Rainbows, creation and blessings

March 8th, 2024

Dear church family

If you know me well, you will know that I absolutely love the beauty of God's creation - sunrise, sunsets, beautiful views (I often stop by the side of the road just to breathe them in!), the sea is my happy place etc... Sometimes when driving in the car with my children (particularly when driving very small country roads was my everyday norm a few years ago), we would drive around a tight bend and be forced to stop because there were deer in the road - I once remarked that this was a rare and special blessing for us to see them up close... after that, every single time there might have been a chance to see them, they were always on the look-out for "God's special blessing for us" that day... In the same vein, my girls and I will always try and chase the end of a rainbow if we are all together and we see one...!

Recently, as you may have noticed, we have had a lot of rain - there have been floods, landslides, power cuts - and many, many rainbows. I can't think of another time recently where there have been so many rainbows within a couple of weeks that it's been almost ok to expect one each and every day! For me, this is one of God's special blessings at the moment. I also think that things like this are God's way of getting our attention - reminding us he's there and asking us to interact with Him...

We've been talking, singing and declaring about trusting in God since the beginning of 2024 - because it has been what our Father has been showing us and drawing us deeper into as a church family. A deeper trust in God is always going to involve us doing some self-reflection, reading the word, spending time with God in worship and prayer, and remembering to notice and give thanks for the blessings He lavishes upon us as His children... I like to think that there have been so many rainbows recently because prophetically God is wanting us to look up and fix our eyes on Him - to remember where he has been faithful to us over the past few months - showing us we can trust in Him...

And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."
Genesis 9:12-17

What are the blessings God might want you to be looking out for
today, tomorrow and this week, or where is He hoping to grab your attention?

Every blessing and much love, as always,

Izzy xxxxx

SUNDAY GATHERING - 10:30AM Join us this Sunday as we gather together in worship and begin a new sermon series in the lead up to Easter called 'Living Hope'. For those who are unable to attend in person please join us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZSBIfYiJ_LY

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Easter 2024 - Youtube and Socials-08 Jesus Anointed at Bethany.png

RE-AWAKENING our joint prayer meeting with Brabourne Baptist Church, we will be meeting at Brabourne Baptist Church from 7-8pm on the 14th March.

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Re-awakening Prayer V5 March 2024-01.png

THE REAL MEAL The next dates for this event are Mon 15th April and Mon 13th May - not the usual first Monday of the month.

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