C S Lewis quote

I can't help but share this:

"Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of."

Ingrid x

Irreplaceable

I've heard the song before ('Chosen' by Sidewalk Prophets) but a particular lyric jumped out at me this morning:

"You're irreplaceable" 

Totally staggering! 

We're so replaceable these days. In fact we're almost disposable, like so much else in our supposedly 'advanced' culture.

Yet to God each one of us is absolutely irreplaceable. 

You see he very meticulously designed us in a way which no one else has ever been and no one else will ever be. Unique and only one of a kind. There never will be another 'you' on earth.

Just take the time to think on it. If God purposely created you to be you right now, exactly where you are, there must be a reason ... a higher purpose. There are no design flaws with God, we simply add them in and often ruin his creation. Yet the fact remains, we are irreplaceable to God.

Maybe we need to start believing it and living out as though it's true ... because it is.

Ingrid x

("This is your identity; You're fearless, courageous. In your weakness, He's strong. Hold on to faith and you'll more than overcome. This is who you're made to be. Come and see your destiny. You're not worthless, you're precious. You're not left out, you're wanted. You're irreplaceable with your shining soul. Love has spoken").

From Winter to Spring

At the top of my garden is a wild area. It gets left to its own devices partly through neglect due to my lack of time and energy but also because it suits being left ... wild and free. It's a perfect habitat for slow worms, hibernating hedgehogs, the common lizard and many other wonderful creatures. 

The scene at this time of year may look messy, in fact it could be described as an eyesore, yet lingering just below the surface is a masterpiece of beauty.  

The plenteous leaves of autumn and the damp conditions of winter provide a grubby blanket for showcasing spring revelations.

It's the same every year, but every year it's breath-taking. The simplicity and purity of a single snowdrop can banish the bleak mid-winter and usher in the warmth and vibrance of spring. It's the same ground and the same place, just displaying a different side to it's character.

We're not dissimilar as humans. We have our grubby sides, our bleak outlook and times in life when we want to hibernate or maybe even disappear into the landscape so that we pass unnoticed. 

Yet just like the top of my garden, there is a beauty and hidden treasures which at times may be invisible to others as they linger below the surface, but they are strong, they are wild, they are free ... and in time they will surface with a radiance. They are simply comfortable in their own form, colour, shape and size. They know their purpose and will happily live it out in the sphere in which they have been nurtured and prepared for.

The brambles and nettles may still be there and may even cause some discomfort at times, but they cannot detract from the significance and beauty of new life, growth and the choice of living a life to the full. Granted, an odd nudge now and then, maybe some pruning and encouragement may be required to allow some more deeply buried beauty to emerge and flourish, but it’s always there … unique and of great worth.

Let’s enjoy the transition of the seasons, taking time to notice even tiny changes. Be mindful and wonder at the detail in creation, the consistency and obedience yet the diversity and contrast all around us … absorb the beauty with gratitude.

Ingrid x

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade.” (Charles Dickens, Great Expectations)

Happy New Year

At the start of 2025 my simple hope and prayer is that each one of us has more reason for gratitude than grumpiness this year; more awareness of those around us than of ourselves; more love to give and more of ourselves to share, than the choice to feed anger, bitterness and greed.

This we can do on a daily basis, in little bite sizes ... but through those little daily changes we can impact our neighbourhoods ... and through positively influencing those we come into contact with, well who knows ... we could help make the world a better place.

Through the sharing of good values, coming from our core, whilst overcoming fear, anxiety, disappointment, injustice and betrayal, we not only impact others for good but we shape our own characters into the best version of ourselves time and again.

The pursuit of excellence: a worthy cause and quite possibly a far off, maybe seemingly at times an unattainable destination, however I believe that through these daily acts of kindness, thoughtfulness, forgiveness and the choice of joy over grief, we will personify excellence. It's not a desire for something distant and beyond our reach, in fact we all have the capacity for it within us. We just need to make the daily choices ... and please do notice the little changes and the gifts of joy which you will both feel personally and also see in others around you.

When hardship hits; grief overcomes; expectations are shattered and the curveballs of life knock you down, please, please choose to see the learning ... rise a stronger, more faithful and compassionate person because of them, courageous enough to advocate for others who may have suffered a similar plight. Suffering is a natural part of our lives and can refine us into gold rather than crush us into dross. Each day we live will enter into our 'past' and our past does not need to define our future yet the learning we take from it can most certainly shape our vision, determination and commendation. Let us live and learn to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly (taken from the Bible: Micah 6v8).

May God lighten the path ahead of you into the unknown of 2025 and richly bless you. May you know peace and contentment no matter your circumstance, and may those whom you come into contact with and whom you choose to spend time with, be blessed for having spent time in your company ... even if it is just a charming and cheery manner at the checkout.

Ingrid x

Little Thought 6

I had the privilege of spending a short time on a boat in Greece recently. No responsibilities, no deadlines, no demands … what a rare treat! However, this gift quickly and unexpectedly turned into an unpleasant drama due to an accident. In an instance plans halted and significant consequences ensued.

Despite the catastrophic nature to our wellbeing when such things happen, and the need to navigate new waters, God is not caught out nor surprised. Accidents happen to us all but do they knock our faith or cause us to notice more deeply and intentionally God’s knowledge, care and very real presence in every moment? 

We get knocked down but we can get back up again … stronger, wiser, more aware of others and ready to rise into being the even better version of ourselves that God created us to be. 

Scars are a sign of healing, a poignant reminder of progress through pain, refining our characters so as to fulfil our unique God given purpose with the help of Him alone who is the source of every tiny thing that we may need to continue. 

The Message puts Ephesians 3v20 this way: “God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us”.

Ingrid x

Little Thought 5

I attended a talk recently, given by Sir Terry Waite and one of the things which stuck with me was his simple message of “act within your sphere of influence”. I’ve heard it before, but coming from him in the context of the talk gave it more weight.

We do all have a sphere of influence, some to a greater degree in the sense of reaching vast numbers of people whereas others may only reach a few local to where they live. 

In Luke chapter 10 Jesus shares the parable of the good Samaritan to show us who our neighbour is. It turns out that anyone we see in need, is in fact our neighbour. This could be in the literal sense of our neighbourhood or perhaps someone we come alongside whilst on holiday far from home.

We may often be unaware of any ripple effect which our input into our neighbours’ lives may have, but if we continue to act justly, seek mercy and walk humbly before our God and do so within our area of influence on earth, then we can leave the outcomes to God. 

Our responsibility is to just keep doing the next right thing.

Ingrid x

Little Thought 4

Apparently, I am a geriatric mother because I had my children whilst in my 40’s. Now that I am 50 and still have young children, I am often bombarded with a cacophony of sounds.

In 1 Kings 19 v 12 it refers to God’s “still, small voice”. I sometimes wish my children would speak in still, small voices and as you would imagine it’s often pretty tricky to find God’s voice in the daily chaos of our home. Or so I used to think …

I now realise that God’s kindness and compassion, His great understanding of our current circumstances, means that He talks to us in whatever form or way is most appropriate. For me this will usually mean that throughout the busyness and demands of my day, He can be present in a thought, in a song, in an email, in nature, even in a WhatsApp message.

I struggle to get up early, so for me a designated quiet time before the day starts just doesn’t happen … maybe it will during another season of my life, but I know that my circumstances do not hinder God’s attention in noticing my need, in coming alongside me and providing a little word, a little encouragement, just when I need it.

God uses different methods during different times in our lives to still connect, to still maintain that relationship with us and speak to our souls whether it comes as a loud shout or a still, soft voice. As a busy mother, employee, and friend, I am very grateful for that. His voice arrives as a wonderful reassurance of his presence, peace and provision.

Ingrid x