I think that most of us human beings look to what's next, what will I need, what's coming etc and it can snowball into wanting this, that and the other or worrying about something and in both situations the item/circumstance is far off! I know I do this on times. Too many times!

Several times recently I've stopped and enjoyed the here and now. I've felt God gently pausing me in a moment. So I was able to enjoy a breakfast outside in the sunshine with no distractions. I was walking on Sunday and at one point squealed with delight at the sound of thunder above me. I took two days off work this week with illness and rested instead of rushing back.

If we look too far ahead we can become consumed with 'one day' and 'what if?' . How about thinking about today and now? Obviously I'm not suggesting not thinking wisely about the future, but I am suggesting we should enjoy and appreciate the present. The here and now our Father has gifted us today.

My contract runs out next January. I will need a new job. I could (some would say should) be looking and applying now. People keep asking me if I have! *But* having prayed, I don't feel the need to stress about my future and the what ifs. God has a plan for me. I'll need to come back to Him again in a few months but I do not need to stress, rush or panic. My focus should be on Him, His plans for today. Plus, a lovely part of it is that it is very freeing too!

Matthew 6: 26 - 44, highlighting v 33 😊

The regional gathering on Sunday was a great time. I love it when we have these events and so many believers gather in one place to worship God. I often hear from God during these times and I always come away feeling encouraged, challenged and inspired to live more sold out for Jesus!

This time, I was looking after Reuben during the meeting. We were with everyone in the main hall during the worship, which was so full of joy and life and celebration, but then I went out with Reuben to the creche, as he was getting a bit rowdy while Keri was speaking! Because of this I didn’t hear the word that Keri brought and even during the worship that I was present for, I was partly focused on God but was also focused on Reuben, which meant I can’t say I heard God speak to me at all!

Reflecting on this over the last few days, I felt the Holy Spirit remind me of something that Llewellyn shared with the Three Peaks Challenge team recently, in the context of our physical training. He said “just turn up” which encouraged us not to necessarily worry about trying to do a super intense work out but to just keep going as it will take us another step closer to our goal.

I feel God is encouraging me, and wants to encourage you, that sometimes we don’t have a lot to give or we have a lot of distractions (this can make us think there’s no point trying/going) but to “just turn up”.

Just turn up to the Sunday gathering or midweek group or your quiet time, knowing that God rewards those who seek him. You might be surprised at what God can do, even when we don’t see it.

Hebrews 11:6

In recent weeks some of us have faced very challenging circumstances, knowing pain and grief which can shake us right to our core. When considering these things I found myself reading Romans 8, from which we often pull out encouraging statements such as ‘If Christ is for me, who can be against me!’ or. ‘Who can separate us from the Love of Christ?’ and ‘In all these things we overwhelmingly conquer!’ Which in themselves are astounding promises to trust God for.

There are many great promises in Romans 8; however when you read the chapter from start to finish, it takes you on a journey of facing the reality of our human predicament, hitting the reality of it head on and then leads us along God’s route of redemption and then through to the actual reality of the promises, which I find are only truly realised when we go on the journey itself with Him.

Romans 8 states that there is a human problem which we cannot fix that leads to death; but He Himself has dealt with it in Himself, in His flesh by His Spirit. Which is why it is only IN Him (not our ability) that there is now no condemnation; and it’s only BY His Spirit (The same Spirit that raised him from the dead – overcoming death) now in us who believe, that our bodily death is not the final outcome; for His indestructible Life resides in us who believe.

It goes on. For those who believe, we have received the Spirit of Sonship; of belonging to a father, giving us a sure and solid identity as His children. As a loving Father, He holds nothing back. This leads us to hope and in the face of suffering, hardship and our own weaknesses, He helps us to endure, and we realise that as his children, there is nothing in all creation that can actually separate us from his love. That love will then work all the various challenges of life ultimately for our good, for it is God himself, our Father, who is for us: Therefore who and what can actually prevail against us?

We are not destined to scrape by…but overwhelmingly conquer: In Him, By Him and Through Him. We are not the source… He Is! We just have to align ourselves with Him.

As the Psalmist says: Be still, cease striving and know that I am God… He will have the final say!

When the challenges of life threaten to sweep through and devastate, read, believe and align with the whole of Romans 8, it takes us from our weakness through to his power and onwards to our ultimate victory!

You've probably heard Rob and I say it a million times over, that 'God gives us grace for the situation not our imagination.'

We can often look on each other's life journeys and think, how are they getting through, how are they coping, they seem to be doing so well? It is at these times we start to imagine ourselves in those situations, and all it does is bring on anxiety and worry and unecessary upset. There is a reason for this.... It is not our journey!

The same applies to thinking too far ahead in our own walk. We can try and work out every scinario that may or may not become a reality, but the Lord is with you in the step you're taking today.

Jesus prayed,' give us today our daily bread'. In other words our amazing father provides all we need for the now realities in 'our' lives. The minute we let our imaginings run riot, peace is lost.

God's grace is always sufficient and we can absolutely trust that He will provide all we need, when we need it.

So when those thoughts and future imaginings come, let us take hold of them, and stop them in there tracks, because God's grace is in the here and now. He is our daily bread!

Thank you Father.