Hope For Today

Dear Friends, If you would prefer to listen to this devotional then please click  here Today I want to focus on the account of Mary anointing Jesus' feet which can be found in John 12:1-8 , Matthew 26:6-13 , and Mark 14:3-9 . Below is my creative re-telling of this event which I have based on the accounts found in the gospels: and other events in the life of Mary. I tell it from Mary's perspective. It might help you to look at her story with fresh eyes. God may have something new he wants to say to you, or he may want to remind you of something. (You may like to imagine yourself as Mary or as one of the other dinner guests.) I've experienced such a range of emotions lately as there's been some real high and low points in my life. It wasn't that long ago that my brother, Lazarus, became sick. He was so ill in fact that my sister, Martha, and I sent for Jesus to come. We waited and waited but he didn't show up and Lazarus died. If you've lost s...

Dear Friends, I was so blessed to be brought up by Christian parents who taught and modelled the value of having a quiet time with God. I must admit, in my younger years I didn't always enjoy having a quiet time, but as my faith and relationship with God grew closer, the more important these times became to me. Because I've learned the value of being alone with God on a regular basis, I don't usually find it too difficult to find the time. Over the years it's became as much a habit to me, as it is to have my morning breakfast. Just as important for me as when I have this time with God is where I spend it. I can't concentrate on him if there are others around me because I find my focus shifts from him to them and I'm not giving God my full attention. I need my sacred space where I can be completely alone with God.  Moses' sacred space was in the middle of the desert: When the  Lord  saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from...

Dear Friends, Where does the time go?  Have you ever found yourself saying that?  I'm sure most of you have said that on more than one occasion.  I had planned a relaxing week when I was home alone whilst Jason and our kids were away at camp.  I knew that if I was going to feel at my best so that I could really enjoy my holiday with my family, I needed to be careful the week prior to our holiday (the week they were all at camp). But before I knew it the first day had gone by and I was on to my second day, and frankly I wasn't feeling particularly relaxed!  Instead of relaxing I kept noticing things that I thought needed to be done, such as hoovering, or changing the sheets on the children's beds, or giving the living room an intense dust and polish.  I know if Jason were here he would have told me not to bother, but he wasn't and so there was no-one to stop me.  I do tend to put pressure on myself to do things that aren't always necessar...