Our creative blog, words, music, films and imagery are to serve you...our heart is to bring hope into suffering, light into dark places, and inspiration to release God's love like a wave of restoration into a broken world.

Neil & Julie

A Birthday Blessing

The way we celebrate each individual on the day they were born into this world is a beautiful thing. Some of the most magical birthdays I can recall are the early birthdays of my children. When a child is one or two years old there is no past for them to worry over, no future for hopes or fears to enter, no anticipation, expectation or disappointment. The overwhelming feeling of wonder for them is enormous. The candles, the gifts, it is all received in great joy! Then maybe tears…. but great joy again! I guess this is the way God would like birthdays to remain for us all, and how he loves to bless us on our special day.

Sadly, I think that the fallen world and our fallen feelings and thoughts tend to ebb away some of this jubilant emotion. If we are honest, it is much easier to celebrate other people’s birthdays than it is our own. This starts quite young. Even young children start to feel the slide. Sometimes it is a toy that’s advertised to be the best thing ever that is a let-down or the party girl who sees another friend’s dress to be prettier than hers, or the lad whose friend had a puppy for his birthday. Suddenly the Scalextric is second best! It is not long before comparison kicks in. By our teens it has morphed into self-rejection, and the feeling of not matching up. As we reach adulthood it will probably have grown up into a more rounded awareness of one’s own failings, mixed with a pinch of regret, and a bucket full of anxieties about finance, relationships, health or world affairs!

So how do we reclaim the birthday feeling our Abba father intended for us? Here are three suggestions that may help you:

Firstly, let’s include Him from the moment we wake, then take time to open our bible and hear His voice in scripture. Allow God your Father to fill your mind with hope and truth and light. Do this in the way that is most natural for you. Also, remember to take care of yourself! For some of us, sometimes the traditions of gathering together with family and friends, receiving gifts, birthday cake and surprises can feel like an onslaught. If this is hard for you, focus on how much others like to give to you, and try to enjoy it for their sakes.

Secondly, build in something into the day that is a moment just for you. It needs to be tailored uniquely around your preferences, whatever they are – a walk in the country, playing your favourite song etc. – a blessing that is just for you.

Lastly, there will always be four loved ones present with you on your birthday, no matter how lonely your circumstances have become. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit will be celebrating the day you were born! Open your heart up to them. Allow them to guide you and have your own little celebration. The truth is, you are worth celebrating, for you are unique. There will only be one of you who walks on the earth and there is a place for you in heaven that only you can fill. That is good news!

If you have a friend or loved one that is about to have a birthday, you might like to consider sending this blessing to them. You can even receive these words for yourself when your special day comes round!

Here are the words in this film:-

A Birthday Blessing

May happiness and love encircle this day,
And every blessing from heaven come your way.
May the warmth of loved ones lift your heart,
And your cup overflow with the love they impart.

May fond memories bring you great joy and peace,
And hope fill your sails with the promise you seek.
But most of all, may you truly know,
How you’re treasured and loved wherever you go.

Prayer for Safe Travel

At this time of year most of us will be planning a trip away or waving friends and family off as they go on their holidays. Travel can be both exciting and unnerving! I have friends who love travelling. The excitement of new horizons, adventure and discovery propel them forwards, and they take it all in their stride. I am not this way! I have always found travel stressful. I guess I crave the familiar and get anxious about connections and times. I also don’t like surprises and try to minimize risks. Whichever way you tick, journeys are important and God can really meet with us in new ways as we travel away from the sanctuary of home, from the routine and from the familiar.

I must remind myself that God is everywhere! The beautiful words in Psalm 139 declare this truth:

“Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139:7-10, NIV)

I should know this, but sometimes I can become fearful as I travel. A trip can be fruitful time to bless strangers we meet along the way, to find new vision from God for our lives and to awaken our souls to understand more of the breadth, depth and height of our Creator’s love. I hope that you might find blessing in your travels this season. And if you are holding loved ones in prayer as they drive or fly I trust they would know God’s blessing also. The following prayer encompasses all the multitude of ways in which we can lean into God as we journey, and is a reminder of the Lord’s constant presence and protection in our lives:

Download this film in HD for a small sum by clicking here.

Here are the word’s in this prayer film:-

Traveller’s Prayer

O Father,

You are always there,
For your love reaches everywhere.
Above the clouds, beneath the sea,
I know your hand will cover me.
Through the darkened starry night,
Again at dawn when all is bright.
Upon the heavens, or over bridges,
Deepest valleys, rocky ridges.
You beside me, o so close,
Knowing when I need you most.

Through different lands of war or peace,
Where suffering stirs or riches twist,
I choose to walk the path you tread,
And carry your wisdom where I’m led.
I’ll bring your peace with every step,
And bless each place I rest my head.
You keep me safe, watch over me,
I choose to put my trust in thee.

Prayer for my Family

Family is the most incredible place to reside, yet it is also the most difficult place to navigate. Living in close fellowship with others always requires us to become more real, more forgiving, more giving and more mature as individuals. There is much to be gained in terms of intimacy, security and nurture, yet also much at risk in terms of conflict, resentment and loss. It is as sons and daughters of the living God that we find the craving for this union, the search for oneness and the need for exclusivity. For we read in the bible that we are made after the image of our maker (Gen 1:27). Our very desires to be one in marriage echo the oneness that is central to the Trinity. And our longings to create a family and have children mirror the creative nature of the Holy Family (Gen 1:26).

Yet family is more than flesh and blood. It is those whom we walk with daily, the ones that get to know the real “us”, those with whom we feel bonded to and devoted to. The following prayer is one that covers and encircles those whom we call family. It is a blessing prayer, it rolls forever like a beautiful ocean wave over our dear ones. The extraordinary thing is that when we invite Jesus into our lives, he inhabits our daily family life by the power of his Holy Spirit, and his father becomes father over our families. May I encourage you to speak out this prayer of belonging, blessing and keeping over your loved ones now:-

Download this film in HD for a small sum by following this link.

Prayer for my family

Lord be beside us, every day
Guiding and leading us gently always.
Lord be above us, help us to see
The hope of the future, of all we could be.

Lord be beneath us, carry us when
We’re too shattered or tired to really have strength.
Lord be ahead of us, smoothing our paths
Protecting and blessing the places we pass.

Lord be behind us, healing our wounds,
Forgiving our mistakes and making us new.
Jesus, be within us, this family is yours
Now and forever, you are our Lord.

Prayer for a Friend

How can we pray for a friend who is currently having to contend with a very difficult life experience? It might be they have just lost their job, or perhaps it is a serious illness or even a bereavement in the family. Sometimes it is a friend whom we are in fellowship with, the two of us walking beside Jesus, where much prayer will be needed. In this situation, no matter what the storm is, it is essential to remain sure of “Immanuel”, that God is with us. You will find yourself praying for them at many times and in many places. They will rest so close to your heart that every thought of them will be a prayer.

However, it is much harder when your beloved friend is yet to know the fullness of Christ. Here it is the presence of God in us that will be Christ alongside them. Christ dwells in us, we are a temple for the Holy Spirit and there are many ways for the Spirit of God to prompt your prayers, actions, words and being to bless them.

He will not abandon us or them.

He is the beginning and the end.

He will call us all home.

Sorrow will end.

Pain will cease.

He is peace.

He is grace.

He is all love.

He is with you.

I have written the following words as an “anchor” type prayer. Here a remind myself of when Jesus was in the boat with his friends, in the middle of a great storm. With just these three words “Quiet! Be still!” the winds and lashing rains were calmed. It will be hard “heart” work to carry, support or lead a friend through difficult trials. But in the middle of the tempest we shall rest in the very breath, heartbeat and essence of Jesus.

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Prayer For a Friends Strength

O Lord,

You know how much I long to see my friend restored.
You are with us all, at all times, and in all places.
Your love gives us the strength to endure,
And breathes hope into our lives.

So I pray for rivers of your love to be flowing in their life.
Through the care of friends and family,
Through the beauty of creation,
Through your life-giving words and healing Spirit.
Everlasting Father you promise to be our strength in times of weakness,
So I trust my friend into your hands.

Please lead me as I pray and care for them,
So that I may reveal more and more of your great love and grace.

Amen.

Prayer for Youth

When I look back on my own “youth years” I realise now what an extraordinarily difficult period it was – the explosion of hormones, the pressure to be in the “in” crowd, the stresses and expectations placed upon you – it all seemed to come together at the same time! When you are a teenager, you have no concept that this cauldron of racing thoughts, emotions and confusions will settle down. You have no idea that ahead lies easier seasons and that life is not all or nothing, “living the dream” or complete failure, but that there are many pathways and possibilities for happiness. At this age I remember how my life would see-saw between great moments of maturity and then complete meltdowns just hours later as though I was a toddler! Yet amidst all this I remember chinks of clarity, times of connection and flashes of faith forming in my soul. Nurturing and sometimes nursing a young adult through these years can be a roller coaster of a ride. As we seek to care for our in-betweeners, let’s remember the challenges of life as a teenager and extend fountains of grace to them as they navigate their way through.

The following prayer seeks to bring order and hope into this maze of teenage existence. It recalls all the different elements that bring inspiration and meaning to life and offers these beautiful things back to God in love and service. If you are a young person, use this film now as a space to hear and connect with God and his heart for your life. And if you are of an older generation, please use this video as a prayer for someone you know who is going through this period of great transition in their lives, and ask for God’s presence and voice to be with them: –

Prayer for Youth

Dear God,

Thank you for the amazing world you have made.
Help us to care for every aspect of your creation.

Thank you for the wonders of physics, medicine and astronomy.
Help us to engage with each facet of the universe.

Thank you for the power of the creative arts.
Help us to pioneer new vision and sounds in our generation.

Thank you for our incredible minds and bodies.
Help us to become all we could be as individuals.

Thank you for our family, friendships, community and relationships.
Help us to accept, nurture and forgive one another.

Thank you for all these great things in our lives.
May we play our part in bringing peace, prosperity and justice to all.

Amen.

This film can be downloaded for small sum by following this link.

Prayer for Fasting During Lent

Jesus teaches us to begin with ourselves, not to become weary by judging others but to create rivers of truth, hope, peace, joy and love that flow through our own beings (John 7:38). During Lent we seek to pull aside from the tides of work, family, community and the world that push and pull us and kick away the props that merely get us through each day. We come just as we are – fully human – and encounter the divinity of the living God. This is where transformation begins, where we receive from and follow the example of Jesus. From his very holistic teaching, and outworking of grace, we learn to spend time alone with the Father, engage in Spirit led giving, sleep, rest and social time with friends. It is from this place that we use our gifts to bring God’s kingdom to earth. All these things flow from the centre…our centre filled with the Holy Spirit, alive in us and through us.

As you draw aside during this time of Lent, may renewal, healing, growth and peace be yours. Here is a new prayer I have recently written that hopefully will inspire and lead you as you seek God and turn from the props that this world offers us:-

Prayer for Fasting During Lent

I shall lay aside the pressure I feel, and retreat into your space,
Away from distractions, I’ll seek you face to face.
I shall lean into you Lord, where the weight of the world
Falls away from my shoulders, let your freedom unfold.

I shall burrow so deeply, in you I’m covered and safe,
Lift my eyes up to linger on the love in you gaze.
I shall shelter, encircled by the depth of your care,
Where your majesty leads me, I await you in prayer.

I shall whisper my worries, here I’ll open my fears
And lay here unfolded, in a river of tears.
I shall rest my soul gently and nestle into your hope,
Seeking only to dwell here, in your peace I will soak.

Prayer for Couples

The closeness found in marriage can provide a really beautiful space in which you learn together, grow in maturity and enjoy a deep friendship and intimacy. It was for me an extraordinary trigger to becoming more of who God created me to be and is such a blessing. However, that same close perimeter can be hard to live in if you are both encountering darkness, rejection, despair or confusion. Loving each other through the challenging times can be difficult as the closeness and intimacy of a marriage means that it is here that we are real, here where we let off steam, here where we will need to offload!

The following prayer is a helpful reminder that marriage is a three-cord relationship, that the cord of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit weave into our lives and within our love. The prayer asks for God’s light to shine in the dark days, for protection to cover our weaknesses, hope to return by the wind of God’s Spirit and sight to have new vision. So even if the road is so arduous that your marriage has taken the toll, take your partners hand and pray. Pray together if that is possible, pray silently if easier and on your own if your loved one has lost faith. Light will come, a shield will surround you, hope will arise, and vision will be found again. Your marriage is a beautiful thing, a rich treasure, and a great gift – to each of you and those who surround you. Here is the prayer:-

Lord be our Light

Lord be our light.
When the darkness seeps in,
brighten our days with the power of praise.
Lord be our light.

Lord be our shield.
When the arrows of hurt tear us down,
help us to hold a covering of gold.
Lord be our shield.

Lord be our hope.
When despair starts to rise
keep us afloat, blow the sails of our heart.
Lord be our hope.

Lord be our sight.
When confusion ensnares,
free us to see, to hold onto our dreams.
Lord be our sight.

Lord, come be our light,
our shield, our hope and our sight.
For in you we trust,
in you we arise.

This film is available to download for a small sum by visiting this page.

I am a miracle

I am a miracle. A living, breathing, thinking feeling creation. A masterpiece of intricate biology, a perfect balance of chemicals, an extensive network of connections and systems. We are the work of the Creator, the potter, the master craftsman! Life is miraculous, and it’s all around us – growing, bearing fruit, reproducing! Yet as God’s children, made in his likeness, created to walk in the garden with him, we also have great intellectual depth, strong feelings and emotions. And more than these, the promise that our souls carry the very spirit that Christ carried, to guide us and help us. Wow!

Yet to tell the truth I often feel the antithesis of this wonder, especially at this time of year. I become lethargic with routine, uncertain of my direction, burdened with anxieties or heavy with fatigue. It’s time to “refresh”, like the page on a search engine, to reboot, rethink, remember…to remember that I the clay could never fathom, perceive or understand fully the mind of the potter. That I the clay must trust, retrace my steps back to find the beauty, love and wonder that signpost the way to the Creator. And allow faith to arise in God, my Lord, Almighty one, Father, Shepherd, Prince of Peace, King and Saviour, merciful Redeemer.

We are unique, precious, known and loved by a God who yearns to be with us. So as the New Year begins, the most important thing on our “to do” list should be to begin to value ourselves the way that God values us. He loved us so much, enough to pay all our debts, to take the most dreadful acts of man upon himself, and by doing so to transform heaven and earth. We “the clay” can trust that death is defeated and look forward to the eternal wonder and expanse of God’s creation. We are sons and daughters that inherit the Kingdom of God, forever.

When Everything Lines Up…

As a “prayer woman””, I am instinctively led to study, practice and mentor in prayer. In my experience, there seems to be a combination of things that can connect together and can lead to my prayers being answered in miraculous and transformational ways. The first factor is “who” is praying.

Who

Intimacy with the Holy Spirit comes from the foundation of grace and acceptance of Christ’s death and resurrection lived out in the believer. The “who” can be undermined by so many things…anger, fear, bitterness, failure, regret, disappointment, sin, sorrow, hopelessness….I could go on! Yet we are all endlessly cleaned and made worthy. May we grasp the depth of forgiveness and love that Christ brings us! In this place we can stand and ask with complete confidence.

Asking

Here we lay our hopes and dreams at the foot of the cross. Our prayers will be bold and filled with the faith. Remember that our prayers only need faith the size of a mustard seed for the mountains to move!

Atmosphere

Timing can be essential in prayer. This comes from being Spirit led. What is the condition of the spiritual atmosphere? Worship can be key in leading us metaphorically from the noise, speed and commotion of a “motorway” to become a people, united in journey with Heaven, experiencing the “country lane” of God’s presence – bathing in the safety, the quiet and the space we need.

I truly believe in prayer as a way of life, as prayer in action, in thought, in place and promise. Yet I also believe that sometimes it all lines up! The “who”, the “ask” and the “atmosphere”. This is why my prayer life is such a mix! Prayer in petition, prayer in gifts, prayer in action, and prayer in worship – seizing the moment in that sacred place.

I Missed the Moment

One of the things through prayerscapes we are continually seeking to give out in is words. So often we are lost for words when it comes to the really deep things in life. Hopefully the resources we create will fill in those spaces, and help you communion with your heavenly Father, communicate to your church family or minister to a loved one in need.

So often, I miss the moment. I come away from an encounter or conversation with someone only to feel that I didn’t say what I felt in my heart needed to be said. I guess it is easier to talk about the weather, the children, the local news stories as these things are light weight! Yet when I am aware and brave and engaged, and I do say something significant then I find amazing things can happen. Even with simple words of encouragement like “I think you are a really patient mum” or “I really appreciate your smile each morning, thank you!” or “Do you realise how much I adore you, you light up my life with your funny ways!”. Anything but “Tea’s on the table”, “Is the baby waking at night?” or “Put your shoes on!”

It is so hard to weave these significant things into each day. However, I’m hoping not to waste my words too many times. Why not join me in resolving to be more led by the Spirit, to make words count, and to say something meaningful to somebody today?