Thanksgiving for April

Thanksgiving for April:

I will wake the dawn with my song.

I will thank You, LORD, among all the people;

I will sing Your praises among the nations;

For Your unfailing love is as high as the heavens,

Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Psalm 57:9

I want to thank the Lord for His faithfulness and blessings throughout April – in answer to my prayers of the heart.

I thank Him specifically and publicly that:

That S was able to get in touch with their feelings and to hear Your voice and could allow a prayer ministry session and allow You to put the axe to some bitter roots.

For blessing R with a good temporary home for self and family.

That I could catch-up and write some good-read reviews.

For the treat of a wonderful evening at the concert hall to appreciate the talent of Dvorak and Sibellius cello concertos.

That I could hear Your voice and receive Your grace and privilege to do things differently and to be a blessing to C, C and E.

That C got to see good doctors and had swift appointments to check things out.

That You healed C and they are in Your hands.

That you gave me 2 good Ablaze lessons and for those wonderful children!

That the young people had the courage to perform on Easter Sunday.

That M has recovered and is back to himself.

That R was able to talk and express some hope and gratitude and that I could empathise with and minister to the wounded, unhealed, inner-child of R.

For opportunities to bless K and that K is able to bless others in family and community.

For a wonderful Easter Tridiuum and shared times with S. at SA and SH.

For Your help, wisdom and grace to host, feed and fellowship joyfully with 10 family people and have a wonderful Easter Sunday.

That S has also been properly seen by the GP and is on a path to recovery.

That my March EH homework was completed and submitted on time.

That the EH school weekend was pure gold yet again and for all you did for I, J and all of us.

For all that You taught me about depression and how to love those in depression.

For the parent-blessing from P & J and the marriage prayer from PP.

For a couple of spontaneous meet-ups with C and other friends.

That I could go to the crematorium spontaneously to remember my mum on her birthday.

That J and S making great progress on my room prior to plastering.

For Your ongoing inspiration and guidance in my everyday life.

For the wonderful evening with C at Billy Ocean concert and the opportunity for fun and deep fellowship and healing connection.

For a blessed morning in pre-school.

For a healthy, blessed, long chat and connection with D.

For all the beauty of Spring and for spaces to savour the fragrances and freshness of creation.

spring garden flowers – white and blue forget-me-nots and blue-bells

Lord, I thank You that You never leave me or forsake me and that I can always trust You, because You are always faithful in love and in mercy, and because You give wisdom to all those who ask You. Thank You for the Holy Spirit – our Comforter and guide throughout our journey.

Praise and thanks to God!!

Thanksgiving for Feb and March 2023

This has been too long since I publicly gave thanks for all the answered prayers and blessings in my life over the last 2 months. As I was away at end of Feb until some way into March, I decided to do two-in-one, yet even now April marches on.

Today, April 13^th, would be my Mammy’s earthly birthday, and I begin by giving thanks for her and for honouring who she was. I thank God that He has been showing me the blessings that came through my parents whilst He has been healing me of the wounding I carried.

Before I list His specific answers to prayer, I will share a psalm that He gave me when I questioned whether I should continue with the monthly public thanksgiving blog:

Psalm 33

All you that are righteous shout for joy for what the LORD has done;

praise Him, all you that obey Him.

Give thanks to the LORD with harps, sing to Him with stringed instruments.

Sing a new song to Him.

So I shout for joy and thanks for the following:

That my homework has been submitted on time for Feb and March.

For a successful birthday weekend with the grand-kids.

For the invitation and wonderful evening for Z’s birthday.

That S.’s test rig was a success and the time-sensitive PHD work signed off.

For opportunities to serve and support S throughout these months.

For blessing K and M as a couple.

For giving me the Ablaze lessons .

For directing my steps, opening my ears and giving me to courage to obey You.

For helping me to plan, prepare, pack and travel efficiently and stress-free.

For a very blessed and treasured time with J in Vienna and all the lovely people.

For a safe train-ride from Vienna to Sighisoara.

For the comfort and warm welcome with Metro-Ministries and for a blessed week with S in a beautiful town and country.

For the privilege of being among the children and families and workers in the ministry.

For the opportunity to visit Rupea, Brașov and Peleș.

That salvation has come to 3 families there in the mission village this spring.

That the pallet of furniture and the 2 new interns all arrived safely.

For the privilege of doing prayer ministry with S and S and for the healing from Jesus.

For the lady H I met at the airport.

That I was met and escorted from my arrival in each country.

For 8 years of sobriety!

For refreshing J with friends and visits to Bratislava.

For Feb and March EH weekends – especially the work You are doing among us!

For teaching me again to praise You when I go into battle. For you are my refuge and my hiding place. I renounce all my false refuges!

That K has been able to join our fellowship group.

That R has returned to You and to church.

That M and D have welcomed our group into their home temporarily.

That I could prepare and paint the bay masonry at Burton Road.

That the insulated plasterboard has all been put up.

That the carpet is ordered.

That I was able to sort and donate lots more stuff from the house.

For the NG4 church network service and re-dedication.

That You have many people in this city!

For the dream you gave me.

That S could fix my laptop and nothing was lost.

That You broke the power of all the generational curses operating in my family line and have broken the power of it over the subsequent generations, by the power of the cross of Jesus.

For giving me courage to enter the writing competition, even at the last minute.

Thank You that praise of You brings power, joy, victory and strength to the one praising, and all glory to You, who are worthy of the Kingdom, the power and the glory.

Remember always to give Him thanks, despite the circumstances, for He is with You in battle and in peace and He is always faithful to His word.

(I loved that – just looked at the time on my laptop – 13:13:13 on 13^th April 2023. )

Jan 2023 Thanksgiving

Jan 2023 Thanksgiving

I thank the Lord for 2023, for His continued love and mercy and for His faithfulness.

I pray for you, my readers and friends – that the Lord may assist you in praying and in rejoicing as you witness the power of God in your lives.

For prayers answered in January 2023, I thank my Lord God:

For the invitation and party down in London and for the rest, walk and company.

For the courage and protection driving in unknown places at 2:30am.

For all we accomplished on the house.

For J’s safe flight back to Vienna.

For S’s safe drive back to Switzerland.

For a glorious Epiphany rest day with swim, sauna and friendship.

For a precious, healing confidence from J.

For precious afternoon with C and for meal treat together.

That S’s lost phone and wallet were both handed in and retrieved.

For preparing me well for the next EH weekend.

For a powerful first weekend of 202, for a lovely new group

For healing another bitter root in me.

For inspiring me to minister with another.

For S’s great progress and perseverance this month.

That the grandchildren are growing fabulously in literacy and in wisdom and grace.

That the long-awaited windows are installed and for inspiring me to paint the stonework.

For 3 car-loads of boxes now moved to their new home.

For an encouraging farewell to out-going leaders and a powerful commissioning of new pastors in the merging church community.

For motivation to keep doing the next right thing, even when I don’t feel like it at all.

For inspiration to travel before passport expires.

For inspiration and guidance in the booking of flights.

For peace of knowing that in all things, I can trust You!

Amusing views and memories on an early January walk along a canal in London…

There’s a funny story attached to the memory evoked by the ‘legs’ flailing out of the vegetation. Maybe my sister would tell a better version of the story, as in the memory, they were my legs she was laughing hysterically at!

This verse blessed me this morning, so I bless you with this prayer too:

May the God who gives us peace make you holy in every way and keep your whole being – spirit, soul and body – free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you will do it, because He is FAITHFUL.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Grateful for December and for 2022.

Thanksgiving for answered prayer in Dec 22 and for the whole year!

A beloved friend sent this quote in her Christmas greetings to me:

Nicht die Glücklichen sind dankbar. Es sind die Dankbaren die glücklich sind.

Sir Francis Bacon

It is not the happy/blessed who are grateful. It is the grateful who are blessed/happy.

Sir Francis Bacon

This is so very true. May we live our lives in gratitude every day, because His mercies are new every morning, and He loves us with an everlasting love!

Our God desires that we share our lives, our love, our hearts, minds and bodies with Him and that we go to Him in trust with ALL our concerns and desires.

When we do this, He rewards us with great joy.

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Matthew 6:6

And I shall praise Him openly again today, and give all the glory to Him, who hears our prayers.

Though I am already singing praise and thanks for a blissful day and for prayers answered this week, now it is time for me to also look back on God’s faithful answers to prayer over December.

For December 2022, I thank my Father God for:

The privilege of giving financial Christmas gifts to the charities most on my heart.

For orchestrating my appointment to sort out the few medical issues I needed to understand, and for healing me Yourself, with no disruptions.

That J. was strong enough to make the best of circumstances and to head for new pastures where he was well received and blessed. For the lovely family who welcomed him.

For the blessing of one day-a-week working in a pre-school this half-term – for the lovely team and children.

For the birth of a new healthy grandson.

For the birth of M. & P.’s new baby and the family reconciled.

That the staff meal at Punch-Bowl was a success.

That 4 friends accepted the invite to come to our carol service.

That I was blessed to meet the B. family and S. at the reunion.

That on separate occasions, H. and J. both agreed to engage in prayer ministry with me for the work of healing you were doing in me.

For the miraculous transformation in sowing and reaping immediately visible afterwards!

That S. made good progress to get the room empty and order the insulation boards, which all arrived in good time.

For a great Christmas send-off at Chatterbox.

For the privilege of helping M. and the ability to get it all done in good time.

For the inspiration and strength to persevere, decorate, give, and to go the extra mile.

For Your gift of great JOY!

For a glorious family Christmas – of gatherings of family and friends, sleepovers and fun with the grandchildren and loved ones.

That You provided for me to give appropriate gifts and to provide good food and supplies for all the guests.

For new volunteers at the shop.

That I was able to attend M. and M.’s funerals.

Lord, throughout 2022, every month You amaze me with Your faithful provision and Your faithful answers to prayers.

When I look back over 2022, I see only blessings and favour.

Truly, goodness and mercy will follow Your children all the days of our lives.

No matter what circumstances the world may confront us with, Your children rest in perfect peace!

To all my beloved readers – to you – I pray the blessing of Almighty God over you and your loved ones, over your hopes and your dreams for 2023.

Know that He is Emmanuel for you this year and He is the lover of your soul.

Have grateful, blessed, fruitful 2023.

Remember, remember to give thanks for November

Remember, remember to give thanks for November

I’m sorry for being late in giving my hearty thanks for all of the blessings and answered prayer acknowledged in November.

It is my honour to give glory to God by telling of His goodness and faithfulness, both in the large and small details and concerns of our every-day life.

For November I give thanks in particular for:

For a great party with family and friends and lots of interactions and fun.

For reminding me to live in the moment and embrace fully the life that I have.

For helping me to minister your love to C.

For a special day remembering my baptism of 38 blessed years ago.

For healing and turning around my relationships with L. and E. over these weeks.

For all those mobilised women at ‘The Orchard’ and for showing me Your heart for the injustice of systematic spiritual attack against ‘woman’.

For a powerful and honouring send-off and thanksgiving for Your daughter, T.

For giving E. a new home and for a swift move and transition.

For P. and D. coming as guests during the month and for fun, days out and quality time together.

For an easy, painless trip to the dentist!

That the Christmas staff booking and order is all complete and sorted.

For orchestrating many necessary agent visits and getting the boiler fixed – and that meanwhile, S. had spare heaters to lend me.

For another blessed Ablaze lesson.

That there have been applicants at last for the vacancy in the pre-school.

That C. has recovered well and is home again.

That I managed to re-watch and make notes on all 27 course videos through the 2 months.

That S. has made good progress in the room and cleared it out.

For beginning to teach me to recognise your voice.

For the lovely Christian nurse I saw at the surgery and Your presence for us to encourage each other.

For the privilege of doing some prayer ministry with C. and Your blessing in that.

For the encouragement of Holy Spirit in our second joint service.

That S. and J. were both in church!

For the blessings of reconciliation and tangible growth in S. and their team.

That A.B. is well enough to return back to phased-back-to-work.

That A’s count is back up high enough for chemo to no longer be necessary.

For a whole, peaceful day to myself.

That 8 guests persevered right to the end of the Alpha Course and that You worked in every heart and life there.

When we look with gratitude, we see the creation in all it’s glory.
I often take photos of the sky, but that wasn’t my photo – I don’t know who took it, but it is stunning!

How many blessings can you count this week, or even today?

Do you write down specific prayers and remember to look back and give thanks for the ones that your faithful God has answered?

You will be amazed if you do!!

October Opportunities

Heart and mind holding hands

The truth will set you free. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

Thank You Father God, for exposing the lies buried deep within – lies that say that to need is greedy, ungrateful and selfish. Thank You for showing me the truth that You want me to learn to know and express my needs, that You care about meeting all of my needs and that You want me to bring all of my needs, concerns, cares, burdens and desires to You – for You promise to listen, to guard my heart and mind and to provide all of my needs.

Lord, You are faithful and true to Your promise.

Blessed be God forever.

Thank You.

Here I want to give thanks publicly for the prayers that God has heard, and that I have seen answers to during the month of October: –

I thank you for Your perfect timing in allowing K to take her neck-brace off, to drive again and for giving her a new home to move to.

For opportunities to minister to C and to speak Your truth and her song and for strengthening her to say Yes to You.

For meeting L’s needs at the funeral of her brother.

For letting R get the job.

For a fabulous last week on the course and for enrolling me on part 2 – for giving me hope, tools, freedom and my song.

For wonderful growth and fellowship in our Home Group.

For healing in C and in our relationship.

For a fun and delightful show night at the theatre.

For some extra work in pre-school, which is a blessing financially and to my heart.

For ‘ephaphtha’ – for opening my ears to hear You and dispelling confusion.

For our joint service with Renaissance Church and for the exciting work You are doing for Your glory here in Carlton.

For taking this beautiful woman of faith home to dance in freedom with Jesus.

For an amazing response to half-term lunch-club, the dedication of the team and the grace You have shown to enable us to serve over 300 lunches.

For the chances to connect with R, C, J and for a lovely sleepover with my grandchildren.

For PG’s kindness to solve my problem and strip all the plaster off.

For the commitment of our Alpha guests and the work You are doing in our hearts.

For Your promise that he who asks, receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

For the opportunity to re-watch all the wonderful EH course videos and consolidate the learning.

For the kindness of the team at Specsavers and the gift of soothing eye-drops.

For showing me that Your sheep CAN hear Your voice.

The song in my ears this week has been

“No fear of death, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from Your hand; till He returns, or calls me home, here in the grace of God I stand.’

God is as close to you as the air you breathe and is more faithful and loving than you can ever imagine. Trust Him with all of your concerns, prayers, needs, hopes and desires and He will guard your heart and give you divine rest and peace.

Philippians 4:6-7

September Song of Thanks

Thank You!

Today I received a ‘Thank You’ card – a special blessing from a friend – a thank you for just being me!

So it has inspired me to publish my September Thank You’s to my God, my Creator, King and faithful friend.

I hope that sharing them with you will inspire your gratitude and hope in your heart.

A ‘thank you card to bless me

‘The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning;

It’s time to sing Your song again.

Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me;

Let me be singing when the evening comes.

Bless the Lord, Oh my Soul…’

These are lyrics to a song I’ve claimed as my own, in response to God singing my song over me.

This has been a real break-through for me and I am so grateful.

For many months I have been asking God who I am and what is my ‘song’ – and at the end of September, through a good friend, He answered my prayer and sang into me my ‘song’ – showing me who I am.

I was also given a picture, a piece of instrumental music – ‘Lark Ascending’ – by Vaughn Williams – and a picture by Millais, that speaks something of the heart of ‘little me’.

‘Autumn Leaves’ by Sir John Everett Millais.

I begin with this because it has been such a personally intimate gift to me and has blessed me.

I am so grateful and humbled by so many other answers to prayer during September. Some of these have been long awaited answers and my heart rejoices in my faithful God.

Thank You Father God –

That I-M has rung the chemo bell and is recovering,

For healing DA and bringing him out of hospital

For speaking to DB in a dream and him being finally properly assessed in hospital,

For increasing M’s hours at work to qualify him for benefits and for the new vehicle,

For a time of rest, joy and bonding for S and J,

For breaking the stronghold of lies arising from incidents in young S’s life,

For putting the axe to many bitter roots of judgment, lies and vows in my own life and for the freedom You bring us!

For again providing me an Ablaze lesson,

For healing M and bringing him home,

For teaching me how to wear Your armour in Ephesians 6 and to tailor it to fit me,

For finding K a new home and for aligning and fusing the bones in her neck,

For a beautiful celebration of R’s life and blessed re-connections,

For S’s safe journey to R,

For a blessed 24 hours with D,

For new volunteers for the shop,

For working amongst the Alpha guests and bringing them back,

I also want to thank my Lord for the good fruit of restoring relationships in my life.

Whatever issues, concerns, desires, hopes, questions, or requests that you have, take it to the Lord in prayer. Take them and leave them there. Don’t pick them back up and fret!

He promises to hear your prayers and to guard your heart and mind.

Trust Him, He is faithful.

Though a mother may forget the babe at her breast, the Lord will never forget you.

Matt Redman – 10,000 reasons

❤ Lark Ascending

I hope you enjoy my ‘song’s too.

Have a blessed October.

August Abundance

I can hardly believe that I still haven’t publicly given thanks for all of the answered prayers and blessings for August. And August already seems so long away!

I am surrounded by September’s special flavour, fragrance and occupations…

Also, of course, last week there came such a shift in the carpet of Britain. Our long-serving, gracious and dignified Queen went home to the glorious rest she deserves and our new King has taken on the responsibility of the throne of Britain.

Within less than two weeks we have a new Prime Minister and a new Monarch.

I pray for them all.

And I thank God that He is ever on the throne – glorious in power forever.

Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the Lord,

the Creator of the ends of the earth

does not become weary or tired.

His understanding is inscrutable.

Isaiah 40:28

And He hears our prayers and works all things for good for those who love Him.

I want to thank God for these answered prayers during August:

That at the end of last month you answered R’s prayers and took the faithful lady home.

For the work You have done in me to forgive, repent, release and resurrect relationships in my life and for the healing this is bringing.

For time to catch up and prepare for the course.

For keeping S’s luggage safe and giving good homes for her to stay in.

For the service I was privileged to do and renewed connections.

For S’s smooth and blessed journeys there and back.

For over 400 lunches served in our small community over the 3 August weeks – for meeting the needs and showing Your tremendous love.

For bringing S back to the group.

For C’s MRI results being good.

For use of the car an extra day to accomplish many extra tasks

For good new tyres on my bike.

For inspiration to invite J to Alpha and his acceptance.

For another glorious family picnic in the park.

For R’s increased fitness and signs of growth.

For both T. and A’s hospital test results showing complete absence of cancer.

For immediately answering my prayer for help with trains- in such a blessed way.

That M is getting stronger and responding well to treatment.

That R had a successful operation and is recovering well.

For perfectly smooth journeys and connections for my trip to Ayr and back and for the special opportunity for quality time with my sister and her wonderful family.

For a safe, quality camping trip for the boys.

For a second blessed week with S.

For teaching me how to balance my desire to be hospitable, sociable and available, with my need for alone-time.

For the opportunity to bless K.

For the engagement and blessings on Z and H.

For working in J to answer his prayer.

For so many transforming, healing revelations of acceptance and abundant provision in the spiritual realm.

Grateful for abundant provision of delicious harvest in the natural world too.

Lord, like a child, I notice only those gifts in ribbons – especially the ones I have asked for – but I want to thank you for all the ways that you answered my prayers and the desires of my heart that I hardly even noticed. Daily I pray protection, safety and blessing on all my beloveds and I thank you for all the ways that You do that, for all the miraculous interventions along the way of which I am blissfully unaware.

Once You showed me and my children that, on the bus to the party in the park – You showed me the bus that we had missed 10 minutes earlier (and I had been cross about), but which was now emptied and the place where we always sat (and were sitting in that spot on the next bus) it was all mangled and bashed in by a tree. I remember that lesson with such gratitude for Your great love and plans for Your children.

Thank You for abundance!!

Don’t forget July thanksgivings!

FMF:Forget.

Every Friday, I join an online Christian writing community, Five Minute Friday. We are given a one-word prompt and write – unscripted, unedited, pure free-write – for 5 minutes. The prompt this week is: Forget

There were so many things jostling for position in my thoughts when considering the word ‘forget’:-

all my experiences and understanding of dementia; the call to ‘forget not’ the wonders and commands of the Lord; and my own clumsy stories of forgetfulness; but the subject that won my attention, to consider for these five minutes, is ‘forget’-fulness as the reason for my monthly gratitude blog.

About 18 months ago, in the space of about 48 hours, I witnessed three wonderful, miraculous and diverse answers to prayer. Of course this was tremendously encouraging to my own faith and prayer life – I saw what an enormous privilege and honour it was, to pray and see the power of prayer changing lives.

But what struck me most was that I so often pray about things and then completely forget about them. When the emergency has passed and all is well, I forget about the sweat, anxiousness and concern of those moments and I slip so easily into taking for granted the healings, the protection and the countless blessings that have taken place. Sometimes I didn’t remember to even ask the person how the situation had progressed, for which I had been praying.

The emergencies capture my attention and I pray, but then I forget.

So I began not only writing down my prayers, which helps me to focus intentionally in prayer, but also every couple of days to reflect on what I was praying for and check in to see if those prayers were already answered, or need revising.

Those answered prayers are then recorded in a little thanksgiving book.

The practice of reflecting allows me to see the miracles, blessings and answers to prayer all the time and to constantly encourage me to pray more.

More importantly for me, it reminds me to stop and say ‘Thank You’. I always have this image of the ten lepers who begged Jesus for healing and were cleansed as they went on their way… but the one who came back to thank Jesus, he was made whole!

I want to always remember to acknowledge, notice, recall, remember and praise and thank my God for all the prayers He has answered every day and to never forget all of His benefits.

I like to do this publicly each month, to praise God publicly and to encourage you to not give up praying, and to keep looking for those answers to prayer in your every-day life.

My five minutes are over now, but I will take this opportunity to now include my heartfelt gratitude for all the prayers answered during the month of July – those specific prayer intentions, as well as all of those general heartfelt longings for loved ones and the groans of the Spirit, that I know He hears.

(I had not forgotten to do my monthly thanksgiving, but I have been extra-specially busy these past Summer weeks. It is too easy to let it slip and allow busy-ness to become an excuse to forget again.)

So specifically I thank and praise God for:

For help, ideas and blessings during the two Sunday School lessons

For the kindness, prayers and support of friends and church family during some difficult weeks

For the prayers for me for freedom

For your many promises to me, especially psalm 103

For the safe travel connections for my sons and for the opportunity for them to holiday together

For another powerful EH weekend training and for all the work You did in and through us

For a blessed visit and couple of days with J and V

For the dedication of the refurbished building, and for the dedication of K, and the blessed fellowship connections and gatherings for each

For showing me images and memories, and guiding me in my own healing journey with You

For a blessed trip to Cheltenham and laying to rest of R’s ashes and for the smooth arrangements and renewed relationships and contacts.

For precious times with grandchildren

For breaking strongholds and revealing truth

For J and J and their willingness to help professionally

For your Peace in the storms and for financial help

For a lovely party for J and S and all the precious guests

For a precious family day out together

For a blessed time of fellowship and connection with S

For faith, peace, hope in you

Glory to God in the Highest Heaven and Glory to God deep in my heart.

Don’t forget to say thank you.

Please be the one leper who comes back daily to say thank you.

June Gratitude

June Gratitude

I already feel my spirit rise joyfully as I begin to look back on the prayers answered and blessings received during June.

June has ushered in a series of events that have challenged me greatly.

I thought of the word ‘challenge’ and smiled to see the word ‘change’, with just 3 extra letters in the middle.

The letters l-l-e.

Little Life Events.

(I resist change, though I know it is a gradual constant in all of life and is necessary – and to be welcomed and embraced – for growth.)

But from time to time there are these ‘little life events’ that interrupt our equilibrium and cause us cha-lle-nges.

I have been experiencing a few of these throughout June and they will continue to take some outworking over the Summer at least.

Truly a grateful heart counting blessings is medicine to an anxious mind.

So I think of all that Father God has done in my life already and how much he has blessed me with answered prayer and extra blessings throughout June.

I publicly want to give Him thanks and glory for:

A great ACW weekend of inspiration, support and fellowship.

Full recovery from my accident and picnic on the park to celebrate with the grand-kids.

For the ‘Bow Down’ event in the Nottingham Market Square and glory to You in this city.

For bringing S safely back to Switzerland and for organising the next season of her journey.

For the Queen and her 70 years service to this country and to You.

For Holy Spirit to guide, protect, empower, remind, renew, comfort, convict, refresh, warn, enliven, embolden, encourage… (fill in the rest yourself)

For a new phone on the day it was needed.

For friendships, re-connections, spontaneous fellowship and seeds sown.

For C’s new official role at church and for her energy, vision and heart.

For Your gift of kindness in others and in me, and the power of it.

For a superb, transformational second weekend at the EH course; for breaking the old lies over me, and for enabling me to minister to others.

For blessing me with S and for giving me patience with him.

For sustaining me through the weeks of trial and teaching me to trust only You and not to lean on my own understanding.

For teaching me, loving me, forgiving and healing me, patiently, one day at a time.

For teaching C the importance of budgeting.

For support and advice from generous Christian professionals and for A’s kindness, active listening, practical and holistic wisdom.

For a card from a friend which says that ‘mightier than the waves is His love.’ Amen.

Whenever I have felt overwhelmed and tempted to panic, I have remembered Peter’s words: Lord, to whom shall we go, You have the words of eternal life.’

I have searched my heart and counseled myself, saying, ‘Dawn, if you trust God with your health, your life, your eternal life, your children, your family and your loved ones, can you not trust God with this?’

Today I read a story (in the UCB Word for Today) of a man who sees a boy being beat up by thugs. The man goes in and rescues the boy, takes him to hospital, pays the money and cares for him and, learning that he is an orphan, he adopts him, gives him his own name and welcomes him into his home and family. One night he hears the boy sobbing and goes in to comfort him and ask the matter. The boy tells his new ‘Daddy’ that he is worried about where he will find food, drink and clothes tomorrow and where he will sleep. Understandably his Daddy rightfully troubled that, after all he has done for him, that the boy he loves as his own son still doubts him.

My Father God knows that I am anxious about many things at the moment and he told me this story to let me see how sill my worry is!

I can trust him 200%!!

Thank you that Your faithfulness is my shield, hope and dwelling place.

psalm 93:4