Hi! It's been ages since I last wrote but thought I'd try & start writing again.

Just got back from 10 days away with Gray in Wales. We went to the aberystwyth conference organized by the Evangelical Movement of Wales. Art Azurdia was the main speaker & we were really blessed by his preaching on the subject 'A clarion call to a worldly Christianity'. He was teaching us about being 'in the world but not of it'. There's lots for us to think through and put into practice and I'm hoping to spend the next few days thinking through all that we learnt.

We went on to llandudno for a few days after and met up with some friends there. We enjoyed the beautiful scenary, God's amazing creation, and the time to be with each other. Were off to Paris tomorrow. It'll be my first time there and I can't wait!

This is a photo I took at Ide Hill, whilst I was walking there with Gray, my boyfriend. It was so lovely - a beautiful bluebell walk!

How good God is to create in us a desire to enjoy the beauty of His creation!

I've been reading and listening to a sermon this week by John Piper about being sustained by God's sovereign grace. You can find it here: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1996/960_Sustained_by_Sovereign_GraceForever/.

He preaches on Jeremiah 32:38-41:

And they shall be My people, and I will be their God; and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good, and for the good of their children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. And I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.

This passage holds such wonderful promises for Christians:

1) God promises to be our God and that we will belong to Him.
2) He promises to change our hearts and cause us to fear Him - everything that He asks of us, He in fact does through the Spirit's work in our hearts eg giving us our faith which saves us.
3) He promises to not turn away from us and that He will keep us from turning away from Him - He gives us persevering faith which will last for all eternity and He will never leave us.
4) He promises to rejoice in doing us good with the greatest intensity imaginable - He chooses to do this with all His heart and all His soul, both of which are infinite!

Isn't it a wonderful blessing to know that God rejoices in doing us good?! In 2 Chronicles 16:9, the Bible says 'the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.' What a wonderful truth to feast your mind on when things seem difficult!

Reminds me of Romans 8:31 - If God is for us, who can be against us?

Three things that have come up recently for me in the Bible and in books that I've read:

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Galations 6:10

Life is made up of golden chances, opportunities to do good. One lost is lost forever. If we miss doing a kindness to a friend, we can never do that kindness again. If we might speak a pleasant word, or offer a bit of worthwhile counsel or advice and fail to do so, we can never have just that opportunity again. Giving is a way of life.

AM Burton

Whenever you feel a prompting to do a good thing do not ask anybody whether you should do it or not; no one ever repents of doing good. Ask your friends afterwards rather than beforehand, for it is ill consulting with flesh and blood when duty is plain...It cannot be wrong to do the right thing at once; nay, in matters of duty, every moment of delay is a sin.

CH Spurgeon

I'm really drawn to this idea of not waiting to do good. When I think too much about things, I talk myself out of doing good because it seems so silly. With God's help, I want to live more like this.

On the way to the train this morning I was really struck by how wonderful a day it is today. It's funny because you wouldn't think it to look at the sky or to feel the rain spots whipping into your cheeks on the wind. I'd done my devotional first thing this morning, so I was still reeling a little from that - that God comforts us with everything we need. He is ever providential, pre-empting our needs before we even know them ourselves.

It was really windy and that always whips up my spirits - I love the wind so much! Plus I was listening to some of the music from Prom Praise on my MP3 player - one song, particularly: 'I know that my redeemer lives and ever prays for me, a token of His love He gives, a pledge of liberty. Jesus, I hang on every word. I steadfastly believe you will return and claim me, Lord, and to yourself receive. And we will lift you up, HALLELUJAH, holy is our God, and we will worship you, for ever the same.'

How wonderful it is to repeat to yourself what you believe and stir your soul up into praise that way! Jesus WILL return and claim us. HE WILL! I love that song for reminding me of that truth when I'm in the middle of the normal doldrums of the day. Christians don't have to live a doldrumy life because we have such a wonderful future! I found myself grinning from ear to ear and singing along very loudly as I was walking up towards the station, with a bounce in my step, all because God loves me. How wonderful!

Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, you have made my days as handbreaths, and my age is as nothing before you: certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.

Psalm 39:4-5

Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:20-21