Hold me

Hold me now, I am weary.
Hold me now, you are dear.
Hold me now, I'm not okay.

You listen, I cry.
Hold me now.
You understand, I relax.
Hold me now.
You accept, I settle.

Hold you now.
I see your long day.
Hold you now.
I sense your pain.
I hear your voice my love.

"Hold me now."
Say it out loud. 
"Hold me now."
Come to embrace.

"Hold me now."
I already am.
"Hold me now."
Here you are safe.

Your love is like Christ's.
You seek me when I am lost.
In my dark days you don't let go.
When I forget, you remember.

Thank-you Father God for the people,
that love me as you love.

Like Sheep 

“All we like sheep have gone astray. Each turning to his own way. But the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” Isaiah 53:6

“You Lord are my shepherd, I will never be in need. You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths. I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I will not be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd’s rod makes me feel safe. You treat me to a feast, while my enemies watch. You honour me as your guest, and you fill my cup until it overflows. Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, Lord.” Psalm 23

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep” John 10:11

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father- and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:14-15

The Bible talks about Christians, (we that trust and know Jesus as our shepherd), to be like sheep. The world tends to think that we follow blindly, ignorantly, without a thought or a doubt. But this simply isn’t true.  We do doubt. Each time we wander and lose our way our shepherd seeks us out. He embraces with joy, bringing back to him, and placing our feet back upon the path.  

The world questions us as we travel, “Why do you want to return? How can you be certain that he is guiding you on the road you want to go? Why do you love and trust him? Is it all worth it?”

My answer is that he laid his life down for me. Everyday he demonstrates his love for me. He knows me inside and out… and yet still he cares for me. I trust him to always have my back. He knows the plans he has for me and he works for my good. He created me, knitting me together in my mother’s womb. He knows me, what behind me and what is to come. My shepherd promises to remain by me whatever challenges may confront me. 

“But how do you know this? Why do you just assume? Where is the evidence that God (if he even exists) will keep his promises? Is God as great as you believe he is? Isn’t the gospel too good to be true? The world contradicts. 

You see, I know that God keeps his promises. He has done so again and again. He promised that Jesus would come and redeem us, bringing us back to the God who invites us to call him “Abba Father”, just as he does.

The only thing that makes me special and privileged. The only way I can have this hope and assurance is this; that while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. I don’t deserve it. I didn’t have to work for it. I only had to accept it.

Thankyou my Father in Heaven. May I never want to stop serving you, praising your name, being part of your family, your child, and your daughter.  

God's Love

Sometimes you look around you and everything is dark and dingy.
Other times you marvel at what you see...
You ask;  "how the creator who made all this could love a creature like you?"

Then you open his word and realise that he does.
Despite your turning away and rejecting him he still does.

God does not give up on you and he never will.
God even rejoices when we stumble because the will to walk to him is there.
God does not  love us rationally, but loves us simply and without incentive.
God our Father has loved us from the very beginning.

His love is super love.
Love, pure and simple.

Memory

I can hurt
I can fade.
I can make you want to hide.

When you think over things said and unsaid.
When you think about what you have and have not done.
When you think on all things past and future.

I am memory.
I will not go away.
I am not entirely bad.

Some instances, you may recall,
are not just there to drive you up the wall.
Some make you smile and laugh and stand tall.

Although you may recoil and avoid
the recollections that you wish to forget and ignore.
Allow me to point to the times you have endured and had faith.

In all things faith and hope can be clung to.
In all circumstances you can be still and know that God is God.
In all things God works for the good of those who love him.

Rest and remember the merciful God who loves you regardless.
Rest and remember that through all your emotions he is with you.
Rest and remember that when you do not love yourself...

God always has and always will.

Easter

Jesus went to Jerusalem to die for us.

He didn’t have to save us.

He knew that his death would be agonisingly painful.

He died in our place.

We did nothing.

We are  weak and helpless.

He came in strength, mercy and love.

He came to save us from the curse of sin.

On the cross his body was broken and his blood was shed to make us whole.

Consider him.

A madman? A liar? A saviour?

Jesus is my  saviour.

Jesus the Messiah has saved us from condemnation.

We do not deserve his compassion.

We deserved death.

Jesus gave us life and hope.

God our  Father loved us.

He watched his children reject him, turn away and ignore him.

Again, and again, and again.

But… God still loves us.

God planned to bring us back to him.

God planned to send his son to repair what sin has broken.

God sent his one and only  son so that whoever believes in him will not die,

But have eternal life.

Jesus’ blood, his death and his return from death

Made us free from sin and clean before God

He made us right with God.

Able to be in his presence.

To love him.

To serve him.

To honour him.

To be his children.

Will you come to rejoice in him?

I rejoice in him with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

I have taken up my cross and I follow him.

It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it.

This is the greatest story ever told.

This is the story of how God loved man.

This is the story of Easter.

Choo

Dedication: To Choo, who we remember with much fondness. 

Choo was a rescue dog, we are still not sure who rescued who.
Choo was a gorgeous, daggy dog.
Choo was always a very dear, very intelligent, selfless, and protective animal.
Choo was a family dog, sure to make the saddest heart smile.

She had the goofiest grin.
She made an effort to be with her people, even if moving hurt her.
She was most contented when she was with those she loved, chicken or not.

Choo taught me to relax, take it slow and treasure each moment.
Choo made everyone's days brighter and better.
Choo would dance when we came home.
Choo would sleep by your side, twitching and groaning with content if the mood took her.

She was the best of companions.
She didn't ask questions, or pester you for attention, knowing that you where there was enough.
She was there for us all, from first to last.

R.I.P you wonderful and beautiful hound. Best of friends.

A Lightened Load 

'Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others'
Philippians 2:4

I have been guilty of the former, particularly of recent date.
I got so wrapped up in my wants, my needs, and my pain that I could not emerge from them.
Absorbed by my own interests, I could no longer look to those of others,
feeling and showing concern for them.

Now, once again, I awoke deeply concerned, and tried to untangle myself.
Yet I could not do this.
So I turned to my saviour and my God.
I pleaded with him to free me from my apathy.
He showed me grace and taught me to trust him, and to feel again.

A weight fell off me and I was reminded of the story of Eustace from 'The Chronicles of Narnia'.
Of when he needed  Aslan to remove the scales from him
to become human again, for he could not do this for himself.
As each layer came off I felt my muscles relax, and my breathing return to normal.

I thank you, my Father, for freeing me from my sin, and keeping me safe.
I will rejoice in you -
Always.

Family Christmas

At Christmas time we make a fuss.
Clean, cook, organise, deal with certain
family members, and clean again.
We forget why we do it.
Lose the joy we had as children.
Discover a whole month of stress.

I'm an adult now.
I've uncovered that stress that was
hidden from me as a child.
I disregard the 'Christ' and only think
about the 'mass'.
The mass of things that need to be done.

This Christmas my levels of anxiety
have mounted considerably.
I have been so busy with work,
singing and organising choir
that I've been absent minded
about the person I'm celebrating in song.
Ironic, isn't it?

Christmas is about joy.
As Christians we rejoice as one.
We praise the Lord as we thank him
for sending his son to bring us him.
To show us great mercy and love
in adopting us as his children.

I think the reason the friends and families
gather is to remember that we can be
part of Gods' family...
If we simply are humble,
accepting his grace.

My church family are people
that I'll never tire of spending time with.
Particularly at Christmas.
You see, even though we come from
different backgrounds, cultures, and
life experiences, in Christ we are one.
We are a great forever growing family.
Body and soul.   

"If we claim to be without sin
we deceive  ourselves and the
truth is not in us. If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned,
we make him out to be a liar
and his word is not in us."
1 John:8-10.

Sometimes I am angry 

Sometimes I am angry.

I deceive myself. Because 

I simply don't want to admit 

the sensation. So I allow it 

and give various masks by

calling it frustration, annoyance 

and 'not wanting to become a 

pushover', and so on.

But really I know I'm just in denial.

When I do this I choose to forget the 

numerous times that he hasn't been 

angry at me but instead has

shown me mercy.

After all the wrong we have done

our heavenly father he is still loving 

and compassionate and 

continuously forgives us. 

Why? Why can he do this?
Because he sent his son to pay
the price for our sins so that
we might become his
sons and daughters.

If we are to resemble our father
then when should we become angry?
What occasions can we possibly
call anger righteous anger?

Abuse of power,
Mistreatment of the vulnerable,
Preaching a false gospel.
While these things are worth
becoming angry about
they are equally worth doing
something about.

So next time remember that Jesus
had to die to save you
and not just them.

Be patient and loving like your father.
And canal it into doing something.
Like serving others, making a
difference, and showing compassion.

Don't let your rage control you.
Pray that God might help you to
control it. For with him nothing
is impossible.

Death

Death.
Society teachers us to be
afraid of it.
To avoid it in so many ways;
Plastic surgery,
Medical advancements,
and this cream will take away
your wrinkles.

But I'm not scared.
I'm not sacred because I've
no need anymore.
Because God sent his son to
face death before me, to
save me, a sinner.

For the Christian there is hope.
A hope that beyond death there is life
A life with God forever.
Not because we loved God
but because be loved us first.

What will you do when you
reach death's decline?
Can you be confident of
what you will find there,
at end of all things?
Or is it just the beginning?

A decision made with love

Mark 14:36;

‘And he said “Abba, Father all things are possible unto thee;
take away this cup from me:
nevertheless not what I will but what thou wilt”’

At Christmas we celebrate a birth.

At Easter we celebrate a death and a new life for many.

Those lost, now found.

Those dead, now alive.

Those against, now for.

And why?

To fulfill and ancient prophecy?

To provide an interesting story to pass on?

To have something to pick at?

If he’d said no there would be 

No redemption,

No connection,

No family,

And

No Easter eggs.

If he had not obeyed his father.

But out of his great love for us he did.

He wasn't pressured.

He wasn't caught off guard.

He was intentional.

For him there was little loyalty.

For him there was little pity.

For him there was much pain.

For him there was separation.

For him there was loss of life.

But for us there was an abundance of Grace.

On that day a new life was created.

On that day there was the gift of redemption.

So accept it with thankfulness.

Don’t leave it by the wayside of life.

Instead grip it with vigor.

Let it fill you up until you are

Compelled to share it.

Remember it, and that with God 

Nothing is impossible.