Ruth's Blog

Hope slippery when wet...

2012-01-31T12:25:00.002Z

I don’t know about you but for me hope can be a slippery little sucker… Life is so fluid and so many things can colour our perspective. Part of the slipperiness of hope is down to our human-ness. We’re influenced by upbringing, life experience, chemical activity in our brains and all the rest..! So hope can slip out of our grasp. God's been teaching me this slippery hope is child like and His goal for us is grown up hope. Grown up hope isn't affected by life experience. You see as we all go through life we ‘share reality’ but it is simply one aspect of reality. There's a whole other dimension, of which our consciousness experience both individually and corporately is only a tiny part. Eternal reality which is outside of time is spiritual reality.

When we place our hope in something turning out the way we'd 'hopped' the fulfillment will always be temporary but in the eternal truth of Heaven hope is fixed and certain. The hope that Jesus loves us, is good and has a plan to bring us safely home no matter what dumb things we do in this mortal bit of our reality is fixed and certain...

Honey bun can I encourage you today if you feel hopeless - humble yourself before the Holy Spirit and ask Him to give you a non slip hope that no circumstance can steal away... I can testify to the graciousness of God to me in those times when I felt utterly hopeless but carried on just doing the next right thing God brought good from it. Perhaps on the other side of Heaven we'll understand that victories were won in those moments when despite hopelessness we stayed at our post and refused to let our eternal hope slip...

Love Ruth x

Little By Little

2012-01-23T20:40:00.000Z

I love that my heavenly Father knows what I can handle. We all have aspects of who we are that are a bit ugly (let's be real here) and these bits have got to go if we're going to get life on the inside of who we are (our spirit). But here's what's great. God takes a lifetime to facilitate this refining process of being changed from glory to glory. If he did it in one moment, it would probably kill us... But no, in His loving wisdom he allows it to happen little by little. A little hurt is forgiven, a little self-indulgence gets denied, a little attitude gets straightened out - until one day he calls us home into His arms of love. Dead to our flesh but totally alive in our spirit. So don't get frustrated if you don't see change happening quickly; quality takes time. And you, Girlfriend, you are quality.

Love, Ruth x

Don't put up with it...

2011-03-28T10:52:00.002+01:00

For years I lived with chronic pain and popped paracetamol like smarties (not a good idea). I kind of thought the problem might go away or I was just being a big girls blouse and it was all in my head... And the paracetamol took the edge off enough to allow me to carry on as normal. So I put up with this for a number of years till the pain became constant and I was forced to see my doctor. After some surgery I am now pain free completely and wonder why I put up with it for so long!

Do you know we can put up with many different types of spiritual pain in our lives too. Perhaps you are unfulfilled or putting up with a circumstance in your life which you know is not God glorifying. Precious sister I didn't much enjoy the surgery at the time but I feel so much better now that I wish I dealt it sooner.

Is there something holding you back that deep down you know you really need to deal with? Beloved of the Lord...This is your day make a plan and don't be held back any longer

Love Ruth x

Ordinariness the greatest thing that I posess!

2011-03-21T09:51:00.004Z

Most of the time we walk out this thing called salvation in a very ordinary way. We still have to eat, sleep, love, cry, laugh and yes work through those thorny issues of life within the very ordinary worlds we inhabit. I wonder which is the main frame picture of you world today? Are you a wee mummy up to your eyes in split yogurt and longing for undisturbed sleep, or perhaps you are a student feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work and lack of money. Maybe you are missing someone terribly or feeling trapped in circumstance. Or perhaps you're just plain bored...? Yup..! Life is pretty ordinary most of the time. But I want to encourage you today, Jesus didn't hang out with the 'beautiful people' or the especially gifted. Nope He hung out with people like me and you... very ordinary people. Even when Jesus did miracles they were performed in very ordinary situations.

Perhaps we need to embrace the ordinariness of life to the best of our ability, knowing it is in the middle of ordinary people and circumstance that Our extra ordinary God is most glorified.

love Ruth x

Duvet Days ROCK...!

2011-03-14T10:11:00.002Z

When was the last time you stayed in your Jammies just for the fun of it? It's good to take a duvet day once in a while and snuggle up in a comfy place. God created snuggling did you know that? He tells us that we can snuggle under His mighty wings and be still and know that He loves us and He is Lord in all circumstances.

God delights in you, He longs to spend time with you, to sing love songs over you and refresh your spirit. Could you do with any of the above?

Perhaps a duvet day might do you a power of good, why not schedule one in as a gift to yourself this month.

Love Ruth x

Spring has sprung...

2011-03-07T10:06:00.002Z

Winter isn't associated with life much is it?... But we know during winter plants are getting the rest they need and nourishment deep in the unseen area of their roots. Just like nature we can go through winter seasons in this journey called life too...I don't know about you but I like to hibernate when the atmosphere feels cold or the environment hostile - Psalm 57 v 1 says, " Be merciful to me O God have mercy on me, for in you my soul take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the present calamities have passed by". Perhaps you've been in a winter place and aren't seeing much growth... but even when you can't see growth the fact is there is life below the surface.

Today in Norfolk the sun is out, the birds are singing, daffodils are opening and it really feels like spring has sprung! If you've been in a winter season know your fruit will come at the right time, relax and allow God to nourish you in the hidden place so that when the times right you burst forth and give Him glory...

love Ruth x

press through

2011-02-28T12:59:00.002Z

'Yes again and again and again and again, I'll press through and praise your name'

This is the first line of a song I wrote and I was reminded of it this week. At times praise is quite simply has to be a decision, a choice rather than a feeling. As I write this my precious little sister has cancer and is walking through the shadow of the valley, the last thing I feel like doing is praising God. But here's the thing I have a need to praise Him because He inhabits the praises of His people and I need Him close to me in the pain of suffering.

When we praise God in the midst of awfulness we're reminded of the eternal dynamic of our world. God is good, He is love, He is ALWAYS in control and He is closest to us when we least realize it. If you're struggling to praise, stick on a c.d. or read some words of life (the bible) and know precious child Jesus care very much, He hears you and He is with you...

big hugs Ruth x

Chillax

2011-02-21T10:59:00.002Z

Flip can't life be busy? I find that life can have periods which are so hectic that I just feel overwhelmed... how about you? When I'm bombarded with an ever increasing to do list (as we all are from time to time) I try and take evasive action... I've set out some things which help me...

1. Get alone - breathe - think -pray
2. Prioritize -it's better to take 10mins thinking things through
3. Plan - what's needs doing today and can it be delegated?
4. List it - get on with it

Have you any helpful strategies for getting on top of life? - please let us know by posting a comment below...

Love Ruth x

Know you're worth

2011-02-08T11:04:00.002Z

What gives something it's value? If you're house was on fire what would you take? A person, a picture perhaps some family heir loom? The things that we value are unique to us and hold significance to our personal world... What we sacrifice ourselves for is what we value. When we value something we treat it it with respect and perhaps give it a special place in our lives. Are you valuing yourself today? Do you treat yourself with respect? Are you gracious to yourself when you get it wrong? Do you take care of yourself?

Princess you are by far the most precious thing in this world to your Heavenly Dad, He paid the ultimate sacrifice for you, His Son, He values you, He respects you and He has a special place just for you in eternity. Girlfriend you are priceless!

Know you worth today - Jesus does!

Love Ruth
(the above concept is taken from 'shine' @ Hillsongs Australia)

Busy busy busy...!

2011-02-02T10:21:00.003Z

I must do, I should do, when I finish such and such I'll get round to it... do any of these sound familiar? Life can be so full of 'stuff' that we end up addressing the things which scream the loudest for our attention, yet those things which we really want to do can get left undone. I'm setting myself some goals for this year because I can see there's a very real danger of loosing focus and purpose if I don't take some control. I want to make pro active choices in my life rather than reacting to what it throws up. How about you? What do you need to set down or take up in order to limit the business of life?

Love Ruth x

When Hope isn't enough

2010-11-30T10:58:00.003Z

Disappointment is part of life... There are time we can find our hope of things unseen and all that Jazz a bit battered by life storms. Weariness can set in and it can feel like - actually NO faith of things unseen is simply not enough... As I was grappling through this with the Lord He said "don't worry about the hope thing, I know that damaged in you right now but allow me to give you the remedy for broken hope".

May I share with you God's remedy for crushed dreams and broken hope...? TRUTH - You see truth doesn't leave any room for doubt. Truth pushes all the warped perspective back into it's proper place. Truth reminds you that no matter how hopeless things seem, no matter unjust the circumstance, no matter what the doctor's say we have a God who has overcome the world. We are cherished and chosen, where the world seeks to make you just a number God gives you a face. Where situations are beyond your control God reminds us He is in control of all things. If you're struggling to hope go and get some truth back into your spiritual diet and be encouraged Babe!

Love Ruth x

Big God small problems!

2010-10-20T15:51:00.003+01:00

Have you ever felt like the 'stuff' you're going through is just too big, like it's is just too much for any one person to handle? I struggle at times to trust God (let's be real here we all do sometimes) but God is big enough to encompass and deal with my doubt. He's big enough to overlook all the lesser things which charm my soul, He's big enough to wait till my strength runs out and I look to Him. God is bigger than any debt, than any diagnosis, than any injustice or any disappointment. God is bigger than life itself, He's the creator of life... beloved, God is simply bigger. I don't know about you but I need a big God.... When life falls apart I need someone... the one, who can put it back together - Jesus Christ. There's a dear old man at my church called Bert who always says, 'When we have a big God we have small problems'! What's overwhelming you today? Be encouraged... Know God is bigger than what you're facing, He is good, He loves you and is waiting for you to talk to Him about it...

love Ruth x

Summer Holiday?

2010-09-24T09:41:00.001+01:00

I Think, I Though, I'd Thunk!

2010-07-02T09:24:00.004+01:00

It's easy to go along on automatic unaware of 90% of life... Particularity when we're tired... we budget our cognitive resources so that our brains don't explode from all the information they have to process. This makes it easy to miss the obvious! Beloved God wants us to use our noggins and THINK! But how are we to think and what's good to think about? well, it says in...

Phil 4-8 Whatever things are

1. True - honest, genuine, faithful truth
2. Noble - magnanimous, honorable, excellent
3. Just - Fair, reasonable,unbiased, deserved
4. Pure - clear, chaste, clean,untainted
5. Lovely - charming, agreeable pleasing agreeable
6. Good report - worthwhile, recommend, admirable
7. Virtuous - moral, ethical, upright, good
8. Praiseworthy - approved, laudable, acclaimed.

Think on these things...

What do you spend your time thinking about? When I loose my peace I find it really helpful to go back to this verse and speak to my spirit and choose to think about these things, positive things... rather than the stresses and strains which can so easily sap our psychological/emotional/physical and spiritual strength. Read the above again and while you do pray God would make each one real to you in this day.

Love Ruth x

(the above idea was inspired by 'Power of The Praying Woman' by Stormie Omartin)

Release your sweet self!

2010-06-22T10:01:00.003+01:00

I got up this morning and had me an ugly! I just felt narky for no very good reason.... nothing had changed in my world all was well but I stank on the inside of who I was.... not good eh? I was actually relieved when the kids went to school and I could get some alone time to thrash things out with God.

As I meditated I realized my thoughts that morning were all pretty negative and I'd allowed na actually enjoyed a few of them. You see, when we allow guff to reside on our inside we very quickly start to stink...which is exactly what satan wants...cause when we're smelly and our minds are filled with junk we're ineffective and depleted in power. I love that the Holy Spirit is so gracious in highlighting such stuff in my world so I don't carry it for too long.PHEW! If you're having an ugly... ask the holy Spirit to help you release you sweet self...because the truth is God made you to be sweet...

2 Cor 2 v 14 Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him".

The Nearness of You!

2010-06-07T11:24:00.005+01:00

No matter how life seems God is with you and He loves you so very much... But that can be hard to believe when you don't feel it? I was thinking about the nearness of God the other day and remembered something I studied about perception in psychology.... There's a process involved between unconscious awareness and conscious awareness... I think sometimes God very near but our perception of Him is limited by our humanness.... you see there is a time frame between processing information at an unconscious level until we become fully aware of whatever the external stimuli is. In our humanness we may not realize He is near already... it takes us time to process His presence until we're actually conscious of it...

If you feel God is far away today... be still and know that He is God, He is near, He loves you.... being open to the fact it may just take a wee bit of time for what you know to become what you feel.

Enjoy Yourself ..!

2010-06-06T11:22:00.002+01:00

Do you remember that song... I've been struck recently by the amount of stuff I genuinely want to do but don't because I procrastinate... It's easy to get bogged down and wade through the day only to fall into bed at the end of it.(anybody feelin me here?)Beloved God did not create us to eek out an existence to shuffle along and just get through life. He created us to enjoy His creation and each other... so... as the bar man said to the horse why the long face...? Why are so many of us on a treadmill of life doing the same old same old?

When was the last time you peed your pants cause you laughed so hard?

Today is your day you'll never have it back... Choose to build some fun into your world... Ask yourself what's fun for me then do it this week. OR try something new that'll take you out of your comfort zone... you'll be glad you did...

Go on enjoy yourself to the glory of God the devil can't stand it!

Love Ruth x

2010-04-13T12:37:00.003+01:00

The sun is shining the birds are in the trees and all feels right with the world.... Don't you just love the Zippity Do Da days... It's good to enjoy your life did you know that? In fact it's God desire to bless us... One prerequisite to enjoying life is watching what comes out of your mouth (see 1Peter 3:10) a friend shared this little word of wisdom with me recently I hope it blesses... love Ruth x

Watch your thoughts ~ they become your words
Watch your words ~ they become your actions
Watch your actions ~ they become your habits
Watch your habits ~ they become your character
Watch your character ~ it becomes your destiny

You Matter!

2010-03-12T16:15:00.004Z

Well... here it is, the first blog on the website... gosh what to write... well I guess the cry of my heart is to tell you people matter - you matter. There's a person who cares about you very much and who wants to be involved for good in your life. His name is Jesus and He loves you... just as you are ~ Know this day you are totally loved, you totally matter and He's waiting to show you...

love Ruth x