Hi everyone, Spring Has Sprung finally. The Daffodils are filling gardens and hedgerows with sunshine, even on the dullest, chilliest days. Newborn lambs are gambolling about in the fields, snow white and bleating for their mummies.
Snowdrops the first flowers to push through as Winter passes.
Spring is truly the Season of hope. Winter’s icy claws fight with the rising sun, whose warmth and light is needed more than we’d remembered.
The noisy chattering of Sparrows, in their happy little communities, only broken through by the song of a Blackbird. Morning truly has broken when you hear Blackbirds singing.
Chicks a reminder of new life.
Spring, with it’s promise of new life. Blossom refusing to obey the flat grey clouds, springs from the trees, once spent, will create Natures greatest show of confetti. Pink and white petals, flutter down, covering the ground like colourful snow.
Our Cherry Tree in full blossom.
Winter is behind and the long, scorching days of Summer lay ahead. Treasure every day. Each new bud that turns stark landscapes to vibrant green.
Yes Spring for me is truly the season of Hope. Easter, a prominent reminder, that what was dead, can indeed break the shackles of darkness and live again. Christ who gave His all on the Cross, the ultimate reminder, that when He arose from Death to Life, that we too, can have new life in Him.
A man kneeling before an empty cross. A sign that Jesus died and then rose again on the third day. Kneeling at the cross where forgiveness is found.
Yes Spring Has Sprung, grab hold of the Hope and New Life it offers. Take delight in the sounds of new birth. For One is crying out louder than all others “Come unto me, you weary and heavy laden and I shall give you rest?”.
Good morning to all you lovely people. Whatever today holds for you I hope when you read through this blog the Important Stuff will encourage you to smile & when you smile I hope that it encourages others to smile too.
Why Write This Post On Important Stuff
It may sound odd, but I actually believe that HAPPINESS is a choice for most of us (please don’t think I am any way mocking people who are depressed, anxious, lonely, grieving, sad & all other manner of terrible situations – I ABSOLUTELY AM NOT). When I say Happiness is a choice, what I’m mean is that during the hundreds of thousands of situations & circumstances we are in and go through in life, most of us have a choice.
Happiness as a result of being loved.
That choice usually represents itself simply as: Do I concentrate on all the bad stuff that I’m going through at the moment, or amidst the darkness & fog that I’m in, do I try to find something Good & Positive to hold on to? I’ve said being Happy is a choice for most of us – I didn’t say it was easy! Of all the difficult circumstances that I’ve only just started to touch on, I’ve been through most & more. But I’M NOT SAD! I should be but I’m not.
Sometimes you have to look past the darkness and into the light.
Choosing What Is Important
Some may say that’s easy for me, I have a loving family & friends: you can still be lonely in a roomful of people. Others may argue that we all naturally have periods of sadness in our lives: that is true, but it is our choice as to how long we dwell on them. Still others may say ” You don’t understand, my situation is HOPELESS & I can’t see a way out”. To those I say, I’ve been there. Whilst I may not know exactly the circumstances of your situation, I do understand what it is like to be trapped, with no clear exit route in view.
My life has never been a bed of roses, EVER! I face daily challenges and also difficult memories. Yet I still smile. I smile because amongst all the darkness I choose, to see LIGHT. Amongst all the noise I listen for the bird song. Against all the ugliness of a situation I will SEEK OUT the beauty. I make the choice to find the POSITIVE amongst the negative. Also I have HOPE. A never ending certain HOPE. I KNOW that I am LOVED.
The Cross in the centre, where life, love and hope are found. As the thief on the cross next to Jesus found out, it’s never too late.
The Ultimate Price Paid
A man named Jesus, a long time ago, took all the wrong doing that is in this world, all the injustice, hatred, hopelessness and wrongdoing (sin) upon HIS shoulders and died on a Cross. Naked, humiliated, despised by the very people He had come to help, Jesus knows loneliness, pain, neglect, suffering. And yet He still loved them. His love was shown when He took the place of ALL MANKIND, took all the SIN OF THE WORLD and paid the price, that we should have to pay, HE GAVE HIS LIFE, SO THAT WE MAY HAVE LIFE, IN HIM FOREVER.
Not only did He die on the Cross, for us, but HE OVERCAME DEATH WHEN HE AROSE from the dead THREE DAYS LATER. HE OVERCAME DEATH and in doing so laid a path for us to know Him. TO KNOW JESUS AND OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. Jesus said “I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH & THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH THE SON”. JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD!! If we know Him, then we too can know God. HE IS OUR LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER.
THIS IS TRULY AMAZING.
You Are Important
Every living person on this beautiful planet IS LOVED BY GOD. Every living person, has at some time, said or done something that is wrong, the Bible calls this Sin. The penalty for Sin is Death. Whether you believe in God or not, one day every person will stand before God and be judged, asked to give an account of themselves, their lives and their actions. You can choose not to believe this will happen, I am letting you know IT WILL.
That sounds pretty scary to me. I know I’m not perfect, yet I have nothing to worry about because; “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, THAT WHOSOEVER (that’s you & me) BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT DIE BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE”. WOW! No need to be afraid now. GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON!
You Are Loved
Firstly for those of you who are lonely or feel unloved YOU ARE LOVED – GOD LOVES YOU.
Important Stuff, each individual is accepted by God, flaws and all.
Secondly for those of you who are aimlessly walking through life, no real direction (except to go to work, pay your bills, raise your family – but somewhere inside of you, you question: Is there more to this??), JESUS SAID I AM THE WAY!! Now you can have direction – straight to God & ALL the Goodness & Love that He has for you.
Thirdly, for everyone who is searching for something. Looking for a bigger picture, but there are SO MANY religions, ideas to follow: JESUS SAID I AM THE TRUTH. You’ve found your answer. Jesus IS THE WAY TO GOD. Next, for those of you that feel hopeless, dejected, worthless: JESUS SAID I AMTHE LIFE. A life lived with JESUS has HOPE, PURPOSE, WORTH.
GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON.
JESUS LOVES YOU SO MUCH THAT HE WAS WILLING TO DIE ON THE CROSS, BEARING THE PUNISHMENT WE SHOULD RECEIVE. HIS MOTIVATION – PURE LOVE FOR US AND TO DO THE WILL OF HIS FATHER.
He gave His life freely, at any point He could of spoken up in His own defense & saved Himself, but He didn’t – HE GAVE HIS LIFE FREELY.
JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THIS WORLD.
Jesus is the light of this world. In Him no darkness is found.
What does ‘Important Stuff’ mean to me?
No longer do I live a life without purpose but can smile each day, even through the tough times, for I know, I AM ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN, that JESUS WHO IS THE LIFE, lives in me, by the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Not only that, but God promises ETERNAL LIFE TO ALL (not a chosen few elite individuals). I have a lot TO SMILE ABOUT.
You too can make this choice. Indeed nothing in life is more important, God is waiting with His arms open wide for you. His desire is that you would know HOW LOVED YOU ARE. While this may sound ‘Too good to be true’, I promise you it isn’t. God loves you whether you love Him back or not. He accepts you no matter what life you have lived, or however bad you think you are.
GOD’S GIFT OF SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST IS FREE. You cannot work for it, earn or buy it. Jesus desires to be part of your life. He wants to be the SMILE IN YOUR HEART. As for me, I love my Lord JESUS with all of my heart. He has helped me, healed me, guided and protected me and saved me.
Every caterpillar turns into a butterfly, just as everyone can turn to God and ask for forgiveness in the name of Jesus.
Important Stuff is the most important post I have written to date!
If you too would like to know JESUS as your personal Saviour and Friend, then you can pray to God now. Ask Him to forgive you for all the wrong you have done, acknowledge JESUS as God’s Son and ask Him to come into your life, to be your Lord and guide you. Ask God to reveal His love for you through the bible & to guide you to a local Christian Church that loves God, His Word (the bible), Jesus & God’s Holy Spirit.
If you prayed that prayer CONGRATULATIONS.
What to do next?
I suggest you start reading the Gospel of John, found in the New Testament part of the bible (NIV, NKJV are both very good bibles to start with, accurate & written without thee’s, thou’s & older day language – although personally the King James Bible will always be my preference!). John is the fourth book of the New Testament & before reading I suggest praying and asking God to reveal Himself to you through His Written Word.
Finally it would be lovely if you would share your experience in the comments box. If you would rather I did not make your words public, then please say so & I promise not to publish your comments. Also if you would genuinely like more information, please leave a message & I will do my best to help.
No disrespect to people of other Faiths, but I will not get drawn into time wasting arguments regarding this post, I will only answer genuine queries & politely ask that you respect this.
Rainbows a sign of God’s promise to us.
There is NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT OR PRECIOUS THAN KNOWING JESUS AS YOUR VERY OWN LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOUR.
IMPORTANT STUFF is and always will be THE most important post on the blog.
Thank you for reading, I pray that God will open your heart to His love.
Sammie xx
For more information and resources on becoming a Christian and learning about Jesus please visit jjohn .
