Hope For Today

Dear Friends, When I was in my twenties I would have described myself as a "good" Christian girl - I regularly attended church, this included going twice on Sundays, went to Prayer Meetings and mid-week Bible Studies.  I also served at church in various ways, agreeing to do some things which were not even my calling, but doing them from a sense of duty. Without realising it, my Christian life was more about the law (rules) and less about the grace of God.  Although I was not fully aware of it, I was very judgemental and critical towards my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  I expected a high standard from them (the same standard I had set for myself) and expected them to live as I did.  I know now that I had a heart like a Pharisee (a religious leader from the time of Jesus). So what changed me?  God, in his grace and mercy, changed me.  He did this through my long-...

Dear Friends, I was having a rough morning, battling a migraine and the depression, when my sister rang up for a chat.  Not living locally to each other but being close as sisters we like to keep in regular contact via the telephone and share what's been happening in our respective lives.  We have a great relationship with each other, always have had despite the usual sibling arguments growing up together.  We tell each other pretty much everything, so apart from our husbands, we are the ones who know each other the best. She asked me how I was with my health at the moment and it didn't take long for me to burst into tears.  Now, at this point she could have said to me, "I'll ring you later, bye for now", or "Pull yourself together" as some might do.  Instead she said "You have a good cry."  Her words showed me she cared, that she knows how releasing crying can be and that tears can bring healing.  Crying is an important part of releasing...