Sunday, 8 May 2011

The Creator's Rhythm

As you know I was diagnosed with MS in October 2010. I have had to learn to rest more, to not fight my mind when I feel it is time to sleep, or rest a little in my day; and for me that has been quite a challenge to get my head around as I was always a busy sort of person, doing this or that and never at home.

Over the past year or so I had noticed that I was tiring more easily but I just put it down to age, or being slighlty overweight. I had not considered that I could have MS, the same as my sister, for my symptions were quite different.

However now with time I have adjusted to my diagnosis and in so doing I have been praying for guidance from the Lord as I felt inside that it was like I was achieving so little in my day.

Today I had an email conversation with my friend Mimi, she has ME, and she told me that she also had had problems adjusting to her new slower life routine. She also looked to the Creator for his help; Jesus used her pet fish to help her: they have a set rhythm with times of slowness and times of more activity.

I had to smile when I read her email, for I have been struggling with the same issue and I have found myself watching my cat sleep!

My cat comes and does as he pleases but he spends most of his day sleeping, more sleep than I need! He seems to be content with much rest, and I would guess that he is happy. He goes out to protect his territory. He minds my house when I am out. He comes with us to walk our dogs and we love his company. It is good that he wants to spend him time with us.

So I have been considering this: Creations rhythm is the Creator's rhythm. It is not a world, busy, busy, busy efficient rhythm it is life at a gentlier pace.

So all of a sudden the fact that I need to slow down becomes a blessing to me, for I am able to live in God's rhythm and rest. I have times of work, and times of rest. I enjoy the time that I am able to be more active but now I also enjoy the times that I rest too.

Thank you Lord for your thoughtfulness to both myself and my friend Mimi for showing us that your gentle life rhythm is the best way to live and that the world's rhythm of busyness is not good for it does not appreciate the person who does the work but rather it pushes them harder and harder to do more. Then when you are worn out it drops you like a stone and you sink into oblivion.

I urge you to take time to stop and count the cost of what you do. Do you allow yourself enough rest? Do you allow yourself time to sleep? Do you allow yourself time to consider who is important in your life and why? Do you spend time with this person, or do you rush way to your next busy task?

In God's rhythm I have come to appreciate that I am so loved, for He gave up all He is for me by dying on the cross to pay for all my mistakes. ALL my mistakes.

He appreciates me. How amazing is that?

He is God and I am so small that if you could view the whole universe on a page I would not show up under the most powerful microscope known to man! Yet God values me as a person and has promised to never leave me.

He died for me.

What is your priority? Is it you? Or God?

He died for you too.

Take time to read about Him in the bible, or talk to Him = prayer.

Eve x

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF MY EMAIL LIST PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I WILL DELETE YOUR ADDRESS OF THE SYSTEM, THANKS.

Wednesday, 26 January 2011

It was not a stroke at all but MS.

Well after many tests they have diagnosed me with MS.

So here I am slowly falling apart but nothing has changed. Jesus is still loves me in fact when I was diagnosed I had a huge sense of peace for I knew that I would not have to face the consequences of this illness alone.

In fact it reinforced my commitment to Christ: Why? Well you see its simple: I know that if every stopped working within my body tomorrow, within mind and soul I would still know and feel the certain presence of Jesus Christ who lives with me. Why? Well that is simple, I invited him to come into my life to be my God and he accepted.

I do not ask you to believe me by my own words. I ask you to believe that if you were to take the chance and do the same, even if you do not believe in him. He will come.

How do I know that? Well you see when I first decided to consider is there a God, I decided to take up the offer that was stated in a book I was given called "Why Jesus". In this book it said if you ask Jesus into your life, he will come for he never refuses anyone.

So I did and Jesus came.

At first I didn't notice much but then one day I was walking our dog around the field near to where I lived and within the field was a large group of teenagers. In the past I avoided them for I felt intimated by them. Yet this day I actually did something completely out of my then shy character and I spoke with them, just saying hello. Nothing more.

I felt so comfortable and so protected that I realised that I was no longer living my life alone but Jesus, God, was with me.

Now people that know me, 12 years on, can not believe that I used to be quiet and shy for I am out going and confident, and definately not quiet. I changed inside for you see I realised one thing that I did not know about myself before. That I am loved.

God has a brillant "A" plan for your life but most of us accept the alternative "B" plan that we control.

Are you not worth enough to yourself to decide to find out if this Jesus is real or not?

Research him and his disciples, or ask him into your life as I did, the lazy way without doing any research; and see what happens.

I was not disappointed with God for he came and gave me such comfort and peace and love and inner security despite my diagnosis.

God bless, Eve x
IF YOU RECEIVED THIS AS A PERSONAL EMAIL THEN YOUR ADDRESS IS ON MY LIST. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO RECEIVE ANY FUTURE EMAILS PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I WILL DELETE YOU FROM THE SYSTEM. THANK YOU.

Tuesday, 14 September 2010

This body is not true life

I can say with experience that this body is not just our life. Why? Well I have had a stroke.

So that means for a time parts of my body did not work. It means my brain worked but the flesh body around me felt like it was just a machine, a covering. Why? Simple it would not do what it should do but my brain, the real part of me, those thoughts and connections in my head; or to put it another way my soul was truly alive but it worked independently to my body.

Jesus said I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life and no one can get to the Father God without me. So then does that not point out the fact that there is more than we can possible be aware of now? Yes.

I have faith regardless of whether my body is in working order or not because I have learnt through prayer and through reading the bible that there is more than the life that I can see on earth.

I did not ask for proof, for I have faith. But after suffering this stroke now I have proof!

When you are tired and exhausted with trying to find happiness in this world but find nothing fills the hole, the need for connection, to be known inside; try Jesus. Pray and ask him to show you that he is real. That he wants to connect with you. To know you.

Jesus died a painful death to pay for all your wrong doings, your mistakes, on earth. That means you don't have to try to get right with God. Jesus, he is God by the way, already knows and accepts all that you have done.

Religion teaches you to be pure and holy before God. Jesus teaches you that he has forgiveness, grace, love and mercy all waiting for you to know. All you need to do is ask him to come into your life. At some point after you have known Jesus for some time you will find that you have a sense of peace and worth that you have not been able to receive from others.

Repentance means you turn around from your own way of living to ask Jesus to come and share the rest of your life with you.

It's that simple.

You get a promise that Jesus will never leave you. And Jesus promises to guide you home to heaven at your earth death. In heaven you are eternally happy with Him but also with those who helped you in your Christian walk. You see Jesus provides himself but also a ready made family for you to know.

Jesus is waiting for your invitation to come into your life today.

Eve x

Thursday, 25 March 2010

Marathon running

I had a picture today that I wish to share with you:

I was lying in my bed not wishing to rush away from God, I had been praying but I knew I should get up as it was late but I didnt. I just didn't want to get downstairs and get distracted from Him so I stayed put.

In my mind God stood still I knew he was wanting to love his children: he waited and he waited. It was like he stood in the middle of a marathon race but the people were running:

people ran around him, not seeing him mostly;
a few ran past him but looked at him;
even less people bowed their heads in acknowledgement but kept on running;
even less stopped and bowed low to the ground but then got up and ran on;
one person stopped, bowed, and waited for God.

In our busy lives, which one are you?

God longs for you to stop and spend some time with Him.

God longs for a personal relationship with you.

God bless, Eve x

Wednesday, 9 September 2009

Forget religion! How to be real with God

We often hear the phrase What Would Jesus Do and we try to act as we think He wants us to but living like Jesus and trying to be a Christian is not easy. So we end up struggling and feeling unnecessarily guilty.

If you are trying to approach God because you love Him and want to know Him more, don't you think He knows the real you so why beat yourself up when it really is not needed.

So forget thinking this way and read on!

Jesus loves you and accepts you whatever you do. He understands that you are a child compared to Him, so He knows that you will: try, forget to try, muck it all up, feel like a failure and feel like you are doing it all wrong compared to everyone else around you.

Every person on earth is different. Every person’s walk with God is individual too.

Time spent with God is never wasted

Jesus knows your to do list; your deadlines*. To spend time with God means you read His word in the bible, or you pray or you simply sit and consider things in your mind. The bible is the word of God but it is very hard to grasp straight off for there is much depth in His words. It is like eating a chocolate cake, some days you are starving you eat much - the icing as well; other days you just pick the icing off or you dig out the creamy centre and just eat that!

Sometimes we can not take in God’s word in big chunks because we will have stress happening in our lives - life on earth is tough - on these days it is better to just read the cream. Try one proverb or one parable (story) that Jesus told, it is enough. You can gorge on the bible or you can consider a few words. Gorging makes you sick and tired but a healthy bite of Gods word can satisfy you for then you will find you think it through later.

If you find you can not remember everything you read in the bible that’s normal too, it has been happening like that to me for years but over time suddenly you realise that you have learnt much. Remember your teacher is God, so let Him teach you at His pace for He knows what you are ready to retain.

If you do not understand ask Jesus for help, it’s that simple.

Oh one more thing, if the Christians around you answer your questions in religious language that you can not understand, remember that they are trying to explain what they are still struggling to understand too!


Prayer is like a conversation

A good friend is hard to find for they are so concerned with self needs that all they want to do is tell you about their own problems, so you end up frustrated and feeling like you were not listened to or cared for.

A conversation with Jesus often seems one way for at the time, usually, you do not receive an answer. Tell Jesus what’s on your mind, and tell Him in the normal everyday language that you use.

Remember Jesus hung around with coarse fisherman and whores when He walked on earth so tell Him your needs in your own words, your expression of language will not shock Him! Jesus is able to hear and understand all things.

Be real with Him.

Imagine that Jesus is sitting in the room with you, then spill the beans until you are done. You will feel better and Jesus will listen patiently.

God does speak to His children but it is in many ways, it could be a voice in your mind, or through a Christian friend, or through His words in the bible, or through a sermon, or through your memory of a time when everything seemed to work out for the best despite the circumstance. Remember your experience with God is as individual as you.

Jesus is always with you for He sent the Holy Spirit to live within your heart but it takes time to feel Him. Knowledge of His presence grows over time until inside you just know. This knowledge of Him turns over time into peace. Peace is not a warm cosy feeling that all is well, it is the certainty that God lives with you and understands you.

Stop struggling in your own ability to understand everything at once.

God bless to you, ej x

*your tasks seem to be finished in less time after you have spent time Jesus first!

Friday, 28 August 2009

Think of Him

Think of Him suffering agony paying for my sin,
as I watch from the safety of my fallen mind
I hear Him call out to His Father, crying out His mind
I can’t follow what is happening, yet I hurt inside
Then He dies, people are leaving but they have nowhere to go
I imagine Him fallen – forgotten - but I can’t get Him out of my mind
I remember Him but the world has forgotten why it happened to Him
Busy lives, so much suffering. Did He die in vain?
Time will tell.

Prayer!

So why make prayer so bloody difficult? I mean who are you trying to impress - God with your prose? Why not just tell Him how it is? Use the words that come to mind, don’t just quote scripture… He knows them more than you!

Tell Him how you feel, like you would a trusted friend, but remember He can understand your minds heart too. He knows your true feelings so don’t wrap it all up in sugar sweet candy to be polite. You can’t shock God, He has heard it all before.

He choose to hang out with coarse fishermen and whores, not the religious elite!

Jesus cursed the religious elite for being superficial.

So then tell Him how it is - how it really is in the words you know how to express your thoughts and deepest needs.

If you are angry tell Him.

If you are really really angry swear it all out at Him, if you need to, or do you think your language is worse than that of a whore?

Then when you are done, rest and smile knowing the He heard you and loves you despite yourself…as He so loves me.

The religious elite will tell you God is holy so be polite…. but remember it's in the bible God cursed those who thought their religious piety was correct!

If you don’t believe me then read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and see what Jesus called the pious priests ruling in Israel. You may be surprised.

The Message is the most easy translation of the bible to understand for it is written in real words, not polite sentences.

The words in the Message reflect life today.

Ej x