As anyone who reads this blog knows, I have been reading through the Bible this year. It is going really well. This week alone I have read through Habakkuk and Lamentations, finished the pastoral letters and Titus.

This is surprising really. I never expected to get this far but I have. What I thought would be the great let down would be making time in my day for it. I have always, and I mean ever since I became a Christian, found it tough to organise a regular time in my day for reading scripture. This year, the time has come easily. I do it on the bus to work. This has made for an interesting problem, I don't really find it easy on the weekends. Often I have to push myself to have read my passages before I get to church on a Sunday!

This week has been tough as I have not been well, and the kids are not well either. I had a day off yesterday and have felt well below par for most of the week. I have plowed on regardless and am over 300 days into the year.

I am sure I will complete it now. I really am. I know some people say that pride is a sin but on this one thing, I think I will be proud and I know God will also be proud of me and my efforts.

Thank you lord for your continued patience and help this year. Please make me able to continue on to the very end of the year. Amen

Last Sunday I was due to be preaching. I had my sermon written early and was feeling good. Better than last time.

The passage I was working with was 2 Timothy 3:10-4:5

You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

It's a lovely passage and personally I found it very uplifting.

However, when I got to church there were very few of us there (technically none as opened up) but it soon became clear that not many others would turn up.

Eventually there were 8 of us there. I felt God telling me not to preach. Instead I spoke about prayer and how great it is and shared some recently answered prayers. ( Perhaps I should write about that too soon)

It was a great time and allowed us to pray for someone who really needed it there and then. God really is gracious and loving. Really felt his presence there that morning.

It's the half term holidays. The weather here has been amazing. Take a look at some of my Instagram pictures and you'll see.

Today we all went for a picnic. It was cold but beautiful (and no midges). Church wise things have been so beautiful too. So many answers to prayer. Some of them simply stunning in their swiftness and power.

I am preaching this Sunday and am tackling 2 Timothy 3 and 4. All Scripture is God Breathed. It is, for want of a better word, alive!

Really looking forward to preaching on that I can tell you ...

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