Out of Breath

Carol Purves Carol's Blog

As life gets faster and more hectic we find ourselves literally getting out of breath. As we rush in and out of the car, dash to meetings and appointments, run the family and manage our jobs, our hearts can pound and we get out of breath. My heart recently has had periods of racing, I need to slow down.

Hurrying continually gives no thinking time, no recharging time and more importantly no praying time. If we have no time to think, how can we have time to adjust ourselves to prayer. We are are told prayer is only a breath away; let us use that time to pray. Jesus told His disciples, ‘Come you yourselves apart and rest awhile.’

A funny story from my youth. Our church had two retired missionaries who when asked to do anything to help replied, ‘We’re resting awhile.’ My brother and I called them ‘Rest Awhile’, or Miss Rest and Miss Awhile. Not to their faces, of course.

My Thank-You Book.

Carol Purves Carol's Blog

For many years I’ve made it my habit to record my thank-you’s to God, as lovely things happen to me each day. I’ve now come to think that I need to change this habit. While I go to find my book, i can forget and also God doesn’t just give me a few things to thank Him for. God gives me hundreds of blessings. He is before me as well as behind me. God knows who He is going to send into my life; He knows the dangers that lie ahead for me. He directs my path.

I still want to give God thanks and praise, so i will spend more time talking to Him. My conversations will include my praise. So now instead of waiting to get pencil and paper I’ll talk to Him immediately. I’ll share my joys and thanks. It’s amazing how many times I can express my gratitude.

Staying inTouch

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There is not a person in this life who has not got worries and troubles. In many ways the world is a more unstable place than it has ever been. In our nation, as we move further and further away from God, we seem to be adrift in a sea of uncertainties, disasters and problems. Poor mental health is on the rise and we don’t know where to turn.

But that is the point. We do know where to turn. How can we hope with our finite minds to come up with the answers? We do not have enough wisdom or experience. We need to turn to our God who has all the wisdom and experience. He has been running the world for thousands of years. He knows every aspect of every problem. God knows the end from the beginning. So let us forget our own ignorance. May we get into contact with the God of all knowledge. We don’t need to struggle alone, just get into touch with God.

The Best Place

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For some of us our lives are set in pleasant places.We can revel in the beauties of nature, enjoy the love of our our families and friends and have enough money to make life comfortable. We would like to stay here for ever and ever. We are indeed blessed.

But whether our lives consist of golden days or weary ways, we are not here to stay. We’re just passing through. The joys and delights we experience here are absolutely nothing compared to what is waiting ‘on the other side.’ We have been told that we cannot imagine our life in heaven. Our small minds have no idea of the delights that await us. These are thoughts to hang on to when life seems difficult and when the way ahead seems hard. As has been said ‘the best is yet to be.’

Leaders

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A number of fairy tales have the idea of one leader with a number of helpers. Snow White had her seven dwarfs; Ali Baba needed forty thieves. Then there was Robin Hood with his band of merry men. They all followed the idea of one person at the head with a number of helpers. This is an idea which is carried on through into the Bible.

Moses had Aaron and Miriam to guide and advise him, while Jesus worked with His twelve disciples. No person can work on their own without being answerable to someone. The disciples of Jesus spread the message of salvation to others and so the word of Christianity went right round the world. We are part of this growth today as we work with others letting all the world know about our God.

Kneading Dough

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I read an article recently that said that kneading dough and making our own bread was a useful form of mindfulness. Apparently some people don’t enjoy traditional mindfulness and this has proved to be a useful alternative.

Hey, I have a more useful and sustained idea – prayer. Prayer isn’t just acting into nothingness, prayer is contact with the creator and author of all things. With prayer one is lifted out of oneself, problems are shared with our maker and stress is lessened. Pray and praise. Have a go!

Water

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The recent drought has reminded us how completely essential water is to us. Too much is as dangerous as too little. Floods and drowning or drought and starvation. The Bible is full of stories of water. When God created the earth, He divided the dry land from the sea. We need the sea even today to travel from country to country, to give us our fish supplies and for leisure and enjoyment.

The story of Noah is a story of too much water. Death and disaster followed. Elijah’s story was the opposite problem. No rain for years! Psalm 23 reminds us of water for our benefit as we read ‘ He leads me beside the still waters.’ Lord, we pray that we might be thoughtful and thankful for our water, using it wisely and sharing it.

I’m Sorry

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It seems that it is increasingly difficult for people in high places to say that they’re sorry. They manage to blame everyone except themselves, they seldom think they are in the wrong. An admission of sorrow seems to be an admission of guilt. It seems they can never appear to be guilty.

How different it is for Christians. The Bible says, ‘All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.’ Romans 3:23. We know that in the sight of God we are sinners, our sins and shortcomings are only too evident to us. The good news is that we don’t need to be bowed down with the guilt. The blood of Jesus gives us forgiveness and redemption.

God-ordained Marriage

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Back in my day we tended to meet our life partners at our workplace, through church or contact through relatives. Before my day people met mainly through church, often because more people went to church. Today I understand that people meet through dating apps on line, even through Christian dating apps.

Right back to Biblical times there was also a problem God used a meeting at a well to bring Isaac and Rebekah together. Abraham needed to find a wife for his son. Although he and his family were living in Canaan he didn’t want to choose a Canaanite woman, nor did he want Isaac to go back to the land where they used to live. A servant was used as a go-between.

The servant appealed to God for help, may the woman that he met at the well give him a drink and also offer water to his camels. God had gone before, Rebekah made the offer to the camels, the servant met her father and the deal was done. I do feel a little sorry for Rebekah who had to make such a hasty farewell.

Measuring Up

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I’ve just had the chance to go to my new bungalow to measure up. I needed to know the dimensions of each room as well as where the radiators and power points are. I had to find out which parts of the garden were sunny and where the shady places were. As I stood in each room I tried to imagine where I would put each piece of furniture but then I realised I would have to measure piece of furniture in my existing house. It was turning out to be a large job!

I must admit my measurements were only approximate, they didn’t have to be exact. This was not the case with Solomon as he built the temple. Every measurement had to be extremely accurate. He didn’t just use his own discretion; he had received detailed instructions from God. He needed to know what materials to use and what they were to be covered in. Many of God’s instructions are recorded for us in the Bible.