6. Feb, 2018

February Greetings from Ros - You can make a difference

It's already February and I don't know what happened to January! It will soon be Easter. I think my problem, at the moment, is that I feel as though I'm living in limbo - unable to make plans until circumstances outside my control are sorted. Then I'm expecting things to happen in a whoosh! I'm still waiting for my operation date, which will involve taking time off to recover. At the same time I'm staring at the prospect of a move to a new home in Swanwick. All this is unsettling on the surface but reminds me that God is in control rather than me and I trust that he knows what he is doing. My experience tells me that God can be trusted and that he often does things in a different way to what we expect and when he does act it's in a whoosh! But that doesn't make the waiting any less unsettling, frustrating or difficult. But underlying this is a peace and the sense that all will be well. I'm doing what I can in preparation including packing boxes and sorting things for the charity shop. I want to be ready when the time comes!

We will be entering Lent this month. Lent is a time when traditionally Christians have spent time preparing for the celebration of Easter. It is interesting that this year the start of Lent, Ash Wednesday, is on February 14th which is also St. Valentine's Day, the day when love is celebrated. So Lent starts with a celebration of love and ends with Easter which is also a celebration of love, God's amazing love for us.

What are you going to do in Lent as your preparation for Easter? Are you going to give something up (fast)? If you are then why not make it something that frees some time to give to God. Why not also allow the Holy Spirit to prompt you to take on a new challenge. I'm hoping some of you will join me using the Live Lent material which encourages us through Scripture to pray and to put our faith into action each day. It prepares the way for not only Easter but on to Pentecost when we will be joining with the other churches in Swanwick in the 'The Kingdom Come' prayer challenge.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19)

God seems to be doing something with us! All this ongoing preparation seems to be readying us for what he wants to use us for in Swanwick in the next season of our life as a church. Just as I'm having to pack up in anticipation for my move, so we have to play our part in the preparation process so that we are ready to move on with God. I really do believe that God is making us ready, which is why I want to be living in the village when it happens.

And the Lord said to Samuel: See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. (1 Samuel 3:11)

This passage was one that God highlighted for us during our In Touch prayer time on Tuesday a couple of weeks ago. It was part of our reading for the day. Elsie was following it on her phone which she dropped and when she picked it up this verse was highlighted.

I think we need to keep hold of our verse for the year - (written at the top our home page) we will be needing it as God leads us on our journey together as it looks as if it might be an interesting ride!

Love

Ros