spiritual growth

WHEN GOD PRUNES US

(August 18, 2025) Carol Round reminds us about necessary spiritual pruning to produce spiritual growth… 

Each year as the summer wanes, I force myself to continue pruning my flowers or deadheading them!

Essential Motivated Pruning
In the horticulture world, deadheading means removing faded blooms, especially in flower gardens. After the plants are pruned, more blooms emerge.
 
In the spring, I’m filled with energy and excitement as I dig holes to plant my flowers. Pruning them as they grow isn’t a chore, but a delight because I know it will increase the number of blossoms. My enthusiasm, however, decreases as the summer days go by, sapping my energy and spirit.

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FOCUS ON JESUS IN 2025!

(January 18, 2025) Carol Round shares some more thoughts re 2025…

In sixth grade, an eye exam revealed the need for glasses. As a pre-teen, I knew my classmates would tease me when I showed up at school with bottle-thick lenses in my frames.

Donning my new glasses at home, one of the first things I noticed was our kitchen tile. I’d always thought it was solid green until my eyeglasses helped me focus on the subtle black-and-white dots of various sizes sprinkled across each tile.

Despite my classmate’s teasing, a whole new world opened up to me when I could focus on the things I’d been missing. Though I eventually switched to contact lenses, I’ll never forget the change in my eyesight with the help of glasses.

Focus on Spiritual Growth
After reading a Christian article several years ago, I began choosing a word for the New Year. While there’s nothing wrong with making New Year’s resolutions, the author pointed out most people find them restrictive and ultimately ditched after a few months.

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JESUS CAN MAKE ALL THINGS NEW… EACH NEW DAY

(January 11, 2021) Carol Round encourages us to reflect on a major choice for 2021…

Revelation 21:5 declares: ‘He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true”.’

The New Year is here! After the stresses of 2020, I doubt anyone wants to cling to the past. With the turning of the calendar to January 2021, sighs of relief were probably expressed by many.

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions?

While I used to, I don’t anymore. My list used to look something like this: lose weight, eat healthier, save more money, and so on. Those are also some of the more common resolutions made each January 1. (By the way, most people fail at keeping their New Year’s resolutions).

I quit making resolutions as I grew in my relationship with Jesus. Looking back, I cannot recall the last time I made a list of things to change in my life. However, I began to choose a focus word for the year. In the past, I’ve prayed and chosen words like trust, focus, and hope. My 2020 word was embrace – embrace more of God in my life. I would write the word at the top of each page in my daily prayer journal. Each time I do, I was reminded of my spiritual growth word for that year. (more…)

‘GRANDMA, GOD MUST BE POOPED!’

(June 13, 2018) Maureen McQuillan brings an encouraging word…

What a wonderful day last Saturday was!

It was the wedding of our precious granddaughter Bonnie-Jane Phillips to Matthew Hoseini in The Farm Yarra Valley boutique venue in Victoria’s beautiful Warrandyte area and Robert had the privilege of marrying the couple.

Matthew is a handsome young man, very special indeed – and Bonnie looked the perfect happy, beautiful bride!

 

‘Romantic dinner with my husband!’ (Bonnie’s posting later on Facebook)


Happy memories
Some days before I was joyfully recalling many delightful happy memories we have of Bonnie – we’ve always had an incredibly close relationship with her; throughout her childhood she would often spend a lot of time with us and even this year – her 29th – she confessed that she still loves to come visiting us.

I reflected on how even when very young she would always be quietly observing things. Even while enjoying a Maccas she wouldn’t rush eating the food like so many other kids but would sit with us slowly and properly digesting her chosen burger and quietly observe people both adults and children around her. (more…)