The full context is described on that site – Hope & Glory. But here is the poem:
HOPE
Hope, when we are weary and Hope, when we are down We know that those who turn to God will wear His Victor’s crown Our God will work all things to good, for those who know His love And seek His Holy purposes; His guidance from above
No need to fear the future, uncertain though it seems Our hope is in God’s promises; beyond our little dreams His plans are so much greater, our future in His care With God our days are certain, for He will take us there
“There” is where we’re meant to be; to prosper in His love Protected from our enemy; watched over from above “There”, living in His love and peace, and in His perfect will We find that He was always “Hope” and know that He is, still
Our Father is eternal, with Him no shifting sands Our Hope is everlasting, when held within His hands So here and now we worship Him; our God the Three in One The Hope of all creation; in Father, Spirit, Son
Lord Jesus, You’re our Living Hope; in coming here to earth You sealed our Father’s perfect will by giving us new birth And now that You’re within us, we have Your hope of Glory Our future held within the One who wrote our lifetime story
All glory be to God on High, the only God who saves Who keeps the earth in balance; who rules the restless waves And knows each man and woman and sees each tiny flower We worship and adore You; our Hope in every hour.
A Prayer
My prayer for you is:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NIVUK
First an apology. I think that my last post was a bit discouraging and that’s not the purpose of this blog. My intention is to encourage. Thank you all for your love and prayers for me.
And, a special thank you to Angela in California, who picked up my personal mood in my last post and sent me a card, across all the miles between us, with a wonderful verse.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NIV
Overflowing Hope
I wanted to share that verse with all of us and to pray it for each person who reads this blog.
At a time when the world is in turmoil, and there are wars and rumours of wars, we need the strength and power of that deep relationship with God, the Father, through Jesus and Holy Spirit. I’m asking the Lord to fill me and refill me with His Living Water so that I can be a source of His life and love to those whose lives I touch.
Here’s my prayer today.
Lord, we thank You for the power of Your Holy Spirit, giving us supernatural connection to the Source of all true hope, joy and peace. You are our Source. You cause Living Water to flow in and through us. Refresh us all with Your Spirit of hope, joy and peace and also with love and life in all its fullness. We want to overflow with Your hope and Your life in us so that others may know that You, Jesus, are the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by You.
This day we offer You all our worship and ask You to lift us up on eagles’ wings to soar in the power of Your Spirit!
It’s been a while since I posted a reflection and poem. Actually I’ve been very discouraged about this blog and have been wondering whether I would continue it. There’s always such a struggle to bring it to more people’s attention and such a mixed response!
But I sat down to listen to the Lord and I sensed that He wanted me to continue using the gifts He has given me, so I have been encouraged by that. Perhaps He is saying something similar to you, about your gifts?
Anyway, today I had an inspiration for a poem. If you’re living in the UK you may be noticing that there is an acceleration in the seasons right now. We live in Shropshire and the climate can be quite cold here as we are higher in the hills. That means our gardens are often 6 weeks behind gardens in the south.
However, I am noticing spring and summer flowers blooming together at the very beginning of June and this is exciting! The roses are particularly wonderful – thanks in great measure to TLC from Allyson who looks after our garden, particularly when we are away in the USA.
As I was looking out on – and enjoying – the spring/summer blessings of our garden, I was reminded of that passage in scripture in the prophet Amos when he talks about Israel’s restoration. And I had a new sense of expectation from the words in Amos 9. I’ll quote the scripture after the poem.
Can you see it?
I’m looking from my window and seeing all things new The buds are on the roses, but flowers are blooming too The leaves are very fresh and green, while some are copper red This season is now summer, yet spring is not yet dead
There is acceleration. Last year - my photos show The roses were just budded. With blooms a way to go That streak of sunny weather from April into May Turns early June in ‘25 into midsummer’s day!
And from my summer garden, a scripture comes to mind The days are coming, says the Lord, and this will be a sign: The one who reaps the harvest, overtaken by the plough And he who treads the ripened grape, by one who plants vines now
A picture of such blessing. Hills dripping with new wine As seasons flow together, God’s people live His time A time of restoration. A time of great return A time of His fulfilment. A time for which we yearn.
So, if you see a glimmer. And hope is in your heart Let’s thank Him for new signs of life. Be ready for the start. We’ll move into the harvest time. And set our hands to plough. God’s people in His rhythm. And waiting for His NOW!
““On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess the remnant of Edom, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” Says the Lord who does this thing.
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, And all the hills shall flow with it.
I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, And no longer shall they be pulled up From the land I have given them,” Says the Lord your God.” Amos 9:11-15 NKJV
I know that those words have had a partial fulfilment for Israel. But my sense of their relevance today is wider. There is so much need for restoration and fruitfulness in God’s people and His church. There is so much need for goodness and righteousness and a harvest of souls for God’s glory!
Anyway, see what He says to you. And please let me know if it’s something that will encourage others, too!
The sky is grey today so the flowers aren’t shining, but I took a photo nevertheless.
We were due to leave Madeira on 17th February but, late in the day before, our afternoon flight was postponed for over 8 hours by an incoming storm and we would have arrived back in the UK at 4.00am. Not a happy ending to our restful holiday and Roger was totally set against it! Some stress set in..
So, we prayed. And others very kindly prayed, too. The outcome was good! Our flights were changed free of charge to Thursday 20th and we found a very good value place to stay for 3 more days. It turned out to be the Churchill Bay Hotel – a shortish taxi ride from the accommodation we were leaving, but in a fishing village called Camara de Lobos.
Journey to the Churchill Bay
We saw God’s hand clearly in our change of plans. The taxi driver who drove us was a good English speaker. His name was Mario and he had just lost his wife of 52 years, Maria. The opportunity to talk to him about eternal life in Jesus was so open and easy and he was very moved. We shared the love of God and His invitation to be born again. We spoke of our own experience. By the time we got out of the taxi, we knew that the Holy Spirit had used us to comfort Mario and give him hope. It was a beautiful experience.
The Churchill Bay Hotel
As soon as we arrived here we were excited. What a great place to stay! And we sensed that this was a place where the Lord would speak about His future plans for us. The storm that changed our plans was His plan all along!
Winston Churchill honoured here…
Early next morning
This is my journal entry for 18th February:
It’s early morning. In fact it’s very early… I actually woke before 4.am to the sound of the heavily crashing waves stirred up by last night’s storm. Our hotel room with its street level balcony is right next to the small harbour of this fishing village called Camara de Lobos. The sea is only yards away.
I had hoped to sleep again but it has proved elusive, so here I am sitting in the small chair in the corner of this small hotel bedroom, writing.
This historic Madeiran Pousada – the Churchill Bay – has now been converted into a small modern hotel. Once, this fishing harbour provided a welcome holiday resting place for the great wartime leader Winston Churchill. He came here in 1950, after the Second World War, to paint the local scenes and generally, I imagine, to recover from the intense pressures and reverberations in his own mind, heart and spirit, following that terrible war and its aftermath. He had led nations and inspired and directed armies into victory against a dark enemy, but he was just a man.
The inspiration of his life is very present in this building – his memorable words are written in large letters on the hallway walls and murals of his paintings are a striking part of the bedroom decor.
The price of greatness is responsibility.
So, as I reflect this morning, I think not only of the man, Winston, but his Creator. The One whose words are eternal and life giving. Our God is worthy to be worshipped and praised for ever.
I’ve just looked up the Bible verse for today:
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIVUK
Inspiration for the future
Today, in February 2025, the issues are great in this world. We are so little and weak in the face of them. I may not be a Churchill, but my own calling – along with Roger – is to cry out to God for the United Kingdom – my own nation – at this time, as we fight our enemies within and without.
We are so weak, but God is so powerful. And His grace is sufficient for us. His power is made perfect in our weaknesses.
I wrote a poem about 10 days ago while here in Madeira. It was a painful reflection on the present need to bring the UK back from its accelerated slide into godless values.
But here at The Churchill Bay, where we heard a storm rage from a sheltered place, God has encouraged us to have hope in His future.
We are truly encouraged by the turn around in the USA, where God’s people cried out to Him for help over many dark years.
My poem: “Bring this nation back“
Our nation is in stress and strain, under a heavy yoke Of spirits dark and chafing, which burden us with “woke” There is no light appearing, save that of God’s true Light That cannot be extinguished, in deepest, blackest night
The truths that they are telling us, are many barefaced lies The facts are often missing, or hidden by disguise We are an island people. We have a sovereign power But our true King is needed. This is a darkening hour.
The twisting of our history. Our children hurt and lost Erasing their identity - they pay an awful cost Their lives are being sacrificed, on altars hewn by hell And blinded leaders worship there, while under Satan’s spell
The people are in deep distress, “help us to live!” they cry But “no” - the answer comes to them - “yet, we will help you die!” We will erase the pain of life, so you can feel no more As we destroy your nation fair, from east to western shore
The green that you have loved so much. That green will disappear Under these heavy concrete slabs, that even now draw near The workers grunt in unison beneath such heavy weights While marching metal shall appear at Britain’s ancient gates
But now a stir within my heart, for all is not yet lost We will reclaim our heritage and pay the awful cost The price to bring our nation back is met by our true King Oh Jesus - we cry out to You, as Lord of everything!
For we have heard that You once trod, upon this nation fair And still tread now, with those who will Your Royal Standard bear You are the King of glory - stretch out Your sceptre’d hand Fling wide our ancient doors and gates, o green and pleasant land!
The King of glory shall come in, He is our Lord of might He leads His Royal warriors to conquer in this fight Lift high His Royal Standard, it shall not suffer loss Our battles are already won - by power of His Cross!
Let God Arise!
I concluded my poem with a bridge to the words of the English hymn “Jerusalem” because that’s how the Holy Spirit inspired me. Here they are.
Let God arise and His enemies be scattered!
Jesus is the Risen King.
His Name is above all names and it is our battle cry!
And did those feet in ancient time walk upon England's mountains green? And was the holy Lamb of God on England's pleasant pastures seen? And did the countenance divine shine forth upon our clouded hills? And was Jerusalem builded here among those dark Satanic Mills?
Bring me my bow of burning gold! Bring me my arrows of desire! Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold! Bring me my chariot of fire! I will not cease from mental fight, nor shall my sword sleep in my hand, till we have built Jerusalem In England's green and pleasant Land.
We’re in Madeira. By the grace and the goodness of God we are having a holiday in a warmer climate on a lovely island in the Atlantic.
This morning as we reflected on the gospel of grace, having read a little in Galatians, I sat down at the table in this room and simply asked the Lord for a poem. The title came quickly. Newness of Day.
I believe we are in a new day – a new season – on the earth. We need hope, because there is so much turmoil at home and abroad. But God is full of grace and truth – as Jesus came to show us during his life and death on earth, before He was raised in the power of the Holy Spirit to the Heavenly realms to sit with God, His true Father.
Jesus, the only Saviour of the world. I honour Him and thank Him today for the hope he brings in the newness of this day, looking out across the sea with a mixture of white and grey clouds hiding the fullness of the rising sun.
Newness of Day
As I set out upon this verse, I seek the new creation The life that only God can bring, to me and to my nation And in my heart a prayer is formed - a call for truth and love That only Jesus can fulfil - God’s answer from above
A life of grace not earned by me - for grace is purest gift The newness comes from God’s own heart, in His eternal lift He raises up the poor in heart to know that He is near In Jesus we are rescued - and saved from every fear
For Jesus is our newness - the newness of each day Let’s celebrate His beauty, in blue skies or in grey He is the Son of Son-shine, our glorious true Light His Presence changes everything - and ends the darkest night
As some of you know, Roger and I have recently made a number of videos about Signs of Hope & Revival. We started this series after being led to “walk in revival” as we visited the Telford and Wrekin area of Shropshire. This is the link to our YouTube channel:
Those videos now include (in our Revival playlist):
Signs of Hope & Revival – parts 1 and 2 – focusing on some of the spiritual foundations of Revival including the prayers of God’s people spoken over centuries; the church’s positioning for revival and other places where early signs are being seen.
Signs of Hope & Revival – spotlighting two new churches in Telford: All Nations (which has a Community Grocery) and Telford Minster (which is situated in the heart of the shopping centre and is a CofE plant aimed at the younger generations, although not exclusively).
Both of these new churches have had many full immersion baptisms since the beginning of 2022. Some of these were outside in very cold weather!
Further videos include two testimonies of young men who were on the very edge of despair and suicide. Victor and Lee. They are now, through a Community Chaplaincy, baptised followers of Jesus and more are being added to their number with a real regularity. We have these two stories in our good news playlist.
Our latest one in the same “Signs” series is called Talking Revival. We have strung together some interesting comments from people we’ve met to act as a catalyst for discussion and prayer. That’s in the Revival playlist, too.
Our next project is to edit some excellent material we’ve gathered from Yellow Ribbon, the Community Chaplaincy I mentioned above. These things take time!
Encouragement
We produce our videos to encourage God’s people and to stir up prayer and discussion. So please do share the links around, if they encourage you.
We were personally encouraged to visit a local Baptist Church on Easter Sunday, only to discover that the minister was going to show Lee’s Story. It was such a catalyst to that congregation! It gave an opportunity for some prophetic words to be spoken and received. God was in the house!
Hope deferred
God’s Word tells us this:
Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12
Jesus is that tree of life. I plunged into a spiritually low place in the last day or so. It just happened. But God used it to bring forth a poem from my low point. It’s the next post on this blog as it’s long!!
Blessing you all with fresh hope as we move from Easter to Pentecost.
This morning as I woke early – before 6am – I realised that the light was already starting to come into the day. There was a hazy moon but I could see the clouds blowing past it, as the wind is still quite strong. February is in its last week and the days are lengthening.
That gives me hope.
A verse I have written here before is
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12
Words of hope
I was thankful for the earlier light this morning and I was also thankful for something I read. A woman who had spent 10 years living with a debilitating virus and becoming wheelchair dependent- just after she had asked God for a healing ministry and a husband to share that with – finally found her personal healing, the ministry she had asked for and a loving husband. She was then 50.
She wrote about her years of waiting and disappointment. She also shared two more verses of scripture that had sustained her when her hope was very thin. Here they are:
Take delight in the Lord and He will give you your heart’s desires.
Psalm 37:4
I can testify to the power of that word in my life when I was waiting for fulfilment of something important to me. This one was also an encouragement:
For the Lord God is our sun and shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.
Psalm 84:11
The Goodness of God
God is good. And I have been believing in the power of another word of scripture as I wait for fulfilment of some other hopes in my own life.
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Psalm 27:13
Encouraging signs
Many of us are hoping and praying for many people to turn to God. What we sometimes call “revival”. Although revival may also be about the church that sleeps! See my post on Revival.
When we were out with our caravan recently (as I explained in an earlier post called Adventure) we saw some very hopeful signs of young men being rescued from the pits of despair by our wonderful, merciful God.
Persistent faithful prayer through the ages has prepared hearts.
The links to the first two videos are here:
The videos are each about 6 minutes long.
Hope revives the heart!
My own heart – and Roger’s too – has been given a burst of new energy by the stories of hope that we discovered. We are now editing the filmed testimonies of two young men who we met a couple of weeks ago; Victor and Lee. Those testimonies will be ready soon; both young men were also recently baptised by full immersion in an outdoor pool!
A Prayer
Father, we come to You in faith, believing in Your goodness and Your faithfulness. As we see the signs of Spring 2022 beginning, the light increasing and the daffodils appearing, we ask You again to fulfil the desires of our hearts and our long held hopes. You are mighty to save; great in deliverance. We ask for many, many people to truly find Your salvation in their brokenness and pain. We give You all the glory as we ask for our own personal prayers to be answered, too. And we thank You for giving us Your son Jesus and for the power of Your Spirit and Your Word on earth today.
It’s been a couple of weeks since I posted on here. And I’m still learning the art of blogging… too many posts and it gets boring for readers…too few and they think you’ve given up and gone away!
We came away with our caravan a week ago. We intended a weekend trip, but it grew as our short filming project became much more substantial than we expected.
Our intention was to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ in this part of Shropshire. They have faithfully prayed for a move of God for many, many years and hearts have grown weary.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick- but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12
“Walk in revival“
It started with some friends as part of a Prophetic Company meeting in the Telford and Wrekin area – about an hour away from home. Before we came I had sensed the leading of the Spirit to “walk in revival.” Even if everything still looks the same, we exercise faith by walking as though revival has begun!
That’s where the adventure started.
Roger and I had brought our filming gear. Pretty simple stuff, but we wanted to encourage the saints here by uncovering some signs of hope and revival. As it turned out, the Spirit of God had already gone ahead of us to provide some amazing opportunities!
Day 1
On day one we were unexpectedly at a friend’s home exploring a wilderness area of thick brambles and undergrowth which she is currently hacking through to make a way where there had been no way.
Later we were worshipping and celebrating a birthday at a church in Dawley. The guy whose birthday we gatecrashed (happily as it turned out!) happened to be someone who has made his own short videos on what revival might look like today. He also used to drive for a man called Arthur Burt, who was close to Smith Wigglesworth!
Day 2
On day two we were at a church full of people of all sorts of nationalities that has seen about 90 people come forward to accept Christ since last December!
Day 3
On day 3 we were at charity offices in Telford called Yellow Ribbon, filming the most extraordinary testimonies of 2 young men whose lives have just been transformed by meeting Jesus. One was an ex-prisoner and the other had been on the verge of throwing himself under a train.
The adventure continues..
So here we are – a few more days on – with all sorts of wonderful filmed interviews and other footage in the can, as they say.
We’ve started to edit. We were going to produce one short five minute piece but now have hours of exciting film to cut together.
Thank You, Lord!
In due time all the exciting comments and testimonies will be available on our YouTube channel. For now we just want to thank our God for His leading and making this adventure real. We will “walk in revival” as He directs.
It may not look as dramatic as Wesley’s 18th century awakening or the 1904 Welsh revival, but we have certainly found some signs of hope and revival to encourage and refresh the heart!
The Bakery 