What’s been bringing you closer to Jesus lately?

WHAT’S BEEN BRINGING YOU CLOSER TO GOD LATELY?

Kerry

The passing of my beautiful Mum unexpectedly last summer has made me closer to God. As a lapsed Catholic from my teens, it really was the only thing that was there for me in my valley of tears and shock. I feel like it’s the last thing my Mum threw at me out of love.

Ken and Vivien

The growing numbers in church, mainly due to the recent graft, and slowly getting to know new people.

Adekemi

My inspiration comes from my daily interactions with people. In this post-Covid era, the strength and energy to forge ahead despite individual daily struggles and challenges, I see God’s everpresent and divine abilities on every human being, His compassions, love and beauty, even though some may not understand or embrace it. After all, He died for us all (John 3:16).

Sheila

Well, I have been on a refresher course for volunteer Chaplaincy, and I am continuing with two other courses, even though I am nearly 79. I want to be there for people needing a listening ear and comfort in their time of need. I just want to be the hands, feet, ears and mouth for my Lord and Saviour, Jesus. He gave everything for me, so I want to give my all for him. I love the saying "What would Jesus do?"; well, he would be out there in the thick of it, wouldn't he, if he was on earth today. So, as long as I can go out amongst needy people, I will.

Stuart

A deep appreciation of the Grace of God – that He should love me so much that he sent his only begotten son to save me from my sin

Candida Calvert

Parishioner and Volunteer at St Marie’s Cathedral

Ahh! That is such a good question! And my answer is threefold: it is the Word of God, the Holy Rosary, and fasting that are collectively bringing me closer to God. Reading the Word of God has got to be my number one. It never ceases to amaze me how many of my questions are answered through my reading of Holy Scripture. Whenever life throws me a curve ball and upsets my equilibrium, I go straight to the Bible: ‘What’s going on, Heavenly Father?!’… ‘Jesus! I need you!’. I pick up my Holy Bible, read it wherever it naturally falls open, and I keep reading until that familiar sense of God’s peace and joy has descended upon me once again. I can assure you that I have never walked away from my Bible empty handed. Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your Word!

My second favourite activity has got to be praying the Holy Rosary. Now I know this is a distinctively Catholic answer (I am a Catholic), and – if truth be told – I’m a late-comer to the wonders of the Holy Rosary. (It all began for me in 2017 when I had an encounter with Our Lady of Fatima – but that’s another story…). To start with, I didn’t even know how to pray the Rosary, and when I have crossed that obstacle, I must confess that it also didn’t come easily. In fact, it wasn’t really until Lent 2020, when I set myself the challenge of praying the Rosary every day, that the real power of this form of prayer became evident. And how I quickly came to love it! Nowadays, my favourite time to pray the Rosary is when I am out walking my dogs; that way, I get to walk and talk with our Lord Jesus, and it can take us as long as we like. How we have laughed together at times! And how we have also cried… I have received so many revelations about my faith, my God and my life, and been given so many answers to questions, both asked and unasked. Anyone who regularly prays the Rosary will attest to its power. It seems to help you tune into God, and tune out of all the interferences that get in the way. I know that praying the Holy Rosary has certainly helped me to deepen and personalise my relationship with Jesus, for which I will be eternally grateful. Thank you so much, my Blessed Mother Mary, for bringing me ever closer to your Son, Jesus! And finally, I want to talk about fasting. Rather like the Holy Rosary, I didn’t really understand what fasting was about until I actually tried to do it myself. It was Lent 2020, and rather than giving something up for Lent, I decided to fast from all food – until the evening – for two days a week. The results were immediate and quite incredible. Fasting like this has taken my spiritual life up to a whole new level… It has rocket-boosted it! So, you may be unsurprised to hear that fasting is no longer something I do just for Lent: I make it a part of my normal week, and I do it out of my love for Jesus. When I fast, I always feel that the Holy Spirit is with me. My fast days are when I feel most confident that I am hearing clearly and can therefore be more purposefully obedient to God’s Holy Will. And they are the days I absolutely never feel alone! Thank you, Holy Spirit, for being with me. Thank you for making yourself at home in my heart, and for teaching me the way I must go! Please stay with me for always… Thank you, and Amen.

HOPE BRINGS THIS VALLEY TOGETHER

Hope is a kind of boundary a truce between limestone and grit where outcrops and edges pause and deep cut dales stop and sit, where honeycombed potholes scatter and old lead works rest in their pit.

Hope brings this valley together where Derbyshire rock divides and Mam Tor’s shivering face and Blue John’s glittering mines call city folk from near and far to raise up their hearts, eyes and minds.

Hope is a true kind of knowing when Derbyshire mists descend and Kinder Scout lies shrouded and Dark Peak’s a sinister friend, that Jacob’s Ladder rises still –and all will be well in the end.

© Leonie Martin 2020

Written in response to Arts Derbyshire’s ‘Ticket to Hope’ Project in Autumn 2020 and featured in Helen Mort’s collaborative community poem funded by Arts Derbyshire, available to view here: https://youtu.be/S5uTFz0XPpg