Deep Wells

I held her frail hand at the nursing home as she lay beside me, breathing softly. It was a comfortable silence.   I was humbled to be with this beautiful woman during her final days on earth.   The thought of someone being alone, without love, during such a vulnerable time is heart-wrenching.   Thankfully she wasn't short of people planning to sit by her side. I met her at the church doors five months earlier.   We had just arrived in the area to take over the reigns of a church which had spanned over three decades.     She was in mid conversation introducing herself & telling me her story, with her rich German accent, when I felt to stop her & asked for a hug.   Just in those moments we connected instantly - spirit to spirit. As a younger woman, she had been a key member involved in many of the crusades, the meetings, the morning teas, the community.    She had a wealth of memories & such a passion for God.   She explai...

It's been over two months since I've seen my parents who live in Queensland.  They visited during the week that Covid hit Australia, and thankfully they crossed the border for home just in time.  My sister & husband had just started their 'family trip of a lifetime' around Australia and had made it to South Australia when they found out the borders were closing.  A day later they just made it across the WA border where they 'camped out' for 5 weeks. My other sister and her husband are nurses - they were on the frontline.  Like so many other health professionals they went to work every day when the country was unsure how invasive the health crisis would become. Thank God for wise decisions at the helm.   Thank God for wise leaders - they need our prayers. I'm just one of so many who haven't had any face to face contact with their loved ones.  By now I would have wrapped my arms around my three older children and my two grand-babies - a few times ove...

I am reading a fantastic YouVersion devotion that has challenged me recently, especially in light of social isolation restrictions and the resulting lack of face to face community.   A few excerpts from this reading stood out to me - speaking about being strategic about community and making an effort to make this happen no matter what: "Community can be as rich and deep as we make it ... & takes time to cultivate" "Community pushes through adversity and hardship. It stays the course and believes the best" 'Doing life together' isn't flippant.  It's more than a flippant, quick hello - although 'hello's' are still great! :) * It's purposefully and thoughtfully extending love and 'going the extra mile' for someone.   * It's finding imaginative ways to celebrate - even on an ordinary day :) * It's looking a bit deeper and asking 'how are you?', then waiting to hear the answer. * It's an unexpected gift or l...

There's a beautiful, haunting song that has impacted me in such a powerful way, not only because of the words and melody but because of the tragic story behind it.   Horatio Spafford was a lawyer in Chicago who had a family of seven - a wife and five children. Tragedy struck even before their ship set sail when their young son died of pneumonia in 1871, followed by almost losing their business in a Chicago fire.   In 1873 his wife and four daughters set sail across the Altlantic on a French ocean liner to Europe.  Horatio had to stay behind to wrap up the business so would join them later on. Four days later, the ship collided with a large Scottish ship and out of 313 passengers 226 were tragically lost at sea - including their four daughters.  A sailer found his wife, Anna, alive, clinging to a piece of the wreckage.  When she finally arrived in Wales she sent a message to her husband which began "Saved alone, what shall I do?..." Horatio...

The interesting thing about this time of isolation & retreat is that we are faced with ourselves.  More time than we've had in a long time, apart from those who are still working away from home through this season (heroes).  There is often the tendency in life to avoid the mirror. Looking inwards & facing the reality of who we are, alone, is not something many people like to do. We like to keep busy.  But it seems we have no choice but to finally strip back the distractions & look straight into the mirror of our lives.   I know a girl who used to be in our youth group (years ago) who admitted she could never be alone.  She would go to extreme lengths to make sure someone was with her so she didn't have to face the reality of her own thoughts.  Hers was a complex case, but I think at times we can sometimes run from our heart-cry.   Those whispers that keep us up at night...   James 1:24 talks about the man w...

I don't know about you, but my wardrobe has not been getting much attention.  My 'church' clothes have also been in lockdown, unseen on their hangers...  not essential.   I did a wardrobe 'cull' today and found it easy to toss aside clothes more ruthlessly than before.  And now everything's neatly sorted & in order - and it will probably stay that way for a while... My comfy clothes have been getting out though. :)  Exercise pants & tracksuits have had daily workouts, and my faithful ugg boots have been close companions around the house & garden. It's given me time to think about our recently shifted priorities. What's essential in this current climate, and what isn't?  A few weeks ago I walked through Manning Mall & noticed my favourite boutique had a rack of clothes marked right down.  Really pretty, stylish clothes too.  But as I stopped (almost by habit) & looked at all the dresses I realised I most probably wo...