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Take a moment and remind yourself of one of the greatest things about the winter months – a real fire! This is challenging if you don’t have a real fire, so find one and then switch off all the so-called advancements of modern technology and take a few moments to just stare at the fire and be still.

Constantly we are influenced by advertisers and the media to seek ‘more,’ yet deep down we know that the ‘more’ they try to sell us doesn’t actually meet our deeper needs. At this point, if we are courageous, we have a moment of opportunity to ask searching questions. Unconsciously we can buy into a system which has been hyped up by a fast-moving, instant-reward culture, so that we are addicted to a need for excitement.

Without ‘winter fire’ moments our lives can take on a recurring pattern alternating between boom and bust. The bubble bursts and we seek the next hit as we deny our inner turmoil. Through rest the human soul is refreshed, creativity re-emerges, relationships are strengthened and, most of all, we find space to reflect on how we are living and on our relationship with our Creator and our neighbour! We need to stop and find rest. Only that way will we find the inspiration, creative energy and vision to engage authentically with God’s world.