Lighthouses and stormy seas

It's funny because in England, everyone talks about the weather! It's the perfect conversation opener. They say, if you don't know what to say, talk about the weather. There's a lady in my neighbourhood that I walk past regularly, I don't really know her, we just say hello because we always walk down the same road, and most times we see each other, we say, "lovely day isn't it?" Or, "what a blustery day". Haha, it's kind of funny I guess. I began to wonder, why is it that we talk about the weather so much? Then I figured out why, it was a couple of weeks back when the sun was shining ever so beautifully, the sky was blue and it was a perfect day to put the washing on the line. Then, all of a sudden, out of the blue, the sky turned black, the clouds rolled in, the winds got up, and yes, the heavens opened and my nicely hung washing was now being saturated by the biggest rain drops! In England, the weather changes so much, and quite often when you are least expecting it. Sunshine days turn to stormy days in a matter of minutes, storms come out of the blue.

The changing weather in England is a bit like life really. You see, life isn't always easy is it? Things happen 'out of the blue'. Plans change, people change, life can be hard, and we face storms. We face things we didn't expect to go through, and things we didn't want to go through. We may be experiencing a sunshiny day and then boom, the storm hits and you are left being drenched by the raindrops that you just didn't see coming. Like a person frantically trying to get the washing in off the line, we can feel tossed too and fro, not knowing what's going on and not knowing how we will get out of this mess, or recover from this trauma.

There is a verse in Malachi 3:6, which says, "I am The Lord, I do NOT change". That is a promise for our lives. In a world that is so uncertain, season change, storms come, things change. We can have the rock solid assurance, that the God who holds the entire universe in His hands, HE DOES NOT CHANGE! :-)) He is constant. He is faithful. His love for us does not change.

Lighthouses are often seen on our coastline in England. They are there to guide ships in dangerous areas and to lead the, safely to shore. I wonder if you have ever felt like a ship in a dangerous are, hoping that someone will lead you safely to shore? I know I've been there before. Nd, when I was there, when I was tossed too and fro in troubled seas, feeling helpless and hopeless, God was my anchor, He was my lighthouse. Lighthouses are bright and they shine the way, they are safe and they are constant. Just like a Captain of a ship stuck out at sea can look to the lighthouse for safety and guidance, we too, can look to Jesus, our lighthouse, knowing that He will lead is safely to shore. We all go through seasons of storms, troubles and sorrows, and we can count on Jesus to be that light that guides us to safety. I know that God has done more than guide me to safety, He has rescued me and kept me from drowning.

Storms may be raging around us, but God can calm the storm IN us! I love that. You can be in a storm and it not affect you because of the power and presence of God living on the inside of you. The Bible tells us that "The One who is IN YOU is greater than the one who is in the world" 1 John 4:4.

He is constant. He is our rock. He is our strength. He is steadfast. He does not change. His love does not change. He is our preface in troubled seas.

No matter what we go through, we can know that God is not going to let us drown in the circumstances. He won't walk out on us.

Like us, the disciples of Jesus, in the Bible, often got into storms

"Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 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?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”" (Matthew 14:22-33 NIV).

When we are lost and don't know where we are going, what direction our life is taking, we can trust that no matter where we are or what's going on, God WILL lead is safe to shore, if we cling to Him. We are going to get to the harbour and to the land. The waves will not overtake us. 

God wants us to see Him walking towards us on the water, He wants us to join Him. Like Peter, Jesus is telling us to "Come" to Him, and not to be afraid.

So whatever waves may be around you today, I encourage you to keep looking up, take your eyes off the storm and fix them in Jesus and you will see Him raise you up through something that you thought would take you under.

He is the God of the harbour, and the God of the storm, and He holds you through it all. Trust Him today, He will lead you to a safe and spacious and very beautiful place :-)

The best is yet to come, don't give up :-) xoxo

"Life is like a box of chocolates".... Or, is it?

Is life really like a box of chocolates? Do we not know what we are going to get? Or, do we?!

Last weekend I went away to the forest with a group of friends to stay in a log cabin. It was amazing. We were surrounded by beauty, sunshine, pine trees, owls twit twooing and we had a fridge full of yummy food, not to mention a bubbly hot tub on the decking! It was a tranquil place. 

After lots of forest walks, way too much time in the hot tub and copious amounts of food to eat, we found ourselves watching the movie "Forest Gump". I guess it seemed kind of fitting as we were in the forest! lol. Anyway, I always smile when I hear that famous quote in the movie when Forest recalls, "Mama said, life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get". It's true, life has this way of surprising us, sometimes in good ways and sometimes in bad ways. None of us know what the future holds, it is often uncertain. The wonderful thing, when we serve God, is that we know His plans for us are good and not for harm (Jeremiah 29:11), and we know that whatever we go through in life, He is always with us (Deuteronomy 31:8).

I began to think about the box of chocolates. The thing is, I am a complete chocoholic!! I love chocolate with a passion. And as far as I'm concerned, chocolate is one of God's great gifts to the earth, and I intend to enjoy it (the funny thing is I've just gone a whole month without chocolate for sugar free September, but now that's over, I'm ready to enjoy the delicious gift, that is CHOCOLATE!). I love chocolate so much, and am a well experienced chocolate consumer, that when someone offers me a box of chocolates, it doesn't take me too long to scan the box and know what is in the centre of each. I can spot the orange creams a mile off, they are only to be consumed in desperate times, like if they are the only ones in the box and you really need some chocolate. The Turkish delight are usually a square shape and the praline are normally in the shape of coffee bean, the nut ones are a complete give away as there is quite often roasted hazelnuts on the outside. All this talking about chocolate is making my mouth water right now, is anyone with me? ;)

So is life really like a box of chocolates? Do we honestly not know what we are going to get? Or do we?

Well, I know from my (short) life on the earth that some things come out of the blue, a shock, a 'I didn't see that one coming' moment, a 'I never would have believed that would ever happen' feeling. It's true, life is uncertain, and often unfair and sickness, disaster and trauma can come like a thief in the night, you may be tucked in bed safe and secure, then BAM! You're in the biggest storm of your life!

The Bible tells us that "What you sow you reap". I have known this to be soooo true in my life. You see, I know that whatever this life, this crazy world we live in throws at me, I know I can face anything, because I have a God who loves me, is with me and He is for me. I know where my roots are, I know who I am, I know whose I am, I know where I'm heading, and I know that NOTHING that I face will shake me, or move me, or cause me to be broken. How do I know all that? Well, I have a personal relationship with the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. My God walks beside me every day. He comforts me when I am sad, He shows me which path to take when I need to make a decision, He is with me when I feel alone, He gives me strength when I feel weak, He heals me when I am sick, He causes me to rise up in victory when others try to destroy me, He pours His favour upon me when I do the right thing. When I sow goodness, I reap a harvest of goodness. When I sow love, I reap love. When I sow friendship, I reap friendship. When I walk out my days for Him, when I walk in righteousness, integrity, truth and humility, when I live a pure and righteous life, when I do the right thing (even when the wrong thing is happening), I live free, and I live whole, and I live secure. You see, bad stuff may still happen, storms may come out of the blue, but if we are walking blameless before our God, we can be sure what's coming, and, what we are going to get! Freedom is ours, victory is ours, hope is ours, favour is ours, peace is ours, strength is ours, joy is ours, justice is ours.

Although we may not know what we are going to get in life, we can know what we are going to get with God in it. You really can face anything the world throws at you, and come through strong, when you walk with Him each day of your life.

In life there are so many things beyond our control. But also, there are so many things in our control. We can choose joy, despite the sorrow. We can control what comes out of our mouth, when we may want to say something bad. we can choose how we spend our money. We can choose how we spend our time, or, how we waste our time. We can choose who to be friends with, and who not to be. We can choose our attitude, good or bad. we can choose to love, choose to give, choose to serve, choose to believe. 

I'm not afraid of tomorrow, because I know that as I keep choosing to live a life of integrity, I will reap blessing, even in the midst of troubled times. I know that I will not be shaken, because my life is rooted in the unshakeable Word of God. Life is like a box of chocolates, but I DO know what I'm going to get, because, when you have a rock solid assurance of the power and presence of God in your life, NOTHING that comes to destroy you will stand, and you will reap a harvest of blessing, even in the seasons of shock and sorrow.

My prayer is that we wouldn't be afraid of the future, but that we would walk tall with our Creator, knowing that He holds our days in His hands and He is with us and for us and leading us on to victory!! :-)