Productive Hibernation

 

Apparently yesterday was ‘Blue Monday’; the day when many people experience a significant post-Christmas depressive slump. I’m not surprised. January can be a tough month in the northern hemisphere, a time when the cold and damp seeps into the bones and the joys of Spring still feel a long way off. It deprives us of vitality and makes us want to curl up and hibernate.

I guess that many of us would secretly like to hibernate and I, for one, am all in favour. The hedgehogs under my wood pile have it right, don’t they. They understand the wisdom of conserving energy in this season and strengthening themselves for warmer days, as indeed do the trees. It’s only you and I who have a tendency to try to keep on living life at our usual pace, regardless of what nature might be trying to teach us.

As a creative writer, I need seasons of protected slowness; time to rest, regroup, be still with God and discern how the Spirit is leading me. So I’ve just arrived at my favourite retreat house to begin a long, quiet stay. I’ll be working on the final edits for my new book before it wings it’s way to a publisher. I won’t be sleeping deeply like my hedgehogs but it will nevertheless be a hibernation of sorts; I’ll be living at a quite different pace and hopefully it will be a productive hibernation.

Do please pray for me.

And if you value my writing and ministry please head over to this page and consider supporting me in other ways too.

Meanwhile, why not nurture your own inner hedgehog? Give yourself permission, if you can, to rest and relax a little more, especially if Monday (or any other day) felt a bit ‘blue” for you. You’ll bounce back much brighter in the Spring.

 

Healing Life's Hurts - A Cry For Help

There’s a very high profile news story at the moment that it’s impossible to ignore. Whatever you think of it, you will certainly have registered it. It has all the elements of a blockbuster movie; a story of pain, anger and betrayal, played out at the highest level. Like all such stories, the unspoken narrative is one of longing. A longing to feel loved. Unconditionally loved. No matter what.

Whatever you feel about the wisdom of sharing intimate family problems in the public domain, and the nature of how this has been done, there are resonances in Prince Harry’s story for all of us. At its heart, it’s a story of unresolved childhood trauma. And who amongst us has not gathered childhood wounds of one sort or another? We all do. And we all need to find healing, otherwise those wounds drive our adult lives in unhealthy ways.

'Healing Life’s Hurts’ is the working title of my upcoming book. And for twenty years that has been the focus of my ministry; facilitating encounters with the Jesus who still heals today. And what a journey it’s been. It has been the greatest privilege to follow God’s unexpected call on my life and deeply humbling to see lives transformed as people live into the truth that they are loved beyond measure, just as they are. The anointing on this ministry continues to grow in breath-taking ways.

 “What you offer is phenomenal”  -  words of a recent retreat guest

Can you help me to continue this important work?

From the beginning, my ministry has been funded by donations. But now a crunch point has come. Like many people and organisations, I am feeling the pinch in these economically challenging times. My ministry is now operating at a significant financial loss and without further support it will probably be unsustainable.

There has never been a more important need for people to find healing. But producing resources and running retreats is costly in terms of time and money. If you, or someone you know, values the help that my ministry has offered please would you consider partnering with me to continue this vital work. It’s not about me: it’s about what God can do through this ministry. Please help if you can. I would hate to have to stop now.

 The details of how you can help are HERE.

Please take a look; even donations the size of a widow’s mite will help me and every prayer helps more than you will ever know. To paraphrase Jesus, the workers are few but the needs are great.

~ ~ ~ 

And in the meantime, let us all pray for Harry, for all whom his story impacts, and for all who need to find healing from life’s hurts.

 God be with you x