Andy B 2 Minute Video, Focus, Time, Distractions And Calling, S4, E1

Andy B 2 Minute Video, Focus, Time, Distractions And Calling, S4, E1

In his first video of Series 4, this is more of a special Edition Andy B video!

With all that has been happening recently, Andy B has been finding sleep rather elusive!

Afghanistan; vaccination passports; President Biden; forced covid vaccinations for under 12s in Finland; global temperature fluctuations being used for political control and financial gain; China and Taiwan; a forced Home Education register in the UK – there is much to see around us that can easily cause us anxiety and worry.

But, as Christians what is God calling us to do?

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Fit for Purpose, S3, E29

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Fit for Purpose, S3, E29

I’ve spent most of my adult, working life, wearing a hard hat, glove and steel toe capped boots. Because I love my head and my toes and wish to keep them the way they should be. I banged my head, pretty badly, early on – because I thought hard hats were stupid and annoying and uncomfortable.

I had a very bad head for a while after that encounter! And I also discovered that standing up, underneath the main boom of a lorry mounted crane, is never sensible! I took quite a lot of insults after that, because I was never seen working on my truck without a hard hat. Lifting large, heavy, objects was – for me at least – an obvious clue that boots with steel toe caps was a must…that one I got immediately!

With a hard hat I was fit for purpose.
Without it, I was an accident waiting to happen!

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Coiled Potential Can Hurt!, S3, E28

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Coiled Potential Can Hurt!, S3, E28

If you think of a spring, they’re fitted everywhere! From DVD players to cars, from bicycle derailleurs to pens and staplers, from watches to door handles!
We can find springs, in one form or another, almost everywhere. And they have a really simple job – to make something move in a predictable way.
On my bike, the part I fitted has a huge spring which forces the derailleur to be pushed away from the centre of the wheel. When you press the gear lever, it allows that spring to relax, jus a littler bit – a very set amount – and your chain is put on a lower gear.
The one I bought does exactly this. But in order to fit (the lazy way) I had to remove a couple of small bolts so I could save myself removing the chain just so I could fit the new part to my bike.

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Wisdom Trumps Experience, S3, E27

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Wisdom Trumps Experience, S3, E27

We all have experiences in life which can be super helpful for ourselves, and the people we come into contact with.

One assembly I remember vividly contained this question – would you rather see an older doctor who was covered in blood and muck, but who was very experienced. Or a young doctor, fresh out of college, who was wall presented.

I can’t speak for my peers, but give me the doctor who has been doing it for a while!
Experience counts in so many places. But, as Christians, wisdom that comes from God trumps experience EVERY SINGLE TIME.

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Identical but Different, S3, E25

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Identical but Different, S3, E25

We all know the game spot the difference. Sometimes those differences can be so subtle, they can appear almost identical.

But look long enough, and you’ll start to see the difference. The longer you look at the two images, the more they can look the same. But if we compare to just one of them, those differences start to stand out!

It’s like with spotting counterfeit money – we check what the genuine stuff looks like, and the fake stuff starts to stand out.

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Habits, Trusting and Change, S3, E24

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Habits, Trusting and Change, S3, E24

Andy B starts a 6 part series of Andy B 2 Minute Videos, all because he replaced a bike part, and God revealed many ways in which this part can teach all of us about life!

Andy B’s mountain bike came second hand, and happens to have had the wrong part fitted.

For 6 years Andy B struggled with issues, before finally replacing this one little part.

Andy B 2 minute Video, Roundabouts, Judging and Waiting, S3, E23

Andy B 2 minute Video, Roundabouts, Judging and Waiting, S3, E23

Returning home after a mountain bike ride, Andy B approached a roundabout. We love these in the UK (it seems). Simply put, you come to a junction, with a circle in the middle. You give way to the right, and proceed carefully.
But they’re super simple to use! Indicate on your approach, and as long as nothing comes from your right, you have right of way (and of course, the British drive on the correct side of the road – the left – hence giving way to the right!).

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, God, You and Me!, S3, E19

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, God, You and Me!, S3, E19

Modern Christianity has skewed how we see God and the devil. It has skewed God into some sort of best mate or pal. And we absolutely should see God as always approachable. But we should do so, seeing Him with the respect we’d have for an earthly father, than just a mate.

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Planning, Preparation and Puzzles, S3, E17

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Planning, Preparation and Puzzles, S3, E17

We get reminders to renew our house insurance, our car insurance, our breakdown cover and host of other things.

But do we put as much effort into ensuring our car doesn’t suddenly become illegal to drive on the road, or let our house insurance run out ; if we’re renting in the UK this is something we can’t, not, have.
Time with God can be so easily squeezed out of our days due to the unexpected things that crop up.

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Keepin on Keeping On, S3, E13

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Keepin on Keeping On, S3, E13

Some days and weeks can be easier than others.
Sometimes, we can hit Tuesday morning and feel like the end of our working week is further than we can manage.
But God reminds, us repeatedly, that when we put our hands and lives in His, we’ll always what we need, to accomplish what He desires for us to accomplish – when we walk and work with Him.

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Colanders, Saucepans and Strainers, S3, E11

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Colanders, Saucepans and Strainers, S3, E11

Andy loves the kitchen! And he was inspired, a while ago, about how saucepans can teach us much about pressure in our lives, and letting that pressure go with God.
Today, he has a saucepan and a colander…both are great at straining, but with each the BerryBunch either lose rice – if they’re a bit too energetic pouring the wet rice in, or slipping the saucepan lid – and losing all the veg.
Even with a strainer, they are only as good as the size of the hole and the size of what you’re trying to strain through!
In life, there will always be things we’re trying to add in or take out, and we use filters and strainers every day to do that.

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Calendars, Organisation and Peace, S3, E10

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Calendars, Organisation and Peace, S3, E10

Psalm 139 is a fairly well known piece of scripture, but it is verse 2 that really strikes Andy B as he considers Calendars, Organisation and Peace.

Psalm 139 v 2 tells us that God knows when we sit down and when we get up. So God definitely has a handle on what we can accomplish in any single day – for Him.

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Car Covers, Trees and Protection, S3, E9

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Car Covers, Trees and Protection, S3, E9

Psalm 17 verse 8, says this “Protect me as the pupil of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings (CSB)
We love the idea of being under the protection of our Heavenly Father – as we should!
But after some issues with their car, due to an oak tree in their garden (and the ‘stuff’ it deposited on their car), Andy realised the small, summer, car cover – which only covered the windscreen – simply wasn’t big enough, so a full car cover was bought and put into use.

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Plugged In and Not Switched On, S3, E8

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Plugged In and Not Switched On, S3, E8

I’ve spent all morning working on my laptop. I plugged it in to make sure it wouldn’t go flat only to find I never actually inserted the mains plugs at the other end…
Is this what we’re like with our bibles and relationship with God – we have our bibles open, but we’re not reading them; we pray, but don’t listen – or simply use words that aren’t our own hoping they’ll be good enough?
Let’s make sure when we’re spending time with God we’re speaking and listening too, and plug into the real source of all we’ll ever need, to accomplish everthing that God wants to accomplish with us.

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Don’t Miss God!, S3, E7

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, Don’t Miss God!, S3, E7

Andy B was inspired by a post, written by a friend, that reminded us all that sometimes we can be surprised when God does answer our prayers.

Also, while filming Little Blessings Online, Andy was thinking about how Dave the Dog had thought of that talking bush, that Moses encountered.

In our lives, are we hearing the bush, or the voice of God?

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, God’s Rhythms and Busy Days, S3, E5

Andy B 2 Minute Video Vlog, God’s Rhythms and Busy Days, S3, E5

Andy B shared a post earlier today about working and walking in God’ strength, titled Busy days and God’s rhythm

That post started with these words…

“Busy day ahead? Make sure you stop before you start, so you’ll be able to finish!”

…before Andy went to look at how we can expound those words to make for more God like appear!

Andy B 2 Minute Video, Helping Others Can Be Easy!, S3, E4

Andy B 2 Minute Video, Helping Others Can Be Easy!, S3, E4

Today, Andy B drove jo – his wife – to work. Something he doesn’t normally do!

But it really meant he could take a load off Jo – as a former trucker, 90 minutes of driving twice in a day is not even close to taxing, but for some it might be.

Andy B 2 Minute Video, David, Benaiah, Goliath and Respect, S3, E3

Andy B 2 Minute Video, David, Benaiah, Goliath and Respect, S3, E3

Andy B found a great bible reading plan on YouVersion, that led him to 1 Samuel 16, and the account of David killing Goliath.

As amazing as that piece of scripture is, at 58 verses in length, David’s actions with those stones, only takes up 1 little verse.

As amazing as that, Andy B saw an ever greater act of heroism.

Andy B 2 Minute Video, Samuel, David and Uncertainty, S3, E2

Andy B 2 Minute Video, Samuel, David and Uncertainty, S3, E2

Samuel is an prophet, with an amazing prophet to speak for God to people.

With that comes the other side of a great relationship with God – actually having to speak what God is telling Samuel to say.

Enter Jesse and his sons!

Samuel is to choose the next king. But, having checked in with God, none of those sons are acceptable to God to become King.

Was Samuel wrong? Or is there a bigger picture to this?

Andy B imagined Samuel with a drop of sweat as the last son passed, and the answer came from God that, no, this wasn’t the right person to become King…

Andy B 2 Minute Video, James, Conviction and Liberation, S3, E1

Andy B 2 Minute Video, James, Conviction and Liberation, S3, E1

The book of James helps Andy B get real about some struggles he’s been having with being double minded.

It’s never easy admitting you’ve been getting something wrong. But there is a beauty of the conviction that comes from getting honest with God, and allowing the Holy Spirit to minister to us as God’s hand crafted people.