OPEN OUR EYES LORD, TO THE SPLENDOR OF OUR CREATOR

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made… He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

~ John 1:1-5, 10-12

“I find it quite improbable that such order came out of chaos. There has to be some organizing principle. God to me is a mystery but is the explanation for the miracle of existence — why there is something rather than nothing.” 

~ Allan Sandage, PhD (award winning astronomer)

I love springtime, especially since moving to the UK almost a decade ago now, I have come to appreciate it more because it comes earlier than my birth country of Canada.  I was shocked the first winter residing in the UK when at the end of January there were crocuses poking through the ground.  Daffodils come up early as well and I often get them confused with the bluebell stems.  But when the daffodils die out, it seems immediately, the bluebells come out in bloom.  The splendour of spring reminds me that there is a creator.   C. S. Lewis once said, “Men became scientific because they expected law in nature and they expected law in nature because they believed in a lawgiver.”[1]  From a Christian perspective, we believe in a creator God, a grand designer and have come to expect meticulous creativity and design in nature.  How often do we miss the genius of our Creator because we are not looking or too busy?  The Apostle Paul writes, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse,” Rm 1:20. Did you see that? Gods invisible attributes are clearly perceived in the things God has made!

In John 1, the Apostle John, who was closest to Jesus, shares with us that Jesus is the one who made everything that we see, cannot see and experience.  He is God, is from the beginning and God through Jesus made all things.  However, the issue that really stands out in the passage is the sad reality that many people will miss Jesus because their eyes are not truly open.  John says, “He came to his own,” but he was rejected because they did not know him as the creator, their maker and did not receive him.  God through the Apostle John in this text is trying to get your attention and mine.  Paul the Apostle says, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,” 2Cor 4:4.  If you don’t believe in God or haven’t given him much thought, those who do know God and know him intimately are trying to help you see, to open your eyes to the splendour of the creator who loves you and cares for you because he made you.  This passage tells us that the God of this age, which we know is Satan, who is real, as real as you and me, wants you to live life blind to God.  It’s like spiritually, he has put a blindfold over the eyes of those who do not believe in God or have not truly considered him. 

Why am I writing all of this?  My heart aches for people to know God and his Son Jesus Christ.  Why?  Because our world has a problem, it messed up in so many ways.  Just look at the local news this morning, you will most likely see stories of stealing, attempted murder, abuse and much more.  But what is worse is that the problem is not just out there in communities, but it is in our homes too, and much closer still is an issue of our own hearts.  When we take a cold hard look at our lives, our thoughts, our actions of today and the past we know there are things that we are ashamed of thinking, saying or doing.  Maybe we spoke harshly to a work colleague, fellow student or neighbour?  Maybe we're not fully honest with our spouse or employer about something that we had done or not done, lying to get out of trouble.  Some people will say to me, well I am nice, and I do a lot of kind things for others.  To that I say, ok, it is great to do nice, kind things for others but have you really asked yourself why you have done these things?  Often, even our best intentions are full of selfishness.  An example is that I might buy flowers for my wife on the way home from work, not thinking that it is not really out of love, but because I know she likes flowers and I hope she might feel more amorous toward me.  Another example might be that I give money to my favourite charity, as it makes me look good in the community.  When we dig down deep, often our motives are selfish and not out of pure unconditional love for others.  The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Rm 3:23 and that because of our sin, we deserve eternal death, “And these will go away into eternal punishment,” Mt 25:46a.

We have all missed God really; we have missed God’s mark of holiness and perfection.  Yes, we might look pretty good compared to our brother or sister, neighbour or friend but according to God, none of us make the cut, we are all too messed up.  Yet, the Good News is our creator, Jesus Christ, as I say, “God in a Bod,” came to the world, out of love for you and I, his created people, and the Apostle John pleads with us saying, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” 

Can I encourage you to open your eyes, open them a little further to see your loving creator, Jesus Christ?  Will you receive him and believe in his name, the only name that can save you from your sin, selfishness and messed up life and heart.  “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved,” Rm 10:9.  This a free gift, offered by the God of the universe to you and me, and it cannot be earned or bought by anyone, only by grace and mercy does God extend this invitation to be saved. Jesus your creator wants to have a relationship with you, he wants to save you from all the messy stuff.  When you call on Jesus to be your Saviour, your God and choose to follow him, he will flood your life with meaning, purpose, love, joy and so much more.  Do we still have bad days?  Yes, but he has promised to walk with us, we are never alone.  Will God still allow us to suffer at times?  Yes, but he is with us through every difficulty.  Sometimes life’s greatest lessons come through adversity and suffering.  These things God can use to help us learn to persevere and to help others who may be struggling with identical challenges. 

I plead with you today, open your eyes to the Lord, to the splendour of your creator who loves you and has given his life for you.

For further information, please connect with “The Story” at http://story4.us/jeffjameslee

PRAYER

Dear Jesus,

Open our eyes Lord, to the splendour of your creation, to the beauty of your loving salvation purchased for us through your coming to the earth over two thousand years ago to save us from our sin and eternal death.  Thank you for your creation which gives us a glimpse of your great genius, to your amazing creativity.  Thank you for your love and grace given to us through your death, burial, and resurrection.  Help those who today are living in blindness and darkness to have their eyes opened to the truth and light that Jesus is God and Creator and has given his life out of love for them, their very creator, who knows them more intimately then they could even know themselves.  God, please bring about change in this world of darkness today for your glory.  Amen

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[1] LENNOX, JOHN C. . Gunning for God (p. 28). Lion Hudson. Kindle Edition.  

GOSPEL RECONCILIATION: A Heart Stirring Meditation on 2 Cor 5:18-20

Some teachings in God’s Word really are hard and difficult to swallow. Yet, these teachings really challenge the heart and help us to see our heart as it truly is before our Creator. I found this passage so personally challenging, yet encouraging. The Gospel message is that God reconciles himself to us, through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, but also implies that Christians must seek reconciliation between us and others. If I do not attempt to reconcile with others in life, then I wonder, do I truly understand the Gospel and all its implications. What an amazing passage I found to reflect and meditate on.

The Apostle Paul says, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Co 5:18–21.

Here is also some excellent commentary on this issue of reconciliation in this passage and its implications for the Christian…

“This unit contains three key assertions. (1) God is the driving force behind the redemption of humankind. Reconciliation comes solely at God’s initiative. (2) God acted through Christ’s death, and Christ alone is the means of reconciliation. (3) God continues to act through those who have been reconciled. They have the privilege and responsibility to share in this great divine enterprise and are to call others to be reconciled to God.
Christians undermine this great calling whenever they are riven with their own irreconciliation. Paul understands that he cannot fulfill his vision of going to Spain to preach a gospel of reconciliation while leaving behind an unreconciled church where Jew does not accept Gentile (see Rom 15:24). This concern to bring Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians together is the primary motive behind the collection for Jerusalem, the topic taken up in chaps. 8–9.”

David E. Garland, 2 Corinthians, vol. 29, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 288–289.

Pursue reconciliation, as much as is possible with you, this is Gospel living and living in obedience to Christ.

My God, and heavenly Father, please help me, by your Spirit, to be reconciled to others as you have reconciled my relationship with yourself through your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Importance of Living a Life of Respect in a Disrespecting Age

by Jeff Lee

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,  to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.”  Titus 3:1–2 NIV84

In the last few years there has been a growing trend toward disrespect toward each other in Western cultures.  If someone disagrees with an idea, practice, teaching, action and more than an individual may feel permission to be disrespectful.  This seems to be especially true even of politicians.  But without getting political or meddling to much in these waters of opinion, I must admit I appreciated the challenge this morning from Titus 2:1-2. 

The attitudes and actions of disrespect, selfishness, inconsideration and slander must have been a problem in the church of Crete.  Paul, who is an apostle of Jesus Christ, faced disrespect on so many occasions experiencing hardship, torture, pain and agony for just simply having a Christian faith and sharing this faith with others.  A man, who could have been upset, instead tells his ministry apprentice Titus to “remind the people,” with the context being Christians to be respectful of governing authorities and toward all people. 

Sometimes I have to admit, I am not always happy with certain ideas, world views, government actions, comments and opinions over others.  However, as a Christian, I am called to live a life, as taught in this passage, of respect, peace, being considerate and humble, no matter how I feel.  This is stinging, because like many, this can be hard to do in practice, but seems simplistic in theory.  Lea & Griffin state that “Christians should be careful not to speak evil of or verbally abuse others, who are created in God’s own image and the object of his saving grace (Jas 3:9).”[1]

A story about Winston Churchill “exemplified integrity and respect in the face of opposition. During his last year in office, he attended an official ceremony. Two gentlemen that were seated several rows behind him began whispering, “That's Winston Churchill. They say he is getting senile. They say he should step aside and leave the running of the nation to more dynamic and capable men.” When the ceremony was over, Churchill turned to the men and said, “Gentlemen, they also say he is deaf!”[2]

People can say and feel all sorts of things that are true and untrue, hurtful and even unhelpful, as we see in this story.  It is easy for some people to get critical easily, even defensive and agitated.  However, I do wonder, if you are reading this post as a Christian today, if you find this teaching brings a sting to your mind and heart.  Have you lashed out at others in without a humble attitude, being disrespectful and selfish without being considerate?  You and I may disagree with others, but we are not asked to be agreeable.  We may feel hurt or bothered by another’s beliefs or political persuasions, but this teaching from Paul does not encourage being obnoxious, hurtful and disrespectful.  This does not mean we cannot share our thoughts or views but we must do so in an attitude of love and respect.  Be considerate that we may not have all the information, or we may not have the whole story, or we may not understand why a person has come to particular conclusions and actions.  What Jesus and Paul both teach is we must live in an attitude of love and respect toward other people, even when we disagree.  Think about how you can approach each conversation in an   Remember, we are also called to do our best to be obedient and kind to authorities who lead.  We are work hard “be ready to do whatever is good.”  Wiersbe says that “Ready to every good work” means “cooperating in those matters that involve the whole community.” Our heavenly citizenship does not absolve us from responsibilities as citizens on earth.”[3]  We must live as respectful and responsible citizens in our communities, which includes our neighbourhoods, workplaces and schools, but also our social media communities. 

attitude of grace and love.

Humility, respect, consideration and goodness are traits that mark being a Christian.  Why does it seem that some who identify with Christ nowadays seem to be disposing of this important teaching?  A great summation on this teaching to ponder today is that, “It is not enough for Christians to say the right things—telling others about Jesus and his love. Our lives are of critical importance, too. People need to see a consistency between the salvation that we profess to have received and the way we live in the world.  And in these reminders to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be ready to do whatever is good etc., we have clear pointers as to the direction in which we must go as we seek to reduce Paul’s concern to practice.”[4]

Let us move ahead this week in an attitude of love, humility, consideration and peace in all our conversations this week, asking forgiveness from God and others when we fail, and being the change.

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[1]  Thomas D. Lea and Hayne P. Griffin, 1, 2 Timothy, Titus, vol. 34, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 319.

[2] Pastor Paul Chappell, "Winston Churchill," Ministry 127, accessed November 17, 2017, http://ministry127.com/resources/illustration/winston-churchill.

[3]  Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 267.

[4]  David Campbell, Opening up Titus, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2007), 95.

Awareness of the Struggle of Depression, Self-Harm and Suicide

Every September, in the United Kingdom, there is one week dedicated to suicide awareness.  One of the issues here in the United Kingdom in the Autumn and Winter with the declining hours of light and increasing hours of darkness is a noticeable mood change.  This is especially true if we go days and sometimes weeks with rain and cloud without any sunshine.  Depression is an issue that affects many, seemingly more than what I experienced living in Canada (or maybe people in the UK are more open about the issue).  But with the darker, wet days of winter in brings to my mind the struggles many have with life such as relationships, purpose, fulfilment, stress in work, school and much more.
As a Youth and Young Adults Pastor, my heart breaks for the many youth today who feel alone, who are struggling inside with hurt, pain, challenges and discontentment with no one they feel they can talk too.  I want to explore the topic today of depression and suicide among teens but also in people general.  There seems to be more and more recent reports especially of teen’s attempting and some committing suicide, or at least there may be more awareness, though here in the UK figures suggest a slight 4.7% decrease in suicide rates last year.[1]  My heart breaks for these teens, parents and friends who have suffered through such a tragic situation.  Recently, I knew a family who had experienced the loss of someone close to them who chose to end their life themselves.  My heart was and still is broken for this family.  This issue seems to be growing with the number of those who are struggling with complex personal issues and unable to cope, attempting self-harm.  The Telegraph reports that there has been a “68% rise in the number of young people being admitted to hospital because of self-harm over the last 10 years – that’s three in every classroom.”[2]   Thought self-harm does not necessarily mean a person is thinking suicide, it is still related to many who struggle.  In Canada, the country of my birth, suicide is on the rise and was brought to light in 2016 when “five teenagers from Woodstock, Ontario killed themselves in just as many months.”[3]
What is the point of bringing awareness of this topic?  I have personally found over the years that Christians unfortunately seem ill equipped and are prone to evade open discussion about suicide.  I don’t mean to be crass, or am I attempting to make light of the issue of suicide.  However, as Christians, I believe we must become more educated and more aware of this issue, concerns, symptoms, and signs.  Further, it is important that we listen to others with an attitude of love, care and concern without judgementalism.  Often it is hard for those struggling emotionally, with various challenges and thoughts, to come forward to a family member, friend, minister or counsellor.  MIND UK suggests to those struggling…
“It can feel difficult to open up to people.
You may want others to understand what you're going through, but you might feel:
Suicidal thoughts aren't permanent - things do improve. You can find your motivation to live again.

• unable to tell someone
• unsure of who to tell
• concerned that they won't understand
• fearful of being judged
• worried you'll upset them”[4]

Here is a charity that helps those with mental health issues trying to suggest that many people do feel unable to share how they feel, unsure of who to talk too, not sure if others will understand their feelings, fear being judged and worried they might upset those they might share with.  Picture yourself in the shoes of someone who has all these feelings and emotions swirling within them.  Would they feel safe approaching you?  We need to make people safe.  A word to Christian churches, organizations, charities, we need to work toward being a safe place for people to approach, and it’s unfortunate that some may not come who need someone to listen, love and care.  Many Christians face these feelings too, and depression, which is often linked with suicide, is something Christians struggle with too.  Please understand that depression can happen to anyone and is not just mental health issue cause by issues of sin.  Unfortunately, there are still some from an uneducated background in this area who think such a thing.  Depression can be brought on by sinful struggles but it is by far not the only issue that leads to depression.  I say this because I had heard this growing up among some people that depression was a sin problem, I had painful discussion with an uneducated pastor on this issue a few years ago.  Depression can be caused by chemical imbalances in the body, post-partum depression, injury, loss of a friend or close family member and so on.  Please do not assume this as “depression can be emotional, medical, or spiritual.  Sometimes it’s all three at once.”[5]
Since I studied through college and I am close to finishing a master’s degree, I have been interested in issues of mental health and counselling, spending some time looking into many issues including depression.  Depression can come from many different challenges and situations in a person’s life.  A few years ago, I personally went through a bout of depression after having a serious concussion playing ice hockey where I landed on my head.  My head was cloudy, I had serious headaches, feel tired all the time.  I felt dark inside for months.  It wasn’t until I talked with a brain therapy specialist in Canada that I realized that I needed a serious recovery plan.  My doctor here in the UK did not give me any advice at all, but suggested I take medication.  That was his only solution, medication.  But after talking with the brain therapist I found out among many things, I should have taken serious time off, not been watching television and playing on my phone, all of which was slowing down healing.  I hurt my brain, I should have stopped everything, silly me.  What I want to point out is at the time I felt embarrassed and afraid to talk to others about it.  I was able to find help through the therapist, some websites at the time, but also through some books of which the most helpful was a book by Psychiatrist Donald Hall called, “Dealing with Depression.”[6]  Dr. Hall gave many helpful steps and advice on recovery.  I must be honest, I felt and even feel now that it’s difficult to share my past situation because of fear of being judged.  However, in order to encourage others to share, I want to be open even despite what others may think or say.  As a Christian, I found that my relationship with God helped me tremendously.  One the practices that helped me through the depression was worship of God.  Worship through prayer with God, singing uplifting songs to him in the car, working on things around the house, reading the Bible, God’s Word to us.  All this together helped to lift my spirit tremendously, alongside some of the suggestions in Donald Hall’s book.
Mental health issues are serious and more common place today.  We need to be ever more aware that people all around us and even our family could be facing such issues, and we may not even be aware.  Those struggling with depression, self-harm and suicide need to know there are people who care and are willing to listen with unconditional love.
What are some signs that we need to be aware to help those who are struggling?  I just read this week great new Net Nanny article by Dr. Charlene Millar who suggests these six signs in relation to teens for which need to be on the watch.  She suggests the looking for the following potential risks:
Understanding Potential Risks

1. Withdrawal from Usual Activities:When kids who have been typically interested in activities and friends begin withdrawing from friends, activities and family gatherings, it is important to wonder what might be going on for your child. Sometimes withdrawal is a sign of depression which is a leading cause of suicide.

2. Depressed Mood:Symptoms of depression can include, but is not limited to, fatigue and decreased energy, difficulty concentrating, feelings of guilt, hopelessness and helplessness, notable changes in sleep patterns such as insomnia or excessive sleeping, notable changes in appetite such as overeating or appetite loss, persistent sadness. It is not uncommon for those who are depressed or suicidal to ignore hygiene and personal appearance.

3. Frequent Outbursts of Anger:Teenagers typically have mood swings, all of which need to be addressed. Mood swings that may be more concerning are those that seemingly come out of nowhere and without understandable context. Some of these mood swings may come with threats of violence and self-harm, expressing their sense of hopelessness in an aggressive way. Mood fluctuations between extreme anger or manic behaviour and labile or depressed mood may be signs of bipolar disorder or other mental illness.

4. Current Family Difficulties or Traumatic Life Events:Children and teens often experience their parents’ marital conflict or divorce as life altering and traumatic. Hopelessness and helplessness often begin within that child when these difficulties go undiscussed. Death of a loved one or even a family move may leave a child feeling lonely and ignored. Sometimes their way of coping is to withdraw or to become angry.

5. School Difficulties:Students who contemplate suicide sometimes tell a friend or write about it in school essays. Their feelings of hopelessness and helplessness may come from a variety of school experiences. Academic pressure from parents or from schools may feel insurmountable especially when the message is that the student is not “good enough” unless they have a perfect score. Bullying is a pervasive school problem that students often do not disclose because of shame and embarrassment. Adults may minimize the effects of bullying, but students experience the trauma of such harassment on a daily basis. Currently going beyond name calling and shunning, cyberbullying with mobile devices takes the harassment to a viral level. Students are subject to physical and sexual threats, altered instagram posts, group humiliation and rejection sometimes accompanied with bribes in order for the bullying to stop.

6. Self-Injury:Sometimes the cry for help appears in more hidden, but destructive, ways. Self-injury often begins as a way of self-soothing. Some students report that cutting, or self-mutilation, is a way that they still see if they can feel. Substance use of alcohol and drugs temporarily numbs the pain. Food binging sometimes begins as a way to “swallow” the pain while purging is a way to “express” their pain. And sometimes the student feels as if they can “disappear” or stay in control through restricted eating or anorexia. A disregard for one’s own life can also appear in careless behaviour such as reckless driving, unsafe sex, or maintaining destructive and abusive relationships.[7]

How do you know if you are may be struggling with potential suicide?  MIND UK suggests “here are some thoughts, feelings and experiences you may go through if you are feeling suicidal.
“How you might think of feel

• hopeless, like there is no point in living
• tearful and overwhelmed by negative thoughts
• unbearable pain that you can't imagine ending
• useless, unwanted or unneeded by others
• desperate, as if you have no other choice
• like everyone would be better off without you
• cut off from your body or physically numb

What you may experience

• poor sleep with early waking
• change in appetite, weight gain or loss
• no desire to take care of yourself, for example neglecting your physical appearance
• wanting to avoid others
• self-loathing and low self-esteem
• urges to self-harm”[8]

What can you do if you are feeling some of these feelings, if you are for any reason feeling like hurting yourself?  Here are a number of immediate ways to get the emergency help you need if you live in the UK thanks to MIND UK:
“Getting help in an emergency

• If you don't feel you can keep yourself safe right now, seek immediate help.
• go to any hospital A&E department(sometimes known as the emergency department)
• call 999and ask for an ambulance if you can't get to A&E
• ask someone else to contact 999 for you or take you to A&E immediately
• If you need some support right now, but don't want to go to A&E, here are some other options for you to try:
• contact the Samaritanson freephone 116 123, they're open 24 hours and are there to listen
• contact your GP for an emergency appointmentor the out of hours team
• call NHS 111 (England)or NHS Direct 0845 46 47 (Wales)
• contact your local crisis team
• see MIND UK’s page on helping yourself cope right now, and on crisis services.”[9]

In Canada: Call 911 or visit https://suicideprevention.ca/need-help/
In the USA:  Call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit their website at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
In the EU: visit this site for websites and phone numbers in your related country http://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/Europe/
In Australia: Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au
In New Zealand: Call 0800 543 354 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.nz
How can you help yourself or be able to help others that you suspect may be struggling with suicide?
MIND UK again gives some brilliant advice for us to consider when helping others who are struggling:
“It can be very distressing if you are worried about someone who feels suicidal. They may have talked about wanting to end their life, or you may be concerned that they are thinking about it.
You might feel unsure of what to do, but there are lots of things that might help. You could:

• encourage them to talk about their feelings
• encourage them to seek treatment and support
• offer emotional support
• offer practical support
• help them think of ideas for self-help
• help them to make a support plan

The main aspect of supporting someone through this is compassion, listening and most importantly not over-reacting or becoming upset. Remaining calm and talking the situation through is extremely important.
It may also be helpful to remove things that someone could use to harm themselves, particularly if they have mentioned specific things they might use.
For more information on encouraging someone to seek treatment for suicidal feelings, see our information above.”[10]
My reason for writing this post is to encourage all of us to be aware of these issues of mental health among young people and adults all around us, and do the best you can to listen to our family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, fellow students and others, showing love, care and concern.  I also want to encourage churches to think and prepare their staff and people to be aware and truly show care.  There are loads of resources and organisations available at just a click on the internet.  If you are reading this article and work in any other environment other than church, my encouragement would be the same.  Any help of people with mental issues, especially depression, self-harm and suicide need attention from all people.  Any caring ear and heart is welcome! You never know, you might find this information helpful someday soon and help save a person’s life.  As a Christian, I encourage you not to forget, that there is all this help, and you can also call on God in prayer for His help too anytime!  If you have struggled or know someone who has and want to offer some other advice or web links to help, feel free to add them in the comments section.
Thank you and God bless!

Psalm 34:18-19 (NIVUK)
“The Lord is close to the broken-hearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all.”

Psalm 55:22 (NIVUK)
^“Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you;
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.”

1 Peter 5:7 (NIVUK)
^“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

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[1] "Suicide rates fall to six-year low." Samaritans. Accessed November 11, 2017. https://www.samaritans.org/news/suicide-rates-fall-six-year-low.

[2] Bodkin, Henry. "'Heartbreaking' 68pc rise in self-harm among young teenage girls." The Telegraph. October 18, 2017. Accessed November 10, 2017. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/18/heartbreaking-rise-self-harm-among-young-teenage-girls/.

[3] Levinson-King, Robin. "Teen suicide on the rise among Canadian girls." BBC News. March 13, 2017. Accessed November 10, 2017. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39210463.

[4] "Suicidal feelings." Suicidal feelings | Mind, the mental health charity - help for mental health problems. Accessed November 11, 2017. https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/suicidal-feelings/#.WgcWFxO0OqA.

[5] Donald P. Hall, Breaking through depression (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2009), 20.

[6]https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/embed?asin=B0035YPILE&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_SZXbAb0PT56MX

[7] Miller, PhD Charlene Underhill. "Warning Signs of Suicidal Thoughts: Understanding Your Teen's Cry for Help." Net Nanny. November 05, 2017. Accessed November 11, 2017. https://www.netnanny.com/blog/6-warning-signs-of-suicidal-thoughts/.

[8] "Suicidal feelings." Suicidal feelings | Mind, the mental health charity - help for mental health problems. Accessed November 11, 2017. https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/suicidal-feelings/#.WgctLRO0OqB.

[9] Ibid.

[10] "Supporting someone who feels suicidal." How to help | Mind, the mental health charity - help for mental health problems. Accessed November 11, 2017. https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helping-someone-else/supporting-someone-who-feels-suicidal/how-to-help/#.Wgcr5BO0OqA.

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Sunday and it is annual day to help us be continually reminded to be ever grateful for the freedoms we have through the death, hard work and sacrifice of service men and woman for our country, and in my case, the Commonwealth.  My four great-grandfathers fought for Canada and England in the WW1.  So many were willing to go and fight against tyranny for the freedoms we enjoy.  I want to thank all those who have served both past and present for your sacrifice for our countries.  Also, I want to thank those who are working hard for issues of justice, care and peace in our world.  Who knows how many wars have been averted due to the hard work of many men and women of the years who have promoted peace and brought reconciliation.  As a Christian, reconciliation is our calling as Paul said, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God,” 2 Cor 5:18-21.   Lest we forget.

Prayers for Peace

Most gracious God and Father,
in whose will is our peace:
turn our hearts and the hearts of all to yourself,
that by the power of your Spirit
the peace which is founded on righteousness
may be established throughout the whole world;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God, our refuge and strength,
bring near the day when wars shall cease
and poverty and pain shall end,
that earth may know the peace of heaven
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.