“Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell. I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” CT Studd
Category Archives: Random Ramblings
What Wondrous Love is this?
He didn’t wait until I was perfect
He didn’t do it because I was good
Or a Christian
No. He died for me while I was still a sinner
An enemy
A rebel
That’s what gets me the most
Some may die for family, country or friend
But not Him.
He died for His enemies
For the ones who hated Him, shook their fist at Him, spat on Him, crucified Him
For me.
“This is how God demonstrates His love toward us:
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Please be blessed by one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard, sung to the Lamb.
The Night I Met Evie
Reflections of headlights flashed on the puddles as twilight set in.
I walked from the car-park looking for the others.
When I got to the corner where I was supposed to meet them, they weren’t there.
Where could they be?
I crossed the busy intersection to the other side, but they weren’t there either.
Hmmmm….
So down to the tunnel I went, the rain drops falling on my hair.
The entrance to the tunnel was busy but I made my way through.
Gosh, I didn’t realise how long this tunnel was. Past a busker winking at me, past the jostling crowds, out the other side.
I walked a little along the river, looked around, but, no, they weren’t there either.
Now I really don’t know what to do.
I stop to think. I turn slightly and that’s when I see Evie.
Although it’s not until later that I learn her name.
Sitting at the end of the bridge begging. Her head in her hands, behind the scrawled sign “Please help”.
She looks so young.
I go over and sit with her, behind her sign.
“Hi”
“Hi”
“What are you doing here?”
She is homeless, spent the last few nights on the street.
She tells me that everything has been stolen from her as she had slept, her purse, her jumper, even her sanitary pads.
She says that she has a permanent place to go into on Monday, but it’s Friday and she needs help to get through the next two days.
I sit with her. I tell her about Jesus. She says, “That’s funny, everyone keeps telling me about Him.”
Even as we speak someone walks past and drops a gospel tract into her begging container.
She points to a man begging in the middle of the bridge.
“He’s mad at me, I have to watch out for him, I’m in his patch and taking his business from him. He’s a druggy.”
We have dinner together and afterward I put her in touch with a women’s shelter, I say that I will pray for her and we part.
I walk back along the river, back through the tunnel.
Back to where I was originally meant to meet with the other street preachers.
And I see them. Right there. They have been there all along.
I had walked right by them and not seen them. Somehow.
But that’s not the end of the story.
Tuesday night I pray. I pray for Evie and other stuff. I wait on God.
He says to me, clear as anything, “Go to Evie.”
Huh?
“Go to Evie.”
But Lord, she moved into a place yesterday, she is fine now.
“Go to Evie.”
But Lord, she’s not there at the bridge anymore
“She will be there, go to Evie.”
Ok. If you give me an opportunity to go, I will go to her.
Thursday afternoon.
My parents drop in and say they will mind my son.
I drive into the city.
The whole way there I think that I must be crazy, what am I doing? I could be sitting child-free in a café somewhere…
But I go anyway.
The car parked, I get out, walk. Then, for some reason, I start to run. I run and run to the bridge. I come over the crest and look to see if she is there.
She is there. She is begging.
I run to her, out of breath.
“Evie! what are you doing here? You were meant to move in to a place on Monday!”
She looks at me and says “Why are you running?” as only a teenager can.
I laugh, embarrassed, because I don’t know why I’m running myself.
Then she says “The place didn’t work out”
We have lunch.
Turns out she had gotten to the bridge five minutes before I arrived.
Another time she met my husband and we went out to dinner.
She came to my home once.
She said she was bringing someone for me to meet.
(Please God don’t let it be a man.)
I go out to meet her in the drive-way and she’s carrying a baby girl.
18 month old Rose.
Rose had been removed, but was now returned to her mum, Evie.
Because, Evie tells me, a house has become available for her.
Her boyfriend is getting out of jail
and her mum is coming to live with them too.
They stay for a while. Rose is so sweet. Evie is too.
That’s the last time I see her.
She moved into the house with her daughter, boyfriend and mum.
It’s far from here.
But she texts me and tells me that they’re doing well.
…….God didn’t let me see the friends I was meant to meet that night
Instead He wanted me to meet Evie,
A young mum,
homeless
daughterless
penniless
hopeless
But He knew.
And He had His eye on little Rose the whole time.
Truly His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting.
Only One Life, ‘Twill Soon Be Past
Poem by CT Studd
“Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life,’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill,
living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Oh let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say,”Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call,
I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;
Only one life,’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last. ”
— extra stanza —
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”
Mother’s Day
Happy Mother’s Day to all the hard-working mothers! And to my own Mum, I love you, thank for giving me life, for always loving and supporting me. You’ve been through some hard times but you always have a smile on your face, and I respect that.
My kids brought in to me breakfast in bed this morning and all their little presents they’d bought from the Mother’s Day stall at school I love seeing what they choose for me. Mother’s day is such a special day because you get to say “I love you” and “Thank you” to the person who brought you into this world and it is a day when as a Mother you feel the appreciation of your kids.
Here are some quotes about Mums you may like:
The impression that a praying mother leaves upon her children is life-long. Perhaps when you are dead and gone your prayer will be answered. – D.L. Moody
I cannot tell you how much I owe to the solemn word of my good mother. Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children. Billy Graham
May God bless you today, especially if you’re a Mum!
Tonight’s Street Preaching
So tonight the anointing came down.
Most of the time when I preach with the microphone people have one of four reactions as they walk past:
1. they laugh
2. they roll their eyes
3. they scream out blasphemy or
3. they yell at me to shut the f*#k up
Ha, good times.
(Actually to add another element to the mix is the Black Magician that seemingly only comes out when I am there. In his black clothes, make up and top hat he stands across from where we preach and moves his hands and legs around constantly in snake-like movements, as if he is casting spells on us. If you go close to him you realize that he is mocking us and repeats everything we say. He does that for hours – he doesn’t stop).
So anyway tonight the second time I preached the anointing came down. When the anointing of the Spirit falls everything changes. My preaching changes, it becomes powerful and the words flow easily. Under the anointing I could preach for hours, I don’t want to stop. I feel Jesus there with me SO real. I feel He is pleased with me.
But the BIG difference is that the people’s reactions change. Instead of walking past ridiculing and mocking, they stop walking. I mean they literally stop dead. One man stopped tonight in the middle of climbing the steps up to the station. The police officers stopped dead as they were questioning a drunk and listened. Crowds of people just stop and stare and listen. It’s like they are rooted to the spot.
So I kept on preaching as long as I could. Then when I finished the Holy Spirit told me to go straight to that man who was still stopped mid-way on the steps.
So I did. He saw me coming over to him, but he still couldn’t move. We started talking and he said :
“I was walking past but I had to stop. You captured me.”
That’s the Holy Spirit – hallelujah to the Lamb!
He was under conviction for his sin but as he spoke it was obvious that he was utterly amazed at what was happening.
“I’ve never done this before,” he said his eyes wide in surprise at himself. God bless him.
Anyway I just wanted to share 3 points with you
1. that under the anointing ANYTHING is possible.
2. that God will always honour the preaching of His Word and
3. that if you are seeking God’s presence in greater measure – look no further than the streets of your nearest city.
“For since in the wisdom of God the world by its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased to save those who believe by the foolishness of preaching.” 1 Corinthians 1:21
Reputation…what reputation?
“ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5-8
Woe betide the person that truly follows his Lord even to the point of no reputation! Or so I had thought. Over the last few years I have become a spectator to the total destruction of my own reputation. While I did recognize that this was at the Lord Jesus’ initiation and that He was slowly leading me in a crucifixion of my flesh, it was still an excruciating experience to say the least. I did try to hold on to my extremely important reputation as best I could, but it just didn’t work. Following Jesus will do that to you.
Last night it was revealed to me that I have now officially become of no reputation.
To the world I am an intense, religious, street-preaching nutter.
To the churches that I have left (in obedience to His leading) I am a rebellious infidel.
And to most Christians I am an over-zealous, inexplicable, street-preaching freak.
LOL
Literally. When I realised this last night I laughed and laughed.
And then I cried a bit.
But then I laughed again.
Because suddenly I saw it – I WAS FREE!!
If I am already considered a crazy, too-spiritual, infidel, nutter then – I might as well keep going!
And I will.
I have nothing to lose.
Hooray!
I can wholeheartedly recommend the hilarious and humble link Pineapple Story, by Otto Koning, if you want to hear more about surrendering your reputation and other rights to Christ.
God has no concern about our organisations. When their purpose is finished He allows them to be swept aside, and if we are attached to the organization, we shall go with it. Organisation is a great necessity, but not an end in itself, and to live for any organization is a spiritual disaster. Oswald Chambers
Grace and Truth 