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Articles / Re: Schoolboy, eight, killed after being hit by a car in horror accident on quiet...
« on: April 14, 2024, 03:13:35 PM »
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Articles / How the young Queen foiled a cynical campaign by Edward and Mrs Simpson to ....
« on: March 09, 2024, 10:06:01 PM »
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/royals/article-13176811/How-young-Queen-foiled-cynical-campaign-Edward-Mrs-Simpson-gatecrash-early-years-reign-ALEXANDER-LARMANs-new-book-reveals-exiled-couple-formidable-foe-saw-like-shed-Harry-Meghan.html?login¶m_code=tn1k5iuclyy255wqgd6h¶m_state=eyJyZW1lbWJlck1lIjpmYWxzZSwicmFuZG9tU3RhdGUiOiI1MDVhYjY3ZC04MmYwLTRkYTctOGI1Mi02NzU2ZWRlNWQ4NGMifQ%3D%3D¶m__host=www.dailymail.co.uk¶m_geolocation=row&base_fe_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2F&validation_fe_uri=%2Fregistration%2Fp%2Fapi%2Ffield%2Fvalidation%2F&check_user_fe_uri=registration%2Fp%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fuser_check%2F&isMobile=false
How the young Queen foiled a cynical campaign by Edward and Mrs Simpson to gatecrash the early years of her reign, ALEXANDER LARMAN's new book reveals. The exiled couple found a formidable foe who saw them off like she'd see off Harry and Meghan
By Alexander Larman
Published: 12:10, 9 March 2024 | Updated: 12:10, 9 March 2024
Had the Duke of Windsor wished to portray himself as a king-in-exile, he could not have done so more ostentatiously than at La Croe, the chateau in the south of France which he and his wife had moved to following his abdication. With a staff of 28 and guests of the calibre of Noel Coward and Winston Churchill, they indulged in self-aggrandising theatricality, as if in compensation for all that he who ruled so briefly as King Edward VIII had given up to marry Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee who was now the Duchess. 'A tiny little white table for us four was set on the huge lawn,' recalled one visitor. 'There were rows of footmen the night was furiously hot but the Duke was in full Scottish regalia. I thought he was staging a production of some sort.'
Another observer was similarly dismissive about the relationship between the Duke and Duchess. Describing their presence at a Monte Carlo gala, he wrote: 'She had on every jewel. He wore a kilt. It was like watching a couple in pantomime the studied gestures, the automatic smiles.'
The Duke was no more subtle when he returned to England in February 1952 for the funeral of his younger brother, King George VI, who had so reluctantly come to the throne following his abdication.
One observer remarked on Edward's 'swaggering' manner, and described how he was 'talking and looking around, gesticulating and almost waving to the huge and completely silent crowd'.
As the late King himself had written to their mother Queen Mary, the Duke 'seems to think that when he gave up his work for which he was trained, he could "live" it down and return here as a private individual and all would be well. He has to consider others beside himself, and I doubt whether even now he realises the irrevocable step he took and the ghastly shock he gave this country.'
Among the biggest upsets caused by the Duke was one all too familiar to today's Royal Family following the publication of Prince Harry's autobiography Spare in January 2023. This came seven decades after the release of the Duke of Windsor's memoirs, his revenge on those he believed had wronged him in the years since his decision to give up the throne had left him jobless, stateless and rootless. Much given to self-pity, he never admitted to being the author of his own misfortunes, instead blaming his brother for just about everything, including his inability to find a job that suited him. His tenure as governor to the Bahamas between 1940 and 1945 had been dogged by endless controversy, including his friendship with the Nazi-sympathising mogul Axel Wenner-Gren, who had an estate there and no doubt agreed with the Duke's privately expressed view that 'Hitler was not such a bad chap'.
After leaving the Bahamas in May 1945, the Duke and Duchess based themselves at the Waldorf Towers in New York where their suite was decorated in suitably regal if garish style. One visitor noted that it contained everything from full-length portraits of George III and George IV the latter being the ruler the Duke had often explicitly compared himself to to two liveried footmen, and even napkins embossed with the Royal arms. Shortly afterwards the Duke suggested to the King that he should become an ambassador-at-large to the United States, leaving the official ambassador, Lord Halifax, to attend to the drudgery and official business while he travelled the world first class, naturally and the bill was picked up by someone else. Halifax, a former Foreign Secretary who had dealt with the Duke during his governorship of the Bahamas, remembered his arrogance, lack of consideration to his fellow man and general inability to do his work to the required standards. When asked to comment on the Duke's proposal, he wrote: 'I cannot but think that anything of this sort would lead to inevitable trouble.'
In March 1946 the King wrote to his brother to tell him that the appointment would not be possible, and the Duke's anger was exacerbated by his brother's continued refusal to give his wife the recognition he believed was her due. Although the terms of the abdication entitled him to use the title of His Royal Highness, this was denied to the Duchess and he considered this insulting and wrong. Within two months he had written to his lawyer, Sir Walter Monckton, outlining his plans to write 'my side of the abdication story'. He claimed he wanted to explode the 'considerable doubt and conjecture' that existed in people's minds. But as he confided in former courtier Godfrey Thomas, he had noted the lucrative deal secured for Winston Churchill's six-volume history of the Second World War and didn't see why he shouldn't be similarly rewarded. Edward may have airily compared himself to Churchill, but there was a key difference between the two men. The former Prime Minister was a talented writer with an ear for a killer phrase, while the former monarch was an adequate, if verbose, correspondent given to unjustified self-regard. A ghostwriter was needed, and his American publisher appointed journalist Charles Murphy, a former China correspondent for Fortune magazine and an expert on global intelligence matters. When they began work at La Croe in the summer of 1947, Murphy discovered that the then 54-year-old Duke was spending most of his nocturnal hours in various nightclubs, often remaining out until dawn. He later wrote: 'His span of attention was two and a half minutes maximum, and when the story of the preceding night was plainly written in his trembling hands and bloodshot eyes, I knew that another workday would have to be scrubbed.'
The book still wasn't finished by the end of 1949, by which time the King had learned that rumours of its intended publication were not mere gossip. According to the Conservative politician Harold Nicolson, he was 'very distressed at the news'. Although fully aware that the King was recovering from an operation to address vascular problems caused by his heavy smoking, Edward came to London that December to raise with him once again the increasingly vexed situation of the Duchess's HRH title. Their meeting did not go well. In a letter to Princess Elizabeth, the Queen described how Edward 'came & had one of his violent yelling conversations, stamping up and down the room, & very unfairly saying that because Papa wouldn't (& couldn't) do a certain thing, that Papa must hate him'.
The book was eventually published in September 1951 just five months before the King's death from a coronary thrombosis. Although there are no letters detailing the King or Queen's reaction, it is a safe assumption that their opinion did not stray far from that of his private secretary Sir Alan 'Tommy' Lascelles. Writing to a colleague, he expressed disgust at 'a former King of England selling for money his recollections of his family life, in a form that is indecent and for a motive that is squalid'.
The reviews were mixed. The Times Literary Supplement talked of how 'it is the Duke's own book his own personality, his likes and strong dislikes, spring to life as well as his keen sense of humour'.
Had they known of the extent of Charles Murphy's involvement, the praise may have been more lukewarm, like that of The Observer which sighed: 'The wisdom of publication is arguable the hero emerges as rather a pathetic figure.'
Such criticism did not harm sales. Charles Murphy estimated that the Duke earned close to £357,000 the equivalent of about £10million today from A King's Story. But the couple's expensive tastes meant that sums of money that would have kept most people happy for a lifetime were spent in a matter of months. The book also estranged the Duke from his family for ever, as became clear following the King's death on February 6, 1952. During a press conference given aboard the Queen Mary as he sailed from New York, the Duke hinted that his visit to London for the funeral was not a purely selfless one, pointing out to American newspaper reporters: 'Queen Elizabeth is only 25 how young to assume the responsibilities of a great throne in these precarious times?'
Backing away from the clear implication that he might step in as regent for 'the girl' as he and his wife referred to her in private he concluded: 'She has the good wishes and support of us all.'
But it was clear that he and Wallis had discussed the likelihood that they stood to gain preferment if they played their cards right. While the Duke was in London for the funeral, Wallis wrote to remind him to ingratiate himself with the new Queen and her husband, adding: 'I know how you hate being there but this is a golden opportunity and it may only knock but once.'
Whatever their plans, they had underestimated their implacable opponent in the Queen Mother who, for all her public and private proclamations that she would be taking on a supporting role now that her daughter was on the throne, remained a powerful figure who was not yet ready to shuffle off into her dotage. The first indication that she was prepared to flash steel concerned not the Duke but Prince Philip. Having spent a considerable amount of time and money refurbishing Clarence House as a home for Princess Elizabeth and their young children Charles and Anne, Philip objected to moving to Buckingham Palace, insisting there was no need for the expense and bother of uprooting the new Royal Family. His mother-in-law did not agree. 'I have been feeling very unhappy all today, and I suppose that talking about leaving Buckingham Palace just finished me off,' she wrote in a letter to Elizabeth.
But although she was clearly still coming to terms with her altered status, she knew that every monarch since Queen Victoria had lived at the palace, and nobody believed more strongly in upholding protocol than she. 'Naturally you must move back to B.P. in the spring,' she insisted and eventually Philip had to accept the monarchy was a greater institution than four people. He gave in.
The Queen Mother was more unyielding still when it came to dealing with her brother-in-law, reserving continued contempt for the man whose actions she believed had affected her husband's health irreparably in the years leading up to his death. Shortly before the funeral, the Duke learned that the £10,000 he had been receiving as an annual allowance since his abdication was to be stopped, as it had been purely in his brother's gift. Lingering in Britain after the ceremony, he wrote a letter to 'Cookie' the insulting sobriquet he and the Duchess used for the Queen Mother to request a private appointment. 'I can well understand your not wanting to be bothered by people at this terribly sad moment in your life,' he said. 'But I would very much like to have a talk with you alone.'
His request was granted, but if he had hoped to bring his brother's widow to his side over the vexed question of money he was to be disappointed, as he was over his plan to attend his niece's Coronation. Following a conversation with the young woman about to take up the mantle of majesty, Geoffrey Fisher, the Archbishop of Canterbury, recorded in his notes that 'the Queen would be less willing than anyone to have him there'.
In this she may have been influenced by her mother, but the new Queen was also discovering confidence in adversity, commenting to one friend: 'I no longer feel anxious or worried. I don't know what it is, but I have lost all my timidity somehow becoming the sovereign.'
Her uncle had been an appalling, selfish king; her father a dutiful and serviceable one. But Elizabeth II was someone quite different. Her reign would not be without controversy, incident or upset, but never would she be regarded by her loyal and adoring subjects as anything other than an inspiration. She was the longest-serving monarch in British history, and in many regards the greatest.
© Alexander Larman, 2024
Adapted from Power And Glory by Alexander Larman, to be published by Orion on March 28 at £25. To order a copy for £22.50 (offer valid to 23/2/24; UK p&p free on orders over £25) go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.
How the young Queen foiled a cynical campaign by Edward and Mrs Simpson to gatecrash the early years of her reign, ALEXANDER LARMAN's new book reveals. The exiled couple found a formidable foe who saw them off like she'd see off Harry and Meghan
By Alexander Larman
Published: 12:10, 9 March 2024 | Updated: 12:10, 9 March 2024
Had the Duke of Windsor wished to portray himself as a king-in-exile, he could not have done so more ostentatiously than at La Croe, the chateau in the south of France which he and his wife had moved to following his abdication. With a staff of 28 and guests of the calibre of Noel Coward and Winston Churchill, they indulged in self-aggrandising theatricality, as if in compensation for all that he who ruled so briefly as King Edward VIII had given up to marry Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee who was now the Duchess. 'A tiny little white table for us four was set on the huge lawn,' recalled one visitor. 'There were rows of footmen the night was furiously hot but the Duke was in full Scottish regalia. I thought he was staging a production of some sort.'
Another observer was similarly dismissive about the relationship between the Duke and Duchess. Describing their presence at a Monte Carlo gala, he wrote: 'She had on every jewel. He wore a kilt. It was like watching a couple in pantomime the studied gestures, the automatic smiles.'
The Duke was no more subtle when he returned to England in February 1952 for the funeral of his younger brother, King George VI, who had so reluctantly come to the throne following his abdication.
One observer remarked on Edward's 'swaggering' manner, and described how he was 'talking and looking around, gesticulating and almost waving to the huge and completely silent crowd'.
As the late King himself had written to their mother Queen Mary, the Duke 'seems to think that when he gave up his work for which he was trained, he could "live" it down and return here as a private individual and all would be well. He has to consider others beside himself, and I doubt whether even now he realises the irrevocable step he took and the ghastly shock he gave this country.'
Among the biggest upsets caused by the Duke was one all too familiar to today's Royal Family following the publication of Prince Harry's autobiography Spare in January 2023. This came seven decades after the release of the Duke of Windsor's memoirs, his revenge on those he believed had wronged him in the years since his decision to give up the throne had left him jobless, stateless and rootless. Much given to self-pity, he never admitted to being the author of his own misfortunes, instead blaming his brother for just about everything, including his inability to find a job that suited him. His tenure as governor to the Bahamas between 1940 and 1945 had been dogged by endless controversy, including his friendship with the Nazi-sympathising mogul Axel Wenner-Gren, who had an estate there and no doubt agreed with the Duke's privately expressed view that 'Hitler was not such a bad chap'.
After leaving the Bahamas in May 1945, the Duke and Duchess based themselves at the Waldorf Towers in New York where their suite was decorated in suitably regal if garish style. One visitor noted that it contained everything from full-length portraits of George III and George IV the latter being the ruler the Duke had often explicitly compared himself to to two liveried footmen, and even napkins embossed with the Royal arms. Shortly afterwards the Duke suggested to the King that he should become an ambassador-at-large to the United States, leaving the official ambassador, Lord Halifax, to attend to the drudgery and official business while he travelled the world first class, naturally and the bill was picked up by someone else. Halifax, a former Foreign Secretary who had dealt with the Duke during his governorship of the Bahamas, remembered his arrogance, lack of consideration to his fellow man and general inability to do his work to the required standards. When asked to comment on the Duke's proposal, he wrote: 'I cannot but think that anything of this sort would lead to inevitable trouble.'
In March 1946 the King wrote to his brother to tell him that the appointment would not be possible, and the Duke's anger was exacerbated by his brother's continued refusal to give his wife the recognition he believed was her due. Although the terms of the abdication entitled him to use the title of His Royal Highness, this was denied to the Duchess and he considered this insulting and wrong. Within two months he had written to his lawyer, Sir Walter Monckton, outlining his plans to write 'my side of the abdication story'. He claimed he wanted to explode the 'considerable doubt and conjecture' that existed in people's minds. But as he confided in former courtier Godfrey Thomas, he had noted the lucrative deal secured for Winston Churchill's six-volume history of the Second World War and didn't see why he shouldn't be similarly rewarded. Edward may have airily compared himself to Churchill, but there was a key difference between the two men. The former Prime Minister was a talented writer with an ear for a killer phrase, while the former monarch was an adequate, if verbose, correspondent given to unjustified self-regard. A ghostwriter was needed, and his American publisher appointed journalist Charles Murphy, a former China correspondent for Fortune magazine and an expert on global intelligence matters. When they began work at La Croe in the summer of 1947, Murphy discovered that the then 54-year-old Duke was spending most of his nocturnal hours in various nightclubs, often remaining out until dawn. He later wrote: 'His span of attention was two and a half minutes maximum, and when the story of the preceding night was plainly written in his trembling hands and bloodshot eyes, I knew that another workday would have to be scrubbed.'
The book still wasn't finished by the end of 1949, by which time the King had learned that rumours of its intended publication were not mere gossip. According to the Conservative politician Harold Nicolson, he was 'very distressed at the news'. Although fully aware that the King was recovering from an operation to address vascular problems caused by his heavy smoking, Edward came to London that December to raise with him once again the increasingly vexed situation of the Duchess's HRH title. Their meeting did not go well. In a letter to Princess Elizabeth, the Queen described how Edward 'came & had one of his violent yelling conversations, stamping up and down the room, & very unfairly saying that because Papa wouldn't (& couldn't) do a certain thing, that Papa must hate him'.
The book was eventually published in September 1951 just five months before the King's death from a coronary thrombosis. Although there are no letters detailing the King or Queen's reaction, it is a safe assumption that their opinion did not stray far from that of his private secretary Sir Alan 'Tommy' Lascelles. Writing to a colleague, he expressed disgust at 'a former King of England selling for money his recollections of his family life, in a form that is indecent and for a motive that is squalid'.
The reviews were mixed. The Times Literary Supplement talked of how 'it is the Duke's own book his own personality, his likes and strong dislikes, spring to life as well as his keen sense of humour'.
Had they known of the extent of Charles Murphy's involvement, the praise may have been more lukewarm, like that of The Observer which sighed: 'The wisdom of publication is arguable the hero emerges as rather a pathetic figure.'
Such criticism did not harm sales. Charles Murphy estimated that the Duke earned close to £357,000 the equivalent of about £10million today from A King's Story. But the couple's expensive tastes meant that sums of money that would have kept most people happy for a lifetime were spent in a matter of months. The book also estranged the Duke from his family for ever, as became clear following the King's death on February 6, 1952. During a press conference given aboard the Queen Mary as he sailed from New York, the Duke hinted that his visit to London for the funeral was not a purely selfless one, pointing out to American newspaper reporters: 'Queen Elizabeth is only 25 how young to assume the responsibilities of a great throne in these precarious times?'
Backing away from the clear implication that he might step in as regent for 'the girl' as he and his wife referred to her in private he concluded: 'She has the good wishes and support of us all.'
But it was clear that he and Wallis had discussed the likelihood that they stood to gain preferment if they played their cards right. While the Duke was in London for the funeral, Wallis wrote to remind him to ingratiate himself with the new Queen and her husband, adding: 'I know how you hate being there but this is a golden opportunity and it may only knock but once.'
Whatever their plans, they had underestimated their implacable opponent in the Queen Mother who, for all her public and private proclamations that she would be taking on a supporting role now that her daughter was on the throne, remained a powerful figure who was not yet ready to shuffle off into her dotage. The first indication that she was prepared to flash steel concerned not the Duke but Prince Philip. Having spent a considerable amount of time and money refurbishing Clarence House as a home for Princess Elizabeth and their young children Charles and Anne, Philip objected to moving to Buckingham Palace, insisting there was no need for the expense and bother of uprooting the new Royal Family. His mother-in-law did not agree. 'I have been feeling very unhappy all today, and I suppose that talking about leaving Buckingham Palace just finished me off,' she wrote in a letter to Elizabeth.
But although she was clearly still coming to terms with her altered status, she knew that every monarch since Queen Victoria had lived at the palace, and nobody believed more strongly in upholding protocol than she. 'Naturally you must move back to B.P. in the spring,' she insisted and eventually Philip had to accept the monarchy was a greater institution than four people. He gave in.
The Queen Mother was more unyielding still when it came to dealing with her brother-in-law, reserving continued contempt for the man whose actions she believed had affected her husband's health irreparably in the years leading up to his death. Shortly before the funeral, the Duke learned that the £10,000 he had been receiving as an annual allowance since his abdication was to be stopped, as it had been purely in his brother's gift. Lingering in Britain after the ceremony, he wrote a letter to 'Cookie' the insulting sobriquet he and the Duchess used for the Queen Mother to request a private appointment. 'I can well understand your not wanting to be bothered by people at this terribly sad moment in your life,' he said. 'But I would very much like to have a talk with you alone.'
His request was granted, but if he had hoped to bring his brother's widow to his side over the vexed question of money he was to be disappointed, as he was over his plan to attend his niece's Coronation. Following a conversation with the young woman about to take up the mantle of majesty, Geoffrey Fisher, the Archbishop of Canterbury, recorded in his notes that 'the Queen would be less willing than anyone to have him there'.
In this she may have been influenced by her mother, but the new Queen was also discovering confidence in adversity, commenting to one friend: 'I no longer feel anxious or worried. I don't know what it is, but I have lost all my timidity somehow becoming the sovereign.'
Her uncle had been an appalling, selfish king; her father a dutiful and serviceable one. But Elizabeth II was someone quite different. Her reign would not be without controversy, incident or upset, but never would she be regarded by her loyal and adoring subjects as anything other than an inspiration. She was the longest-serving monarch in British history, and in many regards the greatest.
© Alexander Larman, 2024
Adapted from Power And Glory by Alexander Larman, to be published by Orion on March 28 at £25. To order a copy for £22.50 (offer valid to 23/2/24; UK p&p free on orders over £25) go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.
3
Faith / Re: Devotions
« on: February 26, 2024, 04:42:41 PM »
https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2023/05/09/the-motherhood-vow?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=256421022&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8r5W9hIX1LIh9YM3an9jNs55R78zZ1RCAI1BzFgF3TRMQGYdjKjU6LNp_U-WP6QrVGHwIob_ftpbxPbHUD2QvzHaX35Q&utm_content=256421022&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread
The Motherhood Vow
May 9, 2023
by Rachael Elmore, MA, LCMHC-S, NCC
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)
As a mom, I feel like I’m always getting it wrong. I used a laundry detergent that gave my kid a rash. I paid my kids for their good grades. I give them too many chores. I enroll them in too many sports and not enough extracurriculars. I work too much. I yell too much. I should be doing so much more. The list goes on. And in these moments, I feel defeated. I’ve spent the last decade trying to understand how to be a good mother. But I’m a bit embarrassed to admit it was only recently that I asked God for His opinion on the matter. His answer was really simple and surprising: 1 Corinthians 13. Come again, God?
Seriously, the wedding passage?
But when I revisited this passage that's so commonly applied to marriages, He said, Look again. So I broke down 1 Corinthians 13, thinking of the love between a mother and her child rather than man and wife.
Mothers should be patient.
Mothers should be kind.
Mothers should not harbor envy.
Mothers should not boast.
Mothers should not be proud.
Mothers should not dishonor others.
Mothers should not be self-seeking.
Mothers should not be easily angered.
Mothers should keep no records of wrongs.
Mothers should not delight in evil but rejoice in the truth.
Mothers should protect, trust, hope and persevere.
Mothers should never fail.
I spent time meditating on these words, studying their context and meaning. I was doing well with the “shoulds” until I got to “Mothers should never fail.”
Everything in me wanted to reject that. In our humanity, we are absolutely promised that we will fail. I have failed. Even the best mothers will fail. First Corinthians 13:4-8 is written to explain God’s perfect love for us the love that never fails. While we are called to model God's love toward other people, we will not be perfect. We will all fall short sometimes. But when we fail, we can have so much hope. God’s perfect grace is the foundation that keeps us standing firm as mothers. So, my friend, you will discipline your kids when you should have shown grace. You will have mercy when you should have disciplined. You will feed them food that upsets their tummies. You will send them to the wrong school. You will stay silent when you should have spoken up. You will get frustrated with your children more times than you can count. But God’s Word says “love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8a).
The Motherhood Vow
May 9, 2023
by Rachael Elmore, MA, LCMHC-S, NCC
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)
As a mom, I feel like I’m always getting it wrong. I used a laundry detergent that gave my kid a rash. I paid my kids for their good grades. I give them too many chores. I enroll them in too many sports and not enough extracurriculars. I work too much. I yell too much. I should be doing so much more. The list goes on. And in these moments, I feel defeated. I’ve spent the last decade trying to understand how to be a good mother. But I’m a bit embarrassed to admit it was only recently that I asked God for His opinion on the matter. His answer was really simple and surprising: 1 Corinthians 13. Come again, God?
Seriously, the wedding passage?
But when I revisited this passage that's so commonly applied to marriages, He said, Look again. So I broke down 1 Corinthians 13, thinking of the love between a mother and her child rather than man and wife.
Mothers should be patient.
Mothers should be kind.
Mothers should not harbor envy.
Mothers should not boast.
Mothers should not be proud.
Mothers should not dishonor others.
Mothers should not be self-seeking.
Mothers should not be easily angered.
Mothers should keep no records of wrongs.
Mothers should not delight in evil but rejoice in the truth.
Mothers should protect, trust, hope and persevere.
Mothers should never fail.
I spent time meditating on these words, studying their context and meaning. I was doing well with the “shoulds” until I got to “Mothers should never fail.”
Everything in me wanted to reject that. In our humanity, we are absolutely promised that we will fail. I have failed. Even the best mothers will fail. First Corinthians 13:4-8 is written to explain God’s perfect love for us the love that never fails. While we are called to model God's love toward other people, we will not be perfect. We will all fall short sometimes. But when we fail, we can have so much hope. God’s perfect grace is the foundation that keeps us standing firm as mothers. So, my friend, you will discipline your kids when you should have shown grace. You will have mercy when you should have disciplined. You will feed them food that upsets their tummies. You will send them to the wrong school. You will stay silent when you should have spoken up. You will get frustrated with your children more times than you can count. But God’s Word says “love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8a).
4
Articles / Re: East London borough led by disgraced mayor once barred from public office ....
« on: January 17, 2024, 11:45:18 AM »
That council shouldn't have done that, it starts up hatred towards Jewish who shouldn't be made to feel hatred.
5
Articles / Bronson Battersby's heartbreaking final fortnight: How tragic toddler's ....
« on: January 17, 2024, 11:21:23 AM »
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12972759/bronson-battersby-final-fortnight-starved-dehydrated-five-days.html
Bronson Battersby's heartbreaking final fortnight: How tragic toddler's mother last saw him alive at Christmas before he was found curled up in the dark at his father's knees starved and dehydrated a week after social worker raised alarm to police
By Matthew Lodge and Dan Woodland
Published: 09:11, 17 January 2024 | Updated: 10:27, 17 January 2024
A toddler was tragically found curled up in the dark at the knees of his dead father weeks after his mother last saw him alive at Christmas. The body of two-year-old Bronson Battersby was found in the Skegness home of his dad Kenneth on January 9 after days of attempts to contact them by concerned social services. The child who was classed as vulnerable and was being checked on weekly was found in his pyjamas in the dark alongside the family's emaciated pet boxer dog Skylar who survived. The tragic discovery came a week after a social worker first raised an alarm about the pair to police after being unable to contact Kenneth at an arranged meeting on January 2. A neighbour had seen Kenneth and Bronson on Boxing Day, days after the child's mother Sarah Piesse last saw her son alive before Christmas. But 60-year-old Kenneth is thought to have succumbed to a heart attack before New Year with his son tragically passing away days later due to starvation and dehydration. Now a timeline has revealed the tragic final weeks of Bronson's life:
Before Christmas - Bronson's mother Sarah Piesse sees him alive for the last time and argues with the boy's father Kenneth Battersby.
Boxing Day - A neighbour goes to see Kenneth and Bronson at their home in Skegness.
December 27 - Sixty-year-old Kenneth messages the neighbour to thank her for checking in on them. He also receives a text from a social worker arranging a visit on January 2.
December 29 - The earliest date Kenneth could have died based on the results of a post-mortem.
January 2 - The social worker arrives at the house but gets no answer when knocking on the door. She contacts the police.
January 4 - The social worker returns to Kenneth's Skegness home and again receives no answer, She once again contacts the police.
January 9 - The social worker, using a key from Kenneth's landlord, gets into his home. She finds the bodies of Bronson and his father.
January 16 - Family get the results of a post-mortem showing Kenneth died of a heart attack and Bronson from dehydration and starvation.
Heartbroken family and friends have paid tribute to the pair who were only found when the social worker, who had contacted police twice in the space of a week with concerns about them, used the key of Kenneth's landlord to gain entry. They had visited Kenneth's home in Skegness, Lincolnshire on January 2, for a routine visit but received no reply, and after failing to find them through friends contacted the police. They visited again on January 4 but again there was no response from them. The social worker contacted the police again that day. They would contact police a third and final time after discovering the bodies of the pair on January 9. The toddler's mother, Sarah Piesse, 43, last saw her son before Christmas after a row with her ex and when she saw him next she was tragically unable to hold him as she identified his body as 'he had been left there too long'. Ms Piesse told The Sun: 'If social services had done their job Bronson would still be alive. I can't believe it. They can't let them get away with this. We have to be able to rely on social workers to keep our children safe. I've had the results of the post mortem. Bronson starved to death because his dad died. They think Kenneth died no earlier than December 29. It means if the social worker had pushed to get in when she got no reply on January 2 then Bronson would still have been alive.'
On Facebook, Bronson's sister Melaniie Battersby wrote: 'Beautiful little boy deserved so much better than this life. We love you Bronson, forever a part of us, and forever my baby brother.'
Adding her 'head and heart' were 'in pieces', she said: 'A lot of anger inside at minute when I just want to remember his little smile and soft nature instead. He were perfect.'
Mother-of-three Sarah last saw Bronson after getting into an argument with Kenneth before Christmas. A friend of the family said the toddler enjoyed watching the Cocomelon, adored nursery rhymes and often played his Little Tykes drum kit. They added that it was horrible to think that the 'gorgeous' boy who was 'always smiling and so loving' had been 'left in the dark and must have been terrified and so confused'.
Bronson was last seen alive by his neighbour after they visited the house on Boxing Day. Kenneth then messaged the same neighbour saying: 'Thanks so much for caring, it means the world to me and Bronson.'
That same day, the social worker texted Kenneth to arrange a visit on January 2. She contacted the police when she did not receive any answer during the visit and did the same again when she returned to the house on January 4. The social worker then decided to enter the property herself on January 9 using a key from the landlord. She found the bodies of Bronson and Kenneth and contacted police, who then rushed to the scene along with paramedics at around 3.25pm. The pair were pronounced dead at the scene. Kenneth was unemployed and had a pre-existing heart condition which had caused him to become severely jaundiced is the months leading up to his death. Bronson was also classified as vulnerable by social services meaning that he received weekly visits from social workers. The Sun said it understands the social worker has voluntarily taken time off. Heather Sandy, executive director for children's services, said: 'This was a tragic incident, and we are supporting the family at this difficult time. We are carrying out a review of the case alongside partner agencies to better understand the circumstances, and we await the results of the coroner's investigations as well. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those involved.'
A spokeswoman for Lincolnshire Police said: 'Police were made aware of the deaths of a 60-year-old man and a two-year-old child at a property in Skegness, at around 3.25pm on January 9. Investigations have been carried out and the deaths are not being treated as suspicious.'
MailOnline has contacted Lincolnshire Police for further comment.
Bronson Battersby's heartbreaking final fortnight: How tragic toddler's mother last saw him alive at Christmas before he was found curled up in the dark at his father's knees starved and dehydrated a week after social worker raised alarm to police
By Matthew Lodge and Dan Woodland
Published: 09:11, 17 January 2024 | Updated: 10:27, 17 January 2024
A toddler was tragically found curled up in the dark at the knees of his dead father weeks after his mother last saw him alive at Christmas. The body of two-year-old Bronson Battersby was found in the Skegness home of his dad Kenneth on January 9 after days of attempts to contact them by concerned social services. The child who was classed as vulnerable and was being checked on weekly was found in his pyjamas in the dark alongside the family's emaciated pet boxer dog Skylar who survived. The tragic discovery came a week after a social worker first raised an alarm about the pair to police after being unable to contact Kenneth at an arranged meeting on January 2. A neighbour had seen Kenneth and Bronson on Boxing Day, days after the child's mother Sarah Piesse last saw her son alive before Christmas. But 60-year-old Kenneth is thought to have succumbed to a heart attack before New Year with his son tragically passing away days later due to starvation and dehydration. Now a timeline has revealed the tragic final weeks of Bronson's life:
Before Christmas - Bronson's mother Sarah Piesse sees him alive for the last time and argues with the boy's father Kenneth Battersby.
Boxing Day - A neighbour goes to see Kenneth and Bronson at their home in Skegness.
December 27 - Sixty-year-old Kenneth messages the neighbour to thank her for checking in on them. He also receives a text from a social worker arranging a visit on January 2.
December 29 - The earliest date Kenneth could have died based on the results of a post-mortem.
January 2 - The social worker arrives at the house but gets no answer when knocking on the door. She contacts the police.
January 4 - The social worker returns to Kenneth's Skegness home and again receives no answer, She once again contacts the police.
January 9 - The social worker, using a key from Kenneth's landlord, gets into his home. She finds the bodies of Bronson and his father.
January 16 - Family get the results of a post-mortem showing Kenneth died of a heart attack and Bronson from dehydration and starvation.
Heartbroken family and friends have paid tribute to the pair who were only found when the social worker, who had contacted police twice in the space of a week with concerns about them, used the key of Kenneth's landlord to gain entry. They had visited Kenneth's home in Skegness, Lincolnshire on January 2, for a routine visit but received no reply, and after failing to find them through friends contacted the police. They visited again on January 4 but again there was no response from them. The social worker contacted the police again that day. They would contact police a third and final time after discovering the bodies of the pair on January 9. The toddler's mother, Sarah Piesse, 43, last saw her son before Christmas after a row with her ex and when she saw him next she was tragically unable to hold him as she identified his body as 'he had been left there too long'. Ms Piesse told The Sun: 'If social services had done their job Bronson would still be alive. I can't believe it. They can't let them get away with this. We have to be able to rely on social workers to keep our children safe. I've had the results of the post mortem. Bronson starved to death because his dad died. They think Kenneth died no earlier than December 29. It means if the social worker had pushed to get in when she got no reply on January 2 then Bronson would still have been alive.'
On Facebook, Bronson's sister Melaniie Battersby wrote: 'Beautiful little boy deserved so much better than this life. We love you Bronson, forever a part of us, and forever my baby brother.'
Adding her 'head and heart' were 'in pieces', she said: 'A lot of anger inside at minute when I just want to remember his little smile and soft nature instead. He were perfect.'
Mother-of-three Sarah last saw Bronson after getting into an argument with Kenneth before Christmas. A friend of the family said the toddler enjoyed watching the Cocomelon, adored nursery rhymes and often played his Little Tykes drum kit. They added that it was horrible to think that the 'gorgeous' boy who was 'always smiling and so loving' had been 'left in the dark and must have been terrified and so confused'.
Bronson was last seen alive by his neighbour after they visited the house on Boxing Day. Kenneth then messaged the same neighbour saying: 'Thanks so much for caring, it means the world to me and Bronson.'
That same day, the social worker texted Kenneth to arrange a visit on January 2. She contacted the police when she did not receive any answer during the visit and did the same again when she returned to the house on January 4. The social worker then decided to enter the property herself on January 9 using a key from the landlord. She found the bodies of Bronson and Kenneth and contacted police, who then rushed to the scene along with paramedics at around 3.25pm. The pair were pronounced dead at the scene. Kenneth was unemployed and had a pre-existing heart condition which had caused him to become severely jaundiced is the months leading up to his death. Bronson was also classified as vulnerable by social services meaning that he received weekly visits from social workers. The Sun said it understands the social worker has voluntarily taken time off. Heather Sandy, executive director for children's services, said: 'This was a tragic incident, and we are supporting the family at this difficult time. We are carrying out a review of the case alongside partner agencies to better understand the circumstances, and we await the results of the coroner's investigations as well. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those involved.'
A spokeswoman for Lincolnshire Police said: 'Police were made aware of the deaths of a 60-year-old man and a two-year-old child at a property in Skegness, at around 3.25pm on January 9. Investigations have been carried out and the deaths are not being treated as suspicious.'
MailOnline has contacted Lincolnshire Police for further comment.
6
Fun, Games And Silliness / Re: Keep A Word, Drop A Word, Add A Word
« on: November 15, 2023, 12:21:39 PM »
black sky
7
Fun, Games And Silliness / Re: Use the last two letters to make next word
« on: November 15, 2023, 12:20:54 PM »
meet
9
Fun, Games And Silliness / Re: Movies and Actors
« on: November 15, 2023, 12:14:56 PM »
The Equalizer 2
10
Faith / Re: Devotions
« on: November 15, 2023, 12:12:41 PM »
https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2023/02/07/god-doesnt-work-by-coincidence?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=243274109&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-85FbpUHdUn6uef7ODpZUi5DlOtSstoMsxnyqiq3aZGmU3C1qaWgQ9F2m2FHSt2tG5ieQkA3sHQtGLiJ1n8CY9YiGrEEA&utm_content=243274109&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread
God Doesn’t Work by Coincidence
February 7, 2023
by Tracie Miles
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11a (NLV)
I nervously typed up the email and reviewed it a few more times for accuracy. For more than a year, I had been working on this new project. But now I knew it was time to trust God, move forward and spread the word rather than continue to let fear and procrastination keep me stuck. As my fingers hovered hesitantly over the keyboard, I finally hit the “send” button. And off it went. A sense of anxiousness came over me but was quickly interrupted by a quiet voice stirring in my spirit. What is today’s date, Tracie?
God whispered. Perplexed, I glanced at the calendar and was instantly taken aback. It was not until that very moment that my eyes were opened and I realized the significance of the date. It had been exactly seven years, to the day, since my 26-year marriage imploded and my entire life turned upside down. My thoughts were instantly drawn back to the painful memories, overwhelming emotions and crippling fears that had brought me to my knees on that unforgettable, traumatic day seven years ago. But God quickly shifted my thoughts and helped me refocus. I certainly hadn’t planned on kicking off my new business project on this particular day, and at first I thought, It's just a coincidence. But was it?
As I pondered this, God calmed my anxiousness and gently reminded me that over the past seven years, He had turned my life around completely, exchanged my sadness for joy, and transformed my pain into purpose. In His perfect timing, He had brought me to a place where I never thought I would find myself healed, restored and filled with passion for a purpose I never even imagined. I immediately recalled how, in Scripture, the number seven often symbolizes a sense of fullness or completeness. In fact, throughout the Bible, the number seven appears 735 times, and it often references the holy works of God, repeatedly serving as proof of the perfection and beauty God orchestrates. In today’s key verse, we read that “[God] has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
This verse reminds us that all things are crafted by God including time. He is behind all things and the way they will turn out. It also reminds us that everything happens exactly when it should. Not by chance or irony but by a divine plan beyond our comprehension. On this day ordained by God, after experiencing a devastating heartbreak I thought I’d never recover from, I stepped out in faith, pushed past my insecurities and pursued a dream God laid on my heart. I had no idea this was the day God had appointed for me to take this leap of faith. But it was. Certainly not a coincidence, this had been planned long before my time on earth even began. My faith soared, and this evidence of God’s sovereignty reminded me to put all my trust in Him for all things. Always. Why?
Because nothing is random with God. He had been divinely orchestrating behind the scenes to turn my ashes into beauty, in His perfect timing, exactly seven years later. God is in the process of perfectly planning out your life as well, in a way only He can. Trust that He is in the details, and believe with all your heart that one day you’ll see His perfect plan for you fall into place. I promise it will cause your heart and your faith to soar.
God Doesn’t Work by Coincidence
February 7, 2023
by Tracie Miles
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11a (NLV)
I nervously typed up the email and reviewed it a few more times for accuracy. For more than a year, I had been working on this new project. But now I knew it was time to trust God, move forward and spread the word rather than continue to let fear and procrastination keep me stuck. As my fingers hovered hesitantly over the keyboard, I finally hit the “send” button. And off it went. A sense of anxiousness came over me but was quickly interrupted by a quiet voice stirring in my spirit. What is today’s date, Tracie?
God whispered. Perplexed, I glanced at the calendar and was instantly taken aback. It was not until that very moment that my eyes were opened and I realized the significance of the date. It had been exactly seven years, to the day, since my 26-year marriage imploded and my entire life turned upside down. My thoughts were instantly drawn back to the painful memories, overwhelming emotions and crippling fears that had brought me to my knees on that unforgettable, traumatic day seven years ago. But God quickly shifted my thoughts and helped me refocus. I certainly hadn’t planned on kicking off my new business project on this particular day, and at first I thought, It's just a coincidence. But was it?
As I pondered this, God calmed my anxiousness and gently reminded me that over the past seven years, He had turned my life around completely, exchanged my sadness for joy, and transformed my pain into purpose. In His perfect timing, He had brought me to a place where I never thought I would find myself healed, restored and filled with passion for a purpose I never even imagined. I immediately recalled how, in Scripture, the number seven often symbolizes a sense of fullness or completeness. In fact, throughout the Bible, the number seven appears 735 times, and it often references the holy works of God, repeatedly serving as proof of the perfection and beauty God orchestrates. In today’s key verse, we read that “[God] has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
This verse reminds us that all things are crafted by God including time. He is behind all things and the way they will turn out. It also reminds us that everything happens exactly when it should. Not by chance or irony but by a divine plan beyond our comprehension. On this day ordained by God, after experiencing a devastating heartbreak I thought I’d never recover from, I stepped out in faith, pushed past my insecurities and pursued a dream God laid on my heart. I had no idea this was the day God had appointed for me to take this leap of faith. But it was. Certainly not a coincidence, this had been planned long before my time on earth even began. My faith soared, and this evidence of God’s sovereignty reminded me to put all my trust in Him for all things. Always. Why?
Because nothing is random with God. He had been divinely orchestrating behind the scenes to turn my ashes into beauty, in His perfect timing, exactly seven years later. God is in the process of perfectly planning out your life as well, in a way only He can. Trust that He is in the details, and believe with all your heart that one day you’ll see His perfect plan for you fall into place. I promise it will cause your heart and your faith to soar.
11
Faith / Re: Devotions
« on: November 15, 2023, 12:07:49 PM »
https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2023/02/06/a-battle-plan-for-the-weary?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=243274065&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8Qa9WfRiwXjOwfKWxpWrp3kP9wp8CfZE1VryRSbSO2efJUUJ69P3u3gkr3GlQEX-9EQQCOHfyUDZOyjP3YpmdXoj-wOA&utm_content=243274065&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread
A Battle Plan for the Weary
February 6, 2023
by Meredith Houston Carr
“For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 2 Chronicles 20:12b-c (ESV)
As my husband drove us home from marriage counseling, I sat quietly and ruminated on the list of books and exercises we’d been recommended. Exhaling deeply, I tried to rid myself of a nagging thought: I am just too tired to do this anymore. Month after month, we’d done what “good Christian couples” were supposed to do: seek counseling, have date nights, express feelings in a calm manner, etc. But it wasn’t enough, and we found ourselves wrangling the same issues over and over. Exhaustion set in, and I simply didn’t know how to keep fighting or if I even could. I wonder if you’re also fighting a seemingly endless battle that’s leaving you empty. Maybe it’s a prodigal child or a dead-end job or a difficult diagnosis. Or maybe you, too, are fighting for your marriage, but a tidal wave of fear drowns out any sense of progress. You’ve done everything you know to do, but the battle rages on and you’ve got no more fight left in you. Thankfully, the Bible is full of stories where God showed up and showed off in the midst of His children’s battles. Today’s scripture comes from 2 Chronicles 20, which details the story of the Israelite King Jehoshaphat and the dire situation he faced. After being fiercely pursued by relentless enemies, God’s people were exhausted and confused. However, instead of planning a typical military approach, Jehoshaphat called an assembly and led the people through a different “battle plan” of sorts a three-step process that we, too, can implement:
1. Seek the Lord through honest, vulnerable prayer. Though perhaps, as king, he “should” have had all the answers, today’s key verse details how Jehoshaphat readily admitted his weakness: “For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12b-c).
Don’t you love this relatable prayer?
It’s one we can pray over our trials too. When weariness and confusion surround us, let’s keep our knees down in prayer and our eyes up to heaven.
2. Worship through the fear and doubt. Jehoshaphat and “all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD” (2 Chronicles 20:18, ESV).
In the face of fear and fierce enemies, they chose to sing songs of worship and praise anyway. Praising God in the presence of the enemy is an act of faith that pleases the Holy Spirit, who fights for us and with us in our battles!
3. Trust God’s direction; then move forward in faith. God answered Jehoshaphat’s powerful petition with clear direction: “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17, ESV).
The people faithfully obeyed, and as promised, God showed up and miraculously delivered the enemy into their hands!
However God chooses to work specifically in our battles, we can trust that His heart is always good toward us. It’s been years since my husband and I battled for our marriage, and I can confidently say there was never a day God failed to provide what we needed to keep fighting. Dear one, whatever battles you’re facing, God will meet you on the battlefield. And He’s full of the strength you lack. Today, may we pray, worship and trust and fight the good fight another day.
A Battle Plan for the Weary
February 6, 2023
by Meredith Houston Carr
“For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 2 Chronicles 20:12b-c (ESV)
As my husband drove us home from marriage counseling, I sat quietly and ruminated on the list of books and exercises we’d been recommended. Exhaling deeply, I tried to rid myself of a nagging thought: I am just too tired to do this anymore. Month after month, we’d done what “good Christian couples” were supposed to do: seek counseling, have date nights, express feelings in a calm manner, etc. But it wasn’t enough, and we found ourselves wrangling the same issues over and over. Exhaustion set in, and I simply didn’t know how to keep fighting or if I even could. I wonder if you’re also fighting a seemingly endless battle that’s leaving you empty. Maybe it’s a prodigal child or a dead-end job or a difficult diagnosis. Or maybe you, too, are fighting for your marriage, but a tidal wave of fear drowns out any sense of progress. You’ve done everything you know to do, but the battle rages on and you’ve got no more fight left in you. Thankfully, the Bible is full of stories where God showed up and showed off in the midst of His children’s battles. Today’s scripture comes from 2 Chronicles 20, which details the story of the Israelite King Jehoshaphat and the dire situation he faced. After being fiercely pursued by relentless enemies, God’s people were exhausted and confused. However, instead of planning a typical military approach, Jehoshaphat called an assembly and led the people through a different “battle plan” of sorts a three-step process that we, too, can implement:
1. Seek the Lord through honest, vulnerable prayer. Though perhaps, as king, he “should” have had all the answers, today’s key verse details how Jehoshaphat readily admitted his weakness: “For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12b-c).
Don’t you love this relatable prayer?
It’s one we can pray over our trials too. When weariness and confusion surround us, let’s keep our knees down in prayer and our eyes up to heaven.
2. Worship through the fear and doubt. Jehoshaphat and “all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD” (2 Chronicles 20:18, ESV).
In the face of fear and fierce enemies, they chose to sing songs of worship and praise anyway. Praising God in the presence of the enemy is an act of faith that pleases the Holy Spirit, who fights for us and with us in our battles!
3. Trust God’s direction; then move forward in faith. God answered Jehoshaphat’s powerful petition with clear direction: “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17, ESV).
The people faithfully obeyed, and as promised, God showed up and miraculously delivered the enemy into their hands!
However God chooses to work specifically in our battles, we can trust that His heart is always good toward us. It’s been years since my husband and I battled for our marriage, and I can confidently say there was never a day God failed to provide what we needed to keep fighting. Dear one, whatever battles you’re facing, God will meet you on the battlefield. And He’s full of the strength you lack. Today, may we pray, worship and trust and fight the good fight another day.
12
Faith / Re: Devotions
« on: November 12, 2023, 04:51:31 PM »
https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2023/02/02/when-god-gives-you-more-than-you-can-handle?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=242260055&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9aaDGF_7x3JEkRyjhROLOzpabTnjB9thVLIwF46lnOiX8KxvIcOrfhEXMdBXT-Ro7XJXBdjzVuEORGVe5ZzYk3m9yAPA&utm_content=242260055&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread
When God Gives You More Than You Can Handle
February 2, 2023
by Lysa TerKeurst
“Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” 2 Corinthians 1:9 (NIV)
I felt sure there had to be some sort of awful mistake. I had no family history of breast cancer. I was young(ish) and healthy. And I was already walking through an incredibly hard season that was making life feel impossibly heavy. Yet there I was, sitting in a pink chair, wondering what you’re supposed to do after you get a cancer diagnosis. I kept thinking about that statement everyone loves to throw out in times like these: “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”
But that’s not actually in the Bible. God does say He won’t allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and that He always provides a way out. (1 Corinthians 10:13) But that’s not the same as God not giving us more than we can handle. God didn’t cause my cancer. But He was allowing it. And He sometimes will allow more and more. As I type these words, I know I’m not the only one who feels they’ve been given more than they can handle. The world is filled with people who are dealt more than they can handle. And, surprisingly, so is the Bible. The Apostle Paul wrote: “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9, NIV).
No, God doesn’t expect us to “handle” everything we’re facing. He wants us to hand it over to Him. He doesn’t want us to rally more of our own strength. He wants us to rely solely on His strength. If we keep walking around thinking God won’t give us more than we can handle, we set ourselves up to be suspicious of God. We know we’re facing things that are too much for us. After my diagnosis, I had some really difficult days. I needed God to show me His perspective so I could set my perspective. But it didn’t come right away. And that frustrated me. I was filled with fear and questions like, Why this?
Why now?
Why me?
The story I started telling myself was that life would never get any better. But while I was thinking about everything I didn’t know I wasn’t getting anywhere. So I started listing things I did know. And the main thing I know?
I know God is good. I didn’t know the details of God’s good plan, but I could make His goodness the starting place to renew my perspective. So now let me tell the story of the recent events in my life using God’s goodness as the central theme. Because I had a mammogram at the exact time an appointment was available, the doctors caught a cancer early on that needed to be caught. And because they caught a cancer that needed to be caught, I had every fighting chance to beat this cancer. And to God be the glory that I am now cancer free.bbYou see, we’re all living out a story, but then there’s the story we tell ourselves. We just need to make sure we’re telling ourselves the right story. Yes, God will give us more than we can handle. But He always has eventual good in mind. We don’t have to like it, but maybe knowing this can help us live through it.
When God Gives You More Than You Can Handle
February 2, 2023
by Lysa TerKeurst
“Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” 2 Corinthians 1:9 (NIV)
I felt sure there had to be some sort of awful mistake. I had no family history of breast cancer. I was young(ish) and healthy. And I was already walking through an incredibly hard season that was making life feel impossibly heavy. Yet there I was, sitting in a pink chair, wondering what you’re supposed to do after you get a cancer diagnosis. I kept thinking about that statement everyone loves to throw out in times like these: “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”
But that’s not actually in the Bible. God does say He won’t allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and that He always provides a way out. (1 Corinthians 10:13) But that’s not the same as God not giving us more than we can handle. God didn’t cause my cancer. But He was allowing it. And He sometimes will allow more and more. As I type these words, I know I’m not the only one who feels they’ve been given more than they can handle. The world is filled with people who are dealt more than they can handle. And, surprisingly, so is the Bible. The Apostle Paul wrote: “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9, NIV).
No, God doesn’t expect us to “handle” everything we’re facing. He wants us to hand it over to Him. He doesn’t want us to rally more of our own strength. He wants us to rely solely on His strength. If we keep walking around thinking God won’t give us more than we can handle, we set ourselves up to be suspicious of God. We know we’re facing things that are too much for us. After my diagnosis, I had some really difficult days. I needed God to show me His perspective so I could set my perspective. But it didn’t come right away. And that frustrated me. I was filled with fear and questions like, Why this?
Why now?
Why me?
The story I started telling myself was that life would never get any better. But while I was thinking about everything I didn’t know I wasn’t getting anywhere. So I started listing things I did know. And the main thing I know?
I know God is good. I didn’t know the details of God’s good plan, but I could make His goodness the starting place to renew my perspective. So now let me tell the story of the recent events in my life using God’s goodness as the central theme. Because I had a mammogram at the exact time an appointment was available, the doctors caught a cancer early on that needed to be caught. And because they caught a cancer that needed to be caught, I had every fighting chance to beat this cancer. And to God be the glory that I am now cancer free.bbYou see, we’re all living out a story, but then there’s the story we tell ourselves. We just need to make sure we’re telling ourselves the right story. Yes, God will give us more than we can handle. But He always has eventual good in mind. We don’t have to like it, but maybe knowing this can help us live through it.
13
Articles / Re: Kate Middleton cuts a solemn figure in an elegant black outfit as she joins ....
« on: November 12, 2023, 04:42:45 PM »
I'm relieved there wasn't any trouble there.
14
Fun, Games And Silliness / Re: Keep A Word, Drop A Word, Add A Word
« on: October 12, 2023, 11:23:45 AM »
split jeans
15
Fun, Games And Silliness / Re: Use the last two letters to make next word
« on: October 12, 2023, 11:22:42 AM »
umbrellas