(July 28, 2025) Mama Lava challenges us as she shares from her heart about a very important Christian principle…
The crisis was unimaginable. I couldn’t fathom what she was going through. The desperation I felt for a friend on her behalf couldn’t have come close to what she must have been feeling.
I was a step removed from the situation, but the gut punch I felt knocked me off my feet.
(more…)
(May 14, 2025) Mama Lava, sharing from her heart, reminds us of another great truth…
Hello again!
Trust is our theme this month, as we work on alleviating our anxiety. Specifically trust in God.
Think about this… we put our trust in many things every day. We trust that—
(February 10, 2025) Mama Lava, sharing from her heart, challenges us to trust our loving and caring God…
February! What a great month!
And what a perfect topic we have on the Back Porch: God is for us!
Initially I didn’t chose this topic on purpose. Last year, as I sat with the Lord, planning a 2025 roadmap through the topic of overcomimg anxiety, I did not realise how appropriate it would be to talk about God being for us during this month of love. But, my friends, that is how God works! He knew what He wished me to share this month— and His timing is perfect.
(more…)
(April 22, 2024) Richard Winter encourages…
If you hang around with Australians for just a few moments you will hear them say to just about anything you say, ‘No worries, mate!’
Attitude
‘Mate’ is the ‘Ozzie’ slang term for ‘friend’ and this expression is widely used representing a feeling of friendliness, mateship, good humour, kindness, and optimism – like the American ‘No problem.’
It’s a great attitude to have! But… did you know that Aussies weren’t the first to say this when things looked difficult – that Jesus was the first to say, ‘No worries, mate!’
(more…)
(January 29, 2023) Maureen McQuillan seeks to comfort a distressed sister…
Dear Pastor Maureen
I’m going through a difficult time. I’ve prayed and prayed but don’t seem to be getting answers, or help. I want to believe that I can trust God but I just feel He hasn’t heard my prayer. My heart is sobbing, I cry myself to sleep. Doesn’t God care? I am a Christian, I have accepted Jesus. Bella.
Dear Bella
Oh yes, God does hear our prayers… your prayers, and yes, He does care! I’ll be open, honest with you, won’t mislead you… becoming a Christian doesn’t mean we’ll have a carefree life. Yes, we will have a good life, sins forgiven and an assurance that we’re heaven-bound. But… presently we’re still here and things can go wrong, even for God’s children! Accidents, sicknesses, disappointments, marriage and family troubles, sudden loss of loved ones, even disasters.
But we can keep trusting God, we can bank on His love, provision, protection in that He will help us and bring us through whatever the issue is! Your prayers are heard by God (1John 5:14-15, 1 Peter 3:12). 1 Peter 5:7 is particularly precious: ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.’
(more…)
(January 27, 2023) Brian Bell reminds us that in anxious times the Christian’s confidence is in our God…
I am taking a little poetic licence here in describing Psalm six by using this musical term, but it is also one of those psalms in which David mentions the name of stringed instruments to which the psalm should be accompanied.
Movement #1 (v1-5)
What often encourages me as I read the psalms is their honesty – I remind myself the words are spoken/written not in private prayer but for public worship in their context as songs, so they make honest references –
Movement #2 (v 6-7)
David says, ‘I am worn out by sobbing, every night tears drench my bed, my pillow is wet from weeping….’
(December 13, 2022) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share…
Unfortunately, some Christians worry instead of trusting Almighty God!
Yes, we should certainly be concerned about troubling matters that arise from time to time… but there is a huge difference between being concerned (taking responsibility to correct matters) and worrying!
Paul gave good advice in Philippians 4:6 – ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’
Seven don’ts…
1. Don’t worry –
Message Bible is very direct: ‘Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.’ Complete Jewish Bible charges: ‘Don’t worry about anything.’
It’s almost Christmas when we celebrate the amazing coming to planet Earth of Jesus in physical form – the incarnational birth of the one who would become our Saviour.
(more…)
(October 31, 2022) America’s Mercy Health releases good info each month as part of their concern for everyone in showing the compassion of Jesus, such as the following…
Healthy living? People often de-prioritise their mental health, and it can have serious consequences.
Mental health is just as important as physical health, and really the two go hand in hand. Finding ways to prioritise your mental health is part of a healthy lifestyle.
Why is good mental health important?
The term ‘mental health’ is often linked to specific disorders such as depression. However, mental health covers so much more…
Stress, anxiety, anger and frustration are emotions everyone experiences and are directly tied to their mental well-being. Also, stress and depression have been shown to tax the immune system.
(more…)
(August 28, 2022) Dr Jim McClure, noted theologian, shares encouragement…
Facing mountains in these dark times?
I’ve been reflecting on a character in the Bible who faced a big mountain and discovered God had gone before him in an amazing way. His name was Zerubbabel – not the easiest name to say, nor would it be likely that you would give your new born child that name.
Most Christians know little about this man, but I find him to be inspirational and also encouraging as we cope with the ‘highs and lows’ in living in these days.
Contemporary scene
We are living in disturbing times. In my lifetime I have never known such worldwide hostility, political instability, social confusion and moral corruption. And according to medical researchers the global rates of anxiety and depression are soaring. News articles and television reports can often be quite troubling as they confront us with a stream of disturbing incidents.
Of course ours is not the only generation that has been confronted by tragedy and emotional stress. Historical records reveal many periods when war, oppression and disease have had a crushing effect on people.
God does not provide a protective wall around His people to prevent their experiencing the pain and struggles of life, but His presence in our lives gives us hope.
In the Bible, living in hope doesn’t mean that we whistle in the dark to keep our spirits up. No, biblical hope means looking to the future with assurance because we know that, regardless of conditions and circumstances, when it seems that everything is spiralling out of control, God has never lost His control! Jeremiah succinctly declared, ‘Our hope is in you’(Jeremiah 14:22).
(more…)
(May 15, 2022) Richard Winter reminds us that…
It’s often been said that it’s been a hard life and there have been many tough times. Well, l guess most of us can resonate with that… after all, who hasn’t lost a little sleep through worrying?
We’ve all carried burdens real and unreal… and, if we are honest, we have worried most about some things that never materialised. So here is the word of God that applies to our worries –
Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you… and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’ (Matthew 11:28–30).
A yoke is something Jesus would have made in a carpenter’s shop. It’s a wooden frame joining two animals (usually oxen) at the neck, enabling them to pull a plough or wagon together. The function of the yoke is to make the burden easier to carry.
Connecting with You! 