Friday 27 December 2013

72 - Christmas!

'For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.' (Luke 2:11)




In previous posts I've talked of the specifics of Christmas. Now I look at it as a whole event. 

From the moment Adam and Eve bit into the fruit in Eden...no, further back. Before the world was created, before time, in the eternity when there was only the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in a perfect relationship, the Trinity, God saw how everything would be. 

He would make humans - beings in his own image for a relationship with him. 

But they would rebel and turn against him. He didn't want to destroy them. But His holiness would demand a price for their sin. So what did He do?

Throughout history, He would weave events together, carefully controlling them, building them towards the right moment. 

The calling of Abraham. Jacob's betrayal of Esau. Jospeh leading the Israelites to Egypt. Moses leading them to Canaan. The Judges. The Kings. The build up was perfect. 

At exactly the right moment, not a day early or late, the Holy Spirit overshadowed a young and ordinary virgin. And the full glory of God did the miraculous by becoming the mundane - a human. 

Christmas is not just another holiday to look forward on the calender. It was the outcome of God's sovereign work over history. 

And it wasn't even the climax! For the child born in that stable would grow up...and Easter would come. 

Thank you God for Christmas! 
  

Sunday 22 December 2013

71 - Carols

'a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." ' (Luke 2:13 - 14) 

 What? What do you mean my posts have had a Christmas theme lately? You implying I have Christmas on the brain? Nonsense!

This evening, some of our family went to a carol service at an Anglican church. Listening to the choir in the dark building, lit only by candles, was amazing. 

But the words...

"Sleep is over, the cold is past,
The star has shown the world at last
That death's defeated, Christ is come.
Man's wait is done..."(Winter's Wait, Robert Tear) 

Even the classics we sing again and again each year. 

"He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all...' (Once in Royal David's City)

Thank you God, for the talent of the people who wrote these carols. Thank you for the marvellous truths they remind us of. May we never forget them!

70 - Christmas tree

 ' ...its leaves remain green' (Jeremiah 17:8)


Having a Christmas tree is something most of us do each year and probably take for granted.

But we can forget that many can't have a tree. Maybe because of space, maybe because of money. Or some other reason.

No doubt these people still have their own ways of making the house feel festive. I was a friend's house once - a student house - and they had a small tree in a pot. Not a huge thing, but it was still Christmassy.

Still, those of us who do have the money and space for a large tree can be thankful for this small part of the holiday's fun. Choosing the tree, spending an evening decorating it with the family, sitting as I am now, and watching the lights twinkle.

Thank you God for the small things that go towards making this time - when we remember your birth - so special.

Sunday 15 December 2013

69 - Advent

'Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way'... (Matthew 1:18)


The days are ticking away. More and more doors appear in the advent calenders. Has the panic started yet? When did the candle burn that low?

Perhaps you have an advent calender of some sort in your house. Not gonna lie, I kind of like having some chocolate to eat every day! ;)

But we can be thankful for so much more than that when it comes to advent. 

We can look back in history and be thankful for that day, so long ago, when a great miracle happened. When the one and only God, infinite, holy, transcendent, awesome, who holds oceans in His hand, who spun the stars into being, who knows the number of every grain of sand and every hair on every person on earth's head - when this God put His glory inside the body of a man. 

We can be thankful for the fun of anticipation, of eagerly awaiting something to come. Christmas Day, celebrations, food and presents await!

But we can be thankful that we anticipate something far greater - we await the day our Saviour returns to earth again. But not as a baby. As a conquering King, who will receive the glory He is due! And we will live with Him FOREVER!!! 

Sunday 8 December 2013

68 - Unexpectedness

'The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps' (Proverbs 16:9) 

Sometimes God brings things into our lives that completely take us by surprise. Moments we can look back on and think 'I never would've imagined that.' 

Take Ruth from the Bible, for instance. If you'd told her, before she first married, that her husband would die, that she would leave home with her mother-in-law and believe in her God, that she would end up marrying Boaz and be in the lineage of the Son of God, I doubt she would have believed you! 

Moments of unexpectedness can colour our lives too, even if not as spectacular as Ruth's. 

For example, God blessed me with the opportunity to join my sister's Christian Union on their weekend away, even though I'm not a student at their uni. It was such a wonderful time, maybe part of it due to the fact I never expected such a chance to come to me. 

Even moving house - the friends I've made, the experiences I've had - many just within 2013! - all unexpected goodness from God, goodness I never would have seen coming earlier in my life.

Unexpected goodness I can thank Him for. 


67 - Facebook

'Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable? ' (Proverbs 20:6)

This is a tough one to write. Because recently I have seen so many examples of Facebook used in a  heartbreaking way - people either deliberately or ignorantly brandishing their friendships and exciting lives in the face of others. 

'Look at me. I'm so popular. I've been spending time with this person. This person likes me! 

PLEASE, PLEASE don't feel I'm being judgemental.  I've been guilty of this sort of behaviour before. Thoughtless of how it makes others feel - lonely, left out, unpopular. 

But although Facebook can be used in such a tragic way, I am determined to see the blessings God has given to those who use it. Because His blessings are everywhere. 

Facebook allows you to remain in contact with friends that would have otherwise disappeared into your past a long time ago. For example, I am able to connect with people from where I used to live, along with people who have moved abroad. Just seeing their faces brings them a little bit closer. 

Facebook can tell you important information about someone. Don't jump to the wrong conclusion! In Sixth Form, I was able to find a Christian friend through Facebook, something that might not have come out as quickly through conversation. 

Photos and videos can be stored online, moments of beauty or joy that can bless others. 

God, thank you for the technology that allows us to experience the blessing of socialising with others - people you have brought into our lives for a reason. 
May I use it always for your glory. 

Wednesday 20 November 2013

66 - Leaves

'Its leaves were beautiful...' (Daniel 4: 12)


(My sister's skilled photography)


I love all the seasons, but autumn has to be one of the most beautiful. I was walking through the park recently, and struck for the first time just how diverse leaves are. God was not just creative with humans. He made variety within Nature too. 

As I walked through the park, the leaves I could see on the ground would suddenly change. One moment it would be large fan-like orange leaves, the next small spiky ones. Some of the really bright yellow leaves created the effect of sunlight falling on the path. Stunning.

Thank you God for the beauty and difference within Nature. Thank you for giving us the emotions to appreciate it and worship you for it. 

Monday 18 November 2013

65 - Handwriting

'And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets"' (Habakkuk 2:2)

This might seem like a funny one, but I think that even the way we write contain reasons we may thank God. 

Watching a child move from the large spiky letters they can manage as they start learning to write, onto neat and flowing handwriting can make us thankful that God gave us the brains to learn how to communicate with each other, how to hold and move a pen in such a way that the patterns it draws actually mean something. 

We can also appreciate the way each person has such a unique style of handwriting. 
Perhaps you may know someone's style so well that you can smile in pleasure when you see an envelope come through the door because you can see it's from them. 

God, thank you that You did not make us all uniform clones with no differing personality or appearance. You made us different and diverse, even down to the way we write.

Thank you Creator!  

Monday 11 November 2013

64 - Painkillers

'Neither shall there be...pain anymore' (Revelation 21:4) 

I know, like many things, people can come too dependent on them. 

But I, personally, am grateful to God painkillers were invented. Because when a bad headache or something worse makes it hard for you to work properly, it's good to be reminded, that one day pain will not just be soothed by drugs. 

God will remove it completely. 

No more pain. 

Ever again. 

Thank you God! 

Friday 8 November 2013

63 - Fireworks

'The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.' (John 1:5)



(Yeah, I know, taking the verse out of context ;) 


It's that time of year again. Remember, remember...

Remember that Parliament wasn't blown up and the country is not under the influence of a religion which does not believe we are saved by faith alone. 

Remember God gave man creative minds to create fantastic fireworks.

Remember that there beauty can never compare to the beauty of Heaven.

Remember...and be thankful. 

Sunday 27 October 2013

62 - Memories

'I thank my God in all my remembrance of you...' (Philippians 1:3)

I watched a film called The Vow a while ago, and it made me realise how important memories are to us and how thankful we should be for them. Because memories play a role in shaping who we are as a person. 

For example, if I lost all my memories, I would not remember my family, the home we used to live in, the church and friends we had there. I would not remember making a new life where we live now, the wonderful church and friends we have here. I would not remember the good and bad times of life that have helped me grow and made me what I am today.

And would I even remember the God who died for me and how much I love Him? 

I don't know. It's a chilling thought.

And it makes me value the mind I have that can still retain and value those memories. Thank you God for EVERY one of them! 

Thursday 24 October 2013

61 - Photos

“A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away.” 
― Eudora Welty

How many memories would be lost to us if we had no photos? How many faces of people gone would we forget? How many holidays would we cease to remember so fondly?

Yeah, there are those photo albums, that picture of you as a baby you would love to forget. But what if there was no way to remember you as a child? No picture to compare to your own children, say?

Thank you God for the invention of the camera, for skilled photographers, who manage to capture time in their snapshots.


Lake Annecy, France. I'd forgotten how blue the sky was that day...

Thursday 17 October 2013

60 - Home

'For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.' (2 Corinthians 5:1)

 Our homes aren't the buildings we live in. They're the memories we build around those places. 
'Do you remember...?'
'Here's where...'
'What about that time...?'

Memories that can make you cry, painful connections to something lost. But good memories as well - ones that make you smile, ones that will always be precious. 

Homes are also the people we live with, feel safe and comfortable with. Family. Friends. Maybe pets for some?

If we move house, as long as these people are with us, home won't be lost. New memories will be built. 

God will never leave us. no matter where we live. 

Finally, this world is not our permanent home. The New Earth is coming - where we will live forever with our Lord. That's our true and eternal home!

Thank you God for our homes, both temporary and eternal. 

Tuesday 15 October 2013

59 - Bike Rides

'The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in...' (Psalm 121:8)

Mum and I went for a bike ride this morning. Once you get past the very cold air, a bike ride on an early and sunny autumn morning is one of the most beautiful things ever. 

The sky is a deep blue. The sun is out and falls through the trees in slanting rays, lighting up the normally shady cycle path. And we come out the trees into bright, bright sunshine and we can see our breath condensing in the air.

And as we whizz down paths, under bridges, the air cold on our cheeks, I look around and think,

'How on earth can people think that such beauty happened by accident?' 

Thank you God for bike rides, and the scenery that points to you! 

Tuesday 8 October 2013

58 - Appearance

'Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.' (1 Samuel 16:7)

You're in the bathroom. You look in the mirror. And what do you feel about the reflection that looks back? 

Sadly, I bet most of us find some imperfection that has to be corrected. 'My hair's frizzy.' 'I have spots.' 'I'm too fat.' 'My eyes look bloodshot.' 'I have wrinkles.' 'I should have gone to the gym more.' 

While it is true that some things are a result of a lifestyle, the point remains that we are all made in the image of God. He saw you before the foundation of the earth. He lovingly knit you together in the womb, deciding on your hair and eye colour, your height, your temperament, your character. His Son died for You. And He never judges us by the outward appearance. 

So what makes us think we have the right?

Instead, we should look in the mirror and think 'I may not be a model. But God doesn't care. He decided the way I look. He loves me the way I am so much, that His Holy Spirit actually lives within me! So who care if I have flaws? Because God will one day give me a new and perfect body, and until then, I'm content!' 

Okay, you might not think all that, especially first thing in the morning!

But the least we can manage is a simple

'Thank you God for the way I am.' 

Saturday 5 October 2013

57 - Fires in the Grate on a Cold Night

'...a charcoal fire...' (John 21:4)

(It was hard finding a Bible verse that went with this, okay? Some of the fires in the Bible aren't the warm and comforting things I'm going to write about...;)


(Disclaimer - not taken tonight. Belongs to my sister)

On a cold winter night like tonight, we are all thrilled when Dad consents to build a fire. I sit and enjoy the warmth, the sight of the flames dancing on the log, and the quiet crackles and noises it makes as I write this post. 

I'm very thankful we actually have a fireplace where we can have real fires. I've been  in houses with electric fireplaces, which work just as well, but don't create quite the same atmosphere ;)

I'm also thankful God provided the trees that give us firewood, the ground that yields its coal for our use. 

And finally, I'm thankful that we do have these cold autumn and winter nights when we can truly appreciate and be thankful for a fire. I doubt we'd appreciate them so much if it was summer all the time!

Thank you God for the simple pleasure of a warm fire! 

Monday 30 September 2013

56 - The Chance to Travel

'If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.' (Psalm 139:9-10) 

We live in a big world, created by a big God. And we can really take for granted how thankful we should be for the chance to travel around it.

Years ago such travel was a lot harder. And more dangerous!
Now, thanks to technology, I was able to get from Bristol to Scotland in an hour. About 426 miles that would take about 6 hours to drive. Travelled in just an hour!

But its not just parts of the country we can now reach. This summer we went to Germany. My brother went to Greece. We have been very blessed with the chances God gave us to travel.

Lord, I thank you for any chance You give us to reach different parts of the world. Friends who have moved can be visited again. New wonders can be seen. We can marvel at the beauty and the diversity of the world You have given us because we have the chance to travel around it.

Thank you!

Wednesday 25 September 2013

55 - God's love

'For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.' (Romans 8:38-39)

We recently had a sermon preached in our church on John 3:16 and the love of God. A topic and verse that you think you know so well and yet...you don't.

There is so, so much that can be said about God's love and why we should be thankful for it. In fact, I'm not sure I can really put it into words!

Where to begin?

God never had to create humanity. In the Trinity, He had perfect satisfaction. Yet He chose to make man, so He could have a relationship with him. So that He could pour out His love on him.

And how did man respond? How did we respond? We flung that love back in His face. We not only rejected His love, we betrayed it. He would have been perfectly justified in giving up on us.

But no, that glorious love refused to let go.

No parent could even imagine letting their child die for someone else, no matter how much that person deserved it.
Well God, who'd always, always, always had the best relationship ever, with His perfect Son, killed His child for the sake of his enemies. Those who'd turned their backs on Him, scorned Him, treated Him as a fairytale.

And in that moment, we have absolute proof that He loves us. We have a reason to wake up each day with thanks in our hearts and on our lips.

But He didn't stop with our salvation.

He brought us into His family.
He sent His Spirit to guide us in life.
He has promised us an eternity with Him. Forever. Basking in His love.

Thank you Lord!

'O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!' 

Thursday 19 September 2013

54 - The Success of Others

'...in humility value others above yourselves' (Philippians 2:3)

When others are successful in life - get high grades, get a good job, a spouse, a car, a home, a family - everyone has a choice as to how they will react. 

One - We can fall into an inner turmoil of resentment, jealousy, bitterness and self-pity. Why didn't that happen to me? Why do I have to work so hard, while they get good grades with ease? Why am I struggling to find a job, when they got one first time? 

I'm tempted to react this way. One sister recently started sixth form, the other uni. They're out all day, coming home with fresh stories...and I'm not. I do my degree from home, so that's where I'm going to be nearly all day, nearly every day. 
Not that I regret my choice to work at home, not for a second! God decided I would do so, and I love it. 
But it's hard. The selfish part of me wishes I was the one holding attention with the stories I have to tell. 

But I can choose to react in the second way.

With joy that others have been blessed by God. With interest in their successes. With the same love that Christ would show. 

Remember - He was a carpenter on Earth. Did you ever see Him envy those more materially successful?

Thank you God for the numerous blessings you have given to those around me. May I never envy them, for you have blessed me just as much! 

Monday 16 September 2013

53 - Life

'As for man, his days are like grass...' (Psalm 103:5)

'...all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.' (Psalm 139:16)

Life is fragile. There's no denying it. It may seem morbid, but the fact is, every moment we're alive is a marvel.

Every moment we're alive is a moment to be thankful to God for.

I realised this when I almost got hit by a car the other day. A car didn't slow down at a zebra crossing as I was beginning to walk over. He braked much too close for my liking, let's put it like that! I really thought he was going to hit me. 
Thank you God that he didn't, that I live to write this blog post!

Even before I was born, God held my life in his hand. I read my Mum's old diaries a few years ago, and found out that, because I was in the wrong position, had her waters broken, I could have died. 

Thank you God that You know what my life will be. You knew before I was born. Thank you for each moment I sit here, heart beating, lungs breathing, able to live for your glory.

May I not waste any of those precious moments!

Monday 9 September 2013

52 - Mobiles

'Call to me and I will answer you...' (Jeremiah 33:3)

Couldn't resist using that verse! 
It may vary just how much you're thankful for the invention of mobiles. The older generation might wish vehemently that they hadn't been, perhaps because all they can see of their children is the tops of their heads as they bend over the phones in their hands, feverishly texting away... 

Sorry. That was a major sterotype. But you get my point.

On the other hand, there is a lot we can give thanks for when it comes to mobiles. I didn't realise just how much until mine would get broken or lost. 

We have easy communication in our hands - just a quick text, and we can have the information we need, even if the person isn't at home.

Go out somewhere, you don't need to worry about getting lost, because you can just text or ring and arrange somewhere to meet again. 

Once, our family were out at the shops and Mum wanted to collect something she'd ordered but couldn't without a certain email, which hadn't been printed off before we left. No problem, we were able to get it up on a mobile. 

Forgot your camera? Just use your phone.

Those are just a few examples of reasons we can be thankful for mobiles. Thankful that God gave us the brains to create new ways of passing messages!

Monday 2 September 2013

51 - Forgiveness from God.

'...as God in Christ forgave you.' (Ephesians 4:32)

(Read the 50th Reason, the one below this first.)

God...forgave...us.

Us. 

The worms at His feet who tried to spit in His face. 

The weak beings who cried 'Who does this holy, wise, powerful, loving, all-present, all-knowing, truthful, just, faithful God think He is? We may be none of those things, but we can still do a better job of ruling the universe than He can!' God should've looked down at us and said, 'Umm...no you can't' and wiped us off the face of the earth. 

But He didn't. Instead He looked down, loved us and sent His perfect Son to suffer the punishment for our despicable rebellion. Through which He is able to look us in the eye and say those wonderful words.

'Your sins are forgiven.' 

Anyone who's brain doesn't explode trying to comprehend the magnitude of His forgiveness is just blind to the truth.

Because He let me off my debt of TRILLIONS of pounds, I am able to turn to my friend, relative, colleague, who owes me 50p and say, 'I forgive you.'

Thank you Lord so, so, so much for Your unfathomable forgiveness!  

50 - Forgiveness for others

'...forgiving one another...' (Ephesians 4:32)

A friend of mine unintentionally did something that hurt my feelings really badly. As I sit and write this my heart battles out how to act towards them.

Am I going to give them the cold shoulder, trying to hurt them as they hurt me? 

Am I going to avoid their company as much as possible?

Or am I going to swallow my pride, suppress my hurt and, with God's power, forgive them? 

Well, I am so thankful to God that I am even able to choose the third option. Without Him, there's no way I could find it in my heart to forgive. 

How is it we are able? See the 51st reason I have found. 

Saturday 31 August 2013

Related to the 'Healing' reason

Remember some of the stories I referred to in Blog entry number 45 - Healing? That I heard the testimony of a woman who'd been healed of a heart condition called POTS? Remind yourself if not. 

http://findingthereasons.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/45-healing.html

Well, for those who are interested, here's her full story. It is amazing. What a God we worship! 

http://newdaygeneration.org/blog/article/jesus_heals_today


Saturday 24 August 2013

49 - Tithes

'And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.' (Genesis 28:22)

God has given us so, so much. And all He asks is a tenth (that kind of belonged to Him to begin with.)

Yet I'm reluctant to draw money out of my account. 'It seems like so much!' I moan. It's not. 

I should be grateful that God has given me this chance to show my love for Him.

'I love You Lord, for You died for Me!' should be my response. 

'You gave me this money, but I want to give a tenth of it back to You. Not because I feel I should...but because You are changing my heart, filling me with love, so I want to give.'

Thank You Lord for the chance to worship You in tithes!  

Wednesday 21 August 2013

48 - Furniture

'Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.' (Exodus 25:9) 

I didn't realise just how much I take furniture for granted until an incident that happened while we were on holiday last week. 

The bed I was sleeping on...don't laugh...collapsed in the middle of the night. NOTHING to do with my weight. Everything to do with poor quality and the sides of the bed moving further apart. 

But God is good! There was a spare bed in the same room! So, I moved to the other bed. The next night, I was starting to lie down, there was a crash. 
Yup. 
A bed slate supporting the mattress had popped out and hit the the floor. 
Who says God doesn't have a sense of humour?

I ended up sleeping on a mattress on the floor. At least this can't collapse I reasoned.
Hopefully. 

Anyway, the point of that story is that I realised how grateful I am for my bed at home that I flop down into each night. 

Because everytime you put your weight on furniture, you are putting your trust in something unseen. 
Sound familiar?

Thank you God for the furniture we have that is well made and holds us up. 

Thank you that You never let us down! 

Tuesday 20 August 2013

47 - The end of fear

'...fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand...' (Isaiah 41:10) 

Because of God, no fear is ever, ever permanent.

Let me illustrate. Here are a few of the most common fears. 


  1. Spiders.
  2. Dogs.
  3. Heights.
  4. Flying.
  5. Thunder and lightening.
  6. Being evaluated/judged negatively in social situations.
  7. Snakes
  8. Death


Look how each fear can be ended.



Spiders and dogs ...there's always someone who can remove them for you.

Heights and flying...The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. (Deut 33:27) This verse has been a help for a certain relative of mine who has these fears. 

Thunder and lightning...Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go? Apparently this song lyric came from Job 36:32. Storms don't last forever - and while they do, God controls it all. 

Negative judgement...I think the people passing judgement have more to fear. Just look at Matthew 7:1. And remember...God has declared you righteous. Nothing else matters. 

Snakes...well...don't we worship the serpent crusher?

Which brings us to what may be the most common fear of all. Death. And we all know what happened to that. Jesus's words on the cross remind us.

It is finished. 
Through death he destroyed the one who has the power of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

Now the worse thing that can happen to us - death - is actually the best. Because we will go to heaven and live forever with the one who casts out all fears with His perfect love!

Thank you Lord! 


(I understand writing something is one thing and practising it is another. Please don't feel I'm belittling any fears you have.
Furthermore, if  you're reading this and you're not saved, then understand that Christ died to put an end to all fears you may have. Please turn to Him and find the peace you long for!

Wednesday 7 August 2013

46 - Cooking

'...take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and emmer, and put them into a single vessel and make your bread from them.' (Ezekiel 4:9)

One way or another, I'm sure most people are thankful for cooking. 

Perhaps you like the products. Perhaps you like the actual activity, the preparation of ingredients and the mouth-watering smell that comes from the oven. 

Or maybe you like both. I know I do! 

There's something satisfying, I think, in putting together a bunch of ingredients and see it turn into an edible substance (or not, depending on how good a cook you are.)

We can be thankful God gave us the skills and means to work out what ingredients, blended in a certain way, will produce the best results. We can be thankful for the fun that can be found in cooking, for the way we learn each time. Don't cook that for as long. Prepare your dishes beforehand. Stop picking as you cook!

But even if we're rubbish cooks, the kind that produces something vaguely resembling a cake, save for its strange black colour, we still have reason to be thankful. We can be thankful that there are better cooks than us in the world! 

Finally, here's something interesting to remember. In John 21, Jesus cooked fish for his disciples on a charcoal fire on the beach. 

The Son of God...cooked.

Now there's food for thought. 


Monday 5 August 2013

45 - Healing

'...who heals all your diseases...' (Psalm 102:3)

Again, sorry for the delay! This time, I was away at a Christian camp - New Day - in Norfolk, for a week. 

Wow.
Just wow. I have never experienced anything like that in my life. 

There are so many things I could talk of that reminded me of all we have to be thankful for, but let me start with one in particular. 

Healing. 

On the Thursday night, they brought up on stage some people who'd been prayed for last year and where healed. 

A girl of lactose intolerance.

One guy of asthma.

Another no longer had to use glasses and could finally join the air force and do missionary work.

And a woman had been healed of a heart condition called POTS, which caused a increase in heartbeat that meant she used to be unable to raise her hands above her head for more than 5 seconds before she passed out. A doctor confirmed she was healed. And he said he'd never heard of anyone who'd been healed of the condition before! 

These people were just a few of the hundred or so who'd been healed last year. 

This year, people were prayed for again, and I think it was over 200 were healed! We got to hear their stories - one girl was healed of leg and lung conditions, another from her sprained shoulder joint, another of her short-sightedness, another of being colour blind. A boy was healed of a leg problem, another of his eye sight. 
One girl had been in a car crash and hadn't been able to touch her toes, dance or do the crab position. Well, after the prayer, we saw her do the crab position on stage, in front of us, to prove what God had done! 
And one of the most moving stories was a girl who used to self harm, who was healed of severe scarring on her arms. 

Again, these were a few on many. 

Don't tell me God isn't real. Don't tell me He isn't powerful. Don't tell me He isn't loving. 
Because that night I saw solid proof that He is all of these things! 

But who says He has to heal us? Why not just leave us until we reach heaven?

Because He is God and He loves to give us tastes of heaven and glimpses of His glory. 

THANK YOU LORD!



Wednesday 24 July 2013

44 - Chances to evangalise

'And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.' (Mark 16:15-16) 

The reason I haven't written any posts for a while is because I've been away in Scotland on a week of evangelism. I don't say this to point out how good I am, but because it was one of the most amazing and challenging things I have ever done. I came away with plenty of reasons to be thankful! 

For example, we can be thankful God has given us the chance to evangelise, to tell others the gospel. 

Who are we to be God's spokespeople? Weak, pathetic vessels in which to carry the priceless treasure of His word! 

Yet He 'chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise...what is weak in the world to shame the strong' (1 Cor 1:27)

This doesn't necessarily mean we all want to embrace evangelism with open arms. Oh no, sometimes it can be very scary! After all, you are telling people they are sinners in need of a Saviour. 

But God has promised to be with us through it all. He is the one who changes hearts. And that's the hardest part! 

Thank you Lord that you can use someone as weak as me to spread your gospel. May I do it effectively for your glory. 

Wednesday 10 July 2013

43 - Toothbrushes and toothpaste

'Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes that have come up from the washing, all of which bear twins, and not one among them has lost its young.' (Song of Soloman 4:2)

Just imagine what life was like without these necessities. 

Ew. Actually you don't need to. Look back a few hundred years or so. No wonder there was a lot more false teeth then. 

I hate forgetting either of these things. No doubt other people would hate me too, if you consider what morning breath tends to smell like ;) 

In all seriousness though, aren't toothbrushes and toothpaste just another invention that can be traced back to the wits God gave us? So thank you God! 

Friday 5 July 2013

42 - Age

'Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.' (Proverbs 16:31)

None of us like getting older. To some, it must feel like they're leaving the best years behind, which is why they struggle to hold onto their youth so desperately. 

I can't say I'm innocent of this. I'm only twenty and I already attack my younger sister for repeatedly referring to me as twenty-one, little madam that she is!

But why do we dislike age? None of us can prevent it.  
Perhaps because we realise we are getting closer to death, which, I agree, is unnatural. Before we sinned, we were never meant to die. This might explain why those who are unsaved fear age. 

But for Christians, Christ took away the fear of death when He died for us on the cross. Now age can mean one step closer to heaven and eternity with Him!

It can mean looking back on a full and fruitful life lived for God. Age doesn't have to mean we do less and less. I know some old people who are still living life to the full at ninety! 

So, although I'm not saying we have to thank God each birthday that we're getting older, I am saying we could thank Him for all that He's brought us through and all He will bring us though. 

He's the God of yesterday, today and forever! May our lives (and grey hairs, if and when we get them,) glorify Him! 

41 - Pens

'...Write the vision; make it plain on tablets...' (Habakkuk 2:2)

Pens? Simple thing to write about surely. 

But just you wait till you live in a house and hear the cry 'WHY DO THE PENS IN THIS HOUSE NEVER WORK?' or 'WHY CAN'T I FIND A PEN?' 

Then you'll be thankful when one is found. 

Err...I'm not necessarily saying this happens in our house, of course...

Moving quickly on. 

We've come some way in terms of what we used to write with. 

Clay tablets, quill pens, even pencils have been taken over to some extent. 

Pens are pretty handy really, aren't they? (No pun intended)

And we can be thankful for something as small as them. 

Tuesday 2 July 2013

40 - Soap

'...cleanse us...' (1 John 1:9) 

After the serious tone of the last two posts, here's a slightly more comical one for you to consider. 

Soap!

Just think what things were like before it! Actually, don't. It can't have been pleasant. 

You are blessed to live in healthier, cleaner times. Especially when some countries still don't have such luxuries. 

So let us be thankful we have the means to clean ourselves on the outside at least! (God takes care of the inside ;)

39 - No Permanent Goodbyes

'...that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.' (John 3:16)

Recently I have had to say goodbye to some people in my church. Students going home, families moving away, friends going on holiday for weeks. 

But although these goodbyes are sad, it's so good to know that none of them are permanent. 

Because we get to spend eternity with these people in heaven! How do people who don't have this comfort cope? I don't know. 

I'm just thankful Christ's death for us turned a 'goodbye' into a 'see you later'. 

38 - Gratitude

'In every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude.' (Acts 24:3)

How often do you meet someone who can express their gratitude in such a way that you know they are completely genuine in what they say?

How often do we just toss out a half-hearted 'thanks' to someone? 

Real gratitude is a gift from God. I realised that today when some friends who are moving away gave me a thank you gift that nearly made me cry. Because it was a poster that used to hang in their kitchen, one they couldn't take with them, that they'd designed themselves. With the picture was a note that, in a few words, summed up their gratitude.

It really put the small thank you notes I am used to scribbling to shame! 

Thank you God for genuine gratitude. May I learn to express it to a similar degree to others, and to You. 

Saturday 29 June 2013

37 - Flowers

'Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.' (Matthew 6:28-29)

We held a goodbye party for some church friends today and I was in charge of the flower arranging. Hence today's post. (You can tell I write spur of the moment, instead of carefully planning them :)

We have many reasons to be thankful for flowers, and they're not all about how pretty they are either. (Although that is one reason)

Flowers can really transform a garden, making it somewhere beautiful in the spring/summer season. The sight of them coming up in the ground is a reminder that winter is finally coming to an end and spring is on its way!

As Mum pointed out, all you need to do is put a couple of flowers in a vase and voilà! 
You have something to decorate the room with, no work needed. God's decorations are perfect. 

But there is so much more about a flower to remember. 

Although they make look like such fragile things, no easily crushed, God actually created them with an incredible structure. They are strong enough to hold themselves up, capable of reproducing without moving, and some are even capable of defending themselves, with thorns for example! 

Flowers are a reminder of our Creator. He who takes such care in the smallest flower will surely take care of you, created in His own image. 

Thank you Lord. 

Thursday 27 June 2013

36 - Shoes

'I...shod you with fine leather.' (Ezekiel 16:10)

Now, before you exit from my blog in a huff, thinking "Shoes? What a female thing to say!", bear with me a moment. 

The other day I went for a walk in a forest with some of my family. I hadn't been aware we were going on this walk, as a result, the only shoes I had to wear were flip-flops. This wasn't too bad until we got home and I saw the attractive state my feet were in. As I washed them in the bath, I found myself thinking of what people had to wear in their feet in Biblical times. 

Sandals. Just sandals. In dry, dusty Israel. Jesus and his disciples walked miles in this way.

No wonder there are references to washing feet, such as the woman who wept at Jesus feet or Christ himself washing his disciples' feet. They probably needed it a lot! 

But how often do I pull on my trainers or a pair of wellies without being glad they're there? Without being thankful I don't have to walk barefoot, as many people in other parts of the world have to? 

He is the one who provided the money and environment which allows me to have shoes on my feet. And I thank Him for them. 

Monday 24 June 2013

35 - Humour

'There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God' (Ecclesiastes 2:24)

I find it so sad that many perceive Christians to be a bunch of fun-sucking, humourless people. Because sometimes they're right. And they shouldn't be! Christians have the biggest reason in the world to laugh and enjoy life - they're saved! 

Our church just had a weekend away together, and let me tell you, there was a lot of laughter in those few days. Sometimes the laugh-until-you-cry kind. (Such as a mock talent contest,  a friend trying to play the guitar and singing 'Crown Him with Many Crowns' in a fake Bristolian accent, and some daring impersonations of our pastors). It was great fun. 

I'm not saying we should be over-the-top Pollyannas, always looking for the reasons to be glad, always seeing the glass as half-full. (Though that might not be such a bad thing...)  

I'm saying God has blessed us with a life that can be pretty hilarious. 

So let's be thankful for it and enjoy it!

Thursday 20 June 2013

34 - Jesus

'He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the first-born from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.' (Colossians 1:15-20)


Next time there is a clear starry night, stand outside and have a look up into the sky. The God who made all that you see - who made you - once became a man. 

Think about that.

The holy, powerful, sovereign and supreme Lord of all put himself into the lowly form of a man. A man who was capable of feeling tired, sad and lonely. Who wasn't much to look at (Isaiah 53:2)

Yet He didn't stop there. 

He brought Himself even lower and died an agonising and humiliating death on a cross. 
And because He was willing to put Himself through all that, we now have the chance of eternal life. 

We don't have to live in fear of messing up. 

We know our prayers are interceded for through Him.

We know that whatever we go though, He knows and understands what we're feeling.

God, thank you that you love me so much that you have withheld no good thing from me.

Not even your own Son.
Thank you for Jesus Christ! 



Wednesday 19 June 2013

33 - Eyes

'The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light' (Matthew 6:22)

Our eyes are incredible. They are just one of the many things in the world that prove what a skilled Creator we worship. 

How about this fact?

'The information our eyes receive is sent to our brain along the optic nerve. This information is then processed by our brain and helps us make appropriate decisions, for example, if you can see an object flying in your direction then you will probably move quickly out of the way.' 

So what our eyes see affects the way we act. And just think how fast that information is sent! 
Oh, and that optic nerve is too sensitive to be reconstructed successfully, meaning eyes can't be transplanted. God is intricate in His work. 

Or this. 

Eyes heal quickly. With proper care, it only takes about 48 hours for the eye to repair a corneal scratch.

Or even this. 

'The light sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of your eye is known as the retina, acting in a similar way to film in a traditional camera.'

The way eyes are made inspired the making of cameras. In fact, most man made things are inspired by God's creation. 

But cameras will never be as amazing as eyes. 

Thank you Lord for our eyes which not only show us all you have done, but are a reminder in themselves of why we should be thankful! 

Tuesday 18 June 2013

32 - Air

'The Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life' (Genesis 2:7)

How good is it to walk out of a stuffy house and breathe in the fresh air? 

How often do we take for granted that every time we inhale and exhale carbon dioxide will leave our bodies and oxygen will be replace it?

It is only by the goodness of God that we have a respiratory system that works so excellently. 

It is only by His goodness that the air of our planet can sustain us. 

Sit up straight, fill your lungs and give thanks for the God who made the air that fill them! 

Saturday 15 June 2013

31 - Friends

'A friend loves at all times...' (Proverbs 17:17)

I'd like to establish at the beginning I'm not just talking in terms of Facebook friends! I'm talking about those who are your real friends, not just someone you know. 

There's a saying that you can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends. 

 I disagree.

I say God chooses both. And I'm so, so thankful for the friends He chose for me.

He's blessed me with friends from many places. From my old home, from the school I sat my GCSEs, from my sixth form, from various events we've attended as Christians and homeschoolers and, finally, from church. 

Some we see every week. Some we see once a year. 

Of course they're not perfect. No friend is. They can be boring, annoying, even very hurtful.

But in the end, that doesn't matter. Because they are my friends.

And they are one huge reason to be thankful.