Encountering Jesus

How radical are you prepared to be to meet with Jesus?  Would you dig through a roof, for instance?  Four people did that for their friend and the result was a remarkable healing and a life-changing forgiveness. (Mark 2.1-12)

Every healing in the bible involves an encounter with Jesus, the Jesus who still heals today.  But how do we intentionally encounter him?

One way is through meditating with scripture and placing ourselves within the story.  It's not always easy to do on our own, but the Pathways to Healing series of CDs is designed to help you do just that.

Some lovely things have been about this series:

Pat's profoundly thoughtful and prayerful re-telling of familiar scripture stories and her very sensitively guided meditations take us to a place deeper than the intellect alone can reach.

Let her take you on a unique and powerful journey of discovery and into a healing encounter with the living Christ.

Margaret Silf, Author & Retreat Leader

Thank you for your far-reaching ministry.

This CD enabled me to find healing from something that for a long time had 'paralysed' me.

Lesley McCririe, Spiritual Director & Retreat Leader

Why not try this for yourself?  Or buy a copy for someone you know?

Prior to the launch of the next CD in the series, 

I'm offering the 1st CD, 'Take Up Your Mat', at the discounted price of £8.

It's available at my web-shop and on Amazon.    I look forward to sending it to you.

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Perfect for Lent

Many thanks to Judy Cannan, Spiritual Director & retreat leader, for this beautiful review of 'Dwelling in the Psalms':

It is with delight that I heard that Pat had written a book 'Dwelling in the Psalms' and I couldn't wait to get my copy.  Getting hold of a copy was an easy process and the book has since proved a treasure trove.  It combines just enough of the traditional psalm with her own psalm/poem response plus a short reflection and prayer. It would be perfect for a journey through Lent or as material for a guided retreat, or just for our own personal prayer time.  I recently gave it to one of my regular 'directees' who was blown away by its relevance to her on her own life journey. This is a valuable resource.


Do you know of anyone who's looking for devotional inspiration through Lent?

It's available in all the usual places.

Thanks after struggle - Psalm 18

I recently had a spectacular, painful fall.  I was at the bottom of a garden, behind a rockery, well out of sight of any neighbours.  Fortunately, I didn't break any bones, but I hurt almost everything else it was possible to hurt; knees, arms, back, head, neck, shoulders and a good many body parts I'd never been aware of before.  And because I'm still rebuilding after knee surgery, I simply couldn't get up.  I knew that absolutely no one would be able to see or hear me, or even know that I was there.  So the only way I could get myself back to safety was to crawl, inch by painful inch, back to the house, negotiating rocks, paths and steps on the way.  And once there, I collapsed and eventually found the strength to inch my way to the phone to ring for help.  It took me two hours and was one of the most painful and totally exhausting things I've ever had to face.  It was a monumental task and I couldn't have done it without continually crying out to God in prayer.

In the following few days, I was unable stop giving thanks!  I gave thanks that I didn't fracture anything, that I didn't knock myself out, that I wasn’t still lying in the undergrowth with hypothermia, that two friends finally arrived and lifted me into a chair, that I was safe and warm, and recovering.

And all this reminds me of my words on Psalm 18, in "Dwelling in the Psalms" ...

A contemporary interpretation of the psalm ...

Taste and see:

the Lord protects

those who call on him;

he is close to the broken-hearted,

sends his angels

on a rescue mission,

delivers them

from their troubles,

lifts their downcast hearts,

ensures that they lack

no good thing.

Turn to the Lord

with your lips

and your lives.

Fear not:

he is close,

very close.

And my devotional reflection ...

This is a psalm of exhortation, borne out of experience: ‘I sought the Lord, and he answered me’. Building on the memory of answered prayers, ‘tasting’ God’s response in times past, gives the writer of this psalm confidence to have faith in the goodness of God for today. The Lord has rescued him before and will do so again.

If we honour God with right living, when we depend on him and praise him in our darkest hours we will know his protection and strength. We will taste and see that the Lord is on our side.

For more reflections like this, with the addition of prayers for all 150 psalms, why not pick up a copy of Dwelling in the Psalms?

It's available through Amazon, online here and from all good Christian bookshops.

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Growing Deeply

It was Dietrich Bonhoeffer who said, 

"The more deeply we grow into the psalms and the more often we pray them as our own, the more simple and rich will our prayer become.”

This has been my own experience as I prayed my way through all 150 psalms.  The result is my latest book, "Dwelling in the Psalms".  How often do you pray the psalms "as your own"?  Not always easy, is it?  How often do the words of them feel relevant to your own individual situation; right now, today?  What would it be like to write them as if they'd come from your heart; as if they echoed your experience, gave words to your struggles?

Giving my own contemporary voice to the ancient texts enabled me to really make the psalms my own.  And, if you haven't come across the book yet, maybe my thoughts can help you do the same.  

But don't take my word for it.  Here's what others are saying -

A book to ponder and savour, perfect for personal devotions.

Sheridan Voysey

A wonderful book.

Pat Marsh's poetic gift is extraordinary and not a word is wasted.

Penny Bird

Available on Amazon, on my shop page and in all good Christian bookshops, it's selling fast and is well worth a look!  

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