A SUMMER OF REST
Dear Friends,
As we move into August the lanes are edged with wildflowers, the bees are humming in the churchyard, and the days are lengthening into those beautiful light evenings that feel like a gift. Summer is here.
In one of my favourite films, You’ve Got Mail, Meg Ryan’s character says, “Don’t you think daisies are the friendliest flower?” I love that line and I love daisies, especially the beautiful ox-eye daisies that are all around us at the moment. They remind me that some of life’s deepest joys are the simplest: the daisies nodding in the fields, children laughing in the sun, a good conversation with a friend under a shady tree.
Summer can be a time when life slows down a little… though I know for some it can still feel busy, with children at home, the garden needing constant attention, visitors arriving, and many of us looking after loved ones. But whether you are off on a grand adventure or enjoying time close to home, I pray this summer brings moments of real rest and refreshment for each of us.
The Bible reminds us that rest is not just a human need, but a gift from God. Psalm 23 says:
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters, He restores my soul.”
How easy it is to forget to receive that restoration! We live in a world that runs faster and faster — always online, always available, always striving. And yet God calls us to a different rhythm, one where joy and rest are precious and holy things, not wasted time.
So, this summer, I encourage you whether young or old, whether surrounded by family or walking a quieter path… to claim your moments of rest. Children need unhurried time to play and wonder, families need time to simply be together and the elderly among us need space to enjoy the beauty of life at a gentler pace. And all of us need times when we are renewed in Jesus.
Come to church when you can… not out of duty but because it is one of the places where we are reminded of God’s joy and love for us… where we can be reminded that God knows us and loves us beyond measure and that our lives are held in God’s hands and that He delights in us as His children. And when you can’t come, know that God walks with you through sunlit days and quiet evenings alike.
May this be a summer of daisies and delight, of rest and renewal, and of God given joy. Happy Summer … God Bless
Rev Cathy x