The Name That’s On My Lips featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album “Where Would I Be Without You? recorded and produced by Ross Gill

Continuing the series on this most challenging subject – here is another episode from Word For Today written by Bob and Debbie Gass

A pastor encourages us: ‘Psychoanalyst Alfred Adler conducted a fascinating research project that popularised the theory of compensation. He studied art students and discovered that seventy per cent of them suffered from optical anomalies. He found degenerative traces in the ears of great composers like Mozart and Beethoven. And he cited numerous examples of other people who eventually became successful in the area of their greatest weakness.

Adler believed that birth defects, poverty, illness, and negative circumstances often prove to be the springboard for success…God wants to recycle your adversity and turn it into a ministry. People go through a painful divorce or the death of a child or a destructive addiction, but God helps them climb out of the pit so they can help others in similar circumstances. One of the most paralysing mistakes we make is thinking that our problems somehow disqualify us from being used by God…No one rolls out the red carpet and invites tragedy into their life, but our greatest gifts and passions are often the by-product of our worst tragedies and failures. Trials have a way of helping us rediscover our purpose in life.’

The problems God has brought you through become a platform upon which you can stand and minister to others. ‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God’ (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV).

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Here I Am Because I Love You featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album Where Would I Be Without You? recorded and produced by Ross Gill

How can a God of love all the suffering there is in the world? This a most challenging question which I have written about before – in, for example 2016 and 2022.  However, I would like to share some other insights – today from The Word For Today written by Bob and Debbie Gass:

A pastor writes: ‘All of us want every day to be a good day. But if every day was a good day, there would be no “good” days, because there wouldn’t be any bad days to compare the good days to…Sickness helps us appreciate health. Failure helps us appreciate success. Debt helps us appreciate wealth. And the tough times help us appreciate the good times…Adversity is often the seedbed of opportunity [because it has] a way of bringing the best out of us…Adversity is often a blessing in disguise.

‘We dream of zero gravity. We imagine what life would be like without any problems or issues or challenges. But from a biological perspective, zero gravity is hazardous to your health. Astronauts who spend any length of time in zero gravity experience serious medical complications. Without any resistance, they lose muscle mass and bone density, they experience high pulse rates and heart palpitations, and they can barely walk after re-entering the earth’s atmosphere. We may dream of zero gravity, but what we really need is a healthy dose of adversity. The people God uses the most are often the people who have experienced the most adversity. This isn’t necessarily…what you want to read, but it’s true. Adversity can produce an increased capacity to serve God.’

Why? Because adversity causes us to turn to God, lean on God, seek God, and get to know God in a way we otherwise wouldn’t. Some of God’s greatest promises in Scripture begin with the words ‘to him who overcomes’. The Bible says, ‘People who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits’ (Daniel 11:32 NKJV).

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Worship Song featuring Lucy Stimpson-Maynard from the album Where Would I Be Without You? recorded and produced by Ross Gill

How can a God of love all the suffering there is in the world? This a most challenging question which I have written about before – in, for example 2016 and 2022.
It is the focus of episode two of our, soon to be released, “A Journey of Faith” study course. In this Luke sings “This is not heaven” explaining that Jesus understands what suffering is and how we feel as He himself suffered in so many ways, including bereavement, anguish, betrayal, humiliation, physical, emotional and spiritual pain. He promises not to take away our suffering but to never leave or forsake us and to walk with us through life’s storms.
In the forthcoming weeks I will share some more thoughts on the issue of suffering.
The lyrics to “This is not heaven” are:

You’re not alone in your struggle
It’s one many more have had,
Believing God is always good even though life is so often bad,
I could offer you the world’s wisdom but hand on heart that’s not enough,
For in truth there’s more questions than answers,
With only one thing I’m sure of.
Rejection, betrayal, humiliation, injustice and distain,
Grief, anguish, the agony of the Cross,
Jesus suffered again and again,
So, when life throws its worst at us, we can trust this promise is true,
He will never leave or forsake us for He has been there too.
This is not heaven, but little bits of heaven keep breaking through,
This is not a perfect place, but He is perfectly placed to hold on to,
To give us strength when we feel weak,
To be our hope when all is bleak,
So even in the darkest night when grief and pain are at their height,
Somehow, He will be there to be our light.

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A Crown Today – A Cross Tomorrow –  featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album Where Would I Be Without You? recorded and produced by Ross Gill

This year marks the celebration of 20 years of Mustard Seed’s first musical “His Story.”  I admit to having been a little disparaging about “His Story” as it is not a traditional musical in which performers act, sing and dance. “His Story” has actors acting, singers singing and dancers dancing. I now appreciate that “His Story” is not inferior to a traditional musical but simply different. It is, in fact, easier to produce as the separate sections – actors, dancers, band and soloists can rehearse separately.

So, I can proudly announce that there will be two performances of “His Story” at Holy Rood church on Saturday, November 8^th.  More details to come later but in the meantime:

Lucy Stimpson- Maynard featured in our albums “I Look Up To The Heavens” “Love Is The Way”  “ Uplifted” “Where Would I Be Without You?” and “Precious” together with performing in many concerts and in “His Story” itself. It is, therefore with great pleasure that I can announce that she will be singing and playing piano. Sadly, only two of the original Mustard Seed Soul Band are available for November 8^th however I have had great fun forming a new and newly named “Mustard Seed Soul and Gospel Band.” The band is full of extremely talented musicians and to give you a taster today’s video clip features our trumpeter, Jon Yates performing at the Royal Albert Hall.

Much more information to come but please put November 8^th in your diaries.

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Oh Lord Hear My Voice featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album Where Would I Be Without You? recorded and produced by Ross Gill

Regular readers of this blog will know that I am a Manchester United fan! I was really pleased to see 19-year-old French Centre Back, Leny Yoro score his first goal for United, but even more pleased when he could be seen to obviously give praise to God.

From the tattoo of a Cross on his neck I had assumed that he was a Christian, but it was good to have this confirmed.

I read in www.thickaccent.com that:

Leny’s mother is a devoted Christian, and she instilled the values of Christianity in her sons. She currently lives in Villeneuve-d’Ascq according to her Facebook profile.

According to Le Populaire, Yoro’s father is the former Lille player, Alain Yoro. Senior Yoro played for the reserve team of Lille in the late ’80s and ’90s. In the late 90s, he moved to Paris Saint Germain, where he played as a forward. His jersey number 15 is the reason why Leny chose to play with that number despite being offered to wear numbers 4 and 5, the traditional numbers for a central defender.

Alain is of Ivorian descent, hence Leny Yoro will be eligible to play for the Ivory Coast as well, putting him in the French-African ethnic group. Leny had already made his debuts for France U17, U18, U19, U21 and U23 teams, where he worked closely with Thierry Henry.

Yoro has a holy cross sign on his social account and ‘God Made’, ‘God’s child’, ‘God’s kid’ and ‘God did’ are written on his bio. Also, most of his social media posts end with #GodDid.

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Restore Us Lord God Almighty featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album Where Would I Be Without You? recorded and produced by Ross Gill

I recently read the article below written by Dr Andrew Ollerton for Premier Christian News. It reminded me of what the actor Steven Fry said about God Blog September 8th Stephen Fry rant | Risen
In a recent BBC interview, the leader of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, revealed that her belief in God was destroyed when she put her ear to the monstrous crimes of Josef Fritzl. In 2008, Austrian police discovered that Fritzl had imprisoned his daughter Elisabeth in a cellar and repeatedly raped her over a 24-year period. She gave birth to seven children while in captivity.
For Kemi Badenoch, the idea of a God who ignores the cries of victims like Elisabeth, while answering other relatively trivial prayers, is completely untenable.
No doubt we all share Kemi Badenoch’s moral outrage at this horrific crime. But must we also share her atheist conclusions? In the dark of evil and suffering, is belief in God morally justifiable?
Firstly, some logic. If God does not exist then the universe consists of nothing but motion, matter and blind chance. Moreover, without God moral concepts such as ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ are arbitrary and carry little weight.
As C.S. Lewis noted, the assumption that a line is crooked implies the existence of a straight line. To say that someone’s actions are morally ‘wrong’ presupposes a ‘right’ way. Otherwise, all human behaviour is just ‘natural’.
If Kemi Badenoch no longer believes in God, then what grounds her belief in morality and why is she so angered by evil and injustice? Atheism cannot explain our feelings of moral outrage. What Josef Fritzl did to his daughter was not ‘Wrong’ with a capital W unless we believe there is a ‘Right’ way for a father to treat his daughter.
Equally, Fritzl can only be brought to justice if he was responsible for his actions and not merely subject to genetics, brain chemistry, and primal urges. In short, the reason we have a problem with evil is because we believe in a good God. This still leaves us wrestling with many mysteries. But to reject God because of evil is to saw off the very branch we are sitting on.
Secondly, let’s consider a biblical response. Taken as a whole, the Bible depicts God as the enemy of evil and never the cause of it. In Genesis, God created only what is good. At the end of Revelation, he promises to restore all things. Now, as we interpret God’s ways between these bookends, we must avoid two dangers.
One is to equate God’s silence or hiddenness with indifference. Kemi Badenoch assumes that if God cared for Elisabeth Fritzl, he would prove it by stepping in. However, while God is active in the world, he has given humans free will. He is not a puppet-master continually tweaking reality.
As the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks noted: “We believe God gave us freedom. It is the most fateful decision he made in the entire universe.” God teaches us what is good but does not forcibly prevent us from doing evil. Josef Fritzl is therefore responsible for his actions. To blame God for such malevolence overlooks the serious truth of free will.
TO REJECT GOD BECAUSE OF EVIL IS TO SAW OFF THE VERY BRANCH WE ARE SITTING ON.
The opposite danger is to assume God’s current tolerance of evil is permanent. It is not. God has set a day to end injustice and hold evildoers to account, including Fritzl. Moreover, those like Elisabeth who have suffered at the hands of earthly fathers will have their tears wiped away by their heavenly father.
Then and only then, from the vantage point of eternity, will pain and suffering be put into perspective. To feel deep anguish in the face of evil today is absolutely right. But to reject God for this reason is premature. Instead, we need to hold on in hope and echo the cry that concludes the Bible: “Maranatha! Come Lord!”
Finally, a pastoral response is found at the foot of the cross where God himself entered our world of pain. From the agony of the cross Jesus expressed feelings of abandonment that no doubt resonate with many victims: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Christianity doesn’t sidestep suffering; it centres on it. God’s plan may play out more slowly than we would like. But planted in the centre of it is the cross, where God himself bore the weight of our sin and made it his own.
This doesn’t resolve all the mysteries. We still don’t know the answer to why God allows certain things to happen. But we know what it can’t be. It can’t be that God doesn’t love us. It can’t be that he doesn’t care. What difference does this make to our experience of suffering? A friend recently posted on social media as she neared the end of her battle with cancer: “As we walk through this dark valley, Jesus knows what we’re facing; he has the scars to prove it. And his presence gives us peace.”
In her interview, Kemi Badenoch said she rejected the idea of God but still believed in cultural Christianity. However, the Bible does not offer us a set of moral values or a logical argument for God. Neither will suffice when pain and suffering hit. Instead, the Bible invites us to personally trust in Jesus Christ, the sovereign and suffering God, who is with us in the darkness and promises hope beyond it.

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Give Us Your Heart Lord featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album Where Would I Be Without You? recorded and produced by Ross Gill

I recently read this in the “Word For Today” and thought it worth sharing.
When God asks you to sacrifice on behalf of somebody else, do it. It’s like putting money in a heavenly account. You may not need it today or tomorrow, but when you do, God will ensure it comes back to you in multiplied form.
Indian Christian missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh and a companion were travelling through a pass high in the Himalayas when they found a body lying in the snow. They checked for vital signs and discovered the man was still alive, but barely. As Sundar prepared to stop and help this unfortunate traveller, his companion objected, saying, ‘We shall lose our lives if we burden ourselves with him.’ Sundar, however, couldn’t comprehend leaving the man to die in the snow without an attempt at rescue. His companion bade him farewell and walked on. Sundar lifted the traveller on his back and, with great exertion – made greater by the high altitude and snowy conditions – carried him onwards.
As he walked, the heat from his body began to warm the frozen man. He revived, and soon they were walking together side by side, holding each other up and sharing body heat. Before long, they came upon another traveller’s body lying in the snow, and on closer inspection, they discovered he was dead. You guessed it. It was Sundar’s original travelling companion!
So, what’s the lesson in all this? What you make happen for others, God will make happen for you!

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Long time readers of this blog will know how much I value sportsmanship and fair play in sport. Still my favourite example of this was between Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff and Brett Lee in the Ashes cricket match of 2005 Blog August 25th “Sportsmanship” | Risen

There was another example at the end of the recent cricket series between England and India. After four closely fought matches the players were understandably getting rather tired with one another and there were a number of festy moments that were well documented in the press.

Chris Woakes, the England allrounder, had suffered a dislocated shoulder while fielding in the fifth and final test. England needed 17 runs to win and, to a standing ovation, Woakes came in as the last England batsman. His shoulder was in a sling and he was clearly in some discomfort. In the end he did not have to face a ball, but he still had to run between the wickets with his face etched in pain. England lost by just 6 runs and the India team were naturally jubilant in drawing the series 2 v 2.

What so impressed me was that, despite the undercurrent of bad feeling between the teams and their joy in winning the fifth test, every single Indian player at the end of the game went up to Woakes to shake his hand. Today’s featured picture displays that mutual respect as Indian captain, Shabman Gill, and Chris Woakes greet each other.

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BASEL, SWITZERLAND – JULY 27: Michelle Agyemang of England poses for a photo after being presented with the UEFA Young Player of the Tournament award following the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 Final match between England and Spain at St. Jakob-Park on July 27, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Where Would I Be Without You? featuring Lucy Stimpson-Maynard from the album Where Would I Be Without You? recorded and produced by Ross Gill.

Well didn’t the Lionesses do unbelievably well in winning the Women’s Football Euros?

I must admit I was worried when, for the first half, the Spanish girls passed the ball around like the Barcelona men’s team. However, it was a different story in the second half as the team spirit and resilience of the Lionesses overcame. Some might say that the Spaniards were unlucky but to be honest I lost a lot of respect for them when they started rolling around, pretending to be fouled when they obviously were not.

One hero was England forward Michelle Agyemang, who has been named UEFA’s Women’s EURO 2025 Young Player of the Tournament.

Premier Christian News writes: The 19-year-old is a Christian, who wears crosses on her socks, was “raised on gospel music” and plays piano to get in the zone for games. She is a member of the Christian football group Ballers in God and proudly displays a cross in her Instagram bio.

Agyemang has proven her place in the England squad. In the quarter finals, her goal against Sweden took the team to penalties. The Lionesses then roared into the semis, where again she scored a critical equaliser – in the 96^th minute.

After Sunday’s victorious final, the breakout star directed all the glory to God, telling the BBC: “I thank God for where he’s brought us as a team… We’ve won, we’re European champions.”

Just four years ago, Agyemang was a ball girl whilst her soon-to-be teammates played at Wembley.

“It’s just surreal… to have come so far this quickly,” she said. “It’s only by the grace of God… the teammates around me, the staff, the coaches, everyone’s put in the effort to help me get me where I am and where the team is today.”

What a fantastic testimony!

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So, Scottie Scheffler wins the Open!  I shared about his faith in an earlier blog after he won the USA Masters Golf Tournament- Blog April 25th Scottie Scheffler | Risen

I have also shared today’s video before, but that was when it was unlisted on YouTube – it is now a YouTube public viewing so it would be great if you could please share it – thank you!

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