Intercessions when facing uncertainty and surrounded by pain

Friends, I am sharing the intercessions that I wrote for our church service in Sunday. It was hard to find the words.

Dear Loving Heavenly Father,

For our nation and our world
We thank you for the celebrations for the Queen’s birthday last weekend.
When we look back at the week just gone:
We think of the violence that has occurred in France, in Orlando, and on the streets of Yorkshire. We pray that you would restrain the hands of evil doers. Lord, please comfort those who mourn, especially the family of Jo Cox; in the midst of their shock, sorrow and grief we pray for you to comfort them with gospel hope.

What I tell myself when I am afraid my Daughter’s diagnosis of Down Syndrome

1. The first time I saw her – I saw a beautiful, smiling girl, not a diagnosis

The first time I saw Star, a saw a photograph of a 3 year old girl with a mischievous grin, kneeling on a trampoline. I saw her twinkling eyes, her freckles, and although I had read the words “Down syndrome,” I did not see a diagnosis. She was described as a chatty, bright girl who was full of energy and mischief. I read that she needed a forever home. And I wanted that home to be ours.

My Queen has a King

In December 1939, Britain had been at war with Germany for 3 months. Only 21 years after the end of the First World war, no one needed to be reminded of the brutal reality and cost of conflict.

At home in London a 13 year-old girl handed her Father the following poem as she thought it would help him in his work:

“I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year

Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”

And he replied,

“Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the hand of God.

That shall be to you better than light,

and safer than a known way”

Minnie Louise Haskins

The girl was Princess Elizabeth and her father King George VI, he read the poem in his Christmas address and it gave hope and comfort to millions.

A Cornish Adventure

Today we went on a Cornish Adventure

Because it was a cloudy day in early June,  this involved walking to the beach equipped for all weather – swim suits, wetsuits, sun block, jumpers, towels, buckets and spades.

We set off just after high tide,  this beach can only be accessed at mid and low tide.

Down the cliff path, we walked, it was lined with bright pink flowers.

Star has struggles with depth perception so this was a challenge, I must have said “step” over a hundred times…

She kept on going and the view was worth it