Author: Andy Brown (andrewbrown100)

Preaching to the Choir – Andy Brown (Best of 2022)

Are you preaching to the choir? Is that wasteful, or does the choir need your encouragement as well? It was a great pleasure yesterday evening to meet (on video) a couple of fellow Christian bloggers, and lovely to share some of our stories, questions and experiences of ministering through this medium. It was humbling to…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2022/04/09/preaching-to-the-choir/

Poor Little Fig Tree – Andy Brown (Best of 2022)

On Tuesday, I wrote a post entitled Anything, which looked at the awesome power of prayer. Yesterday, I shared a post called – A Fig Tree – which picked up that theme, and was written by the excellent blogger Bruce Cooper. Some comments on these posts highlighted to me that many do not fully understand…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2022/06/23/poor-little-fig-tree/

Psalm 150 Poetry – Andy Brown (Best of 2022)

As I explain in this post, I have never been much of one for poetry. That is why I was quite surprised to learn that this was actually one of my most popular posts this year.

If you missed it the first time around, I hope you enjoy this repost today.



I have been dabbling with a bit of poetry lately. It has never been something I was particularly good at or interested in, but perhaps the Lord is opening up something new. Perhaps not! Time will tell! This first attempt at a poem is based around Psalm 150, and is perhaps a little trite to…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2022/01/05/psalm-150-poetry/

My Normal Hero

Towards the end of each year, I like to try and share something of a summary post. This year is no different, and yet, in other ways, it will never be the same again. This Christmas, for the first time in my life, I’ll be facing the end of the year without my father.

On Friday 2nd December, just a couple of weeks ago, my dad passed away. He had suffered with Parkinson’s Disease for several years, and had deteriorated rapidly in the handful of months since the summertime.

As we prepare for his funeral this week, I was asked to sum up his life in a few short words. “What’s the one thing you would want people to take away from it?”

I answered like this.

He was a “normal” hero – as opposed to a “super” hero. There are no stories of he and I climbing Mount Everest together, nor times we went trekking in the Andes. We just “did life” together, and he was an ever constant presence in my world. He worked hard his whole life, putting food on our table and taking care of us. He enjoyed the simple things in life, and I cannot be more grateful to him.

There are countless lessons he taught me over the years – both directly and indirectly. There are too many for me to share in this one short post, but a few things I must mention.

It is ok to live a normal life

When I was a boy I dreamed of being a police officer, astronaut, fighter pilot and a hundred other things. As I grew, I looked ahead to college and university, and then on to marriage and children. My vision has always been set forward, and I was always “waiting” for my life to begin. When I became a Christian, and really before I knew anything of God, I felt the tug toward ministry. Again, I waited for it to begin, thinking “One day…” I’ll do this or that. In some respects, now I have completed university, have a career, am married with a family, and in small ways I minister in God’s kingdom, I am still looking ahead.

As I reflect on my dad’s life, I now realise it is ok to just be normal. I need not seek fame, fortune, an international ministry or seek ever exciting things to add to my bucket list. Make the most of life – absolutely – but my dad has taught me not to miss today, looking to tomorrow.

Do not miss out on the blessings of today, because your eyes are fixed on tomorrow #wisdom

Appreciate what you’ve got

Many people lose loved ones having never told them what they really mean to them. While I do not feel as though that was the case for me and my father, the illness he had meant that we lost much valuable time over recent years.

If you have people in your life who you love and care about – tell them so. Don’t waste a day, as life is always shorter than we would like, and opportunities to talk and live with those you love are limited. It is not morbid or dark to say that a time will come when you can no longer tell them (on this Earth) what they mean to you – seize those chances whenever you can. That is one thing my dad has taught me.

There is more I could say – much more, yet a thousand-page post would somehow seem inadequate. I’ll leave you with something that would make my dad smile.

He used to enjoy a TV show called Red Dwarf. Perhaps you’ve never heard of it? It is a sci-fi comedy starring a man who is the last remaining human being alive. This character, Lister, lives abord a spaceship called “Red Dwarf” which is rather loosely controlled by a computer AI called Holly.

In one particular episode Holly, through his ineptitude, endangers the crew and is replaced by a rather stricter computer AI. This new personality forces the crew to work and earn rations, and before long they miss the rather slapdash former AI. In a duel to the death over a chess board, the two AIs battle it out and Holly is no match for his replacement. He is deleted, much to the crew’s sadness. In the final scene of the show, and spoiler alert, Holly appears and admits it has all been a practical joke. He was having them on the whole time. His closing words are very apt for me, and I hope you also:

“The moral of the story is “appreciate what you’ve got…” because, basically, I’m fantastic!” – Holly

I do not know what 2022 has thrown at you, nor what 2023 will bring. Take this advice however, and appreciate what you have.

I will miss you Dad

This Sunday at Church: Give a book on the Incarnation or the Birth of Christ (RB)

Another excellent idea here, sharing this one with you today. Enjoy!

This Sunday at Church I want to encourage you to do the following: Give a book on the Incarnation or the Birth of Christ. This idea isn’t just only …

This Sunday at Church: Give a book on the Incarnation or the Birth of Christ

Fasting – Sunday Suggestion – Andy Brown (Best of 2022)

Over the season of Lent, I have been fasting. It has not always gone according to plan, I hasten to add, but it has been an enriching experience in many ways. This Sunday, why not give it a try yourself? Be sure to do it sensibly and wisely if you have never done it before.…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2022/04/10/fasting-sunday-suggestion/

One Thing I Ask – Andy Brown (Best of 2022)

The one thing I ask of the Lord—    the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,    delighting in the Lord’s perfections    and meditating in his Temple.Psalm 27:4 (WEB) I recall a time when I was speaking to a group of students about what heaven…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2022/01/29/one-thing-i-ask/

Go for a Goal! – Sunday Suggestion – Andy Brown (Best of 2022)

As we approach the end of another year, how have you progressed with your goals? 

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.Philippians 3:14 (NIV) I want to begin this new year with a series I’ve entitled “Sunday Suggestion.” It’s not too cryptic, and I intend it to be a fairly brief post each week about how you…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2022/01/02/go-for-a-goal-sunday-suggestion/

Christmas- Celebrating The King Who Brings Healing

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,    because the Lord has anointed me    to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to bind up the …

Christmas- Celebrating The King Who Brings Healing

Thankful Christians (Psalm 100 #5) – Andy Brown

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!2     Serve the Lord with gladness!    Come into his presence with singing!3 Know that the Lord, he is God!    It is he who made us, and we are his;    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,    and his…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2021/05/25/thankful-christians-psalm-100-5/

Gratitude on a Sliding Scale RB()

You may have noticed I’ve been posting every day this week, leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday here in the U.S. Well, despite the name of my site…

Gratitude on a Sliding Scale

Thanksgiving

Today brings you to a group post produced by UK Christian Bloggers on the subject of thanksgiving. When we think of thanksgiving we automatically think of the annual holiday celebrations that take place in the USA, which remembers the first Thanksgiving in 1621 by the early pilgrims. It was a harvest thanksgiving thanking God for His provisions for their community. The fact that Thanksgiving is originally men thanking the Almighty should be a universal theme, practiced by people of all countries and races. So here today are some British thoughts on thanking our God.

   Nicola Reeve

“Muchos Gracias” , “Grazie Mille” “Obrigado” “Merci” “Danke”.

Wherever you travel in the world, learning to say “thank you” in the native language is one of the most important words to learn.  I’ve been to the Spanish Island of Lanzarote this week and my Spanish is very limited but I soon learnt that a “Gracias” goes a long way. People really appreciated it. In some languages I have discovered that there are in fact many different words to express thanks and also different types of thanks depending on the situation.   We may only learn one expression of thanks in a language but a grateful heart to God and others can and does express itself in many different ways. Some ways we don’t all understand or recognise but God does. It’s not just the words of thanks that we speak with our mouths but the language of our hearts. A grateful heart.Thanksgiving is a varied language of love which I believe is only fully awakened by a true revelation of who and how good God is.The eyes of our hearts are opened and we are taught a new language which expresses itself in us and through our actions. God is a good, good God and a good Father who has given us, in and through Jesus everything for true life.  The knowledge and truth of who God is transforms us by the power of the Holy Spirit.My words may sometimes be inadequate but I hope my heart sings thank you Lord. 

Andy Berry

I was working away on a video that needed editing, although this wasn’t one destined to be used by our own ministry, but another ministry that I regularly help out. And the computer I was using was a direct gift from an anonymous supporter of our ministry – the BerryBunch.family. God is good; that one gift blesses many!

‘Feeling’ thankful is a great feeling, but ‘being’ thankful is much more sustaining and requires action – because we should always be in a perpetual state of expecting to be thankful at the goodness of God!

It’s really easy to think of being thankful in relation to what we get from something/someone. Ultimately, though, our thankfulness is more than just being glad of something happening, or not. Because the sort of thankfulness we should be experiencing needs to be rooted in our actions, and our demeanour towards life and, more importantly, towards God.

Dean

Lord I’m grateful for your promises and all you’ve done for me. You’re the way the truth the life and through your son you’ve set us free. From my lips I utter praise and I will share my testimony; the name of Jesus shall be raised as I pray for rest for many. Lord I’m grateful for your kindness and the love that you’ve shown. I thank you for my family and a place I can call home, I thank you for your comfort in those times I feel alone. You gave a heart of flesh and removed my heart of stone, Lord I’m grateful for the cross and my future that’s secured. I pray that multitudes will come to know You precious Lord,  I give you all my praise and pray you open heavens door. Pour your Holy Spirit out upon the world and save us all, Amen.

Andy Brown

Gratitude is an attitude. This is something I tell my children often! It is one thing to say the words, but quite another to demonstrate thanksgiving with words and actions. For example, I give my daughter a gift and she says, “Thank you.” But then tosses it  aside without opening it, then I know for sure she is not grateful for it.

Colossians 3:17 says: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

It is easy to do things with a grumbling attitude. We do it, whatever it may be, making sure those around us know we aren’t joyful about it. That is not how we ought to conduct ourselves. Instead, we are to do all things as if God had asked us to do them Himself – and to do so “giving thanks.”

The command to “give thanks” is an ongoing one – not “give” but “giving…” We thank God, and keep on thanking Him. We give and keep on giving, heaping gratitude on gratitude. There is no shortage of things to thank the Lord for, and the well of thankfulness should never run dry.

Thanksgiving may be only a single day, but let the Christian live a life of thanksgiving.

Alan Kearns

When I reflect on the history of traditions I am saddened by how over time men have changed them; sadly Thanksgiving is no different in this respect. It primarily was God fearing men and women thanking the Almighty for His many provisions and blessings. Sadly nowadays such a celebration of our God is frowned upon and maybe even mocked in this woke world; it would be deemed offensive to many. As children of His Kingdom we are called to heed and live out His Word; we have a choice to either be mocked by men or be judged by God – I personally prefer the temporary discomfort in this world so I can praise God in Heaven! Thus each Thanksgiving my Father God is the only focus of all my thanks; be it in speech, song or in prayer. After all such festivals are great opportunities to share His Good News of Salvation!

Mandy

Lord God, we pause to give You thanks and praise this Thanksgiving. Lord God, even in the midst of the darkness and chaos that surrounds us, may Your people never cease to marvel at the blessings that You have given to us. Lord God, remind us that we are to bless others, because You have blessed us. Thank You and praise You Lord for our salvation that we have by grace, through faith, in Christ alone. Lord God, may we feast and crave Your Word more than our Thanksgiving meal and leftovers. Thank You Lord that in Christ filled, yet wired to long and desire You more. Thank You Holy Trinity for the gift of community. Praise You Lord for those whom You allow to journey with us. Lord God, thank You for this reader. May this reader grow closer to You this Thanksgiving. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.