Resilience, Redirection, and Renewal

I enjoy watching the squirrels in our garden –running fast, climbing high. chasing each other, feeding from our bird feeders… full of beans… full of peanuts…

It will be the one-year anniversary of the start of the continuing war in Ukraine this week. Ukrainians have arrived in the UK, settled, returned… continuing the struggle, fighting with determination and resilience…

 ‘Life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.’

…It’s not about how amazing I am when things are going well, but how I recover and bounce back from tough times… I need resilience.

Yesterday Becca posted: ‘7 years of me and you 💕 16 year old me thought she was going to marry Harry Styles but I’m really glad I kept my options open! So thankful for you everyday @joshua_sturman ❤️’

Last year’s wedding was a change of plan from Harry Styles!

My friend Wayne’s life was a mess. Thanks to the help of a tough social worker and the support of friends he’s turned his life round. He’s 10 weeks clean of drink, 14 months clean of drugs…

‘Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’ (Isaiah 30:21)

Sometimes my apparently good ideas are really stupid, I mess up, I must turn off the road I’m travelling on. I need redirection.

Yesterday, church was good – chatting, laughing, singing, praying… There’s a reassuring predictability about it. Mel led… I’ve known Mel for 35 years; she’s reassuringly predictable too.

Mark preached. I’ve enjoyed and been challenged by him before. Yesterday he read:

Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles…’

Unpredictable! That’s the third time in four days! It ‘came’ twice last week…

This is more than resilience and redirection… its about patiently waiting… gaining ‘strength to soar’ through God’s renewal. I need renewal.