Dog Collar Disciple

23/11/2023

True Story. Today one of my beagles wee-d in the toilet. 🚽

Now let me stop you there. ✋

Before you get all excited and ask, “wow, how did you train it to do that?!” 😮 🤔

It was all over the floor. 💧 🤦‍♂️

11/11/2023

SATURDAY SONG

As the week draws to a close here is a song that I came across this week which has really blessed me.

I like it because the three verses express something about who each person of the Trinity is in relation to us. I like that it acknowledges we are sinners who had “hopelessly lost our way”, yet are now the Father’s own who hunger for his healing and grace, and respond in praise “falling before Your throne”.

Have a read and a listen. And may you be blessed by the truth it conveys.

https://youtu.be/ehsgNqE-wlU?si=N2L8x5yoF-aApAKf

Wonderful, merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb
Could rescue the souls of men
Oh, You rescue the souls of men

Counselor, Comforter, Keeper
Spirit we long to embrace
You offer hope when our hearts have
Hopelessly lost our way
Oh, we've hopelessly lost the way

You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for

Almighty, infinite Father
Faithfully loving Your own
Here in our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne
Oh, we're falling before Your throne

You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for

Songwriters: Dawn Rodgers / Eric Wyse
Wonderful, Merciful Savior lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing

08/11/2023

If my beagles were to engage in spiritual disciplines, I reckon one they’d certainly turn their nose up at would be FASTING. Beagles love food! And mine certainly exercise no restraint whenever there is something to chow down on.

Like my beagles, fasting is something I’ve largely given a miss over the past 22 years of following Jesus. I have fairly regularly practiced abstinence (giving things up for a season) but fasting (depriving the body of food) is one I have only dabbled in sporadically.

Early last year I found myself, on some weeks, taking a day where I would intentionally miss lunch and spend that time praying into three specific things for God to breakthrough. This included: needs of others known to me, family situations and provision in the local church. God in his kindness answered many of these prayers, sometimes quite remarkably.

In recent months I started listening to the Rule of Life podcast from Practicing The Way and specifically the four part season on fasting. This has inspired me to have a go again at fasting and to explore how this could become part of a regular weekly rhythm as I seek to pattern my life more and more on the way of Jesus.

It’s been fascinating to learn that for over a millennium and a half it was normal for Christians to fast two days per week (usually Wednesdays and Fridays) from sunset to sundown. For the majority of Christians in the West, post the Enlightenment, fasting has not played a big part (or any part) in our spiritual rhythms. And yet Jesus fasted and assumed his disciples would…. What might it look like for the church here in the UK to rediscover this ancient spiritual discipline? Might it not only deepen our walk with the Lord individually but also be a catalyst for much needed renewal in the church and revival in the land?

Is the Holy Spirit stirring you to explore this spiritual discipline in your walk with Jesus?

I’m currently facilitating the four week experience ‘The Fasting Practice’ by Practicing The Way. It’s a great way to explore this spiritual discipline and I’m finding much delight and blessing through learning, reflecting and practicing fasting with six of my church family who are hungry for God. It’s well worth checking out.

14/01/2023

I have reached 200 followers! I really should do some more posts!

05/11/2022

‘DAY OFF’, DELIGHT & DIGITAL DETOX

I have recently been doing some reading on, thinking about and (most importantly) practicing of the sabbath… In a world of hurry where busyness is idolised, what does it mean for me to more fully embrace a one in seven day of rest as God intends? What might it look like in my life? And how can I implement some consistent practices or habits to live this out?

Here are a few thoughts and I’ll post some more as I journey on in this…

DAY OFF
I have decided to be intentional about talking about my Fridays as ‘sabbath’ rather than a ‘day off’. For many years I have faithfully practiced the ‘day off’ as a day of no parish work. I have lived out what this one in seven day is not but I am not sure how fruitful I have been in living out what this day is. By defining this day in the negative, I have created a mental association of it being solely a day void of any parish work and not had a good framework to enable me to consistently embrace it positively. A ‘day off’ is just that. Sabbath is so much more…

DELIGHT
I am finding the fourfold definition of Sabbath as: STOP, REST, DELIGHT & WORSHIP (see John Mark Comer’s Practicing The Way) helpful, particularly ‘Delight’. It has been something of a revelation to me that the sabbath isn’t designed to be a day of household chores and (food) shopping. How liberating! So often the ‘day off’ would be filled with jobs that need doing but now I am endeavouring to do those necessary tasks on other days and rather engage in something that doesn’t have to be done yet brings delight. So in my case that’s re-embracing my enjoyment of cooking for pleasure, particularly curries. (It was not a chore nor a necessity to make this aubergine balti, but it was a delight to do and to eat!)

DIGITAL DETOX
I am very much at the beginning of this journey but a sabbath habit I am looking to implement is the day being a digital detox from social media, messages and emails (and maybe even from all technology). A day to slow down. A day to be more present in the moment. So far this has included switching off mobile data and wifi on my phone. It feels a positive step forwards and a good habit for me to embrace sabbath more fully.

Finally, something I have often done on the ‘day off’ is go on an extended walk with my two beagles. This is certainly a sabbath practice to keep going. It’s a day when they get to do more running and sniffing than on other days. Even for dogs, the sabbath is a day of delight!

17/06/2022

“The LORD watches over you -
the LORD is your shade at your right hand”
Psalm 121:5

Some shade on a sunny day. ☀️ 🥵

27/03/2022

Today is the fourth Sunday of Lent and therefore Mothering Sunday. It’s a day when traditionally Christians would visit their ‘mother church’ - the local church they were baptised in - but is also a day when mothers are honoured.

Here’s a picture of Berry our beagle who is a mother. We’re not sure how many pups she is mum to as we understand she had a few pregnancies before she found her forever home with us when we re-homed her.

And here’s a verse about God’s love for His people…

“As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

Isaiah 66:13

26/03/2022

Here’s an encouraging verse to take into this day and weekend…

“Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.”

Psalm 55:22

24/03/2022

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Called By Name

Casper knows his name. He hears his name being called. He doesn’t always respond to it mind, but he is a stubborn beagle after all!

I was recently reading Exodus 3:4-5 where Moses hears God speaking through a burning bush. It‘a an encounter that sparks a move of God in liberating his people from oppression with Moses having a part to play in it all.

As I dwelt on the scripture I was drawn to God’s first words from the burning bush: “Moses! Moses!”. The one he calls, he calls by name.

At one level it is God simply attracting this shepherds attention but on a deeper level it speaks of a God who knows us. He (who will go on to reveal His name to Moses) knows us by name and calls us by name. It speaks of a deeply personal and intimate relationship between God and His people.

Like Casper hearing me call his name, I have heard the voice of the Lord whispering my name. I’m always amazed that I am not A.N. Other but known to Him! Seldom do I hear the Lord call my name in the busyness of activity but more often than not it is when I slow down that I am attentive to His voice.

To “Moses! Moses!” the response is: “Here I am”. Not only is Moses attentive to the voice of the Lord but he is available too.

Question for consideration:
How can I be attentive and available to the voice of the Lord calling me by name?

23/03/2022

These beagles know who is boss, which reminds me that it's Mothering Sunday (and thus Mother's Day) this Sunday. I think this mug was a Mother's Day present, although I like to say my wife is "just borrowing Jesus' mug".

To be a disciple of Jesus means that we look to Jesus as the boss of our lives. Jesus is Lord! He loves us well and leads us well!

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Romans 10:9

22/03/2022

“he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.”
Psalm 23:2b-3a

Where are the quiet waters? Where is that place of spiritual refreshment for you in your walk with the Lord?

19/03/2022

This day and this week is almost over. Whatever the past seven days has looked like for you, may you entrust this night to God.

In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, LORD,
make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8

17/03/2022

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
I Need To Hear Your Voice

“Reece! I need to hear your voice!”

So I said internally (or maybe even out loud) as I ran uphill on the final 5-minute interval of ‘Couch To 5K’.

I am on Week 4 of 9 of this running programme and this week has introduced intervals of continuous running for 5 minutes. (Before you athletic types judge me, I’m an absolute beginner at this so 5 minutes is a big deal at the moment!) The final 5 minute interval is obviously the hardest part, particularly with it being uphill. Will I complete today’s run? How long have I got left? Can I keep going? The silence is a struggle. I listen to my body aching and hear the doubts kick in. I need some reassurance. I need some encouragement. I need to hear my coach. And then he speaks… (In my case .) He tells me what I have achieved so far. He tells me how long I have got left. He encourages me to keep going. And with that encouragement and renewed perspective I am spurred on to reach my goal.

Being a disciple of Jesus is more akin to a marathon than a sprint. There are times (many in fact) when life is hard, painful and exhausting. And in those times especially, I need to hear His voice. I need to hear the voice of the Ultimate Coach: my Master, Lord and Friend. I need to hear the loving and affirming voice of Jesus Christ who renews my perspective and encourages me to press on.

Hearing the voice of the Lord is not an optional luxury for the spiritual life. It is a life-giving necessity. So, whether our lives currently resemble a gentle jog or pelting it at full pace, our hearts cry can be ‘Lord, I need to hear your voice’.

God is there in our ear. He loves to speak. Let us listen as we keep on running.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
John 10:27

16/03/2022

Here are some great verses to encourage us this day as we follow Jesus and his ways…

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

Hebrews 12:1b-2

15/03/2022

One way to respond to the war in Ukraine and help Ukrainian refugees is to support the Disasters Emergency Committee.

It may not seem as personal as buying something locally to send over to Ukraine, but a financial gift helps to resource those on the ground in providing food, bedding and temporary accommodation for people who have fled the conflict.

You can donate through Tearfund here:
https://www.tearfund.org/campaigns/ukraine-crisis

📷 Photo by Max Kukurudziak on Unsplash

14/03/2022

Often I look down and see my beagles gazing back at me with those gorgeous 'puppy dog' eyes. And then, I realise it's not me that they're lovingly looking at but rather what's in my hand!

When we lift our gaze heavenward what are our eyes fixated on? Are we desiring what (we think) we can get from God more than God Himself? Does the consumerism of this age creep into our discipleship?

God loves to give gifts to His children but our hearts desire is to be for the Giver not the gift. What might that mean for you this week?

(And if you're wondering, about what happened to the doughnut... I ate it!😋)

13/03/2022

You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.

Psalm 63:1

11/03/2022

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Seek And You Will Find

I’m currently on sabbatical from parish ministry and one of my focusses during this short season is deepening my own prayer life. Recently I was reading Luke 11:1-13 where Jesus’ disciples ask him to teach them to pray, to which he responds with the Lord’s Prayer.

As I was reading I was drawn to just five words: “seek and you will find” (v.9). As I dwelt on this familiar scripture I was struck that “you will” is a promise; a promise from God. If we are seeking after God, we WILL find Him. God doesn’t hide away but reveals Himself to anyone who seeks after Him.

I then reflected on the word “seek” which led me to lament: ‘Oh if only I were better skilled at seeking after God… If only I were a better seeker, a more accomplished pray-er’. In response I had a sense that the Spirit was saying to me something along the lines of: ‘It’s not your ACTION but your INTENTION that matters to me’.

God is not looking for expertly skilled seekers but people whose intention is to find Him, people whose hearts are inclined towards Him, people who are desiring Him. That is enough.

So like the psalmist who wrote: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Ps 42:2) my prayer is that my heart will long for more of God… because a seeking heart will find Him.

Question for Reflection:
Is my heart longing for the presence of God?

📷 Photo by Ran Berkovich on Unsplash

09/03/2022

THE LION 🦁 & THE LAMB 🐑

Sometimes our beagle, Casper, adopts a posture that reminds me of a lion(!) like this one I found him in this morning.

In the book of Revelation, John has a vision of the risen, ascended and exalted Jesus in which he describes him as “the LION of the tribe of Judah” (5:5) and “a LAMB, looking as if it had been slain” (5:6).

A lion and a lamb. Two very different animals: one strong, mighty and majestic, the other weak, gentle and ordinary. Yet both speak of two important realities about Jesus. Like a lion, Jesus is the powerful King ruling over all. Like the Passover lamb sacrificed to save a people, Jesus is the Saviour who saves us from our sins.

The King and the Saviour.
The Lord and the Christ.
The Lion and the Lamb.

07/03/2022

The Book of Jonah in ONE WORD…☝️

📖 I’m currently reading the Old Testament book of Jonah and looking at producing a little video series here on Dog Collar Disciple. 🐶

If you’ve read Jonah, what ONE WORD would you use to describe it? Let us know in the comments!

And if you’ve never read it before, why not have a read?

05/03/2022

Beagles are pack dogs. They thrive on being with other dogs and so we have a pair of them in our home (although they probably consider us humans part of their pack too!).

Jesus’ call to follow him; to be his disciples, is both an individual and a communal calling. We are called to journey in faith *together*, to be his ‘pack’, encouraging each other along the way.

We call this pack ‘Church’: a community of believers, or a family of followers. The church gathers in all sorts of places and at various times but for many that is primarily on a Sunday.

Tomorrow is Sunday so will you be gathering with your local ‘pack’? And if not, why not? What’s stopping you?

Like our two beagles thriving together, if you’re a follower of Jesus, then your local church needs you and you need them.

“Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him…” (Mark 3:13-14a)

04/03/2022

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:1-2

Lift your eyes in prayer to God this day. He is our Helper. 🙏🏼

02/03/2022

Today is Ash Wednesday and thus the start of Lent.

Pope Francis has called on people the world over to fast and pray for peace this day in light of all that is happening in Ukraine. 🇺🇦

Perhaps you could set aside a bit of time today to pray for peace and maybe go without something (i.e. fast) too?

01/03/2022

Some excited beagles today because it’s Pancake Day! 🥞😍

So what’s your favourite pancake topping? Let us know in the comments!

I’m a bit of a traditionalist going for the classic lemon and sugar but these beagles will eat anything… and I mean literally anything! 😋

28/02/2022

There is so much to pray for Ukraine, Russia and Europe right now so I humbly offer this little reflection on, and prayer into, just one aspect of the current crisis…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Heaven Touching Earth through Humanitarian Aid

“If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.”
Isaiah 58:10-11

These two verses were my Old Testament morning reading today. As I meditated on them I was drawn to pray for the countries neighbouring Ukraine who are receiving and welcoming thousands of Ukrainian refugees. Through their humanitarian aid they are indeed endeavouring to ‘spend themselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed’. They are a ‘light rising in the darkness’. And they are in need of our continuing prayers for this difficult and demanding work.

Isaiah describes a people embracing sacrificial giving to meet the needs of the oppressed as being like a ‘well watered garden’ and ‘a spring whose waters never fail’. These are phrases that pop up in scripture and evoke Garden of Eden imagery. The Garden (pre the Fall) was a place of life, blessing and fruitfulness. A place where humanity enjoyed sweet fellowship with God. A place where heaven and earth came together.

Where the oppressed are met with welcome, love and practical aid, it’s like a mini-Eden springing up. Something of heaven touching earth. Something of God’s kingdom being seen and received. This encourages me greatly to pray for those providing aid at the coal face of this crisis but it also challenges me to think and pray about how: the UK, the Church here and I can be a mini-Eden, a wellspring; a people of blessing to Ukrainians in their time of need.

A PRAYER

O Lord,
I pray for Ukrainians; attacked, oppressed and fleeing from the wasteland of war.
I pray for nations providing humanitarian aid and being a garden of blessing.
Strengthen and sustain the work of their hands.
May heaven and earth meet through their actions.
And may your kingdom of love, peace and justice prevail.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.

📷 Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash

27/02/2022

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my [beagle] who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." (Matthew 18:21-22, adapted!)

Believe me this beagle has received a lot of forgiveness from me for his naughtiness!

God's forgiveness is even more amazing and so I'm looking forward to reading this new Lent Book, 'Forgiven' by Tim Chester. It contains a short daily reading and reflection on the New Testament Book of Hebrews.

Why not take up reading a daily devotional book this Lent?

There are lots out there and this one on Hebrews is available from the publishers here: https://www.10ofthose.com/uk/products/28319/forgiven

26/02/2022

Lent begins this coming (Ash) Wednesday (2nd) and ends on Palm Sunday. It’s a great opportunity to fast from something (ie, refrain from it) and use that time to draw close to God in prayer.

For example, maybe there’s a time in the day that you ordinarily use to scroll through social media newsfeeds? ⏰ Perhaps you could set aside 5-10 minutes at that time each day to fast from your phone and pray instead? 🙏🏼
(Fasting doesn’t have to be a total social media detox but an intention to pray a bit more.)

Whatever you discern God is inviting you to fast from, may you turn up the dial in your own prayer life and encounter God afresh in Christ this Lent.🙏🏼😇

25/02/2022

“I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.”
Psalm 130:5

25/02/2022

If you’ve not come across it before, take a look at the free app, Lectio 365. From the 24-7 Prayer movement, Lectio 365 offers a 10 minute morning and nighttime devotional to help us start and end the day in prayer.

Today’s morning devotional focusses our prayer on the crisis in Ukraine. 🇺🇦

You can find out more about the Lectio 365 app here: https://www.24-7prayer.com/resource/lectio-365/

04/12/2021

Enjoying reading this daily Advent devotional on the Book of Ruth - ‘Finding Hope Under Bethlehem Skies’ by Robin Ham. Maybe this pair of beagles want to check it out too!

What is inspiring you in this Advent season?

09/11/2021

Unfortunately we’ve got COVID in the house so Casper is not the happiest hound around.

However, even in the ‘valley of isolation’ the Lord does not leave us, nor abandon us, but ‘walks’ with us, even when we can’t go out for a walk.

Here’s to better days and some long overdue doggie walks!

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.”
(Psalm 23:1-3)

05/11/2021

RE-DISCOVER A SEASON WAITING…

Advent is a season of waiting: waiting to celebrate the birth of Jesus and also waiting for his return.

As Advent 2021 approaches, to re-discover this season of waiting, I’ve decided to embrace the spiritual discipline of fasting for 40 days.

Advent is not actually 40 days long. (This year it begins on Sunday Nov 28th.) But if you wanted to do a 40 Day Fast that covers the whole of Advent then November 15th is your starting day. (Alternatively, you could do a shorter 27 day fast starting on Advent Sunday.)

Whatever you fast from is between you and God but why not join me in a 40 day fast this Advent?

Questions to ponder…

As part of your own discipleship journey, is there something God might be nudging you to intentionally refrain from for a season?

What might be that thing you could go without and enjoy again when a season of feasting begins on the first day of Christmas?

14/07/2020

Double the love. 😍

15/06/2020

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10

08/06/2020

It was just another day of learning from home for Casper.

30/04/2020

Casper be like: “Get me on Insta!”

26/04/2020

Thanks for all the new LIKES! Working on a video but it’s a steep learning curve, so it’s still ‘coming soon’ but don’t worry it will feature a BEAGLE and some BIBLE! Till then, stay safe.
- Casper & Jonathan

20/04/2020

Our YouTube Channel is where we’re going to be hosting our video content so head over there on the link below to subscribe.

Dog Collar Disciple is two 'Dog Collars’ - Casper (a Beagle Hound) and Jonathan (a Church of England Vicar) exploring what it means to be a Disciple (followe...

20/04/2020

Casper says thanks for all the LIKES. And so as a little ‘thank you’ here’s a shot of him with those puppy eyes!

Can we reach a century of LIKES for the page today?