Our Minister Laura Digan has a passion for digital ministry and creating community online. She has been a member of the Sanctuary First Creative Team for over six years. Laura regularly contributes to the Sanctuary First Daily Worship, Morning Prayer, podcasts and blogs. Below is a small selection of her Daily Worship writing. To find out more about Sanctuary First and to view more of Laura’s work head over go www.sanctuaryfirst.org.uk
Waiting to Hear God, June 22, 2025
1 Kings 19: 1-15a
19 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, ‘May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.’
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.’ 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he travelled for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the Lord came to him: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’
10 He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’
11 The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’
14 He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’
15a The Lord said to him, ‘Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus.
For many of us, the hardest time in our relationship with God is when he doesn’t answer our prayers, or doesn’t seem to be answering our prayers. When it feels like God is very far away, we can’t hear his voice and he doesn’t seem to be listening to us. Others are being blessed by his presence while we are stuck in limbo, in a cave. You ask yourself where is God in all of this? Has he withdrawn his blessing from me?
That cave is a lonely place to be.
In that cave it can be hard to keep faithful, to have patience.
But it is in that cave that our relationship with God can grow, can strengthen, can transform if we just sit and wait. We might not be able to hear or feel God but we can keep seeking him. Persevering though we doubt. Keeping steadfast in prayer, in reading his word. Taking ourselves to the mouth of the cave as we wait for the Lord to pass by again.
Prayer:
All powerful mighty God,
Who comes in hollers and in whispers.
Give me patience
As I wait
For you
Amen
Representing the Brand, June 25, 2025
Galatians 3: 23-29
23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
I have been watching America’s Sweethearts on Netflix. This series is about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. These young women are phenomenal athletes but there is real pressure on them to be perfect. They have to be beautifully presented, they have to be cheerful and smile at everyone they meet. They have not to complain. They are expected to live with integrity and have strong morals because they are representing a brand.
When I entered ministry I felt the pressure to try to be perfect. But I could not keep up the facade and my mask slipped. I couldn’t hide the real me. The messy me, the foolish me, the passionate me, the wacky me, the quick to react me, the fierce me, the me that is just that bit too much. And that is ok because it is the real me that God called to ministry. It is the real me, faults and all, that people connect with. It is the real me that leads people to Jesus.
It is the real you that leads people to Jesus, not the perfect fake version. Because people can see just how much Jesus has transformed us. If he can transform our messy lives, he can transform anyone’s! By being vulnerable and by being fully ourselves we best represent and showcase our Lord Jesus.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus
May your love and light shine out of me today
Sharing your transforming love with everyone I meet.
Amen
Storm Fruit, April 22 2025
John 15: 2-11
2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 ‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
The past few weeks when out walking with my Dad, I have become aware of trees that were irrevocably damaged by Storm Eowyn — that seem to be now bearing fruit… We are even seeing this in trees that have been uprooted. Both me and my Dad love trees so we are really sad to see these trees that are actually dead sprouting leaves and fruit. They are only doing so because of the past growth and health of the tree, the sugars that were still present in the trees. After this initial burst of energy there will be no more growth, no more life.
This image has sat with me in my heart as I think it is a symbol for some churches and Christians who have fallen away from the teaching of our Lord, who have fallen away from listening to our Lord. Who think they can do things on their own strength, instead of in and through the strength of our Lord. Who have fallen away from communicating with our Lord in prayer. Who have fallen away from fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ. There might be signs of life, perhaps small signs of fruit, but that is only leftover energy from the past, when they were attached to the vine alive in Christ.
To flourish and to bear good healthy fruit, we need to be attached to the vine. We need to have that relationship with Jesus. We need to be connected to him… at all times!
Prayer:
Lord Jesus
You are the true vine
In you we live
In you we flourish
Help us to grow strong with you
Bearing fruit for your glory
Amen
Shining Bright, November 3 2024
Romans 16: 1
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae.
We aren’t given a lot of information about Phoebe, but the information we do have is important. It tells us a lot about Phoebe and why she was so highly regarded by the early church. It also points us to a living example of discipleship.
Phoebe. The name means radiant, shining one and derives from the Greek word for bright, phoibos.
The name Phoebe transports me back to the Old Testament to the image of Moses when his face was radiantly shining after being with the Lord.
Like Moses I’m imagining Phoebe shining, radiantly reflecting the love and joy of the Lord.
Close your eyes friends and imagine this woman, on fire for the Lord, shining bright. Imagine her energy, her love, her light. Imagine her shining as she walks through town going about her business. Imagine her shining and smiling as she chats with those she meets. Imagine her shining as she takes the time to listen. Imagine her energy and radiance attracting others to the Lord, sparking an interest, a passion to know more of the love that heals and transforms.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit
Help me Lord to shine bright like Phoebe
Drawing others to you
Sparking and igniting a love for you
Amen
Pearl, August 15 2024
Matthew 13: 45- 46
45 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46 on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
When I graduated from university my Mum gave me her pearls to wear.
Precious jewellery to mark such a special occasion.
Considering how valued and precious pearls are it is surprising that they begin as a foreign body within an oyster. This foreign body can be grit, a grain of sand, piece of food or some other small irritant. The oyster then produces a mineral called nacre that coats this irritant to protect itself from harm. And so a beautiful pearl is formed from something unwanted and harmful.
We are like that pearl. We come to God, broken, dirty, harmful and God’s love coats us, changes us, makes us into something beautiful, valuable and precious — into something that others see shining and want to discover the beauty too.
Prayer:
Thank you Father for your love that heals and restores.
Thank you for your love that makes us more than we could ever imagine.
Give us the courage to share our stories of transformation
That bring about transformation
Creating more valuable, beautiful pearls for your Kingdom
Amen
