ALL THINGS MADE NEW

Shirley"s Pen

‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be nor more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’

Room 205 was a welcome sight.  Visits, conversations, penetrating my thoughts.  My mind racing as I made my way down the corridor.  ‘Lord, these waves are too high, I am sinking, I’m going to capsize’.  Overwhelmed with the fast flowing floods of suffering of those I had left behind, hope gone, the tempestuous winds blowing with great adversity, alone with the anguish of their personal trial, their hearts crushing beneath the pain. Frail bodies (wasting away), voices so weak they reach out just to touch your hand. Is it enough, is it over (for me) when I ‘share a moment’; ‘spend an evening’; ‘show I care’? It can never be over, my heart needs to be fixed, to be settled, even though I question, my faith, my trust will know His leading.  Oh the impact, the tranquillity of a loving word, but more importantly, a living word that will cause them to know in their hearts that the Lord is the source and the God of all comfort.  I thought of Job: ‘And after my skin is destroyed, this I know that in my flesh I shall see God,’ Job 19: 26. They not only need ‘Daily Bread’; they need ‘The Bread of Life’. Read more

COME BEFORE WINTER (2 Timothy 4: 21)

IMG_5108a.jpgPsalm 65: 11 ‘You crown the year with your bounty’.  The year with its changing seasons; seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, controlling the seasons of life.

A few days ago I sat in darkness for approximately four hours waiting for the electricity supply to be reconnected. I thought of  those who constantly sit in darkness, whose changing seasons have brought a legacy of darkness; whose life is filled with cold and chilling days. For them it is winter where the atmosphere is one of loneliness and chilling winds of  dismay.  My thoughts turned to the apostle Paul, the emotion surrounding these words: ‘Come Before Winter’.  My husband is currently writing a new publication to be released later this year, simply entitled ‘Hope’ – a timely word for those feeling abandoned and without hope, pages that will symbolise words of light and hope.   These three words depict longing for company, someone to care, parchments of comfort.  As I think of my own seasons in life, the memories of summer days,  but I also remember the winter days with an everlasting emotion of gratitude as I meditate on the Days of Harvest now filling my life.  I identify with Ruth (Ruth 2: 2)  ‘Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain’.  I long to return to the fields of Romania where I can     ‘drop a little handful on purpose’.  Hudson Taylor said, ‘Where the need is greatest let us be found gladly obeying the MASTER’S command.  For it is in the harvest field, it is among the reapers, that we shall find Him.’ Read more

Dorina with her Saviour

“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.”

Shirley has just received this devastating news about her dear Dorina. She died on Thursday and the funeral was today. We know that for Dorina it is “far better” but for her wee family and all those who loved her, the loss is very deeply felt. Please pray for this family and pray for Shirley too.

thank you,

David