Start the day Archives - Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham https://southwell.anglican.org/category/start-the-day/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:04:17 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://southwell.anglican.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/cropped-Church-of-England-logo-4k-sticky-32x32.png Start the day Archives - Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham https://southwell.anglican.org/category/start-the-day/ 32 32 Guard Your Heart | Start the Month in June with Bishop Paul and Sarah (193) https://southwell.anglican.org/guard-your-heart-start-the-month-in-june-with-bishop-paul-and-sarah-193/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:04:14 +0000 https://southwell.anglican.org/?p=17897 ‘Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.’ Proverbs 4:23 What does it mean to guard our hearts? In Start the Month for June, Bishop Paul and Sarah reflect on Proverbs 4, reminding us that we can guard our hearts by filling it with good things, above all with God’s wisdom from His Word. Bishop Paul and Sarah also share with us a worship song from ‘God Behind Bars’, an organisation that brings the message […]

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]]> Turn Your Focus to Him | Start the Month in May with Bishop Paul and Sarah (192) https://southwell.anglican.org/turn-your-focus-to-him-start-the-month-in-may-with-bishop-paul-and-sarah-192/ Fri, 01 May 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://southwell.anglican.org/?p=17607 “I lift my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” In May’s Start the Month, Bishop Paul and Sarah open up Psalm 121, a prayer that reminds us of the confidence we have in the Lord whatever our circumstances. They encourage us to turn our focus to God each new day as he is our helper who watches over us for all of our […]

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]]> Start the Month in January with Bishop Paul and Sarah (189) – 6th February 2026 https://southwell.anglican.org/start-the-month-in-january-with-bishop-paul-and-sarah-189-6th-february-2026/ Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:02:36 +0000 https://southwell.anglican.org/?p=16677 ‘Are you more focused on what human beings are getting wrong in the world, than what a good God is making right?’ Gary Haugen, IJM In February’s Start the Month, Bishop Paul and Sarah share from Psalm 37, reflecting how our confidence and trust can remain firmly in the Lord in moments of difficulty and desperation. Using David’s words in the Psalm as a guide, they share three practices to build into our lives: be consistent in prayer, wait patiently […]

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]]> Start the Month in January with Bishop Paul and Sarah (188) – 2nd January 2026 https://southwell.anglican.org/start-the-month-in-january-with-bishop-paul-and-sarah-188-2nd-january-2026/ Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:06:41 +0000 https://southwell.anglican.org/?p=16338 ‘Blessed is the one…whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on his law day and night.’ Psalm 1:2 In a special Start the Month for January and the New Year, join Bishop Paul and Sarah as they walk in Southwell and read from Psalm 1, reflecting on the blessings that flow to us through Jesus. Psalm 1 opens a door into all the blessings that flow to us from Christ, and inspires us to keep […]

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]]> Start the Day on Christmas Eve with Bishop Paul and Sarah (187) – 24th December 2025 https://southwell.anglican.org/start-the-day-on-christmas-eve-with-bishop-paul-and-sarah-187-24th-december-2025/ Wed, 24 Dec 2025 08:45:00 +0000 https://southwell.anglican.org/?p=16333 ‘God doesn’t leave things to chance – he creates order and beauty out of chaos’ In this special Start the Day message on Christmas Eve, Bishop Paul and Sarah reflect on the angels appearing to the shepherds in Luke 2 – a moment where heaven breaks into the ordinary and the shepherds’ eyes are opened to a wonder that changes their perspective. As we look at the chaos around the world or in our own lives, Bishop Paul and Sarah […]

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]]> Start the Month in November with Bishop Paul and Sarah (186) – 7th November 2025 https://southwell.anglican.org/start-the-month-in-november-with-bishop-paul-and-sarah-186-7th-november-2025/ Fri, 07 Nov 2025 16:02:36 +0000 https://southwell.anglican.org/?p=15868 “My heart, O God, is steadfast.” Psalm 108:1 Where do you draw your confidence from? In Start the Month for November, Bishop Paul and Sarah reflect on Psalm 108, exploring how and where we find confidence in God. In the psalm, David’s confidence is grounded in his experience of God’s steadfast love, and we too can steady our hearts in that same love when we need courage to face new opportunities and challenges. Bishop Paul and Sarah encourage us this […]

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]]> Start the Month in October with Bishop Paul and Sarah (185) – 3rd October 2025 https://southwell.anglican.org/start-the-month-in-october-with-bishop-paul-and-sarah-185-3rd-october-2025/ Fri, 03 Oct 2025 07:30:00 +0000 https://southwell.anglican.org/?p=15536 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26 In Start the Month for October, Bishop Paul and Sarah reflect on Psalm 73. Bishop Paul describes ‘four golden verses’ in which the psalmist is compelled to set aside self-interest to be set free by love for God. These verses remind us of the wonder of knowing Jesus, and the eternal hope that He holds out to us. Bishop […]

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]]> Start the Month in September with Bishop Paul and Sarah (184) – 5th September 2025 https://southwell.anglican.org/start-the-month-in-september-with-bishop-paul-and-sarah-184-5th-september-2025/ Fri, 05 Sep 2025 09:32:52 +0000 https://southwell.anglican.org/?p=15323 ‘There is a point where we need to decide to let ourselves be loved by God’ In this special Start the Month for September, Bishop Paul and Sarah read from Psalm 45 and reflect on the difference it makes to daily life when we truly know how deeply we are loved by God. His love inspires confidence and brings courage, especially in new seasons of opportunity or challenge. Our prayer is that, as you watch this Start the Month, you […]

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]]> Start the Month in August with Bishop Paul and Sarah (183) – 1st August 2025 https://southwell.anglican.org/start-the-month-in-august-with-bishop-paul-and-sarah-183-1st-august-2025/ Fri, 01 Aug 2025 07:21:52 +0000 https://southwell.anglican.org/?p=15090 ‘Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.’ Psalm 4:3 As we enter August, a month that often invites rest and refreshment, Bishop Paul and Sarah reflect on Psalm 4, reminding us of God’s joy and peace that is available to us whatever our circumstances. They share how in the Psalm, David draws confidence from the fact that God desires him and hears his cry for help. This […]

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]]> Start the Month in July with Bishop Paul and Sarah (182) – 4th July 2025 https://southwell.anglican.org/start-the-month-in-may-with-bishop-paul-and-sarah-182-4th-july-2025/ Fri, 04 Jul 2025 10:13:07 +0000 https://southwell.anglican.org/?p=14768 ‘Blaze, Spirit blaze, set our hearts on fire’ Do you feel the fire of God’s love burning brightly, or perhaps you feel like your faith is flickering? As they stand near the old fireplaces of Archbishop’s Palace, in Start the Month for July Bishop Paul and Sarah reflect on how God meets us where we are and can rekindle the fire in our hearts. Drawing on the book of Job, they share how despite the struggles and sufferings we may […]

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