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"I've put my life in your hands, you won't drop me, you'll never let me down....... I hate all this silly religion, but you God I trust" Psalm 31: 3 & 5 The Message

I cut a couple of my fingers yesterday with an umbrella (don't ask...). It hurts! Today everything I've tried to do hurts or has opened up the cuts again. To be honest I'd have been quite happy to have spent the day with my hands in my pockets!

We all carry wounds with us; some old and healing, others fresh and raw. Things kick us in these wounds and knock the tops off our scabs. Sometimes we take two steps forward in healing, only to take a giant leap back into pain and confusion. Sometimes all we want to do is protect ourselves and hide from anything that might hurt us again.

But sometimes healing only comes through exercising the painful muscle or joint - those who have had a hip replacement are encouraged onto their feet very soon after their operation even though it hurts - because healing will come faster through facing the pain - and laying immobile may actually cause more harm. Sometimes we need to be brave and risk things that hurt - risk those steps forward and back - possibly even falling over in order to heal.......

I know this - I carry 'trust' hurts because of big things that have happened to and around me over the last few years. I also know that my wounds are fragile and my scars are easily knocked off. Every time this happens I face a daily battle to trust people again and not give in to that temptation to protect myself by putting my hands in those preverbial pockets........ I know that to give in to this temptation will damage me and my relationships with others and my God - so I battle on - offering my trust as a gift, and cherishing the trust of others - as who knows what unseen wounds they themselves carry.............

"To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved" George MacDonald