In the midst

This short statement has been running round inside my head for a few days: "In the midst." And as I start to ask questions, I realize that perhaps this is a reminder for us all. As we head into 2025, we will soon begin to feel the weight of life but let us remember that God has promised to be with us 'in the midst' of all things.

Psalm 138:7 - Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 - You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

May God bless you and keep you in the palm of his hands. 

Living in Grace

D3LM3

The 12th day of Christmas into Epiphany

For many people the festivities of Christmas Day are almost a distant memory, but for those communities who mark the 12 days of Christmas, this week is important. Not only is the 5th of January the 12th day of Christmas (for obvious reasons), but it is also the eve of Epiphany. The Easter Orthodox Church celebrates this date as the birth of Jesus and they offer gifts to one another, in the tradition of the wise men. 

This reflection is not a critique of any Christmas tradition, but rather just to remind myself (and others), that the Gift of Jesus' birth is not a "one day" event, but rather a miracle that gives us hope and life throughout the year.

May Christ be real to you this Epiphany and may the gift of his life resonate throughout 2025.

"Star of wonder, you have led us,
along with so many,
to the Child of the Light.
Continue to guide us on our journey
to be Followers of the One,
the Creator and Redeemer
and Sustainer of us all.
For it is in Christ's name that we pray. Amen." - Beth Richardson

Matthew 2:11-12 - 11 Entering the house where the baby and Mary, his mother, were, they threw themselves down before him, worshiping. Then they opened their presents and gave him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 But when they returned to their own land, they didn’t go through Jerusalem to report to Herod, for God had warned them in a dream to go home another way.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

A prayer for our children

As another school year begins, I wanted to write a prayer for my own children. I pray that this may help and encourage you too. God bless.

Dear Lord,

As our children begin another year of school, we pray that you would fill them with confidence, peace and the willingness to learn. 

We pray for their teachers, coaches, mentors and friends, and that each of them would be able to positively contribute to the growth of our kids. 

We acknowledge that not all learning is academic, and that our children need to understand the value of listening to others, coping with disappointment, helping those who struggle, encouraging a wary teammate and, that genuine kindness can break down many barriers.

Gracious God, we ask that you place your great arms of protection over our kids, and that you would give them strength to overcome the obstacles in their paths. 

We also ask, that where we cannot be, that you would keep watch over their lives. 

Give them courage to stand by their faith, principles and convictions. 

Lord, help us to nurture our kids as best we can, and to allow them just enough freedom to spread their wings, but enough guidance to make wise decisions. 

As they begin this new year of studies and adventures, we intentionally place them into your loving care.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Learning to walk

My friend, Hugh Till, shared this lovely prayer on Sunday during his service. It really spoke to me, and I would love to share it with you too. It is called: Learning to Walk, and was written by J. Bradley Wigger.

"O God of steadfast love,
trusting you, we devote our hearts to learning,
and our lives to walking.

Teach us truth, that we may walk with courage.
Teach us mercy, that we may walk with humility.
Teach us forgiveness, that we may walk with compassion.
Teach us grace, that we may walk with strength.
Teach us wonder, that we may walk with praise.
Teach us goodness, that we may walk with those in need.

O God of steadfast love,
Learning from you, may we walk well.
Amen." (From Together we Pray: A Prayer Book for Families (Chalice Press, 2005)

Thought: As we begin a new year, we would do well to devote our hearts to learning and our lives to walking well. 

Living in Grace

D3LM3 

War and Peace

In searching for some words of wisdom to mark the transition into 2024 I stumbled upon the wise words of Benjamin Franklin. “Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man (and woman).” 

For me, his words sum up the overall spirit of starting another year. We are deeply aware of our faults and short-comings, and we desire to change them. However, change is not an easy exercise for us all, but there is always the motivation to become a better human being. I also believe that seeking 'peace' with our neighbor's is a great way to minimize conflict and anxiety.

As followers of Jesus, we remember that Jesus actually put us onto this same path nearly 17 centuries earlier than Mr. Franklin. Jesus said:

"He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” - Luke 10:27

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” - Mark 11:25

I pray that 2024 holds much Hope, Peace, Love and Joy for you all.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

The Quest - my story of Epiphany

 

The light draws me in – mysterious, divine, compelling.

I feel as though I am given a simple choice – follow the star and find the elusive answer or potentially live with a lingering, nagging wonder… where would the star have taken me?

Keeping the star in my sights, I persevere into the future. I am not yet sure if the brilliant light is just a mirage, a guide, or my ultimate destination. All I am sure of is that I must find the answer.

The journey is hard, but I continue to wander over mountains and through deep ravines. On occasion I stop to refresh and refocus on the great, glimmering goal. The wilderness is the toughest part of the quest; it is the audible silence that casts doubt on my desire for the light, but I push on.

My companions offer words of encouragement as we edge closer to the star. The mystery grows daily – larger and more pronounced, like a young pregnant mother watching the growth of her child from outside her stomach. Our questions are laced with nervous excitement and our words offer a hopeful consolation: have we made the right choice?

Wearily, but rhythmically, we plod on. At some point in the early evening, we are arrested by the silent, stationary star. Its arc has come to rest above an obscure and unlikely home. There are no magnificent palatial walls to mark the birth of this unique child. Where are the consorts and servants? Why are there no royal guards or physicians? There is no smell of a thousand fires, lit to feed the multitudes come to honour the king.

Perhaps this is all wrong? Has our wisdom been nothing but foolish guessing?

Yet, there is a faint sound emanating from a home on the eastern hillside. We see a dull light coming from the rudimentary shelter. In truth, it’s more like a stable, but there are signs of life coming from the open doorway. It is the voice of a weary young man, followed by the prayer of an emotionally drained teenage mother: Thank you for this gift, Yahweh!

In my heart I sense we have come to the appointed place, but my gut-feeling is confirmed when the sound of the angelic choir rises overhead. I have never heard hundreds of voices combine to this effect before. The overall message resounds as one, yet it is as if each distinctive voice is heard: Glory to the King!

Our hope is finally rewarded in this delightful moment. We choose to respectfully bow to the young parents, before we kneel before the child. It seems fitting that we honour the infant boy and as we rise from the dusty floor, the star reflects in his new-born eyes.

The gifts are for him, but we wonder if they are worthy enough for this special child. Will he even need them? Perhaps in the end he won’t, but it is what they truly represent that we have come to offer. Each precious treasure conveys the message of our hearts. We have found what we were looking for and now He deserves our genuine response.

And so, we offer Him:

Our allegiance. Our resources. Our All.

 

Living in Grace

D3LM3

I find it incredible that when I ponder on the familiar stories of our faith there is always something new that touches my heart. These special events, in our Christian tradition, can deepen our faith and give us renewed purpose as we follow Jesus. God bless you as you keep your eyes fixed on the Light. 

 

A treasure of common sense

"For the Lord grants wisdom! 

From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him." - Proverbs 2:6-8

As I begin the New Year, I often look for inspiration to motivate me in my faith. I find it hard to beat the words of wisdom contained in the chapters of Proverbs. Today's reading speaks very plainly about the wisdom that is given to us by the Lord. 

I hope and pray that I have enough common sense to trust in the Lord this year and to keep my eyes firming fixed on him.

What words of wisdom will you be turning too in 2023?

It is a thousand times better to have common sense without education than to have education without common sense. -Robert Green Ingersoll

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Old habits die hard

The phrase 'Old Habits Die Hard' is an expression that has remained in common use for many centuries. There is a lot of debate as to who initially coined the phrase, with some people giving Benjamin Franklin the honour, as he wrote the words in a published article in 1758. Others claim that it may have been in use as early as the fifteenth century, but there is no concrete proof of this.

Anyway, regardless of its origins, we all understand it's meaning: Any established habits are hard to break. 

It is interesting that if I asked us if this phrase was used in a positive or negative context, most of us would lean towards the negative. I certainly relate this expression to the bad habits that I have a tendency to keep repeating - these old habits are hard to shake off and change. 

However, what if we took the expression solely in a positive perspective? The good habits that we have created over time (that are now viewed as old or established) are equally hard to break. They will not easily die off, if we keep nurturing them.

As we start 2023, I feel it is good practise to reflect on all our habits - both healthy and destructive - and to ask God to help us with each of these. The healthy habits need to be maintained, but the destructive ones need courage to quit or to change. 

Proverbs 18:9 - "Slack habits and sloppy work are as bad as vandalism." (The Message)

Questions:

1. What healthy habits do you need to feed and grow this year?
2. What destructive habits must you stop?
3. What new habits can you create, that will become 'old' and resilient habits for future years?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

A special prayer for the New Year

In reflecting on our transition from 2022 into the New Year, I wrote a few thoughts that I trust could form the basis of a helpful prayer for each one of us. These words are my prayer for each one of us as we embark upon the journey of 2023. May these words be a blessing for you.

"May our disappointments of the Old Year give way to new hope and dreams for the New Year.

May our pain and scars of this past year create a new resolve and perseverance in the coming year.

May all our grief and loss of the past, become fuel for deeper empathy and kindness towards those who will struggle alongside us in the days to come.

May all our doubts and uncertainty of the Old Year be motivation for a resolute faith and passion for the future.

May our failures and unfulfilled expectations of the past grant us revised perspective and refined clarity in the days to come.

May our victories, joys and celebrations of this last year become a reservoir of deep gratitude and thankfulness in the New Year.

May our knowledge of God’s unending mercy and grace be both a light for our journey this year, as well as a promise of God’s continual presence into the unknown."

Thank you for your willingness to read these thoughts and devotions. I have committed to continue to this ministry into the future and I pray that each post would offer us all something to chew on and hopefully provide a little extra fuel for our Spiritual adventures. 

Please remember that you can sign up to receive these posts directly to your email if you would like. It is FREE. You sign up on the home page.

Have a Blessed 2023. 

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Reflecting on letting go of the old and embracing the new

Here is a delightful poem for the beginning of our new year. It was written by late Irish poet and author, John O'Donohue. Enjoy ...

"As this year draws to its end,

We give thanks for the gifts it brought

And how they became inlaid within

Where neither time nor tide can touch them.

The days when the veil lifted
And the soul could see delight;
When a quiver caressed the heart
In the sheer exuberance of being here.

Surprises that came awake
In forgotten corners of old fields
Where expectation seemed to have quenched.

The slow, brooding times
When all was awkward
And the wave in the mind
Pierced every sore with salt.

The darkened days that stopped
The confidence of the dawn.

Days when beloved faces shone brighter
With light from beyond themselves;
And from the granite of some secret sorrow
A stream of buried tears loosened.

We bless this year for all we learned,
For all we loved and lost
And for the quiet way it brought us
Nearer to our invisible destination." (take from "To bless the space between us")

1 Peter 1:14 - "So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then."

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Final list of books for 2021

I should have realised that I was not going to be able to narrow down my reading list to just 21 books for this year :) Thank you all so much for the delightful suggestions and comments. I truly appreciate the wide range of authors, genres and topics which are covered by your input. 

I have now compiled a list of over 50 books (see below), which have been suggest by you all - if I have missed out one or two, I am sorry for my error. I have already read a few of the books that have been mentioned, but I am still listing them because I believe they are great reads in any case.

If you are looking for something to tackle during this year feel free to see what other people are reading. Go for it. 

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.” – George R.R. Martin

“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” – Jim Rohn

Living in Grace

D3LM3

LIST OF BOOKS:

1.      The War of the Roses (Stormbird) – Conn Iggluden

2.      The Choice - Edith Eger

3.      Missing Pieces – Tim Weaver

4.      Hope in The Dark - Craig Groeschel

5.      My African Conquest: Cape to Cairo at 80 - Julia Albu

6.      The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse - Charlie Mackesy.

7.      Dominion - Tom Holland

8.      Ragamuffin gospel - Brennan Manning

9.      A Time of Gifts and Between the Woods and the Water - Patrick Leigh Fermor.

10.  I'll Push You – Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck

11.  Radical Optimism - Beatrice Bruteau

12.  Captivate - Vanessa van Edwards

13.  Knowing God - J Packer

14.  Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts

15.  Finney lives on – V. Raymond Edman

16.  Man - The dwelling place of God - AW Tozer

17.  Wholly for God - Andrew Murray

18.  The Universal Christ - Richard Rohr

19.  God on mute - Pete Greig

20.  The Infinite Game - Simon Sinek

21.  The 11th commandment - Jeffrey Archer

22.  The smell of apples - Mark Behr

23.  The girl with seven names - Lee Hyeon-seo

24.  The Jesus I never knew - Max Lucado,

25.  Mr Men books J

26.  Overcomer- David Jeremiah

27.  American Dirt - Jeanine Cummins

28.  The heart's Invisible Furies - John Boyne

29.  Shrink: Faithful ministry in a Church-growth culture - Tim Suttle

30.  Gary Kirsten Autobiogrpahy

31.  The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry - John Mark Comer

32.  The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz - Erik Larson

33.  From the Holy Mountain - William Dalrymple

34.  The 4 Agreements – Don Miguel Ruiz

35.  Who Moved the Stone - Frank Morrison

36.  Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine - Gail Honeyman

37.  The Evening and the Morning - Ken Follett.

38.  Talking to Strangers - Malcolm Gladwell;

39.  The Power of Habit - Charles Duhigg;

40.  Who do we choose to become - Margaret Wheatley.

41.  The Boys in the Boat - Daniel Brown and Edward Wilson

42.  Of the Antarctic by George Seaver ( if you can find it !)

43.  Dining at the Masters Table by Paul D Norcross

44.  Ask for more by Alexandra Carter

45.  The book of longings – Sue Kidd Monk

46.  All the Light We Cannot see - Anthony Doerr.

47.  The Book Thief – Markus Zusak

48.  The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime – Mark Haddon

49.  The Meaning of Night: A Confession - Michael Cox

50.  Edward Rutherford - London 

51.Washing of the Spears - Donald Morris

 

Before you do anything...

“Before you speak, listen.
Before you write, think.
Before you spend, earn.
Before you invest, investigate.
Before you criticize, wait.
Before you pray, forgive.
Before you quit, try.
Before you retire, save.
Before you die, give.” - William A. Ward

I believe that these words are true and helpful, especially as we head off into 2021 and beyond. There is so much wisdom in taking a little time to reflect before we end up "doing" something. Sadly, we don't always get this right and then we end up spending a lot more time and energy trying to fix our mistakes.

Proverbs 28:14 - Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

Exodus 20:3 - “You shall have no other gods before me."

Living in Grace

D3LM3

I can't promise you

I was given this lovely quote from Rev. Dr. William Sangster the other day. I think it is such a lovely reflection on the New Year and too good to be kept to myself. Enjoy it and may it offer us all some words to 'live by' in 2021.

"I cannot promise you, in the coming year, a new set of circumstances.
Indeed I anticipate for myself and for you, difficulties and disappointments
and obstacles and some pain – for that is life.
No year has dawned that did not contain them and if such a year did come 

it might be debilitating to the soul.
But in the Name of Him Who sits upon the Throne, 

I promise you that if you will receive Him into your heart and

if you will submit to His Lordship over you, you can have a new heart,
a new life and therefore a new birth.
I cannot beckon you away from the flinty path upon which some of you walk.
I am not commissioned to do so.
Those who follow Christ must travel a times by stony and rugged ways
but I do promise in grey times a new life in God." - Rev Dr William Sangster. 1900-1960

May God bless us all as we embark upon the uncertainty of the next 363 days.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

P.S. My gratitude to Rev. Ralph Thornley for sharing this with me. 

Letting go

For me, New Year is always a moment to reset my spiritual attitude and heart. I don't believe that the world around me is going to change in anyway (sadly), but there is something in the changing year that brings a degree of optimism and hope. I am not sure how it is for you?

On some level there is the hope that all the negative events, sad moments and tough times will be shelved into the archives, or at least pushed further back into our memories. There is also the longing for something new, fresh and dynamic, that will launch us into the possibilities of the next 365 days.

On a spiritual level, it also reminds me of my own journey with Christ. That there was a moment, when I chose to let go of my past and embrace the future with Jesus. The old has gone and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17) Of course this doesn't happen over-night, but it does bring me joy to remember that I am no longer my own, but am 'in Christ.'

I pray that you will have a blessed 2021 and that whatever happens we would keep our eyes on Jesus.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Reorientation

 

Children and families have begun the process of "reorientation" this week as they head back to school, work and further studies. Reorientation simply means to "familiarise ourselves with something again" or to "change direction or focus".

I believe that this is also such an important task for all Christians to undertake. Just as starting a new year comes with its own set of challenges, so the process of doing a spiritual reorientation will also take something out of us. Are we willing to do this?

Joshua 3:4 -  "Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before."

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Faithful God

As I bring the last month's reflections on Micah to an end, let us use his words as a starting point for our fresh start to 2020. They are a wonderful reminder of God's mercy, compassion and FAITHFULNESS.

"Who is a God like you,
    who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
    of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
    but delight to show mercy.
¹⁹ You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
²⁰ You will be faithful to Jacob,
    and show love to Abraham,
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors    in days long ago." - Micah 7:18-20

Our God is Faithful.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

New Year Pose

As you embark upon another New Year what pose are you taking? It make seem like a weird question, but if you think about it, the word Pose can mean "to stand or sit in preparation for something". 

We take on a pose for most things in our lives - even if the pose over the festive season is one of sitting on the couch, eating or spending time with family - that's still a pose.

How about this as a Godly pose for 2020?
 
"But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
    I wait for God my Savior;    my God will hear me." - Micah 7:7

Let's get ourselves ready for what the Lord has in store for us this year.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Beautiful Reflection

As we say goodbye to 2019, many of us are reflecting on the good and tough times of this year, as well as thinking about what 2020 will hold for us. If you are looking for a passage to pray over and to help you with your reflection, take a read of these powerful words from Micah.
 
"With what shall I come before the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?
⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
⁸ He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God." - Micah 6:6-8

I believe that if we could live out these 3 qualities in the New Year we would be honouring Jesus with our lives.

Have a Blessed 2020 friends and thanks for taking the time to read my thoughts. 

Living in Grace
D3LM3

The Right Place

 

^"By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people." - Exodus 13:21-22

One of my favourite words from the Christmas season is the name - 'Immanuel' - and the reason for this is because of the powerful reminder that 'God is always with us.' However, in a slight variation of this word, we see another reminder of God's presence in Exodus 13 - it is the promise that God is guiding us on our journey of Faith. 

...God is 'in front of the people'
...God is leading us 
...God WILL direct our paths
...God is in the pillar of cloud and in the pillar of fire
...God uses two different (but clear) signs to lead us

All of this is done so that God can help his people get to their RIGHT destination - His chosen path and His chosen destination.

I have been challenged to put God in the right place as we begin 2019.
May you join me in doing so.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

In God's Hands

 

As we have come to the end of 2018 and the dawn of 2019, I quickly turned to Psalm 31 to see if there was any message for us from the words of King David. And this is what I discovered - lovely words of renewal and recommitment for each one of us.

"Into your hands I commit my spirit." - v.5

"But I trust in you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands;" - v.15

"Be strong and take heart,
    all you who hope in the Lord." - v.24

I pray that these words will guide you, nourish you and encourage you as you begin the new year. Let us seek to place all "things" into the Hands of the Almighty God.

Living in Grace
D3LM3