Bible, Christian Writer, Connected to God, Faith, Grief, House renovations, Lessons from life, prayer, Seasons of life, Thankfulness, The Word of God, Worship

FILLING IN THE CRACKS

We have been renovating the house for over a year now. Bit by bit, we are completing rooms: when time, energy and finances allow. We have recently finished (almost) our lounge. We were particularly pleased with the rich teal blue paint we painted the walls with. It is a soothing calming colour, warm and yet bright, and frames the sea views beyond our windows wonderfully.

Image shows steps leading downed into lawned garden with field beyond, and blue sea and sky in the distance.

Damp patches

Teal Blue paint above window showing damp patch

Living by the sea is amazing, but it also means our house is at the mercy of the wind and rain. The price we pay for our stunning views is crumbling, cracked rendering on the front wall of our house. After a recent rain storm we realised the weather had permeated the render, and damp patches had formed in the newly painted window reveals. It was deeply frustrating to say the least.

So last weekend my husband took to the cracked render and used a thick gloopy substance to fill in the visible cracks in the render. Is this the perfect solution to our damp problem? No of course not. If we had the money we would have the whole of the front of the house re-rendered – banishing the old cracked render to the skip. But it is just not possible at the moment. We have to wait for the complete solution. But in the meantime, filling in the cracks will (hopefully) prevent further damp damage to the inside of the house.

Filling in the cracks

Outside view of top of window with cracks in the render above

Filling in, or ‘plastering over’ the cracks has negative connotations. We use the term to describe concealing surface problems rather than dealing with the root issues. But when the only solution to the root problem is in God’s hands and timing, there are times when filling in the cracks is all we can do. And it can really help to protect and prevent further damage.

Life is full of cracks. As a family we have experienced our fair share. Life happens. Things come against us that damage us and threaten us and leave us vulnerable, and crying out to God. I am a believer in miracles. I have seen God do so many and I have experienced them myself. But sometimes the truth is that we have to wait for our complete solution. Sometimes the healing isn’t immediate, the broken heart isn’t quickly mended, the breakthrough not obviously apparent.

Strengthening Ourselves

just like our complete re-render will solve our water ingress problem long term, in the same way I believe God the Redeemer will make all things beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). He has promised to work all things out for our good (Romans 8:28), and to finish what He has started (Philippians 1:6). Those are things we can anchor our hope in. In the meantime… we can actually do our bit to fill in the cracks.

We can use things that strengthen ourselves in the Lord. A thankful heart. Worship, even when it is difficult. Reading and trusting His Word. Praying, and pouring our heart out to Him. Loving others well. Being obedient to His ways. Declaring His truth and promises over our cracked situations. All these are really effective in protecting ourselves spiritually and emotionally. And effective in preventing further heart damage. I for one, just now, am grateful for these tools He has put in our hands.

Joy Margetts is a published author and blogger. Her books are works of Christian Historical fiction. Set in medieval Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, they tell stories of faith, hope and God’s redemptive power. Her debut novel ‘The Healing‘ was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021. Joy has also self- published a short novella, ‘The Beloved‘ as both a companion to ‘The Healing‘, and as an easy to read standalone story, which is available to buy on Amazon Kindle.

The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, will be published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022

More information on Joy and her writing, and links to purchase her books can be found here www.joymargetts.com

advent, Christian Writer, christmas, Connected to God, Faith, Worship

WORSHIP

Tomorrow we will be in church, worshipping God. I love to sing, I love music, and I particularly love worshipping with others. It is amazing to think that as we join together tomorrow we will be joining with God lovers all over this planet, and with heaven itself in worshipping Him. But worship isn’t just for Sundays! And of course, it isn’t just singing.

ANNA

The other character in Luke 2 who knew a bit about waiting was Anna. Luke 2 v 36-38 tells us that Anna was a widow, and well on in years. It is not clear from the text whether she had been a widow for 84 years (which would have made her at least 105 years old!) or 84 years old. Whatever, it is clear that she had been alone for a long, long time. Married young and having been married for only 7 years, Anna knew what it meant to struggle in life. I can imagine she had experienced grief, despair, hopelessness, loneliness and frustration.

But by the time she met Jesus in the Temple, she had become known for one thing … she never left the Temple. Anna chose to devote her life to worship, prayer and fasting. Her life had taken on a new meaning. Because she had made that choice, she got to experience the most amazing of encounters in the Temple. She gazed on the face of God Himself in human form, she saw her promised Messiah.

CHOOSE TO WORSHIP

Wherever we are in life, if we are happy and content, or if we are struggling and are waiting for the fulfilment of His promises in our life, we can learn from Anna, and from the Psalmist in Psalm 42 v 5.

Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him’ (NKJV)

For no matter what, I will still sing with praise, for living before His face is my saving grace’(TPT)

We need to make that choice to worship God no matter what. And worship can be as simple as just turning our attention to Him, and telling Him how amazing He is. We don’t just worship God because of what He has done for us, He is deserving of our worship just because of who He is.

When we choose to worship, despair is broken off us, and hope restored. Worship strengthens our spirits, souls and bodies, and deepens our connection with the Promise giver because we were created to worship Him. The most miraculous of truths is this … as we worship, heaven moves on our behalf, and the fulfilment of the promise moves ever nearer.

Joy Margetts is new to blogging, and new to being published. Her debut novel ‘The Healing‘ was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021. A work of historic fiction, set in medieval
Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, it is also a story of faith, hope and God’s redemptive power.
Joy has also self- published a short novella, ‘The Beloved‘ as both a companion to ‘The Healing‘, and as an easy to read standalone story, which is available to buy on Amazon Kindle.

The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, will be published by Instant Apostle in July 2022

More information on Joy and her writing, and links to purchase her books can be found here www.joymargetts.com