Preaching with a purpose

Sometimes when life isn't going too well, we panic and think we will not be able to keep our commitments. This happened with me about three weeks ago. I was feeling very down and thought I would be unable to keep my preaching appointments, starting with todays date. I rang the superintendent minister and he said he was free on the first occasion and could take that service at the drop of a hat. Three days later things had turned around and I am now ready to preach this evening. God is faithful. He called me to preach and he has equipped to do it too. God will be faithful to you to in every circumstance, if you trust him.

As it says in the hymn. We are indeed frail and vulnerable, liable to succumb to some illness or another. We can depend on nothing in this life, except God. He is reliable and if we will submit to him he will see us through all that life can throw at us and even cause us to benefit from the experience. Never depend on money or your health, they can so suddenly desert you. Trust in the Lord.

It's a lovely Spring day here in Devon, England, today. We find it easier to praise God when all is going well, but we also are more inclined to forget him. Sometimes he has to bring us through hard times, because that is when we realise how much we need him. Today let those of us who are free to worship pray for the many, throughout our world, who face great danger if they declare their faith in Jesus.We never know when that freedom will be taken away from us.

One of the advantages of being bi-polar is that it tends to make you creative. I love writing poetry. Recently I have been writing sonnets. Up until now I have written free form poetry, so to have a structure to write to was a good discipline for me and not nearly as restricting as I thought it would be. That is like life,. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifIf we keep to the structure God has given us we will be free whilst anarchy in our lives leads to chaos. To see my sonnets click the link below. Sonnets and how to write them

I'm feeling great again. Depression never lasts very long for me as I am bi-polar. I really feel for people who get stuck in depression for weeks on end. When you are depressed you feel as if it will last forever, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. If you are depressed try to mix with other people. If you spend too much time on your own you will have a lop-sided view of life. If you mix with others you will see things from a happier perspective. There are lots of people who get depressed and they will understand how you feel, so don't be afraid to confide in them.

Another way to help yourself if you have trouble with depression is to take up a hobby. It might be a handycraft or making models, which you can do on your own, or it might be something social like playing short mat bowls. For the latter see my page on it below. It is a lovely sport and one that takes all your concentration and stops you worrying about life's problems large and small. Short mat bowls

I'm feeling much better. I am having great success with not over sleeping and it really seems to help. It is so easy to crawl into bed and forget the world outside, but really there is so much in life to do and enjoy. I have had no daytime sleep for the last four days and I feel so much better for it. It is a well known fact that too much sleep makes depression worse, so if you have this problem follow my example and cut out that daytime sleep.