The Same, Yesterday, Today and Forever

I recently had my 5th (and last) annual mammogram since having breast cancer. (It was all clear.) Each time I have attended these scans my thoughts have gone back to the day that I was diagnosed. When my husband Rob and I were just outside the hospital door, I stopped and said to him, “Whatever happens today, Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday , today and forever.”

That truth along with others helped me through all the subsequent season of treatment. I vividly remember how my life changed abruptly. It was now dominated by appointments – one envelope arrived containing 8 appointments and after this there were the daily radiotherapy appointments; I felt like I was on an appointment conveyor belt. When our circumstances change and/or are out of our control we need to hold on to the truth which never changes.

“Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday today and forever.”(Heb. 13:8)

As I was on that hospital threshold I knew that Jesus loved me yesterday, he loved me today and he would love me tomorrow. In fact every facet of God’s character and attributes would not change towards me. His promise was and is that He will never leave us or forsake us.

As we  are now facing tremendous uncertainty because of the Covid-19 virus we can cling to this truth and it will strengthen us. God’s love for us hasn’t changed. We are still and always will be in His hands.

How do we cling to truth? I found that at my moments of real fear and anxiety it was so helpful to declare truth to myself. At those times when we are bombarded by questions such as: Will I still have a job? Will there be enough food? How long will we have to be at home? Will my elderly relatives survive? Will my kids education suffer? and so on – it is easy for us to be overwhelmed by the uncertainty especially when many of our support structures are no longer in place such as meeting together in Church or socially. We can begin to focus on those questions rather than finding our rest in God.

So at those moments (and we know there will be many over the next weeks and months), let’s make a conscious decision to intentionally turn our thoughts to God and his provision for us.

Some truth to declare:

God is with me (even in the valley(Ps. 23:4)

God will never leave me or forsake me (Heb 13:5)

God knows about my situation and is not taken by surprise by it (Ps. 139:1-3)

God’s word is true and is food for my soul (Prov. 30:5 , Matt 4:4)

God loves my loved ones too (Rom. 8:32)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13)

Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever. (Heb. 13:8)

I will look to the hills (God) from whence comes my help (Ps. 121)

When we declare truth to ourselves we are speaking to our souls like the Psalmists did. We don’t quote scripture in a superstitious way as if to ward off bad things. No we are releasing the power of God into our lives through His truth. Power to live, power to endure, power to cope, power to overcome and we are refuting the lies of the evil one which so often bring us low. As we shift the focus from ourselves and our needs onto God and what He is like faith and hope rise in us again.

Make the list your own by adding scriptures which have been particularly helpful to you in the past. Add scriptures which inspire hope for the future.

When you message, FaceTime (etc) with your friends, encourage them with truth too rather than keep focusing on all the difficulties. Let’s build one another up with truth.

Hold on to God – He is Good! Remember He loved you yesterday, He loves you today and He will love you tomorrow.

Christine x

Photo by Jesse Collins on Unsplash

Photo by Cherry Laithang on Unsplash

 

 

 

 

 

 

What If ……….?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

At this time of year I like to review my prayer list, to see what answers to prayer there have been and those prayers that have not yet been answered. I like to think about my Impossible List and to think about anything else I should add to it now that another year has passed.

Sometimes I don’t like the name Impossible List because, well, it just seems impossible and sounds impossible. I have just been reading a book where the chapter heading was What If? I was immediately captivated by the idea of a What If List? We all have dreams and ideas about what we would like God to do in us or what we would like to do for God, or what we would like God to do in our friends, workplace, city, nation, etc.

How about spending some time thinking and imagining what it would look like if God answered some of those items on your impossible list? For example I have been praying for members of my wider family to know Jesus for themselves and to move from being opposed to God and the gospel to loving God and enjoying the outworking of the gospel in their lives. If I ask myself What If they were saved? I can imagine them knowing the love of God in their lives, I can imagine them worshipping alongside me and praying with me. All of those things are absolutely impossible at the moment but I find if I use the What If method it lifts me out of praying the usual short prayer of” Lord please save them” to telling God all of my imaginings and asking God to make them reality. It makes praying for long-term requests exciting . If I have gone off the boil a bit in praying for particular things it re-energises my prayers.

During the Christmas season we had many events at our church which were absolutely packed with visitors. I have found myself imagining what it would be like if all those people who were crammed in waiting for concerts and carol services to begin and then rushing for seats were actually pressing in and rushing in to meet with God. What would that meeting look like?

How would it affect our communities if hundreds were newly saved? How would it affect our city? I find myself thrilled with the prospect of this and I pour it out to God, telling him all about it and asking Him to bring it about.

Asking myself What If has really helped to lift my praying to another level. It has taken me from sometimes dull repetition of the same prayers to prayer times that are full of life.

In case you are wondering if this is Biblical, have a look at what Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians

“Now to him who by his power within us is able to do far more than we ever dare to ask or imagine—to him be glory in the Church through Jesus Christ for ever and ever, amen!” (Eph. 3:20)

I like the Message version too:

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!”

God can do FAR more than we can imagine! 

What can you imagine? Start talking to God about it! He can do more than we can imagine.

Jesus said “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matt.19:26)

What If ……………?

 

Photo Credits

Imagine  & Possible pixabay

Worshippers Unsplash

 

 

 

A Strange Season

This Summer has brought mixed emotions for me. We had a fabulous week’s holiday with our sons and family friends in July. Then I came back to August. Such a strange month for me. No regular midweek small groups, friends away on holiday or busy with their children, people away serving at a Youth Event, Sunday mornings depleted. It’s a season without routine and regular fellowship.

I am a people person, I really need other people around me.  It’s with people that I derive stimulation, where ideas emerge, where I am inspired and encouraged. Each year the school holidays can be difficult for me. I feel alone and isolated and I can easily become dry spiritually. This year I just felt very flat. From past experience I knew that I needed to make arrangements to see people but this year it just didn’t seem to work out. Even friends who were coming on holiday with us cancelled. There were many days when I was working from home and didn’t speak to anyone from the time my husband left for work until he came home again. For some of you, I know, this would be your idea of bliss but not me!

At times like these I can struggle with negative thoughts, “I haven’t got any friends”, nobody ever calls me, etc. It’s because it is a vulnerable time for me. We all have them. We need to know ourselves and be prepared. The bible warns us to be watchful as the enemy is “like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.” (1 Pet. 5:8) I don’t want to present myself as easy pickings to him. I need to take action. The trouble is that it takes me a while to realise or notice what is happening. For me there is a subtle slide towards feeling low before I notice that I’m not doing so well.

When at last I realise what is happening,  I begin to consciously  “draw from the wells of salvation” (Is.12:3) Drawing water from a well is physically demanding and time-consuming. If you are thirsty, you may become even more thirsty as you haul on the rope to draw water. You need to keep going.

What are the wells of Salvation? I like to think of them as the deep places in my soul where I have stored up promises, past experiences of God’s goodness, truth about God (and me) and where the living water that Jesus talked about to the Samaritan Woman bubbles up.

How do I draw water from these wells?  Firstly I have to start; this is often so hard when we are in a difficult or dry season. Secondly I have to work at it; I need to make it my priority and to give time to it. (When I am feeling low I can become so lethargic and lacking in energy  that everything feels too difficult.) Thirdly I need to keep going; it’s no good reading one verse of the Bible and saying that didn’t work! Lastly I revisit old journals,  prophetic words and our book of answered prayer which really encourage me. They are like the memorial stones put up by the children of Israel to commemorate what God had done and to be a lasting reminder for anyone who revisits them.

Of course I ask for the Holy Spirit’s help in all of these things because He is the One God sent to be with us and help us.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”( Jn. 14:26)

Not only this but the Holy Spirit fellowships with us. He talks to us and encourages us. What an amazing provision of God He is to us!

Was I still lonely? Yes I was at times but I know that this is a season and soon life will be very full and busy again. I know too that my Father is with me in every season and He never leaves me.

We all have seasons that are different, a bit dry, or just flat or even very happy; at times like these we need find God in and through our circumstances.

So to those of you who have wondered why there has been no blog, or indeed where have I been. I’ve been drawing  water from the wells of salvation. In fact not only drawing water but swimming in it, luxuriating in the life-giving river of God.

 

 

Photo Credits

Header photo: Unsplash

All other photos: pixabay

Negative thoughts cloud created using tagul

 

 

The Impossible List

Some years ago when our sons were very young one of them left a note for us shortly before his birthday. It was a list of things he wanted. He had divided it into three sections: impossible (a Nintendo 64),  middle (a micro scooter) possible (black biking gloves) ! As a postscript he added “I love you Mummy & Daddy” – always a winner with parents! We have kept the note ever since.

At the time we were financially hard-pressed and I think our son understood this and he knew that we didn’t buy extravagant birthday gifts nevertheless he was still hopeful.  When we saw this note something in us immediately wanted to bless our son and to give him what he most wanted and what he thought was impossible. We managed to get a second-hand Nintendo 64 and of course he was very surprised and absolutely delighted. He could not believe that what he thought was impossible had become reality.

This is a great picture of what our Father God is like with us. He delights to give us good things and responds to our faith. He loves us and wants the best for us and His timing is perfect. If we have a wrong view of God, that He is aloof, stern, a hard task-master, we will never trust Him to do good to us and we won’t ask big prayers for the impossible.

Since that time Rob and I have always had our own impossible list of things we have been praying for. Many of those prayers have now been answered and we have added new ones to the list. One example was in 2011. We had owned a succession of elderly second-hand cars which we used to run until they were no longer economically viable (in practice this usually meant that we could not afford to repair them to get them through the MOT.) In November our car finally went to the scrap yard and we began to pray for a new(er) car. We had no savings so we decided that we would pray every day for a car and get by without one until God provided for us. After two or three weeks of cadging lifts, borrowing cars to do the grocery shop and walking wherever possible we came to the point where we realised that it was a lot harder to do without a car than we had thought.

There came a day when we decided that we would pray one more time and after that we would have to look for another cheap old car. After Rob had left for work I had a phone call from a friend who said that he and his wife wanted to buy us a car! I phoned Rob who was on the bus to tell him the good news. Shortly afterwards we were able to buy a much better car than we had ever had before and which we are still driving today.

Throughout our married life we have kept a book recording our prayers and the answers we have received. From time to time we read through the book and are amazed to see how many of our prayers have been answered. This is such an encouragement when we are tempted to give up praying. We have many other examples of things that were impossible for us which God has answered.

Our book is annotated with scriptures to remind us about what God is like: “with God all things are possible“, “God has given us everything we need pertaining to life and godliness“, “nothing is too difficult for Him“, “you do not have because you do not ask” God loves it when we ask Him for anything believing that He will do it. We see this in the story of the centurion who came to Jesus asking him to heal his sick slave. He responds to our faith.

Of course some of our prayers  were not answered as quickly as the ones for the car. We are still praying for some things  after many years. Some prayers were not answered in the way we envisaged, for example I wasn’t healed of cancer but God did speak to me and sustain me through the treatment.

We can get very hung up on whether we should pray for things for ourselves but God calls us to have faith in every area of lives whether spiritual or material. He encourages us to pray for our daily bread. Our whole lives should be lived by faith not just what we consider to be our “spiritual” lives. Of course we have not only prayed for things for ourselves – but for our church, our friends, projects, people who are sick, house-moves , church building projects and so on.

When our prayers are answered miraculously it is SO exciting, the impossible becomes possible, and we turn back to the Giver and thank Him with all our hearts (just as our son thanked us ). When God blesses us it enables us to bless others. There is an overflow of blessing. In fact this is just what the Bible teaches us – that the measure that God uses is “pressed down, shaken together and running over.“More than we can imagine, with plenty to share.

I challenge you to start an impossible list. You will be amazed at the answers to prayer, how your faith grows and how you can bless others through your praying.

 

 

 

Painting the fence

This week  I was painting our garden fence.  As I did so I was reflecting on the people I had prayed for on Sunday (I am part of the prayer team at our church) . I was thinking about how each week  as I pray for people I long to see miracles in their lives.

As I painted with upward and downward strokes I was reminded of the film The Karate Kid. Danny LaRusso asks Mr Miyagi to help him learn to fight.  Mr Miyagi tells him to paint the fence. Another time he tells him to polish the car with circular motions, “Wax on, Wax off”.

Danny is naturally disappointed and frustrated because he can’t see what the point is. He feels like a slave to Mr Miyagi. He came to him asking for something and he wasn’t giving it to him. Instead he was making him do menial tasks. He couldn’t have been further from the truth. The day comes when he enters the karate competition. As he fights we can see the up and down motion and the circular motion come into play. He has built up muscle memory.

Sometimes our prayers seem unanswered, sometimes we get an answer we weren’t looking for -“Trust me”, “Keep going”, “Not yet.” We know that God can help us and that He can work miracles through us. Indeed He has said “Greater works than these shall you do.” but perhaps we still aren’t seeing the answers to those prayers. Sometimes we may feel that we are just going through the motions, up and down, up and down. Does God even hear me? Does He care about me? Disappointment can take a grip on our lives.

I am encouraged  that each time I pray I am exercising those faith muscles. Each time I pray I am expressing my  trust in God. Each time I pray I am submitting to the Lordship and sovereignty of God. Each time I pray I am talking to the One who knows best for me, who loves me and those I pray for. Each time I pray I am connecting with the One who has the power to  answer and has promised to hear my prayers. Each time I pray I am being obedient to God. Each time I pray I am opening myself up to hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit. Each time I pray I am co-labouring with the Holy Spirit. Each time I pray I take the focus off myself and onto God. I am strengthened as I consider Him. There is so much that I don’t see when I pray because it is not tangible and physical; I can’t see what God is building into my life and the lives of those I pray for.

I can choose not to be disappointed and frustrated and in the meantime keep looking to the One who is able to do far more abundantly more than we can ask or imagine.

Now I can imagine a lot of things I can imagine the joy of seeing someone healed, seeing the lame walk and the blind see,  seeing cancers healed. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see God do even more than this? So I am going to keep on praying because  I will only see a miracle by continuing to pray in impossible situations. Mark Batterson* says that “100 percent of the prayers I don’t pray won’t get answered. ”

I have decided I will keep painting that fence, I will keep praying.

 

*Mark Batterson, The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears

 

 

 

Walking through

 

Last year I was treated for Breast Cancer. I had always thought that I could cope with most things but I wasn’t too sure about cancer. It is something I suppose that most of us dread. When it actually came to it I found God to be an “ever present help in time of need”. Ps 46:1 

 After being recalled to the clinic following a mammogram I had more  scans; the doctor told me that there was a lump which, if  cancerous, would be treatable. A nurse explained to us that we would see a consultant for the diagnosis following the results of a biopsy;  she also said that if it was cancerous it would be treatable.

 Rob and I walked back home through the park, hand in hand,wondering if this was what she said to everyone and if she was preparing us for what she already knew was a diagnosis of cancer. I remember us saying that cancer doesn’t change anything – my Father God loved me yesterday, He loves me today and He will always love me. Cancer is only a word. I can choose not to give it power over me.

Following the biopsy I was recalled earlier than expected, so I felt that it was not going to be good news. I wasn’t frightened I just had a sense that I would have to walk through this. The day before the appointment I was in a prayer meeting when a friend of mine prophesied over me. Part of the prophetic word was that I would walk through having breast cancer. It was so brave to bring a word like this when others had been praying for healing but I knew it was God speaking.

As Rob and I were given the diagnosis the next day we were both very calm, we had been prepared by our Father. It wasn’t a surprise to us. Both the Doctor and the nurse who were with us questioned whether we understood the diagnosis, I think because we didn’t react with any sort of shock or surprise. Actually we already knew.

There is a tremendous blessing and power in prophetic words. Of course they must always be weighed carefully. This word was in line with what God had already been speaking to us.

It not only prepared us for bad news but it also sustained us. We were encouraged that I would walk through this, I was not going to die, it was going to be ok. We have frequently reminded ourselves of  this . Walking through became the motif for all I went through with my goodness bag in hand. As I underwent difficult procedures, through the operation and recovery period, radiotherapy and even the latest mammogram (all clear) I felt that all I had to do was to keep walking. I was very conscious that if God had said that I would walk through this then I could do just that. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me “(Phil 4:13) I also meditated on the fact that the Lord is with me everywhere I go whether it is the operating theatre or the valley of the shadow of death. (Ps 23)

This word also encouraged us that God knew about us, He was in this with us. It helped us when we prayed every day for healing from cancer. We found it very helpful to pray through scriptures about healing. (A helpful book is Healed of Cancer by Dodie Osteen).

Now that a year has passed since the operation, I am reflecting that of course we are all called to walk through our lives whatever they may bring. Some days we can barely put one foot in front of another, other days we are full of energy and we could climb mountains. We do just need to keep putting one foot in front of the other and entrusting ourselves to God. Wherever we find ourselves I am confident that there is one who walks beside us cheering us on as we keep walking.

 

 

The Goodness Bag

Welcome to the Goodness Bag Blog

At the end of 2014 I was waiting for a  diagnosis following a biopsy, as I prayed with some friends one of them had a picture for me.The picture was of me putting my hand into a lucky dip,  and  that I was dreading what would come out. Would I get the booby prize? Would I get the plastic  toy that no one wants? The lucky dip was in a purple velvet bag and as I dipped my hand into it the Father said that “Everything I give to you is covered in my goodness.”

At Christmas one of those friends gave me the bag  pictured above; it was filled with slips of paper, on each one was printed “Goodness”. Every time I put my hand into the bag it was (and still is) always the same, Goodness. I will never get anything different from God.

I carried the bag with me as I went for an unpleasant pre-op procedure, as I waited to be called in to the operating room, as I waited for results from lymph nodes, in fact, everywhere I went. When I felt anxious I would put my hand into the bag and take hold of the goodness of God for myself.

Of course I knew that God is love, I knew the Scriptures and the theology. But I actually needed to apply the truth to myself  and not just as an intellectual concept. It’s so easy to give mental assent to the truth but not actually to experience it or enjoy it. Having this bag has helped me to engage and trust in the goodness of God.

It didn’t mean that I didn’t have cancer, it didn’t mean that  I would not experience difficult times . I don’t want to minimise suffering, difficulties and pain because they are real and need to be acknowledged. What I do know is that no matter what my circumstances are, God is always good to me and always for me. His nature does not change. Even when I don’t understand why I am experiencing difficulty, I can hold onto the fact that He is always good. I will not get second best from God, He has already given His very best for me in sending Jesus to die for me. He will never leave me or forsake me. He loves me.The same is true for you.

Now that my treatment is over I no longer carry the bag with me all the time but it is on view in my room so that whenever I see it I am reminded of God’s goodness towards me. I am so thankful for this gift which helped me not only to live through that difficult time but it has lodged the truth in my heart and I live in the good of it every day.

 

I will be sharing more about what I have learned about God and what He has been saying to me in this blog. I hope you will join me as I dip into the Goodness Bag and share what He reveals.