Dreams never die

Watching Swansea Football club gain promotion to the Premier League has been interesting. I admittedly know very little about this team, but their 'story' is a wonderful reminder that some dreams never die, regardless of how bad things seem. Not even 8 years ago, this team was threatened with falling off the football league radar, without enough money to even pay their electricity account. Yesterday, they reached the pinnacle of their dream, as they won a £90 million football match and will now play against some of the best teams in the world. That's an amazing feat!

For us, the lesson is simple - never give up on the dreams God has given you, despite the obvious set-backs and problems. Submit your life to the Lord and let's allow Him to lead us to the heights of victory. In all our ways acknowledge Jesus and he will direct our paths!

God bless you.
Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Update

It seems as if the Linscott holiday "curse" has followed us all the way to England. Yes, it has rained everyday since we have been here, although it has only been 3 days so far. As I am writing this the sun has just come out for a brief appearance - which certainly makes a nice change:) At least the sun only sets after 9pm now days, so we should get to enjoy it for a few hours.

We are enjoying the time with family immensely  - it is always good to catch up with loved ones, despite the weather. The boys are having a great time with their cousin and it just reminds us of the 'good old days' when our families all lived in the same country. It has been a solid reminder of why I originally wrote 'Living Oceans Apart.' Memories are made when spending quality time with family and friends.

Thanks again for all the prayers for travelling mercies. The flights went smoothly, even though we have taken the 3 days to recover from the 27 hour round trip. That's how long it took us to get from PMB to my sister's home in Bath. Needless to say, we were all a little cranky and desperate for sleep. The boys have recovered faster than we have, but that's just because we are getting older:)

Anyway, friends God Bless you. I will send another update in a few days.
May the Lord bless you abundantly today.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

A Pilgrim's Song

One of my favourite Psalms is 121. I read it yesterday from the Message and noticed that Eugene Peterson refers to it as 'The Pilgrim's Song.' I guess I feel like a bit of a Pilgrim today - moving from one Continent to another. However, in truth, we are all Pilgrim's on a journey. We are on a journey of faith, as well as a journey of life. 

I pray that you would know the presence of our Great God as you travel on this journey. Don't ever feel that you are travelling alone. God is with you.

"I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
   No, my strength comes from God,
      who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
He won't let you stumble,
      your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
   Not on your life! Israel's
      Guardian will never doze or sleep.
God's your Guardian,
      right at your side to protect you—
   Shielding you from sunstroke,
      sheltering you from moonstroke.
God guards you from every evil,
      he guards your very life.
   He guards you when you leave and when you return,
      he guards you now, he guards you always"

Live in the presence and power of His Grace,

D3LM3 

Thanks

I wanted to say Thank You for the many wonderful wishes and prayers we have received before we go on Sabbatical. We feel truly blessed as a family. Our Visa's finally arrived in my hands, 24 hours before we were due to fly - the sense of relief is overwhelming!

"I will give you thanks, for you answered me..." - Psalm 118:21

Some people have asked if I am taking a break from writing these blog posts while on Sabbatical - well, to be honest, the answer is both YES and NO. I will try and write when I can, but it will be sporadic at first. That's the best answer I can give for now:)

Thanks again for taking the time to read my ramblings.
God Bless you.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Who is fighting your battles?

It struck me again today, that when we come up against stressful and complicated 'battles' in our lives, who is the one who is doing the fighting for us? Most of the time, we end up getting our 'weapons' ready and we face up, ready to fight. But, we don't stand a chance if that's the way we are going to fight these hardships. In our own strength we will not overcome, so that is why we need to allow God to fight for us.

"You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’” - 2 Chronicles 20:17

Our battle is not against flesh and blood remember?! If it were, then we could use our own weapons. Instead, isn't it time we handed over the 'battle plan' to God and asked him to fight for us. No one can defend against God's weapons. 

The victory can we ours, through the strength and grace of God.

Hand it over, today! Watch God fight for you!

Living in Grace,

D3LM3

Too busy?

I read a few thoughts from J. Farro today and these words struck a chord with me:

"I remember hearing a godly man say that if the devil can't hinder our relationship with God by making us immoral, he'll simply make us busy."

Wow, that was quite a wake up call. In rushing around trying to get things sorted out before our Sabbatical (long leave) it is easy to squeeze out the important time with God. I have had to be really disciplined to keep my devotions focused. So, how is your time with God going? Are you finding yourself too busy to read the scriptures and pray? If we are too busy for God, then perhaps we are just too busy!

It's worth thinking about!

Living in Grace,

D3LM3

Could or Can?

We are watching the volcanic activity in Iceland very carefully at the moment. In case you missed it, the Grimsvotn volcano is experiencing its largest eruption in 100 years and yes it 'could' impact upon our travel plans. The UK weather experts say that it 'could' cause delays to flights by the end of the week. I am selfishly thinking, Oh NOOOOOOOOOOO! That is exactly when we are flying! So, we have been waiting about 10 years for our Sabbatical and now this dormant volcano decides to erupt - brilliant timing!

The one thing that changes everything, though, is that the experts say, "it could move South" - that means that they are not sure and they refuse to commit themselves to anything. Of course, that leaves travellers like me feeling very uneasy. Can you imagine if God operated like this with us?
Yes, I 'could' possibly save you from your time of distress!
Yes, Jesus 'could' offer you hope...maybe!
Yes, I 'could' be your strength and refuge!

Thankfully, God is more definite and reassuring.
Come to me all you who are weary and I WILL give you rest!
I AM the Light of the world!
I CAN do all things through Christ, who gives me strength!
For no other God can save in this way.
God IS our strength and refuge!

If we spend our lives worry about the 'could' moments in our world, we will miss out on all the 'God Can' moments.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Faith tested

It is easy to speak and even preach about Faith. It is an entirely different thing to 'Live' out your Faith. Do you remember the words that Paul used to describe faith? This is what he said:

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." - Hebrews 11:1

So my Faith is being tested in the surest possible way. We leave for our Sabbatical in a few days and we still haven't received our visa's back. So, what's Faith again? Trying to have the confidence that what I hope for (...my visa's in my hand) will actually happen - an assurance of what I can't see right now. Oh boy - faith is hard, but thankfully not impossible.

May God grant you enough faith today, so that you can believe that the impossible will actually happen!

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Cross not curse!

Take a moment to read these words. Please don't just read them, pray them over and over again in your spirit. Allow them to fill you with joy and peace.

“In God’s heart, Saint Paul saw a cross, not a curse.” – Maxie Dunnam

Living in Grace,

D3LM3

Do all the good you can!

On the 24th May we remember John Wesley's spiritual experience at Aldersgate Street. It was a major turning point in his faith, changing his Christian journey from 'Law' to 'Grace.' Here are some inspiring words from John Wesley:

"Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can." 

 

"Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing!" 

"Vice does not lose its character by becoming fashionable."

Reflect and pray on these words.
Be blessed.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3 

Something New

Many people are afraid of trying something new. We worry that our attempts at being creative or spontaneous may not work out. We assume the worst about our new ventures and speak doom over anything new. I fear that this says something profound about our faith - after all faith has it's foundations in what we know to be truth (the promises of God, the Awesome power of God's love), but faith also hopes in the 'new' discoveries of God's presence and grace.


Don't be afraid to try something new for God today.
I dare you.
Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Lion on the loose

I know that I shouldn’t have smiled when I heard the news, but I did. Only in Africa can we hear a report of a lion on the loose – now all my American friends are really going to be scared of visiting us in Southern Africa. In case you missed the news, read the story of the missing lion here.

It made me remember the story about another lion that is on the loose. Do you know which one I am talking about? Maybe this will help refresh your memory...

  

1 Peter 5:8 - "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

Be on the lookout for wandering lions. They may attack at any time. Let me know if you see one.

Living in Grace,

D3LM3

The spark

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." - Albert Schwietzer

I am grateful that the Spirit of God lit the flame within me. It was Jesus who rekindled the fire of love in me and I pray that you allow him to breathe new life into your body today.

Living in Grace,

D3LM3

Choose

Voting in our municipal elections obviously involves a choice. We may feel that our vote counts or we may feel 'what's the point?' In truth, we vote because we hope our voice will be heard.

When we choose to follow God, we are obviously also making a choice. This time we vote (choose) for God, knowing that God hears our voice. As soon as we mark ourselves as members of God's team we believe that, together with God, we can make a difference.

So, I encourage you to vote twice on the 18th May. Firstly, for your choice of political party, but more importantly, choose to be on God's team again.

Joshua 24:15 - "...then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve."

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Bombarded by noise

We live in a world that is very noisy. From the moment we open our eyes in the morning, until we fall asleep at night, we are urged to listen to many different voices. Do yourself a favour and complete this exercise - count how many different 'voices' you will hear before 10am everyday. For me, there are many!

Now, ask yourself if God has managed to get a word in at all, during this time? 

If God has had a chance to speak to you, then well done.

If not, what can we do to make a change?

We will continue to battle to hear the voice of God, unless we listen for his voice - that means intentionally making time to listen.

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." - John 10:27

Listen carefully! God wants to speak today.

Living in Grace,

D3LM3

First things first

"If there's any one secret of effectiveness, it's concentration. Effective executives do first things first and they do one thing at a time." - Peter F. Drucker

Effective Christians do first things first...

"First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God's kingdom!" - Luke 9:60 (Msg)

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:33-34

Do the first things first today. God bless you.

Living in Grace,

D3LM3 

P.S. - There are no photo's attached as there is a problem with website at the moment. Sorry.

Chameleon Christians

There are too many Christians who change their allegiance depending on who they are with. If they are with a crowd of friends, who are not believers, they very easily let their guard slip and behave in the same way as these people. The same applies when these Christians are with other 'religious' people - they play the religious game. The problem with being a Chameleon Christian is that you never know which colour to blend in with and eventually you look like a strange multi-coloured creature:)

Stand by your principles. Stand strong in your faith.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Beginning or end?

Waiting for my parents flight to land today, I was reminded of the different
seasons of our lives. For them, the landing of the plane signified the end of
an awesome holiday. It marks the return to routine and the 'normality' of
life. However, there are other people waiting in the same airport getting ready
to begin a new season of their lives. Their flights will open up new
chapters and memories.

The same happens to us, albeit not in the airport. Every day marks the
beginning or end of a chapter of our lives. Whichever season you are in
remember that God is with you always and in every situation.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

I just can't

Have you been tempted to use these words recently?
"I just can't anymore!"

It may be as a result of too much stress, ill health, brokenness in relationships, fighting with work colleagues, silence from God, financial strain or a whole bunch of other reasons.

I just can't anymore!
I just can't!

When we get to this point in our lives, please don't forget that if 'we can't', then GOD CAN!
God can rescue us from these situations. Jesus offers us a hope and security. Please don't give in, turn to the God who CAN!

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

God's strength

When we are weak, that’s when God reveals His awesome strength. If you are facing a crisis today, rely on God’s strength to carry you through.

Jeremiah 16:19 – “LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress...”

Isaiah 63:1 – “Who is this, robed in splendour, striding forward in the greatness of his strength?”

1 Thessalonians 3:2 – “...to strengthen and encourage you in your faith.”

Praying for you.

Living in Grace,

D3LM3

P.S. - There seems to be a problem with Blogger at the moment, so some of the recent posts have been coming out weird - I apologise for this. If I knew how to fix it, I would:)

Religion in the wrong hands

Religion is a strange thing at times. It can bring so much love, freedom and peace. However, in the wrong hands it also has the power to be very destructive. It is our responsibility to use our Faith in a godly way and not to use it for our own power.

“When people get their hands on religion, one of the first things they often do is turn it into an instrument for controlling others, either putting or keeping them ‘in their place’.” - Eugene Peterson

May God grace and peace be upon you.

Living in Grace,

D3LM3

Mother's Day

To celebrate Mother's day, here are a few interesting thoughts:

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~ Tenneva Jordan

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in my field, since the payment is pure love. ~ Mildred B. Vermont

A suburban mother's role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after. ~Peter De Vries

It's not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it. ~ From the television show The Golden Girls


May God bless all Mother's today.
May all of us say a prayer of thanks for our Mom's today.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Our greatest need

What would you say is our greatest need as human beings?

Before you answer 'love', read these words...

"Next to physical survival, the greatest need of a human being is psychological survival - to be understood, to be affirmed, to be validated, to be appreciated." - Stephen Covey

Philippians 4:19 - "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

What do you feel about this? Or does Covey miss out on 'Faith, Hope and Love?'

Living in Grace
D3LM3

What would you say?

What would you say to God if you had the chance to meet with him face to face?

Job imagined a conversation with God. This is what he wanted to say:

"If only I knew where to find him;

if only I could go to his dwelling.

I would state my case before him

and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would find out what he would answer me,

and consider what he would say." - Job 23:3-5

So, what would you say?

Living in Grace,

D3LM3

Children's Pastor

Just to pass the word onto everyone that Wesley is looking for a Children's/Family Pastor. If you know of someone who may be interested please direct them to our website or click on this link.

Thanks for your assistance.
God bless you

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Faith

If Faith is defined as "confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1) then I am battling with 'faith' today. You see, we are waiting to get our Schengen Visa's sorted out, but we keep hitting obstacle after obstacle. I am 'hoping' for something, but my assurance of getting it is deceasing by the day.

So, I am humbly asking you to pray for us - pray that God increases my Faith and that God does a miracle.

And what about you? How is your faith today? I pray that God would draw alongside you and reassure you of his Grace and peace.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith." - Hebrews 12:2

Living in Grace,

D3LM3

Looking

This morning I overheard a woman use a very old saying. She was looking for an item in the shop, but couldn't find it. When the assistant located the item for her, she said: "I couldn't find it for looking!"

Some people couldn't identify Jesus as their Messiah, even though they were looking for one. Many people just saw him as someone to meet their physical hunger, not their spiritual needs.

"Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill." - John 6:26

What are you looking for? Are you looking in the right place?

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Work & holidays

Holidays are great. They allow us chance to meet up with family and friends and to catch up on some much needed rest. After all, who doesn't want to be on holiday? However, we also need to balance our lives and that's where the necessary 'work' comes into play. Work can be exciting or a drag - either way, it shapes our lives.

Here are some interesting thoughts on work:

"Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it." - Henry David Thoreau

"Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." - Theodore Roosevelt

"All labour that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence." - Martin Luther King Jnr.

Enjoy the Workers Day holiday!

Living in Grace,
D3LM3