Hope in the tough

This week has been really tough for England.

I had a dream a few nights ago, of a tall rise building, one that looked identical to the hospital in my university town burning, it seemed to be some sort of hospital, I remember the panic, and the feeling of the building shaking, and everyone trying to get out although not everyone did. I remember, in my dream being so emotionally gripped and crying to see a mother realise that only one of her three children had escaped. In this dream however, the building collapsed, while people on balconies fell.

I woke up so disturbed , I prayed, and talked to God about it, but I had no idea of what would occur 2 days after that.

Some people might attribute the present distress to the political instability of the nation.
But I don't care for politics, at least in relation to the incomprehensible tragedy that occurred in London a few days ago with the Grenfell Tower.

This one really gripped me.
It still makes my heart hurt and honestly, I'm trying to distract myself and find the
light of this situation, but there is none. I've grown up in the generation where the news tells of disaster every week. That it's almost just expected. An old, but young-at-heart friend of mine , who since has gone to be with God told me how she would cry whenever she watched the news. because it was just so heart breaking.

These are the times you just look up to God and whisper His name.

When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21'28

I cant think of anything worse, I really can't. 

Today after locking my bike by the side gate and walking under the trees into my halls, I heard a quiet but evident crack , like a fragile item had been dropped on the ground. 

I looked around, and noticed. The an egg had fallen from a birds nest and had splattered below. 

I'm not a vegan,and I'm not an overtly obsessed animal lover. 

But something about that made me feel really upset. It really highlighted to me the fragility of life. 

I am praying for peace, for God to take over this situation and somehow shine His light through this utter darkness. I'd also like to have peace myself. Jesus tells us not to worry about our lives in Matthew 6 : 

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

I'd like to live out this verse. Every single day .

God knew about that egg that dropped today , and He knew about the lives that were cut short. 

He knows of everything. And right now , all we can do is cling to Him more tightly, ask for His Mercy and pray for peace a peace that surpasses all understanding (PHILLIPIANS 4'7) - because we don't understand. 

The negligence of humans caused something unimaginable. 

But God is still King, He still reigns , He still sets free. 

Later this evening I looked online at a weather article , once I saw the picture I Knew it was God. 

A cloud in the Huddersfield Sky of the East Midlands saw a cloud shaped like England passing through. Ultimately , People can say what they want, explain how it was formed with the sun-to-air heating properties. But for me , this was from God , 

This is God saying that He has not forgotten about England, He used her mightily in the past and He will use her again, He is Present and not passive, Able and not abandoning, Here, and not hiding. 

There truly is hope , and Jesus is that hope.



Psalm 91


1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”


3 Surely He will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with His feathers,
and under His wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.


9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For He will command His angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.


14 “Because He[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for He acknowledges My name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-40287817

Maturity is a choice, not an age.

'When I was a child, I spoke, thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up , I put away childish things. 1COR13'11

So it's just over a week ago , I celebrated my 21st birthday. It was special time where I was able to ponder and think. - Bearing in mind I was in the middle of exam season, and so it wasn't a complete day off. But I'm grateful for birthdays like this when I am able to reflect on my life, as present and what I want it to be. 

It was a gorgeous day, so after the gym and opening a new read I purchased for myself [click here to see the book.] I spent some time studying then met with two friends for an evening-Costa date. It was lovely, and bright - the sun was warm, not penetrating and so we sat outside with our treats. 

Then one of my friends turned to me and said : ' So ... what are your new years resolutions ?'

'Woah, lets start it off at the deep-end shall we ?!'  we all laughed at the directness of this question. 

'I've been thinking about this and talking to the mummy, and I'd really like to become more mature.'

'But what is maturity ? - what does maturity mean to you ?' - I won't type out the entire conversation but I will say at least 17 minutes of the entire 3 hours we spent talking about God and life was coming up with a personalised definition of maturity. 

One of my friends suggested : ' I think its when a child realises that they are a child, understanding their emotional, physical limitations.' 

- I thought this was a really interesting thought. 

Thinking back to the verse : 'When I was a child, I spoke, thought and reasoned as a child does... 1COR13'11 - Here, Apostle Paul the writer highlights that maturity is understanding the phases of life. Understanding that childhood, and the childhood mentality is a passing season and being aware of the seasons passing with time. 

- Can you identify with this ?

When you're a child; life just never seems to end. Christmas comes round once every millennium and childhood is all you know. You never really , truly step back and understand that this is a passing phase, you may appreciate it , relish it and take it all in . But the future is just that - the future; and it seems so far away. Perhaps time becomes more real to you the older you get , I heard someone once say , that when you get to 90 years old , breakfast comes round every 6 minutes. 

Okay, so we understand that time is a huge aspect of maturity , but the extent of this I believe varies for person to person, from ideology to ideology. 

Have you ever met a person who didn't act their age. I know of a dear little boy, who will be turning 6 later this week , who has a protective demeanor of early-integrity. A slight discernment and awareness that takes my family by surprise alot of the time. I also know of men into their 40's who just seem to be 'out-of-it' - if you know what I mean , No initiative, or intuition - and as my mum says common-sense really is not common. 

What is the difference ? Why do some men - and women in some cases have the Peter-Pan syndrome ? And how can we cure this millennial generation of this awful disease ?!

As much as I love the freedom and vibrancy of childhood. There's a physical transition occurring in my generation that we cannot deny. 

We're growing up . 

Forget the concept of adolescence: that corrupted 'phase' only sprung up in the past 50 years, and consists of  teenagers who want the liberation of adulthood without the responsibility. [Here's a message by Paul Washer on this]

Now I don't deny that there are different forms of maturity : 

1. Spiritual Maturity

2.Emotional Maturity 

3. Physical Maturity  

-- Each of these can correlate to the 3 parts of our being : Spirit, soul , and body respectively. Physical maturity as we know happens at a set physiological time, all within a certain age range,

Spiritual Maturity occurs after Spiritual Birth. - ' Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God."John 3'3 And it can take 1 year, or 30 years (etc.) depending on the individuals diligence in seeking the Father: '... And if you search for Him with all your heart and soul, you will find Him.' Deuteronomy 4'29 , an openness to His Spirit ,and ultimately , the Grace of God. 

Here I'm specifically talking about Emotional Maturity. Growing up as a person, putting away childish things - childish behaviour, childish emotions, childish habits, even childish thoughts - Coming to a reality of : the place of time in your life, or the significance of time in ones life. - This is my evidence-based view. I believe this type of maturity is a choice.  - Why ? Because physical maturity is external and 'happens' to everyone, there is no choice . But when it comes to the inward parts of a human, Spirit and Soul , there is a greater deal of control - and here is where the role of freewill plays a big part.

Many people revel in the thought of having a time-freeze machine. Stopping time. 

- This is anti-God , and anti-Christ. The fact is, we small , miniscule humans will never have the power within ourselves to manipulate a key factor in this universe like time or space. The world keeps moving and you just have to keep up. In the same way the natural laws of time and space continue to rule the world, Lets adjust our own calenders of life and ask God for a Spirit , His Spirit of Maturity to enter into our lives. 

How else might someone define maturity ?  - Wisdom , understanding ?

'The fear of the LORD is the foundation for all wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment /understanding' PROV 9'10

'If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.' James 1'5

I've recently made the decision that with Gods help , He can enable me to step out of one phase and into the other. I don't know exactly what maturity may look like for me on a daily basis, but I have some initial thoughts and I know that when we ask God for a wisdom-filled existence of maturity. He will graciously provide. 

IMTAPA