Back

Joining again with the #fiveminutefriday group of writers, where we write for 5 minutes on a one word prompt.  Today’s word is: Back.

Last Sunday Evening we had our ‘Back to School With God’ Event, an event created by Scripture Union in the UK, to dedicate our schools, teachers & young people to God as they go back to school, college, & university.

So that made me think, what else are we going back to?  Back to autumn, back to dark nights, back to turning the clock back, back to winter activities.

How do we respond with these seasonal changes?  It doesn’t have to mean going back to old ways, old habits or old self-defeating behaviours.  It can actually mean going forward.  Going forward to new things, going forward in our walk with God, going forward into new events and situations in life.

It could be a new time of re-dedication, of new direction, of new purpose, a time to go back to God, even a time to go back to church!

Whatever the next season brings, may we dedicate ourselves to God in it, may we surrender to His will, may we seek Him first.

May it be going back to God, and maybe even back to church?

Love this song about going back to church:

 

PACE

Joining today with the Five Minute Friday group to write on a one word prompt for 5 minutes.  Today’s prompt is: Pace.

I have learnt over the years to pace myself both mentally, spiritually and physically to enable me to get through my days and cope with life and with age my pace has also slowed considerably!

However, after our old dog died and we got our puppy I discovered that boy did I need to up my pace!!  The old girl would plod along at a considerable slowness, then the shock of having a young male, strong pup who’s pace far outstripped mine!!  I so had to up my pace in more ways than one to keep ahead of him!!

So I have learnt that whilst pacing yourself is good and having a balance is right, there can also be times when we are called upon to up our game, to up our pace, to stride out in faith and confidence.

For me it is in my writing that I have been called to up my game, learning the craft, developing skills and then having to put it out there.  It is out of my comfort zone, it calls for faith, it stretches me, it scares me, but it also calls me to up my game and up my pace.  I want to run the race/finish the course and I want to do it well.

So is there an area of your life where you have to up your game, up your pace and stride out in faith?

Hospitality

Joining up with the #fiveminutefriday group of writers where we write for 5 minutes on a one word prompt.  This week’s prompt is Hospitality.

I have thought about this word since Friday and read some of the great blogs on that, but hadn’t got round to writing my own.  However, today on the way home from church I realised what hospitality really is.  Quite simple it is showing kindness.

As we were turning into our village road, the car behind us missed us by a hairbreadth and crashed into a wall.  Three young German women in a foreign land, thankfully they were okay.  But we took them to our house, gave them shelter from the driving rain, allowed them to wait for the Police  and Breakdown truck, gave them 2 cups of tea and a glass of water.  We showed kindness, we showed hospitality.

It was no big thing, just showing kindness from one human being to another in a time of emergency.  It was only a cup of water.

But that is what Jesus says isn’t it?

And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded. [Matt 10:42]

So we welcomed, we helped, we sheltered, we gave some water, we showed kindness, we did hospitality.

I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you were doing it to me. [Matt 25:40]

 

Once Again

I’m joining up with other writers in FiveMinuteFriday group to write for five minutes on a one word prompt.  Today’s word is: Again.

The prompt reminds me of the Matt Redman song Once Again:

Jesus Christ, I think upon your sacrifice
You became nothing, poured out to death
Many times I’ve wondered at your gift of life
And I’m in that place once again
I’m in that place once again

And once again I look upon the cross where you died
I’m humbled by your mercy and I’m broken inside
Once again I thank you
Once again I pour out my life
Pour out our life’s to you

Now you are exalted to the highest place
King of the heavens, where one day I’ll bow
But for now I marvel at your saving grace
And I’m full of praise once again
Full of praise today
I’m full of praise once again

And once again I look upon the cross where you died
I’m humbled by your mercy and I’m broken inside
Once again I thank you
Once again I pour out my life

It is a song which always brings me back to the cross.  Once again bowed down, once again humbled, once again in need.

It may be tiredness which brings me to that place, it may be hurts, it may be my own sin, but whatever it is it brings me to that place once again.

And once again, today, I am in that place, bowed low, humbled and looking to my Saviour.

But it in bowing, in being humble, in looking to that Cross, looking to my Saviour I am strengthened once again and once again I am able to rise to serve another day.

Once again I leave forgiven, healed, redeemed.

Once again I get God-reliance and not self-reliance.

Once again I see what it is all about.

Once again I bow in worship.

I’m in that place once again. ..