‘When uncertainty keeps you up at night, then close your eyes and think of something that is certain – God’s Love.’

justine mfulama

By now we all are aware of the uncertainty that is upon us. The news of recent events has consumed every aspect of our lives. There is nowhere we can go without seeing or hearing about the effects of Coronavirus. And how are we dealing with it?

Panic. We are driven by fear and panic. I don’t know about you but my hands are red-raw from the constant scrubbing and I found I spent my whole weekend disinfecting the house multiple times from top to bottom. It seems to be the only thing I talk about, that I spend hours researching, something that is always on my mind – and why is this? It is because of fear. I am naturally a very anxious person, but I am now witnessing others who have never felt like this before, being weighed down with worry and are fearful of what is to come. We need only see the state of our supermarket shelves to see how scared people really are.

It’s at these most uncertain times that we need to seek encouragement. As we begin to distance ourselves and move towards a season of isolation, it will be so easy to spiral downwards into depression and anxiety. If I’m honest, I can already feel myself heading in that direction as things are changing and becoming unclear. If you are feeling the same, I pray that you will take on the scriptures I am about to share and really belive the truth in the words. Let them reside as your anthem for strength and hope.

“But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.”

Psalm 56:3

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”

Psalm 46:1

“Don’t be afraid for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

“I am leaving you with a gift- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

John 14:27

Dear God,
You remind us in Your Word that we never have to give way to fear and worry in this life. Thank you for Your Spirit that dwells in us even now and gives us peace. You assure us that you are constantly with us, no matter what we face in our lives, or in this world. When all seems shaky and uncertain we look to you. You are Our Rock and Refuge, a very present help in trouble. Help us not to sucome to fear but to stand strong in our faith.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen. 

In these uncertain times, we must try to not worry about anything, but instead pray about everything. Take hope and encouragement from this.

God Bless 🙂

In my previous blogs, I’ve spoken about our natural desires to plan and create our own life goals, but God says He has good plans for us – He’s got our futures covered. We just have to trust and have faith.

So alright, OK! Let’s do that. Give it to God….

When life is going smoothly and things are looking good, it’s very easy to accept that and sail along with God at the helm. But when things begin to get stormy and our world around us begins to shift from a state of certainty into a turmoil of unknown, how easy do we find it then? I begin to question God – why is this happening to me? Why am I suffering? Why am I facing such trials? – Does this sound familiar?

Things change and happen in life that are unexpected to us, but it is expected to God. We may not understand in the moment what is happening and why, but God does. Everything we go through is all part of God’s plan for our lives.

Look at Joseph. His life was full of unexpected events. Firstly, Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery. Bad. He gained the trust of Potiphar and was given much responsibility. Things were looking up! However, not for long. Potiphar’s wife stirs things up and Joseph is thrown into prison! I can imagine Joseph’s confusion – Why God have you allowed me to end up here? I had it so good before; how is this a good thing!? We all will go through times in our lives where we will be feeling like Joseph was; everything is just perfect and BAM! out of nowhere something major happens – a break-up, redundancy, illness, bereavement etc. – and we are left clueless at God’s ‘great’ plan.

“But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love.”

Genesis 39:21

Even in our bad moments, when we feel almost trapped in a prison of hurt, anger, loneliness or confusion, God remains with us. His actions are ultimately for our good. God loves us faithfully and will be there when we are most broken and vulnerable. God puts us through these trials to build and mould our characters and our faith. Joseph was boastful and arrogant towards his brothers; perhaps, God placed him into this situation to humble him.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.”

Genesis 50:20

We learn in Genesis 41 exactly why Joseph needed to be imprisoned. If Joseph had not been there, he would not have been able to interpret the Pharaoh’s dreams. And that would have been a big problem for Egypt! Joseph did not know why he needed to be where he was. God did. God’s timing is perfect. He places us exactly where we need to be for His purposes. When we go through hardship, we might not understand why, but it is all part of the big picture. We must remain strong in faith that God has put us right where we need to be. We just have to wait for that reason to be made clear. Joseph had to wait 13 years to finally understand: so be patient with God. Someday soon you’ll understand the reasons behind your situations too.

Joseph become ruler of Egypt, just as God intended. God had given Joseph clues of this with his visions, but I picture Joseph having a bit of a ‘A-ha!’ moment, seeing how all the pieces fitted together. We will have our own ‘A-ha!’ moments. When we move on in life, we can reflect on our past experiences and it will all click into place of why things were that way. At the time, emotions will usually overrule, but when we step back and consider, it becomes obvious why God did what He did, to get us to where we are now.

So, when things change and life seems unsure, take hope and remember that God’s got it covered!

God Bless! 🙂

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Philipians 1:6

So, my sister has started to learn how to drive – You have been warned! – and I’ve been helping her tackle the theory side of things. While looking through the Highway Code and theory handbooks, it’s surprising to see how much I’ve actually forgotten myself! Also, since helping her, I’ve started to analyse my own driving and have noticed that I’ve picked up some bad habits since driving solo (Oops!). For example: Using the Rear View Mirror. The main usage of mirrors when driving is, as we all remember the simple Mirror – Signal – Manoeuvre (and I’m sure we all do this…), using our rear view mirror to check what is behind us before moving off or changing directions etc, and throughout our journey to check what is behind and around us. However, I find myself often using my rear view mirror for another purpose: To be nosy! I’m usually focused on who is behind me and what they are doing, until I suddenly realise that I have no idea what is going on in front of me. Okay, it’s only a few seconds staring into my mirror, but anything could happen within that time of distraction, while I’m not fully concentrating on my present situation (just to clarify, I am a safe driver, I promise!).

For me, this illustration makes me think of how we sometimes can focus on things in our lives. It’s good to glance back to the past to see how far you’ve come, but if you stare for too long you’ll end up missing what’s right in front of you. I know I often find myself living in the past, wishing that things could have turned out differently to what they are now. Feeling disappointed is a natural emotion, but if you allow disappointment to reside for too long, you lose the focus on your current contentment and the blessings that are surrounding you now. Maybe there is an element of regret, guilt or pain from your past that is preventing you from looking forwards. Sometimes the past just seems to stay around, and we can’t let go of it. God doesn’t expect us to live in the past; He has forgiven all our past mistakes. Unless we can break the bad habit of focusing on the past, we will remained unmoved in our present.

“The pain that you’ve been feeling can’t compare to the joy that’s coming”

Romans 8:18

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See , I am doing a new thing!”

Isaiah 43:18-19

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

2 Corinthians 5:17

There’s a reason the rear view mirror is so small and the windshield is so big. It’s because where you are headed is much more important that what you’ve left behind. We need to shift our focus towards the path that is ahead of us.

“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forwards to what lies ahead.”

Philippians 3:13

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Our past experiences help to mould us into the person God intends us to be. God has our journey all planned out and includes many detours and unexpected bumps in the road, not to trip us up but to move us to places where we will grow more in faith and strengthen our relationship with Him. It’s time to stop looking in the rear view mirror, leaving the past behind you, and striving to focus more on the present and the great things God has in store for you!

God Bless! 🙂

Lent is often a time where we decide to give something up that we really enjoy, and spend the following 40 days regretting such a decision. I will admit that when it comes to giving things up for Lent, my willpower is non-existent. Within a few days, I realise I am eating that forbidden biscuit so end up giving up with Lent altogether. Or I end up finding a loophole, and replace what I’ve given up with something else i.e. Biscuits for Chocolate!

So this year, I’ve decided to do something different. Rather than give something up for Lent, I’m going to take something on. Over the next 40 days of Lent instead of depriving myself of something I would label as ‘good’, I’m going to take on something even better, and I would challenge you to consider doing the same. My plan over this Lent period is to develop a good God-honoring habit.

Reading my bible is something I struggle with and often neglect doing so, in favour of something else – watching TV, social media etc. So, I want to work on that! Each day I’m going to read at least a chapter of my bible, and spend some real quality time taking on what God is saying to me through His word.

“Lent is not about you. Lent is about you and God and a chance to get your heart ready and right before Easter”

Brandon Anderson

Taking time each day to spend time with God and focus fully on Him will soon become a good habit that will be second nature to us. You may be reading this thinking, I’ve got my bible reading covered, and I know for some of you that’s true. In that case take on something different this Lent – maybe you need to spend more time in prayer, in fellowship, in serving others, with your family etc. Whatever you decide to do, it will help you find your way towards God more, strengthening and renewing your relationship with Him.

I pray over this season of Lent, as we begin to focus on celebrating the death and resurrection of our Saviour, you will take on the challenge as I have, to make time and prepare your heart to discover more of Him.

God Bless! 🙂

Easily made. Easily broken. Promises are merely words that someone says to another, but they have the power to cause such hurt and disappointment when they are not kept. How often do you make promises to others, without thinking of whether you have the ability to fulfil them? How often are you at the receiving end of broken promises? In my opinion, I think the answer to both is – Too often! Relationships and friendships can slowly dissolve over time when empty promises reoccur, leading to issues with trust and being able to fully rely on others.

Unlike the empty promises of man, God’s promises remain true and unbroken. He is the only one we can fully rely on to keep His word. God is forever faithful, as it says in Joshua 23:14, “Not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.” Although we can read this, it can still be hard to remember the promises God has made to us, especially during times of difficulty, but just like God reminded Noah with a rainbow, He shows us signs of His promises when we need them most.

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”

Genesis 9:13

I don’t know how you are feeling while you are reading this today – Perhaps you’re feeling really positive and joyful or maybe you are on the other end of the scale and in fact are feeling rather down. Regardless of how we feel today, God’s promises are valid for each and every one of us, without any terms or conditions to catch us out! There are so many, many promises and truths that God has made to us, that we could be here all year going through each one. So, I’ve decided to share the promises that I have been reminded of recently, with the hope they bring you the same comfort and encouragement that I found.

He will never leave us: People say they will always be there for you, but that isn’t always the case. However, we can find comfort in the promise that God will never abandon us. Never. No exceptions. No excuses. He will always be right beside us.

“I am with you always.”

Matthew 28:20

“I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5

“I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken for He is right beside me.”

Psalm 16:8

He carries us: God promises to give us strength when we are struggling and unburdens our heavy loads. He holds us up, pushes us onwards and gives us rest when we need it.

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:31

“Praise be to the Lord, to our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens.”

Psalm 68: 19

“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

He is working for our good: God has our best intentions at heart. We can rely and trust that God will never cause us harm; and yes, I know sometimes when things don’t go our way we often think God is ‘out to get us’ or is ‘being unfair’; I’ve been through moments when I’ve thought just that, but with time I can clearly see why God caused certain things to happen. It was for the great good. Things often turn out as they should, all through God’s detailed intervention. Good things are in store for us, if we just have faith in His plans for our lives.

“In all things God works for the good of those who love Him.”

Romans 8:28

“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

“When the time is right, I, the Lord, will make it happen.”

Isaiah 60:22

Paint yourself a rainbow in your mind today, remembering all God has promised you, and allow them to outshine your problems! Pray over the verses you have just read and speak them out loud. Soon you’ll see God moving in your life for His glory and your good!

God Bless! 🙂

It’s that day again – VALENTINES! The day where we celebrate Looooooove! Nowadays, it’s a day where couples post cute pictures and mushy posts about how much they love each other – which I have nothing against as I think it’s such a blessing to be able to share such a love with someone else – but on the other hand, seeing things like that can often leave single people like me feeling pretty lowsy!

However, regardless of your relationship status right now, you have been blessed with such a love that no other could ever compare to it! Today, I want you to remember just how much God loves you. Firstly, you may or may not have received a Valentines Day card, flowers or a gift, but here is a Love Letter written especially for you:

If that isn’t enough to show how much you are loved today, take time to absorb in the words in the bible verses below:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love.”

Jeremiah 31:3

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

“But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”

Psalm 86:15

“Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.”

Psalm 136:26

Valentine’s Day is not only about receiving love but sharing love with others too. Similarly the Bible challenges us to do this daily – not just once a year. We are encouraged to be like Christ and to “Love one another like I have loved you”- John 13:34. Now, I’m not saying this is easy; I know there’s some people I find easier to love than others. However, it’s something we need to strive to do; to show the love of Christ to all those we encounter, regardless of our personal feelings. God loves everyone, without judgement or exceptions. Therefore, we should try to do the same! If I haven’t emphasised the importance of loving others enough, read the following verse:

“You should love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself”

Matthew 22:37-39

Well? I don’t think it gets any clearer than that! So, first we must love God, closely followed by loving others. But how can we do that? It’s quite simple in fact. Just follow what is said in this well-known verse and you can’t go far wrong;

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

From this, we can see a need to try and be more patient, to be kind, to be glad of the blessings of others, to be understanding, to be forgiving. Everything we do should be a reflection of our love for God. The love the Bible speaks about here is a choice. We must choose to care about another person, even if that person has hurt us in the past; remember we are told to love our enemies and do good to them! Small acts of self-less love – smiling, saying hello, holding open a door, compliments, being hospitable etc. – are what it’s all about. The goal of our love should be focused on giving not getting. Loving others first, instead of focusing on what we get out of it. If we all centred ourselves on love, I truly believe the world would become a better place.

“Clothe yourself in love. Love is what holds you all together in perfect unity.”

Colossians 3:14

So, I pray that on this Valentine’s Day, God will remind you just how loved you really are and provide you with opportunities to share His love with others.

God Bless! 🙂

Ever had those kind of moments where instead of being filled with courage and strength, instead you’re consumed by fears and doubts – am I good enough? Do I measure up? What if I fail?

We all worry from time to time, but anxiety is something more than just worrying. Anxiety is a high level of background stress, which makes it hard to feel relaxed. When I am anxious, I am on high-alert, overthinking and over-analysing every thought, decision and action. This surface anxiety is shown as stress, irritation, isolation etc. but there is always a deeper root behind our anxious behaviour. If you are most anxious when you lose control over a situation and unexpected changes occur, the root of that could be the fear of disappointment. If you are most anxious when you are around others or begin to worry about upcoming plans, the root of that could be the fear of acceptance. Fill in the blank for yourself….

I am most anxious when…… the root of that is the fear of……

Whatever our anxieties may be, we need to ensure we firstly address the root of the fear.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

John 14:27

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

Within our faith, anxiety can drive us into times of doubting and questioning. We can become fixated in needing to know all the answers, that is can become difficult to trust in God and the plans He has for us, or to be able to see and feel God’s presence clearly. Nevertheless, God welcomes our doubts. He embraces our fears and questions. He’s big enough for all of them – we don’t have to try and do it alone! God can be our source of courage in the midst of our confusion.

Joshua is one of those mighty warriors in the Bible, who is believed to be such a tough guy! I mean he was a strong leader of the Israelities, who defeated the almighty Jericho! But look closer…

“After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, ² “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. ³ I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you— ⁴ from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ ⁵ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. ⁶ “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. ⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.⁸ Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. ⁹ This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1: 1-9

Within just the first nine verses, Joshua has to be reminded three times to ‘Be strong and courageous’. Joshua is just like any one of us; even he became anxious and had to lean on God for comfort and support. And God understands our anxious natures. He knows when things do overshadow us- our anxieties, doubts, depression, insecurities – it’s very easy for us to forget His words and promises. Like Joshua, God gently reminds us of His presence each day; He reassures us that He is always with us. For me, I am reminded of God’s presence most within nature and find the outdoors a calming place to be still and find closeness with God. Where do you feel closest to God? How are you reminded of His presence? I know at times, it can feel like the complete opposite and God is further away than ever, but be comforted with the promise that God will never leave you nor forsake you. With God alongside us we have no need to be ‘afraid’ or ‘discouraged’.

When we seek more of God and lean on His promises, we are renewed in courage and strength to defend ourselves against our anxieties. I still have bad days when my anxiety overrules, but I am determined to not be defeated. A song that has really inspired me to take more control over my anxiety is, ‘Anxious’ by Sarah Reeves. The song is a powerful declaration of surrendering our anxieties to God and deciding to step out with Him. Check out the video below, created by my very talented friend – I hope the video speaks to you, as much as it did to me.

I don’t want to live my life like this, anxious – Do you? I pray God will reveal more of Himself to you, and fill you will courage and strength. Lean on God and be renewed with his presence. Remember you are not alone, God is with you. Surrender your anxiety to Him today.

God Bless! 🙂

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

1 Peter 5:7

Doubt can be defined as a feeling of uncertainty. Within our Christian faith, I believe we will all experience a season of doubt; if not many repeated times! For myself, I have just come out of such a season, where I have spent the past months wrestling with my faith.

As human beings, it’s natural for us to question things, but when doubts begin to creep in, it can certainly shake things up. I remember struggling with my faith and doubting God and the Bible. I felt so distant in my faith, that at the time I didn’t feel my relationship with God was still there. As the cycle of questions turning into doubts, generating more questions grew, I began to feel like ‘I wasn’t a Christian anymore.’ I am sure someone will be reading this and will understand completely. There are times in life where you have or will on occasions be in a familiar place. It’s hard to remember that when we are going through times of doubt that we are not alone here. We often feel like we are the only ones whose faith is almost at the point of ‘giving up’, or the only one questioning, ‘Is God really there?’. In the Bible, we are shown that just like us, people doubted God in just the same way.

“Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

1 John 20:27

I really do feel sorry for Thomas, as he earned a nickname that must be hard to shake. You think of doubting and Thomas immediately springs to mind. Poor guy! However, his story is an encouraging one to us as it shows that when Thomas was able to admit his doubts, Jesus was able to address them. Thomas refused to believe that Jesus had resurrected, so Jesus provided the opportunity for not only Thomas to see Him but to touch Him for himself and face those doubts head-on. When we confess our fears and doubts, God will provide us with opportunities that address them head-on, just like He did for Thomas.

Thomas was not the only disciple to face doubts with his faith. In Matthew 14, we see Peter stepping out in faith to join Jesus during a storm, initially full of confidence but as soon as he takes his eyes off Jesus, and instead focuses on the storm, he begins to sink.

“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”. Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”

Matthew 14: 30-31

Peter’s doubt here is very much a reflection of his faith. When we take our eyes off Jesus during the storms of our lives, we’ll inevitably go down. Our faith will be tested through trials, which are hard to endure, but God exposes us to such things in order to strengthen these areas of our faith. We should therefore be grateful for this and be hopeful and comforted, even when we are at our lowest. Doubting our faith is not a bad thing. In fact, it can lead to spiritual growth and maturity. Whatever the cause of your doubts, remember that God does not doubt you. Without a doubt, God loves you and cares for you, regardless of the state of your faith.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love.”

Jeremiah 31:3

God uses others as tools of support when we are doubting. From personal experience, God brought someone into my life who helped me get back on track with my faith, for which I am truly thankful! We need to be open to the advice and support of others, as well as be there to encourage those we know are struggling with their faith. God also uses other means to help quieten our doubts: through scriptures, songs, in creation or reminding us of times when He’s been there before. Without a doubt, God will be with you always, nurturing and rebuilding your faith.

And when we do move past our doubts, our relationship is made stronger from it, as we are reminded again of who God is and who we are in Christ. Without a doubt, even if your faith stumbles, you will remain in God’s family. He has chosen you and will not leave you. Be encouraged and remember that doubting is good! You may not believe it now but trust me; you’ll feel closer to God than ever before. Without a doubt you are a much loved Child of God.

God Bless! 🙂

I ended last year by reading a book called ‘Just Such a Time’ by Lindsay Bruce. I found this such an encouraging and motivating read – I would highly recommend you reading it for yourself! The book focuses on how we can reconnect with God, when life gets in the way. Lindsay shares her own personal experiences and her journey of understanding the purpose God has for us, even when we are going through unforeseen circumstances, that leave us questioning where next? She uses the illustration of Esther’s story and as the title suggests, shares her thoughts of how we are all born for ‘such a time as this’.

After finishing this book, I decided to read the story of Esther for myself, and like Lindsay, am going to share what I have learnt from Esther’s example.

Esther was just a regular woman who was willing to let God use her in an amazing way. God placed her exactly where she needed to be in order to save the Jewish people. You may be sat reading this thinking, how on earth can God use someone like me!? I know how you might be feeling – I’ve been there! Over the years, I’ve found it hard to believe that God could have a real purpose for me. I look at other Christians, and compare myself to them – “I’m not as strong in my faith….”, “What gifts have I got to give”….”Why would God choose me?” – Comparison is one of the biggest problems we can face and steals us of our joy. However, God does not view us on a leader board of who is ranked best to worst Christian; if He did we wouldn’t even make it onto the board! God views us all as equals because of Jesus’ sacrifice and the grace of the Cross. Nevertheless when we are struggling with this idea of God being able to use us, we need only turn to the Bible to see examples of how God uses the ordinary to do His extraordinary works!

A persons worth is not judged by the exterior but the interior: God sees who we really are. God has a plan and a purpose for each of us, even if we do not yet see it ourselves. In 1 Samuel 16, we learn that David a simple shepherd boy; the youngest of all his brothers, was chosen by God to become King. David did not have the outwardly appearance of a King but God saw his heart and his true worth. God has chosen us because he sees something within us. Others may not recognise what God does and judge us by our appearance, our age, our abilities, and thus lower our self-esteem and confidence. But be encouraged! God sees the truth of our hearts and our inner beauty, which he values more than our exterior. You may not think you are the ideal person for God’s calling but you are! Regardless of where you are on your Christian journey, God has a purpose and plan for you, and is using you in ways you don’t even realise to bless others and bring about His purpose. Right now, you are exactly where God needs you to be. There are no such things as coincidences; God’s timing is perfect.

“Who knows if perhaps you were made for such a time as this”

Esther 4: 14

Sometimes we may feel our lives have no direction and that we’re holding the map upside down, but we should be encouraged that ultimately God knows exactly where we’re going and how we’re going to get there.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. They are plans for good and not disaster to give you a future and a hope.'”

Jeremiah 29:11

Daily we make hundreds of choices, but we will all face turning points in our lives when we need to decide to listen to God or not – Do we let God reveal his purpose to us and follow His guidance? Or will we continue to follow our own paths and hope for the best? Esther was up against such a choice. In fact, her choice meant she had to risk it all! Esther, facing the possibility of death, still decided to be obedient to God’s instructions. She was brave enough to follow God and risk everything, despite what might happen to her. Are we able to show this level of courage when making a stand for our faith?

God has created each one of us perfectly and knows exactly where we’re headed. We are a lot like Esther, in the way God places us where he wants us to be, to act in mighty ways. We are made for ‘such a time as this’. Consider all the issues within the world we could be used for, by God, or even things we could do closer to home, to fulfil God’s vision. What is it you feel God is calling you to do?

Esther is the story that reminds us that nothing is impossible with God, even when He uses regular people like us. So, are you ready to risk it? To throw down your map and instead trust that God has got it covered? Let’s use the opportunities we are given each and every day to fulfil God’s purpose and become the person we are meant to be.

God Bless! 🙂

HAPPY NEW YEAR! In all honesty I can’t believe it’s the start of another new year! Time is certainly flying by – well for me anyway! So, thinking back to 2019 -how was it for you? For me, it was another year filled with ups and downs, challenges and rewards, blessings and heartaches. Whatever your 2019 looked like, reflect back now to look and see what God was doing? The things that have happened within the past year have all been a part of God’s amazing plan for the new upcoming year. At times, it can be really hard to see and remember God’s goodness when you’re going through really tough trials. Maybe last years chapter of your life wasn’t a good one for you? But remember, God knows the ending! Your story has been written out by the most loving author.

Let’s read Joshua 4:

When all the people had crossed the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, ² “Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe. ³ Tell them, ‘Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight.’”

⁴ So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel. ⁵ He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁶ We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ⁷ Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.”

⁸ So the men did as Joshua had commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River, one for each tribe, just as the Lord had told Joshua. They carried them to the place where they camped for the night and constructed the memorial there.

⁹ Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.

¹⁰ The priests who were carrying the Ark stood in the middle of the river until all of the Lord’s commands that Moses had given to Joshua were carried out. Meanwhile, the people hurried across the riverbed. ¹¹ And when everyone was safely on the other side, the priests crossed over with the Ark of the Lord as the people watched.

¹² The armed warriors from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh led the Israelites across the Jordan, just as Moses had directed. ¹³ These armed men—about 40,000 strong—were ready for battle, and the Lord was with them as they crossed over to the plains of Jericho.

¹⁴ That day the Lord made Joshua a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites, and for the rest of his life they revered him as much as they had revered Moses.

¹⁵ The Lord had said to Joshua, ¹⁶ “Command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant^[a] to come up out of the riverbed.” ¹⁷ So Joshua gave the command. ¹⁸ As soon as the priests carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant came up out of the riverbed and their feet were on high ground, the water of the Jordan returned and overflowed its banks as before.

¹⁹ The people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month.^[b] Then they camped at Gilgal, just east of Jericho. ²⁰ It was there at Gilgal that Joshua piled up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River.

²¹ Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ²² Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ ²³ For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea^[c] when he dried it up until we had all crossed over. ²⁴ He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.”

Just like the stones the Israelites took from the Jordan River to create a memorial as a reminder of God’s power and deliverance, we have own our ‘stone’ reminders in our past experiences with God. At times where our fear and doubts seem to override, cast your mind back to your stone memorial. Dwell on all those times in your past when you really felt close to God, when you clearly witnessed His almighty power; remember all those moments God delievered you from. Focus on these firm foundations of your faith and find comfort in the knowledge that God was with you then and He will bring you across the river now. God is with us always: We know He will not fail us.

As we begin this new year, a brand new chapter, allow God to take control and fill your pages with those decisions and experiences that will continue to mould you into the person God needs you to be. I pray God will renew your strength and fill you will such hope! May your 2020 be filled with joy and happiness.

God Bless! 🙂