Compassion (from Latin: "co-suffering") is a virtue — one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy (for the suffering of others) are regarded as a part of love itself.

'A religious man is a person who holds God and man in one thought at one time, at all times, who suffers harm done to others, whose greatest passion is compassion, whose greatest strength is love and defiance of despair.'
~ Abraham Joshua Heschel

'A love for humanity came over me, and watered and fertilised the fields of my inner world which had been lying fallow, and this love of humanity vented itself in a vast compassion.'
~ Georg Brandes

'At the end of the day, love and compassion will win.'
~ Terry Waite

'For me, forgiveness and compassion are always linked: how do we hold people accountable for wrongdoing and yet at the same time remain in touch with their humanity enough to believe in their capacity to be transformed?'
~ Bell Hooks


The greatest example ever of love, was embodied in the person of Jesus. 'Our beautiful compassionate Lord'.

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman Mark 5:21 - 43

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”
32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”
36 Overhearing[d] what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

A Story of Supernatural Rescue

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(God as our Refuge (Mach-seh)

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Psalm (:9: 9-10
9 The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.


A few years ago, a young Liberian man experienced the truth of God's promise to be a refuge for the oppressed. His story takes place in the late 1990's, in the middle of Liberia's bloody civil war.
Joedafi was doing his best to stay alive while making the fourty five mile trek on foot to the capital city of Monravia, hoping for a chance to escape the fighting that raged around him. After he and his friends spotted several bodies rotting in the bushes, he began crying out to God with the words of Psalm 23 - "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..."
Suddenly he and his companions were surrounded by soldiers. They had unwittingly wandered into Charles Taylor's rebel camp.
When one of Joedafi's friends tried to resist, the rebels didn't hesitate - they slit his throat with a machete.
Joedafi was thrown into a crudely constructed jail, around which were strewn human bones and skulls. Knowing he would die if he didn't escape, he kept on praying Psalm 23. Then after a few days, he was moved to a deep place within the forest. He reports what happened next:

'I began to feel that I would be set free by the Almighty God. I'm not sure how I came to have such a feeling, but it was ever there. The thought was quite wild, becaue I witnessed the soldiers disregard for life. They made us drink from human skulls, bury dead bodies and live on leaves.
Yet Psalm 23 was giving me the feeling that out of this valley of the shadow of death, God would deliver me. In the past I read my bible daily and went to church. Now I believed that God would do something and prove himself. I had believed in the Lord and trusted him to lead me in my life. I took faith in the teaching I had heard, that the Lord delivers those who trust him and commit their ways to him.
One evening, as I was dozing off to sleep, I heard a silent voice call my name, commanding me to rise up and walk away from my captors. It was so commanding, I obeyed instantly and walked past sleeping guards out into the main road. I walked on spellbound and passed by many rebel soldiers along the road, but none of them dared ask me any questions. I walked through many check-points and wasn't stopped once.'
Joedafi kept on walking, hour after hour, until he met someone willing to give him a ride to Monravia, where he then boarded a ship bound for Ghana.

What a remarkable story of a man who trusted God to be his refuge and was not dissapointed. Most of us will never face the kind of terror Joedafi describes, but we will pass through storms that test our faith. When that happens, remember that the same God who miraculously rescued this man, is your God too. Let him be the refuge you seek, your stronghold in times of trouble.
Today as you think about God's desire to be a refuge for his people, pray for believers throughout the world who are suffering the ravaging effects fo poverty, war, famine and natural disasters. Ask God to shelter and to save them.
by Ann Spangler

Psalm 23:4-6
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
Psalm 91

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”

I hope this story encourages you as much as it did me'
God Bless - Follower of the Way

Heavy Load

Have you heavy had to carry a heavy load, or felt like life was a chore ? I can remember being a tired, young mother, I didn't yet drive and I recall vividly what a mission it was just doing the groceries each week. The first worry was always that I would go over the budget and have to put something back (shame), plus trying to keep a toddler happy all the way round the store, so he wouldn't have a tantrum. Then there was the walk home, pushing the pram, praying the baby would stay asleep, grocery bags piled high on top of it, plus holding the hand of a tired toddler. I remember feeling like those wearisome days would go on forever !!! but they don't.

Sometimes we can become like this spiritually too. We weigh ourselves down with the woes of this world on TV and with health or financial problems. Then a friend phones and pours their heart out, and before you know it you feel weighed down physically, emotionally and mentally.

The bible tells us in Galatians 6:2 'Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ', so we are meant to be there for our friends, and to encourage them, even if we cannot always lift the burden completely, we may be able to ease it.

However sometimes, almost without realising it, we find ourselves carrying other people's burdens in our minds and hearts and feel unable to let it go.

The writer of Ecclesiastes advises:
'In my search for wisdom and in my observation of people’s burdens here on earth, I discovered that there is ceaseless activity, day and night. (Ecclesiastes 8:16). So we see that struggles are just a part of life and will always be there in some shape or form.

The Psalmist tells us:
'Give your burdens to the Lord,and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall'. (Psalm 55:22)

We are never alone, the Lord is always with us, and wants to be included in our walk, he wants to help in carrying the load. Picture yourself placing your head on his chest and share all that worries you. Then release it from yourself, or otherwise you'll still be carrying it.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

The 'REST' Jesus talks about is an 'inner peace'. Its a knowing deep inside, that even in the midst of a storm (yours or soemone elses), God is in control, right through the whole thing and a peace that passes all understanding will come and take root deep in your heart. Try it !

God is a great God with wide shoulders, designed and desiring to lift our burdens. So take it to him !!

Blessings to anyone who reads this - Linda FOTW

'Merge like a Zip'

In New Zealad, to help with traffic flow, we have a system called 'Merge like a Zip', for when you want to enter a busy flow of traffic. The traffic isn't going to stop, so this system allows a little opening for cars to slip into the main flow. So as I was thinking about this concept of 'merging', this slipping into something that is already there and moving,
it got me to thinking in a spiritual way.

I saw a mighty flowing river, a bright clear, warm day and many trees lining the river. Dappled light from the leaves flickers on the water and where the light and water meet in splashes, the light dances. In places the river surges with great power and then in other areas, it gathers in small pools. The river never decreases, its width and might stay the same. Unlike a normal river however, this one has no beginning or end, it continues to flow on forever, because it represents Gods love.

Each morning as I wake, I see myself dive deep into this river. The river flows so fast and I'm simply carried along, becoming one with it. I see myself 'merging'...slipping into whats already there. As a kingdom bearer, I seek to bring heaven to earth, by bearing Christs likeness within me. By taking the light of his love that I know and being that to whomever I meet. To receive others in the same way I am received by God each day.

I don't know who might phone, or come by the house. I don't know what needs will arise..but I want to contribute somehow to the flow. Because whatever we do in love, has an impact in people's lives and in the spiritual realm. It does make a difference and it helps to bring the kingdom closer, even into one life, to unveil the lovely face of the Lord. As Mother Theresa would say "A drop in the ocean may not seem much, but the ocean would still be less without that drop".

Blessings to anyone who reads this - linda Follower of the WAY

'I AM'

One day a woman asked,"Who are you God?"
He answered, "I AM,"
but who is I AM," she said?
He replied..I AM Love, I AM Peace, I AM Grace, I AM Joy, I AM the Comforter, I AM strength, I AM safety, I AM Shelter, I AM Power, I AM the Creator, I AM the Beginning, and the End, I AM the Most High, I AM the Way, The Truth, and the Life
The lady with tears in her eyes, looked toward Heaven and said, "Now I understand, But Lord, who am I?"
The Lord tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes, and whispered,
"YOU are MINE!"

Favourite Scriptures

‎A continual blog..to be added to as I remember various scriptures that have helped, consoled, taught and inspired me over the years.


1 Chronicles 16:29

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Isaiah 35:8
And a highway will be there;it will be called the Way of Holiness;it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it;wicked fools will not go about on it.

Isaiah 40:31

'But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint'

Psalm 103:8

'The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and a
bounding in love'

Mathew 7: 7 & 8

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened"


Jeremiah 6:16

This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.

Psalm 46:10

Be still and know that I am God

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

True and False Prophets

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

True and False Disciples

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

The Wise and Foolish Builders

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

The whole Book of Ecclesiastes (its all great)

Ecclesiastes 3:
A Time for Everything

1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him

Ecclesiastes 12

1 Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”—
2 before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
3 when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;
4 when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;
5 when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home
and mourners go about the streets.
6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.[a]
“Everything is meaningless!”

The Conclusion of the Matter

9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd.[b] 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.

Going Deep with God in Song

He Knows My Name


Hear O Israel