Tag: Christian writer

Bible, Christian faith, Christian Writer, Devotional thought, Faith, Lessons from life, The Word of God

THE ONE WHO COMFORTS BEST

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Our grandchildren are amazing, and being able to spend time caring for them is a real honour. My littlest grandchild is only 8 months old and only very recently has his mum started leaving him with us. He is an easy-going little chap, and we are loving getting to know him and his foibles. He is eating solids now, and loves his food – often, if tears threaten, giving him something to ‘gum’ on will rapidly divert him. He does nap too – especially in the pram. He can be quite content with us for an hour or two, especially if his big sister and brother are around. But when mummy walks back into the room, everything changes. He sees her and his little face crumples. He wants to be held by her and nothing and no -one else will do.

Like a weaned child

I was meditating on this. While we could care for our grandson’s needs, bring him a measure of comfort, keep him entertained, we could never replace the love and trust that exists between him and his mother. The one who he has looked to, to meet his needs for all of his short life. The one who nurtured him in her womb and has carried and protected him since.

It made me think of that verse in the psalms,

‘Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me.’   Psalm 131:2 NKJV

The picture is of a small child who has been well cared for. Fed and provided for by one who loves them unconditionally. In the context, the Psalmist is talking about trusting God and not being worried about things too troubling or profound for us.

Image shows a young woman holding a small child

Finding comfort

I hope it is OK to imagine myself as a child being held by God. Sitting in the lap of a Heavenly Father who loves me and knows me better than anyone else does. Knowing that when I am with Him, I am safe, protected and all my needs are met.

When we are going through difficult times, we look for comfort. During a recent bout of illness, I found comfort in watching Netflix, snuggled under a blanket on my sofa! We can find comfort in food, in hobbies, in nature.  Sometimes we reach out to a loved one, or friend, and they prove to be kind and loving, wise and comforting. God has surrounded us with things that bless us, good things many of them.

The One who comforts best

I have come to lean, through all the tough things that I have gone through, that however good those comforting things or people are, there comes a point when only one place of comfort will do. There will come a moment where I will be driven back to the greatest place of comfort and security. I go back to God, back to my Father, and I lean into His embrace and I listen for His words of reassurance. I know I can trust Him fully to know just the right things to say and do to bring me back to a place of peace and contentment. To comfort and quieten my soul.

I wonder is His the face you long to see above all others? His the embrace you want to lose yourself in? His the voice that will quieten all your cries? I hope that you have found Him to be the God of all comfort. He has loved you and known you since before you were born. He has lavished you with good things, fed you and protected you. He is the place of safety, and will prove Himself faithful.

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.

She has also written two non-fiction devotionals. More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

The Healing
The Pilgrim
The Bride
The Stranger
Christ Illuminated, an advent devotional
Because of the cross: a lent devotional
Grief, Healing, The Word of God

A SNACK AND A SNUGGLE (LOVED AND HELD)

joymargetts

Our 4 year old grandson has just started school full time, finishing at 3pm every day. It is a milestone in his life and we are very proud of him. He has coped very well – he was already doing part days – but school every day, all day, is a new and demanding routine for him. Inevitably, he is tired.

Photo of young boy walking away with a school bag on his back

When we picked him up from school the other day, he was so excited to see us, excited to be able to come to play at Nana’s house with his little sister. But within minutes of getting in the car he burst into tears, over something and nothing. It was obvious that in his tiredness he was just overwhelmed by all the emotions coursing through him.

‘Shall we have a snack and a snuggle?’ I suggested, when we got home. He sniffed and nodded. We put a favourite video on the TV, and had juice and biscuits and a cuddle on the sofa. After a little while he was happy and settled enough to go and find some toys and play with his grandad.

The unexpected overwhelm

Sometimes a surge of emotion hits us out of nowhere. We might be overtired, over stressed, triggered by the unexpected. Sometimes we might not even know why we are upset, why overwhelm threatens, and what makes us lose control. We want to cry, or scream, or lash out.

I am in a season of grief and loss. Lately I have been doing ‘well’. Life, with all it’s blessings (grandchildren included) has been good. The grief moments have been less, in both frequency and intensity. But last week was my late Dad’s birthday, the first one we have faced without him. I thought I might feel sad on that day, but the unexpected wave of grief I experienced, surprised and threatened to overwhelm me. The dam broke – there haven’t been many tears lately – and it seemed they weren’t going to be held back. The more I cried, the more tears came, along with memories both good and bad.

Let me wrap you in My arms…

I have a Father in heaven. Yes, my earthly father is there, but I also have a perfect heavenly Father. And He knows me so intimately. He knew why the tears came that day, He wasn’t surprised by my messy grief. He well understands loss, grief and pain. He weeps for my tears. He reminded me of all this as I poured out my heart to Him. His response was a whispered, ‘Let me wrap you in My arms, today. Let Me hold you.’

A snack and a snuggle?

God knew that all I needed was to feel loved and held. I didn’t need answers. I didn’t need to be told to pull myself together and stop the silliness. I just needed to rest back into His embrace. He fed me – taking me to verses in scripture that reminded me of my value to Him. And then through the words of a song that just happened to be playing, He reassured me that He loved me, in ways that my heart needed to hear. I wrapped myself in a soft blanket and sat imagining Him holding me. His peace descended and I knew He was there for me. I felt comforted, strengthened, and able to face the rest of the day.

Image shows three sparrows, two resting on twigs and the third in flight, with the words 'you are of more value that many sparrows' .

Loved and held

We knew instinctively what my overtired grandson needed – he just needed to be reassured, loved and held for a little while. God, our Father wants to do the same for us, if we will let Him. If we will come to Him in our vulnerability, just seeking His presence and not expecting Him to answer, heal, or act. He invites us to come to Him, in our messiness, and find a place of rest, in His more than capable arms.

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.

‘The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022, and her third novel, ‘The Bride‘, published on 20th October 2023. ‘The Stranger‘, her fourth full length novel was published 22 November 2024 by Broad Place Publishing.

Her first non-fiction book, an Advent Devotional, ‘Christ Illuminated‘ was published in September 2023 and her latest 40 day devotional, ‘Because of the Cross‘ was published 7 February 2025

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

Bible, Christian blog, Christian faith, Christian Writer, christmas, Devotional thought, Jesus, Lessons from life

JOY AND PAIN

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At the beginning of last month we had a fabulous family day out. So full of joy! We took the children and the grandchildren and visited a stunning country estate, with lush green lawns, hidden gardens, views of mountains and water, and a house full of fascinating history. The sun shone, the ice-creams were delicious, and we all enjoyed it very much. The day after I struggled to move from my bed.

That is the nature of the chronic condition I live with. I can do some of the things that I want to do, I can push myself to live a ‘normal’ life, I can spend a whole day out with my family and walk far more than I usually do. But there is always payback. This time around the payback lasted for some days, and it was painful – both physically and emotionally.

Photo of a family with three adults and two small children walking down a gravel path between grass and trees

That’s life

I took my frustrations out on God, as I always do. He is big enough to take it! And as always He spoke comfort and wisdom to my soul. He reminded me that life is actually about joy and pain. The two co-exist in tension, and will do until we all enter that place where pain will be no more and our joy inexpressible. Would I have chosen not to go out for that family day if I had known what the after effects would be? No! I would not have missed it for the world. We celebrated one another and created some really special memories that day. The pain was worth it.

Was the pain worth it?

We are fast approaching Christmas (sorry to mention it!). We will be remembering the story of a frightened young girl enduring unimaginable emotional and physical pain as she carried and gave birth to the Son of God. I wonder if Mary thought all the pain worth it? The shunning by her neighbours, the distrust from her betrothed, the looks and snide comments, the exhausting journey to a distant town, the filthy damp stable where she had to give birth. I think she did think it was worth it. For the joy of being chosen to bear the Messiah, the joy of holding her Saviour in her arms, the joy of understanding that this was all so much greater than her momentary suffering.

Jesus

And then of cause there is Jesus,

‘who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,’ Hebrews 12:2 NKJV

None of us can ever fully understand the pain that Jesus endured. Horrendous physical pain of course, but then there was the heart pain of separation, the weight of sin and all it’s consequences, the betrayal, the mocking. But this verse tells us that it was for the joy to come that He endured it all. The joy of knowing me, and you, and millions of others who would find their life in Him. We were the joy He looked forward to as He submitted himself to the cross.

Photo of a stately home with grass and trees in front of it, water and mountains behind and a blue sky above.

There is always joy

Not all pain has a reason that we can see. God knows and He sees the bigger picture. Perhaps our pain will produce something fruitful and eternal? And we have this hope – there might be pain, but there is always joy. Jesus came to turn it all around.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
…. to comfort all who mourn,
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”              Isaiah 61:1-3 NKJV

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.

‘The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022, and her third novel, ‘The Bride‘, published on 20th October 2023. Her first non-fiction book, an Advent Devotional, ‘Christ Illuminated‘ was published in September 2023.

‘The Stranger‘, her fourth full length novel is coming soon! Due for publication November 2024

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

Bible, Christian blog, Christian faith, Christian Writer, Devotional thought

A KISS ON THE KNEE

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Those of you who read my blog regularly will know that my grandchildren are a source of constant inspiration. They are small and trusting and loving, and as yet untarnished by the values of this world. How they interact with us speaks to me so much of the relationship God seeks to have with us, His children.

A Kiss on the Knee

A few weeks back we had both grandchildren to stay for the afternoon. Our granddaughter is only 17 months old and it has taken her a while to get comfortable with being left without mum, but we had finally cracked it. She had played beautifully with her 3 year old brother for hours. We had fed them, bathed them and even got them into their pyjamas, before mum came to pick them up. As my daughter walked in I observed something really cute. Our granddaughter glanced over at her mum, stood unsteadily to her feet and walked over to plant a kiss on her mum’s knee. She then went straight back to her toys.

We laughed at the time. Actually amazed that having been separated from my daughter for some hours, that she wasn’t more effusive in her welcome. We half expected tears of joy/why did you leave me?  But a small kiss on the knee was all mum got –  at least it was an acknowledgement of her return and a sign of her affection!

A small sign of affection

I was musing on this and I knew that this is sometimes how I treat God. I know He is there, and I know He cares about me, but sometimes life gets so full that all I can manage is a ‘kiss on the knee’; a small, short, acknowledgement of His presence and of my love for Him. A whispered prayer, a moment of worship, a cry for help.

We all go through busy times and seasons. For young mums like my daughter, life is crazy busy. She, I know, would love to have more time to spend with God. It is just not always possible. I wondered if sometimes God gets hurt by our lack of time spent with Him? Is it not enough to just give Him the odd moment of our attention?

But my daughter loved that little show of affection! She was so pleased to see her daughter happy and contented, and yet aware of her presence.

Is it enough for God?

I know that the most precious times of my life are when I can spend lots of quality time with God. I love speaking to Him, listening to Him, immersing myself in His Word, worshipping Him with music. Those times are life-giving and vital, and I know He loves them too. But there are days where I just don’t have the time and space to spend a long time with Him. I could feel guilty about that, I could go down the road of self-condemnation. I know that it isn’t ideal and that God deserves more of my time. I know my life is far richer and I am much stronger the more time I spend with Him.

But what that kiss on the knee reminded me of, is that God takes any and every demonstration of our affection, however small that might seem to us, and it really blesses His heart. He understands when we can’t do more. He doesn’t condemn us. He is in effect sitting in the room, watching over us as we ‘play’, as we get on with our lives, loving us unconditionally. All He asks is that we acknowledge His presence and whisper our love for Him. That we take the moments to place a kiss on His knee. There will be plenty of times for full hugs later and He will be waiting for those too.


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.

‘The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022, and her third novel, ‘The Bride‘, published on 20th October 2023. Her first non-fiction book, an Advent Devotional, ‘Christ Illuminated‘ was published in September 2023.

‘The Stranger‘, her fourth full length novel is coming soon! Due for publication November 2024

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

Bible, Christian faith, Christian Writer, Devotional thought, The Word of God

KISSES THAT MAKE IT BETTER

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My grandson is 3 now, and growing up fast in many ways. It is precious to see that he is still trusting and that life hasn’t yet stolen his innocence from him. He is a mostly quiet and calm child. His play is generally creative and imaginative. But just every now and then he reminds us that he is a boy, with energy in abundance. He will hurtle around the room, or throw things or jump on the furniture, or engage in play fighting. Inevitably this sometimes ends with him hurting himself. A bruised knee or bumped head, a cut or a scrape.

KISSES MAKE IT BETTER

Adorably, when this happens he will come to find me, or his mum or dad, point out the injured area and ask for a kiss to make it better. Invariably, even when there have been tears, a small loving kiss planted on the knee, elbow, head or finger seems to do the job. It makes it better. The tears stop and he is off playing again.

Image shows a photograph of a mother kissing the forehead of a small girl.
Image Courtesy of Canva (Pixabay)

I was thinking about this when God reminded me of a verse in a not often preached about book of the Bible. Song of Solomon is a beautiful piece of poetry, written by an ancient King of Israel, using imagery that is hard for the modern reader to make sense of. But it is so obviously a love song.

GOD’S LOVE SONG

Many believe it is in the Bible to serve as a allegory of the love that Christ, the Bridegroom, has for His Bride, the Church. But I have learned to make the message of that particular love poem personal to me. I even wrote a whole novel based on the way that little book expresses the devoted love that God has for each one of us.

Song of Solomon 1: 2 (NKJV) says this:

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—For your (His) love is better than wine.

What does that mean? Well, along with many commentators I believe that the ‘kisses of his mouth’ are referring to His words. The kisses God has for us can be found in what He has to say to us. And God has spoken primarily to us through His Word, the Bible. Now I know that this isn’t the only way that God speaks to us, but it is the main way. Even when we think we have heard God speak in other ways we always need to test what we have heard against the truth of His written word. His words are so full of love and encouragement.

KISSES THAT MAKE IT BETTER?

Kisses from God’s mouth make it better? Yes. My testimony is just that. For some time now I have lived with a condition that limits my physical abilities and restricts my energy. I have had times where I have felt emotionally bombarded, and anxiety and fear have threatened to take hold.

Like many people, life also has its challenges beyond just my personal ones. Family, friends, circumstances, even the things happening in the world around me. Loss, broken relationships, the pain my loved ones are having to go through. All these things have the power to hurt or wound me. But I have found that the Kisses of His mouth have the power to make it better.

Image shows a photograph of an open Bible resting on the corner of a balcony rail, with a misted out landscape behind it, all bathed in bright sunlight.
Image courtesy of Canva

HIS LIFE- BREATHED WORDS

When I am struggling, hurting, confused, fearful, lacking in strength, I have learnt to go to the Bible. I go to His life-breathed Word. I open my heart and I open my spiritual ears, and as I read scripture I can feel His life breath restoring me. Sometimes what I read speaks directly to the way I am feeling, and immediately offers its healing balm. Other times, the words on the page don’t seem to have anything to do with what I am going through. But still, in reading them, I feel strengthened and encouraged. I am reminded over and over again of how great God is, how powerful He is, how interested He is in me, and most importantly how much He loves me.

At a time in my life when I could not find healing anywhere else, I turned to His Word and He met me there. His kisses made it better.

LOVE KISSES MAKE IT BETTER

Now my grandson wouldn’t go to just anyone to ask for his healing kisses. He goes to someone that he knows loves him, that he trusts, someone who won’t laugh at him or turn him away. God doesn’t want us to look to ‘wine’ (the pleasures of this world) when His love for us is a much safer thing for us. Those things might numb the pain we are feeling, but His words have the power to heal us deeply.

When you are hurting, can I encourage you to turn to the One who loves you
so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross for you? Bring your hurts to
Him. He is trustworthy. He knows everything about you and He cares about your
pain. He has the power to heal your hurts, and is waiting to make them better.

And He has graciously provided us with a whole book full of His love kisses.
Let him smother me with kisses—his Spirit-kiss divine. So kind are your caresses, I drink them in like the sweetest wine! Song of Solomon 1:2 The Passion Translation

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.

‘The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022, and her third novel, ‘The Bride‘, published on 20th October 2023. Her first non-fiction book, an Advent Devotional, ‘Christ Illuminated‘ was published in September 2023.

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

Bible, Christian Writer, Faith, Grief, Jesus, Seasons of life, The Word of God

A CONSTANT HEART

joymargetts

UPS AND DOWNS

Image shows a tiny hand of a newborn baby grasping an adult's thumb

A little over a month ago I posted an emotional blog about the loss of our dog, and our grief over it. Our feelings of sadness at the time were really intense, coming on the back of a difficult few months. And then suddenly, within weeks, everything changed and joy replaced grief. Busyness replaced loneliness, and the unwelcome quiet was replaced by the longing for a little peace! Life is like that. You can step from sadness to joy in the matter of weeks, and then sometimes back to sadness again. Or worry, or excitement, or frustration, or fulfilment. Sometimes the ups and downs can leave us feeling pretty storm-tossed!

GOOD THINGS

Image shows a phot of the author signing a contract

In the last month some really, really good things have happened in our lives. Firstly we welcomed our second grandchild into the world. She came early, and came tiny, but she also came healthy and everyone is doing great. We are overjoyed to be invited to be so involved in our grandchildren’s lives – it is such a privilege. They are a delight to be with, and being a grandparent is one of the greatest joys of my life.

A second thing that brings me joy (and not a little anxiety) is my writing. In the same week that our grandchild was born, I signed a contract with my publisher for a third novel, that will be out later this year. This is exciting, and I am thrilled, but it also brings with it pressures, deadlines, stress. Publishing a book is a rollercoaster ride all of its own.

A CONSTANT HEART

Life is never all about one kind of emotion. We have to learn to navigate the seasons, or sometimes, the moments that we are in. We need to guard our hearts to ensure that extremes of emotions don’t derail us. That we remain constant, in our faith, our trust in God, our belief that He is in control, in being who He has called us to be.

One passage of scripture that always speaks to me is from Matthew 14: 13 – 21. Jesus hears about the death of His cousin, John the Baptist. That he dearly loved John, and deeply grieved his loss is evident. He goes away by Himself to find a deserted place to be alone, with the Father, to process His loss. Only He is not alone for long, because the crowds follow Him. Did He send them away? No, v 14 tells us that He was ‘moved with compassion’ seeing how many of them needed to be healed. So after hours of healing and teaching them, does He send them away to find food for themselves, as His disciples suggest? No. He feeds them – and what a 5,000 guest party that was! So in a matter of a few hours Jesus grieved, was filled with compassion, poured Himself out, and then celebrated an extraordinary miracle. All the time He stayed right in the centre of God’s will for Him.

A STEADFAST HEART

Jesus’ example is hard to follow. I’m not saying that we should not take time to grieve, or to celebrate, but that whatever life throws at us, we can still seek to be at the centre of God’s will. We can listen to Him, trust Him, look to the needs of others, and keep our hearts constant. Or steadfast, as the Psalmist did – always finding a reason to praise. Psalm 57:7

Image contains the words of Psalm 57:7 against a background of abbey ruins and green leaves.

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, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022

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

Bible, Christian Writer, The Word of God

LOVINGLY HELD

joymargetts
Small child standing, his face lit by the sunlight through a window

It is a blessing and a privilege to be actively involved in our grandson’s young life. He is just one year old and seems to love being with us. We care for him regularly to enable our daughter to work, and it is a joy. We bend our creaking limbs to get down on the floor to play with him, we run to catch him when he makes an unexpected move towards the stairs, we laugh at his antics when we try to feed him, and wonder at how he is constantly growing and developing his character. When he is finally tired out he will happily come up on to a lap, especially if his favourite TV programme is put on. He sits watching and suddenly he relaxes back against you and his hands go up to fiddle with his ears, and you know he is getting sleepy.

The most wondrous thing is how much he trusts us. He feels completely safe, he leans back and lets himself be loved. He has no worries or anxieties in that moment. He is lovingly held.

LEANING IN

It made me think about my relationship with my heavenly Father. There are times when we do things together, times when He feeds me, times when He steps in to protect me. But perhaps the most precious moments are when I just allow myself to sit in His presence. To lean into Him, to allow myself to rest and let the anxieties fall away.

As my grandson grows older, inevitably he will learn to be more independent. Learn more about life, learn to worry and become less trusting. I hope that is a few years off yet. We as adults have lived long enough to know there are many reasons to worry, and that we just can’t trust everyone. But God still calls us to come to Him as a small child. Psalm 131: 1-2 says this:

Lord, my heart is not haughty,
Nor my eyes  lofty.
Neither do I concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too profound for me.

 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child is my soul within me. (NKJV)

I like how The Passion Translation translates the Psalm:

Lord, my heart is meek before you.
    I don’t consider myself better than others.
    I’m content to not pursue matters that are over my head—
    such as your complex mysteries and wonders—
    that I’m not yet ready to understand.
 I am humbled and quieted in your presence.
    Like a contented child who rests on its mother’s lap,
    I’m your resting child and my soul is content in you.
 O people of God, your time has come to quietly trust,
    waiting upon the Lord now and forever.

LOVINGLY HELD

Small child on the lap of an older man

The truth is, that unlike a small child, we have to make the conscious decision to stop and put it all down, to not be overwhelmed by our anxieties. We have unlimited access into God’s presence (Hebrews 4:6). And just as Jesus sat with His disciples and let John lean back against Him (John 21:20), so His desire is for us to lean into Him and trust Him completely. To rest back and relax into the safety of His protection. To allow ourselves to be lovingly held, if just for a while.

Joy Margetts is a blogger and a published author. 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

advent, Christian Writer, christmas, Faith, Thankfulness, The Word of God

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?

joymargetts

A few years ago, around this time of year, I would be waiting for my son to arrive home from University, and getting very excited. We would be very much looking forward to seeing him. And hugging him, and feeding him, and even doing his washing! But he was at a university three hours away, had his own car, and would be driving himself home.

WORRYING THOUGHTS

Now I have to admit I could very easily have allowed myself to worry about that. The thoughts coming into my head might have gone something like this. The roads are going to busy. He won’t have slept much in the last few days,. Will he be careful and keep his concentration? He hasn’t driven a long way for a couple of months. The car isn’t particularly reliable; he won’t have checked the oil, water or tyres. He’ll drive too fast… I have to admit those were all thoughts that warred for attention in this poor mother’s mind.

If I had allowed those thoughts to settle and dwelt on them, then very quickly the excitement, anticipation and joy that I was feeling about welcoming my son home, would have been overshadowed with fear and anxiety. My wait would have been spoilt.

CHOOSE OUR THOUGHTS

We actually have a choice to decide what thoughts we meditate on and which we choose not to. This is a very important principle for every day of our lives but is especially important when we are waiting for God to fulfil His promises. That waiting period can be hard and there might be many valid negative thoughts we can allow to fill our minds. Does God really care? Will He keep His promises? What if He doesn’t? How much longer must I wait? Does He hear my prayers?

Phil 4 v 8 tells us to fill our minds with much more positive and life giving thoughts.

So, rather than let fearful and anxious thoughts dominate our thinking  we can choose instead to keep our minds busy with thinking about good, lovely, positive things. Reading scripture, listening to worship music, talking to an encouraging friend, can all help us re-align our thoughts when we feel overwhelmed by negativity.

THINK ON GOOD THINGS

My son has long flown the nest, but he still comes home for Christmas, and I will probably still be tempted to worry about him driving over. But I hope that my thoughts about his homecoming will be much more along the lines of how amazing it will be to see him, how we will enjoy his company over Christmas, and the fun we will all have together. And perhaps most importantly, my thoughts will dwell on how good God continues to be to us, and just how much He loves and cares for us all. My son included

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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