An Adventure in Ministry

I have got a bit behind in my blog writing recently. Life has been Choca-block and it seems that every time I sit down to write, the baby cries, the phone goes or some crisis seems to appear. However I have taken the chance today as I sit in a coffee shop with a deliciously strong Americano to consider my next blog in the series of five things I have learnt in 5 + years of infertility.  I am a wholehearted believer in God’s timing and I think it is great that this should be the next in the series as it is the name of my book that has been recently released (I certainly didn’t plan that when I wrote my first blog in the series early in 2019) Through my five + years journeying through infertility I have often felt like I have been walking through a wilderness alone, dry and completely without direction. However through it all God has taught me so much about how I could not only survive in the wilderness but I could flourish. The only way I could do this was through havin...

Here in the uk for the past months, we have been experiencing a heatwave. The media has been telling us that it is likely to be hotter than even the great summer of 1976. I have absolutely loved it. Every opportunity I have had, I have been swinging in my hammock, listening to podcasts and sipping on mint tea! Although some people have really struggled, wishing for rain and remembering cooler days gone by. I have been making the most of every moment of summer, not quite sure when it all might end. Through this time God had been speaking to me really clearly about seasons both physically and spiritually. I enjoy each of the seasons and believe that each of them brings a different beauty and joy. I would like to think the same is true for the seasons of my life. I try to see joy and beauty in each of these seasons too. I love the verse in Ecclesiastes that reminds us: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3:1‬...

Our first stop today was Beit She’an, a fabulously preserved ancient town. It was on the tel that Saul and his son’s headless bodies hung. It was also part of Decapolis in a later period. We saw impressive bath houses, shops and theaters, but it was soooo hot! After seeing some amazing pillars that had been felled and split by an earthquake, Paul and I decided to take an opportunity to rest and recoup in the shade. As I sat with a drink, I considered the importance of water in the bible in a completely fresh light. Christ as the living water was a pretty big deal! The refreshment and rest that Christ offers surpasses that of a cool drink on a hot day. It is life saving, life transforming and life giving. After our visit to Beit She’an, we began our journey through the Judean wilderness to Jerusalem. As we travelled we saw the border with Jordan and miles and miles of arid wasteland. We stopped for lunch in a little café and after a welcome meal of chips (!)...