In the breeze

 Our house feels like living inside a musical. Not necessarily in the song quality, but definitely in quantity. It’s hard to say "Hello," "You're welcome," or "We're halfway there" without someone breaking into song. And it’s not just music. Our days are packed with lines from films, adverts, and TV shows. “Coffee, coffee, boy, do I need coffee!” “Bacon is good for me!” I’m not sure it’s entirely normal (which is why I try to restrain myself in public), but it’s definitely normal in our house. One phrase triggers the whole thing—someone says a single line, and the rest of the song or scene starts playing in everyone’s heads. Just like that, an everyday comment becomes a full production. And when Jesus was on the cross, he did just the same. He said: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” To the Roman soldiers crucifying him, it probably sounded like a dying man's cry. To someone reading the Bible today, it can sound as if Jesus believed ...

Take your position. Await on your perch. There's more of my Kingdom to be seen on the earth. Stop hiding your colours, Hand-painted with love. Come take your position; You're seated above. Pick up your mantel, It's been waiting a while. It's not prideful to wear What I give with a smile. Come closer and listen to all that I say, Then mimic, repeat - There's no time for delay. I've given you vision. Don't ignore what you see. You have my permission, To speak truth about me. Enough preening and squawking and practice - all safe! It's time to start flying, Take a big leap of faith. Isolation has hurt you, though I've been your rock, It's time to return; to be part of my flock Parrots assemble! Get ready for flight. It's up high, close beside me, That you'll win the good fight.

They say the sun will shine again,  It won't be very long, And it's easy to believe that's true, I'll keep on being strong But as the winter digs in it's heels,  And joy seems oh so sparse, A niggle starts to grow inside, My smile becomes a farce. The increase of the darkness, which happens day by day, is stealing all my hope, and now, I think I've lost my way. Held captive by the rain and ice, In a spiralling black hole. The cold and barren landscape is a mirror for my soul. Then, looking through the window, Something caught my eye,  A spider's web was glistening in the hedge nearby. I see the snowdrops pop up their heads As if to say "Hello!" They'd been buried in the darkness too, They nod and say, "We know." A blackbird sits and looks at me; He sings a cheery tune. The notes fly by and pick me up, And stay with me 'til noon. Dry, tired leaves hanging on in hope, Now glittering with frost, Perhaps I, too, can hang on in, Perhap...

  Are you're feeling bound; helpless, hopeless, insignificant, trapped, disregarded, undervalued, or like someone's scapegoat? As if there's always someone or something requiring more of you than you have to give and it seems to count for nothing and never offers a reward?    There are days when following Jesus just feels too difficult. Where it seems like God is asking too much; "I have to die again? Lay on the altar and give up my will!" Do you know the word "victim" comes from the Latin word victima, which means "animal offered in sacrifice to the gods"? In tough seasons, that's what it feels like. As if I'm God's victim. Then I remember His nature... He is my provider, my defender, my refuge. My strength comes from His joy. He's my advocate, my fortress and my rock. I stand because I stand on Him. He's my comforter, my hope. In the time of Abraham, child sacrifice to the gods was a "normal" practice, so being a...

 We now have a cat called Sionyn, although "have" is currently a bit of a stretch of the imagination! Over the last year, he's taken to wandering off days at a time, coming back rather full! On the vet's advice, we're careful how much we feed him. He's always been an excellent hunter and has even brought squirrels home - for a little takeaway on the side! He eats everything he catches. He went on another walkabout in the New Year, but this time, he didn't come back after a few days or a few weeks, and after a couple of months, with heavy hearts, we decided to pack up his bowl. Last night, as I was standing in the kitchen, in he strolled, meowing, and headed straight to where his bowl was kept, only then looking at me with great surprise that there was no food waiting...after four and a half months! After I picked my jaw up from the floor, I looked at him to make sure he was keeping ok. There were no clues as to where Sionyn was hanging out, but it was very...

You, drum, stop your banging, you're making a din The sound of your beat makes my head spin. And Harp! Stop bragging of your many strings,  Play fewer, think smaller when the viola begins. Double-bass and violin, sort yourselves out, We can't have a screech  along-side a deep shout. The fanciful flute with it's quick change of tempo,  Keep up everybody. Why are you so slow? Too gentle, too sharp! Come, get it right, Knock off sharp edges Or there'll be a fight  And now you're all moulded, stretched out or contained  Is this perfection? No! You've been maimed. Extremities matter; they make up the whole. Not one or t'other but all is the goal. The Composer has written a beautiful score, He chose each note.. Now it's time to restore  Remove expectations that cause you to strive. Stress isn't the purpose of being alive. Lock eyes with Conductor, he knows your part, He'll teach you to play. No performance, all heart.

  In the summer, I was traveling to London on the train. It was a birthday treat and the idea of driving didn't spark much joy. As I normally travel by car, the train was an adventure - to start with! And then, like the Hobbits leaving the shire, it didn't quite go to plan! I'll leave the full story for another day but traveling by train the same day that Taylor Swift was in Wembley wasn't such a great idea. The trains were absolutely chockablock. We spent an hour stood toe to toe, head to armpits, as hundreds of people squashed into a train that was already full. Yet the passengers were laughing, chatting and sharing life stories as we trundled down the tracks. The discomfort, apparently, was worth it and we left the station wishing our new besties a wonderful time. If that was a Monday morning of commuters, I'm pretty sure the atmosphere wouldn't be quite so joy filled. What we're willing and even able to endure, can definitely be connected with the percei...

  I keep hearing the line "Comfort and Joy" from the Christmas Carol jingling in my head. It's a bit early even for me, but with the wind howling outside, it's not hard to conjure up the image of a roaring fire, a cup of tea, and a piece of Christmas cake—comfort and joy at its best! I took up swimming in the lake last year. I started as a symbolic act for something God was talking to me about - washing off apathy and exhaustion. Once I started, I met people who found swimming in cold water helped with anxiety, depression and other mental health struggles. Slowing down breathing when the body is in shock, telling you to get out, can apparently build resilience in times of flight, fight and freeze.  As I looked into it a bit more, I learnt how it can help heal emotional trauma*. And I found this to be true for me. I was curious as to why. As I was taking a cold early morning shower, with a bold, although not completely true declaration, of "I'd rather be cold ...

 I have an enemy, and he's called Shame, He walks close beside me, and he knows my name He whispers, "It's your fault. You played your part. You better cover your dirty black heart." I have a companion, and he's called Shame He walks close beside me, and he knows my name. He says I'm boastful and full of pride.  My only way out is to be small and hide. I have a friend, and he's called Shame He walks close beside me, and he knows my name. He covers my back, my front and side. He makes sure I know if I let the mask slide. I have a deep flaw, and it's called shame It's deep inside me; it's in my brain. But that doesn't matter because my armour is tight.  I'm covered completely and ready to fight. I have great armour covering my shame It muffles out the sound of it shouting my name. I am not defeated or surviving but thriving; you'll see How I'm courageous and resilient in my self-sufficiency . I have a saviour. He knows my name...

Ever had your kids say there's a monster under the bed? It's easy to dismiss it as an active imagination or bad dream because what else could it be? But what about when you can't sleep yourself because you're so petrified of the erie presence in the room that you sleep with your head under the bed covers. If that's never been a problem for you, I can tell you that was me, and it was terrifying. I first wrote about this nearly two years ago here https://inhisbreeze.blogspot.com/2022/08/whats-in-name.html As a quick recap, the problem was solved thanks to the help of an occult-practising atheist who gave me a prayer! That prayer and the subsequent removal of the spirits led me to give my life to Jesus. When people ask how I "came to faith," I rarely share this part of my story, probably because I'm worried about seeing the same reaction on people's faces as I did all those years ago when I was looking for help—fear or cynicism. But it's importa...

  A few years ago, God spoke to me through our cat. Now, just to make it clear, the cat didn't talk! Narnia is one of my favourite films but ...! God "speaking" was more of a nudge to take notice. A "What do you see?" prompt, or in this case, a "What do you hear?". So, now that that's cleared up, back to the story. Sam (the cat) was being neutered, and the vet explained that it was typical for cats to become lazy after neutering and become content with being indoor cats, putting on weight, so watch how we feed him. "What do you hear?" "Umm, if he can't reproduce, he might just sit inside eating?" God answered (still in my spirit, not by a cat). Yes! That's what happens to my people. When they stop reproducing (making disciples), they stop inside, eating my word but doing nothing with it. They come fat cats."  This is going back around 10 years or so now. I didn't know what to do with it, but it has stopped with ...

  One of the first things people ask when they hear I'm a florist is "What's your favourite flower?", and I ponder every time before answering. I wonder through the  garden in my mind (like a mind palace but prettier!) looking to see which to pick. Beautiful blue delphiniums are pretty high on the list and I almost swoon when I see them. The delicious scent of roses and peonies as you take in a deep breath, is just something else. Snowdrops I wouldn't look at twice if they flowered in the summer, but they don't! They flower when the days are cold, wet and grey. A sign of hope.  I have an emotional response to the flowers I work with. The scent, texture and colour all evoke a different response. Soft pinks, peaches and pale blue flowers make me all dreamy, imagining I'm running through a meadow barefoot. Give me sunflowers, bright orange geums and yellow roses and I turn in to an energetic Tigger, bouncing of the walls.  Hyacinths irritate me, so although I...

  Pan oeddwn i'n tyfu fyny, oni'n byw ar ochr Clawdd Offa. Yn llythrennol. Oedd y tŷ ar ochr Lloegr a'r caeau (fy hoff le) ynh Nghymru. Bob tro oni'n mynd allan o'r tŷ, neu dod adre, dyna oedd e, o flaen I, ac yn gefn o fy meddwl I, oedd y stori o'r pam cafodd y clawdd eu hadeiladu; er mwyn cadw fi allan o Loegr! A'r gosb am fentro i'r ochr arall - colli llaw. Wrth gwrs, roeddwn yn ymwybodol nad oedd yn dal i ddigwydd, ond roedd wedi digwydd i eraill, ac roedd hynny'n ddigon! Ar wahân â Mam, Dad a ni y plant, roedd fy Nain a Thaid hefyd yn byw gyda ni. Oedd Nain wedi dod o Aberfan, rownd y cornel o'r trychineb a cafodd hyn effaith mawr ar fy nhad. Treuliodd lawer o amser yno i fynd i weld ei Nain, felly roedd ychydig yn rhy agos at adref. Roedd Taid, neu Grandad fel oedden ni i gyd yn galw o, yn Gymro Cymraeg o ardal Llanfair Caereinion. Roedd y fferm deuluol wedi cael ei boddi er mwyn creu Llyn Clywedog. Penderfynodd o i siarad Saesneg yn unig ...

Over the last four years, God has called the Church to take stock and truthfully look at where she is and what she has become, as a body and individually. It has been an opportunity to repent and realign with God's Holiness and purity. There has been special favour for healing old trauma and handing over self-protective habits in exchange for God's goodness and joy. When learning to ride a bike while the stabilisers are left on, it's impossible to know how good your balance is. I see the Lord removing the stabilisers off His people in 2024. The practice season is over. It's time to step into maturity, where faith no longer relies on external structures but instead uses the strong core muscles of faith, built internally with the teaching of the Holy Spirit. There will be those pleasantly surprised at the strength built in their core with the Lord in the past season. They will thrive in the freedom, speed and agility that comes when stabilisers are removed. Some won'...

  I released a word at the beginning of the year ( https://inhisbreeze.blogspot.com/2022/12/crowning-and-dethroning.html ) about  the Lord wanting the Church to look like a peacock in the coming season 🦚 I know, how ridiculous, a peacock! It's been on my mind again the last month, so I want to look at it in more detail. If you were to describe Jesus to someone, perhaps the words you'd use would be about his love, kindness, sacrifice, and willingness to serve and care for the lost and marginalised. All of which are true, but He is also King of kings, Lord of lords. He has a mighty army of angels at His disposal. He is just and righteous. He has ALL authority and power. So perhaps the Church being like a majestic-looking peacock isn't so crazy? Have you ever noticed that peacocks look like they're wearing a crown? I asked the Lord what the Church looks like now, and He showed me a flock of chickens, each scratching in the dirt, looking for seeds. Each goes about their...

Imagine having all of the Bible stories happening all at the same time, in your local area, like a "Greatest hits" event. Faith of Abraham, miracles of Moses, worship of David, dream interpretation of Daniel, obedience of Ezekiel, prophesy of Isaiah, wisdom of Solomon, Paul standing firm in persecution and the revelation of John. You'd need to add a good measure of love to keep everything on track, but what a sight that would be. Jesus embodied all these things and said that WHOEVER believed in Him would do the works He did and even greater things. How? Because He was sending the Helper. Each of the great heroes of faith had one thing in common. The Holy Spirit. None of their great deeds were done apart from Him. The Holy Spirit is the one who turns hearts towards Jesus, who teaches the truths in the word. He convicts, encourages, comforts and empowers. He grows love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in those who say yes....