WEBVTT 00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:05.759 Well, as I said at the beginning, it is a real joy to be with you and to bring a bit 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:14.220 of a message today. And for those of you that don't know me, my name is Kate. I know I said 00:00:14.220 --> 00:00:19.019 it at the beginning. I live here in Clevedon, well, just outside now, Ken, it's like two 00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:24.600 minutes outside Clevedon. And I've been part of the community here at Christchurch since 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:30.880 about 2005. I'm wife to Pete, and we've got the little pub in Hill Road. Tim, thanks 00:00:30.880 --> 00:00:35.800 for praying for the businesses in Clevedon this morning. It's a real community, and it 00:00:35.800 --> 00:00:40.980 does feel like having one of those spaces is real heart of our community here in Clevedon. 00:00:41.680 --> 00:00:48.280 My passion is church and community and family. We're also mum to three children, grown up, 00:00:48.460 --> 00:00:54.500 nearly all grown up. And I worked for Christchurch for eight years doing the children's families 00:00:54.500 --> 00:01:00.320 work. And he's now doing a fantastic, sterling job with that. And I now work for a charity 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:05.879 called TLG, Transforming Lives for Good. We partner with that charity as a church, and I 00:01:05.879 --> 00:01:12.000 still go into school each week and a few people smiling. They also do that, coaching children 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:18.920 around emotional well-being. So that's a little bit about me. I'm now going to tell you something 00:01:18.920 --> 00:01:24.299 else about me. I love swimming. I've always loved swimming. I particularly love swimming. 00:01:24.299 --> 00:01:31.239 I love swimming outside. Rivers, the sea, and I don't mind if it's cold. I've been doing 00:01:31.239 --> 00:01:35.899 it a long time before it got uber trendy and all the kit. Who knew there could be so much 00:01:35.899 --> 00:01:44.000 kit for a sport? But I do now own a dry robe. Don't tell too many people. Pete's got an absolute 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:49.140 aversion to dry robes unless they're worn immediately after you've been for a swim. So me wearing it 00:01:49.140 --> 00:01:54.980 on the side of the rugby pitch is not really kind of the thing to do. Anyway, I love swimming. Or I did 00:01:54.980 --> 00:02:02.980 love swimming until this time. No, it was January last year when my dear friend Alex, the other warden 00:02:02.980 --> 00:02:09.539 here at Christchurch. Alex is Helen's husband. Messaged me on a cold winter morning to say, 00:02:09.539 --> 00:02:15.620 I've signed you up for a swim, Kate. I'm doing it too. And we're going to do the castle to castle swim 00:02:15.620 --> 00:02:21.459 in Cornwall. It was in six months' time. And I have to tell you, my first response was just 00:02:21.459 --> 00:02:27.280 apprehension, nerves. I'd never done anything like it. I've brought a painting off of our wall 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:33.079 just as a, didn't do a PowerPoint. This is where we swam, not just across this little bit here, guys. 00:02:33.080 --> 00:02:38.580 That's the castle over there. And we swam to here. So I was very nervous, but I thought, 00:02:38.700 --> 00:02:45.880 I can give this a go. So I did all the training, taught myself, and Alex helped me a bit to learn, 00:02:46.140 --> 00:02:50.600 to show you, learn front crawl, you know, with your heads down in the water. 00:02:51.260 --> 00:02:57.060 And the day came for the swim. We went down to Cornwall. I think I was feeling fairly peaceful. 00:02:57.060 --> 00:03:03.460 I've got this. I've done my training. Hadn't factored in British weather, even in June. 00:03:03.780 --> 00:03:08.280 So the forecast came in. We went over the bay in a boat. It was getting choppier. It was getting 00:03:08.280 --> 00:03:14.000 windier. We walked up to the castle. They announced that they were thinking about cancelling the swim, 00:03:14.460 --> 00:03:20.159 at which point I'm thinking, oh, that'd be such a shame. But they didn't cancel the swim. They advised 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:24.719 for people to go home if they wanted to, if it was new, and, you know, they hadn't done it before. 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:32.439 But I felt like, I've come this far. I've got to go for it. I'm sharing this story with you this 00:03:32.439 --> 00:03:39.379 morning, because, of course, as I came to this theme, faithfulness to God in the hard times, 00:03:39.379 --> 00:03:46.400 I was drawn to just think about a story that I felt able to share. Obviously, there's much more 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:52.819 personal experiences that we've been through, or we're going through, that wouldn't be so appropriate 00:03:52.819 --> 00:03:59.359 to share. But my swim, I can share. It was a challenge. It was a difficult thing to do. 00:03:59.539 --> 00:04:06.199 Carolyn is nodding. It was really hard. And do you know what? It didn't look anything like I thought 00:04:06.199 --> 00:04:10.859 it was going to look. I'd done the training. I was like, I'm going in a straight line straight 00:04:10.859 --> 00:04:15.959 across this bay. I'm going to be ploughing forwards, only just slightly behind Alex, who's 00:04:15.960 --> 00:04:23.000 annoyingly very good at swimming. And that is not what it looked like for me. I got in the water, 00:04:23.819 --> 00:04:29.420 realised very quickly that the waves were just going to bash me from the side the whole way over. 00:04:29.620 --> 00:04:37.259 So I took my goggles off, and I just swam up and down every wave. And after an hour and 20 minutes, 00:04:37.259 --> 00:04:43.840 I kind of fell onto the beach the other side, promptly burst into tears. I didn't think I was going to. 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:51.479 Saw Alex burst into tears. Pure relief. But I did get there. It just didn't look like I thought it was 00:04:51.479 --> 00:05:02.919 going to look. How much is that a metaphor for life and experiences? Life is full of challenges. 00:05:03.919 --> 00:05:11.879 One's much more personal than the swim I've just described. Health issues, relationship breakdowns, 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:24.860 financial struggles, isolation, being marginalised, grief, loss, just naming a few that things that 00:05:24.860 --> 00:05:31.939 will affect all of us at some point in our lives, and maybe for many of us, some of us, 00:05:32.300 --> 00:05:40.439 things that we're experiencing right now. Today, we're making a bit of space. I like this bit. 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:54.839 To pause. To pause. To think. To listen. I pray that God will speak to us all through what he's given me this morning. 00:05:55.740 --> 00:06:02.540 And we're thinking about what does our faithfulness look like to God in the hard times. 00:06:02.540 --> 00:06:10.900 When I first kind of got the theme, I was like, oh, that's interesting. It's our faithfulness to God, 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:16.260 not God's faithfulness to us in the hard times, but we'll come on to that. 00:06:16.259 --> 00:06:23.920 So how would you describe faithfulness? What does it mean to you? 00:06:25.259 --> 00:06:34.839 I took a bit of time to ponder and really landed with being full of faith. Faithful. 00:06:34.839 --> 00:06:43.199 That loyalty, that steadfastness, trustworthiness in our relationship with God. 00:06:44.119 --> 00:06:50.419 And I love here, Grace, thank you for bringing our reading this morning, those words about 00:06:50.419 --> 00:06:58.179 being encouraged to run the race with perseverance. There's an energy to it. 00:06:58.180 --> 00:07:06.199 Not to give up. Keep going. And the race that's marked out for us, a strong sense of keeping going, 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:12.040 knowing where we're going, believing there's a way through, that there is a path marked out for us, 00:07:12.120 --> 00:07:16.600 even if we can't see it, or it doesn't look like what we think it's going to look like. 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:27.180 But life can feel like such a battle at times. And followers of Jesus are really alert to the fact 00:07:27.180 --> 00:07:35.400 that there is a spiritual battle going on in this broken world, very present. And then add into the 00:07:35.400 --> 00:07:43.820 fact we're all human. We've just sung a song that has those lyrics about God being God. Being human is 00:07:43.819 --> 00:07:51.579 what connects all of us. We're wonderfully made. We're God's plan. We're made in his image to be 00:07:51.579 --> 00:08:03.240 the body of God on earth, his hands and feet, uniquely made. But as humans, we are not perfect. We are not God. 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:21.400 And tough times in life can really take their toll on our spiritual, emotional well-being, the capacity 00:08:21.400 --> 00:08:30.819 we have. When life is hard, we do get tired. We do get weary. We do struggle. We are human. And it's in 00:08:30.819 --> 00:08:37.120 those moments when being faithful, full of faith, can feel like more of a challenge. 00:08:40.019 --> 00:08:48.159 The thing we're struggling with can suddenly be the main thing in every room. Everywhere we turn, 00:08:48.279 --> 00:08:54.860 it's taking up all of our mental and emotional capacity. There isn't a lot of room for anything else. 00:08:54.860 --> 00:09:04.279 The rhythms that maybe keep us connected in faith with God. We've just been, not long ago, 00:09:04.340 --> 00:09:10.620 we were thinking about the Practicing the Way sermon series and all those things that we kind of get 00:09:10.620 --> 00:09:17.840 into our lives to help us stay grounded and steady. Those things can slip, leaving us feeling like 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:26.139 things are harder than ever. So I am very thankful that just after the writer of Hebrews is talking about 00:09:26.139 --> 00:09:34.399 running the race with perseverance, the path marked out, straight after that, that writer 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:45.220 reminds us that the thing we need to do more than anything else is fix our eyes on Jesus. 00:09:45.220 --> 00:09:58.580 Fix our eyes on Jesus. Why? It tells us because he is the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith. 00:10:00.360 --> 00:10:07.440 He who calls us is faithful and he does it. That's the tension we hold the whole time. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:16.340 Have you heard of co-regulation? It's kind of a really buzzy new word in the work that I'm doing. 00:10:16.340 --> 00:10:25.000 Co-regulation. It's when a child, usually a child, is really, really struggling to regulate their emotions. 00:10:26.220 --> 00:10:35.840 It's clinically proven that one of the things that will help them most is an adult alongside them. 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:44.240 Emotionally steady, emotionally steady, helping them to feel emotionally safe, emotionally steady, 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:49.759 connecting with them relationally to bring calm to their emotions. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:11:00.379 And it occurred to me, Jesus is like the ultimate co-regulator. Fix our eyes on Jesus. 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:05.860 He is the place where we find true rest. 00:11:07.319 --> 00:11:13.500 Where we find a solid footing for our feet. 00:11:15.080 --> 00:11:17.100 Fix your eyes on Jesus. 00:11:17.100 --> 00:11:18.460 What do you see? 00:11:20.740 --> 00:11:21.379 Love. 00:11:23.300 --> 00:11:24.680 What do we learn? 00:11:25.659 --> 00:11:26.220 Hope. 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:31.840 I love the worship song, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus. 00:11:32.460 --> 00:11:35.540 We can't fix our eyes on Jesus if we're not looking at him. 00:11:36.379 --> 00:11:38.480 Turn your eyes upon Jesus. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:12:06.379 Look full in his wonderful face. 00:12:06.379 --> 00:12:07.379 Turn your eyes on Jesus. 00:12:07.379 --> 00:12:15.600 And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. 00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:17.840 Turn. 00:12:20.220 --> 00:12:27.500 Our faith may be truly tested at times and especially in really hard times. 00:12:27.500 --> 00:12:35.399 But in 2 Timothy, we're reminded that even if we are faithless, he remains faithful. 00:12:36.059 --> 00:12:38.299 For he cannot disown himself. 00:12:39.659 --> 00:12:40.919 He is in us. 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:46.860 He remains faithful even when we feel like we are faithless. 00:12:46.860 --> 00:12:47.860 What a relief. 00:12:47.860 --> 00:12:49.980 What a relief. 00:12:51.139 --> 00:12:57.960 And God promises throughout the Psalms, promises to be close to the broken hearted. 00:12:58.139 --> 00:13:01.159 With us in the valley of the shadow of death. 00:13:01.320 --> 00:13:02.620 With us in the darkness. 00:13:03.000 --> 00:13:06.139 God is with us in the hard times. 00:13:06.139 --> 00:13:14.679 The Bible's full of story after story of people facing struggle and experiencing massive doubt and fear. 00:13:15.259 --> 00:13:15.819 Guess what? 00:13:16.100 --> 00:13:16.919 They're human. 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:18.899 We're in good company. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:24.039 But in the Bible, we read of these heroes of faith. 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:31.639 God is with them and they are modelling determined faithfulness in the midst of life's challenges. 00:13:31.639 --> 00:13:33.840 We heard Ruth's story last week. 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:37.059 Listen to it if you haven't heard Russ speaking about Ruth. 00:13:37.819 --> 00:13:43.220 We might think of Daniel or Job or Paul and Silas in prison but singing praises to God. 00:13:45.100 --> 00:13:50.679 Faithfulness is a commitment to trust and believe in God's promises. 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:54.379 Even when it feels like he's absent. 00:13:55.439 --> 00:14:00.220 Even when things don't look like we thought they were going to look like. 00:14:00.220 --> 00:14:05.519 Because we thought we were equipped and we knew where we were going and we were just going to get there. 00:14:07.019 --> 00:14:08.680 God is faithful. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:22.320 So, what about some practical things that actually help us to remain faithful when things are really difficult? 00:14:23.300 --> 00:14:27.120 Well, the first one I think has to be prayer. 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:28.360 I'm reading this great book. 00:14:28.419 --> 00:14:29.440 I'd really recommend it. 00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:30.860 A Praying Life by Paul Miller. 00:14:30.980 --> 00:14:32.120 Some of you may have read it already. 00:14:34.340 --> 00:14:34.779 Prayer. 00:14:35.100 --> 00:14:36.600 That connection with God. 00:14:37.419 --> 00:14:39.820 Philippians 4 says this. 00:14:40.039 --> 00:14:42.120 Do not be anxious about anything. 00:14:43.259 --> 00:14:44.179 I love that. 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:46.940 Because just in its very wording, 00:14:46.940 --> 00:14:52.500 it's just a reminder that God knows that we do get anxious about things. 00:14:53.620 --> 00:14:56.960 But the encouragement is to not be anxious, 00:14:57.340 --> 00:15:02.780 but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, 00:15:03.780 --> 00:15:05.440 present your requests to God. 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:08.520 And the peace of God, 00:15:08.520 --> 00:15:11.200 which passes all our understanding, 00:15:12.200 --> 00:15:14.220 the peace of God, 00:15:14.920 --> 00:15:16.560 which can surprise us, 00:15:16.980 --> 00:15:20.840 will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. 00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:26.020 Consistent prayer, even when times are hard, 00:15:26.580 --> 00:15:31.080 is one of the things that will help us to remain faithful. 00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:35.040 I'm just going to read one paragraph from this book. 00:15:35.139 --> 00:15:36.980 I opened it last night looking for something, 00:15:37.139 --> 00:15:38.680 and it was where I got to in the book. 00:15:39.500 --> 00:15:40.240 That's helpful. 00:15:41.320 --> 00:15:42.100 It says, 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:46.400 Years ago I went through a time when life was so difficult, 00:15:46.860 --> 00:15:48.180 I was unable to pray. 00:15:49.100 --> 00:15:52.500 I thought, ah, I can relate to that. 00:15:52.820 --> 00:15:57.340 I can see people in this room that have prayed us through things in our lives 00:15:57.340 --> 00:15:59.460 at a time when I couldn't find the words. 00:16:01.080 --> 00:16:02.300 I couldn't concentrate, 00:16:02.740 --> 00:16:05.580 so I stopped trying to have a coherent prayer time, 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:07.080 and for weeks on end, 00:16:07.540 --> 00:16:09.280 during my morning prayer time, 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:12.660 now he doesn't say I did nothing. 00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:14.200 He says, 00:16:14.340 --> 00:16:17.139 I did nothing but pray Psalm 23. 00:16:18.620 --> 00:16:20.480 I was fighting for my life. 00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:22.580 I didn't realise it at the time, 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:27.620 but I was following the habit of a divine reading called Lectio Divina, 00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:29.980 which was developed by the early church. 00:16:29.980 --> 00:16:34.340 this idea of just reading a passage over and over, 00:16:35.100 --> 00:16:37.240 praying slowly through a portion of scripture, 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:41.620 and I was allowing the scripture to shape my prayers. 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:43.620 Pray. 00:16:46.420 --> 00:16:47.519 Second one, 00:16:48.300 --> 00:16:48.740 worship. 00:16:50.039 --> 00:16:52.779 It can feel really counterintuitive. 00:16:52.779 --> 00:16:54.759 I, 00:16:54.939 --> 00:16:57.740 we all have our preferences of hymns we love, 00:16:57.860 --> 00:16:58.679 songs we love, 00:16:58.759 --> 00:16:59.759 the types of music, 00:16:59.860 --> 00:17:01.179 the style of music, 00:17:01.959 --> 00:17:04.500 but that song we sang just before, 00:17:04.639 --> 00:17:05.559 Sovereign Over Us, 00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:07.639 last year there was a time, 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:09.059 I had to find that song, 00:17:09.180 --> 00:17:09.319 I had, 00:17:09.399 --> 00:17:10.740 I just whispered in Helen's ears, 00:17:10.899 --> 00:17:12.119 Michael Smith, 00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:12.940 I think his name is, 00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:14.940 worship leader from years ago. 00:17:14.940 --> 00:17:18.019 Even in the valley you are faithful. 00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:19.559 I needed to find that song, 00:17:19.700 --> 00:17:20.920 because that's what I needed, 00:17:21.180 --> 00:17:23.059 to worship with those words. 00:17:23.420 --> 00:17:24.259 Praising God, 00:17:24.380 --> 00:17:25.779 knowing that he is faithful, 00:17:26.080 --> 00:17:27.259 even in the valley, 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:30.680 and even what the enemy means for evil, 00:17:31.140 --> 00:17:32.259 he turns it, 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:33.440 God turns it, 00:17:33.620 --> 00:17:34.440 for our good. 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:35.799 He is faithful. 00:17:36.380 --> 00:17:37.120 Get praising. 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:39.220 Worshipping God, 00:17:39.360 --> 00:17:41.580 God gets us on the ground. 00:17:41.579 --> 00:17:44.859 And we talk a lot in the work that I do as well, 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:46.519 about staying grounded. 00:17:47.399 --> 00:17:49.399 When there's an emotional rollercoaster, 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:51.299 just happening all around you, 00:17:51.500 --> 00:17:53.980 quite often that might be people you're caring for, 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:54.759 your children, 00:17:55.059 --> 00:17:56.159 other people in life, 00:17:56.419 --> 00:17:58.179 there's that emotional rollercoaster, 00:17:58.279 --> 00:17:59.480 and what tends to happen? 00:17:59.779 --> 00:18:02.259 We just get pulled onto the rollercoaster, 00:18:02.399 --> 00:18:03.199 and there we are, 00:18:03.259 --> 00:18:04.619 we're on the ride as well. 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:07.500 If we can care for ourselves, 00:18:07.679 --> 00:18:09.619 and find ways to stay grounded, 00:18:09.619 --> 00:18:12.339 we can keep that boundary, 00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:15.839 knowing firmly that God is with us, 00:18:15.939 --> 00:18:17.000 we are on the ground, 00:18:17.099 --> 00:18:17.819 we are steady. 00:18:18.239 --> 00:18:20.939 Let's worship from a place of groundedness. 00:18:22.739 --> 00:18:23.559 Third one, 00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:24.659 we've got prayer, 00:18:24.839 --> 00:18:25.519 we've got worship. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:26.759 Third one, 00:18:28.119 --> 00:18:28.839 it's you. 00:18:29.539 --> 00:18:30.399 It's me. 00:18:31.379 --> 00:18:32.539 It's community. 00:18:33.819 --> 00:18:35.719 Lean in to community. 00:18:36.919 --> 00:18:38.859 Galatians 6 verse 2 says, 00:18:38.859 --> 00:18:41.219 carry each other's burdens. 00:18:43.679 --> 00:18:45.339 What a beautiful picture. 00:18:46.859 --> 00:18:49.219 If everyone just turned to their left, 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:51.779 and just held a little bit of the weight, 00:18:52.099 --> 00:18:54.319 of the person sitting next to them's burdens, 00:18:54.799 --> 00:18:56.139 it would lighten us all. 00:18:58.939 --> 00:19:00.619 Carry each other's burdens. 00:19:01.879 --> 00:19:03.659 Choosing service to others, 00:19:03.819 --> 00:19:05.139 despite our own struggles. 00:19:05.140 --> 00:19:06.960 Who's been there? 00:19:08.140 --> 00:19:11.060 I'm not saying that sometimes we don't need to just stop, 00:19:11.259 --> 00:19:11.759 and rest, 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:12.520 and say, 00:19:12.940 --> 00:19:13.400 enough, 00:19:13.740 --> 00:19:14.460 and pause. 00:19:14.600 --> 00:19:16.520 And sometimes we're forced to do that. 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:18.780 But who's been there on that day, 00:19:18.840 --> 00:19:19.480 where you're like, 00:19:19.800 --> 00:19:20.420 do you know what? 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:21.920 I just want to choose, 00:19:22.040 --> 00:19:23.240 under the duvet today, 00:19:23.360 --> 00:19:23.680 thanks. 00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:25.120 I don't want to get up. 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:27.639 I don't want to serve you, Lord. 00:19:27.719 --> 00:19:30.979 I don't want to do what you've called me to do in this day. 00:19:32.119 --> 00:19:35.199 But you just hear that whisper from the Lord. 00:19:35.859 --> 00:19:36.779 You can do it. 00:19:37.579 --> 00:19:39.019 Put one foot in front of the other. 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:40.299 You can do it. 00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:42.159 And in that, 00:19:43.739 --> 00:19:44.879 God meets with us. 00:19:45.199 --> 00:19:46.099 He is faithful. 00:19:46.819 --> 00:19:48.099 He strengthens us 00:19:48.099 --> 00:19:50.159 through our service to others. 00:19:51.419 --> 00:19:51.799 Tim, 00:19:51.959 --> 00:19:53.740 I loved the time that we had. 00:19:53.799 --> 00:19:55.119 When I was working for Christchurch, 00:19:55.259 --> 00:19:58.259 Tim generously gave his time to mentor me. 00:19:58.379 --> 00:20:00.399 We used to have many a breakfast. 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:01.799 Always a nice croissant. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:02.939 Loved it. 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:08.959 But I loved Tim's heart of a childlike attitude to God. 00:20:08.959 --> 00:20:11.119 His Father God asking each day, 00:20:11.659 --> 00:20:12.919 what can I do today, Lord? 00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:15.139 What can I do today? 00:20:16.099 --> 00:20:17.519 I've never forgotten that. 00:20:19.059 --> 00:20:20.379 So we've got prayer, 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:21.339 worship, 00:20:21.919 --> 00:20:22.639 one another, 00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:25.059 God's word. 00:20:25.859 --> 00:20:26.719 Of course, 00:20:27.459 --> 00:20:30.019 leaning on his promises in difficult times 00:20:30.019 --> 00:20:33.799 strengthens our faithfulness to him. 00:20:34.500 --> 00:20:37.980 Romans 8, 28 reminds us that in all things, 00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:40.839 even what the enemy means for evil, 00:20:41.059 --> 00:20:42.079 in all things, 00:20:42.199 --> 00:20:44.459 he is working for the good of those who love him. 00:20:44.460 --> 00:20:45.980 And in Romans 15, 00:20:46.100 --> 00:20:46.620 verse 4, 00:20:46.680 --> 00:20:47.140 it says, 00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:50.539 for everything that was written in the past 00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:53.279 was written to teach us, 00:20:54.039 --> 00:20:58.019 so that through the endurance taught in the scriptures, 00:20:58.740 --> 00:21:00.920 all those people that have been through 00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:02.700 all these really hard times, 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:03.779 that endurance, 00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:07.559 the encouragement they provide, 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:09.460 gives us hope. 00:21:09.460 --> 00:21:14.240 So we've got prayer, 00:21:14.740 --> 00:21:15.100 worship, 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:16.259 one another, 00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:17.019 community, 00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:18.579 God's word, 00:21:20.200 --> 00:21:21.079 and last, 00:21:21.420 --> 00:21:22.360 but of course, 00:21:22.539 --> 00:21:23.319 not least, 00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:26.420 the answer's always, 00:21:26.620 --> 00:21:26.960 Jesus. 00:21:27.700 --> 00:21:28.200 Jesus! 00:21:28.860 --> 00:21:31.100 Fix our eyes on Jesus. 00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:34.279 He endured the ultimate challenge, 00:21:34.279 --> 00:21:36.000 the ultimate difficulty, 00:21:37.259 --> 00:21:38.700 abandoned on the cross. 00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:40.799 When we look at the cross, 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:45.180 we don't see Jesus, 00:21:45.879 --> 00:21:47.379 because on the cross, 00:21:47.639 --> 00:21:48.960 death was overcome. 00:21:49.720 --> 00:21:50.839 Three days later, 00:21:50.920 --> 00:21:52.019 we're going to head into Lent, 00:21:52.099 --> 00:21:53.259 we're going to head to Easter. 00:21:53.819 --> 00:21:57.039 We are reminded of the power of resurrection, 00:21:57.039 --> 00:22:00.420 and the hope we have in him. 00:22:01.460 --> 00:22:03.259 If you're sitting here today, 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:04.180 and you're thinking, 00:22:04.579 --> 00:22:08.059 what does that mean? 00:22:09.559 --> 00:22:13.240 I would really encourage you to find someone to chat to afterwards, 00:22:13.619 --> 00:22:16.960 to find someone to be curious with. 00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:17.980 Come and pray. 00:22:19.259 --> 00:22:22.099 Don't go away with that feeling of, 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:23.839 what does that mean? 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:28.019 We're coming to the end. 00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:29.159 Back to my swim. 00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:30.579 After my swim, 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:31.779 I would like to say, 00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:34.819 because I'd borrowed all of my kits, 00:22:34.919 --> 00:22:36.359 I'd borrowed a wetsuit, 00:22:36.459 --> 00:22:39.159 I'd borrowed a floaty thing. 00:22:40.299 --> 00:22:41.299 After my swim, 00:22:41.399 --> 00:22:42.839 I bought my own floaty thing. 00:22:43.339 --> 00:22:44.139 Oh my goodness, 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:46.740 I would not have got across the bay without a floaty thing. 00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:48.579 And I had a moment, 00:22:48.919 --> 00:22:51.179 and I brought my journal from last year, 00:22:51.179 --> 00:22:53.179 because I wrote up about my swim. 00:22:53.180 --> 00:22:55.200 I really felt drawn to pray for it. 00:22:58.519 --> 00:23:00.400 I couldn't see through the waves. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:04.560 I had to navigate my way up and down. 00:23:05.420 --> 00:23:07.100 I couldn't see the destination. 00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:10.680 I just had to keep going. 00:23:11.799 --> 00:23:12.779 And at one point, 00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:14.480 I turned onto my back. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:17.440 When I turned onto my back, 00:23:17.539 --> 00:23:19.539 what I realised was that the float, 00:23:19.539 --> 00:23:21.820 that I'd been kind of swimming with behind me, 00:23:21.819 --> 00:23:24.439 the float started kind of bobbing along. 00:23:24.519 --> 00:23:25.240 I was swimming back. 00:23:25.579 --> 00:23:26.659 Just do a little demonstration, 00:23:26.819 --> 00:23:27.720 just to wake everybody up. 00:23:27.779 --> 00:23:28.659 I was bobbing along, 00:23:29.019 --> 00:23:30.519 waves crashing over me, 00:23:30.679 --> 00:23:32.619 and my float was in front of me. 00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:35.700 And I had a really strong sense 00:23:35.700 --> 00:23:38.919 of Jesus being with me. 00:23:40.980 --> 00:23:42.659 Jesus was there. 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:43.319 He was, 00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:44.059 I mean, 00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:45.839 we have different kind of verses, 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:46.240 don't we? 00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:47.759 The anchor for our soul. 00:23:47.859 --> 00:23:49.720 I felt like I was anchored to this float. 00:23:50.019 --> 00:23:51.240 He was keeping me afloat, 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:52.839 and we were going to get to the other side. 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:54.339 But of course, 00:23:56.200 --> 00:23:58.200 the kind of the air inside my float 00:23:58.200 --> 00:24:00.599 was like the Holy Spirit filling me, 00:24:01.019 --> 00:24:02.299 giving me all I needed. 00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:03.960 And then, 00:24:04.339 --> 00:24:06.240 I had the most wonderful moment. 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:08.859 I was still swimming backwards, 00:24:09.059 --> 00:24:09.700 paddling along, 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:10.420 flailing. 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:15.299 And I felt like Jesus was just whispering in my spirit, 00:24:16.200 --> 00:24:17.180 I'm with you. 00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:18.420 But Kate, 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:20.819 have you noticed what's behind the float? 00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:22.440 So by this point, 00:24:22.620 --> 00:24:24.279 it was 500 people in total. 00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:26.099 Most people are now at the beach, 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:26.960 having a cup of coffee. 00:24:27.420 --> 00:24:28.460 I'm still going. 00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:30.120 Family on the other side, 00:24:30.220 --> 00:24:30.579 wondering, 00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:32.960 where's Kate out there? 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:34.860 In just a sea of orange floats. 00:24:36.299 --> 00:24:38.019 I looked at the orange float, 00:24:38.220 --> 00:24:39.779 and then I looked on the horizon. 00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:44.380 And on the horizon was the most enormous lifeboat. 00:24:45.380 --> 00:24:46.920 The swim was for the RNLI. 00:24:47.420 --> 00:24:49.259 There were all these little lifeboats around. 00:24:49.360 --> 00:24:50.559 There were all these canoeists. 00:24:50.700 --> 00:24:51.539 Like, it was fine. 00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:54.059 It wasn't like I was doing some kind of huge, 00:24:54.279 --> 00:24:56.200 difficult thing where I was on my own. 00:24:56.600 --> 00:24:59.220 But there was this massive lifeboat. 00:24:59.220 --> 00:24:59.839 And of course, 00:24:59.900 --> 00:25:00.539 you're in the water, 00:25:00.680 --> 00:25:02.059 so it's even more massive. 00:25:02.180 --> 00:25:03.500 And it's moving closer, 00:25:03.600 --> 00:25:04.920 because they've shut the shipping lane. 00:25:05.319 --> 00:25:06.180 So I was thinking, 00:25:06.460 --> 00:25:07.819 the people on the boat are probably thinking, 00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:08.079 yeah, 00:25:08.120 --> 00:25:09.960 if you could just actually get on with it, 00:25:10.039 --> 00:25:11.120 last few people who, 00:25:11.380 --> 00:25:12.539 it's supposed to take half an hour. 00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:14.460 We're now an hour and 20 minutes in. 00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:16.019 And they've shut the shipping lane. 00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:16.720 So of course, 00:25:16.759 --> 00:25:18.160 it was moving with us. 00:25:18.460 --> 00:25:22.120 And I just had such a strong sense in my spirit. 00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:24.700 That's my Father God. 00:25:25.460 --> 00:25:26.539 He is there. 00:25:26.539 --> 00:25:28.059 There, Jesus is with me. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:30.099 And our Father God 00:25:30.099 --> 00:25:32.619 is just like bigger than anything 00:25:32.619 --> 00:25:34.960 we can even think or imagine. 00:25:35.819 --> 00:25:36.839 He is with us. 00:25:37.339 --> 00:25:38.319 He's got us. 00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:43.420 So we're going to come into land. 00:25:44.639 --> 00:25:48.539 And we're just going to have a little think 00:25:48.539 --> 00:25:51.619 in our spirits and ask Jesus ourselves. 00:25:51.619 --> 00:25:55.879 What does he want us to notice this morning? 00:25:56.919 --> 00:25:59.339 The worship group are going to play a little bit of music 00:25:59.339 --> 00:26:00.919 to give us some space. 00:26:03.079 --> 00:26:03.919 For me, 00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:06.399 I'll just float these out with you. 00:26:08.159 --> 00:26:09.319 I was thinking 00:26:09.319 --> 00:26:14.739 that faithfulness to God in the hard times 00:26:14.740 --> 00:26:17.140 builds in me 00:26:17.140 --> 00:26:18.539 resilience 00:26:18.539 --> 00:26:20.359 and character. 00:26:22.359 --> 00:26:23.980 The writer of Hebrews 00:26:23.980 --> 00:26:25.079 reminds us 00:26:25.079 --> 00:26:26.620 of the opportunity 00:26:26.620 --> 00:26:27.819 to notice this, 00:26:27.940 --> 00:26:28.620 the discipline 00:26:28.620 --> 00:26:30.700 that sometimes God is bringing 00:26:30.700 --> 00:26:32.200 through difficult times. 00:26:32.339 --> 00:26:32.980 Not always. 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:34.960 But sometimes 00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:36.000 we have an opportunity 00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:37.660 to notice and learn. 00:26:38.299 --> 00:26:39.519 I think actually always 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:40.700 we have the opportunity 00:26:40.700 --> 00:26:43.299 to notice and learn something. 00:26:46.580 --> 00:26:49.200 James 1 verse 2 to 4 says, 00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:50.580 Joy in trials 00:26:50.580 --> 00:26:52.279 produces perseverance. 00:26:54.019 --> 00:26:56.200 Which strengthens faith. 00:26:57.460 --> 00:26:59.240 So in our faithfulness 00:26:59.240 --> 00:27:02.860 we get our faith strengthened. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:04.340 Love that. 00:27:04.339 --> 00:27:07.679 I think we get to go deeper 00:27:07.679 --> 00:27:09.220 into relationship with God 00:27:09.220 --> 00:27:10.319 if we can hang on 00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:11.319 in the hard times. 00:27:13.220 --> 00:27:14.759 In the hardest of times 00:27:14.759 --> 00:27:15.319 we often 00:27:15.319 --> 00:27:16.579 we feel stuck. 00:27:17.299 --> 00:27:18.220 We're not sure 00:27:18.220 --> 00:27:19.199 where God is. 00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:21.359 But I think maybe 00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:22.299 this is when God 00:27:22.299 --> 00:27:23.079 can grow 00:27:23.079 --> 00:27:24.419 those deeper roots 00:27:24.419 --> 00:27:25.079 of faith. 00:27:27.779 --> 00:27:28.839 Get us attached 00:27:28.839 --> 00:27:29.559 to that anchor 00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:30.720 that is a hope 00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:31.500 for our soul. 00:27:31.500 --> 00:27:35.160 And I think 00:27:35.160 --> 00:27:36.299 if we can hold on 00:27:36.299 --> 00:27:37.599 in the hard times 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:38.400 and be faithful 00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:41.519 we can experience 00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:42.200 a peace 00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:44.559 that really does 00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:46.079 transcend our understanding. 00:27:47.559 --> 00:27:48.400 Sometimes I think 00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:48.980 we're searching 00:27:48.980 --> 00:27:49.599 for a peace 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:50.220 that just feels 00:27:50.220 --> 00:27:51.140 really comfortable. 00:27:52.839 --> 00:27:53.720 Last year 00:27:53.720 --> 00:27:55.559 at a very particular point 00:27:55.559 --> 00:27:56.400 that was difficult 00:27:56.400 --> 00:27:59.000 I knew my prayers 00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:00.299 my cries to God 00:28:00.299 --> 00:28:00.720 were 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:01.940 God 00:28:01.940 --> 00:28:02.440 can you just 00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:03.779 calm this storm 00:28:03.779 --> 00:28:05.360 just bring some peace 00:28:05.360 --> 00:28:07.000 just bring some respite 00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:08.519 and I had a picture 00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:09.380 of this boat 00:28:09.380 --> 00:28:10.380 and it was on the sea 00:28:10.380 --> 00:28:11.339 and it was calm 00:28:11.339 --> 00:28:12.100 and it was just 00:28:12.100 --> 00:28:13.299 sitting there 00:28:13.299 --> 00:28:14.480 and I 00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:15.620 I was thinking 00:28:15.620 --> 00:28:16.799 that's the one God 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:18.299 and then I felt 00:28:18.299 --> 00:28:18.779 a whisper 00:28:18.779 --> 00:28:19.519 in my spirit 00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:20.819 and God 00:28:20.819 --> 00:28:22.799 stirred me 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:23.640 into thinking 00:28:23.640 --> 00:28:25.559 that boat's 00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:26.339 not going anywhere 00:28:26.339 --> 00:28:27.920 that boat 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:29.039 is absolutely 00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:29.600 stuck. 00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:32.339 that boat 00:28:32.339 --> 00:28:33.619 needs the storm 00:28:33.619 --> 00:28:34.559 to move 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:36.000 and 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:37.159 it won't be 00:28:37.159 --> 00:28:37.759 easy 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:38.559 it will be 00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:39.199 difficult 00:28:39.199 --> 00:28:40.859 but Jesus 00:28:40.859 --> 00:28:42.500 had that peace 00:28:42.500 --> 00:28:43.659 in the storms 00:28:43.659 --> 00:28:45.159 in the boat 00:28:45.159 --> 00:28:47.119 that peace 00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:49.839 that is ours 00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:52.220 to carry 00:28:52.220 --> 00:28:54.339 given freely 00:28:54.339 --> 00:28:55.459 by Jesus 00:28:55.459 --> 00:28:57.299 through the storms 00:28:57.299 --> 00:28:58.899 and 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:58.899 00:28:58.900 --> 00:29:02.680 Thank you.