#312

Beautiful morning...and the sun does this every day...

#310

One solitary, but bold, bird chirping confidently like an opera singer doing voice exercises and testing out his voice...

'St. Paul calls his readers to take a sober look at themselves (Rom 12.3) and respond to the call of God according to who they are. Some are leaders; some are not. Some are teachers; some are not. Humility means recognizing both our limitations and our potential, recognizing where we need others and where we can make a contribution to meeting the needs of others. Humility graciously accepts both dimensions - our limitations and need for others and our potential, our ability to contribute to the well-being of others. The former does not diminish us; the latter does not inflate us. With sober judgment we simply accept who we are. And this humility is essential for effective discernment. Therefore, part of becoming a discerning person is to grow in knowledge of one's self.... Self-knowledge includes self-acceptance - honestly owning who we are. If we do not accept who we are, and more, actually like who we are, we will probably not be able to meet God freely and respond to that encounter. We will always be attempting to be someone other than who we are; we will be living a lie.' (pp 90-91 'Listening to God in Times of Choice: The Art of Discerning God's Will' Gordon Smith)

#307

Clear Spring morning after snow...

#302

Dawn breaking...

#300

' [There are] three categories of men! In Egypt, in the wilderness, or in Canaan. I wonder - in which category are you?

Are you still in Egypt? Then trust Christ now as your Saviour! By faith, now, apply the precious blood that He shed upon the Cross, to the doorposts and lintel of your own heart, and thank Him like a child that you are redeemed!

Are you still in the wilderness? Then repudiate your unbelief! Start right now trusting the Lord Jesus for that for which His blood was shed - that He might live His resurrection life in and through you, even while you are still on earth in the body, and thank Him that He is your victory, that He is your strength, that He is your future, that He is all that you can ever need at any time, in any circumstances, for "in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him." (Col. 2:9 - 10a)

Are you in the Promised Land? Then your portion is to reign in life! To reign by One, Christ Jesus, and to know joy unspeakable and full of glory, to know His peace that passeth all understanding, to know that every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon has been given to you, that you may be strong and of a good courage, neither afraid nor dismayed, in the knolwedge that the Lord your God is with you withersoever you go, for this - this is your victory, even your faith (1 John 5:4)'
(Maj. Ian Thomas, The Saving Life of Christ)

#298

Even on a frigid morning such as this...

#293

Clouds like strange creatures of the night scattering out to sea at sunrise...

Do I believe in the 'good will' of the Father...?

#290

Gentle light of morning

#287

A few wisps of cloud drifting out to sea like a row of ducklings...

#286

'Love anything and your heart will be...broken. If you want to (protect your heart), you must give it to no one...avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin... But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the danges of love is Hell.' (CS Lewis, Four Loves)

#285

Air feels incredibly damp, creating this beautifully silvery effect...

'For this world in its present for is passing away' (1Cor. 7.31)

#282

An icy, windy Monday sunrise...

#281

Live and let live...

Manhattan silhouetted against a beautifully wintry morning sky

#279

After the rain yesterday afternoon... It's good to be alive.

#274

Stormy Turner clouds over Manhattan

#273

'Father, glorify your name' (John 12.28)

#271

'for the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay...' (Rom. 8.21)

#270

'for we walk by faith not by sight' (2Cor 5.7)

#269

Brilliant morning

#268

...and minutes after.