Isaiah 40:31

TRUST, FAITH AND HOPE—  THREEFOLD KEY TO ‘KEEP ON KEEPING ON!’  

(August 30, 2025) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share sincerely…

We know, we know… we’ve written before about trusting God when troubles hit, particularly sickness— for example COMPASSIONATE GOD AND DIVINE HEALING | Connecting with You!

But… due to some recent personal incidents, and learning that other seniors are unwell, some even wanting to back away from ministry, we want to encourage everyone to— and here we use a simple phrase that we find we’re giving to various individuals these dark days— Keep On Keeping On!

Great Provision
Just as God is the great provider, forgiver of repentant sinners and blesser of His followers, He is the divine physician! For decades we’ve known all these gracious acts of God in our own lives, and today we especially recall healing recoveries. And in the lives of others that we’ve prayed for… healing/relieving answers happening sometimes promptly, sometimes later, but all in His timing. And one hears or reads the testimonies of famous ministries over the decades who knew this great truth and applied it by praying for the sick, witnessing healings, even miracles.

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SOAR LIKE AN EAGLE!

(September 04, 2024) Carol Round encourages us to be at peace in God…

Isaiah 40:31 is one of my favourite Bible verses: ‘But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.’

When I read or recall this scripture, my heart soars as I imagine a magnificent eagle gliding in the wind. My hope is renewed and whatever negative thoughts are plaguing me scatter with Isaiah’s words

Allowing our negative thoughts to lead us down a path of hopelessness is easy when we are overwhelmed with life’s trials. But God never promised His children an easy life.

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FINDING HOPE IN THE NEW YEAR

(January 03, 2024) Carol Round shares encouragement for 2024…

Isaiah 40:31 – ‘But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint’ – is one of my favourite scriptures. When I close my eyes, I can picture an eagle soaring overhead as I look up toward the heavens where I find my hope.

The scripture also renews my strength and keeps me moving forward in a world often filled with hopelessness. 

We’ve just come out of a season of hope and joy – a season filled with goodwill toward men. But after the gifts are unwrapped and the decorations are stowed, we often feel empty.

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GOTCHA!

(July 28, 2023) Richard Winter challenges attitudes…

What do a lawyer and two women and their kitchen have to do with we Christians?

Most of us would probably say, ‘Not much – I don’t really know such folk.’ Well, let me teach some principles about these three…

Let’s take the lawyer first
Ever had a dialogue with a lawyer? The ones I had left me a little intimidated as the impression was I didn’t know much about the law!

Jesus was once questioned by a lawyer, not like a modern-day lawyer but an expert in the laws of Moses.

And the question he asked Jesus was a gotcha one, like many lawyers do, perhaps the Perry Mason type suddenly asking a gotcha such as… ‘And by the way, where were you on the night of the 14th at 11.00pm?’

Luke 10:25 records the incident with Jesus this way… ‘A certain lawyer stood up, testing Jesus, saying, “Teacher,  what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”’

Now that’s a good question… but the wrong motivation by this guy! He didn’t ask it because he really wanted to know, he said it because he wanted to test Jesus. Eg… ‘I’m going to tempt him. I want to see if he can come up with an answer to this.’

Gotcha question
So… good question, bad motivation. A gotcha question. Did he really mean what do ‘I, myself’ need to do to inherit eternal life? No! The CJB version reads that he ‘… stood up to try and trap him…’

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BRRR! BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE

(August 24, 2022) Maureen McQuillan shares some ‘wintery’ thoughts…

Each new morning the sun shines brightly and it looks so summery outside… trees and other plantings growing so well. But as I step outside to do some trimming, I shiver and rush back indoors!

Why? Because, like that old 1944 song popular with Dean Martin fans goes: ‘But, Baby, it’s cold outside!’ I haven’t been singing it but I’ve certainly been feeling it. Some mornings it’s even zero degrees or less. Brrr!

Roll on next Thursday, September 1! Why? It’s the first day of spring here! Then December 1, officially the first day of summer.

Not just the weather!
But it’s not just me looking for change… lot of people are, and I don’t mean just the weather. People are still concerned about covid and other ‘bugs’ around at this time (wise folk wear masks when mixing with others); TV news usually has more bad news than good…

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PRACTISING HOPE LEADS TO BOLD FAITH

(December 5, 2021) Carol Round reminds us to activate our faith…

‘Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful’ encourages Hebrews 10:23.

As the first candle of Advent was lit this past Sunday at our church, it set the tone for this season – a season of hope. For those unfamiliar with the Christian liturgical year, Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and ends on Christmas Eve.

For Christians, Advent is a time to reflect. It’s a time of anticipation, a time of waiting. During this busy season, we seek the quiet reflected in the starry night, thanking God for what he has done in our lives, wondering what God is doing, and… for what he will do next.

While Advent celebrates Christ’s birth – his first coming, it’s also a time of excitement and preparation as Christians anticipate his second coming, his return as Christ the King. It’s a time for imperfect people – all of us – to look forward to something greater to come, something greater than ourselves. The hope of better things to come.

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