It is Well With my Soul

MARY – HEART OF AN UNLIKELY HERO!

(December 20, 2023) Richard Winter challenges…

You can be anywhere in the world and know the essentials of the Christmas story. The basics are –

  • Mary, merely a young girl engaged to be married to Joseph, is pregnant.
  • Her explanation? It’s a miracle from God.
  • Trouble explodes! Joseph wants out and plans a quiet divorce.
  • God sends an angel to Joseph revealing it’s all OK – so go ahead with the marriage.
  • This baby is His and will be the Saviour of Israel and the world!

Thought: Aren’t you impressed with those ‘Christmas-centred’ angelic messengers? Boy, were they busy! There was Mary, visited by the archangel Gabriel (Luke 1:26-35), Joseph (Matthew 1:20), and the astounded shepherds (Luke 2:8-15).

But let’s think about Mary… though she has always been considered one of the heroes of the Christian faith, I think it’s safe to say she was an unlikely hero. She just doesn’t exactly fit a hero profile. Why unlikely? you might ask.

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STORMS OF LIFE…

(September 13, 2022) Brian Bell shares comforting words to those troubled in these uncertain times…

Think for a moment on Psalm 107:23NASB, ‘Those who go down to the sea in ships…’ What one natural element of creation did Jonah, Jesus’ disciples, and Paul experience in their lives?

  • Jonah…

The Lord had called him to go to Nineveh, but Jonah had other plans and took a to go in the opposite direction. A fierce storm beset the ship and caused him to end up in the belly of a great fish.

  • Jesus’ disciples…

They were quite familiar with the Sea of Galilee, yet while crossing the sea in their boatone day a great storm blew up causing even those hardened fishermen to fear for their lives.

  • Paul…

The apostle was on his way to Rome under Roman guard when the ship in which they were sailingwas caught in a severe storm and they were shipwrecked on the shores of the island of Malta.

Yes… storms! Contemplating vessels and storms, makes me think about sea and other disasters…

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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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