encouraging

That Familiar Bed of Security

September 19, 2014Christianbible, Christian, Christie Wimber, church, daily, Daily readings, encouragement, encouraging, faith, guidance, Hope, inspiration, New Wine, Prayer, Strength, Women, WorshipFace in the Sunlight Leave a comment

Myself and my family have just moved house, which is why I’ve been absent from blogging for quite a while. In fact, I’ve been going through a fair few life changing events this summer, which I’ll blog about over the coming weeks :).

Way back in March when I began blogging I attended the New Wine Women’s conference, where Jane Achiloi shared some mind-blowing testimony. One of the stories which really spoke to me was about giving what you have and God blessing and using it. After a fair while of seeking God my family and I felt it was right to sell our house, pay off all our debts and for me to leave my job, which was crippling me, and go into ministry full time. It was a huge step of faith, as you can imagine, and I’m extremely happy to say we’re on the other side of it now and living in the blessing of God’s provision :).

God has caused everything to run smoothly, but it hasn’t always been easy. I remember feeling so strange and insecure on the day we moved out of our beautiful home, where we had lived for 16 years and brought up our children. As I stood in our rental house looking around at all the boxes piled up, wondering where on earth we were going to put everything, I had this overwhelming feeling of ‘What on earth have we done?’ During those moments I couldn’t imagine how we were going to settle into this new house. I dragged my tired body up the stairs and into my new, smaller bedroom and there was something safe and familiar….my bed! As I crawled into it and pulled the covers over my head I felt safe and secure. Psalm 4:8 says “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety”.

Whatever situation you are in today where you feel alien or insecure, our Father is constant and we can always crawl safely into His arms. He will never leave you or forsake you…Deut 31:6. Sometimes we just need to rest secure in Him for a while, until we feel safe again. No matter where we are, He is always with us.

The Father’s Heart

June 13, 2014Christianbible, Christian, Christie Wimber, church, daily, Daily readings, encouragement, encouraging, faith, guidance, New Wine, Prayer, Strength, Women, WorshipFace in the Sunlight One comment

As Father’s day approaches and Dads all over the country begin to look forward to their full cooked English Breakfast and their brand new pairs of socks, it’s a good time to think of, and appreciate our incredible Father God.

“If we take all the goodness, wisdom and compassion of the best mothers and fathers who have ever lived, they would only be a faint shadow of the love and mercy in the heart of the redeeming God” Brennan Manning.

This Compassion Sunday at church we heard about some fantastic things that God is doing in our city and across the other side of the world. It struck me once again how vast our Father’s heart is for His people. Hearing about the hungry being fed, the babies of the destitute being clothed, those abandoned and lost being housed, those in pain being cared for and the broken and abused being loved. Whilst all of that was mind-blowing, it only revealed a tiny glimpse of the depth of the Father’s heart.

Our Father’s heart is SO vast.

It’s unending…..it goes on and on and on.

It’s all emcompassing….there’s room for EVERYONE, no matter who you are or what you’ve done.

His love is unconditional and abundant….it NEVER ends.

He sings over you, He lifts you up, He strengthens and heals you and He delights in you. He’s planned a future for you.

As Jesus showed us in the story of the prodigal son, He lovingly allows us to learn, and not only that, but He is patient with us and doesn’t condemn us.

I love that His heart for us is to be the unique person He created us to be, to be free and to learn. He loves to see us grow and celebrates every step we take. He brings discipline for us to learn and forgiveness to set us free. He is both the boat that keeps us afloat and the light that rises to give us hope.

Psalm 103 gives us an amazing definition of the Father’s heart. He is our Father….

v3-12 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

…..v17-18 But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey.

Of course the Father’s heart is revealed most through His Son. Jesus said in John 14:9 “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” What was accomplished for us on the cross is EVERYTHING. Wayne Jacobson says “We did not see what really happened there between the Father and his Son that opened the door to His love so vast and so certain that it cannot be challenged even by our darkest days. Through that door we can really know who God is and embrace a relationship with Him that our deepest hearts have hungered to experience.”

So this Father’s day “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” Eph 3:17-19

Take Afternoon Naps without a Worry

May 21, 2014Christianbible, Christian, Christie Wimber, church, daily, Daily readings, encouragement, encouraging, faith, guidance, Hope, inspiration, New Wine, Prayer, Strength, Women, WorshipFace in the Sunlight Leave a comment

“Fear is not real. The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist. That is near insanity. Do not misunderstand me danger is very real but fear is a choice.” ― Will Smith (After Earth).

During watching the film After Earth (which I wouldn’t particularly recommend) Will Smith made this comment to his son. I thought it was so incredibly true and I’ve got to be honest, I’d never really thought of fear in such simple terms….our worries about future events. We waste so much time worrying about the future, imminent and far off events, yet most of those worries will never become reality. If some of them do, we will spend time feeling sad, or hurt in the moment, so why do we put ourselves through those things prematurely? Our Father God will walk with us no matter what we face, no matter where our footsteps fall. There are some great promises of this in the Word…..

Psalm 112:6-7 says “Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” I love the way the Amplified Bible puts it in v7, it says “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firmly fixed, trusting (leaning on and being confident) in the Lord.”

We can rest secure because we are assured in Proverbs 3:25-26 “Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.”

Trust in the Father who loves you, rest secure in Him and enjoy His peace which passes all understanding. He will NEVER let you fall :).

Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life;
don’t for a minute lose sight of them.
They’ll keep your soul alive and well,
they’ll keep you fit and attractive.
You’ll travel safely,
you’ll neither tire nor trip.
You’ll take afternoon naps without a worry,
you’ll enjoy a good night’s sleep.
No need to panic over alarms or surprises,
or predictions that doomsday’s just around the corner,
Because GOD will be right there with you;
he’ll keep you safe and sound.
Proverbs 3:21-26 The Message

Beauty in Dark Places

May 1, 2014Uncategorizedbible, Christian, Christie Wimber, daily, Daily readings, encouragement, encouraging, faith, guidance, Hope, inspiration, New Wine, Prayer, Strength, Women, WorshipFace in the Sunlight Leave a comment

On Sunday, Alison Kennedy (a missionary from our church) was home from China and came to speak. Preaching is not something she normally does but she shared the wisdom God had placed on her heart so beautifully and so faithfully.

One of the most powerful parts was when she showed a photograph of a pool of water where all the sewage goes. Next to it were some beautiful yellow flowers. She asked us “Which part of the picture are your eyes most drawn to?” Everyone agreed that they were most drawn to the lovely flowers. She shared how interesting it is that we are immediately drawn to the beauty in the picture.

She said this…”We need to have our eyes wide open, to ask God to see beauty where we wouldn’t normally look, because even in the darkest places there is beauty to be found.” What an incredibly wise and profound statement.

I’m definitely going to make this my prayer from now on. Maybe you feel the same :).

Living Hope

April 28, 2014Uncategorizedbible, Christian, Christie Wimber, church, daily, Daily readings, encouragement, encouraging, faith, guidance, Hope, inspiration, New Wine, Prayer, Women, WorshipFace in the Sunlight Leave a comment

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” 1 Peter 1:3-5

Wow!!!! I read this today and was totally blown away by the depth of promise in it. First of all I love the phrases of ‘His great mercy’, ‘new birth’ and ‘living hope’. If you’re feeling a little low today or (like me) have gone back to work, dwell on this and feel your heart and soul rise….In His great mercy He has given you new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus. What an incredible and uplifting statement of truth! It really struck me that it says ‘living hope’. Sometimes we feel a whisper of hope or experience a moment of hope in a situation and then it seems to dissolve away. Not this hope! It is living and constant, it’s organic. As if that isn’t enough we are then promised an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade….precious and kept in heaven just for us. If you are struggling with something or need a word of encouragement, remember this…He has delivered you, brings you wholeness and healing, promises you eternity in heaven and until then you are shielded by God’s power. If you need to, speak this truth into your heart over and over again until you start to believe it!

Spread your Wings

April 8, 2014Uncategorizedbible, Christian, Christie Wimber, church, daily, encouragement, encouraging, faith, guidance, Hope, inspiration, New Wine, Prayer, Strength, Women, WorshipFace in the Sunlight One comment

But those who wait upon GOD get fresh strength
They spread their wings and soar like eagles, Isaiah 40:31 The Message

I love this picture. A picture of a beautiful bird of prey, often so active, hunting and looking after it’s young. Here it opens out its large wing span and soars through the clouds. No need to flap its glorious wings but just glide on the thermals.
Being a person living with a chronic illness I am no stranger to fatigue. I find this verse so uplifting…..so comforting….that I can open up my heart and soar on the thermals of the Father’s love and as I do so He renews my strength. I’m not switching off from Him, not standing still. I don’t need to strive. It is in choosing to stop doing, that I gain everything I need. As I rest in Him I am moved by His love and His provision.

Are you too busy? Are you feeling tired, physically or emotionally? Choose to spread out your wings today and rest in the Father’s provision. Be still, lean into Him and let Him take control.

Worship shifts our Focus (New Wine Women’s Day Reflection 1)

March 18, 2014UncategorizedChristian, Christie Wimber, church, encouraging, faith, guidance, New Wine, Prayer, Women, WorshipFace in the Sunlight Leave a comment

After having the pleasure of being a part of the worship team on Saturday at the New Wine Women’s day in Harrogate, I thought I would start my blog with some reflections on what was a brilliant day of worship, teaching and healing (as well as 1600 women getting together and having a great time!).

Christie Wimber shared how when you worship, you place your focus on the Father, and you’re saying to Him, “I put my hope and my trust in you, and not in myself.” Even when everything around you seems to be falling apart, it’s trusting that God is working and He knows what He is doing. It’s funny how when things are straight forward, we find it easy to focus on God, yet when things are out of our control, instead of keeping our focus, we tend to scurry around like ants, who have just had their anthill stomped on. Frantically trying to rebuild structure and regain control. God must wonder what on earth we’re doing! We have Him within us and beside us, waiting to be our strength and guide us through and yet we so often choose to focus on the problem.

Let’s make a conscious decision – in the chaos, when we feel anxious, in the mundane and in difficulty, to worship and praise our Father who is, as Christie Wimber shared, “ALWAYS working on our behalf” And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose” Rom 8:28