Welcome! How lovely to have you here for a time of quiet reflection…have you got your beverage & tasty treat in hand…you do, let us begin….

The main ingredients for my tea blend today are rather unusual; Hibiscus, Apple pieces & Cranberries. I was introduced to this tea when a small pack was included in a birthday gift.

Our twin 3 year old grandsons proudly marched up to me with big smiles on their faces, jointly holding the gift bag for this Nanny! Very cute!

As I brew this interesting tea blend in the beautiful cup & saucer of pink, white & gold, also a part of that gift, I am reminded of two things, seasonal & generational change.

My tasty treat is a home baked savory cheese & herb muffin with a blob of butter, slowly melting upon its oven warmth, placed on a scalloped, gold edged plate.

This tea is a sweet mellow blend, a very enjoyable combination, I can detect the individual ingredients as I sip. It is a perfect accompaniment for my savory muffin…

The signal of change

On reflecting about seasons & generations, I realized they both signal change. We are experiencing seasonal changes that comes with our Australian weather at the moment, the cold weather here has heralded a very rainy season at the moment.

As with generations, change is inevitable with each new generation. But thankfully there are some precious things tha don’t change…

We have been left with great pearls of wisdom & encouragement by those who have already done the hard yards of this life.

I was reading one such ancient wisdom this morning…It was wisely informing us to take courage & not to be afraid of the things in life that seem overwhelming.

Because there is always one who is near to help. Let me set the scene for you for this ancient pearl of beautiful wisdom…

The overpowering storm

Those following Immanuel had gone on ahead to cross the large body of water, they were approximately halfway to their destination when a huge storm suddenly surrounded them.

They really had a struggle against the overwhelming power of the storm, wind & waves that fiercely tossed the boat to breaking point….

In the mean time Immanuel, having had an exhausting day Himself, both teaching & miraculously feeding five thousand people with a delicious picnic.

All miraculously multiplied from one child’s lunch, had stayed behind to assure that the crowd left safely.

As He waved the last of the people goodbye, He took time out to commune with His Father, before He too was on His way. He left the shore…

Walking towards those in the boat who were out at sea & were reaching exhaustion point in their battle against the power of a storm that was raging around them.

As those in the boat saw a figure coming towards them, walking upon the water, they were overwhelmed with absolute terror, as they thought it was a ghost…it wasn’t until Immanuel called out to them that they recognized Him.

We can get to that point too dear friend when were in the midst of fighting the battle. Exhaustion can lead us to misunderstand God’s intention & will for our lives. 

Calming the overwhelm

But in that moment of recognition that it was Jesus with them. He had calmed both storms, the storm upon the water & the storm of terror in their hearts as they allowed Him to enter their boat (You can read this account in Mark 6:42-52).

As you may have gleaned by now, this ancient wisdom is very real & relevant for us today.

There are seasons in our lives that seem overwhelming, as in this present CoVid 19 pandemic…we struggle against the storm that tosses us into places of anxiety & fear.

Storms can also come in the guise of financial struggles, chronic health issues, mental health challenges, difficulties in relationships, the loss of a loved one or something very significant in our life, maybe the consequences of unwise choices or behaviors.

When we see Immanuel aka Jesus Christ, walking towards us, which may even add to our anxiety, for we perceive that He is something different to who He actually is!

He is calling out to us dear friend not to add to our anxiety but because He cares. He has come to calm the storm in our hearts, minds & spirits.

Our part is to allow Him to do so… you see He will never force His way into our lives, He is the ultimate & perfect gentleman…

We need to allow Him into our boat (life) just as the apostles did. What ever condition or circumstance we are in, whether we have known Him for a long period or are yet to know Him, He is the calm for our storm…

Until next time…dear friend…

Jennifer

You’re most welcome to join me in The Reading Nook

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In Prayer

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