First the sun, then the rain (sounds like a familiar song!) – everytime I look out of the window the vegetation seems to have grown another foot high! As I was trying to weed my path the other day, I felt God spoke to me

I've been thinking recently how wonderful it is to serve in the kingdom of God because He has amazing ways of multiplying the smallest things that we contribute, so that big things happen for His glory! Of course you'll be remembering the story of the feeding of the 5000 - but it goes on today in similar and lower-key ways all the time!

I was having dinner with some dear friends this last week, and we sat for a long time at the table chatting and sharing what was on our hearts. My friend, Sandy, talked about a colleague who had been having trouble conceiving and how much this woman longed for a baby. I guess that sort of longing is something so many of us as women understand; it's rooted deep within us, a God-given, God-formed part of our feminine creatureliness. It’s not something to be ashamed of, or something to be eradicated either.

Last month I was speaking at a weekend conference for women in the Midlands. I’d prepared something for three sessions but was not confident about the subject matter for one of them. At the Thursday group the week before, the three women in my discussion group asked what they could pray for me. ‘Oh, just pray for this conference!’ I said.

I’ve just returned from our last Thursday group this term before Christmas, and we had such fun! We had all brought little, light gifts that would be individually wrapped

‘Mummy, you’re so beautiful!’ sighed the eleven year old girl as she stroked her mother’s hand…