Today’s ‘Guest Writer’ is Lucy:
How great is our God, sing with me: how great is our God.
And all will see how great, how great is our God.
Name above all names, worthy of all praise;
my heart will sing: how great is our God.
(Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves & Ed Cash © 2000 Kingsway songs)
I am generally a worrier and have suffered with bad anxiety on a number of occasions. It was during one of these times that I was put in touch with a wonderful counsellor who really helped me. One of the challenges he gave me to help overcome my anxiety was to write down three things I was thankful for every day. This was to help me see that good things happened even when I didn’t realise it.
You are probably thinking what this has to do with God and church. Well, after finishing my counselling this was something that really benefited me and as I thought more about it, I realised that God provides us with things to be thankful for every single day. So, now when I start my prayers, I always start by telling God what I am thankful for.
How often do we just ask God to do things for us during our prayers rather than thanking him for what he already does for us and provides us with? I know that during another lockdown, it can be difficult to see the ‘good’ in each day, but I challenge you to do just that. It might not be big things but there are plenty of small things. It’s phone calls or video calls with family and friends, the sunshine and rain, the autumn leaves on the trees, walks around the local area appreciating it more than we ever did before, waking up in the morning, for our health, a roof above our heads… the list goes on.
One of my favourite Bible verses around this theme is:
1 Thessalonians Ch 5: 16-18.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
So, I challenge you to thank God for the things he provides us each and every day and to trust in him that things will get better, even if we can’t see it right now!
When You don't move the mountains I'm needing You to move
When You don't part the waters I wish I could walk through
When You don't give the answers as I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You
(Lauren Daigle, Michael Farren, Paul Mabury © 2014 CentricSongs)
search on YouTube for ‘Trust in you’
Keeping to the theme of being thankful, myself, Philip and Lottie would like to say thank you to everyone for the lovely cards and gifts sent to us on the birth of Milo. We can’t wait until we can bring him to church to introduce him to you all! - Lucy