Jim Cogley’s Reflections: Tues 30 Dec 2025 – Mon 5 Jan 2026

Tues Dec 30^th – Key Words

As we approach the end of another year I remind myself of the three key words that have been central to my life for the past 50 years. They are ‘yes’, ‘surrender’ and ‘abandonment’. ‘Yes’ to allowing God to work in me and through me, and to accomplish His purposes even in spite of myself. Surrender is closely related and carries the sense of letting go to whatever is at any given time and approaching life’s situations with open hands and not being too attached to the outcome. Finally, abandonment: Here I think of trusting in divine providence. This means that where the appointment is, so will the provision be. God will not call me to do something for which I am not fully equipped for the task. The word Providence comes from the Latin provideo, which means to see ahead, and it is this assurance that God will provide, that is an ongoing source of comfort. As the journey has progressed, I have become convinced that all the Lord requires of us is, neither our ability or our inability, but our availability. Just with that, He can do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or dream or imagine.

Wed 31^st Dec – To be called is to be equipped

There are gifts that have developed as an essential part of my ministry that for most of my life I didn’t know that I had. Yet I can see how those latent gifts were God’s provision for fulfilling my unique mission. My work with wood goes back 25 years and before that was completely hidden under layers of blocked creativity. Yet now it is an essential part of the way that I teach, and many who are visual learners greatly appreciate that approach. My writing was another unknown until 20 years back and now with thirteen books published, plus daily reflections, the writing can reach thousands, daily. Likewise, my natural intuition and curiosity into how things work, has become an invaluable asset in psychotherapy work. Reflecting on these issues, in the light of my own experience, leaves me convinced that each of us is already fully equipped to fulfil our life’s purpose. It is as we say ‘yes’ to that path that more and more of our gifts come to the fore and can be used in the service of the Kingdom.

Thurs 1^st Jan 2026 – New Year Revolutions

As I swiftly depart from gate twenty-five

It’s at gate twenty-six I soon will arrive.

This year has been blessed both with joy and with pain

For sometimes we lose and sometimes we gain.

It took quite an age for the turmoil to cease

I resented the ones who had stolen my peace.

I have just packed my bag with the things that I need

The dross I am leaving to now go to seed.

Many senseless wars and pervasive fear

Will continue to rage into the New Year.

Faithful women have been left in the lurch

By a proud and deaf patriarchal church.

The spirit reminds us that we have a choice

To act on behalf of those with no voice.

We cannot afford to just stand and stare

This isn’t the time to quit in despair.

Now is the time before the final Amen

The future depends on both women and men.

I’m not here to convert or influence you

You can decide what is worthy and true.

Life is gift which is not just for me

It abounds in the cosmos it teems in the sea.

A New Year flies in on the wings of the Dove

Sent straight from the heart of Pure Radiant Love.

Written by Tessa Gallagher.

May 2026 bring peace, healing and harmony to our fragile world.

May you find contentment and happiness and be fulfilled with all that your heart desires.

Fri 2^nd Jan – Simple Truths for the New Year

Life can appear very complex, but it can be greatly simplified by the application of just one principle – doing the will of God. Contained in this are certain core truths that begin to reveal themselves, even when I am just willing to be made willing. Full willingness is a work of grace and also a free gift.

To do the Will of God is to be radically true to my higher self.

To do the Will of God is to be led to exactly the right place in life.

To do the Will of God is to be brought into precisely the right relationships.

To do the Will of God is to experience Divine orchestration and perfect timing.

To do the Will of God is to bring alive all our talents and Divine potential.

To do the Will of God is to experience daily Divine providence at work.

To do the Will of God is to be blessed beyond my wildest imaginings.

To do the Will of God is to become who I really am.

Sat Jan 3^rd – The Keys to happiness

One of the great keys to happiness that is woven through the Bible is the importance of surrender or letting go. This concept strikes at the very heart of our egocentricity and so is what the vast majority of us run from, and don’t want to hear about. It is the necessary dying of the seed that must happen before it can begin to bear fruit. It is what in many traditions is called ‘the dying before we die’ that is so necessary if we are to live from our true selves. At the end of the day, the extent we have lived a life of surrender and abandonment to divine providence will determine our overall satisfaction with our lives. This is when it will become clear, not so much what we did for God in our lives, but more what He did through us, because of our lives being yielded to His will. The supreme example of this is the ‘Yes’ of Mary in her encounterwith the Angel Gabriel.

Sunday Jan 4^th – Word Power

Our Earth is in God’s Hands

Our World is in Ours

The Gospel today is known as the prologue to St John’s Gospel. In the beginning was the Word through whom all things came to be. When John speaks about Jesus he goes back way beyond the time of Jesus birth and conception to the very beginning of time itself. He sees Jesus as the Word that was with God and the Word that was God. This word was not only at the beginning, it made the beginning for all creation. It wasn’t just an empty word decorating the air, it was a word that had power to bring the world into being. At Christmas we speak of the Incarnation, God coming to us in Jesus but this is the second incarnation, the first is God in Creation.

The Genesis story of creation tells how the world began through the Word of God. God said, ‘Let there be…’, and so there was. All God has to do is speak and things come into being. Each time He speaks something happens. He speaks the world into existence. For God to say is to do, to speak is to accomplish, to promise is to fulfil. You could say that God is as good as his word and all his words spoken in the OT take flesh in the coming of Jesus. He is God’s word made flesh, a human being born like all of us and destined to die also like us. This is the great mystery we celebrate at Christmas.

It’s also a mystery that invites us to reflect on the power of words and just as God’s Word created this world so do our words create ours. It’s a simple but profound truth that the words we use on an everyday basis are continually creating our reality. A good example is where someone allows sickness to dominate their conversation. As sure as God made little apples that person will end up getting sick. We can talk our way into either illness or good health.

It’s a great tribute to be able to say of someone that he or she is as good as their word and it’s painful to deal with someone who is not. They say they will ring back, you keep waiting and they never do. They say they will turn up at a particular time to do a job and you take time off but they never arrive. When you meet them it’s not reasons you get but excuses and basically excuses are only for non-achievers. Those who are as good as their word never use excuses and only seldom have reasons. Every business that operates on the basis of being as good as its word has such a huge advantage over those who don’t, so much so that it’s a wonder more don’t practice that basic principle. Being as good as your word is a basic formula for having a successful life and not just in business.

Every parent and teacher can see so clearly that when you give praise and affirmation to a little child they just beam back happiness and contentment and what is given out comes back on the double. Classrooms that are positive and affirming create an atmosphere that is conducive to learning. Homes that are positive and affirming create an atmosphere of well-being. The words create the environment.

When we give out words of encouragement, we literally pour in courage into someone who otherwise might be filled with fear and not very confident. The effect is to see someone grow in self-esteem and achieve more than they ever thought that they could achieve. The word of encouragement liberates the potential of the other.

An old saying that we all grew up with is that sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. It’s just not true. Harsh and belittling words can and do break our spirit. A word from a parent, teacher or friend can be like a poisoned arrow that got stuck into us as a child and as we carry it through life it continues to release its poisonous venom. At the time it may have been a throw away remark spoken in a moment of annoyance like ‘You clumsy oaf’, ‘You stupid idiot,’ ‘You fat whatever.’ Long forgotten by the person who expressed their opinion in that moment they can be remembered for a lifetime by the recipient and form the basis of how he or she sees themselves. The word that was spoken becomes what that person believes about themselves and forms the basis of their self-esteem and how they are in the world.

In nearly all relationships a certain amount of conflict is inevitable. Working through disagreements is generally the way relationships grow and develop. At the same time words spoken in anger can be like a bullet fired from a gun that can never be taken back and they usually come back to haunt us. A prayer from one of the psalms says, ‘Set a guard over my mouth O Lord.’ To guard what we say especially when we are annoyed in really important because sooner or later, we have to eat our own words.

Similarly, when difficulties arise the word sorry gets bandied about and usually means very little. Many use the word over and over and yet can never admit to being wrong. All it might mean is that I’m sorry you found out or I’m sorry you don’t see it my way. To admit to being wrong goes much deeper and forms the basis for sorting things out and being reconciled.

So, the Bible speaks of God by his creative word being involved in the creation of the world. That’s a very safe theological truth that doesn’t challenge us too much and probably not at all. It’s when we reflect on the fact that it is we who by our words create our own world that the real challenge begins to strike home. That’s why the Bible teaches us that each of us is responsible for our words and every word that we speak we are accountable for. Our world, our reality and our words are part and parcel of the same package that is our life.

Mon Jan 5^th – The most basic key

Many books and magazines expound keys to happiness but tend to leave out the one that is most fundamental – following the Will of God for one’s life. Christ said that the one who does the Will of his Father is closer to him than even direct family members. What an astonishing truth that is, and there surely can be no greater secret to happiness! There is absolutely nothing in life that we can claim as our own that does not come from God, with one exception, and that is our will. This alone He has placed in our power that we can give to Him as uniquely ours. Many of us will go a long way astray and end up with our lives in total disarray, before we realize our need for a higher power to manage our lives. Perhaps the going astray is even a necessary part of the journey before we can plead that poverty of spirit expressed in the First Beatitude that alone qualifies us to avail of Divine assistance.