Good Morning?!!!?????

As part of my devotions this morning, I looked at the website called praying each day (www.prayingeachday.org/reflect.htmn) - the prayer for the whole of November is as below

" In busy days of noise and action - and especially when my journey seems long and my energy is spent -
lead me to be still, Lord, and discover anew that you are with me"

Shortly before reading that, I was finishing a letter, to a group of people who have promised to support me in prayer..... some of words in that letter being:

"I am struggling a bit, in terms of everything else really … being inspired to do the “everyday things” such as planning worship & preaching, leading meetings and being creative and would appreciate some pray as I work through all this  ...................I am tired all the time and looking forward to a week off in November including a long weekend near Chester"

I know that the first quote is an answer to the second - but it's not connecting in practice at the moment. I have a to -do list that involves some tough stuff for this coming week - including a funeral and thanksgiving service for a very dear, much loved woman at one of my churches - and at the moment really all I want to do is curl up and hibernate for a couple of months.

But I will cling on to God;s promises - for it is all I can do, and trust that he'll get me through it!  For as I read from psalm 22 this morning - "But you, LORD, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me"

Communion'ed out!

I was taking a service last week and was told that I have 2 voices when I preaching - a conversational one which is lovely to listen to (Apparently) and then a different voice when I'm reading liturgy (I hesitate to say liturgical voice!) which he says is monotonous and goes flat.

I'm not complaining about his comments, for he did it in a lovely contrustive way, but it has made me think. I think part of it comes from taking so many communion services - having taken 6 communion services in 7 days ... I feel a bit communioned out.... it's a hazard of the job, I guess - but a problem if other people notice it!

I am grateful for a couple of weeks now, where I have no communion service to take, to rest, reflect and pray that my creativeness and love for communion returns - maybe then the voice will be a bit enthusastic!!!

Archways

A small selection of many photpgraphs of Archways I have taken over the last couple of years - I don't know what it is about them that I find inspiring but I do. It's not any particular arch either - they can be natural or handmade, of trees, stone or even buildings.

Whatever it is that attacts me to them, one thing I do know is that they get me thinking about God - and my relationship with him. I hope that writing it down will help me to work out the rest!!!

trying it out!

Well I've finally given in and so will attempt to write a blog. I'm really not sure how's it gonna turn out or what I will write - but surely that's the fun of it!!!

What I do know is that I've been encouraged a lot to blog / journal .. and so here goes.............