When the Broken Walk in

Two years ago a mother walked into our church holding her baby called Lexi. Her baby had cancer and she had run out of options. Could we try praying? I remember this mum standing up the front asking Jesus to help her and our Elders calling us to pray. Cancer go away. Be healed.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV)

Pray without ceasing. Two years went by. During this time of praying Lexi’s mum met Jesus. He turned her life upside down. You can see the difference. You can see the joy.

This mum first walked in clutching her baby with cancer and seeming to have no hope at all. Then she met Jesus and she changed from no hope to having every hope and expectancy.

The father of Lexi saw a change. Lexi’s mum was different. The hope and new life she has is infectious. The change is life changing and people notice. Lexi’s father met Jesus and Jesus changed him too. Welcome to the family.

This is almost like the story of the paralysed man. People bringing him in from the roof in desperation and Jesus saying “your sins are forgiven”… they and you cry – “But you missed the point Jesus, he wants to walk!”

But Jesus says – “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? (Mark 2v9)

Jesus says – which is more important? Healing of our body or of our heart? Jesus cleanses the heart through his blood and gives eternal life.

Jesus did that with Lexi’s mum and dad. He said to them – “Your sins are forgiven”. This is a beautiful miracle in itself. We rejoice in this!

The story could end here. It does for many people and there is still reason to rejoice at this point. Even though its painful. There can be an element of yearning and sorrow in our rejoicing. “Though I walk through the wilderness. Blessed Be Your name”

But the story doesn’t stop there. Not today.

We got told on Sunday that another miracle has happened. Lexi has been healed. At this point she hadn’t had any treatment however the cancer had gone. It is impossible. No more cancer. No more tumors. No more. Gone. Miracle.

The faith of the church was raised on that Sunday. My faith has risen too. Not because of the sign itself but because of who the sign points to. Jesus.

Thank you Jesus.

It is good to be church. It’s good to be a part of this family where broken, hopeless people are welcomed, they meet Jesus and their lives change. It’s good to cry together and rejoice together. The roof was raised on Sunday. Together we prayed, together we praised, together we felt a part of this. Faith was raised together in church.

Thank you Jesus for the church. Thank you for Lexi and her mum and dad. Thank you that you do heal, but more so thank you that you save.

“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (Mark 2v11-12)

M.E. Awareness Week

I didn’t know if I should write this. It feels really sensitive and it is. But I want to write this so that those who read this will learn more about M.E. I want to write this because I want to learn more.

It is M.E. awareness week.

I remember when I was in school there was a girl in our class who had M.E. She would be off school a lot. I didn’t really understand what it was or what it meant. Everyone just knew that she was really tired all the time. I didn’t know it was something way more than that.

Not until I met and befriended a lovely lady called Tanya who has M.E.

The media isn’t very helpful when it comes to M.E. They seem to only portray it as a psychological problem. There are reports that suggest M.E is all in the mind. It’s like they are saying – You are making this up or You just need to think happy thoughts. You just need to get out of this rut.

It seems like the doctors don’t really know what to do and it doesn’t seem like there is any extensive research going into this.

I find this odd. I wonder if these people who write articles in the newspaper have ever had experience with M.E. Have they ever been friends with someone with M.E? I fear the answer is probably no and they see these people as statistics rather than friends, family or partners. Perhaps as you read this you are inclined to believe those papers without ever actually meeting someone with M.E.

The reason I write this is because when I read Tanya’s blog post about M.E. it reminded me that I have a lot to learn and that what the media says isn’t always reality.

Becoming better friends with Tanya has been great and we enjoy our chats in the afternoon with good coffee. Through this friendship one of things that she has helped me understand is the affects of M.E. And as you read this I wanted to tell you that her M.E. isn’t made up or all in her head. And neither are her friends making up their M.E.

When you get to know someone and you chat and you share worries and dreams and you pray together you begin to see their heart. You begin to see that M.E. is terrible and very real. This isn’t something you would make up – it’s not something you would want to make up or lie about. It is real and it is a thief that robs time and energy away from my friend.

I don’t want to make a case study of Tanya. But I want to show you that it is better to look into, to understand, to meet people and to research and ask questions before believing what the newspapers or the hype says about it.

The truth is I don’t always know what to say. I try to ask as many questions as I can to learn more. I want to learn and understand more. I want to pray and pray for healing too. I don’t know what its like to have M.E. But I want to say I believe you and not in a patronising way, but in a way that says I want to understand more and ask how can I help?

So then, if you feel the same and want to know more, here are some places you can go which may help and has helped me:

Tanya’s blog post on M.E awareness week

Tanya’s post on why you should care about M.E.

Action for M.E

Jenny’s blog

Serving without Sinking

Have you ever had that moment where you are just really fed up of serving? At first it was a joy but now it’s just boring and repetitive. It feels like you are the only one who is serving while everyone else has gone home. And no one praises you or encourages you. Day in and day out it you slog away and you’re tired. You’re tired of it all.

Does that sound familiar? If it does, can I recommend a book to you? I know, another book to read – but it has been one of the most helpful books I’ve read on serving.

Serving without Sinking – by John Hindley is a book that is Christ focused. In fact you spend over half the book looking at Jesus and how He serves you. This really makes you examine your heart and the motives of your heart towards serving. You could be like the person I described above where you are just fed up of serving and you feel very discouraged and tired of it all. Then this book will remind you how Christ serves you first and how he delights in you. It will melt your heart to see the love that Christ has for you. With this in mind it changes the way you think about serving from a “I should do” or a “I have to” turned to a “I want to” and “I delight to” Why? because every bit of service – making tea, printing music, washing tables, welcome team is all serving Jesus and we can do that because he first and foremost serves us.

Or perhaps you are someone who isn’t like the person above – maybe you only serve to get recognition or you just can’t be bothered to serve others. John Hindley reminds us what kind of master we have – He is good and kind and he calls us to serve him. Again he calls us to this only after he has first served us. He is a serving master who loves his servants, servants who are sons and daughters of his Father. He calls us to serve with a glad heart – looking to Christ and not for recognition from others. We can do this because we have the Lord who knows us and a Father who sees what we do in secret.

I found this book to be good news for my heart. It’s a short book but with a deep focus on Jesus. I feel like it is something we all need at the moment.

You can get the book at the Good Book Company.

Ali Bolton has read and reviewed the book here.

Green Fingers #1

I’m not sure I really have green fingers. I am not a natural at growing and keeping green leafy things alive. When at University I would try to look after pot plants which unfortunately I would forget about and find them cowering in the corner looking shrivelled and wilted. My parents ended up giving me a pot plant called “hope” and they told me it was because it needed hope to survive living in the same house as me. It died.

Moving swiftly on. I would like to say that I am now a gardening wiz with pot plants, however I still haven’t managed to keep one alive. My husband and I conclude we are not plot plant people. But we have found a joy in growing vegetables. Not only do you get the fun of planting them and seeing them grow, but you can eat them too!

We started this last year and had some interesting results – we managed to grow aubergines, tomatoes and peppers!

There were a few disasters: Not having air vents in the green house which resulted in some things going moldy! And also an army of slugs ate a lot of our veg!! However for a first try we felt it went well.

So this year we are branching out and now have raised beds! Outside in the raised beds we are growing: potatoes, garlic, broccoli, leeks and carrots.

Inside the Green house we have: Peppers, Tomatoes and Aubergines.

I hope to keep you updated with how things are going. They are growing quite quickly – although I am slightly worried that the weather of high winds and rain will do damage. But here are some pictures of our potatoes that have grown so fast in a week:

 

 

 

 

 

Look how much its grown!! Exciting.

I am interested in learning more about gardening and growing a variety of things in the garden. If you have any tips or tricks I would love to hear them in the comments below!!

Happy Gardening!

Reflections on Bank Holiday Monday

 A perplexing thing happens when the sun comes out. It’s rays begin to warm the belly of the earth and the birds puff out their chests and begin a summer song.

The English hear this song. It vibrates into the core of their bones and it calls to them like sirens from the deep. It is a most beautiful siren causing the outcome so predictable. As the song rises up from their gut to their heart, their arms are already moving over towels and sun screens and wind-breakers.

The English with their hats and sandals in tow – off to the beach they go. Like flocking flamingoes in a lagoon, the English descend upon the golden shores. Smiles begin to beam as their eyes flicker across the treasure that glistens at them. Their tongue moves across their cracked lips as they gaze at the shimmering sea waves that curl and flop on the surface of the sand.

In packs they hunt for the right spot. Their own personal roasting tray.

Once found, they mark their territory with flags of triumph.
Here be our treasure.
Here is where we shall bake our pasty skin.
Here is where our children shall tunnel to Australia.

Here is where we shall master the art of changing into our swimming costume without a hint of skin and with little effort. This gymnastic art will be achieved with wiggles and shimmering bottoms as the clothes go off and the costume goes on – all under the mask of the beach towel. No flesh will be seen.

To the sea we must go! Regardless if it is only 12 degrees outside because my dear child the sun has got his hat on and this is our only day of summer. So make the most of it.

Trousers rolled up to our knees, swimming costumes on, armbands to the ready. Here we go.

Splash. Splash. Gurgle. Gulp. Shiver.

We remember quickly that we cannot swim and we hobble out of the freezing pit of ice. Yet we are proud of our sea swim. The sea has been conquered for this year.

We glance and we see: red lobster women with sunglasses, sand castles being engulfed in a tsunami, sandy sandwiches, whirlwind sand storms, water fights, BBQs smoking out the family next door, screaming children holding threatening weapons of buckets and spades, mums sighing, dads playing practical jokes, flirty flirts and ice cream consuming.

We sigh. It’s a good day for the beach.

Collection of Webs: April

Here is a monthly collection of webs where I share with you what I have been reading on blogs, articles, books and what I have been watching or listening to. If you have missed any collection of webs this year you can find them all on this page.

Blogs Posts from friends:

Bryony writes about her Church Youth Weekend away: If you have Jesus, then you have everything you need for life. Not just today, not just in this moment, but for your whole life. (Amen to that!)

I am currently studying 2 Timothy with Bish at the moment, so it’s always great to see him blog about it. Here is a cracking post about maturity: “Wisdom is chewy.
Wisdom is slow-cooker.”

Emily unpacks the story of Elijah when he stops to rest under the broom tree. Its a great little post to encourage you!: “I know the journey is too great for you. Here, eat this, and drink a little of this water.’

Mike Shaw writes about students and their final year exams, an encouraging post in a season of exams and anxieties for students: “So as many students enter their final year, their priority has to be cross shaped, not exam shaped.”

Tanya wrote an amazing and challenging post on Disability living allowance in the UK. This is certainly worth a read: “It is plain misleading, and the truth of what is happening is being buried under debates about Wizard of Oz songs in the charts.”

Blog Posts Out There:

An article about the Archbishop of Canterbury’s daughter and her battle with depression: “Christians who suffer from depression find themselves “suffering quietly and in fear of what their friends would say”, she said.”

What happens when you really disconnect? “By the end of nine days, I felt empowered and enriched. With my brain quieter, I was able to take back control of my attention.”

Pam writes about Naming the Top: “I’m sure Jesus mentioned something about arguing who is the greatest”

David Murray writes I’d rather be a godly administrator than an ungodly minister: “You spend your week filing papers, printing reports, chasing up bad debts, putting stamps on envelopes. Then you go to church on Sunday and you see a man leading hundreds in worship and prayer, and preaching inspiring sermons. It’s pretty obvious who’s pleasing God most isn’t it?”

Books:

I finished reading Life of Pi! Which I really enjoyed, I haven’t seen the film yet but I really want to! I think its such a clever book and lots of themes can be drawn out from it!

I’m now reading Cloud Atlas which is a fun and really different book. I am only a quarter of the way through but I think all the lives of different people will link together throughout the book!

I’m also reading Serving without Sinking by John Hindley which has been an encouraging read. Its been focusing me back onto Christ which is certainly what I need!

In the Garden:

We have started gardening this year. Already planted: Carrots, potatoes, garlic, broccoli and leeks in the raised beds. In the green house we have Aubergines, Peppers and Tomatoes! Already some of the potatoes and garlic are showing leaves above ground which is very exciting!! I hope to give you updates on these as the year goes by.

Posts on my blog:

Stewarding, Strife and Smiles: My account of the challenges of stewarding at a conference.

Two Years of Marriage: What I have learnt in my marriage so far.

Introverts at a Conference: How an introvert can survive going to a conference!

Snaps from Poland

The reason for the radio silence this week is because I have been in Poland for 3 days. This is for work where I met up with other IFES staff to plan a 10 day student conference in Poland in August! Quite exciting! So I thought I would share some pictures of my time in Poland:

 

Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing

At first glance you may think this book is a children’s book. But once you delve into the beautiful pages you soon realise this is a book for all ages. “Thoughts to make your heart sing” is a collection of stories, thoughts with bible passages and illustrations written by Sally Lloyd Jones and Jago. Sally also wrote the story book bible which is a fantastic book and this would make such a great companion to that book.

Each page is filled with stories that truly does make your heart sing. And the songs you will be singing will be about Jesus. They are heart-warming thoughts about our wonderful saviour and what he has done for us and how he cares and loves us. They are simple and short yet piercing and captivating. I really love reading the stories.

The illustrations are brilliant and drawn by Jago. They really capture the message of each thought and story and they are just really nice to look at as you read the book.

This is the kind of book you could use in your devotional time. You can open the pages when you feel a bit lost and lonely and be reminded of Christ. You could also read the stories to your children and show them the wonder and beauty of Jesus.

I would recommend this book for every Christian and I would also think it would be good to give to a non-Christian as well. Tim Keller says:

“I would urge not just families with young children to get this book, but every Christian–from pew warmers, to ministry leaders, seminarians and even theologians! Sally Lloyd-Jones has captured the heart of what it means to find Christ in all the scriptures, and has made clear even to little children that all God’s revelation has been about Jesus from the beginning–a truth not all that commonly recognized even among the very learned.”

 

Introverts at a Conference

Something I learnt when I became a Christian was that Christians like to go away into the middle of nowhere, spend most hours of the day with people who they may or may not know, sit in meetings together, sing songs together and share rooms together and all this fueled by coffee and cake with not a bit of vitamin C in sight. It seems a bit odd at first glance.

However from my experience conferences are fun and exciting. Especially when you get to hang out with your friends, hear brilliant teaching and share in fellowship with brothers and sisters all around the world.

But for the introvert, conferences can cause a slight flutter of nerves and sweaty palms. The idea of spending a week or more surrounded by people for most the day or sitting in large meetings can be overwhelming. And I often feel like that.

Part of my job is to go to a lot of conferences. So I had to find a way to cope with them so that I wouldn’t shrivel up inside and retreat to my “happy place” every time I am in a social situation where I have to talk “small talk”. So here is my personal mini-guide on how an introvert can survive a conference:

1. Pray – I get quite anxious before a conference and I try to think up 100 diseases I could catch so that I would have a good excuse not to go. So I have to cling on to the verse that I need to cast all my anxieties on to him because he cares for me (1 Peter 5:7). The Lord does care for me and he doesn’t want me to worry about this conference, so a good pray and then several thousand repeated prayers because I am dull of heart, tends to help.

2. Don’t Expect to Speak to Everyone – Having conversations with everyone will tire you out, so don’t place those expectations on yourself. You will have someone on stage saying that you need to make sure you are sociable and speak to everyone. But that may look different for you – you don’t have to be a social butterfly, going from one conversation to another with a flap of your wings. You may find you have a couple of close friends you stick to throughout the week and then a couple of others outside your friendship group that you invest in from time to time. And that is OK. Those relationships will be more meaningful. I have found that through this approach I have deepened a lot of my friendships at work.

3. Take Time Out – Rest. Don’t go to everything. If you need time out and it means missing a talk or going to bed early, than do it. And don’t feel guilty about it. At a conference I sometimes feel like I am back at school with my pleated skirt and oversized blazer and I have to go to every lesson for the fear of being told off. A conference is not school. We are now adults. We don’t have to go to everything. We can choose what we go to. And praise the Lord I don’t have to wear that blazer anymore!

4. Rejoice in our Extroverted Friends – Praise the Lord for our extroverted friends. You see them going from one person to another, creating connections, being influential having streams of conversations. Praise the Lord that they are different to you. Don’t be jealous. They are just different to you and you are making connections in different ways to them.

5. Rest Afterwards – Thankfully I get time off in lieu for being at a conference. After a conference I often feel exhausted and drained so if you can rest afterwards then do! Don’t feel guilty having time out and away from people after a conference.

6. Go out of your Comfort Place – Being an introvert is not excuse to hide away for all of the conference and not speak to anyone! It’s not an excuse to not make any connections with people or make an effort. We need to push out of our comfort zone – meet new people, make conversation even if its hard, create connections and be interested in people. Chances are you will meet people from all different walks of life, with various struggles, cultures and ideas. They are exciting to get to know.

So there you go, a small list of how I survive a conference as an introvert. Please do add any of your own advice in my comments as I am always interested to learn in this area.

Two Years of Marriage

Tim and I have been married two years today. On one hand it feels like its gone really quickly, yet on the other it feels like we have been married forever. Last Year I wrote about the things husbands do. I thought today I would write about some of the things I have learnt in marriage:

1. Keep things special – It’s really easy to get in a rut. Same routine day in and day out. When date night comes its easy to think – well lets just eat dinner in front of the TV like we always do, nothing special. But keeping things special, with surprises, presents, date nights when possible is really nice. I appreciate it when Tim comes home with a bunch of flowers!

2. Turn the screen off – TV can be a conversation killer. The ping of the mobile phone can be a distraction. Sometimes we need to turn that off and enjoy a real live conversation. Like face to face.

3. Mundane things need to happen – And that’s ok! Shopping needs to be done, washing up needs to be done. Someone needs to cook. You often don’t see the behind the scenes of the prince and princess story where the princess is vacuuming the castle and the prince is washing up. But it is a part of life. Unless you have servants, which we don’t.

4. Encourage, Encourage, Encourage – Words are a dangerous thing. As a wife I know how easy it is to use words to bring my husband down. But I have learnt that encouragement goes a long way and when he encourages me it really brings joy to my heart.

5. Everyone’s Marriage is different – It’s easy to feel like everyone’s marriage should be the same – that we should fit into certain roles of who should do what. But I have learnt that every marriage is different. I have learnt that while my husband is better at making and creating various things around the house, I am better at organising our diary and finance. While my husband prefers DIY, is much better at sewing than me and likes food shopping more than I do. I prefer to read books, iron and find useful ways to use the creative things that my husband builds while gently reminding him that perhaps making a lit up smiling robot isn’t AS helpful as putting up shelves. Oh and we both enjoy cooking.

Above all for us, having Jesus at the center and being a part of and serving in a church community is what helps us grow more and more in our marriage. I look forward to many more happy years together.