Earth is crammed with heaven

He wept And His heart? It broke in two. With every cry Of fear Anguish Pain Grief Loss Disbelief And it breaks Over And Over For all eternity. And His name? His name shall be called Emmanuel. Emmanuel. God With Us. And  them.

This is the first Christmas for several years that I haven't set out in search of Christmas joy. You know that lament 'I don't feel Christmassy.' So we grit our teeth, and try our best to make the feelings come. This year is different somehow. Maybe because time does heal At least partly. But I think it's because I'm learning to live in the moment. The practice of mindfulness has helped. And in that moment it's ok. It's ok to feel happy Or sad Or tired Or grumpy Or full of beans Or overjoyed Or overwhelmed Or.... It's ok. Truly. Stop Breathe Remember. He is Immanuel God with us. Right here Right now. God with us may not change our circumstances Our disappointments or frustrations But He shares it Feels it Lives it. Immanuel The wonder of Christmas That God left the splendour of his world To get messy in ours. He knows He feels He loves Oh how He loves. Immanuel

I often offer to help people. I guess you do too. It goes with the territory I suppose. Often I'm not taken up on the offer. And it ends with a 'You know where I am if you need me.' And the ball is in their court. And I can be satisfied that I've offered. Sort of. And then there are times when what I'm asked to do Is not quite what I had in mind And it kind of spoils my plans And things don't really turn out as I'd hoped. My favourite way of helping usually involves coffee And cake And a listening ear. But sometimes... Often, It's not about me; What I want What I'd like And more about just getting on with what's required. I joke with the boys and say 'Just do it for Jesus.' He knows. He sees. He understands we'd rather be doing something else. And it's ok to feel that way. Really. I guess my point is I need to embrace the whole of my life, My work, for what it is... A gift. Even if some of ...

I've had a couple of people ask where my blog posts are. The truth is I'm not sure. These past months have been a time of healing Discovery Growth Grace. And the writing has been a bit side-lined. Maybe because some of it is too personal to share publicly... Maybe because God has been speaking to me so directly I fear ridicule or disbelief.... Or maybe in this season the writing is not as urgent as once it was. Not because I don't have things to say But because I have so much to say I don't know where to begin. So here are the truths I see at the moment: God directs our paths Our days, our months, our years In ways I cannot begin to comprehend But am utterly in awe of. God, who begins a good work in us, will bring it to completion. Maybe not today Maybe not tomorrow But someday. God can be trusted With my children My life My hopes My dreams. God is the one who ransoms Heals Restores Forgives. He loves me. Bigger Better Brighter ...

I don't mind it when the clocks change. I quite like drawing curtains Lighting lamps, Candles, Snuggling up. Autumn can be the most beautiful season of all. Clear blue skies. Crunchy leaves just waiting to be kicked. Brilliant sunshine. It's the grey days I hate Misty Gloomy Dull. This year I have a SAD lamp for the first time. I shine it on me for about an hour a day. It is said to help mood Food cravings And general well being. Time alone will tell if it helps. In this time of darkness I look for light. Candles Lamps Jesus. The light that brings light to everyone was coming into the world. The light shines in the darkness And the darkness has never put it out. Never. Light wins. Jesus wins. Always. Forever.

It feels like a long and lonely road sometimes. The road to recovery I mean. There are things I am relishing as if they are chocolate-covered. They make me feel fulfilled And free And like the me I want to be. And then there is the other stuff. The requests. The 'would you mind?''s And ' how about this?' And 'Do you think you could?' The tough stuff. Not hard in itself But I have restrictions I have to. It's the way of healing for me. And sometimes I have to say No. Because if I say Yes as I want to The consequences are too great The price too high. But sometimes After an initial panic And anger  And tears of frustration The big picture alters And I can. Not because I need to be pushed. Don't think that. The truth is that most days are a battle. But just because the situation changes. Today was one of those days that my no became yes. And I came out feeling epic! And had chocolate tiffin to celebrate. And the little girl inside me The one with blonde...

We met up with some friends the other Sunday. It was Bank Holiday weekend and our last Sunday off in a while. We started laughing from almost the moment we met at the seaside. Our children had fun. We ate chips and ice cream. Drank coffee and posed for silly photos. It was a good day. Over the last few weeks I've been thinking of how our friendship began. We have ancient family links. But that's not uncommon in The Salvation Army. They came to our church on placement when they were training. I think they wondered what they were coming to. I'm not sure what they learnt in practical skills,  Except that chaos in worship can be ok.... Sometimes. Whether it's more polite to swallow or spit your coffee when someone says something really funny. And maybe that it's ok to 'come as you are' in ministry. No pretence necessary. At the very end of their placement our world fell apart. And it was then that the real change happened. The supporters became the supported.  T...

I left home for some quiet time with God this morning. Ended up in a cafe. Lovely coffee Melt-in-your-mouth pain-au-chocolat But  SO MUCH NOISE. I ended up taking photos of my very first 'Stumpy' Turned out it was a flat-white. And sending snapchats of a grown man wearing a crown... (It was one of those days.) And sharing very silly messages back and forth as a result. It was fun. Not what was intended But fun just the same. And God? He was there too. You know 'Quiet time' Isn't always possible. However 'I am always aware of the Lord's presence. He is near, and nothing can shake me.' Psalm 16:8 Almost....

It's 2 years today since Dad left this world. We decided as a family that we wouldn't make a big thing of special dates. We miss our loved ones every day. We talk, Laugh, And think about them. And we thank God for them. They left us a legacy of faith Hope And love in many forms. On Tuesday this week we walked the Gower Coastal Path. It has stunning views and is a place Dad lived and worked. I found it quite emotional. Spending time in 'The land of my Fathers' Literally. A pilgrimage of sorts. As we laughed with friends, Paused to take breath, And wonder at the beauty of creation, I thanked God for my Dad, And my Grandad, And my in-laws, The truth is we miss them all the time. I'm not sure time makes their absence easier. I wish they could share in our lives now as the boys grow older. I don't believe they can see our every move. Heaven forbid! But I think that somehow they know... And are proud. I guess our act of remembrance is carrying on. Knowing they are in ...

Yesterday I read, God met me in the wilderness, gave me a microphone and said, "Speak" I guess my version would be, God met me in the wilderness, gave me a pen and said, "Write" And after a few months where I couldn't find my 'pen', the words are flowing thick and fast. Yesterday I posted about Iraq. Feelings of helplessness  Hopelessness. Then in the early hours of this morning I learnt of the death of Robin Williams. Rumours are he took his own life After severe battles with depression. There are a number of things that have struck me today. My own battle with depression continues. Today I picked up my repeat prescription of pills that don't take away the pain But help me to function. I also see a counsellor Take as much space as I can Practice mindfulness And exercise when I can be motivated. I do as much as I possibly can to help me live a normal life. But the truth is sometimes it's not enough, and I crash. Today there has been renewed calls...

Women are raped and men are being crucified. Children beheaded Or forced to flee. And tales of people buried alive And we watch 'distressing images' with everything tensed As we don't know what's real anymore. A Christian Holocaust? Is that what's happening? In this day and age? And we pray But words seem futile long before they've left our lips. Help us Lord. Have mercy. Maranatha 'Come Lord Jesus'

I went for a swim in the sea today. It wasn't planned. I left home early for a meeting. When it had finished I fancied a swim; I remembered I had swimwear and a towel in the boot; The sea was about 30 miles away; So I turned left instead of right and off I went. Sadly,  all wasn't plain sailing from then on in. It took longer than I'd hoped to get there. I couldn't find a parking space. And the tide was out. But as I set off down the beach, wishing I'd stopped to buy beach shoes as the pebbles really hurt, I felt quite proud of my spontaneity. And then I faced my real moment of truth. The sea in the UK isn't always the bluest Or the clearest. Talk about blind faith As I hobbled over pebbles I was thrilled to feel some sand. But as the sand got softer and began to squelch, I'm guessing it wasn't so much sand, But mud between my toes. I gave up hobbling and swam. Arms only as it wasn't deep enough for leg-kicks. And I was off. I'd done what I set o...

Write for 5 minutes. No editing, over-thinking, Just write. This weeks prompt is: BEGIN "There was an old man named Michael Finnegan He grew whiskers on his chin-egan The wind came up and blew them in again Poor old Michael Finnegan Begin again!" And there, my friends, lies the problem. My mind is full of silly songs. I sit on a Sunday. In full view of the congregation. The band play, And I hear my Dad, in my head, singing silly made-up words to well-known hymn tunes. Thanks Dad! It's so distracting. And that of course is the real issue. I'm easily distracted. I haven't written much lately. Life gets in the way. Then I begin to wonder if I have anything to offer. And so it goes on. So here we go. The writing begins again. I took this weeks prompt as a command. BEGIN! OK!! Anything you need to begin? Again? *cue music*

I've always hated goodbyes. As a child I would often cry when leaving grandparents, Family friends, Almost anyone. The loss we have had in recent years seems to make it even harder. Every goodbye is yet another loss. For the past 12 months I have shared leadership of a Salvation Army corps. Mike and Elizabeth were friends before, But there's something about ministering together that binds you. And as the months have gone on we have shared many things: Good coffee Prayer Laughter Coffee Ministry Hugs Successes Failures Coffee Cake Prayer Inspiration Life Love Tears Anger More laughs More tears More coffee. And you know when very different people just gel? And accept each other Learn from each other Love each other. Well that was us. And this morning we said 'farewell'. And tonight I am bereft. These two took a chance on me when doors were slamming in my face. They loved me back into leadership. They became my greatest cheer...

Five minute Friday. We write for 5 mins just for the love of writing. This week's prompt is Exhale. And.... Exhale Breathe. In Out In Out And I hadn't realised I was holding my breath. But that's what I do when life happens When I'm anxious Afraid Excited Joyful But breathing is good. Some might say vital...! And breath reminds us that life goes on With every breath we inhale newness Goodness All we need for this moment And this moment. And this. God brings life-giving breath Over and over. Creative life New life Love life

The sun shines today. The breeze is weak and leaves me wanting more. Birds chirrup in the trees And I wish I could see within the thick, leafy branches that protect them. Sport is on today. Men in black with whistles, Or white coats and wavy arms, Or in blazer with microphone Keep order. And I wish I could click my heels and be by the sea. Life happens today. Conversations and choices Food and drink Work and rest And I wish I could hand over the reins to someone else for a while. God is here today. In the breath that I breathe The words that I read The life that is mine And I wish..... I wish I could know.... "TRUST ME"

I've been quite quiet on the blog lately. You may have noticed. Equally you may not. It's not all about me after all. I had thought about posting something from the Archives. Until about 5 mins ago when I read "Your story: What silences you?" The truth is that my ongoing battle with depression, or the black dog as it's affectionately known, frequently silences me. Not because of brain fog Or lack of concentration Or other symptoms of depression. But more a sense of disappointment, devastation, maybe even shame, that I'm in that place once again. It's hard for me to accept that all the coping mechanisms I put in place: The walking The running The quiet times The trying to pace myself and not take on too much The CBT Have all failed me. Again. So here I am Signed off sick. Ordered to self-care While trying to silence the voice of the enemy that says I'm a failure. I'm letting people down. I'm in the wrong job. ...

I had a bit of an epiphany today. You know those moments when the penny drops? When things begin to make, if not complete sense, then at least a bit more sense than they did before. Over the past few weeks my depression has been causing me quite a lot of difficulty. My struggle with it has been well documented on this blog. In conversation this afternoon,  I was talking with a friend about a decision I was struggling to make. I joked about the inner voices that were telling me different options. As I told her what the strictest version of myself was telling me to do, I suddenly had this picture in my mind of me In full Salvation Army uniform Button-up collar And.... wait for it.... Bonnet! I know! In other words, it was a flash-back to the version of myself that existed 20 years ago. There is photographic evidence available on request... It was the me with a huge sense of 'duty'. The me that said yes to everything that was asked of me. The me that...

Gardening doesn't come naturally to me. I think I may have blogged about it before. A few years ago,  my friend who is a keen gardener, bought me some strawberry plants and a special strawberry planter  for my birthday. I hadn't been very well at the time and she knew that there was something about gardening that helps. I duly planted them  but didn't look after them very well so we ended up with about two strawberries in total. The planter has sat mocking me ever since. Until today when I filled it with fresh compost and planted the strawberry plants I'd bought at B & Q 3 weeks ago. And that was it. I was off! With my gardening gloves and my new compost and my lavender plant. Then me and my secateurs went to war on the brambles. Why on earth did God invent brambles? They wind, they choke, and they get everywhere. And by 'eck their thorns hurt! I have a camellia plant that my in-laws bought u...

Yes you read the title right. I haven't eaten chocolate since before the beginning of  Lent. I know! I'm as surprised as you. Especially as it was the very thing I swore I wouldn't do, the whole 'giving up' thing. I commenced my physical, emotional and spiritual de-cluttering on Ash Wednesday. And as the days passed and things were cleared away, I began to realise I hadn't eaten chocolate. Or drank diet coke/pepsi. And what was more surprising was, I didn't really miss them. Not at first anyway. As I was clearing away the stuff that crowds in on my life, it was putting the things I relied on in plain sight. When things go wrong, when difficulties arise, when life got tough I'd reach for the cans and the Cadbury's. Now don't misunderstand me; I know there are much worse things I could be reaching for. But as I attempt to lead a life in full reliance on God, I became aware that I needed to make God my chocolate, Prayer ...

I love going to the cinema. I don't really mind what film we see, as it's the experience I enjoy. The big screen. My coffee. Popcorn if the boys are with me. Or a few snacks if it's just Chris and I. I love films. And I have a range of films I see over and over... Mona Lisa Smile Chicago Apollo 13 The Illusionist A few years ago I saw, 'A Joyful Noise' Now, it's not the most original of story-lines. A church choir is influenced by two strong women... Enter Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton who battle it out for the 'proper worship style'. But the singing is fab! Gospel music at it's best. One of my favourite moments is when Queen Latifah sits at the piano and sings 'Fix me Jesus'. It moves me every time. After all, who wouldn't want to be fixed? Who wouldn't want their lives to be sorted, their problems solved and to live forever, good as new? Today is Good Friday. It's the day that Jesus takes my b...

"Are you winning?" The same question, every Sunday morning. For seven years. It came from a retired man, With a broad Lancashire accent, Who had lost his wife, And became a member of our congregation. He asked it with a twinkle in his eyes. There was I, Mum to two very young, very noisy, very lively boys. And wife to an equally noisy and lively husband. And my answer was always the same, "I'm getting there!" My answer would still be the same 12 years on. Though now I have another boy to add to the collection. Turns out it was buy two, get one free! And they're all still young, noisy and lively. And I'm still winning. Because I'm on the winning side. This season has been tough at times. Threats of relegation abound. And the enemy attacks at regular intervals. But I'm still winning. I'm on the winning side. As Jesus said In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world! BO...

A note to the Father Reasons why I love you No. 10,001 You take me on these journeys. You see me in my anger my sense of injustice, my muddledness, And you suggest we go for a walk. And I still feel cross, confused, questioning. And you don't say much. You just listen while I shout. And you let me cry. Then we sit in the silence And we listen to the birds And the wind in the trees And I cry some more. And gently you remind me of my tendency to want everything fixed before I give thanks. That because I want a solution to something, I fail to thank you for all the other stuff Like.... Coffee Marshmallow clouds Primroses The wind in my hair Light and shade on the ground The radio Birds dive-bombing into the water then using their feet like water-skis Green hedgerows And 'in everything give thanks' isn't another stick to beat ourselves with. Because Ann Voskamp is right, 'Eucharisteo (thankfulness)  does preced...

It's Friday. The day we write for 5 mins without stopping on a given prompt word. Today's word is: WRITER GO I am a writer. There you go, I've said it out loud. No false humility. Just facts. I write, and people read what I write. I guess this makes me a writer. Today I have decided to write truth. This was my week: I have known delight at new beginnings. Messy church was fab. All generations working together to share the joy of Easter was heart-warming. Costa is a great place to chat to stressed Mums with toddlers. I have laughed. Prayed. Sneezed and coughed. A lot! (Sahara dust) I have struggled at times this week to believe in a good God who has our best interests at heart. I made the choice to do so anyway. I ate lots of shortbread yesterday. These two things are probably related. I have got angry, really angry inside. Thankfully, it came out as tears. Lots and lots of tears. Tears are good. They are healing. Here is truth ...

I used to use the story of a potato as a sermon illustration. It was about a man asking God for some sense of meaning in his life. He thought and prayed about it Until one day he was in the kitchen, And he heard God say "What have you got in your hands?" He looked down And there in his hand was a potato. His first thoughts were quite limited. What can I do with a potato? Chipped Boiled Mashed Roast Saute Then Potato printing Stain removal Peelings in the garden And so he went on Until, legend has it he wrote a book entitled '101 uses of a potato.' The beauty of sermon illustrations is we never let the whole truth get in the way of a good story... Of course we would never wilfully lie... However: Lent has been a bit like that for me so far. You may remember a decision I made on Shrove Tuesday, that every day of Lent I would de-clutter something Physically Emotionally or Spiritually. You can read about it here http://karensan...

Well that was an interesting week! Last week you may recall I decided to spend Lent de-cluttering Physically Emotionally Spiritually. If you missed it, you can read about it here http://karensandford.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/taking-up-not-giving-up-for-lent.html I have been reading thinking praying. Walking running playing. I've taken warm baths; mooched by the sea; and spent 5 hours de-cluttering... wait for it... 1 corner! ONE CORNER! Anyway. I have also worked during that time And been involved in ministry of one kind or another. And on the whole it's been a good week. I've heard God. And enjoyed spending time with him. On Wednesdays I do Parent & Toddlers. After crawling through traffic at some ungodly hour, then dropping Chris at the station; I was on my way to the hall this morning when I realised I couldn't do it. I had nothing to offer. Nothing to give. Nothing. We have a good team for Parent & Tots at P...

How many pancakes have you had? I only cooked about 20 this year But I had one boy less at home And no competition to see who could eat the most. Tomorrow, I'm sure you know is the start of Lent. I've seen plenty of statusses telling the world what they're giving up. But you know I'm not sure that's what's required... Is God glorified by us not eating chocolate? Or whatever? And isn't it something between us and God anyway? Yesterday during my few hours retreat I was encouraged to think about taking something up for Lent. Last year I embarked on 40 days of feasting. You can read about it in my archive should you so desire... But the thing I keep coming back to is the idea of decluttering. Those of you who know me well, will know I'm not the most ordered of people. And some parts of our house are full of clutter. But I also think my life might benefit from a bit of a declutter too. So here's the deal. Every day during Lent I...

I went to my home church today. The Salvation Army world can be a very small one at times, And oddly my son's girlfriend Megan, and her family attend the church Chris and I left in 1991 to train for full-time ministry within The Salvation Army. Soooo Today we went to witness Megan committing her life to God as a member of The Salvation Army. I sat in the congregation and looked around me. There were so many there who had impacted my life: The man who taught me to play trombone The woman who had invested a lot of time in me as a teenager, then as a young married woman. There were the couple who had made us part of their family life. We looked after their three boys, Never thinking that one day we'd have three boys of our own. There were people who had encouraged me, Laughed with me, Hugged me, Prayed with me, Cried with me. Then there were my peers, and those who I'd taught in Sunday School. Youth that had spent time at our house Laughing, Cryi...

I remembered today, the person that first encouraged me to blog. When I reminded her she made me laugh, as she'd forgotten. Not that there's any reason she should remember, Except... One throw-away encouragement from her has literally changed my life. I didn't know if I could Or should write. But her telling me to give it a go proved to be the push I needed. And here I am 97 posts later! We never know where our words will lead. So go on! Make that call, Send that text, Have that chat. It may seem inconsequential or insignificant to you. But your investment in that person could change their lives forever. Really. Nothing is ever wasted. The time and energy we spend on people may not bring about the result we'd hoped for. But we never know the impact we have. So To quote the Nike swoosh Just do it!

Last Friday's prompt word was WRITE. When I was preaching yesterday's sermon, I realised I'd written a poem as part of it. It's based on John 1 And as it's the first poem I've written for as long as I can remember, Here it is as my Five Minute Friday post. In the beginning, God. Right here and now, God. Creating everything. Every person, Every life, You. Me. Every circumstance, Every conversation created by Him. Nothing without Him. In Him is life. All life. My life. Your life. Everything. Him. That life brings light. And I know the darkness too well. It walks the road beside me. So bring me to the Light. Let me see the Light. Let me walk in the light. Let me feel the light. And that light? The light shines in the darkness. And the darkness? Oh, the darkness... It can never put it out. Has not understood it. Can never extinguish it. Has never overcome, overpowered, comprehended, absorbed or appropriated...

Five Minute Friday. The day we write for five minutes on a given word. This week's word is HERO. GO My Dad was a Hero. No, he really was. His training session at The Salvation Army college was called 'Heroes of the Faith'. What a title! What a challenge! What a legacy! I met with colleagues this week for a time of worship. We gave thanks for the life of our regional leader who died suddenly from a heart attack last Thurs. We sang our songs We prayed our prayers We told our stories of Peter. We talked about his caring nature His sense of humour His ability to get angry graciously His integrity His love for God His wife His family His people We laughed We cried We gave thanks for this man of God Taken from us at a time we wouldn't have chosen, had we been given the choice. A man of God A man of faith A hero.

Today has been given the name Blue Monday. But it will be forever known as Blooming Monday around these parts. Today I have come clean to some of my closest friends that the depression that comes again and again in my life is lurking like a dementor at the moment, And has been for about six weeks. I hadn't told them because you can say what you like Until you're blue in the face Every time it comes again I feel I've failed That their high-maintenance friend needs them Again And I wouldn't blame them if they'd had enough. Lord knows, I have. But I want to tell you a few things about this Blooming Monday. No it's not been the best of days. Yes things have gone wrong Quite a few actually. But I'm sat writing Wrapped in TWO prayer shawls That friends lovingly created And prayed into for me And I'm remembering that today... I've seen the sea And heard the waves And eaten jam doughnuts And been given beautiful flowers by t...

You matter. Really and truly. Every day of your life. From the moment you wake up whether it's with a "Good Morning God." Or a "O God, is it really morning?" You matter. So if life is really hard at the moment And you're wondering if it's worth it... Or you're literally bouncing around Full of the joys.... If someone has said something to you that has cut deeper than a flesh wound, Or you did something with the best of intentions, and have been misunderstood... If 'life's a bitch and then you die' is truly where you're at, Please STOP And breathe And remember That you are loved. Look around you for your 'cloud of witnesses' who will cheer you on, or pause with you in the race while you rest and catch your breath. Be encouraged. God loves you above and beyond anything. Truly. If you're reading this, then chances are you've been one of my cheerleaders in the past. I'd like to ...

I had my Officer Development Review/Appraisal today. There's nothing like a spot of navel-gazing on a Monday morning! It was my first since 2008 for many reasons. It made me realise how fortunate I am to have people in my life who have loved, supported, and helped me through these past years. Some have been there all along. You'll know who you are when you read this. There are not enough words to express how I feel about you, My forever friends. Others, God has brought back in to my life after a long absence. It brought discomfort at first as I came face to face with the past. But we hung in there. Your contribution to my life is immeasurable. Others are 'virtual friends' So-called because we have never met Yet you have brought such blessing And challenge And solace to me that it feels as if we grew up together. And as I have been saddened at the loss of some friends (See previous blog posts) So I am grateful for those who have come in...

"Earth is crammed with heaven And every common bush afire with God But only he who sees Takes off his shoes. The rest sit around picking blackberries." Elizabeth Barrett Browning Lord help me to see today. To see you in the world around me. To see the truth in the eyes masked by a smile. To see those who are bowed beneath their load. To see the meaning behind the words in a text And the pain lurking in a Facebook status. To see the doorways I need to walk through And the doors I need to close, because what is behind them is not for me. Help me to see, truly see, with your eyes. Help me to see you more clearly Love you more dearly Follow you more nearly Day By day By day Amen

I have a free day today. Ish... I had a frantic P.E.kit-needing phone call at 08.04am But still... For now The candles are lit. Jesus is here. And I'm still. And my mind feels like the inside of an old-fashioned printing press. The cogs are moving The wheels are turning And I imagine bells And whistles And probably steam. And how do I get rid of that? How do I call a halt when the workings of my mind feel physical? When it feels like hard, hard work to calm it? When being still is not just physical but emotional and mental? We went for a walk yesterday me and my man. And we had one of our 'prayer-moments' as we walked. I prayed as the wind was howling And battering us Almost lifting us off our feet. And as I prayed for peace and calm in our family life, the song started. The one in my heart that had spoken volumes to me when I had no idea of how strong storms could be And no inkling of life as I knew it being snatched away. "St...

"Outside. Now" Is it only on Eastenders that people actually say that? I can't imagine wanting to invite people to come outside and inflict pain on me. But fight? I know it well. We are companions on the road. Along with battle And struggle. Maybe that's just the way life is? I know Jesus never promised it would be easy. In fact he warned of the the opposite. But with the warning came the promise "I've won!!" So at the start of this year I'm ready..... ish. We're in this together He and I. We're fighting for joy And love And peace of heart and mind. We're fighting against things that threaten to floor me. And the really good news? "I will fight for you. All you have to do is be still" Exodus 14:14 Ssssh!!! Oh (I'm whispering....) And Happy New Year!