Posts

Sheltering in God this Mother's Day

Image
  Very soon, people in the UK will be celebrating Mother’s day. This day is difficult for many people, for many reasons. There are those who no longer have their mums, mums who no longer have their children, women longing to be mums, those whose mum’s weren’t always what they should have been, to name just a few.  For me Mother’s day has been a challenge for many years. I am step-mum to three beautiful women and I first really realised how tricky it can be when I overheard two of them having an argument in church one Mother’s day about whether they should give me a gift if it would upset their mum. This difficulty around mothers day grew more complicated as year after year I didnt hear the patter of feet and that little voice called me mum. When my mother in love (my mother in law!) was promoted to glory there was an extra layer of grief. Now as an adoptive mum, the joy of motherhood on mother’s day is tinged with grief as there is a mum out there grieving the loss of her daughter. For

Simply because he loves me... a thread

Image
This week my husband and I will be celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary. In those years we have faced many challenges and received some amazing blessings. My husband is amazing in so many ways, and though he has been known to surprise me with a romantic gesture, including painting my portrait and building me a bespoke bench on my porch to name a couple, he is not the most romantic of men, which I now accept and simply buy my own flowers!!  A few days ago I was blown away by a grand romantic gesture, not from my husband, but by God!  At the beginning of the year I began the bible recap, a chronological bible reading in a year plan. Some days have been great and i’ve learned a lot about God, not only through the readings, but also through the accompanying podcast. However at the moment we are finishing the book of Exodus and are preparing to begin Leviticus. Some of the readings have been a little dry, to say the least! I had just been reading about the priestly garments that were

Baby Loss Awareness week: God's message to those who are grieving

Image
  This week is the annual baby loss awareness week, where we remember the little ones we never got to meet and the lives that were never lived. While this has never been my experience personally as my walk through infertility has meant I have never been pregnant, it is still a topic so very close to my heart. I have so many friends and family members who have had experience of baby loss and I have sat with them as we have grieved the loss, not only of a life, but of dreams, and hopes too .   Some people choose to share their story of loss while others choose to grieve privately, and I am always surprised at how many people around me have walked through such tragic experiences. This morning as I was praying for those who will find this week a difficult one, God began to reveal something of his heart for them and the burden that they carry.   Psalm 34:18 says:   The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.   Maybe you are feeling the weight of gri

Feasting on Joy

Image
Recently I have been spending some time in Paul's letters to the church in Thessalonica. The letters are believed to be the oldest of Paul and they are so rich in truth and wisdom. As I was reading 1 Thessalonians in the passage translation, I came across a verse of 6 words that encouraged me, floored me and challenges me all at once! Chapter 5 v 16 says this: Let Joy be your continual feast These words encouraged me as it showed me that a supernatural Joy is possible for God's people. Joy is something spoken about throughout the scriptures. Nehemiah 8:10 declares that “The joy of the Lord is my strength” and we are told in Galatians that Joy is a fruit of the spirit. As christians we are called to be a people of Joy as Romans 14:17 says: “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of rules about food and drink but is in the realm of the Holy Spirit filled with righteousness, peace and joy.” Joy is kingdom business and feasting of Joy is something we should take the time to do.  Th