The Voice Within

that the two best inventions ever are : the pocket and the hot water bottle...thought of the first as I was ironing a shirt...am grateful it has pockets. Thought of the second as its winter :)

"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning." Hosea 6:3 View of the work of my infinitely creative God from my room in Higashi Osaka Shi (2009)

The sun is shining I can hear the gurgle of water fountains That adorn this motley landscape Where wilderness and trimmed hedges are neighbours I am here to drink From a deeper fountain The leaves are lush in the trees Sweet September With not a hint of autumn Regent's park. Meeting with regency, royalty ie the King of Kings and Lord of LORDS

Hungry I come to You for I know You satisfy I am empty but l know Your love does not run dry So I wait for You So I wait for You I'm falling on my knees Offering all of me Jesus You're all this heart is living for Broken I run to You for Your arms are open wide I am weary but I know Your touch restores my life So I wait for You So I wait for You (the poster on the left was made by Natalie during the Megacities London outreach) 

"We dream of Christ's love for His bride reading like Romeo and Juliet ; two equals enflamed in liberal love. I think its more like Lucentio's pursuit of Bianca in Taming of the Shrew . That is, the groom endearing the belligerent bride with kindness, patience, and love. " pg 86 "I was in a lot of pain from the hike, so I was in no mood to mess around. There was no trying to impress Him, no speaking the right words. I simply began to pray and talk to God the way a child might talk to his father....Beneath the billion starts and beside the river, I called out to God, softly. 'Hello?' " pg 99 "I will love God because he first loved me. I will obey God because I love God. But if  I cannot accept God's love, I cannot love Him in return, and I cannot obey Him. Self discipline will never make us feel righteous or clean; accepting God's love will. ...accepting God's kindness and free love is something the devil does not want us to do.

I am reflecting on this verse : John 15:2  photo courtesy-oak wise design He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

Jesus, You’ve replaced my sky Yesterday, my roots strained to go deep First they stirred vaguely as though in paradoxical sleep Then they spread wide and spread thin But today, I am strengthened from within, And will stand not on sand But in the LORD’s land Limbs stretched in a cry to my creator:   LORD let your blood drip over these pests that infest The core of my soul Establish me by streams of living water Transplant me into thy dwelling quarter Yesterday, I was bent beneath the rage of seasons changing, the moon waning But today I am waiting For eternal spring to sing Praises to the King who is coming And even as I wait, I am Nourished, fed, satisfied by He who in me abides Entrenched in the soil of his love, Wooed to fix my thoughts on things above The old is gone the new has come You’ve replaced my sky =)

Fan vaulting like fingers spread out Holding up this space of worship Stained glass Trap stories in solid liquid A place of bells and beauty chiming Betwixt tourists and royal priesthood Did they pause to admire The building or The Builder of all? 

The godly are like Meadows of flowers yellow Sunkissed and aglow

Great Dover street on a snowy day Even in the repeating hours rayless I have all I need Event in the desolate hours doubt-filled I have all I need LORD, you are beside me In the tear dropped streets, And the mouldy retreats Reached with tired feet LORD, you are all I need So, on your word I feed By your truth, my heart please lead This frozen cloud threatens to hover for long But I will look through it, beyond it, To a time of promises fulfilled For this cloud shall disappear In a rain of love from above But for the while that this winter blows My roots shall see deeper Sink to a place of refreshing waters Seasons may come and go Or refuse to change so But my Father is the same God of love abundant and mercy tender O Lord! let me hear the song you are singing over me this season And I will join in with your melody In a morning rhapsody "Weeping may tarry through the night, but joy comes in the morning" 

 A paper colour wheel Turning in the wind Bright in the sunshine An arresting sight Behind the bare trees Now gently swaying Now still Led by the breeze Not moving in its own strength Perhaps this is how You want me To be led by you And not turn on my own Jesus help me Be carried By the breath you breathe through me

  I love the study room in the Evangelical Alliance. Besides being a nice retreat from staring at a computer screen, it is filled with little treasures! I recently unearthed a CD of contemporary hymns titled - To the One God . The lilting melodies that accompany the theologically sound lyrics are such a joy to listen to! Furthermore, its got whistles, flutes, and saxophone sounds flowing in and out of the songs. https://www.essentialchristian.com/various-artists/music/to-the-one-god-12-contemporary-hymns

Photo courtesy:shutterstock "Prayer is not something to do but someone to talk to"    Floyd McClung

The song can be viewed here

Let the truth about corruption be unearthed by Asha Kurien Originally published on the Evangelical Alliance's website "The mining company being here hasn't benefited us at all. We hear them working day and night, but we don't know what comes out of our community; it is taken away. They're not accountable to us." These are the mournful words of Shego Tijan, the chief of Bonge village in Sierra Leone. Bauxite mining takes place around the clock in the outskirts of his village but he and his people are not recipients of its profit. They are but spectators of the lush forests around them being replaced by quarries. This is merely one of the many stories showing that the transactions of oil, gas and mining companies with developing countries are riddled with secrecy and corruption. The cost of corruption in Africa is projected to be $148 billion ever year, which accounts for a quarter of the continent's income. UK based charities Tearfund

Just got back home a few hours ago after a wonderful weekend  of worshiping God and praying and enjoying fellowship at Rano and Jayson's home in Tulse Hill where we sang this  beautiful song :  The bridge goes like this:   I come in empty, I leave filled Bring my sickness, I leave healed Broken-hearted, You mend every piece I come in captive, I leave free

a) Pastor Shi Enhao's release:new hope for Christians in China? b) Mayor of London hands £1.3 million to Girls Brigade and other charities to make London    safer c) Cameron honours Church Army Evangelist’s contribution to ‘Big Society ’ d) Bangladesh: Communicating the catastrophic impact of climate chage                                

"Turkish?" you may ask this chap Who dons a crimson cap But he would only twiggle his parsnip nose  Or stomp his snowy toes Or set his coal black eyes aglow To express a 'No!' For he was assembled in Bermondsey On a Sunday afternoon in February When 'Valentine' he was christened For it was to google's suggestion* that we listened.  ---------------------------------------- *we googled names of babies born in Feb, and Valentine came up as a search result. Highly amused, Jane and I were quick to name our snowman just that.

  Inspired by Revelations 22:20 , I weilded my brush again, albeit briefly. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”   Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 

Photo Courtesy: Renu Thomas