Category: Faith - REMARCABLE

"Resilient..."

26/3/2023

I found this one whilst planning an Act of Worship for a Secondary School... On "Resilience" believe it or not...

Resilience isn’t mentioned in the bible. I tried to find a greek word as to what it means so that I could check in the geeky apps and things I use to make sure.

The word that came back was this one… ελαστικότητα (Elastikótita)
However you pronounce it, that first bit is where we get our word “Elastic” (I could tell that without looking it up)
So what have I learned? Let's think about Elastic vs Plastic…

"Give me the Future..."

18/3/2023

There’s a house that I regularly drive past that has John 3:3 on a big sign on the wall at the end of their drive. There’s a box next to it offering free bibles. The heart is there, but I would need to sit opposite and see what effect it actually has as an evangelistic endeavour. That said, it had an impact on me.

The verse is in the context of the story of Nicodemus, a religious man who is willing to ask questions of Jesus. He does it quietly and discerningly in the night, and Jesus invests the time in hearing what he’s saying, hearing what he perhaps isn’t saying, and helping him re-frame what is being asked.

Nicodemus wants to know about the Kingdom of God. And here are a couple of key verses that Jesus comes back at him with, including the verse on the wall…

"One Day..."

14/3/2023

"You're always trying to see yourself
through the eyes of someone else"

There's a degree of pressure on us when we do that.

To “hold a mirror up to" is a phrase meaning “to take a look at oneself objectively to examine or reflect on things (issues) stemming from the reality of reflection; to reveal to someone about the way they look (differently) to the rest of the world (so that they can reflect upon themselves); expose, show up, bring to light (some (unpleasant) aspects to oneself)”.

Community done badly holds up images of the ideal alongside the mirror and tells us all the ways we don't measure up.

"Wish you well..."

13/3/2023

This one is about forgiveness.

Watch this long, uncomfortable and difficult TED talk, and then have a listen to the song.

"I guess I just feel like..."

12/3/2023

Sometimes songs just get an "AMEN!"

This is one of those. And I think it speaks for itself as a song... I'm not sure what I can add!

Anyone else feel it?

"A beautiful day..."

11/3/2023

A short one today... Can't remember where I cam across this one, but it's quite catchy!

What will you say "Thank you" for today? What's on you list?
Does pain feature in your "Thank you"? Should it?
Who or what are you saying "Thank you" to?

(There isn't even a "Read more..."!)

"Over..."

9/3/2023

They say that ignorance is bliss.

Sometimes we'd rather close our eyes and have everything go away.

Perhaps if we sleep things will be better when we wake. Someone will have magically fixed the problem.

I guess this song just draws together the thoughts that I've already had with "Bridge over troubled water" and "Eyes of a child".

"I Do..."

5/3/2023

"I Do."
No caveat.
No grudge.
Not feeling like I have to, but because I want to and more than that, that I have the privilege to... I GET to... And I am free to!

That is the feeling that I had when I got married. I didn't feel like I had to say I do, but I really wanted to. And I knew the potential and privilege of it.

I wonder if that's the same thing when we are asked to say "I do" at things like church services, when we sign up to things in life?
Do we see the opportunity and potential excitement, or are we just saying it because we have to?

Because when we say it we open ourselves up to a whole lot more... What more could we get ourselves into?

"Dreamer..."

28/2/2023

Part 2...

I was reading Nadia Bolz-Weber's article in response to the Asbury Revival, and what she said resonated with me:

"Rather than make big stroke proclamations about what the Asbury Revival is or is not, I’m trying to just pay attention to what longing inside of me is being drawn up in buckets each time I tune in.
I long to sing with others;
I long to be open-hearted;
I long to trust something for once;
I long to be un-self-conscious in my devotion to God;
I long to witness something real."

As I said about "Any Love", I found love. I met God and I cannot shake that.
But there's no doubt in me that it's different now.
I'm not going to throw it away, but equally I can't deny the change.

"Any Love..."

27/2/2023

This will be a two-parter, combined with another song from later on in the same album...