your special place

That in every place they should pray. 1 Timothy 2:8

Why is it so special to you that you live where you are? I was talking to a deacon who lives in a small housing complex on church grounds and she said it is a great joy to be able to look out and see the church and the world. It reminds me of  the anchorite, Julian of Norwich she said. Its here I can pray and reflect on both church and world.  Annie Dillard says an anchorite's hermitage is an anchor hold like some sheds clamped to the side of a church, like a barnacle on a rock.  I think of my home as a hermitage in many ways. Its  in the silence of a quiet suburb, clamped to the side of a city yet steeped in a rural outlook. A place of constant prayer and reflection.  What is it that's so special about living where you are?
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, Servant of the Lord.

God's riches

O the depth of the riches........ Romans 11.33
The depth of God's riches I find in the gift of each new day. The glorious sunrises, never the same colours, never the same display of God's riches, hand painted from his paint board and brushes. When I think of the riches of God I often think of my days in the opal mining town of Coober Pedy where I ran the local hospital. The deep colours of the opals dug up by the miners from deep in the earth after days of searching suddenly revealed to them the treasure, the riches they had been searching for. Gariepy says: Do you want to discover the riches God has for you? Then turn that longing into the work of 'digging,' digging deep into God's word and mining the riches of prayer. You will then discover the priceless treasure of God.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

we can all be a witness

You will be his witness to all the world. Acts 12.15
  Of an evening I sit out the front of my house for some reading time and its the time of the day the multicultural community I live in comes to life as they gather in the little park down the road for the children to play and parents to socialize. Its a lovely time of day to get to know some of my neighbours. My dog Bella also loves to survey the activities a she lies by my side. Down the path came a group of 6 young Indian girls with their mother, all lively and chatting in their language  and they stopped and asked. 'Can we pat your dog?' 'Of course', was my reply and as they patted her one of the girls called the others into silence from their chatter. 'Look, look at this' she said as she handled the wooden cross on Bella's collar. The girl looked at me with large dark eyes and in wonder said. 'Are you a Christian?'  'Yes,' I said.' I am a Christian. 'All 6 voices called out to the mother who had walked down the path a little way. With great excitement they said 'Mamma, Mamma, come back quickly, this lady is a Christian She's a Christian Mamma.'   be it Paul in Caesarea, or you in your home town, or me in mine let us live a life that enables others to say 'Are you a Christian?'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

In the night, in the quiet.

At that time  Eli was lying down in his room. The lamp of the Lord had not yet gone out and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord. 1 Samuel 3: 2-3 (paraphrased.)
Quiet times before sleep, during the night and before rising are so special. There, in the quiet of the night and pre dawn, in the stillness, is God. Its quality time together.   It amazes me that we can read the bible over and over again all our life yet somethings of significance, small things usually, don't  sink in until one day, they are suddenly revealed. How many times have you read this passage from Samuel before you registered that its when we are being still and quiet ie lying down, resting, its then we are open to the voice of God. Not in the business of the day. Not in the rush of preparation . Its in the quiet, the stillness.  As we begin to engage fully with this New Year may we remember how the voice of God spoke to Samuel in the stillness and quiet of the night. Its here, in the time of relaxation and pre sleep and the stillness of waking that we slow down, let down our bodies and minds so  the new thoughts and dreams emerge. Its at that time we are open to the voice of God calling us to fulfill  our hopes and dreams. His hopes and dreams.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne,servant of the Lord.

in his hands

See, I have engraved you on the palm of my hands. Isaiah 49:16
Going from a nursing home service to a home visit, to a meeting and I was moving quickly between each event when I was given a message to call a particular person. Taking  a pen from my pocket I wrote the persons name on the palm of my hand so I would remember it.  This text from Isaiah has to be one of the most reassuring texts of the bible. Imagine Jesus going about the business of his day and now and then he glances at the palm of his hand to see your name engraved there, not just written but engraved, never to be forgotten. What infinite love.  Remember that  as you go about your day and when ever you need the assurance of God he is thinking of you with just a glance at his hand.
This simple poem by Albert Orsborn says: He can not forget me, though trial beset me; Forever his promise shall stand, he can not forget me, though trials beset me; my name's on the palm of his hand.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

a reminder in my garden of Isaiah 49:16

night and day

God once said: Let the light shine out of the darkness. 2 Corinthians 4:1
Its such a special time of the day to watch the dark night slowly being consumed by the light of the day. Dark shadows slowly become images of beauty. Like the blurry bit on the pond that turns out to be a beautiful white bird,a crane, silently paused on one leg, resting or the silence that breaks into song as one by one the sounds of the morning chorus of birds break into the quiet of dawn and a dark sky that breaks into a kaleidoscope of colour that fills the dark clouds with a life of colour and brightness. Joan Chittister wrote: An old Rabbi once asked his pupils how they could tell when the night had ended and the day had begun. 'Could it be,' asked on student, 'when you can see an animal in the distance and can tell whether its a sheep or a dog?' 'No' replied the Rabbi
'Well then, is it when you look at a tree in the distance and can tell whether its a fig tree or a peach tree?' No, was the answer. 'then when is it?' 'Its when you can look on the face of any man or woman and see that it is your sister or brother. Because if you can not see this, it is still night.'
Lets make this year a year of truly seeing God in all his people. Lets show hospitality and welcome and embrace to all. Let us show that light of Christ we so often talk about, that light that shines in the darkness.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord