Month: August 2025

Each morning

Ruth Kirk

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning (Lamentations 3:23; NLT).

Each morning,
Reunite with God:
Accept God’s will,
And staff, and rod.

Next, re-commit
To Jesus Christ:
Embrace his way,
And truth, and life.

Request, again,
Their Spirit’s care:
Entreat her help
With every prayer.

Then, join again
With God: the Three-
In-One, who saves,
And sets us free.

Our God is a God who saves (Psalm 68:20; NIV).

God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children (Galatians 4:5; NLT).

References 

Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42; NLT).

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6; NLT).

The Spirit, too, comes to help us in our weakness. For we don’t know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit expresses our plea with groanings too deep for words. And God, who knows everything in our hearts, knows perfectly well what the Spirit is saying, because her intercessions for God’s holy people are made according to the mind of God (Romans 8:26-7; TIB).

 

In our dreams

Ruth Kirk

He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds (Job 33:15; NLT).

In our dreams, God,
You reveal
The hidden fall-out
Of our past,
And in our dreams, God,
You reveal
Our fears about
What lies ahead.

In our dreams, God,
You reveal
What we must face
Along the way,
And in our dreams, God,
You reveal
Your healing treasures,
Day by day.

I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name (Isaiah 45:3; NLT).

Making mistakes

Ruth Kirk

Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am frail (Psalm 6:2; NET).

He knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust (Psalm 103:14; NLT).

Even when
I make mistakes,
And get things wrong,
And try, but fail –
It’s still okay
To be myself,
Because God knows
That I am frail.

So, every time
I speak amiss,
I’ll ask God’s help
Without delay –
Then I’ll face up
To what I’ve done,
By saying, “Sorry”,
Straight away.

I listen to their conversations and don’t hear a word of truth. Is anyone sorry for doing wrong? Does anyone say, “What a terrible thing I have done”? (Jeremiah 8:6; NLT).

If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-4; NIV).

 

Sharing

Ruth Kirk

In him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28, NIV).

Moses went into the darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21; BST).

Share God’s darkness,
Depth, and fire.

Share God’s patience,
Pain, and grief.

Share God’s pity,
Help, and care.

Share God’s mercy,
Love, and peace.

Share God’s kindness,
Joy, and light.

Share God’s way,
And truth, and life.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6; NLT).

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16; NLT).

 

When you fall

Ruth Kirk

Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion (Isaiah 40:30; NLT).

The LORD upholds all who fall (Psalm 145:14; NKJV).

Let me catch you
When you fall.
Let me catch you,
One and all:
For my heart
Is full of love,
Streaming down
From heaven above.

Let me bear you
When you rise,
Far beyond
The eastern skies:
There you’ll live
In paradise,
Where all are one
With me, the Christ.

God never meant us to experience the Retribution, but to win salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that, alive or dead, we should still live united to him (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10; JB).

References

After I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return to take you with me (John 14:1-6; JB).

In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old (Isaiah 63:9; BSB).

We who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever (1 Thessalonians 4:17; NLT).

I bear you on eagles’ wings, and bring you in unto Myself (Exodus 19:4; YLT).

Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31; NKJV).

Go your way until the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days, you will rise again to receive the inheritance set aside for you (Daniel 12:13; NLT).

Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely (Psalm 63:7-8; NLT).

As the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes (Matthew 24:27; NLT).

 

Clinging

Ruth Kirk

I cling to you …

Please let me cling
To you, my Lord,
Till I can cling
No more;

Then, when I can cling
No more,
May you cling on
To me.

… your strong right hand holds me securely (Psalm 63:8; NLT).

References

Cling to your faith in Christ (1 Timothy 1:19; NLT).

Cling tightly to the LORD your God (Joshua 23:8; NLT).

Your right hand supports me (Psalm 18:35; NLT).

The life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being (Job 12:10; NLT).

 

Arrow prayers

Ruth Kirk

If you would like to read more about arrow prayers, there is a short article: here

When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words (Matthew 6:7; NIV).

We don’t need many words, just:
Yahweh, help me!
Heal me! Please forgive me!
Love me, too!

We don’t need many words, just:
Jesus, help them!
Heal them! Please forgive them!
Love them, too!

We don’t need many words, just:
Spirit, help us!
Heal us! Please forgive us!
Love us, too!

He loves us with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

References

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them, intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them (1 Timothy 2:1; NLT).

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion (Ephesians 6:18; NLT).

 

Coming out as face blind at church

Ruth Kirk

Today I came out as face blind at the church I left several months ago. I stopped going because I couldn’t cope with the anxiety of not being able to recognise other people, or connect their names with their details.

It went wonderfully well! I haven’t even got a migraine yet (four hours later), though that could easily happen a bit later in the day after making such a huge effort. With the Vicar’s advance permission I gave a two-minute talk just before the service started, explaining the problem, and asking people to help me. NB: Asking for help has always been an absolute no-no for me, as I expected to be refused, and to be despised, or hated, for having asked.

Everything changed for me immediately. Even during the service I had a sense of belonging which was entirely new.

After the service, several people approached me, introducing themselves with their names in the kindest and most friendly way possible. I joined in with the coffee, rather than silently sloping off back home to avoid any further risk of social contact. I even had a couple of lovely chats that didn’t depend solely on me getting other people to talk about themselves without me ever having to use their name, or know who they were. NB: This is one of my standard coping techniques in any group. I now realise that it is a combination of pretending, faking and avoidance.

When I was ready to go, I went to stand in front of the altar, then touched it whilst expressing my huge relief, joy and gratitude at having made a fresh start at church.

The moment I laid my hand on the cloth I was flooded, both inside and out, by an incredibly bright light, and was no longer aware of anything around me. It wasn’t frightening – just completely unexpected, amazing, and very beautiful.

I don’t know how long this experience lasted – perhaps about 20 seconds, or a little more. When I lifted my hand off the altar, all my perceptions went back to being normal (for me!) Then I came away from the church with fresh hope, feeling glad to be alive.

With love to you all, and my deepest thanks for all the likes and comments you leave,
From Ruth xxxx

 

Justice and peace

Ruth Kirk

If only you had paid attention to my commandments! Your peace would have been like a river, and your justice would have been like the waves of the sea (Isaiah 48:18; CPDV).

I pray for justice, and for peace,
So all our selfish wars will cease.

I pray for kindness, help and care
In every heart, so all will share.

I pray that we will live as friends,
So all abuse and conflict ends.

I pray for truth and joy to flood
Each soul, so all will live in love.

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else (1 Thessalonians 3:12; NIV).

No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us (1 John 4:12; NLT).

References

Love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; NLT).

Love the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19; NKJV).

Show love to foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19; NLT).

Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; NLT).

The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).

Anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:7; NLT).

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16; NLT).

 

Healthy faith

Ruth Kirk

Be healthy in the faith (Titus 1:13; NLT).

Please give us all
A healthy faith,
So we accept
Your will with grace.

And though, like Christ,
We grieve, and pray:
“Please take this bitter cup
Away”,

Yet, help us to endure
Our load –
The gifts you place
Along our road –

For you send bad
As well as good,
To help us grow
In trust, and love.

Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong (Ephesians 3:17; NLT).

References

I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things (Isaiah 45:7; NLT).

Should we accept only good things from the hand of God, and never anything bad? (Job 2:10; NLT).

Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42; NLT).

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other (Ecclesiastes 7:14; NIV).

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).

Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you (Isaiah 30:20; NLT).

I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name (Isaiah 45:3; NLT).

God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28; NLT).

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death (Philippians 3:10; NLT).