A poem of Steve Beattle

Peace - Steve Beattle
Heart pumping
Stomach churning
Everyday
Soul ever yearning

Stressed out
Overloaded
Too many burdens
Carried
Shouldered

Scurry, hurry
Too much to do
Not enough time
Living a life of no reason
No rhyme

Needing Peace
To be still
To be quiet
Where to find it
Peace
To quell
The internal riot

From our strength?
Intelligence?
Our internal will?
Incense, chanting
Nothing will ever fill

The place in our soul
Where God longs to dwell
To bring Peace to our heart
While here on this Earth
This version of hell

Children of God
Captives set free
Hurried, harried
We no longer need to be

Saved from the wilderness
Set in the promised land
Daily allow your heart to rest
In His loving hand

Be still
And know that He is God
Let your worries
And your stress be released
Understand that Jesus Christ our Saviour
Is Jehovah Shalom
The Lord our Peace.

I love Eugene Paterson's version of Matt 11:28-30 (The Message)

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me.

Get away with me and you'll recover your life.

I'll show you how to take a real rest.

Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.

Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Lord, help me to grasp tightly to your ways.  Help me to prioritise time with you, to rest with you, to listen to you, to be connected to you.  That your ways and your character maybe formed in me.  Amen!

Bible on a treadmill

I have recently began a slow walk on a treadmill, (non powered) and it sits in front of a TV. Sally and I have on video the dramatisation of the book of Acts. So I walk as the disciples go about Kingdom business.


Over the past few days my thoughts have been on prayer and how the Holy Spirit is a vital force in our lives particularly with regard to prayer. More on my thoughts of prayer another time, but this morning as I watched (walked with the disciples), I noticed that when the disciples prayed for those who were newly converted to receive the Holy Spirit, those who were prayed for spontaneously bursted with joy and laughter. The interested thing is that as I watch, I also innately responded with a like joy and laughter. It reminded me that I have this same Spirit within me. That I am not alone, and that I am connected to those first disciples. They like you are my spiritual brothers. We are one in the bond of Love (the Spirit of God).

I walk and work and rest and eat today, as one with God, and also with you, if you have this same Spirit within you. I am connected to the one who is all!

Blessings.