Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson

When did you last do an audit of the words you speak? Are you speaking “faith and life” or “fear and death”? Late last year we were facing another challenging medical situation with our daughter, Victoria. I found myself going down that path of fear. I was spending time with God, a lot actually due to a broken wrist slowing me down! In these times I was primarily looking for reassurance and comfort. I was not speaking faith into Victoria’s situation. Something changed in the Be Still moment But then something changed. During one of those quiet times with God, I was sitting on a seat in the park, asking Him for a word for our family for this year, 2024. Yes, another Be Still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10) moment. He drew my attention to an image that was directly in front of me - two rectangular sandstone blocks, with a narrow gap in between. Beyond the gap, the grass ran down to the wide open expanse of the lake. As I looked at this image, God gave me these words, “I am the Way Maker.” Don’t we all love the Way Maker song "Way maker Miracle worker Promise keeper Light in the darkness My God That is who you are" What a powerful declaration of Who God is. God's Word speaks life God gave me three scriptures to go with the image: “This is what the LORD says - he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,” Isaiah 43:16 NIV “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 NIV “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 NIV Three life-giving scriptures, asking of us, Do we have the faith to believe that God made a way through the sea? Do we trust that He is making a way in the wasteland? Do we have the courage to keep walking on the narrow road that leads to life? God in His graciousness had given me a way to speak faith and life into Victoria’s situation. God encourages each one A bit more on this story about the way maker word …. At the beginning of each year when I get a word for our family, I make an A4 poster, laminate it and give a copy to each family member, so they can have it ready on hand for encouragement throughout the year. I'm under no illusion as to what has happened to these posters in the past - I've seen them peeking out from under a pile of papers on desks! But this year was different - perhaps because it had the photo of the sandstone blocks and the way through. This year some chose to put the poster on the wall above their desks, some on the wall near their beds. But all put it in a visible, easily accessible place. I need that extra bit of encouragement so I have two posters - one near my desk, and one near my side of the bed! The Way Maker makes a way Since the beginning of January, there have been at least 8 significant crossroads for people in our family, and each time, we have called on this word from God, declaring, “God you are the way maker, we are trusting that you will make a way through this - Your will be done, in Jesus Name.” God knew that each person in our family was going to need to speak ‘faith and life’ into situations this year, and that each would need His encouragement to do so. God always knows! In each circumstance God has clearly made a way, showing us that He is sovereign, powerful, gracious and kind. Often too in these situations, it has felt like God has been asking us these questions, Do you trust Me in this situation? Do you have the patience to wait? Will you humble yourself and acknowledge that I am Lord of All? Oh God so wants us to mature! Maturing in our faith James speaks to us about this maturing process, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of...

Have you ever said to yourself, “There is not enough time to do all this.”? I have and it's normally followed up with a huge sigh of exasperation! Then the Holy Spirit reminds me of something I heard a few years ago, “God will always give you enough time for what He wants you to do.” Press pause! Does that mean I am doing things that God doesn’t want me to do? Does that mean I am doing things differently from how He wants me to do them? Sounds like it is time to check in with God and find out. Getting direction from God Let's look at those questions again, firstly "Am I doing things that God doesn't want me to do?" Or it could be asked this way, "Am I going in the direction God has for me?" In Psalms, we read, “The steps of the God-pursuing ones follow firmly in the footsteps of the Lord, and God delights in every step they take to follow him.” (Psalm 37:23 TPT). So when we have those thoughts of "There is not enough time" perhaps it is a good idea to pause and check in with God on the direction we are taking. Oh! there is again, that "Be Still and know that I am God" attitude. Maybe a prayer like, "God, am I doing what you want me to do? Am I following the path you have for me? Please show me if I have gone off track and am doing things that are outside your will for my life." Jesus is a wonderful example of only doing what His Father, God, our Heavenly Father, told him to do. In the Gospel of John we read that Jesus said, "I do what my father tells me to do. I do that so that the people of this world can know that I love my father.” (John 14:31 PEV) An aside: Jesus had complete clarity about why He was being obedient to His Father, "so that people of this world can know that I love my father." The Passion Translation says it this way, "I am doing exactly what the Father destined for me to accomplish, so that the world will discover how much I love my Father." (John 14:31 TPT) So a question for us - "Do we have that level of clarity about the motives of our actions?" Right direction, but not sure on the "how" Perhaps the answer is "Yes," we have clarity on our motives. We are confident we're being obedient to God and going in the direction He is leading us. However, we are still feeling overwhelmed with all that has to be done, "There is not enough time to do all this!" So then we need to look at the "how" and ask the question, "Am I doing things God's way?" We have the direction, but we need more of God's wisdom on how to take each step. In the book of Proverbs we read, "A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life]. But the LORD directs his steps and establishes them." (Proverbs 16:9 AMP). We know there are often many ways to get to the end goal, but not all are efficient, and not all are the ways God wants it done. We need to remind ourselves that God’s ways are higher, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV) God's ways are higher - always - not just sometimes. God knows the bigger picture. God has the bigger picture We don’t even know what will happen later today, or tomorrow, or next year. Receiving a ‘surprise’ medical report or receiving an unexpected promotion at work, reminds us of that. James 4:13-15 tells us, “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15 NIV) And so it is with the plans we make, we might have some ideas on the outcomes, but we don’t know for sure. But God knows. Ask God for wisdom So getting back to the...

Saturday morning was damp and humid, perfect mosquito conditions. Sometimes walking in this place can feel like mosquito feeding time! However, this morning I realised no mosquito had come near me. My thoughts moved to the insect repellent I had put on before walking. I have two types of repellent I use, a spray from one brand, and a roll-on from a different brand. Today I applied the roll-on and it was definitely providing the full protection and I was grateful. God's protection Oh, my brain suddenly started going off, thinking about all the parallels between putting on the protection against mosquitos and putting on the protection God gives us to keep us safe from the enemy in the spiritual battles we face each day. Ephesians 6 is one of the chapters in the Bible where the Apostle Paul gives us some very clear directions about putting on the armour of God. He says, “Put on God’s whole armour [the armour of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11 AMPC Is the protection effective? The armour that God supplies is the best! No questions there. But with the mosquito repellent, from my revelation on Saturday, I know that there are different levels of protection. I wonder if it is the application method (ie roll-on vs spray) or the repellent content that makes the difference? or both? Perhaps I might have to do a test on that! But in the interim, I will make sure that I am prepared and have the roll-on repellent with me for future walks. Protection preparation So that brings up another question, how prepared are we when it comes to protection on our spiritual walk? How many times have you heard someone say "we are in a spiritual battle"? What does that mean to you? The Apostle Paul explains about the spiritual battle, “For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly [supernatural) sphere.” Ephesians 6:12 AMPC The spiritual battle is real Just as mosquitos and the impact of their bite is very real, so are the spiritual enemies of God. This week someone shared with me about a dream they had where a demon came into their room and said “I am real”. This person’s response was to go to God’s word and seek after the truth. The truth in God's word is one of the pieces of armour God has given us - “the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17). We need to know about the spiritual armour we have access to and be daily putting it on. Joyce Meyer says, “It is important for us to see that we cannot fight darkness with darkness. I believe the best way to resist and overcome our powerful spiritual enemy is not by venting our anger and frustration in some fleshly manner. Rather, we need to put on our spiritual armour as described in Ephesians 6:13-17 and yield ourselves to the power and presence of the Holy Spirit within us as we pray (see Ephesians 6:18).” The Everyday Bible - Joyce Meyer, p1945 Gaps in the protection lead to distraction Sometimes I am in a hurry to get going on my walk. I forget to apply the repellent to my neck. When I have my hair up the back of my neck can be vulnerable to mosquito bites. I can hear them buzzing around my neck and I spend my walk continually shooing and slapping them away. They become a distraction, impacting on the purpose of my walk, which often is to have conversations with God - talking and lots of listening. And so too it can be for us if we are not putting on the full armour of God daily. Each part of God’s armour has its purpose. We don’t want any chinks in the armour where the enemy can come in and distract us. The Message Bible says, “Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own....

Do you need some encouragement to finish that project? How many times in your life have you started a project and struggled to complete it? Perhaps you are in that situation right now! Where do you go to get the encouragement you need to finish a project? Striving to find a way So many times in my life I have been unable to find a way through. I strive to find the strategy, to find the key to moving forward. When I feel myself striving this way, I know there is only one action to take - Be Still. Yes, Psalm 46:10 again! I keep coming back to that very clear command from God - Be Still. Just “Be Still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). It’s as though God is saying, “Will you just stop thinking all those thoughts and listen to Me.” Not by might nor by power Often too God reminds me of the words the angel said to Zechariah to encourage the Israelites to complete the rebuilding of the temple after their return to Jerusalem from exile. The angel said to Zechariah, “ ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6 NIV) It was a challenging time for the Israelites, they were returning to a city that had been decimated. One commentary says, “Although the archaeological data is fragmentary, there is enough to suggest that the exiles returned to a shattered urban landscape where considerable effort was needed to simply survive.” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, p1555). Encouragement to complete the project The rebuilding of the temple project seemed impossible to the Israelites. There was so much to be done and limited resources available. The Israelites needed some encouragement to keep focused and complete the project God had given them to do. So God provided that encouragement through Zechariah. Here is what one commentary says about their struggle: “The community was struggling to rebuild a sustainable economy, and severe limits on resources made rebuilding the temple an almost unthinkable task. For this reason, both Haggai and Zechariah needed to remind their audiences that God controlled the resources.” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, p1555). Who controls the resources? An aside (or perhaps a key point!), in the economy we are living in today, it is important to remind ourselves that God still controls the resources. I remember one day last year I was walking and talking to God about my concerns about our finances, a Philippians 4:6-7 prayer. As I prayed a flock of cockatoos flew over, probably about 30 of them, and the Holy Spirit reminded me of Matthew 6:26, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26 NKJV). Yes, God is in control and He is trustworthy. By My Spirit says the Lord Getting back to completing projects and the need for encouragement, let's have a look at Zechariah 4:6 from the Amplified Bible, Then he said to me, This [addition of the bowl to the candlestick, causing it to yield a ceaseless supply of oil from the olive trees] is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit [of Whom the oil is a symbol], says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 AMPC I love how the Amplified Bible gives that fuller picture to help us understand more of what God is saying. Read it again and listen out for which words the Holy Spirit quickens to you, Then he said to me, This [addition of the bowl to the candlestick, causing it to yield a ceaseless supply of oil from the olive trees] is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit [of Whom the oil is a symbol], says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 AMPC A Ceaseless supply These words are quickened to me “ceaseless supply of oil”, followed by "“My Spirit” [of Whom the oil is a symbol]." Who is the Spirit? He is the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity. When we receive Jesus Christ as our...

Christmas was over a month ago. We were a little late putting our tree up this year, 23 December, but we did get there. Perhaps we will leave it up until February as it adds so much colour to the room. When we take the tree down the room looks very bland. It’s a bit like the tree in our garden I shared about a couple of weeks ago, stunning hot pink flowers and fresh green leaves in the summer, and then in winter - just plain brown branches. That thought leads me to a question, what brings colour into your life? What brings joy into your life? What dulls the colour in your life? Or what about these questions, what dulls the colour in your life? What steals your joy? Ken and I were recently reflecting on our almost 26 years of marriage, talking about the many times we have faced battles that have come to not only steal our joy but to steal our marriage and our family - the physical health battles; mental health battles; financial battles and relationship battles. We know that Jesus tells us in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;" The Thief comes to steal And we know that reading something and thinking that we understand it, is very different from the reality of living it! Ken and I have no doubts about why we are still “standing” today. We have a hope in someone so much greater than ourselves. A hope in Jesus Christ and faith to believe His words in the second part of John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus comes to give us life Life. Over the years, especially with the journey with our daughter and cancer, my understanding of that word ‘life’ has changed. Often we are so focused on our life right here, right now. But God tells us in James 4:14 that our life here is fleeting, “But you don’t have a clue what tomorrow may bring. For your fleeting life is but a warm breath of air that is visible in the cold only for a moment and then vanishes!” James 4:14 TPT Life on earth is fleeting What we experience here today on earth is only one part of our life - the fleeting part of our life, perhaps even the dull part of our life when one considers eternity. The apostle Paul knew and understood this well. While in prison he wrote to the Philippians, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:13 NIV. Life here on earth is not the end game! There is more. Heaven. Eternal life. There is more If you are interested in finding out some more about Heaven, I can highly recommend this book that a friend gave me some years ago, Imagine Heaven - Near-Death Experiences. God’s promises, and the exhilarating future that awaits you, written by John Burke. Our access to eternal life is faith in Jesus Christ, as Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I don’t know what is happening in your life right now, but I do know that there is a God in Heaven who loves you. I know that life here has many challenges and we face many battles. But I also know this, as a person who has been living with faith in Jesus Christ for 28 years, Jesus is our only hope for living life to the full both here on earth and for eternity. There is no other way. “This is the true testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life has its source in his Son. Whoever has the Son has eternal life; whoever does not have the Son does not possess eternal life.” 1 John 5:11-13 TPT Jesus brings the colour into my life Jesus brings the colour into my life - now and forever. He can do the same for you if you choose to receive Him as your Lord and Saviour. If you want to do this now, please pray this prayer* with me: Father, You loved the world so much that You gave Your only begotten Son to die for our sins so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Your Word says we are saved by grace through...

What's your 'go-to' when things aren't working out how you thought they would? Does frustration take over? For me, being a planner and organiser by nature, frustration is definitely my 'go-to' when things aren't working out as I'd planned. The broken wrist In early December I broke my wrist while renovating a room in our home. Standing on a kiddie step to sand a cornice, I stepped off awkwardly and fell. I screamed. My daughter came running and helped me get up off the floor. Immediately I started planning how I could continue the sanding. I attempted to pick up something with my left hand - but couldn't. My daughter looked at my left wrist and said, "Mum, you need to go to the hospital." I started crying, all these thoughts going through my head, the waiting at the hospital, the thought of not being able to drive and the implications on all the plans around Christmas. I could feel the frustration building. Be Still moment Then I took a moment to Be Still and to acknowledge God, as it says in Psalm 46:10. I asked Him what He wanted me to do in this situation, and I had a sense of a 'Slow down Wendy' message (Obviously!). Choose to yield At that moment I could have continued with the negative thoughts about all I wouldn't be able to do due to this injury. But over many years of having many unexpected medical situations in our family, I've learnt enough from God to know that when He speaks it is best to quickly yield, receive and embrace His words. The "just do it" and in this case it was "Slow down Wendy". Yielding quickly Another key God has taught me to yielding quickly is thankfulness. Look for the things to be thankful for, as it says in Thessalonians 5:18, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Thessalonians 5:18 NIV In the situation with the broken wrist, I was thankful that I could get up and walk - I didn't injure any other part of my body. I was grateful that I was now going to get the rest I needed - I didn't have to ask anyone's permission to stop! Now, the cast is off, the bone has healed, and I can drive again. There are movement and strengthening exercises to do but life is back to normal. But I am so grateful that for 6 weeks I had a slower-paced life. Frustration brings limits And I am so grateful for all the years that God has been teaching me how to yield and not let frustration overtake me. James 1:2-4 tells us that these trials we face have a purpose, "My brethen, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:2-4 NKJV God matures us through our trials. But I must say, I find it really hard to "count it all joy" when I'm feeling frustrated. The frustration seems to take all my energy, so much so that it limits my ability to think and hear clearly. I can't hear clearly from God or other people who are trying to help me process the frustration. I need a circuit breaker to stop the moments of frustration turning into hours, days, months and years! The Circuit breaker With each trial I go through in life, complete with its frustration, something interesting happens - my understanding of God's trustworthiness grows. My ability to go to that place of "Okay, this is frustrating and annoying, but I am going to choose to trust that God has a plan and purpose here." has increased over the years and most times I can relatively quickly yield and go to the place of trusting God. Of course, sometimes there is still that wrestle and it takes a bit longer - I am a work in progress - and thankfully God is patient and kind. ... is trust! So my circuit breaker to being overwhelmed by frustration is - Trust! And not trusting in myself and my abilities, but trusting in God. Proverbs 3:5-6, I'm sure you know it, says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own...

What are the first words you say to yourself when you wake up? Over the last few months, I have been purposefully saying to myself these words from a childhood Sunday School song (actually Psalm 118:24), "This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." (NKJV). It is a declaration to my soul. Me, telling myself that God is in control. He made this day (Psalm 118:24). He knows what is to come (Psalm 139:16). He will not leave me to do this day alone. (Deuteronomy 31:8). Speaking faith Essentially I am speaking faith into my day. Faith that no matter what happens, whether is it no drama (we don't actually have many of those days) or a little bit of drama, or some massive drama (we have had too many of those days!) - This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it! I'm telling myself that I will choose to keep my eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)... Be thankful ... and I will keep looking for things to be thankful for. In fact, in The Passion Translation, Psalm 118, where the scripture, "This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it" comes from, is titled, "Glorious Thanksgiving". Its first few verses say, "Keep on giving your thanks to God, for he is so good! His constant, tender love lasts forever! Let all his princely people sing, His constant, tender love lasts forever!" Psalm 118:1-2 The Passion Translation Awake, my soul As someone who often speaks to themselves, I always find it reassuring when I hear of someone else who speaks to themselves too. In Psalm 108 we hear King David speaking to his soul as he prays to God for help, "My heart, O God, is quiet and confident, all because of you. Now I can sing my song with passionate praises! Awake, O my soul, with the music of his splendor. Arise, my soul, and sing his praises! I will awaken the dawn with my worship, greeting the daybreak with my songs of light." Psalm 108:1-2 The Passion Translation Yes, here is King David at dawn, speaking to himself, telling his soul to sing praises to God. King David is speaking faith as he asks God for His help in the battle, "Save us and help us with your right hand, that those who you love may be delivered." Psalm 108:6 NIV An aside ... You may have heard Hillsong's beautiful worship song, Awake My Soul, which has some lyrics based on Psalm 108. Words Matter We all know that the words we speak matter. We are often so careful with the words we speak to others. But for those of us who are often speaking to ourselves, we can easily forget to consider what we are saying to ourselves. Just as we need to take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5), we need to remember the truth of Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]." Proverbs 18:21 AMPC This truth applies to the words we say to ourselves and others. Joyce Meyer often speaks about the power of words and she says, "We have heard the phrase, "You're going to have to eat your words," and Proverbs 18:21 confirms this truth. The words we speak have power to influence our lives. In fact, you may be eating your words right now, and that may be why you are not happy with your life. Your mouth may be getting you in trouble with yourself!" (The Everyday Life Bible, P993). What words will you wake up with tomorrow? So I'll leave you (and me) with a little challenge ... what words will we wake up with tomorrow? Will it be the 'Ugh, I wonder what's going to go wrong today,' with a generally unenthusiastic tone? Or will it be a statement of faith, such as "This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it," combined with a thankful attitude that His grace is sufficient for us today. To find out more please visit drawingclosertogod.org

In our garden we have a hot pink Crepe MyrtIe (I had to google to find out what type of tree it was!). It blooms in the height of summer, bringing a huge splash of colour to our garden. I love it, often exclaiming to the children as we drive in the driveway, “Look at the tree, look at the tree, it is so beautiful.” Of course in the winter it looks very different. Just a trunk and branches. No leaves. No hot pink flowers. Seasons God tells us in Ecclesiastes that there are seasons, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV. In September 2020 I felt that nudge from God that my season for writing this weekly blog had ended - Permanently or temporarily - I didn’t know, but I obediently stopped. A few weeks later in October 2020, we found out that Victoria would have to re-commence chemotherapy treatment for a year. Is it time to start again? Midway through 2022 I wondered, is it time to start again? But I didn’t get a clear “yes” from God so I just waited. And then in Oct 2022 we received the news Victoria was going to need brain surgery, so clearly not the right time to start writing again - there were other priorities! Maybe now? Then in May 2023, it seemed as though it may be the right time to write so I put together a plan for the first couple of months of blog posts, planning to start in July. However, that timing wasn’t right either, as some new health challenges appeared for Victoria in June of which she is still contending with. Or maybe now? But here we are today, the first Sunday in 2024. My husband has recently started as the Sunday morning announcer at a local Christian radio station. He is up and out of the house early so I have a quiet few hours to myself. Victoria’s health continues to be challenging, but God is giving us each the daily grace we need to do that journey well. So I am sensing that it seems as though my next season of writing is finally here! Now, where to start? So where to start? I have read over the blog post plan I wrote last year and it still seems relevant - thank you Jesus for going before me and making a way! When I reflect on the past three years, particularly with the challenges of Victoria’s health, there are many questions one could ask, but how about this one … “How does one live a life of hope when we are faced with so many unknowns?” That word ‘unknowns’ means different things to each of us. For me, with the unknowns of life, I need something unchanging that I can rely on - a firm foundation. A firm foundation A firm foundation - a place that I can go, no matter what is going on in our lives, and it will give me strength and faith to get up the next day and keep moving forward. For me, that firm foundation is God’s word - the Bible. That is the place I go to, reading it daily, fully expecting that God will speak to me through it, giving me His wisdom; reminding me that He loves me and that He will never leave me; encouraging me that He works all things together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose; reassuring me that because of Jesus Christ we can have eternal life. The Bible - the word of God So over the next few weeks, I’m going to write about some of my favourite scriptures and how God has used them in my life. Today I will leave you with this one … He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 NIV. I encourage you today, to find a physical space, perhaps it is sitting under a beautiful blooming tree like our Crepe Myrtle, and take five minutes to be still and meditate on the truth that there is a God in heaven and He loves you. PS: Don’t be surprised if tears come as you receive more of His love. Needing some help to 'Be Still?' Here are some beautiful worship songs that have helped me come to that place of 'Being Still' before God: Be Still - Kari Jobe Be Still - Live -...

In my lifegroup we are studying Romans. What a wonderful time we are having getting greater revelation of God's grace, learning more about why and how Jesus set us right with God. Every week we are reminded that it's all about God. Not us. It's all about Who He is, and what He says about us. Our justification We are up to Chapter 4. Warren W. Wiersbe in his book, Be right - how to be right with God, yourself, and others, says the following about this section in Romans and our justification ... Paul's theme in the second section of his letter was salvation - righteousness declared. He proved that all people are sinners; so his next goal was to explain how sinners can be saved. The theological term for this salvation is justification by faith. Justification is the act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner righteous in Christ on the basis of the finished work of Christ on the cross. Each part of this definition is important, so we must consider it carefully. To begin with, justification is an act, not a process. There are no degrees of justification; each believer has the same standing before God. Also, justification is something God does, not man. No sinner can justify himself before God. Most important, justification does not mean that God makes us righteous, but that He declares us righteous. Justification is a legal matter. God puts the righteousness of Christ on our record in place of our own sinfulness. And nobody can change this record. Warren W. Wiersbe, Be right - how to be right with God, Page 45 God does it all What truth. How many times to do need to hear this to get the revelation that it is all God's doing, and nothing to do with us. He declares us righteous .... And nobody can change this record. Those words that God said about Abraham, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," apply to us too, as Romans Chapter 4:24, 25 tells us ... But [they were written] for our sakes too. [Righteousness, standing acceptable to God] will be granted and credited to us also who believe in (trust in, adhere to, and rely on) God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, Who was betrayed and put to death because of our misdeeds and was raised to secure our justification (our aquittal), [making our account balance and absolving us from all guilt before God]. Romans 4:24,25 AMPC Jesus set us right with God The Message Bible says it this way ... But it's not just Abraham, it's also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God. Romans 4:24,25 The Message When I read this scripture, two songs came to mind ... Clean by Hillsong United Nothing but the blood by Hillsong I don't have much more to say today, other than that - that life-giving truth... The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God. And that is more than enough. Thank you Jesus. Are you right with God? If you want to be set right with God, and accept what Jesus did you for you, making a way for you to be right with God, then simply say this prayer from your heart, surrendering your life to Jesus Christ. Then seek out a local bible-believing church and connect with other followers of Jesus who can help you on your journey. Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God. I believe that You became man and died on the cross for my sins. I believe that God raised You from the dead and made you the Saviour of the world. I confess that I am a sinner and I ask you to forgive me, and to cleanse me of all my sins. I accept your forgiveness, and I receive You as my Lord and Saviour. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen. Please note, this prayer came from Gerald, K 1997, The Proving Ground - Nine tests that prove your personal potential, Insight Publishing Group, Tulsa, OK, 106. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

What does worship mean to you? Recently I read this statement about worship. It reminded me that worship is not about us. "Sometimes worship is difficult. We don’t want to praise God or hear God’s voice. Sometimes worship grabs us by the nape of the neck and shakes us up as we come face to face with an ineffable God. Sometimes worship is comforting as we bow down before a God who loves us and gave up everything for us. Sometimes worship is joyous as we praise God who does great things for our world. And sometimes worship is all those things at once. Worship should never be a passive experience, and it is never about us." Postmodern Children’s Ministry – Ministry to children in the 21 Century, Ivy Beckwith, Page 151. Let's consider this phrase again ...Worship should never be a passive experience, and it is never about us. What did Jesus say? When Jesus was being tested in the wilderness by the enemy Jesus reminded us of Who we are to focus our worship on. Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Luke 4:5-8 NKJV Jesus' words are very clear ... 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.' The Message Bible says it this way, Jesus refused, again backing his refusal with Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God and only the Lord your God. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness.” Luke 4:8 The Message What is worship? We can think about worship in many different ways. One of the ways we are probably most familiar with is the 'singing time' in church, which at the moment, due to COVID-19, has greatly dimished in the wake of social distancing rules. I'm so grateful that our church has been able to meet again, in smaller numbers, and have a time of worship, albeit quite differently to what we are used to, but still a beautiful time of worshipping Jesus. With the absence of the familiar corporate worship time during COVID, we have had to purposefully seek out and embrace alternatives to continue fellowshiping and drawing closer to God. So as with many aspects of our faith during this time of COVID, the small group gathering and our individual devotion time with Jesus has taken on a more central role. Worship in the small group For me, my early experiences of home-group / life-group involved a time of worship. While there was some singing during the worship, mostly it was a time of sitting in the presence of God, focusing on the words that declared truth about our Saviour. For example, Lord of All, Hillsong Worship 'Lord I long to see you glorified In everything I do All my heartfelt dreams I put aside To see your Spirit move with power in my life. Jesus, Lord of all eternity Your children rise in faith All the earth displays your glory And each word you speak brings life to all who hear.' I'm grateful for those experiences and what I learned. They were one aspect of the equipping that enabled me to start a life-group in 2019, where we normally include a time of worship, sitting in the presence of God, with our heart and mind focused on Jesus, Lord of All. God prepares the way How perfect is that for today's scenario of COVID-19 when singing has so many restrictions around it. I love how God goes before us, preparing us for what we need, before we know we need it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV Despite the social distancing restrictions, we can still listen to some anointed worship...

During COVID-19 our business slowed down, so Ken and I took the opportunity to learn some new skills, specifically in relation to video recording. A week ago Ken told me about a one month challenge he was going to do with a group Live Streaming Pros, about telling stories and listening to stories. The 31 Day Challenge The challenge, 31 Days to being Youniquely you on camera, involves doing a live stream to a private Facebook group, speaking to a question/topic provided by Live Streaming Pros. For example, 'What is holding you back?' One of the important aspects of the group is the giving and receiving of encouragement to other group members, of which there is 543 globally. It is a fascinating environment with plenty of stories to listen to. There are lots of Christians in the group, learning how to tell their stories in a more effective way. Actually that's why I decided to join Ken in this challenge, to improve my communication skills on video so I can more effectively share stories about Jesus. However the other morning after I had completed a live stream, I was doing the dishes (because the mundane activities of life have to be done!) and was thinking about how interesting it was listening to people learning how to share their faith and their dreams etc in this group. And I felt God say to me, "I want you to listen to the other stories too and learn from them." Listen to the other stories By 'Other stories' I knew God was referring to the people in the group who were obviously from other cultures and religions - remember this group has 543 people from all over the world who want to tell their stories more effectively, mostly with the goal of helping others. This instruction from God about listening to the stories and learning from them, reminded me of recent messages I had heard at church in relation to The Stolen Generation (Donna Meehan) and Gender-related issues. How easy is it to only listen to the things that make us feel comfortable, rather than the stories that challenge our thinking and hopefully our actions. So my response to God was, "Okay God, I will listen to the other stories too. Give me insight to hear what is being said and understand more about people. Please help me to listen with my heart." Of course this 'listening' doesn't only apply to the videos in the lifestreaming group, it applies to all areas of our lives. Listening to my children As a mum I haven't always been a good listener, either because I have been too busy to listen, or I have already made assumptions about what I would hear from the mouth of my child, or about the scenario that has played out. Over the years though I have learned that when I hear the words, 'Mum' it is best to stop and completely shift my attention to the person. Even if sometimes only to say, 'I will just finish this job and then I can speak with you.' Of course I am not perfect at this and sometimes its a couple of hours until I 'finish the job!' But most times I do try to respond with that initial acknowledgement. Stopping making assumptions has been a little bit more challenging for me, especially as the children grow and change. Sometimes after my 'assumption response' they have had had to say to me, 'Mum, I'm not like that anymore. I don't do that now.' And I've had to say sorry, and make a mental note to myself that they have changed. We can all be better listeners, especially with those closest to us. But who is going to listen to me? On the flipside, have you ever felt like, 'Who is listening to me? I am listening to my husband, my children, etc, but who is taking time to listen to me?' There is One who is always available to listen to us, and doesn't make assumptions about what we are going to say. Yes, He knows us completely, but He listens graciously and loves us unconditionally. Lord, you know everything there is to know about me. You perceive every movement of my heart and soul, and you understand my every...

In these interesting days, how are you going with being content when things keep changing? Restrictions tighten and restrictions ease. We are unsure what tomorrow will look like. Memories and grief surfacing When the Coronavirus started impacting on Australia there was a few days where I struggled as grief surfaced from our daughter's cancer journey. The continual hand santising was the trigger, a familiar practice during her 15 months of receiving chemotherapy. And now when we are again on 'high alert' and restrictions are tightening, I am reminded of when we as a family were on 'high alert' or hypervigilant in relation to Victoria getting a high temperature (over 38 degrees) and having to go to hospital for at least three days. These emergency hospital visits happened many times and caused much anxiety and turmoil for each member of our family. Warning: unashamed promo - if you want to read more about this part of our story, and God's faithfulness throughout it, my book is available at wendyrobinson.com.au What does it take to be content? The current situation and memories of the past had me thinking about contentedness. How does one get to that state of contentedness regardless of what is going on in their lives or around them? The Apostle Paul seemed to have found that place, as he explains to the Philippians... But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:10-13 NKJV There is so much to meditate on in this passage of scripture. Let's not forget where Paul was when he wrote this letter - prison, with the exact location unknown. He himself was undergoing hardship, however he was still able to maintain his focus on Christ and on others. Keep focussed on the goal Paul was focussed on a goal, regardless of his circumstances. He explains this to Philippians earlier in his letter. I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:12-14 NLT Remember, Paul is in prison when he wrote this letter. Plenty of restrictions and unknowns in his life at that time! But he keeps his focus on Christ and his mission. John Maxwell says, This letter proves that even while the apostle Paul sat in a foul Roman prison, he never lost his passion, his sense of mission, his sense of direction, or his command of the situation. While Paul remained an inmate of Rome, he couldn’t plant new churches as he felt called to do. Instead, he sat in chains, attached to a Praetorian guard, awaiting a trial that he thought could end his life (1:21). Yet even in the midst of all of this, he never abandoned his role of leadership. NKJV Maxwell Leadership Bible Page 1470) Rejoice in the Lord Not only is Paul focussed on the mission despite the apparent hindrances, he is encouraging others to maintain their joy. Always be joyful in the Lord! I’ll say it again: Be joyful! Let everyone know how considerate you are. The Lord is near. Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus....

Are you a praying person? If not, perhaps today is a great day to start. Keep reading and hopefully, if I've communicated well, you will learn a little about prayer. If yes, then I really want to encourage you that prayer matters. But remember, the 'how', 'when', 'where' of prayer doesn't matter. Any-way, any-where and any-time is suitable for praying. Even the 'why' doesn't really matter, as God sees our heart. He knows our motives and will respond accordingly. God is gracious. But the 'who' does matter. Who are you praying to? John 14:6 tells us that we are to connect with God the Father, through Jesus Christ, his Son. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NIV Hence we pray, 'In Jesus Name.' So a few thoughts on prayer ... Praying for our nation Now is the time to pray for our country, if you haven't been already. There is so much need, and so many hurting people, what do we pray for? Protection? Provision? Forgiveness? Yes, all of those things, and perhaps a prayer for everyone in this nation to have greater revelation of God's great love for them, because remember the Bible says, Our love for others is our grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to us. 1 John 4:19 TPT Imagine what our country would be like if we all loved each other as God loves us. To help me pray for our nation, I have set up a music playlist 'City and Country'. It includes God of this city (Chris Tomlin) Good Grace (Hillsong United) Revival's in the air (Bethel Music & Melissa Helser) Here is as in Heaven (Elevation Worship) The Blessing Australia (Churches UNITE to sing the blessing over Australia) Pray for our Governments A little story... since March 2020 when COVID-19 started to impact more and more on our life in Australia, I began my day with praying for our Prime Minister. Praying for things like wisdom, protection and rest. Then one morning God said to me, 'Why aren't you praying like that for your husband?' So now, I pray those things for Ken, and then our Prime Minister and State Premiers. But back to God's word and what it says about praying for our governments... 1 Timothy 2:1, in the NIV says, I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 1 Timothy 2:1 NIV The following verse then tells us that it is pleasing to God when we pray for people in authority. Here is The Passion Translation ... Most of all, I’m writing to encourage you to pray with gratitude to God. Pray for all men with all forms of prayers and requests as you intercede with intense passion. And pray for every political leader and representative, so that we would be able to live tranquil, undisturbed lives, as we worship the awe-inspiring God with pure hearts. It is pleasing to our Saviour-God to pray for them. He longs for everyone to embrace his life and return to the full knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 TPT Yes, God wants hearts to return to Him and His truth. Praying for our Christian brothers and sisters We can also be praying for our Christian brothers and sisters. The Apostle Paul is a great example of praying regularly for those who love Jesus. We know this by what he writes in his letters. Here are a couple of examples. God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son. Romans 1:9 NLT Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God's people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your...

Have you experienced a time when you thought to yourself, "I wish Jesus was here with me." I remember a friend, who was having radiation treatment for cancer, saying to me, "Before I go into the treatment room, I stand at the door and say, 'Okay Jesus, in we go together.'" She was declaring that Jesus was going with her into that room, acknowledging that she was not going alone. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that "I am not alone." Jesus walks with me That story reminds me of a song, "He walks with me" from Merle Haggard. The lyrics are simple but beautiful ... I come to the garden alone While the dew is still on the roses And the voice I hear falling on my ear The son of God discloses And he walks with me and he talks with me And he tells me I am his own And the joy we share as we tarry there None other has ever known He speaks and the sound of his voice is so sweet The birds hush their singing And the melody that he gave to me Within my heart is ringing And he walks with me and he talks with me And he tells me I am his own And the joy we share as we tarry there None other has ever known You know that feeling you have after spending time with someone who loves you. You feel heard, encouraged, safe and secure. Well that is how we can feel after spending time with Jesus. But first we have to recognise that He is with us and acknowledge Him. Recognising Jesus Let's take a look at a couple of stories where Jesus wasn't immediately recognised. At the empty tomb Firstly, at the empty tomb after Jesus' resurrection ... But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?" "They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognise him. Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?" She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him." Jesus said, "Mary." Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!" John 20:11-16 The Message But she didn't recognise Him In regards to Mary not recognising Jesus, let's look at the way other translations say verse 14, The Passion Translation - Then she turned around to leave, and there was Jesus standing in front of her, but she didn't realise that it was him! The New King James Version - Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Recognise, realise and know According to the NIV Study Bible, we don't know why Mary didn't recognise Jesus, "He may have looked different or he may intentionally have prevented recognition." NIV Study Bible, Luke 20:14 Commentary, page 1633. What about us? I wonder how many times things have happened in our lives and Jesus has been there and we haven't recognised, realised or known. Or why we sometimes don't recognise Jesus, or realise what He is doing in our lives? Perhaps this is the moment to ask Him. Jesus calls us by name An aside, or maybe one of the main points ... notice that it is when Jesus calls Mary by her name that she recognises him. In the TV series about Jesus, The Chosen (available at the App Store or Google Play), there is a beautiful scene in Episode 1, when Jesus calls Mary by her name and she is redeemed. The road to Emmaus Let's have a look at another interaction on that same day, when Jesus was not recognised. He is walking with two of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. And behold, that very day two of [the disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, [which is] about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking about all these things that had occurred. And while they were conversing and discussing this...

Have you had the experience of crying out to God for many years, and then as the busy-ness of life takes over, the cry is still there, but not so loud? Then one day you have this moment, where the Holy Spirit nudges you and says, 'Look.' You look and see that God is answering that prayer. A smile comes over your face, and your heart feels full. The blindness of busy-ness is lifted. The blindness of busy-ness When this recently happened to me, I started thinking about how we often get so focused on other things, that we miss what God is doing. Proverbs 29:18 in The Message Bible says ... If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed. Proverbs 29:18 The Message When I obeyed the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and looked and saw what God was doing, I did indeed feel and know that I was most blessed. The Amplified Bible says Proverbs 29:18 this way, Where there is no vision [no revelation of God and His word], the people are unrestrained; But happy and blessed is he who keeps the law [of God]. Proverbs 29:18 AMP Ummm ... No revelation of God and His word ... the people are unrestrained... The blindness in our thinking Let's look at this scripture for a moment in the context of our thought-life. That is, when our thoughts are not focused on God's truth they can wander wherever they desire. This happens when we are not actively taking our thoughts captive, as God says to do in 2 Corinthians 10:5. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV This is another blindness, not towards what God is doing, but in relation to what we are thinking! Negative thoughts causing blindness I experienced this type of blindness recently when I let negative thoughts overwhelm me. They caused me to lose sight of God's word. I couldn't see the good. I couldn't see a positive path forward. The story Over the past month our daughter has had nine medical appointments in relation to her left leg, and there are two more this coming week. Attending all these appointments brought back the memories of the multiple hospital visits from her time of having chemotherapy treatment. Late last week, both my daughter and I were at the point of sighing, crying and thinking, 'No, not another appointment,' and 'Will it always be like this?' So strong is the emotional pull of old memories and feelings of despair - grief. For our daughter during recent years the negative experiences around these ongoing appointments have been offset by the joy and excitement of swimming training and competing at sporting events. But due to COVID-19 restrictions and other factors beyond our control, those activities are currently not happening. So, the question she now often asks is, 'What is there to look forward to?' What is there to look forward to? What is there to look forward to? Yes, blindness can stop us looking forward and it can stop us looking to Jesus. The blind beggar These thoughts about blindness led me to reading the story of Jesus healing the blind beggar Bartimaeus, recounted in Mark 10 and Luke 18. Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a great crowd, a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, a son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, saying, Jesus, Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now]! And many severely censured and reproved him, telling him to keep still, but he kept on shouting out all the more, You Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now]!" And Jesus stopped and said, Call him. And they called the blind man, telling him, Take courage! Get up! He is calling you. And throwing off his outer garment, he leaped up and and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, What do you...

What has God put on your heart to do today? Is it something you regularly do, or is it a little 'out-of-the-box'? This is a story about having the courage to do what God says, no matter how 'weird' it seems, and then witnessing how God blesses others through that obedience. I pray this simple story encourages you to follow through on promptings from the Holy Spirit, trusting that your obedience will bring blessing to yourself and others. Walking and praying One of my weekly activities is twice a week walking and praying around the school grounds, normally with a couple of other mothers from school. Most of the time we have no idea how God uses our prayers. We just walk and pray in faith that He is at work in the supernatural. We may never know the outcomes of those prayers, but we trust that in this season it is what God has asked us to do. Plans change The presence of COVID-19 put a stop to the walking around the school grounds. But it did not stop us praying together, as we like many others around the world quickly worked out how to pray together online. No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper. Isaiah 54:17 NKJV And, again, as I'm sure many people found during this time, the stretching and having to do things a little differently, actually became a blessing. In our school prayer example, praying online enabled more mums to pray than could usually be present at school, which led to more conversation and deeper relationships. It's a bit like, the enemy had a plan, and God used it for good, sound familiar ... And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 NKJV More changes Now as the restrictions from COVID-19 are slowly reducing, we can walk and pray at school again, albeit in a specified area, the school oval, and with a maximum of three prayers. We are just so grateful to be allowed to pray on school grounds again. Normally we commence our prayer walk by going around the boundary of the school. Our starting place is the oval. For the past couple of years we have done this on Friday afternoons when sport is on, so the children and teachers were used to seeing us walking and praying. Last Friday was my first time returning to pray at school, and I was by myself. When I completed my first lap of the oval I thought, "How silly is this going to look, when I walk around the oval again?" As I couldn't go on our normal route around the school due to the COVID-19 restrictions. It's not about me! But then, with the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I remembered that it wasn't about me! But rather it was about what God wanted to do in that moment. And I had no idea what that was, so I asked Him, "God, why is it that we are allowed only here, on the oval? I know from a COVID-19 safety perspective why we are here, but why have You got us only here? What is it that You want me to do?" Pause for a moment and picture this - a sports oval filled 7 classes of children and their teachers, and one woman walking around the perimeter of the oval praying. What do you think God wanted me to do? We have all been impacted by COVID-19 in different ways, especially teachers who had to completely re-think the way they deliver education very quickly, and implement new strategies effectively and efficiently. Pray for the teachers So God's answer to me was simply, "Pray for the teachers on the oval." So I started on my second prayer lap of the oval. As I walked past each teacher, God gave me a word of encouragement, very specific, which I madly scribbled on a piece of paper. As much as I wanted to, I knew it wasn't appropriate to walk up to them in the middle of their sports activities and say, 'Hi, I felt God wanted to say to you .... ' Previously I had received specific words of encouragement for teachers, normally one or two, but never seven during one prayer walk. This was a little unusual. What...

Do you remember your most recent dream? What was it about? What did it mean? I only remember a few of my dreams, mainly because they were delivering very clear messages from God. Messages that helped me to re-focus rather quickly! Dreams and messages - don't ignore them. One of my dreams that I remember most clearly came soon after Ken and I were married. One night we had an argument. Ken went for a walk. I was emotionally exhausted so went to bed, and promptly fell asleep. I had a very vivid dream, with one lasting image - our bed, Ken lying on one side, me on the other side, and a huge snake lying in between us. On seeing this image I woke up, phoned Ken asking him to come back immediately. He did. We apologised to each other, forgave each other and prayed. I believe that dream was from God, a warning that there needed to be unity in our marriage as the enemy was already planning on how to cause division, after only a few weeks of marriage. Yes, God can speak to us through dreams. And He wants us to listen. King Nebuchadnezzar's dream A friend recently shared a link to one of Ravi Zacharias' last sermons. In the sermon he illustrated the importance of seeking God's wisdom by recounting a story from the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar's request for the Chaldeans to make known to him his dream and its interpretation. It's a great story of how God delivers messages through dreams. In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams by which his spirit was troubled and agitated and his sleep went from him. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, the enchanters or soothsayers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans [diviners], to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said to them, I had a dream and my spirit is troubled to know the dream. Daniel 2:1-3 AMPC However, the Chaldeans wanted the king to tell them the dream first, and then they would respond with the interpretation. Then said the Chaldeans [diviners] to the king in Aramaic [the Syrian language], O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation. Daniel 2:4 AMPC No man on earth can do that But Nebuchadnezzar insisted - both the dream and the interpretation. And the Chaldeans continued to resist. They knew they had no way of knowing what Nebuchadnezzar's dream was because, as they expressed, they had felt only the gods could reveal that to the king. The Chaldeans [diviners] answered before the king and said, There is not a man on earth who can show the king this matter, for no king, lord, or ruler has [ever] asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. A rare and weighty thing indeed the king requires! None except the gods can reveal it to the king, and their dwelling is not with [human] flesh. Daniel 2:10-11 AMPC The Chaldeans did not have a relationship with the one true God, the living God. They didn't have access to His wisdom. The Message Bible says it like this, The fortunetellers said, "Nobody anywhere can do what you ask. And no king, great or small, has ever demanded anything like this from any magician, enchanter or fortuneteller. What you're asking is impossible unless some god or goddess should reveal it - and they don't hang around with people like us. Daniel 2:10-11 The Message Nebuchadnezzar wants answers Nebuchadnezzar obviously wasn't very happy with the response from the Chaldeans. He wanted answers! That set the king off. He lost his temper and ordered the whole company of Babylonian wise men killed. When the death warrant was issued, Daniel and his companions were included. They also were marked for execution. Daniel 2:12-13 The Message Daniel did have a relationship with the living God, and he had confidence that God would give him wisdom to respond correctly to the king's request - providing both the dream and the interpretation. So Daniel asked the king for a little extra time to provide an answer to his...

When do you get impatient? I remember years ago someone saying that you know when you are in a hurry when you put a frozen meal in the microwave, turn it on, and then get impatient because it takes 4 minutes to defrost and cook a meal. When I heard that I gained some insight into myself!!!! Yes, it seems like I'm continually on the patience journey. I wonder if we did a little stock-take of our patience levels for one week what the results would show. For me I'm sure there would be some impatient moments related to technology, my husband and our children. Although by the grace of God, thankfully not as many as there used to be! If we let Him, God will continually transform us. But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the "Lord" I'm referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 TPT The Holy Spirit The New King James Version says it this way, But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed in to the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV On this patience journey, there has been one scripture that the Holy Spirit often leads me to when I can feel myself getting frustrated and feeling like I want to step in and take control ... So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 NKJV This scripture always stops in me my tracks. And I am reminded of a situation a few years ago with an organisation I am connected with, where there was a lot of might and power happening, it was very ugly. After months the situation was resolved, not by the might and power, but by the Spirit. And I am reminded of situations in our family, where using my own resources and wisdom (my might and power) I have tried and tried and tried to resolve issues. But then one day, by the Spirit, change comes and the issue is resolved. Developing patience In this season with three teenagers and one pre-teen, patience is certainly a virtue, and one I am relying on the Holy Spirit to develop more within me. But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless. Galatians 5:22-23 TPT Mary, the mother of Jesus As a parent, I want patience that endures. I was thinking of a couple of parents we read about in the Scriptures, such as Mary the mother of Jesus. She knew before she became pregnant that the child she was carrying was the Son of God. But the angel reassured her, saying, "Do not yield to your fear; Mary, for the Lord has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise you with a wonderful gift. You will become pregnant with a baby boy, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be supreme and will be known as the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will enthrone him as King on his ancestor David's throne. He will reign as King of Israel forever, and his reign will have no limit." Luke 1:30-33 TPT How patient would Mary have been, knowing that her son had this future ahead of Him, but having to wait on God's perfect timing. I'm sure I would have had many moments of impatience and frustration thinking, "Why don't you just get on with it and do your job now!" God's timing We know...

It is always worth taking the time to read The Bible. God constantly wants to show us something. Earlier this week I was reading about Jesus feeding the five thousand in Matthew 14:13-21. As I was reading God reminded me that often Jesus does the unexpected. Let’s take a look at the story. Getting bad news Jesus has just heard that his cousin, John the Baptist, has been beheaded, thanks to King Herod. Jesus is obviously upset by this news and seeks out some time alone. When Jesus heard it, He withdrew from there privately in a boat to a solitary place. Matthew 14:13a AMPC. I don’t know about you, but for me, when I hear some devastating news, I want to be by myself to process what I've just heard. I remember those first couple of days after Victoria was diagnosed with a brain tumour. In the hospital I'd often escape to a small room attached to the Ronald McDonald Family Room, and spent a lot of time there crying and praying. It was called ‘The Quiet Room.’ I was very grateful for that space. But Jesus didn’t have the luxury of that quiet processing space. Everyone wanted to see Him and speak with Him. But when the crowds heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. Matthew 14:13b AMP. No time to process the grief The story goes on ... So when Jesus landed he had a huge crowd waiting for him. Seeing so many people, his heart was deeply moved with compassion toward them, so he healed all the sick who were in the crowd. Matthew 14:14 TPT Jesus barely had any time alone to start processing the grief of losing someone He loved, but He doesn’t appear to be bothered by it. Jesus does the unexpected. He continues to give practically to the people, meeting their needs. This is a wonderful example of Jesus' capacity to love others when He is in suffering. John Maxwell says an interesting thing about Jesus' actions, "One of the greatest remedies for our own suffering is serving others. Servant-leadership becomes a solution for both the one serving and the one being served." (The John Maxwell Leadership Bible, Page 1198) After Jesus had healed many people, the disciples thought it was time for the crowds to go so Jesus' could have some space and rest. Toward evening the disciples approached him. "We're out in the country and it's getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper. Matthew 14:15 The Message The crowd is still on His mind But Jesus still has the crowd on His mind, and is ready once again to do the unexpected. "They don't need to leave," Jesus responded. "You can give them something to eat." Matthew 14:16 TPT The disciples are a little perplexed as they know they don't have enough food to feed the people, which we find out later in the story numbered more than 5000. And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." Matthew 14:17 NKJV The disciples, probably like me if I was in that situation, could only see what they had in the 'natural.' But Jesus saw the potential in the supernatural. Jesus said, "Bring them here." Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. They all ate their full. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed. Matthew 14:18-21 TPT Jesus does the unexpected Jesus does the unexpected. He feeds more than five thousand people from the starting ingredients of five loaves of bread and two fish. How? I don't really know, other than what the Scriptures tell us: He looked up to heaven (showing His complete reliance on His Father - God). Note; The Chosen a historical series, beautifully depicts Jesus looking up to heaven before He does a miracle. He gave thanks to God (acknowledged that everything He has comes from The Father). He broke the bread into pieces...

When the COVID-19 social distancing restrictions were implemented in March 2020, in Australia, I asked God what He wanted me to do during this time. He simply said, 'Tend to your garden." I knew He meant literally, as our garden was long overdue some TLC. But I also knew He was speaking metaphorically about areas in my life, family relationships and other activities I'm involved in. What has God been saying to you during COVID-19? Tending the literal garden For me, tending to the literal garden wasn't going to be a complex activity. It just involved a plan - with achievable goals, time, a little money, and sunshine. Over the past six weeks we have transformed our front path, planting seeds to create a border of white cottage flowers. What a joy it has been each morning to walk out the front door and see the growth. Another section of the garden has been weeded and had turf laid. In the midst of those improvements a stunning white Camellia tree has bloomed, dropping petals white as snow on the newly laid turf. So beautiful. Our youngest daughter has planted seeds to create flower borders around two trees. The shoots are starting to come through now. Doing this gardening together with her is part of the other 'tend to your garden' that God was speaking to me about. Tending to relationships Through our journey of having four children and one with cancer who obviously required more attention, understanding the concept of love languages has been essential. They have helped immensely in working to restore relationships with our other children. For more information on love languages, see 'The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell.' Over the years we had purposefully implemented routines and strategies to increase the frequency that we 'spoke' each child's love language. Strategies that God used to bring healing into relationships. For example, for those with a love language of Quality Time, we identified specific times during the weekly schedule. They often happened in the car on the way to sporting activities. So guess what happened when the COVID-19 social distancing restrictions came in? Sport stopped, and along with it those precious Quality Time moments. The flow on-effect? Increased tension and frustration as the love tanks were suddenly running very low! How do we do this now? There was frustration for me as well as the children. I was so angry with the enemy for attempting to destroy what God had restored. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 NKJV However, I am grateful for all God has taught me over the years about the enemy's attempts to steal, kill and destroy. A couple of key scriptures that help me in these times of frustration - although sometimes only after I have loudly expressed my frustration! .... For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:12-13 NKJV So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 NKJV God says, 'Do it this way.' So with the help of the Holy Spirit we have created new ways of 'speaking' each child's love language in this COVID-19 season and possibly beyond. And yes, for one child, that does include time in the garden. Praise God. He always has a plan and it is good. Another area that I knew God was referring to with the 'Tend to your garden' response was a ministry group I am involved with. In January this year God spoke to me about doing something new with the group. I was excited about what He...