England
‘Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.’ Psalm 73: 23-28
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.’ Psalm 73: 23-28
Winter/Spring 2023
Dear Lydias and praying friends,
Everything seems to be changing …
So much seems to be shaking and at times it can feel as if nothing seems to make sense anymore.
The writer of Psalm 73 could be writing today. He, like us, sees evil increasing, corrupt ones getting richer, injustices on a scale few of us have seen before. Chaos, mocking God – and people seem to be getting away with it. It can be overwhelming …
The psalmist, like some of us was indeed feeling overwhelmed; wondering ‘what is the point?’ and sounding as though despair had crept in. In psalm 73: 16 he writes, ‘When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply and was too painful for me …’
… Until … ‘Until I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny’ (verse 17).
Our Heavenly Father invites us to come into His presence, to the sanctuary of God where, as we seek Him, we get a glimpse of His eternal ways and reassurance that He is Sovereign, Lord of all and we gain perspective.
The invitation is to come up higher. Let us come up higher …
The Lord showed me a picture of the Sears Tower in Chicago – as though we are in the noise and chaos of down town Chicago city and all the crazy that goes on there. Yet when looking down and viewing the same city from the heights of the Sears Tower (or Seer’s tower as for this illustration I like to call it), the view and perspective change and become clearer and less overwhelming.
Let us come up higher and let The Lord show us what He sees, His bigger picture and perspective. Then we will gain understanding and despair will lift.
As Lydias, we intentionally choose to set aside time to meet together, to lay down our cares, concerns and our own agendas. To meditate on God’s word. Then after worshipping His awesomeness and coming up higher, we wait to see what is on The Father’s heart and His leading as we turn to intercede. He continually surprises us with what He calls us to pray for and what He guides to leave be.
These are strange and unsettled times for us all – yet God is still our refuge, and though the shaking may intensify, He holds our right hand with His strong right hand. He strengthens us and steadies us in the storms of life and comforts us in our distress. Praise His holy name!
So let us continue to fix our eyes on Jesus, let us run the race set before us with courage.
God bless each of you at this time.
With love
Brenda
Brenda Taylor – Lydia England Prayer & Planning Team
Dear Lydias and praying friends,
Everything seems to be changing …
So much seems to be shaking and at times it can feel as if nothing seems to make sense anymore.
The writer of Psalm 73 could be writing today. He, like us, sees evil increasing, corrupt ones getting richer, injustices on a scale few of us have seen before. Chaos, mocking God – and people seem to be getting away with it. It can be overwhelming …
The psalmist, like some of us was indeed feeling overwhelmed; wondering ‘what is the point?’ and sounding as though despair had crept in. In psalm 73: 16 he writes, ‘When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply and was too painful for me …’
… Until … ‘Until I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny’ (verse 17).
Our Heavenly Father invites us to come into His presence, to the sanctuary of God where, as we seek Him, we get a glimpse of His eternal ways and reassurance that He is Sovereign, Lord of all and we gain perspective.
The invitation is to come up higher. Let us come up higher …
The Lord showed me a picture of the Sears Tower in Chicago – as though we are in the noise and chaos of down town Chicago city and all the crazy that goes on there. Yet when looking down and viewing the same city from the heights of the Sears Tower (or Seer’s tower as for this illustration I like to call it), the view and perspective change and become clearer and less overwhelming.
Let us come up higher and let The Lord show us what He sees, His bigger picture and perspective. Then we will gain understanding and despair will lift.
As Lydias, we intentionally choose to set aside time to meet together, to lay down our cares, concerns and our own agendas. To meditate on God’s word. Then after worshipping His awesomeness and coming up higher, we wait to see what is on The Father’s heart and His leading as we turn to intercede. He continually surprises us with what He calls us to pray for and what He guides to leave be.
These are strange and unsettled times for us all – yet God is still our refuge, and though the shaking may intensify, He holds our right hand with His strong right hand. He strengthens us and steadies us in the storms of life and comforts us in our distress. Praise His holy name!
So let us continue to fix our eyes on Jesus, let us run the race set before us with courage.
God bless each of you at this time.
With love
Brenda
Brenda Taylor – Lydia England Prayer & Planning Team
Interested in Lydia?
Dear Friend
Thank you for your interest in Lydia Fellowship International.
Lydia is an inter-denominational fellowship of ladies who meet together with a prayer partner or in small groups, to seek God and intercede for family, nation and the world. The emphasis is on worship, Bible meditation and being personally led in prayer by the Holy Spirit, so when we meet as Lydias to pray, we deliberately put aside our own agendas. Through fasting, praise, meditation in the Scriptures and waiting on the Lord, we seek to hear from God and pray the prayers that are on His heart.
Lydia groups will usually meet on a regular basis, weekly/monthly, depending on availability. It is important to be flexible whilst at the same time being committed to the call to prayer and fasting.
We have no offices and no paid employees, but the work of Lydia is overseen by Prayer and Planning Teams who operate at local, regional, national and international levels. The Fellowship operates in consensus within an agreed international policy framework.
We are all greatly blessed, inspired and encouraged by the Lydia literature, which was written and produced by Shelagh McAlpine, who was the founder of Lydia. This literature is used worldwide and has been translated into many languages. We hope it may bless you too.
If you would like find out more, or receive sample literature, please do not hesitate to use our contact page on the Lydia website: www.lydiafellowship.org/england
May God bless you as you journey with Him in prayer.
Yours sincerely
Prayer and Planning Team
Lydia Fellowship England
Dear Friend
Thank you for your interest in Lydia Fellowship International.
Lydia is an inter-denominational fellowship of ladies who meet together with a prayer partner or in small groups, to seek God and intercede for family, nation and the world. The emphasis is on worship, Bible meditation and being personally led in prayer by the Holy Spirit, so when we meet as Lydias to pray, we deliberately put aside our own agendas. Through fasting, praise, meditation in the Scriptures and waiting on the Lord, we seek to hear from God and pray the prayers that are on His heart.
Lydia groups will usually meet on a regular basis, weekly/monthly, depending on availability. It is important to be flexible whilst at the same time being committed to the call to prayer and fasting.
We have no offices and no paid employees, but the work of Lydia is overseen by Prayer and Planning Teams who operate at local, regional, national and international levels. The Fellowship operates in consensus within an agreed international policy framework.
We are all greatly blessed, inspired and encouraged by the Lydia literature, which was written and produced by Shelagh McAlpine, who was the founder of Lydia. This literature is used worldwide and has been translated into many languages. We hope it may bless you too.
If you would like find out more, or receive sample literature, please do not hesitate to use our contact page on the Lydia website: www.lydiafellowship.org/england
May God bless you as you journey with Him in prayer.
Yours sincerely
Prayer and Planning Team
Lydia Fellowship England