bridge building

Jesus said: I am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
So often in our daily life we are there for others helping them over some difficult situation or just being there to see them through.
Something struck a cord (must be the deacon in me!) when I read this Aotearoa psalm. It said:
There are times in life when we are called to be bridges, not a great monument spanning a distance and carrying loads of heavy traffic, but a simple bridge to help one person from here to there over some difficulty such as grief, fear, loneliness: a bridge which opens the way for ongoing journey.  Our daily life is such a God given privilege isn't it?  Building bridges for others and what a blessing when someone else is a bridge for us.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

in God's strength

Behold, I am the Lord.Is anything too difficult for me. Jeremiah 32:27
Visions and dreams, goals and aims, hearts longing and desires and at times the dreaming seems too big for us alone.
The value of putting God first in all things is what enables the dreaming  to become a reality and a song of all sorts to sing in our heart.
'What matters is not the size of the mountain, but the strength of the mountain mover.' (anon)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

volcano's, Capadocia Turkey

spreading the gospel

I want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel. Phil 1:12
I think of us all and how we have got to where we are, Christian believers,servants of Christ. I think of the road, the journey,that has led us to a solid faith, one so convincing that we can not help  but spread it everywhere we go and particularly in the areas immediately around us and with those we reach out to with the love of Christ. I was listening to the garden show on the radio and they were talking about a particular weed that develops a seed pod and once you touch that pod its seeds go 'woooooosh' up in the air and outwards and land all over the ground around the plant. The name of the plant is 'Jumping Jesus.' What imagery. What a parable,   I want to say, go jump for Jesus!!
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne,servant of the Lord.

you are precious

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight? But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid, you are more valuable than many sparrows. Luke 12:6-7
What a welcome to the day, the birds know how to do it. ....they sing it in! Magpies warbling and kookaburras laughing. (have you ever heard a baby kookaburra trying to laugh? Its hard to keep the smile off your face.  Today was a bonus blessing as I watched some sparrows outside my study window. They were gathering around the maiden hair fern pots, chatting and chasing each other in a mood of play, feathers ruffled and jumping in and out of a bowl of water under the pots, splashing and singing and I could hear Jesus voice saying. ' you are of more value than many sparrows.' That's mind blowing because I know God loves all he has created, even the sparrow,yet he values us more.
What a wonderful God we have. How have you welcomed in this day? singing?
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Sparrow in the Tomb Garden Jerusalem

solid faith

The Lord is my rock,my fortress and my deliverer. Psalm 18:2
How hard is it to see when you walk through thick fog, as is the case in some of these early winter mornings. Even though the track is familiar, shapes and outlines of the surrounding area seem a bit'spooky.' yet there is a sense of presence that is very real. I knew I was on the right path even though I couldn't see it too clearly. I knew because I could feel the solid rock surface under my feet. I knew because even though viability was just a few feet, God was there, walking this misty morning to. I knew because I was heading to the east where the light of day was filtering  through striving to reach its morning glory. I read this profound statement from an unknown Christian person in China:Faith is putting one's foot down in the mist,and finding a rock.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne,servant of the Lord

walking track on a clear day

Jesus by night

There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night. John 3:1-17
An invigorating morning,foggy in its arrival to make a fresh start of a new day. The tree leaves dripping with moisture from the gift of overnight rain and a smell of wet grass emanating from the farm paddocks. As I watched a figure coming towards me, walking nearer and nearer, emerging clearer through the fog and semi dark, I thought of the story of Nicodemus and how he came to Jesus in the night. I wondered what became of Nicodemus as this figure passed me by, with a brief 'hello' and faded back into the dark and fog. I wondered also about the people we meet in our day to day life in their darkness, their night time and I am blessed with the comfort and reassurance that God has them to in the palm of his hand. What a privilege to be with those who come looking for Jesus in their night.

I think of the saying of Edwin Hubble Chaplin:
Every action in our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne,servant of the Lord

Glorious things

Glorious things of the are spoken.....see the streams of living waters,springing from eternal love. (TIS 446)
Washed clean from the recent rain with a sharpness and a fresh ting of green on the ground and looking like nothing was out of place...that was how the countryside looked this morning. The view down the valley to the foothills of the mountains looked like a master piece of artwork.There were patches of soft pink on grey clouds hovering on the mountain tops and a gentle breeze blessed the freshness of the morning.  And the magpie sang.
Showered with blessings, priceless gifts of God's love, a new day starts and the door to opportunity is wide open.  Opportunity to care and to love and to serve. Opportunity to embrace, to fight for and to seek justice. Opportunity to live and bring others alive.
Speak of the love and blessing from God in all you do this day.

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