GMu Ministries

05/06/2026

Whilst it could be argued that some of the things deemphasised in this image do have some significance, I think it still gives us a pretty good checklist regarding priorities. May we know what it is to determine the right priorities in life, and not to be caught up and distracted by those things which do not matter as much.

A life focused on God, whom the apostle John said is love Himself (1 John 4:8, 16), is always the best place to start. Love is God's core nature, and those who believe in Him are called to reflect this love. Such love reflects His mercy, compassion and grace, but also His righteousness, justice, and correction when needed.

Have a great day everyone! 🙂

04/06/2026

The marriage of Sal and Frank was another very special occasion that I was privileged to be part of when I took their service in The Coach House at Gretna Hall in April. This lovely couple came from Wales to have their big day at Gretna Green, and they were joined by Thomas and Dionne, who both officially witnesses the marriage. Lyn was the host from the wedding team at Gretna Hall, and Bill Black was the wedding photographer. Wishing Sal and Frank every blessing in their marriage.

04/06/2026

Whilst strength and power can be seen on people's actions and responses, true strength always comes from the inside and is defined in terms of character.

Such strength may not always be evident to others, but it is what enables us to deal with all life might throw at us. Strength like this can only truly be found in God, and is this kind of strength that the apostle Paul desired for his readers at Ephesus when he wrote the following:

"I pray that out of his glorious riches
he may strengthen you with power
through his Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts
through faith. And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love, may
have power, together with all the Lord’s
holy people, to grasp how wide and long
and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses
knowledge - that you may be filled to
the measure of all the fullness of God."
(Ephesians 3:16-19)

Have a great day everyone! 🙂

03/06/2026

It was my privilege to take the marriage service of Tina and Peter at The Mill Forge back in April. This lovely couple came from Cheshire to have their special occasion in the area, and they were joined by their good friends Bernard and Michelle, who officially witnessed their marriage service. Thank you also to Debbie, who was the host from the team at The Mill, and who also took some of the photographs on the day. Tina and Peter are such a friendly couple that they even invited another couple along whom they met at The Mill the night before, who were back visiting where they had been married. Wishing Tina and Peter every blessing in their marriage.

03/06/2026

Great to see these 3 staying on to build on the foundation they have put in place with our ladies and girls team at Gretna FC 2008! Wishing Shaun, Claire and Nori every continued blessing and success during their time at the club! ⚽👍

03/06/2026

Appearances can often be deceiving, whether it be a front that a person puts on, or a situation that we may face which seems either insurmountable or perhaps ideal - both of which may actually be the opposite of how they seem on the surface.

In all things, may we bear in mind the exhortation of Jesus to look beyond what is on the surface and make deeper, 'righteous' judgments (John 7:24). Faithfulness and perseverance are key in many areas of life and contexts that appear to be adverse, and what might seem to be problematic at first glance may actually prove to be an opportunity to grow and mature in some way if we take the time to assess what is going on and then press forward.

Have a great day everyone! 🙂

02/06/2026

It was a pleasure to make the acquaintance of Fred at a wedding service I was taking at Gretna Hall this afternoon. This lively assistance dog was certainly not lacking in energy, but was very well behaved throughout, and was resplendent in his tuxedo and bow tie!

Just had to have a couple of pictures with this handsome lad - it would have been rude not to! 🐕❤️🙂

02/06/2026

We can all be subjected to some extent by what one author referred to as "The Tyranny of the Urgent", but pausing to determine what truly does and doesn't really matter can be the first step in liberating ourselves from such negative dominance.

Some things simply do not matter anywhere near as much as others might have us believe, and having the ability and willingness to discern this can free up time and energy that may be better and more productively engaged elsewhere.

Good stewardship includes effective use of time among the resources we are blessed with.

Have a great day everyone! 🙂

01/06/2026

A brief doctorate update - my successful run of achieving 100% in the previous 6 classroom modules has come to an end with the latest module I've recently completed (which was on the resurrection, with the two massive textbooks I shared a few weeks ago), as I dropped 1% on the final paper (which to be honest, I did cram a bit and got it submitted in the early hours of the morning, just under 2 hours before the deadline). I'm kicking myself because I dropped the mark with some grammatical errors, which I'm usually meticulous about, but lesson learned regarding not rushing/cramming. I typically don't do that, but a few other things had popped up at that time that were demanding my attention, so things were a bit tight and rushed in the end.

I've also completed my first presentation module, which involved writing quite a comprehensive paper, which I then had to present on-line, and for which I'm just waiting for the grade. It certainly was a new level of challenge. Two similar papers and presentations left to do, plus two remaining classroom modules (one of which I'm just over half way through now), then my main paper. The extra bookcase I bought for the new books I have to get in continues to fill up steadily, with plenty more to come yet. Overall, still loving it!

01/06/2026

Great to see Dean return to Gretna FC 2008, and wishing him every blessing and success during his time at the club! ⚽👍

Here's something to cheer us all up on a wet Monday.... Guess who's back?

Gretna FC 2008 are delighted to welcome back Dean Brotherston to Raydale Park, pending SFA approval, for the 2026-27 season. Manager, Vinnie Parker commented, "I’m delighted to have Deano back at the club for this season’s campaign. He has all the attributes to be a real influence in the league we’re competing in. We’ve shared a lot of football together over the years, and his versatility has always been a standout quality that makes him a huge asset to our team".