Getting a Makeover

The astute among you, my dear readers, may have noticed that the name of my blog has changed. (OK, I won't be offended if you hadn't really noticed!) Well, whilst we're in this period of transition as a family (we'll be moving back home to England for a few months soon) my blog is also in a period of transition.


After a lot of prayer recently, I felt that God was encouraging me to update and expand my blog. I'm in the process of changing the design and layout, and I hope to be posting much more regularly from March onwards.


In the meantime, please bear with me, and do come and visit again soon to see what my blog looks like after its makeover!

One Day At A Time

We're in the middle of planning a big move soon, and some days it seems overwhelming. How can I carry on homeschooling when I have so much to do? How am I going to get the whole house packed up in time? God's answer was to force me to rest for 10 days! I have no idea what I did to my back, but one day it was suddenly impossible for me to put my own socks on and far too painful to consider loading up boxes of books.

I was forced to re-examine what was going on in my head. Yep, I was trying to do everything in my own strength again instead of abiding in Him! The verse about His power being made perfect through my weakness immediately came to mind (2 Corinthians 12:9). Interestingly there was a sense of peace that accompanied it. Yes, God is in control, and yes He will help me to do all the things I need to do, but right now He needs me to slow down and submit to His timetable. He needs me just to focus on taking one day at a time.

The children of Israel were forced to take one day at a time when they had to go out and collect manna in the desert. It was a lesson in trust: trusting that God would provide for all their needs. Jesus also taught about taking one day at a time when He told his disciples just to focus on today and not to worry about tomorrow.

Now, of course, I'm not saying that God isn't pleased when we make plans and goals or buy life insurance, but when we start to worry about tomorrow and be anxious about all we have to do then our hearts and minds are no longer being guarded by His peace, that transcends all understanding. Instead, we are told to cast all our anxieties on Him and focus our efforts on abiding in Christ today...and then the next day....and then the next day...

Andrew Murray, in his book 'Abide in Christ', tells the story of a patient who had been involved in an accident. He anxiously asked the doctor how long he would have to stay in the hospital, and the doctor replied "Only a day at a time." When faced with a daunting task, like packing up our house and moving to another country for a while, we would do well to take the doctor's advice!

I encourage you right now to spend the day just focussing on 'today' and leave all of your anxieties about 'tomorrow' in Jesus' capable hands.

photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net/stuart miles

Time for Reflection

Happy New Year! 

If you're anything like me then January 1st brings an opportunity to reflect on the past year and re-evaluate your priorities and goals and perhaps to set plans for the coming year. I've never been very good at keeping New Year's Resolutions, but I believe it is helpful to take a moment to reflect and to take stock at where you're at to make sure you're still on the path you want to be on and, just as importantly, that you're moving forward.

Have you read 'Holiness' by J.C. Ryle? It's an excellent book that, even though it was written over a century ago, still is very applicable to today. In fact it's often funny to read what he says about his culture and realise that not much has changed in all that time. Anyway, Bishop Ryle has much to say about growing in holiness, and here's a prayer we can use to reflect on how we're doing spiritually from year to year. I hope you find it useful...

Prayer for Growth

1) An increase in humility - that I would feel my own sinfulness and unworthiness more every year.

2) An increase in faith and love towards the Lord Jesus Christ - that I may find more in Christ to rest upon every year and rejoice more that I have such a Savious.

3) An increase in holiness of life and conversation - that I may get more dominion over sin, the world and the devil every year.

4) An increased spirituality of taste and mind - that I may take more interest in spiritual things every year.

5) An increase in charity - that I may be more full of love every year, love to Christians and to all people.

6) An increase in zeal and diligence in trying to do good to souls - that I may take a greater interest in the salvation of sinners every year.

Here's another helpful resource, from Ann Dunagan of Harvest Ministry, that helps us evaluate and plan strategically at the start of the new year.

Wishing you all a very joyful and fruitful 2012!