Andy B Podcasts and Stuff

What's coming up in our next Endurance Podcast?

On this episode, we explain the concept of spiritual maintenance.

Endurance is your weekly spiritual workout, whether you think of yourself as a beginner, an intermediate, or advanced!

Join us for Endurance: Sundays from 4pm!

Steven and Nathan

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Catch us on Konnect Radio for our weekly show - Family Focus: Sundays, 3 til 6pm

What's coming up in our next Marriage Matters Podcast?

In this episode of Marriage Matters, Andy B and Jo look at who does what in our relationships – to putting the bin out, cleaning, cooking, staying at home, going out to work and more – not an exhaustive list!

Join us for Marriage Matters: Saturdays from 4pm

Andy and Jo

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Catch us on Konnect Radio for our weekly show - Family Focus: Sundays, 3 til 6pm

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Feelings can’t be relied upon. They lie to us, they overwhelm us and they can deceive us. What we feel, no matter how strong it may be, can change at the drop of a hat - or in the blink of an eye. You get the idea!

Over the last weekend, as a family, we accomplished an awful lot. Including our usual set of videos to film for the BerryBunch, our regular show for Konnect Radio, chopping the best part of a month’s worth of firewood ready for the winter.

All in all, with exercise, cooking, sleeping and resting, it was a very full, and satisfyingly busy, weekend.

And yet, by Monday morning my feelings were getting me down as I could only focus on those things we hadn’t done; a very small list: I’m sure I’m not the only one who can struggle this. In reality, my feelings – as powerful as they were – were wrong.

So, I did the only thing I could do – I phoned a friend! Ok, it was Facebook Messenger, but the point is the same – I chatted about how I was feeling with a trusted friend – Alan, who write over on his blog, Devotional Treasures. And I wanted to share with you the two pieces of golden advice that he gave me:

1. Put some worship music on (my personal choice would almost always be Skillet, played rather loud)
2. Read the book of Philippians (slowly and deliberately).

Reading those precious words of scripture brought my focus back to God and, in doing so, brought my eyes to the large pile of wood we now have – ready to go in our log burner in the coming weeks and months.

We all need an Alan in our life. And, if you haven’t got someone you can talk to, who can challenge and encourage you, pray for someone who can fill that need.

Just a thought… 

Andy B

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Following on from my last Andy B 2 Minute Video – Weather Forecasts and Wet Faces Part 1 – I’m thinking more about how we come across to other people. People might read a biography about you, then meet you and discover you are simply not who you say you are. And that is never a good thing!

Because, as Christians, we’re called to be in this world but not of it. To me, simply, that means we’re supposed to live and work and breathe on this planet like everybody else, but that we should be standing out. Being experts at camouflage is something we should not be excelling in: as followers of Jesus Christ we simply can not just blend into the background until someone asks us about our faith. That is just not how we should be living!

Jesus died so we could live bold lives worth living. Not timid lives that are never even noticed.

Of course, we should not go around preaching at people loudly and pointing out how terrible they are; remember that when you point a finger at someone, you’re also pointing 4 fingers right back at yourself! Judging others is something we should leave to God. Making judgements, of course, is an absolutely essential part of Christian living, and something we are commanded to do by God: being the person that nobody wants to come near is absolutely not what we are called to do. Moreover, the bible instructs those of us who love Jesus to live peaceable lives so we can win others to Jesus.

We should, therefore, be authentic examples of people who love Jesus; who are at peace with the world around them; who put others first; who have a sacrificial approach serving others ahead of ourselves. 

In short, we should be like Jesus – willing to die so that others may have life. That death might be as simple us losing our unwillingness for our colleagues to know that we believe prayer is critical to a life worth living.

Just yesterday a doctor in the UK won his legal case – the judgement, at the end of a 4 year period of his life, stated that he has the right to offer prayer to his patients. And he absolutely should! He has gone through what can only be described as a hellish time as saw his job, his lifestyle, his livelihood on the chopping block. But, he also, clearly, knew it was worthwhile because, above all else, we all need Jesus – every single one of us.

Just a thought… 

Andy B

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We rely on forecasts for so many things. From weather forecasts for planting crops to financial forecasting to know where our finances will be. Forecasting can cost ridiculous amounts of money for the most accurate types.

But, the thing about forecasts is, no matter how expertly they done, they can be utterly and tragically wrong!

We hear ‘the facts about…’, delivered in such a way that we know we shouldn’t question it. But, question it we should!

You see, no matter how good as the computer is - providing whatever forecast we want - it is only as good as the data is given – supplied by humans, and as good as the programming is, supplied by humans.

And we humans are oh so very fallible!

We hear terms like ‘The facts about evolution’ but, at best, it is simply a theory that has never been proven.

We hear terms like ‘The facts about climate change’ and yet, at best, it is impossible to state anything that bold and suggest it is anything more than a theory.

We need to be so careful when we hear about facts – too many have been proven incorrect.

Plus, we can not read the future any better than we can know if it will rain tomorrow or not.

However, there is hope! If you want to know if it is raining, there is a sure fire way to know – stick your head out of a window. If it’s wet, it’s raining. If it’s dry, it isn’t.

As far as predictions go, they’re super useful and I use several of them for all sorts of purposes from financial planning to putting the washing out!

But treat predictions as what they are otherwise referred to…a guess.

Just a thought… 

Andy B

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While repairing the seat hinge on one of our toilets a couple of things occurred to me.

Well, to be honest 3 things occurred to me.

Firstly, that I needed to clean the toilet soon!

Secondly, that it’s worth remembering the next time I use a toilet in someone else’s home to check if they have a slow close toilet seat like we do - to avoid any embarrassing toilet loud crashes and potential breakages!

Thirdly, it’s really easy to know we have our feet planted exactly where we thought they were – right next to God. But, we can find ourselves turning our head, one tiny bit at a time until, eventually, we’re wondering where God is.

As ever, He is exactly where we last looked – right next to us!

The hinge on our toilet seat doesn’t go out of alignment quickly. It takes several months. Once you notice it not working quite right it’s really easy to make it work properly again – you just have to get the hinges a tiny bit of attention (one of them simply needs pushing back where it belongs – perhaps just 1 centimetre).

And so it is with our relationship God – it is super easy to lost sight of where He is. It is also, mercifully, even easier to find Him again.

How? Just take a pause and listen – much like the way bubbles always rise on water, so is the voice of God always evident. It just takes us standing still and listening.

Just a thought… 

Andy B

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On this episode, we focus on the concept of Godly competition.

Endurance is your weekly spiritual workout, whether you think of yourself as a beginner, an intermediate, or advanced!

#GoDeeper

Steven begins GoDeeper this week, by giving examples of competition in everyday life. He briefly reminisces over Queen Elizabeth’s entrance to the 2012 Olympic games.

Steven gives us one of his favourite accounts in Scripture, compares competitiveness to pride using an example from his own life, and warns against cheating. He also warns spectators against favouritism.

Ultimately, he challenges us all to be good sports.

#GoDo

For the final segment, Nathan asks Steven some questions about his talk:

1.I gather competition usually makes us perform better, whether that be in exercise, business, or other areas. Is that right?
2.I suppose good, Godly competition must be accompanied by humility and gentleness?
3.Are you sure you beat me home that time you mentioned?

Check out this week’s episode to find out how Steven answers Nathan’s questions.

Steven and Nathan

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Catch us on Konnect Radio for our weekly show - Family Focus: Sundays, 3 til 6pm

Introduction

Andy B and Jo return to Money Matters in Marriage Matters this week – matters about Money that matters because Money matters in Marriage, just like matters about marriage matters!

Jo starts with reviewing Part 1 and highlights how finances have been a top reason for arguments in marriages and reminding us that there are around 2000 scripture verses relating to money – so must be important!

There were some muddled matters in this week’s Marriage Matters, but in the end Andy B delivered on some scriptures to help us:

• Hebrews 13:5-6
• Proverbs 23:4
• Luke 12:24

• The Power of a Praying Wife – Stormie Omartian – chapter on finances (https://www.stormieomartian.com/)
• The Power of a Praying Husband – Stormie Omartian- chapter on finances (https://www.stormieomartian.com/)

The Take Away

Andy – Andy was reminded of the importance to always ensure faith was a part of our financial planning as Christians. We simply shouldn’t ever approach our finances, without also remembering that God is interested in both our needs, and our provision.

Jo - Having been brought up to value money more than is wise, Jo was struck by the fact that God has never failed her, and how God cares for even the sparrows – as the bible reminds us.

Andy and Jo

Keep in Touch with the BerryBunch
www.berrybunch.org

Support Us Online
www.berrybunch.org/supportus

Catch us on Konnect Radio for our weekly show - Family Focus: Sundays, 3 til 6pm

What's coming up in our next Endurance Podcast?

On this episode, we explain the concept of spiritual maintenance.

Endurance is your weekly spiritual workout, whether you think of yourself as a beginner, an intermediate, or advanced!

Join us for Endurance: Sundays from 4pm!

Steven and Nathan

Keep in Touch with the BerryBunch
www.berrybunch.org

Support Us Online
www.berrybunch.org/supportus

Catch us on Konnect Radio for our weekly show - Family Focus: Sundays, 3 til 6pm

Send us Fan Mail

In 1996 my girlfriend, and I, were walking through the central heart of Manchester City Centre. We had noticed a very heavy police presence, and police helicopters flying overhead but we had no clue what was shortly coming!

There was a sudden crack, and a thunderous noise - with a shockwave I’ve never been able to verbalise. People were screaming and glass panels, many times larger than a person, were falling dangerously close. One strike from any one of those panes would have killed you outright.

Jo and I were standing underneath those panels as they fell to the ground.

All in all we got off fairly lightly – I only had to deal with a pounding, excruciating headache that never abated, for several weeks. I was told I got off lighter than many other people.

The initial blast sent me into shock. Meanwhile, my cool as a cucumber girlfriend, found us a way out of Central Manchester – a City she did not know. Her shock, and tears, would come later.

We had survived the largest, ever, British mainland bomb in history. I went on to marry that woman and she is now my wife, Jo. Told you she was a ‘good ‘un’.

You can never know how you’ll behave at high altitudes, or when a bomb goes off!

Our vastly different responses to a shock have been repeated many times over the years, although we’ve only had to survive one bomb blast so far.

About a week ago we found out we were going to face a sizable loss to our income. The timing couldn’t have been worse: I reacted with panic, and Jo didn’t seem to notice. Again, her shock would come out later.

As a family we’ve been living by faith for quite a good number of years. What I mean by that is that we don’t go out of way to ensure we have enough money but, by doing what God has asked us – and serving Him with [my] time, we are utterly dependent upon Him for all that we need. 

But that situation has passed. We’ve had two gifts, and we can now get through the month.

Situations change and I’ve always said that living one day at a time is too much because life can change in a second!

So, when panic mounts upon you, try and stand still long enough to let God rescue you.

If you’re facing a bear, or even a charging cow, running away can be the most dangerous thing you can do. Standing still can save your life. And that works for our lives as Christians too.

So, don’t be in too much of a rush to help God fix your situation – give Him the right to intervene in His timing. And, don’t be too hard on yourself on not reacting well. Just give it to God and move on.

Just a thought… 

Andy B

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Keep in Touch with the BerryBunch
www.berrybunch.org

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