Stop. Reset.

Stop.

Reset.

Recalibrate.

Release.

Run.

This was the message heard at our church last night. It came with a huge challenge to my own heart. Do I need to stop and listen for The Scottish Promise? Do my heart and focus need a reset?

I found the answer to be yes.

As I'm sure you have noticed, it's been a while since we have sent out a newsletter. Truthfully, we have had little in the way of news to tell, or so it has seemed. We have in the last year hunkered right down on getting the house ready for retreat guests, putting in a new bathroom just outside the guest rooms, rennovating two other bathrooms, and embarking on the mammoth task of repapering the walls and recoating all the woodwork in the main part of the house. We've also been insulating and finishing the garage to be used as a workshop, and that project is well on its way to completion as well. While we are not quite finished with the last two, and while it feels like the list is growing rather than shrinking of things to do in the house, it seemed a good time to pause and reflect on last night's message.

The challenge was to stop. Stop and listen to the voice of God. Stop and look for direction and guidance. And, where necessary, reset. Reset the vision. Reset the mindset. Reset the goals to be sure they align with God's will. Today I stopped. I asked the Lord to speak. And He did.

The truth is that while we are prepping for the 'launch' of The Scottish Promise, we are also living life. We do church, and work, and have friends. We clean the house. We do the gardening. Somehow, in our quiet little town in the north of Scotland, we have become busy. Some of our busyness is doing the necessary work in the house. Some of it is attempting to keep up with bills and commitments at church, and people we love. But in all of it, it has felt too easy to stop focussing on the vision God gave us for The Scottish Promise. To stop listening for His daily guidance. Today, I stopped and listened. And I did my best not to finish His sentences, but rather to hear what He is saying for today and be content with doing that. Today, He told me to go back and work on the website. And to send a newsletter. And so here I am editing the site and writing to you all.

We are not perfect people putting on a retreat for broken people. We are humble believers just trying to follow Jesus closely, even if we need to stop and reset periodically. And we hope to invite into our home other believers who need to do just the same - stop and reset. And rest and be restored.

I praise God for His patience with me, as I feel like He teaches me the same lesson time and again. Stopping isn't always easy. Resetting is sometimes downright difficult. I know that eventually there will be Recalibrate, Release and Run. But if I am truly trying to reset the way I do things and listen without finishing God's sentences, those will have to wait until He wants to speak about them. In the meantime, I'm working on the website and finishing this newsletter. Tomorrow I will need to stop and listen again.

Hoping this letter finds you all well,

Karyn (and Daniel) Sunderland

PS - In case any of you would like to see the work we've been doing, here are some photos!