Forgiveness can be a very difficult act to do. Whether forgiving someone for something small or for something they did which was seriously damaging, however they wronged you, it can feel like an impossible task. Sometimes, to truly forgive someone takes time. Nevertheless, the Bible is crystal clear on the importance of forgiving others. There are no exceptions; no ‘unless’, ‘if’ or ‘but, ‘ to who we forgive and why. Ultimately, we are told to forgive because we have been forgiven.

“Make allowance for each others faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”

Colossians 3:13

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Matthew 6:14-15

To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.

C. s. LEWIS

Forgiving others does not excuse or accept the hurt and wrong-doings they did to you. You may believe they do not deserve your forgiveness, but you do deserve peace for yourself. Holding grudges makes you bitter, whereas showing forgiveness does not make you weak, it sets you free! We must treat others how God treats us – including being able to forgive abundantly.

“Then Peter came to him and asked,”Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied,”but seventy times seven!”

Matthew 18:21-22

“Get rid of bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander, as well as all types of evil behaviour. Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

Ephesians 4:31-32

Forgiveness is not a feeling; it is a commitment. It is a choice to show mercy, not to hold the offence up against the offender. Forgiveness is an expression of love.

Gary Chapman

Plain and simply, we are told to forgive. Therefore, we should do so. I know there have been times where forgiving someone is the last thing I want to do, but as a Christian, forgiveness is an example of God’s love, which we are told to share with everyone, whether we feel they deserve it or not.

If you are finding forgiveness hard, then pray and ask God to support and strengthen you with this. It’s time to let go of your grudges and find your inner peace today.

God Bless! 🙂 x

A person can speak many words a minute, and several thousand in an hour. You can imagine then just how many words an average person speaks in a day! We could fill a library in our lifetime. If you did, I wonder what would be the title of your books?

The tongue has a powerful influence on others, and so we must be mindful of the words we use. Think about the words you speak – are they uplifting? Do they bring life to others? Or perhaps they steer more towards criticism and negativity? Ask God to evaluate your speech as you read these verses:

“Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”

Proverbs 15:4

“Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.”

Proverbs 18:4

“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

Proverbs 18:21

“Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.”

Proverbs 21:23

“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

Ephesians 4:29

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” A saying which has been passed down through the generations, but is not really true. Perhaps this age-old adage should really be translated as: “Sticks and stones can bruise your body for a few days, but words can scar your soul for life.”

Whether you are eighteen or eighty, you can probably recall the pain of someone’s harsh words scalding your soul. Maybe you still hear the message from years ago, playing an endless loop in your mind, echoing inside everyday – “You’ll never amount to anything”, “I wish I never had you”, “I’m sick of you”, “I never loved you”, “You’re worthless” etc.

Words are powerful beyond imagination. Think about it. When God created the world, how did He do it? He spoke. God said, “Let there be…” and there was. It’s all there in Genesis 1. Therefore, as Christians we should strive to speak words that are encouraging, kind, supportive, true, nurturing and loving. Controlling our tongue is not easy at times, but we can pray about it, and ask God to support us. We can ask Him to supply us with words that are life-giving, rather than those designed to hurt others. One of my favourite bible verses speaks of this:

“Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”

Proverbs 16:24

Let us be more determined to remember the power of our words and their impact on those who hear them. Think twice before making a negative statement, and instead find a way to pass along an encouraging word today.

God Bless 🙂 x

Our perceptions on what beauty is, is completely distorted. Beauty is portrayed in the media as being a super slim woman, with flawless skin, and stunning, silky styled hair – and for guys it’s all about owning a gym-ready body, with bulging muscles, being incredibly strong etc. Social media is overwhelmed with false pretenses of appearances. Images are filtered or airbrushed to meet the ‘standards’ of being considered attractive; there is no room for displays of the slightest imperfections.

This exposure on a daily basis, of how the world sees beauty, is just one of the reasons so many people suffer with low self-confidence and issues with body image. We all have things we would like to change about ourselves, but for some people, this obsession with their appearance can lead them to taking drastic measures to try to change themselves.

Growing up, I really struggled with body confidence and my appearance – and even now there are times when I still do. I often found I was constantly comparing myself to other girls at school – “If only I were prettier”, “If only I were thinner”, “If only I were taller”. ‘If only’ is a phrase too often used to describe ourselves. For years, I have found it hard to accept myself as I am, until I reaslied that my true worth is not judged by the exterior but the interior.

“You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”

1 Peter 3:4

God sees who we really are. True beauty comes from within. And while I am not deemed beautiful by the world, I am called so by God, which is the most amazing compliment I think you could ever receive. I am part of His creation:

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Psalm 139:14

“You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way.”

Songs of Songs 4:7

“For we are God’s masterpiece.”

Ephesians 2:10

‘Names can never hurt me‘ – what a stupid saying! Words do have such a power to hurt someone deeply. If someone is told they are ‘something’ over and over again, then eventually they begin to believe it. Labels are hard to break, even if they are not true. It’s hard to block out the critism and negativity of the world but we must try to focus on the real truths. The words the Bible uses to describe who we really are. We are loved by God EXACTLY as we are! We need to remove the labels the world places on us and replace them with what God says instead.

It’s not a quick-fix process, but over time I have grown more confident in myself and have begun to love my body and appearance, because I am now starting to believe more in the words of God than those people who try to put me down. Starting today, why not write out the verses from above and put them up by a mirror. Tell yourself everyday that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, you are God’s masterpiece, you are beautiful! Soon you will begin to see the true beauty God sees, for yourself.

God Bless 🙂

How can we live in the world, but not be of the world?

To some extent we all want to be accepted – in our workplace, in our families, in our friendship groups. It is difficult trying to balance being true to ourselves and ‘fitting in’ with society. We should not feel the need to change ourselves to feel like we belong, especially when this compromises our faith.

Peer pressure is often assumed as something teenagers and young adults face, but I believe as adults we still experience the same type of pressures with our work colleagues and non-Christian friends. I know I often conform to the ‘norm’ or alter my behaviour when I am at work, sometimes without realising. I find myself getting involved in the latest gossip or saying things that on reflection are not very Christ-like. Rather than stay true to myself, I begin to almost mimic the behaviour and attitudes of others.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Romans 12:2

We need to persistently ask God to continue guiding us to follow His example, instead of the ways of the world. By doing so we can stand firm in what’s good for us, and remain strong in order to not give in to pressure.

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.”

1 John 2:15

We can do this by wearing the armour of God. By doing so, when we face outside pressures, we can stand our ground and remain fixed in what we know is right.

“Put on all of God’s armour so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.”

Ephesians 6:11

An example of someone not giving into pressure is Daniel.

“But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.” Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.”The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others.”

Daniel 1: 8-16

From this passage we witness how Daniel stayed true to his faith and endured the pressures from others. Firstly, he would not eat the food set by the King. Later in Daniel 6, he did not turn away from God when told that he must not pray to anyone but King Darius, but stood strong in his faith that God would protect him. Daniel still did not give in, even when faced with the lions den!

Following the crowd is the easy option but going against the current is far more difficult. When we do not give in to pressures and do not take part in the things of the world, we may experience ridicule or unpleasantness for being different.

But that’s the whole point! As Christians, we are different. We are not of the world, for we are of God. Therefore, we are to be an example of Christ to the world. We must not be weak in our faith and beliefs when we encounter pressures, rather we should be strong and take a stand for what is right.

God Bless 🙂

I have been blessed with a truly amazing Dad. Growing up my Dad supplied me with endless amounts of fun and many adventures. He has taught me the importance of dedication and hard work. He had always supported and helped me, with the big things and the small. I know I am cared for, loved and protected by him. Quite simply, my Dad is the best.

I know for some of you, your relationship with your Dad may be or was very different. You may have never known your Dad, or maybe you had or have a difficult relationship with him. Despite how I described my Dad, like us all he has his faults. Regardless of the relationship you have with your earthly father, we all have the opportunity to have a relationship with God the Father, which can not compare.

While our Dads may disappoint us or hurt us, God never will. He is a Good Father, who loves us endlessly. We are called children of God; we are adopted into His family. He will never abandon us.

“See how very much the Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are!”

1 John 3:1

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.”

Psalm 106:1

My Dad has had an influence on how I am as a person, from the way he has taught and guided me over the years as I’ve grown. God does the same, but to an even better extent. As we spend more time with the Father, we allow Him to change us and mould us into the person He created us to be.

“And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the Potter. We are all formed by your hand.”

Isaiah 64:8

We don’t need to earn God’s love or try to prove ourselves, because He accepts us exactly as we are. God is compassionate, is sympathetic towards us and shows us mercy, even though we do not deserve it.

“The Lord is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him.”

Psalm 103:13

For the Dad’s out there, the Bible clearly says to raise your children following the discipline and instructions of God – Ephesians 6:4. To not aggravate them, otherwise they will become discouraged – Colossians 4:21. Your role as a Dad is to just do your best for your children –Hebrews 12:10 – mirroring the example of God the Father.

So, as we celebrate Father’s Day, take time to acknowledge the things your Dad has done for you, but don’t forget the relationship you have with your Heavenly Father. In the same way, give thanks and praise to Him for all the blessings He has lavished upon you.

God Bless! 🙂

Everyone makes mistakes in life. Fact. The only perfect being is Jesus. The ethos I encourage in my classroom is that making mistakes is good, because that’s how we learn. It’s very rare we get things right the first time around. As my class will tell you, ‘practise makes perfect’. Mistakes are expected but it can be hard to move past them when we feel we have messed up big time.

Just because you have made mistakes in the past, are making them now and will continue doing so in the future, does not mean you should feel guilty or burdened by them. Sometimes we make the wrong choices. This does not mean we are a bad person – it shows we are merely human. We are not defined by our mistakes. We are defined by God, who loves us regardless.

“O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.”

Psalm 86:5

Your mistakes have the power to turn you into something better than you were before. One of the biggest transformations of this concept can be seen in Acts 9: When Saul became Paul.

Saul was a ruthless crusader intent on stopping the growth of Christianity at any cost, by putting Christians in prison, destroying churches and even overseeing their murders. That is until God revealed Himself to Saul on the road to Damascus, where his life was forever changed and transformed.

“But the Lord said,” Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to King’s, as well as the people of Israel.”

Acts 9:15

God chose Saul despite all the wrong doings he had done. God used him greatly for His purpose. Through the story of Saul/Paul we get a glimpse of how amazing God truly is. Lamentations 3:22-23, sums up the promises of God’s endless love, mercy and grace for us all! If God could forgive a man like Saul, then all your mistakes are too forgiven. Nothing that has happened in your past can prevent you from having a relationship with God. He can transform you into someone better, just as He did with Saul, who became known as Paul the Aposlte, someone who dedicated his life to spreading the gospel. Mistakes give us lessons to learn from, not life sentences to serve.

We have all fallen short of God’s glory, and we slip up daily. We’ve all made mistakes that we regret, which we need to give to God and let go. Some of us make the same mistakes over and over again. It’s normal to feel angry at yourself for doing so, but I believe if you are reading this now, it is because you want to learn from your mistakes – that’s what really matters. You can’t go back and fix what you’ve done, but you can place your trust in Jesus Christ. Ask for His forgiveness and pray for Him to strengthen and guide you, to teach you to make better choices. I want you to remember that making mistakes is just part of being human – we all do it. It’s what you do about it. If we are aware of our sins and confess them to God, He will forgive us. Nothing we do can separate us from Him.

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever seperate us from God’s love”.

Romans 8:38

Consider David, a so-called ‘man after God’s own heart’, who is known for achieving great things. Yet, David had a history of making mistakes. In fact, he broke half of the commandments – those of which include murder, lying, adultery, coveting a neighbour’s wife and even stealing another man’s wife. Even though his sins were many, he turned to God, repented and was forgiven.

God can turn your mistakes into something greater. He loves you unconditionally. Find comfort in the knowledge that you are not defined by your mistakes but by God. Seek more of Him and learn from the choices you made. Be prepared as God changes you into something better than you were before. Remember making mistakes is a good thing; it’s how we learn and grow!

God Bless! 🙂

I am an outdoor girl through and through. I love exploring the natural world, especially more so, since I took up photography. Being able to capture stunning landscapes and the vastness of wildlife, is truly a wonderful pastime. I am so blessed that where I am currently living, is only a stones throw away from the countryside and numerous nature reserves. I truly have a little patch of paradise right on my doorstep.

As I’ve mentioned before, being outdoors provides me with a sense of comfort and peace. In the day to day chaos, its difficult to switch off, but getting lost in wild spaces, listening to the birdsong, really allows me to ‘be still’. I’m able to clear my mind and focus on my surroundings, rather than the worries or problems I’m facing. This has meant even more to me now, throughout these last few months of lockdown. It has given me an escape from the uncertainty, fear and stress that’s affected us all. Most importantly though, it’s during these moments of calm, I feel most connected to God.

“Be still and know that I am God”

Psalm 46: 10

“I lift up my eyes to the hills– where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Psalm 121: 1-2

To fully be still before God, sometimes we need to just stop, open our eyes, and acknowledge who God is and what He can do. In doing so, you’ll remember that God is almighty, an ever-present refuge, and an all-loving Father. When we know who God is for ourselves, we’ll be able to experience His comfort amongst the chaos and His peace in the midst of our struggles.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Phillipians 4:7

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

Isaiah 26:3

Nature not only gives me a sense of contentment, it equally amazes me! There is such an incredible array of creation to enjoy: beautiful landscapes, colourful sunsets, glistening stars, rolling oceans, and thousands upon thousands of different animal, bird and plant species. Seeing all of this wonderful creation, displaying God’s glory, fills me with such awe!

“”You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.”

Psalm 65: 5-8

We first begin to marvel at God as Creator, in Genesis 1, where He intricately weaves something out of nothing.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Genesis 1:1

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

Psalm 19: 1

We need time to look and marvel at the wonders God has created. It’s good for us. God wants this for us. If you haven’t already I would encourage you to take the time, to get lost in nature and enjoy God’s creation. Regain your sense of awe and wonder, because I believe we all desperately need to be reminded of the greatness of our God, especially now when our world is suffering.

God exists.

The proof is in His creation.

Romans 1:20

We need to take comfort in the knowledge of who God is, and understand that He is in control of all things. I pray that God will speak to you and reassure you of these truths. I pray you’ll learn to be still in His presence, and that you’ll also experience His peace today.

God Bless!

Being back in school has certainly felt different. However, although things are new this term, there still remains one unchanged fact in my classroom.

I am convinced that my classroom contains something resembling the Bermuda Triangle. The amount of things that go missing on a daily basis is unreal. They simply vanish into thin air. Things that have been lost since September; I have no hope of ever finding them. It’s a real mystery! Thankfully, we can never be lost to God. Even if we feel we are too far gone, He will always find us.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep:

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.”

Matthew 18: 12-14

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together all his friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep’. In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God that over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”

Luke 15: 4-7

God is often described in the Bible as being the Good Shepherd; the one who protects and looks after us – Psalm 23.

As the parable illustrates, God loves and cares for each of us as individuals so much, that He seeks us out when we wonder astray. You may think turning away from God won’t make any difference in the big picture; one less believer doesn’t really matter, especially if it’s me – but you couldn’t be further from the truth! God chose you for a reason and He is not going to lose you that easily. You are so very precious and you matter to Him. As the passages state, God rejoices and celebrates with gladness, the times we return back to Him. He will seek us out time and time again, and guide us back to be where we are meant to be. You are a part of God’s flock and He will always be watching over you and bringing you back in the moments when you wander.

The Parable of the Lost Son:

“Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

Luke 15: 11-32

We can sometimes turn our backs on God and decide to do life without Him. Just like the son in the story, who soon realised it wasn’t great doing things his own way, we too can come to our senses. The son was faced with starvation due to famine – Now we may not get to such an extreme point, but there comes a moment in which you review your circumstances and conclude, in fact you’re in a far worse position without God in the picture.

The son did not feel worthy and perhaps you feel the same. Maybe you can relate to the son and are reading this thinking you’ve strayed so far from God and done so many things against His will, that there is no way back to Him. However, this is simply not the case. The Father’s reaction is how God sees those who return to Him. God is filled with such love and compassion for us, that when we come to Him in repentance, we expect to receive a solemn greeting, but instead our Father embraces us with such affection, and He rejoices. When we turn back to God, we are returned to life! We are no longer lost but found again in Him. God celebrates each and every one of us who believes in Him, including those of us who have strayed in the past.

We are not worthy of God’s forgiveness but because of His almighty love and compassionate nature, and Jesus’s death on the cross, we do become worthy. If you know you have stepped away from God and shut him out, I want you to know it is never too late to turn back to Him, you are not too lost or too far gone to be found again. God is waiting with open arms to welcome you back gladly into His family.

Remember, we were all lost at some point before we were first found. It is okay to be lost and found again. When you are ready to return to the Father, He will be waiting to celebrate with you.

God Bless! 🙂

“It’s easy to judge. It’s more difficult to understand. Understanding requires compassion, patience and a willingness to believe that good hearts sometimes choose poor methods. Through judging we separate. In understanding we grow.”

Doe Zantamata

We should not judge people for the choices they make, especially when we don’t know the options they had to choose from. We all have our faults. Most of the time though, instead of focusing on our own problems or the wrong doing we have committed, we look at what someone else has done and judge ourselves against them. How often do you find yourselves muttering things like: “I can’t believe what they’ve done” – “If that was me, I wouldn’t have done that” – “They have got serious issues” – “They do that, and they still call themselves a Christian” etc. We have no right to judge other people, yet we find ourselves doing it without realising. We judge the choices of others, perhaps as a self-defence mechanism to make ourselves feel better about the situations we find ourselves in. But by doing so, we are merely bringing someone else down who is equally struggling.

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye’, when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”

Matthew 7:1-5

A judgemental spirit is a critical one, which contradicts the Bible teaching about building up the church. God is the only Judge. Not us. We have no right to speak against each other or critise each others actions in a way that is judgemental; not only because this is an ‘unchristian’ thing to do, but because it’s disobeying God.

“Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brother and sisters. If you criticise and judge each other, then you are criticising and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbour?”

James 4: 11-12

In John 8:1-12, we read about the story of the woman who had committed adultery. The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees wanted her to be stoned as punishment, and quite rightly as she had sinned, according to the Law at the time. However, we are not given any context here as to why she made this choice; she is being judged by her actions alone. Jesus replies, “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone” (John 8:7). Jesus is the only sinless being, and he did not condemn the women for her actions. As Christians, we aim to follow Jesus’s example and try to mimic what He would do, in our daily lives. Quite clearly here it illustrates how Jesus does not judge, so neither should we. Jesus simply loves, and so should we.

The only one qualified to throw a stone didn’t.

We should be supporting each other, through times where we are struggling or when we’ve made the wrong decisions, rather than being judgemental. Accountability comes in with the intention of grace, restoration and repentance. We should aim to understand a person and their situation and encourage them to seek better choices. Sometimes it can be hard to recognise we are being sinful, so God can place people into our lives to tell us what we are doing is wrong – or in reverse we can tell them. Such a case seen with Nathan and David in Samuel 12. As brothers and sisters of Christ it is with love that we help others to identify and confess their sins – not as a way to embarrass someone or to feel better about ourselves.

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

James 5:16

Our challenge today is to not give in to our judgemental nature, but instead to show love and compassion to others. To fully understand a person’s situation first, to then offer the help and guidance they need. Let’s be accountable to one another, in a manner where we are comfortable to share our faults freely without the fear of being judged for them.

God Bless! 🙂

With all this spare time on my hands, I decided to give my room a really good declutter. Honestly, you don’t realise how much stuff you have until it’s all strewn across the floor! Whilst completing this task I discovered a journal containing my thoughts and scribbles from a couple of years ago. I’d forgotten I’d even kept this!

I sat browsing through the pages when I came across a written piece I’d titled ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’. Reading through the lines, I suddenly remembered just how lost I was feeling at the time. I was in a place where my anxiety and doubts were digging away at my faith; I found myself questioning if God really existed over and over again. Also, I found myself wrestling with the fear of dying, that unknown certainty of what happens next. I would lie awake overthinking the same question, ‘What is the point of life?’. All of these thoughts and feelings combined together were driving me crazy, and I was on the brink of walking away from God completely.

It was whilst I was on holiday in 2018, spending the day at the coast, when it hit me. Just as if a switch had been flicked on. I remember looking out across the vastness of the ocean, thinking how could this have just happened by chance? For months I had been searching for solid proof that God was real, yet evidence of His existence was all around me, displayed throughout His wondrous creation. Bit by bit, all my doubts and questions subdued and my battered faith began to build up, as I began seeking more of God. I realised that I didn’t need to know all the answers, I just needed to trust in God and the promises and truths found within the Bible. Even when I felt so alone in my struggles, God had not left me. Simply my doubts had just clouded my vision. Just like a Lighthouse Keeper when ships become caught in the storm, God sparked his light in my darkness when I needed Him most, and He guided me through to safety.

Fast forward two years, and I can clearly see how much my faith has flourished and grown massively since that day. It’s not all been uphill, as in between there have been other moments where doubts have started to creep back in. However, instead of allowing myself to fall back into a grounded place of despair, I am able to rest in the truth of God’s word and the encounters I have had with God, to carry me through them.

Finding this journal has been a great reminder of how much God has worked within me. It’s very easy to forget how far we have come in our Christian journey, especially in the smaller moments when our faith has been strengthened. Writing has been a way I express my thoughts and feelings, and I find it the best way for me to connect with God and spend time with Him.

If you also enjoy writing, then I would challenge you to keep your own journal to record your thoughts, doubts, questions etc. in order to see how God is working in your life over time. If writing is not for you, then why not try a similar approach through music or art, or anything that captures your interest.

Overall, the main point to remember is God has and is doing amazing things in your life. You may not see it clearly now, but one day you will reflect back, as I have done, and see for yourself how much your faith has matured and developed. Each season we encounter provides us with different opportunities to be challenged, strengthened, humbled, weakened, blessed etc. all with the intention of moulding us into the person God created us to be.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

“When I said, “My foot is slipping” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”

Psalm 94: 18-19

““Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!””

Mark 9:24

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:6

God Bless! 🙂