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Have you ever heard of the story of the ugly duckling? If you haven’t it’s simply a children’s tale about we grow as we age; about how we can start off looking one way but will grow into something quite different.

The moral of the story, for me, at least, is to not let our children think they can become what they want to be, just because they want to. 

It's a bit like stating that Santa Clause is real. Harmless? Not really - not if we convince them that he really is real, and the reason for Christmas: a lie is a lie is a lie.

Each of us may look at who we are and think we are rubbish.

Let me state something wonderfully true here: you are not rubbish! Because God CAN NOT make rubbish!!

If you want to see your full potential, surrender your life to God – the one who, literally, hand made you; hand designed you.

His own version of you at your best is always going to be better than anything you can dream of.

If you think a duckling growing in to a swan is amazing, and God loves the animals He spoke into being and created, what can God do with you if you allow Him to.

Just a thought…

Andy B

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Happy Easter!

It is Easter time and so the BerryBunch celebrating Easter this weekend.

You can watch any of our programmes, anytime, anywhere for free at www.berrybunch.org

You can also catch the BerryBunch on Konnect Radio from 3pm-6 pm on Easter Sunday for Family Focus. And as if that was not enough, there is more exciting news….

BerryBunch at Spring Harvest with Konnect Radio

The BerryBunch will be at Spring Harvest in Minehead from Easter Monday for a week at the Konnect Radio stands. You can listen to some live shows from Spring Harvest on Konnect Radio or if you are around pop and see the BerryBunch at the Konnect stand or trailer – we would love to see you.

Wherever you are this Easter Time, the BerryBunch want to say:

HAPPY EASTER!

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Have you ever witnessed somebody become a Christian? I’ve been privileged to see this quite a few times. Each occasion was utterly different from the next. But the one thing that always followed that moment of saying ‘yes’ to Jesus Christ was an inescapable, infectious, impossible to miss joy!

When I was at school I vividly remember someone trying to ask me a question. I say trying, as it was more accusational than inquisitive. Their conclusion, simply, was that I was weak because I only used my faith as a crutch. When I told them that they were quite correct, that evidently was not the answer they had hoped for, as they were left just a little surprised.

Life can be pretty tough. There is so much that can cause us to feel anxious and to hide away from danger! But since there will never be enough cotton wool for that, what is the solution for those of us who know Jesus Christ?

That’s where Joy comes in. Fun is great, but joy is everlasting and doesn’t depend on our circumstances.

I’m not naïve enough to think that things don’t come along that make us feel as though we can’t breathe because of what is happening around us, or to us – I survived the largest mainland bomb in British history so I know life can be suddenly, dramatically, life defining and terrifying. 

But I also know that, with Jesus Christ, there is always a tomorrow, and that is just as exciting as the joy we can experience today.

Just a thought… 

Andy B

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From football to tiddly winks, what gets you excited? We’ve all that got one thing gets us on our feet and shouting. For some it’s football, or perhaps tiddly winks is your thing. If tiddly winks is new to you, google it – I won’t spoil the surprise!

If you’ve ever been to the football (soccer) terraces of your local football club then you’ll know the sort of excitement I’m talking about. It’s pretty much the only thing which seems to excite the passion in us British folks. Although the tiddly wink scene can get pretty brutal too, I’m sure.

In church we should be seeing those same levels of passion. I know it exists – just like at the excitement of the Jewish people who set out to kill Jesus, an innocent man. All because they allowed their excitement to spill over to murder.

Excitement is a state of being that can be either good or bad. But, in church, we should be seeing similar levels of excitement to that of the football terraces.

At best, at a football match, your team might score a goal. They might even be sitting at the tippet top of a leader board. And as exciting as that evidently is, it will never even come close to the excitement when someone has chosen to follow Jesus, and experience a life – on earth – of peach, hope and joy, because they have a certainty of their future.

Why don’t we see the levels of excitement in church, that we can see on the football terraces? If we can get excited about 22 people running around in front of us for our entertainment, shouldn’t we striving for similar levels of excitement in our churches?

Just a thought… 

Andy B

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There was a built bridge. It was over a river, but they knew that there were some pretty fierce so it was decided, using the best knowledge available, to make that bridge SUPER strong - it was so solid they knew it would never struggle against the winds.

Until the winds came.

Before it really ever got used it had collapsed into the water below.

When they worked out why it had collapsed, it was simply too strong for it’s own good. It was built so strong, in fact, that it could not cope with the winds.

Today we know that buildings need to be able to move, to breathe, to flex. Take a look after an earthquakes and you’ll see the buildings that were built to be less strong by just being solid, but to be flexible and malleable instead and it is those buildings which survive.

When tough times come it’s only natural to harden ourselves so we can’t be hurt the same way twice. There can be an element of wisdom, but it all too often makes us break under pressure.

It is the same in our Christian faith. Being strong can be helpful. But flexible is always better as a posture for buildings, bridges and people.

When we are flexible we can adapt and adjust. When we are rigid in our thinking, we will eventually break: stronger doesn’t mean better…

Just a thought… 

Andy B

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In this episode of Endurance, Steven and Nathan are looking into the fact that we are not invincible.

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

#GoDeeper

Steven begins this week’s GoDeeper with Isaiah 40:30-31, which says that even youths will stumble and fall. In other words, even the strongest and fittest of us will grow tired. He then gives two examples from his own life which illustrate this.

He then challenges us to go to God for strength. In addition to this, he recommends seeking help from other people. Finally, he concludes with Joshua 1:7, which tells us to be strong and courageous, but also to follow God’s commands.

#GoDo

Nathan and Steven discuss this week’s topic in greater detail:

1. Another Scripture relevant to our topic might be “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.”
2. God gives us spiritual strength. But sometimes He gives us physical strength.

We also recommend that you listen to “Invincible” by Skillet – it’s a great song.

Check out this week’s episode to learn how to get back up again when we stumble and fall.

Steven and Nathan

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

Andy B and Jo are back for another brand new and improved format of Marriage Matters. In this first episode in this series of Marriage Matters, Andy B and Jo take a look at free time within our marriages – noting the importance of investing time with our spouses.

Andy highlights the importance of quality not quantity when it comes to time we have with each other. 

This week, Andy B reads from Ecclesiastes, which talks about there being a time for everything:

• Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

The Take Away

Andy

Our children will thank us when we invest time into our marriages as a priority and above time with families.

Jo

We need to prayer and think seriously about the time we have and how to spend it and not let life just happen or let precious time pass us by.

Andy and Jo

This video will always be best enjoyed on our website: https://www.berrybunch.org/Articles/651932/S03E001_Down_Time.aspx

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If you had to write a biography about yourself what would it say and how easy would you find such an exercise.

God tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made; that He hand made us on purpose and for a purpose.

So, if you were saying who God had made you to be, how would you go about that?

I’m currently writing something of a professional biography, not a super short one. But I struggle to speak the truth about what I am good at for the most part.

I’m quite comfortable saying I’m really good at creating complicated church services that are suitable for a massive range of ages that are popular, and yet I struggle to describe other things with such clarity.

I’m certain part of my issues is that I’m British, and the British are, if nothing else, incredibly reserved as a rule.

We’ve done some amazing things and led the field in so many areas. And yet, when it comes to talking about ourselves, we would do well to take some lessons from our American friends, who are so much more natural at saying what they are able to do, or not.

So, if you were writing a bio about yourself, what would it say?

Feel free to leave it in the comments if you like as I’d love to read who God has made you to be 😊.

Just a thought… 

Andy B

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BerryBytes Newsletter

BerryBytes is back! That’s our weekly Newsletter to keep you up to date with everything going in the world of the BerryBunch.

Even better, however, is the new website we’ve recently migrated to which gave us the time to redesign the Newsletter to make it even better.

Sign up, for free – we’ll never give you details to anybody else, and you’ll be sure to receive that will brighten your day and that you’ll want to share with your friends.

Marriage Matters – Season 3!!

After a longer than planned absence – due to the launch of our brand new website in February 2023, the Marriage Matters podcast will be back.

Andy and Jo will kick off this new Season, looking at “Down Time” and how that should influence our marriages.

Tune in from 4pm, on Saturdays.

Keep in Touch

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So, to make sure you never miss out on our latest posts, videos and BerryBunch News, just sign up to BerryBytes – our Weekly Newsletter and you’ll be up to date everything we produce: For Free, For All!

The BerryBunch

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Let’s go somewhere controversial. It shouldn’t be, but it is. So, let’s get this out at the beginning.

Evolution is not true!

It isn’t false because I say it is. Even Charles Darwin stated it was only a theory – and a theory that has never been proven to be true. Actually, the opposite has happened. But, let’s stick to the facts here.

I’m telling you the theory of evolution isn’t true because God told us how He made the world, in just 6 days with a 7th day - when He rested.

You can argue with me, but you can’t argue with God! Well, not unless you want to call Him a liar and I don’t recommend that!

Most importantly, because we can trust God in Genesis chapter 1, we can trust Him when He also states that each on of us was hand made by Him, and that we – every one of us – has a purpose.

Here’s something we can know absolutely without doubt: God does not make rubbish, so you are precious and valuable and have a purpose that is world changing!

Just a thought… 

Andy B

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