Tag Archives: blessings

It’s Okay to Express How You Feel

Posted in My thoughts by

King David in the Psalms wasn’t afraid to speak and write about his despair and distress. He didn’t stay there. He trusted God and called out to him for help. There is plenty going on in our world that can cause us to fear. Sickness, no job, Climate change, wars, poverty, etc.

Psalm 143 says

Hear my prayer, O Lord; answer my plea because you are faithful to your promises. 4 I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear. 5 I remember the glorious miracles you did in days of long ago. 6 I reach out for you. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. 7 Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens; don’t turn away from me or I shall die. 8 Let me see your kindness to me in the morning, for I am trusting you.“

Robin Mark is a successful Christian Singer from Belfast. I listened to him sing a song All is Well” back in January 2021. I was coping with the change that was happening to Brendan and myself. We were moving from our home on the shores of Strangford Lough. We had filled it with beautiful things; furniture, paintings, family photos and memories. I had a workshop where I whiled away many hours making mosaics and boats from sea glass and wood found along the shore. For me the home was beautiful inside and outside.


The brochures don’t tell one of the colourful sunrises and sunsets; the low winter sun reflecting off the water giving warmth and light to my kitchen. Or the full moon lit nights around Christmas when family was home sitting on the veranda at the log fire. Or the collections of shrubs and bulbs all selected by Brendan to bloom at different seasons.


The amount of work needed to downsize overwhelmed me. I felt paralysed. I could not start packing up. I listened to Robin Mark. God was comforting me through the words. All is Well. I also found a small painting my sister Rosaleen gave me with the words All Is Well.


Seven months on we are settled in Belfast. All belongings are stored or got rid off. Life is simpler. Not as much housework. My children can call by to see us. They are caring for us. I can sit at Cafe Nero in the sunshine and enjoy a different view. All the nations pass by.


Four weeks ago Covid hit Brendan and I. Isolation, fever, sleeplessness, lack of appetite, mental anguish encompassed us.


The scripture “Out of the depths I cry to you” is how I felt. I was depressed. I was fearful. Would I get better? The whole world is under fear because of the reports of what Covid will do. I felt that fear. David felt fear as he describes in Psalm 143.

One night while I was sick I felt the Holy Spirit hovering over us saying By the stripes of Jesus we are healed. God prompted me to sing and listen to Isaiah 53, By His stripes we are healed. He reminded me of how He healed me before and He will heal me again,

You see God is faithful to me. He promises to be my shepherd and care for me. I gave my life to him many years ago and He has been faithful to give His life to me. His power rises up to defend me when I am in trouble. He did it again to raise Brendan and I from our sick bed.

He will do the same for you. Give your life to Jesus and He will give His life to you. Take action. Do something. Engage with God. Believe He exists and He is a rewarder of all those who seek Him. Knock and the door will be opened unto you. That is what I did. God has rewarded me with many blessings, family, healings, peace and joy. I am like other people. I live in this world as well. But I believe in the One who made this world and in His power to help me while I live here.


I listened to Robin Mark tonight. I am recovering. I am healed by His stripes. Yes All is Well.

How to Access my New Book, The Grapes are Worth It.

Posted in Family, Family Friday, My thoughts by

http://www.irishprophet.com.

If you look up my husband’s website, as above, you will find my book The Grapes are Worth there. I wrote the bare bones of my story and Brendan who is a gifted writer, added the flesh.

it is a testimony of how God helped my husband Brendan and myself in our life together and how He helped us raise fourteen children.

God rewarded my Faith in Him. I believe in what His Word, the Bible says. John”s gospel says The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us. This is Jesus who was born, lived in a family like us, healed and delivered anyone who came to him, and died a cruel death on the Cross.

I availed of this historical fact. Jesus body did not stay in the grave. And he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans’ v 4

When I believed in Jesus I received the blessings He won for me by His death on the cross. Forgiveness of sins, healing of diseases, deliverance from demons, and restoration of relationships and the promise of eternal life.

Our marriage would have ended because of our life style of rebellion. I turned to God because I wanted my marriage to survive and raise my two children. God turned my life around from cursing to blessing. Deuteronomy 28. Leviticus 26

Be Thankful

Posted in My thoughts, poetry by

God our Father in heaven told the Jewish people he didn’t want their sacrifices of bulls and goats. In Psalm 50 v 14 and v 23 I read,

What I want instead is your true thanks to God.
But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.

It is good to thank God and thank others.

I was speaking to an elderly man of over eighty years. He told me as well as being thankful he tries to make someone happy every day.

When one is thankful he is like a flourishing tree. Letting thankful words come out of his mouth cause his sap to come up within him; like a bubbling brook that overflows. Others want to be around him. When one is bitter and complaining he becomes like a withered tree. Others shun him. There is no life flowing out.
I think of the words of Jesus again from Matthew 13 v 12.

Whoever has will be given more, and he will have abundance. Whoever does not have even what he has will be taken from him.

There is a chorus that goes,

“Count your blessings name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”

Try it. Don’t focus on what one doesn’t have but be thankful for all what one does have.
You will feel better. The gloom will lift when you start to be thankful. Practise being thankful.

We are privileged people living in the Europe. We have good education, health services, travel and many other benefits. We often forget to give thanks and take these blessings for granted. Young people have so many choices in their lives that it is easy for them to want more instead of stopping to be thankful and enjoy what one has.

One’s husband, ones wife, ones friend, a mother or father, professor or teacher will brighten up when he is thanked or receives a greeting card.

God is the giver of all good things. He is a good, good Father. Thank him.

Blowing the Whistle.

Posted in Family Friday, Holiday, Ireland, My thoughts, Prayer, Provision by

I have faith in God the creator who reveals himself through the bible.  As I read the scriptures I find many promises God makes to those who believe that he exists.  He promises to reward those who diligently seek him.  Perhaps you don’t believe in God, or maybe you used to believe but through disappointments and hardships you gave up.  Try again.  Pray today and seek him with your whole heart.  He is there for you and a wonderful life of blessing for you and your descendants will open up for you.

God, revealed through Jesus, is the only God who promises blessings to our descendants to a thousandth generation. Exodus 20.  When I sought God wholeheartedly 38 years ago he revealed himself to me in many ways.  I prayed for a child and he answered me.  I prayed for my husband to believe in Jesus.  God revealed himself to my husband.  God blessed me with fourteen children because I believed that God would bless my children after me to the thousandth generation.
There is no other God who promises to bless us and our children after us.

Now in rearing my big family I have faced many difficulties.  For example, needing a home big enough, needing money to provide for my family or facing the opinions of people who thought I was crazy for having a big family.
Jesus said in this world you will have many troubles but be of good cheer I have overcome the world.  John 16 v 33

Psalm God promises to be with us in trouble and deliver us out of all of them.

When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. (‭Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭15‬ NLT)

In Numbers 10 God told Moses to instruct the people,

“When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the LORD your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies.  The trumpets will remind your God of his covenant with you. I am the LORD your God.” (‭Numbers‬ ‭10‬:‭9-10‬ NLT)

I had been praying over some situation in my life for a long time.  I felt I had no energy to pray any more.  There did not seem to be an answer.  I read the passage above.  I did not have a trumpet but I bought myself a whistle.  I blew the whistle and I believed that God would act because he is true to his word.  I have made a covenant with him in believing and trusting God with my life, and he will keep his promise to be with me in trouble and deliver me out of it.  God brought about the needed change.   Sometimes one can blame others for the difficulty one is facing.  But it is the devil our enemy who is holding back the needed change.  God heard and moved my enemy the devil out of the way.

I was in holiday in Rostrevor, Ireland one summer.  We had been given the use of a home in a beautiful setting.  It was along a quiet road in the forest.  Many young couples would park their cars there at night to be alone.  One evening my husband went out with the older children to a music festival.  I was home with the younger children.  It was getting late and I thought I heard noises outside that made me feal uneasy.

I looked for my whistle.  I went outside and blew the whistle as loudly as I could.   I called on The Lord for help.  All at once five cars’ engines were started and sped off down the road as fast as they could.  They cleared off frightened by my whistle.

In England the policemen used to have a whistle to alarm trouble makers or to call for help.
Soon after my husband and family returned.  Help arrived.