Patience is not my thing

Patience is far from my strong point. The nuts of not wanting to wait. Wanting an end to all problems instantly I desire. I need to learn to rejoice in hope that my answer is already here. God’s timing is perfect, mine is normally hurry up please!

My hope is in you alone Jesus
However hard I try
Patience is not my thing
Why can't I have it now I cry
As doubt finds a way in
Eyes get diverted
My head starts to spin

Patience is what I need I pray
Learning to be still
Why is it so hard I grumble 
But is hardship really here
Just a loss of creature comforts
My self pity needs to go
The Holy Spirit needs to enter in

With words of praise and worship
Nuts of lies and impatience
Run and disappear
Hope And patience reign
As the Spirit is allowed to soar
God is able to step in
Bringing miracles and glory galore

So whatever your waiting for
Keep your eyes on God above
Let Jesus take your hand
As the Holy Spirit leads
Let praise part from your lips
Peace and joy surround
And everything is well

New life

My youngest woke Saturday morning to a frost and wanted to go on an ice walk in the garden.

While in the garden although there was not much ice to see, I did notice new life popping through in nature. Shrubs starting to spring green leaves. Bulbs poking their leaves through the ground. Flowers hiding in buds. And fungi forming out the side of a pot.

A lot of people will have said at the beginning of the month that they will have made a resolution for a better lifestyle.

However in reality as people we do not need to wait till spring or new year to have new life in us. We can accept a new life any time.

The moment we accepted Jesus as our saviour we were receiving new life. The moment we rose from our baptism pools we had a new life. It didn’t matter what the time or date was. We received new life.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

As Christians, we always seem to say that we are going through a season. However whatever the season God is changing, developing us and bringing us new life.

We just need to be mindful and pray for wisdom in our lives. As we bud and flower in our new lives, weeds can also grow and take hold. We need to keep them at bay.

Whether we are in a place of needing new life, wanting a new life or happy with our life as it is, we need guidance from the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit keeps us in the armour of God. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and discernment when we ask. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us. We need the Holy Spirit to stay in our new life. The Holy Spirit  keeps weeds away so we can bud, blossom and be fruitful for God.

The cherry on the cake. When we have a relationship with Jesus and our days on earth are over. He is waiting in heaven to embrace us into new eternal life.

Dear Jesus 
Please keep us close living with you in our new lives.
May your Holy Spirit lead us, so we can bud and bloom.
Help us to share your gospel, spreading the good news.
For we long to be fruitful bringing others to your kingdom.
Yet sometimes we struggle in this task.
Just let us be bold and daring for you, in sharing your story of bringing new life.
Amen.

Conversations with my God

The FMF word prompt today is prayer. Something I always need work on. So much to say but only five minutes. (Just over sorry) https://fiveminutefriday.com

I treat you like an earthy friend
Dipping in and out when I can
Yet you are a Holy God
You deserve my very all

You come down to where I am
No expectations of me
You sit and listen
While I reel off every feeling

I pray
Rush off into my day
When you deserve my time
Worship and adoration

My prayers not always frequent
Often very selfish
I need to learn this art
Of conversation with my Lord

I need to dwell in your presence
So I never want to leave
Forgetting the world around
Just talking to my God

Help me to be more like Joshua
With you face to face
Breathing in your presence
Never wanting to leave

Help me to listen

Help me to sit still
At the foot of your throne
Looking at the King
As an expectant child
Listening to the story
With excitement in my eyes

No distractions of thoughts
No requests waiting to splurt out
Just sitting in awe
Quietly with brothers and sisters
As a family of Christ
Looking into the eyes of a King

Never let me forget
How holy you are
To be honoured and respected
Even though you come as a friend
You are a 3 in one divinity
And deserve my all

God’s promises – he never leaves us

Today I really am feeling a shift. I feel God moving again. God is always my rock but for months he has felt still, motionless even though I know he is still very much alive.

#Godspromises and answer to prayer for others are really lifting my spirits. We may all still be lockdown in our homes but God doesn’t just go with us on outside journeys. God is with us in the emotional, internal and physical battles. God never leaves us.

Jesus
You never leave us
You are always by our side
In us
Carrying the Spirit of God
Taking every step of life with us
We may not be able to go outside
Be locked in our homes
But we are all still on a journey
Of heart and minds
You haven't left us
Your still making us bold
Courageous and tackling fear
Keeping us bold
And giving us new opportunities
With a new creativity
That only comes from you
Thank you that
You are our strong foundation
Never leaving our side.
Amen

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.

Deuteronomy 31:6

God’s promises – we are not alone

Today a close friend is grieving a parent, my daughter is at her shift in the hospital where she works and it feels odd having a verse about a spirit raising Jesus from the dead, when this world is counting the cost of the pandemic in lives.

#Godspromises are true. Nothing can take that away and as both my friend and daughter take comfort in God, they are not alone.

God has left his Holy Spirit, who in essence is God. Do I understand this? No. Do I believe this anyway? Yes. This is faith.

We do not go through any part of life alone. When we accept Jesus this is  God’s promise. God never leaves us, he is in the good the bad and the ugly, God loves us and accepts us wherever we are, whatever the situation.

Dear Father,Son and Holy Spirit 
I thank you that you never leave us.
That you are with us in every circumstance, whether this is good or bad.
Strengthen and bring peace to all that need you today.
May they feel your presence stronger than ever.
Please comfort the grieving,
Bring strength to all who care and look after us.
Bring rest to the exhausted.
Let wisdom be in the hearts of everyone, doing what is right from following the rules, to showing love and kindness to each other.
Amen

Celebrating Christ’s birth

Day 24 of #wonderfulladvent and the word prompt is birth

Thank you to everyone that has followed this advent journey with me. God bless you all have a blessed and peaceful Christmas. Stay safe x

It's time to celebrate 
The birth of the child
Born in a stable
Long time ago
He came to be born
To a young virgin
The impossible made possible

The birth of a child
Born for you and me
The baby not gone
Or disappeared
Very much still with us
If we let his spirit
Reside in us

Imagine becoming parents
To the promised one
Taking responsibility
For God's only son
Overwhelming
Or full of confidence
Finding such favour chosen as mum

Mum Mary treasuring events
Visitors and presents
Storing hope
Waiting for the future

As we wait this Christmas time
Locked down
In such unusual times
Reflect and consider
The true meaning of Christmas
It's not Santamas
Or St.Nickmas
But Christmas
Celebrating our Christ.

The unexpected diary entry

Day 20 already of #wonderfulladvent and the prompt word is unexpected. I pray people will be gracious and forgiving with me on this post as I let my imagination run.

Dear Diary, March 1BC

Seriously I am unexpectedly calm but at the same time all over the place!

WHAT A DAY!!!

It all started so normally. Just another day in my life.

I got up and did all my normal things. Got washed, dressed, did my chores and of course was day dreaming about my guy Joe. Joe and I are getting married. I know he will understand and be just as excited as me 😊😍

I was in my room, just having some quiet time with God. Praying, reading scripture. I do this everyday.

SUDDENLY there was this bright bright light encompassing me and a strange man in my room! He even called me by name. Hello Mary he said.

My heart was racing, and I was obviously looking scared and visibly trembling as he told me not to be afraid.

There was something about his voice. A calmness which had an authority about it. He called me favoured one. He said he was a messenger of God. He even had a name Gabriel.

As I calmed I could see this was not a man, he had wings and was oozing gold and light. I remember feeling my trembling stopping, my heart beat returning to normal, almost being back in my body. It’s strange what you notice and remember in the midst of things.

Gabriel his voice smooth beautifully musical brought me a message. A message from God no less! WOAH WOW WOAH!. Me not Molly or Joanna or Grace, ME! Not sure how much they will believe me either when I tell them next girls night in.

Ok now here is where it gets really surreal! This Angel has casually rocked up in my quiet time with the bomb shell of all bomb shells.

Gabriel is telling me I AM PREGNANT with GODS CHILD no less. !!!! Being the girl I am I did politely point out this is impossible.

Gabriel not even blinking at the impossible and I’m sure he would of wanted to huff! This is God’s son, conceived of the Spirit. The long awaited messiah. God’s chosen one.

I have read the scriptures but me. We have been waiting for this moment for hundreds of years. But me. A normal everyday girl. Wow wow wow.

Gabriel must be reading my mind. Before I get to utter a word. He tells me, my cousin Elizabeth is also with child. My being cannot argue and the Spirit helps me accept and understand. God’s presents completely takes over.

I am at peace, favoured, let it be is all I can say.

The light suddenly gone along with my angel. But a presence so strong not gone. Prayer, praise and worship flow out from my soul. Time to think and reflect.

Having time to digest and reflect to Elizabeth’s I must go. Some thing tells me she will understand.

If your feeling low, bow down low

Day 12 #wonderfulladvent and the prompt word is low.

If this Christmas is tough for you. Let’s face it, 2020 has been tough for the most stable of people.

If your feeling low or struggling with low self esteem, remember YOU are the apple of God’s eyes.

Yes you. God thinks your amazing, perfectly made and loves YOU.

God doesn’t want to see you struggling, sad, alone or low. God wants to empower you through his Holy Spirit. God wants to make you new and lift you up.

This Christmas in the middle of a pandemic, stop, think and reflect on what Christmas means to you.

If you accept Jesus stepped out of heaven and became fully human as God’s own son and that he saw and experienced all we do. Then bow low and worship him.

As you bow low feel your chains fall of as you break free into joy, confidence, peace, love and grace.

Remember this Christmas actual doors and buildings may be closed but churches are open virtually along with charities. If you need help ask for help and don’t struggle alone.

Wonderfull advent – count

The word prompt today for #wonderfulladvent is count.

Count your blessings
That's what we're told
Blessings seem distance
When your in a dark cloud
Counting redundancies
Days to pay day
Hospital appointments
Will make your days grey

The government are counting statistics
The amount of vaccine
Showing their graphs
Makes dismal reading

But counting our days of our lives away
Isn't how it's meant to be
If we have family
To spend Christmas with
Food in the house
And a nice comfy bed
We are blessed
Be contented your life's not a mess
But whatever your counting
Including calories
It all means nothing
If your empty inside

This Christmas,
Countdown to a day where hope
Was born on earth
When God stepped out of heaven
To earth so dark and lost
To experience human
And go through all that we do
God's son the father is pleased with you

Born as a baby
Adored and so loved
He humbled himself
To death on a cross
The ultimate blessing for us to count
When accepting Lord Jesus
Our sins disappeared
Our fate eternity looming
With a king of all blessings
Through grace pouring down.