eyes off your neighbour and keep it on your Lord. Your reward in heaven is far greater than any you would receive on earth.

And finally, there are the lights that choose to remove themselves to go and shine somewhere else.  Somewhere more convenient. When the night is too dark they leave. When the wind blows they leave and find another cord somewhere more sheltered. They choose comfort over calling. Ease over anointing.  I pray that we that fit into this category grow a backbone of relentless faith. I pray that God reveals Himself in such a mighty way that you would not even consider leaving the cord you are called to because you KNOW where you belong. Stop finding other places to shine when God has a destiny for you. Go with God and not with your own wisdom – you wont regret it – it may not be the easy road – but it will the right road ?

Go shine fellow light bulbs. Go shine where you are meant to shine. Go shine for God’s glory and not your own. Clear out your junk so that you can shine brighter. It is only together that we are a Body ?✌

The story of Ruth is not the love story between Boaz and Ruth but rather the love story of the love Jehovah has for His people.

There are three points that stick out strongly for me personally. (These are not theologically sound thoughts – just general thoughts that bounce around in this busy brain ? )

1) Ruth was a hard worker. Never ever underestimate the value of being a hard worker. Ruth was no slacker.

2) Ruth took her marriage vows seriously. She would not have stayed with Naomi otherwise. Never underestimate the value of integrity.

3) Ruth did not allow Naomi’s bitterness to infect her own soul. Which I find refreshing. Two woman living together and Jehovah had seemingly forgotten them….Ruth must have been secure in her knowledge of Jehovah to not mirror Naomi’s state of mind. Which in turn means that when the sons were alive the foundation of their religion must have been laid good and solid in Ruth’s understanding. Never underestimate the value of a good foundation.

4) Neither Boaz nor Ruth elevated themselves above others. “why when you could have the pick of any of the young men” and “why are you kind to me, a foreigner” speaks volumes to me. Never underestimate the value of humility.

And this is the love story to remind us that Jehovah has not forgotten us – despite or circumstances and losses. There is always hope ☺ ….our Redeemer has not forgotten us, and if it seems as if He has, continue with keeping the faith – and remember that your character counts. And never underestimate the God of the come-back ? He’s got this!

Hurry. Its a word that means you’re important. Well, you must be important if you’re rushing somewhere. Or you seem important. Hurry also means I miss out. I miss out on the moment, the present, the gift of now.

My neighbour has a worship bush at his front gate. I have no idea what flowers grow on that bush….but I call it a worship bush because when I walk by early in the morning…when I walk by slowly…..the most magnificent scent comes from that bush. So I call it a worship bush because when the world is quiet that bush does effortlessly what it was created to do and by doing that it brings glory to Elohim ?
Then yesterday I was rushing…I was thinking about something else that was in the future and I missed my moment of breathing in that glorious scent. All because of one word – hurry. I missed the moment..missed the present …and missed the gift.
It got me thinking about the many other gifts we miss each and every day just because we hurry.
And you know what – deep inside all of us we know, know that there’s a better way to live – the question though, is, are we brave enough to embrace a life that doesn’t hurry?
Are you brave enough to live in the moment today?

Spring. It’s sprung ? its here….I would argue that it’s late but God’s seasons know when to emerge.
I was wondering about all the pretty flowers that were worn on spring day (which is never spring day on the south coast – Lol).
Do we wear flowers on a hat to celebrate that spring arrived – but did the awakening reach our hearts and our souls? Or was it as artificial as the flowers used this one day? Did we say “happy spring” to family and colleagues and were they dead words or did they come from a heart grateful that winter has passed and a soul that is excited for a new season?
Empty words or words that hold immense promise? The choice is yours in how you enter spring. With a spring in your step or with the baggage of winter weighing on your shoulders. The choice is yours. You came to  the end of winter frazzled, freezing and iced veins blocking your heart ❤. No problem anymore. Tell Abba all about it and then give it to Him. Ask him to awaken your heart to spring. He will do it. He’s a good Father and yes, we have to live through seasons ….but maybe just maybe it really is time for your spring ? …open your arms – wide this time – and accept all God has for you.
And before I forget…..”happy spring” ?