I am writing a daily blog (Monday to Friday) on preparing spiritually and physically

to lead a Pilgrimage of 100 miles in September.

for details of the Pilgrimage, click on the dropdown Cotwold Pilgrimage bar at the top of this page

I love the way that social media can impact life in positive ways. Idly flicking through tweets and postings just now, I was attracted to two quotes. They will each affect my life today.

"The way to life - to God! - is vigorous and requires total attention."  (Matthew 7:14, The Message)

“Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.” Corrie Ten Boom

Whether preparing for a Pilgrimage

or doing the Lord’s work each day

or just being who God meant us to be

requires total attention.

But trying to do it in our own strength is draining and de-energising.

Learning to open up to the grace-filling of the Spirit leads us to a whole new level of energy and enthusiasm and in-God-ness.

* * * *

Yesterday I had a gentle, be-kind-to-yourself kind of morning.

Then I popped up to Cambridge for the afternoon. Dropped into the University Library to see the amazing Shelf Lives Exhibition. Had tea with an old friend not seen for some time. More tea with my father-in-law’s first cousin, an expert on Antartica and still dropping into the South Pole occasionally even though he’s 85.

And Charles, he talked about all the things he has done and is still doing. Even at 85.

If I am to carry on with the Lord’s work until 85 and beyond – and my mother was still practicing in-God-ness at 90 to her full capacity – then I need that daily grace filling, energizing filling of the Spirit.

A daily Pentecost.

Inspired, possessed, filled.

By, in, for, GOD.

enthousiasmos (Gk) possessed by God, inspired

inspirare (Latin) breathe or blow into, originally used of a divine being

Breathe into me, Holy Spirit and possess me until I am inspired and enthused. For you.