Trust

Before I get started on what I took from today's word brought to us by Col I have to say once again that I feel so Blessed to be given the inner joy that continues to come from deep inside. It's something I go on and on about regularly and it never fails to amaze me each time I feel it. No matter what is going on in my life, just when I begin to let it turn my head, in comes that warm feeling that reminds me 'nothing is going to happen to me that God and I together can't handle' and I trust.

Anyway, it was a strange one this morning because Col began by telling us he wasn't sure how todays service would pan out, as usual he had prayed about what he was going to say throughout the week but he wasn't at all sure that it came together as a message, it seemed all over the place. So! he decided to let God take it out of his hands and let things go wherever they went. I found this facinating and was absorbed immediatley. Imagine for a moment how much trust it would take for anyone to get on a stage in front of a hall full of people and just know that whatever happened it would be fine. Now to me that is a trust so deep it's difficult comprehend and yet I have felt something similar on this massive journey that led me to be at university at nearly fifty four years old. I should be planning my retirement for goodness sake!

Now to get back to this morning and what I took from the word for today. Fear of showing weakness can be a shackle that keeps us treading the same path day after day, putting on the brave face and telling everyone that you're doing great. But if we do that then we don't allow anyone else to feel strong even when they have taken the time to comfort us. How must that make those people feel, inadequate, useless, or worse still that their caring about us isn't important. When we think about strength our own strength is sometimes so important to us that we don't allow anyone else to get a look in, after all they might just think we're weak and we can't have that. Am I talking to myself, yes of course I am because I am probably one of the worst culprits.

When we give our life to God we receive a heart that freely loves and gives, both to God and to our neighbour but I think we can get that a bit mixed up sometimes and become convinced that we can only give strength. Jesus needed strength when he was on the cross and he put his trust in God, what bigger example do we need that we can never go it alone.

Attitude

The last three weeks the services at our church have been about attitude and the word brought to us by Craig and Ian has been thought provoking.

Craig talked about giving to the church, not just financially but also our time, both of which help to sustain our meeting place and the speakers who bring the word to us each week. Without finance it just couldn't happen, we would have no light, no heat, no chairs etc... The church after all is a building and buildings have to be maintained. I'm quite sure Col, our pastor would be prepared to speak to us in a field if necessary, but how many people would happily join him in worship on a freezing cold Winters morning.

Anyway, the main point Craig made was simple, basically it's not what you give in money or time but the attitude with which you give it. To give generously is to give with the right attitude, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the amount of money or time we put in. If our heart wants to give then it's a fortune but if we give grudgingly then we would be better not to give at all.

Ian talked about giving love, both to God and to our neighbour. This isn't a new concept, it's as old as it gets and the same principle applies. Do we love God and our neighbours with the right attitude? Or, do we give ourselves a pat on the back for putting in an appearance at church and only love our neighbours until they do something we don't approve of. Are we quick to judge others while choosing to ignore the fact that we are far from perfect, if so why on earth would we inspire people to visit our house or our church.

Some years ago I read a book that someone mentioned because the name of it intrigued me. It was called 'Attitude is Everything'. After reading it I tried out an experiment. The author suggested that for one week whenever anyone asked how you were you could not reply, fine, okay, so so! etc. You had to say, terrific, splendid, wonderful or brilliant accompanied by a broad smile. I had not long started working in a newsagents at the time and didn't really relish the idea of greeting people (who were barely awake) with a beaming smile and telling them how amazing I was feeling. I have to admit it was uncomfortable at first and I'll swear they muttered to each other about the nutter that now worked in the local paper shop, but by the end of the week most of the regulars were grinning as soon as they entered the shop. It was infectious and it proved to me that you reap what you sow.

Do we pray with the attitude of duty or do we pray because we love? How often do we just say "God I love you", no strings, no requests, I just love you. With the right attitude we can be in the darkest place and not succumb to despair. When we love unconditionally God frees us and fills us with His strength, peace and calm. I have been Blessed to experience the grace of God in one of the darkest places a mum can ever be and I continue to be upheld to this day. Yes, sometimes life is still hard but for me sandwiched between the negatives of the world today and the sadness of the past is a joy, peace and calm that comes from giving love to God and my neighbour.

If you sow with a grudging heart then you will live with a grudging existence and that is not what God wants for us.

4 years

Four years ago today somebody was told that they would have to say goodbye to their precious son. That very same day Chris received the phone call that we had all been praying for and he was given the gift of a new life. Words can never describe how grateful we will always be for the chance to see Chris living and loving life.

Thank you to all who register as organ donors, your gift really is priceless.

Happy.

I was baptised two years ago this month and I thank God daily for His presence in my life.
Our God is great!!

Strength

This song has been so inspirational in my life. Trust in God and believe.

Unity

What an amazing day I've had today, I managed to get to church twice and I can't begin to explain what a difference it makes to be in the company of the lovely people who share in the love of God.

Our speaker today was Steve, he is a pastor in a church in Cambridge called C3, he originates from the Wirral and before he moved to Cambridge he was the pastor at our church. I'd never met him but I had heard about him from people who were members when he was there. I love to hear the different messages from speakers who come to our church, they all have their own way of bringing the word to us and it's interesting to see their own personality shine through the gospel. The messages never change, they stay the same, because God never changes, He is the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow.

Steve talked about how our walk with God will not be an easy ride, we'll face many challenges to our faith on the way and at times we will feel as though the grace has been taken from under our feet, we will flounder at these times and it would be so easy to say 'it's not working for me, I'm out of here'. We have all been there and will be again but the difference is, if you have a community around you who have a relationship with God, they will sustain you in times of need because they, like you, are Blessed with the special gift that is to love. To love one another is second only to loving God and it is the most liberating feeling you could ever imagine. How great it is to be able to feel love naturally, without effort, without thinking, without embarrassment. That is what makes the meetings so special, you give love and receive love freely, how much better would our world be if we spent more time giving grace instead of grief.

I have struggled with where I am in life recently, it's been very hard physically and mentally to keep up with study and placement and I have wanted to throw in the towel and run away, but each time I've got close to doing that something has happened to keep me there. It's not an easy ride but unity within fellowship gives you the upper hand from God that defeats the efforts of the enemy who would quite like you to quit.

Faith

As we travel along life's path

Nothing ever stays the same,

All things must change at some time

Whether it be for ill or be for gain.

Yet, the one unchanging factor-

The greatest one of all-

Is that there is a mighty

Power that listens

To every human call.

It will comfort and sustain you

Whenever things go wrong,

It will take your hand and guide you

As life's path you walk along.

So, when dark clouds descend

Upon the path you tread,

Call upon this power to guide you

And He will light the way ahead.

The enemy

This morning Col talked about getting out there and sharing the gospel, it's what God tells us to do. But when we do we should be prepared for the enemy to move in and make things difficult because it's not in his plan for the message to be shared. It's fine if we're in church though, he's happy for it to be contained within a building where nobody but the usual congregation is listening, that's no problem. The reason why he doesn't want us to talk to people about God is because he knows for certain that it's the truth, otherwise, why would he bother.

Since I did an interview where I talked about my faith and shared my own experience of walking with God there have been no end of incidents which have threatened to take away, not only the amazing peace I'm Blessed with but also my self esteem, confidence and strength. However I was sitting in the garden reading the bible one morning last week, as always I'd written down where I was up to and was about to go back in the house when these words came into my mind 'stay with me my child' I replied 'I will Lord' and picked up where I had left off. It was Ephesians verse 13 which says "And you were also included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit"

I am where I am today because a friend took the time to share the gospel with me, it takes courage to speak out because you risk rejection and ridicule but if it helps just one person to build a relationship with God and go on to receive The Holy Spirit, then the enemy is stopped in its tracks.

The new generation

What a fantastic service this morning. One of the highlights (besides Col's amazing origami exercise) was a drama which was acted by some brilliant young people. We also got a taster from our future youth band and a very entertaining quiz. Our church is growing and it is so inspiring to see the young generation fired up for God. Loving every minute of Sunday's.



This is a version of the drama from youtube.

God is always there.

To hear God's voice
Turn down the noise,
The volume of the world
Sit quietly
Be still with Him
And you will hear His word
He is your refuge
And your strength
He'll keep you safe from harm
Feel His arms
Surrounding you
Filling you with His calm
Through each trial
And tribulation
He'll be supporting you
He's always there
Your guiding light
A comfort sure and true
Just listen
In the silence
For His answer when you pray
Feel the warmth
Of His true love
And the storms will drift away.