Rev Eicon

29/06/2024

The heavens declare the glory of God, and all creation rightly gives you praise....Psalm 19

It's easy to see the love of God in such a beautiful.place as Croatia...but let's.remembee that the love and care He poured into making this beautiful place is not as much as the love and care He pours over us.
Today Lord, help us to receive your love deep into our hearts, minds and souls...knowing the warmth and safety of.your embrace xx

15/12/2023

Maybe there are only 2 types of people...ones who love Christmas and ones who find the whole thing difficult for a variety of reasons. I fall into the last category....I can amateur psychologise why but, in any event,... I just want to send huge love and empathy out to any others in my tribe at this time of year. This too shall pass....Peace....Be kind to yourself ###

17/08/2023

'Surely you desire truth in the inmost parts. And in the hidden part you will make me to know wisdom. (Psalm 51:6)

Today this speaks to me of God's desire to bring us to the truth about ourselves. We accumulate all kinds of 'Truths' about who we are, even from within the womb. And then don't we spend our lives living out those scripts we adopt (both consciously and subconsciously).
Maybe God's real desire is that we get to the real truth about who we are...and whose we are.That we really are children of a most loving father who accepts and loves us in a way most of us have never known. Maybe this is the secure attachment which some of us need....a base from which to step out of our fear driven comfort zones, knowing that we are seen, heard and protected by an all loving father.

15/08/2023

There are times when the old and the new won't fit; and if you try to force the matter, both end up damaged. Lord help us to recognise when it's time for a new approach; give us the humility to put aside our long held preferences; the wisdom to discern the path you are taking us on and the courage to trust that you are the master vintner, always creating, always refining. Amen

12/08/2023

This Sundays text is from Matthew, where Jesus (and subsequently Peter) manage to walk on water during a storm on Lake Gallilee.
It's led me to think a lot about fear and the difference between natural fear(real fear which keeps us safe) and invented fear(which seems real but isnt).
I think I have lived most of my life...if not all of it, in fear, having come from an extremely risk averse family and then experienced distressing marital relationships.
When we are fearful....of rejection, of failing, of being unlovable, of change, of being abandoned, of not being good enough, we adopt various strategies to avoid situations. The result is we live a safe, guarded life...but not a full one.
Jesus claimed that he was 'the way, the truth and the life" and he said that he had come to 'give life...life in all its fulness'.
What would it look like for you to liveand undefended life in all its fulness? What would you or I do if fear didn't get in the way. ..in our relationships, our decisions, our work?

I sense that the Lord wants to make us aware of our fears so that we can allow him to either deal with them (his perfect love casts out all fear) -or, like Peter who, when he was sinking fast, cried out to Jesus to rescue him. And with that simple cry, Jesus reached Peter, took his hand and walked with him (still on the stormy water) back to the boat.
Jesus never promised our lives would be easy..but.he promised to always be with us by his Spirit. But often he waits for us to be out of our depth and cry out, like Peter

06/07/2023

Morning devotions on the boat to Dubrovnik..

05/05/2023

I remember marching through Bolton Town centre praying this in the 90's (always feeling slightly self-conscious though)
But more and more recently I've felt urged to ask God to 'show His power, demonstrate the justice of His kingdom and prove his mighty word'
We need the power of the Lord more than our own good ideas.....

Graham Kendrick · Song · 1988

04/05/2023

What's God been speaking to you about recently?
For me, it's been 2 things:

1) He's reminding me that I have a tendency to take responsibility for people and situations where I can end up feeling frustrated and powerless. This is because they are not mine to take responsibility for. God wants me to learn from Him which are my responsibilities to carry, and which I need to 'shake the dust off my feet' from. His burdens for me are easy and, when I am yoked to him, are light to carry..

2) The best is yet to come!! (Yippee!!)

HAPPY THURSDAY

02/05/2023

I've discovered this brilliant app which I use most mornings for quiet reflection. Some fab music and always thought provoking x

01/05/2023