When My Soul Needs Rest

This week, I feel weary. Exhausted. I've come to the end of the week: a week full of busy-work and packed evenings. A week where I simply haven't had time to recharge. And it's taken its toll on me, physically and emotionally.

The Pursuit of Pursuit

Over the past two days, I’ve arranged to spend time with a couple of very good friends at different times. I really looked forward to those times. It wasn’t because I wanted to talk to them about something specific, or I needed their help with something. It was simply because they’re my friends, and I love them, and I enjoy spending time with them.

And that really made me think. How often do I do that with God? How often do I set out to spend time with Him just to spend time with Him? Not very often. Certainly not as often as I’d like.

Tears, Tantrums and Trusting (Part I) - Stop Dwelling in the Past

Forget about what's happened;

don't keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new
It's bursting out! Don't you see it?
(Isaiah 43:18-19, MSG)

I first had the idea for this mini-series of posts about two months ago, with a vague idea of the sort of thing it might be about, but nothing more. 

I'm definitely in the middle of a season of learning, and one of the main things it's been teaching me is how to live in the moment. It's something that's kept coming up over and over recently, so I thought it was about time I sat up and paid attention. 

This passage from Isaiah pretty much sums it up for me, and I particularly love the version in The Message - it packs a punch which, quite honestly, I need sometimes. 

A Ball of Rubber Bands

I know I haven't posted on here for a while.

Honestly, it's not because I've forgotten.

Fear, Peace and Singing: Week 1 of my Treasure Hunt

"For the Lord your God is living among you.

He is a mighty saviour.

He will take delight in you with gladness.

With his love, he will calm all your fears.

He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."

(Zephaniah 3:17, NLT)

I've had an interesting first week of the challenge I set myself (If you missed it, and therefore don't have a clue what I'm talking about, you can read the original post here).

The first couple of days were reasonably uneventful – going to work, coming home and so on. It wasn't until Wednesday when the first thing that I'd call noteworthy happened. I was walking down the road on a break from work, and noticed a mother walking along the opposite side of the road with a pushchair. As I got closer, I could hear her singing to the child while she walked along.

As I thought more about it, I remembered that, somewhere in the Bible, it talked about God rejoicing over us with singing. I knew it was in there somewhere, although I couldn't remember exactly where. But at that moment I had a real-life illustration of what God does for every one of us. Because He loves us.

Then, that evening on my way home, I had a car accident.

I'm Going on a Treasure Hunt – Who's Coming With Me?

This weekend, I've spent more time than usual in church. Four services in total, rather than the usual one or two. All of them were very different in style: two at my home church, one "standard" service, one more casual; one high Anglican evensong; one Catholic mass.

In different ways, God spoke to me through all of them.

The Bench by the Lake

It's September, and the new term has started. For me, this means a return to one of my favourite spots in the park near my office. A bench, by the side of a lake. 

It's a bench that's come to mean a lot to me since the spring brought its warmth and I first started visiting. It's the spot I've come to countless times to pray, to listen. 

Sitting back in that same spot yesterday, I found myself reflecting. Things are very different since the last time I was here, before the summer holidays.