Jane Coates – Thoughts and Prayers – Scars

I would guess that most of us have a scar or two, either caused by a fall, an accident or injury, or surgery of some kind, either big or small, or maybe even a small burn. The healing processes of our bodies are truly wonderful. When skin is injured or cut in some way, new tissue is created which helps the skin to reseal itself. The scar helps the skin to repair its damaged tissue, to close the gap made by a cut, tear or surgical incision, and pulls together the wound. Isn’t that amazing! Our skin is such an essential part of our immune system. I am the proud bearer of several scars and surgical incisions. My first scar was caused when I was 10 years old and collided with a run of iron railings. The second scar followed the safe, emergency delivery of our first child. The third scar was to remove a facial blemish, and the fourth, more major scar, was the removal of a cancer. So, I have had my share of surgical scars. Such scars may fade over time but often remain.
 
There are also hidden scars that may be hidden, hard to detect, or deliberately concealed. People may carry emotional scars caused by distress of some nature. There may be a loss, a breakdown of a relationship, a mental health concern, the responsibility for the care of an aged partner or parent, a long-term health condition, and a whole range of other circumstances. A person may carry these burdens alone and those folk around them may not recognise the hidden trauma and scarring that is caused. Such scars may take a long time to heal and fade.
 
We have a Saviour who seeks to heal and to restore. A healing of any wound is a first essential, but Jesus is in the business of recovery, renewal, and restoration. Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So, he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.  Matthew 12 v 13 NIV
 
Then he showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal as it flowed from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of the street of the city and on either bank of the river grew the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, a different kind for each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22 v 1-2 JBP
 
Recently, our thoughts have been with those who have said goodbye to long time partners and other dear family members. I came across this song Scars in Heaven, by Casting Crowns. It is a strong reminder that there will be no scars in heaven, other than those scars on the body, feet and hands of our Lord. We will be renewed and fully restored.
 
SONG
The only scars in Heaven, they won’t belong to me and you
There’ll be no such thing as broken, and all the old will be made new
And the thought that makes me smile now, even as the tears fall down
Is that the only scars in Heaven are on the hands that hold you now
 
Songwriters: John Mark Hall / Matthew Joseph West
Scars in Heaven lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
 
 
PRAY for those grieving the loss of loved ones, experiencing physical or emotional scars. May we be sensitive to their situation and kind in our words.
 
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5 v 10-11 NIV
 
Jane Coates
8 February 

Jane Coates, Thoughts and Prayers. An extravagant love

An extravagant love
 
 The Crossness Pumping Station is a former sewage treatment plant on the south bank of the River Thames. It was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette and built between 1859 and 1865. Its purpose was to deal with the raw sewage from the southern part of London. When it became no longer used for this purpose, it was designated as a Grade 1 Listed Industrial Heritage Site because of its amazing Romanesque architecture and design. It is a masterpiece of engineering with its pumps and steam engines but became famous for its spectacular ornamental cast iron metalwork and original paint colours. It has been described as “a masterpiece of engineering-a Victorian cathedral of ironwork.”
 
Why was a sewage treatment plant designed with such love, care, extravagance and incredibly beautiful interiors? Each detail, down to the specially shaped and coloured external brickwork and ornate balustrades of the central Octagon area, are a delight to behold. It is a masterpiece of work that few people at the time would have witnessed. The sole purpose of this unique and magnificently ornate building was to take London’s sewage. The glory of the building and its dramatic interiors concealed this very common function. The Victorian designers took pride in their workmanship, attention to detail, making sure that nothing was common or base. A common theme and desire of Victorian craftsmen and women were to give glory to God and to reflect His glory.
 
Our Father God is a wonderful Creator, designer. His extravagant love leads Him to create. As we look at our world and the canopy of stars we can stand in awe of Him and worship.
 
The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created.
He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.
He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him.
For when he spoke, the world began, It appeared at his command.
Psalm 33 v 6-9 NLT
 
His love created humankind, each person uniquely formed, His work of art, a masterpiece designed by a loving Craftsman.
 
For we are His workmanship, His own master work, a work of art, created in Christ Jesus, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used for good works, which God prepared for us before and taking paths which He set, so that we would walk in them, living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us. Ephesians 2 v 10 AMP
 
At the close of time, we will see the new heavens, the new earth and the new Jerusalem. Our feet will walk on gold, with no need for sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light.
 
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.  And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass. I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.  
Revelation 21 NLT
 
SONG So will I (100 Billion X) Hillsong Worship
 
 
Jane Coates. 
31 January 2025

Jane Coates. Thoughts and Prayers… How do you wash waterproof socks?

 
Sam had an unfortunate accident at the weekend when he put a garden fork through the walking boot on his left foot, leaving him with a small open fracture of his big toe. There were hospital visits to follow, wound dressing, a Tetanus injection, antibiotics and the dreaded open toed plastic boot that made walking initially challenging, especially climbing stairs, and in the snow. The need for some protection for the wound and to keep the dressing dry was essential, and I was advised that there was such a thing as waterproof socks. Such waterproof socks, according to the accompanying information, were engineered for all extremes, such as extreme outdoor activities and weather conditions. The blurb also claimed that the socks were designed to enhance your performance. We duly ordered these socks, and the leaflet proudly announced that the socks were waterproof in every wet condition, breathable, windproof, durable, with a comfortable, soft feel, had a 4-way stretch, a bamboo lining for moisture control and insulation, protected from blisters, had support zones for the foot, were guaranteed weatherproof, and came with a lifetime guarantee. Basically, the manufacturers and researchers had got every base covered.
 
The word ‘covered’ made me consider our ‘being in Christ.’ Joyce Meyer, a well-known American speaker and evangelist, has a wonderful list of 47 statements or gifts that are ours as Christians. If you search for Joyce Meyer ‘Knowing who I am in Christ’ then her list should appear first. Joyce wants us to know how amazing our life in Christ can be. As I read through the list again, with its Bible verses, I realized that Jesus has ‘got it all covered’ by what He has done for us. We are redeemed, chosen, accepted, born again, new creations, forgiven, free, loved, complete, at peace, renewed, strengthened, rooted, conquerors, without blame, and people of hope. By grace we are completely covered, if we trust in Christ. We are in the all-encompassing care of Jesus, and we can be confident that His death and His blood has covered every situation and need that we may have. I am covered.
 
I have put my words in your mouth
    and covered you with the shadow of my hand –
I who set the heavens in place,
    who laid the foundations of the earth,
    and who say to Zion, “You are my people.”’ Isaiah 51 v 16 NIV
 
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Psalm 32 v 1 NIV
 
He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91 v 4 NIV
 
Jane Coates
24 January 2025

Jane Coates, Thoughts and Prayers. Stop, Stay, Go

Stop, Stay, Go
 
The Maji followed God’s leading by signs, star, and dream. They had ignored the disquieting voices in their heads and around them, that may have told them that they were unwise to take such a journey. But their instincts, the quiet prompting of God, and their research, told them to follow the rising, leading star. After finding the infant, and in response to a dream, they were guided to find a new way home, avoiding a return to Herod’s palace.
 
This new journey would be without the comfort of the leading star but God, in His mercy, gave His protection and safety to the Maji. They trusted and followed the dream’s instruction and the guidance of God.
 
They returned to their own country by another route because God had warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod. Matthew 2 v 12
 
Protection, safety, and guidance had been given to Joseph, Mary, and the child Jesus. Joseph, being warned by an angel of the Lord in a dream to escape from Herod and his anger, escaped with his   family to Egypt, leaving hurriedly, in the middle of the night. They remained there as strangers, and refugees in a foreign land, because Herod’s clear intention was to search for and destroy the child. “Stay there until you hear from Me.” Matthew 2 v 13
I love that phrase ‘stay there until you hear from me.’ Joseph was told by God to wait for the right time and His guidance, which would allow the family to return to their homeland. He was to stay, to remain, to be settled, even though he could not know God’s timing.
 
Two years later, and once again instructed in a dream, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, returned to their homeland of Israel. With Joseph’s wisdom and discernment, and God’s clear direction, Joseph took his young family, to Nazareth, in the region of Galilee. Herod Archelaus was now ruling in place of his father Herod the Great, so Jesus could still be in danger. The Nazarenes were often treated with suspicion and caution by other Jews and Jesus was once called ‘Jesus the Nazarene’ in an insulting, derogatory way. But this move would perhaps keep Jesus safe.
 
So, the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.” Matthew 2 v22-23 NLT
 
Care, certainty, God’s safe keeping and guidance are for those who trust in the name of the Lord. We may not have dreams, or hear angel voices, but we can lean into Him daily to know his presence with us and to find His direction. May we try not to look back, only forward to a new way, a new path, a new road. Not a star, but Jesus as the light for that new path, and this coming year. The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Psalm 32 v 8 NLT
 
SONG Lyrics My Guardian
 
King of love and grace, my Guardian,
All my hopes and fears are in Your hands;
I’m in Your hands.
Where You go, I’ll go; show me the way.
Every step I take be now my guide,
God on my side.
You go before me, You’re there beside me,
And if I wander Love will find me.
Goodness and mercy will always follow.
You go before me, my Guardian.
 
Jane Coates
17 January 2025

Jane Coates, Thoughts and Prayers. Steps into a new year.

As we take our first, few steps into this new year, we cannot know what 2025 will hold for us. There may be unexpected joys or trials, new challenges begun, or opportunities missed, dreams realized, or ambitions and hopes lost, new friendships begun, or familiar traditions lost. It may be a blessing and a grace that we cannot know the details as the year unfolds before us. We are asked only to step forward in faith, one step at a time.
 
I am reminded of the accounts of the Maji, who stepped out on their long and uncertain journey, to find the promised child. The routes and resting places of their journey would be unfamiliar, hazardous at times, and strange. Their journey, with its distances, cost, risks, and the uncertainty of success, was perhaps their daily reality and challenge. There would be moments of confusion, as at Herod’s palace, when they failed to find the expected One, although the star was still present. But despite the hardships, the unexpected, and the uncertainties, they kept travelling towards the child.
 
So, as we go into this new year, may we be guided by wisdom, courage, compassion, and the light of the Christ child. Let us cherish the joys, learn from the trials, and remain open to the countless possibilities that await us. May we take each step with intention and grace, and may our journey be filled with love, grace, growth, and new possibilities.
 
“The road is revealed by turns you could not have foreseen.” Jan Richardson
 
A Prayer for the Year ahead
I arise today
Through a mighty strength:
God’s power to guide me,
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s eyes to watch over me;
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to give me speech,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to shelter me,
God’s host to secure me.
(First Millennium – Bridgid of Gael
 
Jane Coates.
7 January 2025

Jane Coates, Thoughts and Prayers. Two posts joined as one

Owing to us taking a Christmas break, this week we have two articles from Jane. The first is called Open Arms. 

When any of our family come to visit us, we normally rush from the house to the driveway to ‘welcome them with open arms.’ The grandchildren are often welcomed with a wide hug or picked up with a swirl around in the air-depending on their size of course. When each of the newborns arrived, we made sure that we visited, either hospital or home, and welcomed each one into our arms with great joy. It is a delight to welcome a new baby into the family.
 
For Simeon, his welcoming of the eight-day old infant Jesus, was a very significant event. It had been revealed to Simeon by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen with his own eyes the Lord’s Messiah. ‘Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required, Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God.’ Luke 2 v 27-28
 
Simeon took the eight-day old baby into his arms, holding him with arms of love and welcome, and again by the Holy Spirit spoke powerful prophetic words, and words of blessing, over the child and Mary, His mother. Simeon praised His God and blessed the young family. “Lord,” he said, “now I can die content! For I have seen Him as you promised me I would. I have seen the Saviour you have given to the world. He is the Light that will shine upon the nations, and He will be the glory of your people Israel!” Joseph and Mary just stood there, marvelling at what was being said about Jesus.
Luke 2 v 29-33
 
For many individuals and families, 2024 has been a challenging year, but as we look forward to a new year, with whatever it may hold for us, we can be assured that God is faithful and that He holds us securely. He is our refuge, and He does not just hold us in His arms, but He carries us close to His heart.
 
The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33 v 27
 
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart: He gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40 v 10-11
 
Then Jesus placed a little child among them; and taking the child in his arms He said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming my Father who sent me!” Mark 9 v 36-37
 
And Jesus took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10 v 16
 
So, he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15 v 20
 

A Blessing
Bless all who worship You, from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same. Of Your goodness, give us; with Your love, inspire us, by Your spirit guide us; by Your power, protect us; in Your mercy receive us now and always. AMEN

(An Ancient Collect)

 
And the second is… Planting Peace
 
I am very poor at growing anything green. It might be seeds, houseplants, plants for the garden or vegetables. I can succeed with cress and hardy perennials such as lavender, but little else. My father was a member of a horticultural society, and we had a garden and a large allotment which we looked after every weekend, but I am afraid that I did not absorb his many gardening skills. But I am encouraged to be a planter of peace. Our world is a very troubled place and, in 2024 on our screens we have witnessed wars, disasters, heartaches, mental health crises in our young people and much more. So, as we enter a new year, may we endeavour to be planters of peace, whether we feel capable, skilled or woefully inadequate. May we offer love, joy, gentleness, along with peace, as we connect with others in our everyday. Help us to share the peace of the Prince of Peace.
A Prayer for Planting Peace
(In the style of the prayer of St Francis of Assisi)
By Lizzie Ojo Martens
 
Lord as I reflect on the challenges present within my community
As well as my own lived experience,
I ask that you make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is division, let me sow unity.
Where there is stigma, belonging.
Where there is unfamiliarity, awareness.
Where there is sorrow, joy.
Where there is silence or shame, light.
Where there is isolation, inclusion and companionship.
Where there is hopelessness, hope.
O Divine Counsellor, grant that I may not so much seek to be comforted, but to comfort others
And to speak, as to listen.
For it is in giving that we receive,
And it is in your presence that we find peace.
 
For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
    will never end. Isaiah 9 v 6-7 NLT
 
In John 14 v 27 Jesus offers His shalom’ peace. He ‘bequeaths’’ His peace. Just as a rich person would bequeath property or something valuable to someone else, the peace of Jesus is bequeathed to us Jesus offers wholeness, completeness, soundness of spirit, soul and body, and wellbeing. This is His gift to us. Let us share this gift.
 
SONG
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me
Let there be peace on Earth
The peace that was meant to be
 
Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow
To take each moment and live
Each moment in peace eternally
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me
 
Songwriters: Jill Jackson & Sy Miller
Let There Be Peace on Earth lyrics © Music Copyright Consultant Grp
 
Jane Coates,  23rd and 30th of December 2024.

Jane Coates – Thoughts and Prayers. Perfect timing…

Perfect Timing
 
Have you ever felt that you have just walked into the right place at the right time and met the right people? The timing feels to be perfect and precise, -as if it was always meant to be.
 
In the narrative of the birth of Jesus in Luke 2 I was challenged by the two elderly prophets, Simeon and Anna. Clearly, their arrival on the scene, just as the family arrived for Jesus’s dedication in the Temple at Jerusalem, was no happenstance. It was no coincidence or just good timing, because they were frequent attenders to the Temple Court. No. These two faithful worshippers were directed by the Holy Spirit to that very point, on that very day, at that very time, when Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus arrived in the Temple Court.
 
The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon and prompted by the Holy Spirit he came into the Temple enclosure at the perfectly planned, precise time. ‘Prompted by the Spirit, Simeon came into the Temple enclosure; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him the custom required by the Law, Simeon took Him into his arms, and blessed, praised, and thanked God’. Luke 2 v 27-28 AMP. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, Simeon spoke prophetic words over the child, calling Jesus a Light for the revelation of the Gentiles, and God’s salvation. Simeon then addressed Mary with prophetic words. Simeon had been promised, again by the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Simeon’s arrival, actions, and words at this point, were all directed by the Holy Spirit. He had waited many years for this precise moment in time.
 
Anna spent her days at the Temple serving and worshiping night and day, with fasting and prayers. But, at the precise time that Simeon was speaking with Joseph and Mary, she came along to that very spot, at that very time to the Temple enclosure. ‘She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she also began thanking God and telling everyone in Jerusalem who had been awaiting the coming of the Saviour that the Messiah had finally arrived’. Luke 2 v 38 TLB.
 
The Message version says, ‘At the very time Simeon was praying, she showed up, broke into an anthem of praise to God, and talked about the child to all who were waiting expectantly for the freeing of Jerusalem.’ Anna sang an anthem of praise to God. Anna had waited patiently for many years for this precise moment in time.
 
Simeon and Anna were two faithful worshippers, filled with the Holy Spirit, waiting for the arrival of Messiah. The Holy Spirit prompted their attendance at the Temple when the timing was perfect. They had listened to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
 
The Holy Spirit will prompt us too, with His peace, and His Presence. We need to be patient as we wait for God’s perfect time. God is never in a hurry and though the waiting is hard we should not rush on ahead. There may be something that we have longed for, prayed for and we have become impatient and even discontented. But trust His timing. He knows the perfect time.
 
 From long ago no ear has heard and no eye has seen any God besides You, who works for those who wait for Him. You meet him who finds joy in doing what is right and good, who remembers You in Your ways. Isaiah 64 v 4-5NLV
 
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3 v 11
 
PRAY for God’s perfect timing and for patience in the waiting.
 
Jane Coates
16 December 2024

Jane Coates, Thoughts and Prayers… WAITING

WAITING…
 
Waiting can be hard, long, and frustrating. I could not begin to add up the number of hours that I have spent in my adult lifetime to date, waiting – waiting for the birth of a child; waiting at the doctors, clinic or hospital; waiting at the school gate, activity club, church hall; waiting for the production or concert to begin; waiting for the children’s exam results, decisions after interviews; waiting for the much needed holiday, or for long expected news. Waiting involves the expectation or hope that something will happen, being in readiness for its beginning or coming, and waiting with patience during the indeterminate period before the arrival or completion of the expected hope. I am well practised at waiting. But for many people, waiting is hard.
 
In the accounts of the birth of Jesus, there is a lot of waiting by a lot of people – Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary, and the elderly prophets at the Temple gate, Simeon, and Anna. For these people, their waiting was longed for, prayed for, and anticipated.
 
Zechariah and Elizabeth had prayed for and longed for a child. In their old age, Gabriel was sent to them with the news of the birth of their child, John. ‘But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.’ Luke 1 v 13
 
Gabriel was also sent to the young Mary with news of the promised Saviour that she would bear. Mary’s pregnancy and waiting could have been a troubling and anxious time as she no doubt faced the questions and quizzical looks of neighbours and villagers. But she would take comfort in the company of her cousin Elizabeth as they waited together. Mary would later endure a journey to Bethlehem, an anxious search for a safe place to deliver her baby, followed by a hurried escape to Egypt. There, Joseph, Mary and Jesus would be strangers and refugees for two years until they were able to return to their hometown. Waiting. Waiting for the right time. The safe time.
 
Simeon, a righteous and devout man, living in Jerusalem, ‘was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.’ Luke 2 v 25-26 Simeon was led to the Temple by the Holy Spirit, at the exact time that Joseph and Mary arrived with the eight-day old infant, Jesus, at the Temple for the ceremony of purification and circumcision. Simeon’s long wait was at an end.
 
Anna, an 84-year-old, widow, and prophet who worshipped daily at the Temple in Jerusalem, was also waiting, as were other worshippers, hoping for God’s intervention in Israel. ‘She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem’. Luke 2 v 37-38
 
From infant to child to man, John and Jesus waited until the time was right for them to begin their appearances and ministries on the world’s stage. We believe that Jesus was about thirty years old before He began His ministry. ‘Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the Gospel of God, saying, “The time has come at last—the kingdom of God has arrived. You must change your hearts and minds and believe the good news.” Mark 1 v 15
 
Waiting and perfect timing. The time had come at last. God’s timing is always precise, and perfect. He steps in at the right time-the ‘Kairos’ time- “the appointed time in the purposes of God.”
 
Song
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord.
Our God, you reign forever
Our hope, our strong Deliverer.
Chris Tomlin
 
Hymn
Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Charles Wesley
 
PRAY For those who are waiting-for news, for appointments, for surgery, for an answer to a longing prayer. Help us to trust God’s perfect timing in our waiting.
 
Jane Coates
13 December 2024
 

Jane Coates. Thoughts and Prayers. Passion and purpose

Passion and Purpose
 
Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily, from the soul, as something done for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3 v 23 AMP
 
And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Colossians 3 v 23 MSG
 
We recently attended a very formal School Speech Day, with the distribution of prizes awarded to many of the students. Awards are given for the different academic subjects taken at school but there is another prize which is called the School Award for Inspirational Contribution to School Life. This award is for those students who have been involved in school life in a very wide sense-in Music, Choirs, Bands, Scouts, mentoring younger students and being involved in outside of school activities also. These students can inspire others.
 
The students were addressed by the Headteacher and a visiting Speaker who in her long career had worked for the Foreign Office, Ministry of Defence, been an Advisor to a Prime Minister, a Governor of the BBC, is a Peer in the House of Lords, and who had learned several languages during her illustrious career. But both of their messages to the students emphasized one thing-the importance of ‘going with your passion’. They were encouraged to choose the subjects, the courses, and the career path that would ‘give them a buzz’, that they were fascinated by, and not the things that teachers, parents or peer group would wish you to do. This is a very different message to the one that I received at A level. The path may not the easiest, traditional, may be out of the ordinary, but if it is your passion then you will succeed. It will be the thing that you can put your heart and soul into.
 
In the words from Colossians, Paul was addressing servants- those who had few rights, choices, or entitlements, if any, but he instructed them to work with heart and soul, as if they were working for their God and not for their masters.
 
One of the books that has had the greatest influence on me is The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. At the very beginning of his book, Warren states that God uniquely created each person- skills, looks, personality, temperament, abilities, and that each person is created for a purpose. “I am your creator. You were in my care even before you were born. Isaiah 44 v 2. Nothing in our life is arbitrary or accidental. God had very specific purposes for us that would allow us to be fulfilled, secure and happy. He knows our passions. But we must link in with Jesus.
 
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone. Ephesians 1 v 11-12 MSG
 
PRAY Father, I am not like anyone else. I don’t have to try to be like anyone else. Your design and purposes for me are good. I can trust you with my passions, my  heart, and my soul.
 
All Thinking
 
I would rather be what God
Chose to make me
Than the most glorious
Creature that I could think of.
 
For to be born in
God’s thought
And then made by God
 
Is the dearest, grandest, and
Most precious thing
In all thinking.
 
C. S. Lewis
 
Jane Coates
5 November

Jane Coates, Thoughts and Prayers. Footsteps on the moon.

Sunday 20th July 1969 was a memorable and momentous day. It felt as if the whole world was watching. It was the day of the first moon landing when the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle landed on the moon. On that day, mankind achieved something that many had previously thought to be impossible. You may remember watching Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the moon and then listen to his legendary words, “that is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” You may remember seeing the landing crafts trundling over the moon’s surface leaving their tyre tracks in the moon’s surface. The amazing thing is, that as there is no atmosphere on the moon as there is on earth, there is therefore no wind, rainfall, other atmospheric changes or movement on the moon to disturb those footprints. Those footprints and tyre tracks are still there. Footprints, from more than fifty years ago, are there and will continue to be there.
 
Thinking again about those footprints made me realize that we all leave our unique footprints. We all make a mark that is visible to others, and which may last for a very long time, and may have a deep impact on others. The phrase, ‘the world is watching’ is a very significant phrase for me as it reminds me that we are often ‘on view’ to others. People around us, friends, neighbours, work colleagues, other parents at the school gate, notice and observe our actions and reactions, and make judgements about them. Even people that we do not know at the supermarket, the gym, the garden centre, the library may be silently observing how we speak to others, smile, and conduct ourselves.
 
As Christians, we may sometimes feel that we are judged more closely and perhaps more harshly than other folk. The world loves to find fault and to criticize. Therefore, the standards that we may hold to can often feel to be higher. We are following in the steps of Jesus and so we reflect Him. When Paul wrote to the young man Titus, he made it clear to him that he had to be above reproach in everything. But not just that, Titus had to demonstrate in his words, his attitudes, his relationships, his walk, the graciousness of Jesus.
 
“And in all things show yourself to be an example of good works, with purity in doctrine having the strictest regard for integrity and truth, dignified, sound and beyond reproach in instruction, so that the opponent of the faith will be shamed, having nothing bad to say about us.
Let no one disregard or despise you. Conduct yourself and your teaching so as to command respect.” Titus 2 v 7-8 AMP
 
He who walks in integrity and with moral character walks securely, Proverbs 10 v 9
 
PRAY Jesus, please guide my footsteps. I want to walk faithfully in your footsteps. Wherever I go this week, help me to leave a footprint of love, care and grace, considering the other rather than myself. Amen
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