troubled hearts

WHY IS IT SO HARD TO BELIEVE THAT GOD IS FOR US?

(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.

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GOD’S PRECIOUS CONCERTO!

(September 22, 2023) Norman and Margaret Moss reflect…

Listening to the introduction to a BBC Prom the other evening, we learned that Schumann’s Piano Concerto has a romantic secret.

The Clara Code
A key theme of the concerto is a series of notes which represent the name of Schumann’s beloved Clara. Sometimes this is referred to as the Clara code.

What a precious tribute to her! Schumann had written a whole concerto through which Clara’s name is enshrined forever. A very precious concerto indeed!

But – there is another concerto that is even more precious!

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DISCOVER A DOOR OF HOPE!

(August 26, 2023) Angeline Selvakumari encourages troubled hearts…

2023! So far, for some this has been the worst year of their lives; for others, it has been the most productive!

We need to remember that in every situation God is good! That He can make all things (the good, the bad, and the ugly) work for good– if we keep our hope, trust, and confidence in Him. In His timing, everything will turn out to be a blessing because He is a faithful God and a good heavenly Father.

I would remind readers of the Joshua 7:25-26 incident that happened in a particular valley – a very sad story. A whole family was stoned to death, remains burned in fire and the Israelites called it the Valley of Achor – ‘trouble’ or ‘affliction.’ It was known for failure, curse, death, destruction, and disappointment.

Are you are in some kind of sad valley right now, where everything is dead or lost and nothing is working for you? Are you on the verge of giving up, that there’s no point in persevering, no way forward?

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TROUBLED HEARTS, MINDS AND CHARACTERS

(February 22, 2023) Dr Robert McQuillan encourages those with troubled hearts …

The following is in response to some recent questions, and requests for help and prayer, from some troubled Christians, and other conversations from yesteryear, where I’ve endeavoured to put some minds at rest.

There are times when something comes up, something is said or done that hurts so much that it stings our very hearts. Maybe something completely out of line, something nasty, accusative (maybe through misunderstanding), or even something simple, that burrows hurtfully deep in our thinking.

Do note something here: If we talk about our ‘upset heart’ we’re meaning that our emotions are upset! However, when the Bible talks about the heart, it is referring to our character… and many times it’s our character that’s been hurt, even slandered!

Jesus was cool
The first time Jesus mentioned the heart was on the sermon on the mount: ‘Blessed are the pure in heart’ (Matthew 5:8a). And what would be the outcome? ‘They shall see God’ (v8b)! And how do we see God? In the character of Jesus of course… John 14:8-11! How pure, how wise, how loving and forgiving He was – and is.

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IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS

(November 23, 2022) Mama Lava shares from her heart… about heavy hearts!

Hello, my precious readers, how are you going today?

Me? Okay… but I can recall sometime back feeling heavyhearted. I think I encountered too many little things without taking the time to process them with the Lord. And it occurs to me that I might not be the only one and maybe we can encourage each other to work through our little things before they grow any more burdensome.

When something big happens, most of us know we need to stop and pray and proceed with care. When it is a little thing, it doesn’t seem as necessary.

But… too many little things can end up weighing more than a big thing and we end up with a heavy heart.

What are these little things?
What kind of little things are we talking about? Any small grievance or irritation can hang around if we don’t deal with it.

Think about a grain of sand, or a kernel of rice. They are so small and insignificant that carrying them takes no effort. But when they pile up they are heavy!

Here’s a few examples from a beach trip that my husband, Michael, and I enjoyed some time back. It was a wonderful time…  except for a handful of little things. They would hardly be noticeable, except that they were added to an already heavy pile I had growing in my heart!

Four little things from that beach weekend…

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