Today we thank God for Mo.

Many will have heard that our very precious sister Mo Edmonds went to be in the immediate presence of The Lord Jesus Christ. Today, we thank God for Mo and her impact on so many as a channel of His grace.  Whether on a mission team in Ukraine or Africa, a friend in the powerhouse that was the ladies' fellowship, or simply a friend who was helped, you will feel the deep loss.

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, 

as good stewards of God’s varied grace"

The Lord transformed and used Mo as a fruitful manifold channel of his manifold grace. Fruitful Christians are channels of grace; this is what it is about. Good sheep who know "The Shepherd" love people, whatever their situation. Mo was unassuming, so approachable, and genuine. She so easily became a deeply appreciated, loved and close friend. For my family and me, she was a great gift of encouragement in a tough season. She encouraged us to serve; she loved both the wider family of God and us with genuine compassion from God. Never underestimate the eternal value of such. 

In Mo's case, the impact was both local and international, missional and pastoral. There are those in Ukraine (South and North, young and old) and Africa, residential care, down the shops, in the day centre, and many other places who have been changed by Mo's friendship, fellowship and walk with Jesus. True Christian service doesn't look for a title, but looks for hurting sheep and commits to them, praying for their dependence on Christ. True Christian service does not look for an excuse ("I am more than 70 and a bit", "I have had cancer", "I have health issues"), but looks to God, who can do immeasurably more than we can think or imagine. Mo did everything without pretence.  What God calls us to, He equips us for. 

Please do pray for Den and the family, Laura, Sally and Blaze. As they remember God's goodness through Mo, may they also know the help of His presence in both profound loss and comfort. To be with Him is far better. God is good all the time, and so we look to Him as we thank Him for His goodness. 

Pray also for church communities who witness and love in the name of Christ without their buildings.

 Today, a Baptist church in Zaporizhzhia was intentionally destroyed. Pray for the family who grieve the tragic loss a loved one, and for the church community as they continue to share the message of hope in Christ. Since '22 this fellowship and building have been used by God in humanitarian aid, a hub to help many to safety, having already lost so much. 

Having no respect for God and human life goes together. 

1 Peter 1:25. When destruction is the modus operandi of the "presidentially powerful", it is important we meditate on the ultimate governing eternal, unchanging reality...that some things will never be destroyed.

Pray for friends in Odesa and Kyiv after overnight attacks.

 Article here: 

Time well spent. Living in the goodness of God.

  In a world so full of disappointment, broken promises, instability, "wars and rumours of wars", time spent in the Holy presence of God is the answer and corrective we are in need of. His presence is not only the place of certain joy, clarified purpose, peace and focus, but it is the place we are made to live in, the essence of life itself. 

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; 

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

 Psalm 16:11 

All political leaders disappoint. We live in a season when this is exceptionally true on the largest stage. We watch the news, hoping for an upturn in hope, a new figure or policy to inject some sustained stability, only to find that each hope raised is soon punctured into deflation, further mess, broken promises and a trajectory of despair. In a world so full of chaos, it is too easy for our minds, hearts, and conversations to be taken up with earthbound things. (Col 3;2) 

There is one who never disappoints. 

Psalm 96:9 reminds us to "worship the Lord in the splendour of His Holiness". Our focus is important. The same directional instruction is given in the tone of The Lord Jesus at his meal, when he says, "do this in remembrance of me". We can focus on so many immediate things: our own sin and failure, our broken world,  the failures of world leaders who have so much power but so little compassion, the persecution towards the faithful church, the lack of resources for those who have so much gospel opportunity to the unreached...yet our constant focus and return is to be fixed on Him. He is the eternal constant. All the other observances fit in under our gaze of our God, who has never made a mistake. All world events and even those intended as "private" or "hidden" should be seen in the context of the God whose way and gaze is only Holy, whose Saviour has paid for complete redemption, through complete obedience and spotless fulfilment. 

His Holiness Addresses Our Dispondency ...Because He Does What He Says. 

Easter puts everything into perspective, especially relationally.

 I feel like any of my stumbling expressions are entirely inadequate for all the ramifications of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is Holy ground. For the follower of Jesus, this is the zenith.  Easter addresses all our cosmos, all our past, all our discouragements, fears, traumas, grief and manifold emotions of a broken world. 

On Good Friday and throughout the Easter weekend, it was so good to be with our home fellowship and so many trusted church family in loving and relational celebration.  I was profoundly struck in a fresh way by the relational events surrounding the cross and the public interactional dimensions of it. I wondered if sometimes we miss something of this,  as careful as we are as thought-out, doctrinally protective Evangelicals, we are quick to jump to our theological framework, we have our own well-trod liturgy, songs, path and routine. Our minds have open gates to a neurological palace of many details, well-sequenced paths harmonised by gospel accounts. The older our walk with God, the more to recall and process, but there is something greater than handled detail or recalled knowledge,  an instinct of greater weight and shock significance... HE LOVES US. 

Here, at the foot of the cross, and staring into an empty tomb,  there is nothing of the ordinary or usual and everything of the extraordinary. The greatest of it all we glean is His love for you and me. Such is the extravagance, compassion, magnitude and depth of it, we will never have a "handle" on it.  Nothing should hit us harder or rock us back on our heels more to assess our lives, identity and very existence with urgency than the fact that He comes and dies, perseveres, communicates, obeys, persistently pours himself out and completes the work... in love for us.