The Donkey



A decree was issued by Caesar Augustus
For folk to be counted by means of a census.
My task was to carry from Galilee Joseph’s young wife, Mary,
All the way to Bethlehem,
To be counted, all of them.

Mary was a virgin the chosen one
To soon give birth to Jesus, the Lord God’s Son…
After we entered Bethlehem I was led to a crowded inn.
Quietly I stood, Joseph held the reins,
He sought shelter for Mary had pains.

No room in there-but we were able 
To spend the night in a nearby stable.
I settled down amongst oxen and sheep;
Exhausted I soon fell fast asleep…
Several hours went by when I heard a new-born’s cry.

Held by Joseph for Mary to see was a lustily crying boy baby
His mother’s face showed her great joy
As in swaddling cloths she wrapped her boy…
Above the stable shone a star so bright;
Shining gloriously, it lit up the night.

The Heavens opened and all around 
Angels sang; such a glorious sound!
Shepherds watched in great fright; they’d never seen such a sight!
Joyful tidings for peace on earth
Were heard that night of the Saviour’s birth.

I felt so proud-I felt so honoured
That I was the donkey that had carried Mary upon it!
I wanted to praise Him so I started to bray…
And as the sun rose to mark His first day,
Mary tenderly laid Jesus to sleep on the hay.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks



And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

Balancing fact and fiction


I celebrated Christmas in the past in the usual way..trees, lights, gifts and Santa, and I have always been to church Christmas Day with my family and taught my children the real meaning of Christmas. I have known for many years that the traditions of Christmas were mostly pagan in origin, but I feel that as long as one remembers one day a year as the birthday of Jesus, then it doesn't really matter which day it is technically. 

My firm belief was that if Christ dwells in your heart, and your thoughts are towards Him in everything you do, then every day is a day of thanks for Him and His coming to us as a babe. To me the end of Jesus' mission, (His sacrifice and finished work for our redemption) is a more important focus than His birth. 

I believe that 'the earth is the Lord's and all its fullness.' 1 Corinthians 10:26 If one celebrates Christmas with a tree, or giving gifts etc, I think that as long as the focus is on celebrating or remembering Christ's birth, then we would not upset our Saviour. 

However in trying to teach my grandchildren the truth of Christmas, I have to keep in mind that my children do not wish me to tell their children that there is no Santa. I have been warned against 'spoiling' their childhood by denouncing Santa as a lie! I am seen as a potential 'party pooper'. Because they are the parents, I must not go against their wishes. And I won't.

Recent events made me think of ways that I could perhaps now enhance the worshipful meaning of Christmas rather than celebrate in a way that the world in general celebrates it without even acknowledging Christ... I will not actually denounce Santa to my grandchildren but will discuss the origin of Santa as being St Nicholas. 

I will expound on the virtues of giving to the poor etc. I will buy for the older grandchildren a children's Christian book and Bible colouring books for the younger ones. My tree will have only Christian ornaments and no Santas. Likewise my Christmas cards will be of the nativity. And of course, I will worship on Christmas Day with the Body of Christ. These steps may indeed help my personal reflection on the birth of Christ and denunciation of commercialism.

It is important to our children's growing faith that we be honest with them. If we teach about a mythical character with magical powers for them only to learn later on that he does not exist, it logically concludes that maybe Jesus Himself doesn't exist either.

Whilst we don't want to destroy a child's Christmas by denouncing Santa, we can keep him as a tradition born from Saint Nicholas. Telling them of Saint Nicholas as being represented by Santa is a good way of balancing fact and fiction.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks


Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15

The Gift



And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

A Sister in Christ


Just recently, Chris and I have found ourselves in need. He has been unwell for a few months and a CT scan has not given us any answers to his pain.

Our general practitioner has referred Chris for a cardiac CT scan as suggested in the report following his first scan. There are some plaques in his coronary arteries which require investigation.

Now here in Australia when one is on the Aged Pension as we are, most scans are bulk billed to Medicare, however this one is not and will cost $500 with no rebate. We don't have that amount.

I have been in a group for Christian women for about 12 years, and as is my custom, I asked for prayer for Chris, telling the Sisters that we could not afford his scan at the moment. To my surprise, they all wanted to help, and in the space of 12 hours, they had deposited the entire $500 into my PayPal account.

Chris and I were overwhelmed with gratitude, especially knowing that this was a big sacrifice for many of the women. Whilst we praised the LORD for providing the funds, we also thanked the Sisters as we marveled at their generosity. I was able to reschedule the scan for December 21. 

In 40 years of walking in the faith, I have never personally been touched as much by the kindness, generosity and graciousness of these Sisters in Christ. Not only have they been faithful in prayer but in deed.

As Chris said to me, they are truly walking the walk and not just talking the talk. Not only did we receive agreements to pray for Chris, but practical help in the procuring of this important scan.

I have shared this picture before, but it now speaks to me of the kind and godly Sisters in Christ who found it in their hearts to share with us from their own meagre purses.  

Chris and I are humbled and grateful and praising of those wonderful women who are more than a friend, but a Sister in Christ.


© Glenys Robyn Hicks


Blessed is he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. Psalm 41:1

Perfect for all generations


In a world that is constantly changing in standards and morality, it is comforting to know that every time we read scripture that it is unchanging.

God's Word addresses all mankind's needs and is an infallible guide to living righteously. Most importantly, it is the only way in which we can truly know God and take His offer of salvation.

As with all else in our world, many people are constantly picking and choosing verses and adapting them to suit their own plans and agenda. They bend God's Word to suit themselves... 

No doubt we have heard people declare that God's Word was written for mankind many years ago, and surely is not relevant to today. 

We have all heard similar to this: "Surely in this day and age, we are not expected to..."

  • to marry instead of cohabiting
  • to get married before having children
  • to be celibate until marriage
  • to keep our marriage vows
  • to continue with an unplanned pregnancy
  • to submit to our husband as unto the LORD
  • to serve our family as a stay at home wife and mother
  • to trust the LORD with our family size
  • to honour our father and mother
  • to bring our children up before the LORD
  • to tithe a tenth of our income
  • to teach our children about God
  • to pray and to teach our children to pray
  • to give thanks for our food
  • to teach our children to respect the authorities
  • to educate our children at home or at a Christian school
  • to watch over our household and guard it zealously
  • to watch our speech, speaking in love
  • to train our daughters in homemaking
  • to teach our sons to respect women
  • to remain in a marriage that is causing unhappiness (I am not talking about abuse)
  • to train ourselves to take personal responsibility in our actions and to teach our children to
  • to teach our children that God created marriage for a man and a woman and that the homosexual life style is sinful

God's Word is true and unchangeable. This brings us a certain comfort in knowing that we have direction in Christian living. We have direction in bringing up our children to be God fearing citizens.

God Himself is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. His Word does not return to Him void. He will fulfill all His promises to us.

By taking His Word seriously, we will live a life that is not only satisfying to us, but pleasing to God.

The wise woman will listen to it, live it and pass it on to her children through example. It is the very stability of the Word that is our rock as well as our salvation and it is perfect for all generations.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

“In the fear of the LORD [is] strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge ’ Proverbs 14:26  

God's love is a healing balm



There are a lot of faithful Christians who suffer from panic attacks and anxiety.  Although they are usually strong in the faith, when a panic attack hits, and they have a meltdown, their trial turns into a field day for false accusers and Job's Comforters. 

They are often told that they are lacking in faith and to cling to the LORD, when it is chemicals in their body that is causing the problem, not lack of faith.  They do nothing to help but add fuel to the fire. Telling a sufferer of a panic attack to have more faith is like telling a drowning man to swim faster. They simply can't and they struggle just to keep their head above water. To add to their woe, they then fear that they have become apostate or are backsliding.  But nothing could be further from the truth.

The truly backslidden or apostate Christian will not turn to God for help therefore she has no worries of feeling unloved by God but the faithful Child of God will be afraid when she cannot break through the clutch of adrenaline that induces a feeling of impending doom (in this case, damnation) Such feelings are false, and during her life when not suffering an adrenaline rush, she knows this and relies on her Saviour. 

The Bible teaches us not to be anxious, but any anxious person will tell you that it is a fact that anxiety will come for no apparent reason. My point is that Satan will use this hormone induced attack on our bodies to make us feel guilty, alienate us from feeling close to God, and cause us to be more anxious. We know it is written we shouldn't be anxious- but here we are with anxiety and guilt as our companion. 

We know we should trust God but often it's not so clear cut and defined. It does us no good to be told we are sinning when it is clearly a chemistry problem which manifests itself as anxiety. In our stronger moments, we are aware of the scriptures. One who suffers from anxiety does not need to be told they are willfully sinning. We need people's understanding and compassion. It goes without saying, that we always have that from Jesus. 

We tend to forget that most often sufferers of anxiety and panic have often been in the midst of the most horrendous of stresses and trials, often for years, and despite being faithful and clinging to God, they have a meltdown. Trials include all chronic illness such as fibromyalgia and disabilities. 

It would behove us all to remember to be Christ-like to these suffering Children of God and comfort them, pray for them and encourage them. Those of us who suffer like this are prime candidates for panic attacks and meltdowns.  We should do unto others as we would have them do unto us:  pray for them,  help them back on their feet and never judge them. Anxiety and panic are no respecter of people: but by the Grace of God, go I. 

Mercy.  Grace.  Compassion.  Love.  Prayer.  All are healing balms for the poor one having a meltdown. We need to tell them there is hope and there is healing and that nothing can separate us from God's love.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

For I am persuaded,  that neither death,  nor life,  nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things  to  come,  nor height,  nor depth,  nor any other creature,  shall be  able to separate us from the love of God which in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39

It's calling my name!


Today is a mild day weather wise. We are sitting on 20C with mild winds and no storm activity. I am sitting here wondering why I have no spoons and am lacking the energy even to have a shower.

Fibromyalgia is a mystery to me. Just as I think I have it worked out, a new or worsened flare springs me unawares, and I find myself unable to think clearly. Even my eyes have trouble focussing today, so pacing myself's not going to work.

There's much to do here as well because I have been in a flare for a few days now. I am even too tired and sore to follow any lists at all. Except Thursdays' List. All one does on Thursdays is rest. I think I will have to treat today as a Thursday. Which is the beauty of Lists: you can exchange days to accommodate how you feel....

There's a few things I must do today:

  1. Cook a beef stew in the slow cooker
  2. Rest
The first one is done and the second is a work in progress. I feel no false guilt anymore.  It's the only way I can get over this flare. Otherwise tomorrow will be just like today where it's all too much. 

For today, rest is my own prescription to get well. Besides, I can hear my bed: it's calling my name! 


Not so bad after all


As a young mother with 4 children under 5, I often felt woefully inadequate as a housewife and a mother. It wasn’t because I wasn’t trying to excel at these things, it was just my perception of myself. There never seemed enough hours in the day to accomplish what had to be done and I often felt frustrated with myself. This changed dramatically one day when I was taken to my friend’s sister-in-law’s house.

It was about 1 pm, when we arrived and although we had been invited to come for a visit, we were appalled by the lack of cleanliness, the untidiness and the obvious squalor around us. But what horrified us most was my friend’s 12 month old nephew standing in a dirty cot, soiled nappy and ragged singlet, crying and flushed whilst his mother sat unperturbed reading in the dust covered living room.

My friend immediately swooped on her nephew and comforted him. She inquired of his mother if he was hungry- she replied that she had given him a bottle in the morning. We looked in the cot and there was an empty feeding bottle complete with flies on the teat. We felt revolted. The unmistakable odour of the soiled nappy was overwhelming and when my friend took it off to change the little fellow, it revealed red blistered welts where his nappy had been. Immediately the child was given a warm bath and his nappy rash was plastered in Vaseline- there wasn’t anything else in the house for it.

All the time, the child’s mother kept reading, seemingly oblivious to us. It was very disconcerting. We opened the fridge to get something for the little boy and it was growing all types of green mould. The milk was out of date. The pantry was under stocked to say the least, and all we could rustle up for the baby was an egg in bread crumbs. He was starving and we were angry and sad.

My friend rinsed out the soiled nappy and singlet and opened the lid of the washer. We exchanged shocked glances as the rancid smell of half washed clothes met our nostrils. As the clothes were going mouldy, we presumed they had been there a long time. And there was no excuse for this laziness, because the child’s father had bought his fiancee a new washing machine during the pregnancy.

That day, I learnt a lot about myself. I learnt that I was too hard on myself, too perfectionistic and unrealistic. My children and home were never even on a really bad day, as bad as that. I learnt that I was not lazy, incompetent, or backward- I was exhausted and overwhelmed. Not so with this girl!

What was wrong with this girl? She only wanted to do what she liked doing- reading. That was what consumed her time and life- books. Not her little boy or her impending marriage, (which didn’t take place fortunately) but just her desires were her life. She could not see anything wrong in that. And she was a very well read and quite intelligent woman. She was to come to see that it did matter indeed.

She told my friend’s brother when it all came crashing around her ears, that she didn’t want to have to keep the house clean, look after her baby and tend to his needs. She wasn’t harming anybody by reading and she couldn’t see what the fuss was about. We were incredulous that someone could be so self-centered and unenlightened about life. And totally indifferent to her child- not even a toy was in his cot the day we visited!

The washing would get done- eventually. The child would be fed- eventually. He would be taken to the doctor when he was suffering earache- eventually- but not before repeated ear infections made him deaf in one ear.

I couldn’t help but see the contrast between the Proverbs 31 woman and her. And I certainly wasn't evenly remotely close to this selfish woman. So I lightened up and relaxed a bit. I stopped being over perfectionistic and settled for a balanced approach. I enjoyed my children more. And I made sure that I never put off doing something just because I didn’t feel like doing it.

Now whenever I see a well-kept baby,  I always remember another one- a sad, hungry and dirty little baby boy with a mop of blonde curls and a dirty nappy. And I thank God that He gave him into his Daddy’s caring hands.

Looking back, I wish I could tell the younger me that I wasn't so bad after all!

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Ecclesiastes 10:18 “By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through,"

Choose joy.

 


A lot of horrible things have been happening in my life lately and although they have been resolved now, it has taken a toll on me.  I have not only suffered emotionally and physically, but spiritually as well.

You could say that the evil one has been working overtime to destroy me and what I hold most dear to me, and it has taken all my strength to withstand him and to be still standing. Even with God, it was most difficult.

With all the stress, my fibromyalgia flared, my immune system weakened and I succumbed to a (non Covid) upper respiratory infection that felt like the mumps or glandular fever again.

Under attack, I shot up arrow prayers as I gasped for air. It was an intensive battle.

I wrestled with the repercussions of the attack and slowly gained back ground: still standing, I admit I was bloodied and bruised and very wrung out and dry.

Depression overtook me for a while- depression brought on by the evilness of the attack on me and the depths of sin of man... and I struggled to comprehend it.

In prayer, I asked God how can someone- previously a friend, stoop so low as to not only betray but destroy a person? In response, the answer that came into my spirit was "Why be surprised?"

Indeed- Jesus would know the depth of sin and hardness of heart- and the sting of betrayal and deception. His answer gave me some peace and made me appreciate Him more than ever.

In order to get my peace back, I had to let go and let God take care of it. I had to let go of my hurt and let God soothe it. 

I had to let go of vengeful thoughts and let God handle it. I had to let go of thoughts of unforgiveness and let God give me strength to do it.  And He has.

You have to relinquish the desire to see payback in those who have hurt you by praying for them.. And I have.

Why am I writing about this? you ask. Because I would imagine that you are facing a dry spell and have lost your joy now or at some point in your life. And it is so hard to bloom and flourish again. But it's not impossible, in spite of what you feel and think you see. 

This was how I feel, written by a tweeter. "Just because I've been hurt doesn't mean I now have to live hurt. I can get mad and bitter and spread more hurt around. Or, I can choose forgiveness, grace and gentle responses and spread more hope around. Hurt people, hurt people. Healed people, heal people. And I choose to be in that latter group" 

There's a lot at stake in getting your life and peace back again. You have to relinquish control. You have to relinquish revenge. You have to relinquish self-pity and in so doing- you are allowing God to handle that which is most important to you- and you will eventually find a return of your peace and spiritual joy.

Getting your spiritual joy back again takes a lot of faith and prayer, reading the Word, praising the LORD and focusing on that which is true, and right, and just and honourable. But life without it, is a life endured, not lived. Choose joy.


© Glenys Robyn Hicks


‎"You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah." Psalm 32:7

Finding peace in this sad old world



It is a fact that we live in a fallen world. When Adam and Eve fell from grace, they set in motion a world of sin, death, disease and running from God. For the first time in creation, they hid themselves from God and were afraid.

Previously to the Fall, they had enjoyed fellowship with God. But with sin came separation from God with anxiety, endless toil, pain in birth, death and terrible diseases and tragedies.

This has continued to today and indeed the effect of the Fall has made earthly existence a bitter pill to swallow. No one is immune from sins' effects. Not one of us.

Trials will beset all of us and will surely come. We can do little to offset sins' effects, except pray and ask God for strength to overcome.

We know that He has overcome the effects of the Fall and we can rest assured in the work that Christ has done. By His sacrifice of Himself, He defeated sin and the Devil, giving us the assurance of an eternal Home with Him through believing and accepting His salvation.

But until He comes again, we are stuck with sins' effects and the trials we have in this world.

When we are going through a trial, whatever it is, we have the choice to run to God or run away from Him. We have the choice to worship God no matter what, or to whine or run from God in a petulant manner that alienates us from Him.

We forget that God is God and He is sovereign and as such, He can allow anything He wants in our life. Sometimes we can't figure it out either and it flies in direct opposition to the false teachings some of us have heard about claiming in faith what we want and it shall be so. It does not work like that.

We have to believe that God allows trials in our lives to bring us closer to Him. He wants us to run to Him for our strength. He wants us to grow in faith and godliness. He wants us to trust Him.

Running to God in trouble should be our first reaction, for there we will find help and there we will have our faith and love reinforced. There in Him will be peace, love and joy that is not dependent on our circumstances.

Running from God will result in the opposite and will invite anxiety, fear and alienation from a loving God Who wants us to trust Him and love Him.

Until He comes in glory, we need to stay close to our Saviour, no matter what comes our way. Like the saints of old, we can attest to finding joy and peace no matter what we experience in this sad old world.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks



The flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17b-18

Baby hunger and old ladies.

As a woman who is now a great-grandmother, I have come to realise that for most of us women, there is a deep desire to one day becoming a mother. It is how God created us.

Indeed, one sees this inherent virtue in young girls from the time they tenderly place blankets around their dollies or clasp a dolly to their breast in the first bloom of maternal love.

As is natural, after this first blooming, other factors come into play as they learn about the world, books and life. But the seed of maternal desire has been sowed and will spring up in later years.

Nurture of new life is a characteristic of womanhood and that nurturing endures for a lifetime. Ask any aged woman who has reared a family and she will tell you that it still presents itself. It presents itself in memories of her own children now grown, and later in her children's children. And if she is fortunate, in her grandchildren's children.

The ache for a baby to hold is still strong, even though the years for becoming a mother are well and truly gone. Each baby will be scrutinised, exclaimed over and rocked and the wonder of new life and a baby's sweet smell will transport a woman to earlier years and the time she first welcomed each new child of her own into her arms and life.

I remember once when we were at a wedding, my aged aunt begged me to allow her to hold my baby daughter, eagerly holding her arms out to receive her. At the time, I didn't realise how strong baby hunger is, until the last grandchild was born and my arms became empty.

There seem to be less babies these days, in part to feminism trying to tell us that a career is better than wiping little noses and bottoms and advise control of our fertility by having abortions. However, wherever there is a baby, you can be sure of two things- there will be other children and old ladies.

For the young ones, it brings a fascination born of that same inbuilt desire to love and nurture. But why old ladies? you ask. Because most times the God created desire to nurture and the love of new life remains long after the ability to beget children. A newborn brings back the memories of younger fertile years and the children born in that time. It makes her feel young again. Reborn. 

Enjoy your children and grandchildren and always get plenty of cuddles. Baby hunger will be easier to cope with if you get a full diet of infant cuddles while you are still young.... 

I promise, you will feel that longing to fill your empty arms with a baby one day as baby hunger is very real. 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks


He maketh the barren woman to keep house, [and to be] a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD. Psalm 113:9