K is for Kindness

So we come to such an important way to wellbeing. Kindness. For me this is what love looks like so often. It is certainly what we practice in our Renew spaces. In the chapter about kindness I talk about "chesed" .. the Hebrew word for God's lovingkindness . I think because I haven't always been very kind to myself in my words and thoughts I have sometimes not majored on how very KIND God is . I think I felt He was mostly a bit disappointed in me but loved me anyway . But through the kindness of others and the steadiness of meditating on His love I am coming to believe that His kindness extends to me , to everyone in real attitudes , words and actions. His Kindness took Him to the cross. His kindness offers me forgiveness and a new start each day, His kindness means He sings over me even when I'm definitely doing nothing to earn his love.

The kindness I have received through friends, family and strangers helps me to see the character of God more clearly. You will hopefully have loads of stories of a time someone has been kind to you in some way. It can be hard to receive if you are not kind to yourself but the more you do receive the kind word, the kind act , the more you give the kind word, the kind act , the more you see the kindness of God.

I speak of your kindness in your Renew spaces in the vlog. And I thank you so very much. But there is also the random kindness of strangers that we can be part of , giving or receiving. I tell the story of the person who so kindly brought round 3 bags of toys one Christmas when money was tight and just left them on our doorstep. But there have also been small things: the smile of a passing dog walker, the person who stops to help when you drop something, the anonymous money gift put through the door.

Never underestimate the kindness factor . If you feel prompted to do and say something kind , go for it. If someone is kind to you , receive it with thankfulness.

This Renew movement is a prayer movement and a kindness revolution. Thank you for your part in helping me see more clearly the kindness of God.

Thanks to Nathan Lemon at Unsplash for the image .