This year I have been talking to God a lot about what it means to live the life he is calling me to. To truly be a disciple and love the one in front of me. To see the needs around me and not to run away but to play the part he is asking me to. In somethings I do this well but over the past week he has challenged me greatly over how I have insulated my heart against the poor. This post is both my confession of where I have fallen short but also my manifesto of where I am going now that my eyes have been opened anew! I hope you are encouraged, challenged and inspired as you read on.

I am reading The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne at the moment as I have been impacted by bits I hear about how he lives his life over the years and have booked to hear him speak in Manchester later this year. This book has challenged me greatly. This book is still challenging me greatly. I cannot continue to live my life the same way and I’m not even half way through the book! I heartily recommend that you read it.

So what has challenged me so much? Well, he talks about living as if everything Jesus said was true. Easily said but not so easily done because Jesus told the rich young ruler to go away and sell all he owned and give to the poor. He also said that in order to find our life we had to lose it and that the first would be last and the last would be first and we should love and pray for our enemies. If we are honest, and I’m trying to be, then these things can be easier to talk about than to do.

Now before we go any further, I want to make it very clear that I am on a journey here, I don’t have any answers but it is a journey I believe God is inviting me into and maybe he is inviting some of you too. It is a journey I am both excited and a little daunted to follow because I know it means being willing to lay down everything for Jesus, my possessions, my life, my will, all of me. I have told God for years that I want him to have complete possession of me but in this particular journey, right now, I feel that there is a reality coming to that statement that I have never known before. This is both exciting and a little daunting!

My repeated song at the moment is, ‘Holy Spirit, I surrender, I say yes to you. Whatever it looks like. Whatever it brings me. Wherever it takes me. Whatever it costs me. Holy Spirit, I surrender, I say yes to you.’ This is the cry of my heart and I believe that what is stirring in me is the answer to my cry for the more of God, for my life fully surrendered, fully yielded, of God taking total possession of me and my life’s breath being all for Jesus!

So how do I respond to Jesus’ words if I am going to take them all as completely true and that he meant them. Firstly, I need to care about the least of these. Now when I was working for my local church body and had lots of free time I went out every week and took sandwiches (and clean socks) to some of the guys and girls who were homeless. This gave me an opportunity to spend time with them and show them that they were worth more than their current life circumstances suggested.

When I started working full time I was too busy (in my mind) to do this and so I stopped. The problem is that in stopping I allowed my heart over time to become insulated to the needs of those I had loved well. I began to plan my walks into town via routes that meant I would see the fewest number of them. Thankfully God was on the case and through this book has challenged me and I have started again to take sandwiches and socks and to spend a little time.

My little contribution will not end the problem and I cannot meet all the need. I only take 4 lots of sandwiches and I can get rid of them within 200 yards on one street. However, I have realised what this does is keep my heart soft, keeps my heart caring and concerned for the needs of the least of these. Here I was thinking I was doing a good thing for them when actually it is me who needs this far more than they do.

Over coming weeks and months I think my life is going to change as I continue this journey to take Jesus at his words and believe that what he said he meant. I don’t really know what it will look like but I do know I will continue to take sandwiches and socks out as often as I can because I need my heart to be soft, I need my heart to be malleable if God is to receive his glory through my laid down life.

Watch this space if you are interested in seeing how this journey continues. As always I welcome your thoughts and comments. Be blessed.

In recent weeks I have seen an increase of social media posts about kindness, many of which are posted by people who, as far as I know, have no relationship with Jesus. I am so thankful that in a world that often speaks of looking after number 1 there is a push towards kindness. After all, the bible says that ‘the kindness of God leads to repentance’, Romans 2:4.

Today I had a practical example of a stranger’s kindness to me and it reminded me that I wanted to write this blog. I had gone for a walk with my housemate but when I tried to pay for our parking it would not accept my card, the man before me had had the same problem. The only issue was that I had no cash on me as I had only taken my phone! The man who was behind me told me that he would be ‘kind to a stranger’ and pay my ticket but before he could the man in front of me gave me the £3 I needed. Kindness indeed!

This was a very simple example of kindness but it made my day and it reminded me of the times that I have shown kindness and seen someone’s countenance change or been told by them that it has made their day. Kindness is a wonderful thing!

So, I try to live my life as Jesus’ love on legs (being his kindness to those around me) and I do this better some days than others but there are a few things that I have taken to doing to help make this a reality in every day life. The key, I believe, is seeing every person who I come across as worthy of my time and attention because they are made in the image of the God I love.

Now, I know we all have full lives but the thing is, I think kindness doesn’t have to take lots of time, though sometimes it may do. I think kindness looks like treating the person in front of us as an individual with their own inherent value, regardless of what they or others may think. This can take just moments but can truly change the direction of someone’s day.

For example, what do we do when we are stood in a queue at a supermarket? Do we moan and groan that it is taking too long or do we get to the check out assistant and thank them for doing a great job? I have found that often the demeanour of someone can change noticeably when you take a moment to say something nice or encouraging. It takes no time, just a desire to be kind!

Now, for those of you who are more introverted, I’m not talking about long conversations or deep and meaningful prophetic words, I’m talking about taking a moment to be kind and to thank them for the job they have done and wish them a good day.

Another example is to ask the name of your waiter/waitress when you are out for food. I love doing this but am always surprised at how surprised they are that I ask. One young man that I asked a little while ago asked me why I asked, and when I explained that I like to know the person who is serving me, he said he loved that but it was the first time in all the years that he had been working as a waiter that someone had asked him. How sad is that?

It’s not about heart to heart conversation, though, if you do know their name, then if God gives you a prophetic word for them it is much easier to give it as you have already established a little rapport and relationship with them.

These 2 things, I think, are very simple but I wonder what a difference it would make in our neighbourhoods, towns and cities if every one who loved Jesus started doing them and similar things? Other things you can do are (but most definitely not limited to): take time to chat to the homeless person you see and not just walk past them or at least look at them, smile and say hello; tip generously; buy a coffee for the person behind you in the coffee queue; say hello to everyone you walk past and smile.

These are just a few of the things I do but I know there will be lots of examples out there and I would love to hear how you are kind to those around you. What are your thoughts on this, I would love to hear them?

I wrote this blog yesterday but left it to reread today but am glad I did as God showed me the difference kindness makes again today. I went for lunch to a local pub with a friend because I had been once before a few months ago and know they do a great Sunday lunch (something I crave every now and again but really don’t want to cook for one!). After our meal as we ordering coffee the waitress said she remembered me and that I had sat at the same table the last time I was there.

Now, this may not seem like much but it did make me wonder.

How many people has this lovely lady served in the 2-3 months since I was last there?

What made her remember me from one brief meeting a few months ago?

Could it have been kindness? Just wondering………

I love this picture because to me it reminds me of the day God spoke to me about enjoying the journey and not getting so caught up in reaching the destination. I hadn’t realised it but I was often thinking about where I was going, the place I needed to reach, the next thing that I needed to do and that meant that I often missed the beauty of the moment.

I had days when I was very good at noticing the beauty in the moment and this was one of those days. I was at a National Trust having a Jesus day. I love these days because they restore my soul and reenergise me. There isn’t anything special about the day, it is just something I love to do and I know Jesus loves to do with me and so we wander, chat, just be together. It was in this setting that I had my lesson on enjoying the journey.

As I was wandering round the gardens I spotted this door and headed off to see what was behind it. I love doors as they open the way to something new, something that is often hidden while the door is shut. This door was locked but my something new came from the path beneath my feet!

As I walked down the path, eyes focussed on my destination, the door, I felt God tell me to stop. So I did. I then felt him tell me to look down. Wow! Suddenly I saw this beautiful pathway that was beneath my feet. I had been so intent on reaching the door that I had not taken any notice of the path that was leading me there.

This was when I realised that this was how I often went through life, missing the beauty in the detail of the journey! God reminded me that he is not concerned about whether I reach the destination or not (he is outside of time and knows the end from the beginning) but he is interested in how I get there.

I made a choice that day that I would take time to appreciate where I was every day and to savour the journey that God had me on because he was in it with me. To enjoy my season and not just wish away my life waiting for my next destination. I would love to tell you I have nailed this but this too is a journey!

Recently, God reiterated this lesson by showing me that sometimes we have to stop, lift up our heads and look around or we can miss the beauty of the journey. This happened as I was trekking the Sahara last November.

When you are walking in the dunes you walk along the ridges as this is easier. The walking is made easier still when you walk in the footsteps of the person in front of you. As you can imagine, this means you spend most of your time with your head down looking where you are putting your feet.

Now, I don’t know about you, but it’s not very often I get to trek in the desert. In truth, this was my first time and so I wanted to enjoy the scenery. As previously said though, I spent all my time with my head down watching the footsteps of the person in front. To enjoy the beauty I had to make a conscious decision to stop, lift up my head and look around. Though this was not always the most natural thing to do, the view never disappointed and made it all worth while.

I believe that in every situation we are walking through we need to learn to enjoy the journey. To stop, lift up our head and look around at the beauty we can see. I recognise that in some seasons this is easier than others and in previous blogs (see my old blog site) I have shared on walking out hard seasons. However, in every season I believe there is beauty that God has placed there just for us because he wants us to delight in the journey with him.

What will you look up and see today?

So nearly two years from my last post and here I am writing again. You may be wondering why after all this time have I started again but that’s easy, there’s two reasons:

Firstly, someone recently read my old blog and emailed me to say how blessed they had been by it and it reminded me of how much I enjoyed writing it.

Secondly, I am writing my first book, which I hope to have published in time for a conference I am speaking at in September and blogging is a way to get my writing muscles warmed up and moving!

So, what has been happening in the time since my last post that is of any interest or significance? Too much to write in a short blog here but suffice it to say I have had several adventures, including visiting the Arctic Circle and trekking in the Sahara and God has continued to be faithful and lead me in my journey to wholeness. I am a work in progress but one of the keys I have learned is to enjoy the process, now there’s something to post about!

Watch this space for more of my musings if you’re interested………..

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

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This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

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The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

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You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

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