Andy B Matters, by the BerryBunch

Instagram, devotional, pauseforthought, SpeakTruth, GoDo, honesty, thought, Godstuff, onelifeliveit, onelifeliveit, time, heart, drain, radiator, distance, armslength, privacy, selfpreservation, S06E019, Connections We Don’t Want! Andy B 2 Minute Video Have you ever heard the words ‘drains’ and ‘radiators’ in relation to people? Simply put there are people who can drain the life away from us and there are people who can radiate heat towards us. In our lives we need to always be cautious about who has access to our time because there will always be people who can happily waste it for us. We are simply exercising wisdom by being selective of how much access to us people have. It doesn’t mean we need to be rude, but there are people who know where I live and are welcome at any time, without any notice. They are people radiate warmth and we feel better by simply being with them. There are many others who simply don’t need to know our street address. And, in my case, this includes family members. These are not healthy people to have around, so they don’t have access to my home. Why? Because it is absolutely righteous to control who has access to our heart. I only have a finite amount of time to give to this world and I simply look to Jesus – there were people He made time for, and people He didn’t and that is something we all need to consider for our own lives. Just a thought… Andy B

I used to think that light only ever travelled in a straight direction. When I was in school I discovered that light can actually bend around things too. It’s tricky stuff! More than that, it changes throughout the day. From the perspective of, well, humanity, that change is great. Generally speaking you would wake up as the light gets brighter, and fall asleep as the darkness grows. Unless you’re recording in a studio, then Light Can Be Tricky! We’ve made many videos over the past few years and the one thing I quickly came to value, was the ability to control the light. So, as a result, we always heavy black out curtains or blinds to ensure that any light we use is created – and controlled - by us. And this works well, right up the point that you forget to close the curtains until after you’re in the middle of filming an interview when getting up to close those curtains is either not possible, or you left it too late and have to just carry on. Light Can Be Tricky. Just saying! Just a thought… Andy B

S06E017, Change Is Good. No Really! Andy B 2 Minute Video I like change. Actually, I love change! Change is the variety of life. However, while I really like it, I do sometimes forget to duck. Ever bought a replacement car? You put some things in the boot (trunk), go to stand up and you crack your head on the boot – all because the new car doesn’t open as high as the last one. It doesn’t matter how happy you are with your new vehicle! Forget to adapt to the change, and you’ll likely have a headache metaphorically or physically! There are some people who are simply, stubbornly, resistant to change. They need to be challenged and, sometimes, forced to accept a change. There are others who may simply be wary of change because they’ve banged their head too may times. Let’s show a little compassion and be gentle with those who are right to struggle. And exercise that same level of compassion with the resistant ones too. Just a thought… Andy B

Instagram, devotional, pauseforthought, SpeakTruth, GoDo, honesty, thought, Godstuff, onelifeliveit, onelifeliveit, S06E016, A Different Perspective Helps! Andy B 2 Minute Video Life can throw us a curve ball. You know, for ages, I had absolutely no clue what that meant. A ball can’t curve! Unless, of course, it does. And if you can spin that ball fast enough, and throw it far enough, you’ll see how it can curve through the air – just like a car drifting a round a corner: wheels one way the car going another with the drive wheels spinning. And that is what life can do – it can leave us reeling. The whole point of a curve ball, of course – whether that is a baseball, a football or a snooker ball, is to make that object do things the other team wasn’t expecting: got get a goal, score a goal past the defenders, get out of a snooker. When we’re on the defending side of that ball, it can be oh so very cruel! A crippling illness; a concentration camp – these are terrible things. But, even with something as tragic as a terminal diagnosis or the evil of a concentration camp, there is still much possibility for joy. I don’t speak for myself here – I’m paraphrasing from The Hiding Place, written by Corrie Ten Boom about her WWII experience in a concentration camp and for a lovely lady I met with an illness which left her utterly devoid of any sense of independence. Yet both of those women found a way to pursue joy. And that is something I am not good at. But I’m not good at it yet - how about you? Just a thought… Andy B

Instagram, devotional, pauseforthought, SpeakTruth, GoDo, honesty, thought, Godstuff, onelifeliveit, onelifeliveit, phoneafriend, getadvice, nomanisanisland, askforhelp, S06E015, Phone A Friend, Andy B 2 Minute Video Friends are great to have around us, but friends who know they can speak into our lives with things that we’re not necessarily going to want to hear are even better. I’ve always ensured that I have a few people I trust with all sorts of details of my life, so when I got and ask them advice they already know lots about me, and they know they have permission to speak into my life things that I might not want to hear. Simply put, there are always people – who I don’t name – because those relationships matter so much to me; they are people who I turn to when I have something where I simply don’t know what to do. Or, sometimes, because I just need a sounding board or someone to encourage me to do what I already knew I should do, but needed some confidence to do! Don’t just surround yourself with people who you know will agree with you – find a few people who can speak into your life things you don’t want to hear too. It’s a game changer! Just a thought… Andy B

Instagram, devotional, pauseforthought, SpeakTruth, GoDo, honesty, thought, Godstuff, onelifeliveit, onelifeliveit, feelings, thoughts, reality, change, fickle, steadfast, phoneafriend, perspectives, S06E014, Feelings Can Be Fickle… Andy B 2 Minute Video Sometimes we need to get a better perspective on what we can see. Because, what we see, may not be what we actually see! A child can look down the road, and see the same cars as an adult. However, an adult has height and that makes the ability to judge the speed of those cars so much more accurate. A different perspective can literally become a life saver! Don’t ever just trust your feelings without checking out what those feelings are telling you. An example I’ve used many times is that of feeling full, spotting the dessert trolley in a restaurant, gorging yourself on chocolate cake – only to think you feel hungry because you see something nice to eat. Feelings lie. And, just like the example of working out how fast a car is moving along a road towards us, a fresh perspective can be a life changing help. So, if you’re feeling something, check it out by asking a trusted friend - who can see a bit better; clearer; dispassionately to you. We can be wrong even if we’re right, and this goes for feelings too! Just a thought… Andy B

Eating an apple is good for your teeth and gums, or so I was told. Unless, that is, you’re on blood thinners when eating an apple may be a little more challenging. There is a solution though – cut it up! Actually I’ve got one better recently as I eat an apple during the start of my weekday radio show because I now use a fork! Don’t worry, I haven’t lost the plot. It’s just that if I eat it with my fingers, while I no longer have the issue of blood thinners ruining the simple pleasure of eating an apple, I do have to think of others. And, if I eat it with my fingers, I’ll leave sticky evidence all over our Broadcast Studio Computer keyboard and mouse. Not much fun for the next presenter who comes along! Is there anyone in your life who could benefit from a similar, simple, soul enriching change to something you do? Ok, ‘soul enriching’ might be stretching the point (but it was a third word starting with the letter “S”. But, who knows what simple changes you could make to improve the life of someone else? Just a thought… Andy B

Ever had a splinter that came straight out didn’t cause any issues? No, me neither! When we get a splinter we have a few choices. One is to try and ignore it and hope it comes out on its own. Or you could use a needle to try and help it out. Leave it too long and you could end up needing medical help due to infection. But there is another option! Years ago I had a splinter which was deep enough that trying to get it out myself would have bee, well, considerably ill advised. A quick chat at my local pharmacy and I was sent away with some Magnesium Sulphate Paste BP to apply under a plaster until the splinter came out. I duly followed the instructions and a few days later out popped the splinter - when I had a quick check with a sterilised needle. No real pain. Cool. Don’t leave splinters where they are – whether in your skin, or perhaps emotional splinters. Don’t allow those hurts to sit and fester. Deal with them!! Just a thought… Andy B

S06E011, Memories Are Great, But…, Andy B 2 Minute Video It’s great when you can have a wonderful, comforting, memory to look back on. From the birth of your first child to a special holiday when everything just worked to relax and refresh you. It’s a good thing to have those things to look back to and, sometimes, to hold on to through more difficult times. It can be easy to look back to ‘easier times’ and miss how far we’ve come as a person; as a family; as a business; as a community group. As a nation we can hark back to ‘the olden days’ when times were great and cars were better. But, however we fell about yesteryear, today’s cars are safer even if, perhaps, the styling seems to have been done by same person when they were having a bad day. The bible tells us not to make plans for the future and expect them to happen. But I think that applies, just as aptly, to not looking back too much either; don’t make plans to miss today by looking backwards too often – or you might just walk into a piece of street furniture or into a pit because are not looking where you’re going in the moment. Just a thought… Andy B

When we think of God’s provision, we’re not talking about simply getting ‘stuff’! I can promise you that if God has asked you to do something that He will absolutely ensure you have al l you need to accomplish all He is asking you to do. The trouble is that we tend, as humans, to interpret what God is saying through our own minds and experience. It makes sense! But that is why we need to check in with others to make sure that what we think God asked us to do is actually what God asked us to do. He will never cause to stumble and fail – that is simply outside of His nature. But God is not all that likely to do what we expect Him to do. So, next time you’re considering stamping your feet “because God failed to equip you” you might want to take a moment to go look up Isaiah 55:8-9: “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Just a thought… Andy B

Have you ever heard the phrase, Garbage In, Garbage Out? Simply put, we could also say you are what you eat. And the same thing applies to what we listen to, or read, or watch. 50 years ago, you’d have struggled really hard to see indecent images. It’s something you’d have literally had to work hard to seek out – and, you shouldn’t’ have been doing that by the way and shouldn’t ever do so! Just sayin... However, today, seeking to ‘not’ see indecent images is actually bordering on the impossible. Watch a family friendly film? You’re increasingly quite possibly see nudity or be subjected to utterly inappropriate language or similar. It simply is what it is. It shouldn’t be. It doesn’t need to be. Actually, the majority of the time, those scenes simply detract from the story and interfere, rather than add anything positive! Over at www.Pure247Radio.org we go to extremes to make our station live up to the name – Pure! And we lyric check – word by word, and line by line - every single song we add to our system. We check to ensure they are free of bad language and don’t promote anything illegal or immoral. Because, we take in, through our eyes and ears can never be unseen or unheard. So, please be careful out there about where you let your eyes and ears wander. Just a thought… Andy B

I wonder what level of expertise you have in procrastination? I’m pretty sure there must be world records for things like that. But, what if we could spin that positively? And ask what level of expertise you have in keeping going? Putting something off can make sense. But, it can also let that ‘thing’ grow into a much bigger project. If you don’t dust regularly you’re actually creating work later. Dust on windows gets damp, and damp dust becomes mould. So spending time dusting every day, or every week, will save you dividends in time later. Let alone the health benefits it will provide. If you’re putting something off, grab the bull by the horns and get it sorted. Unless you’re putting off running away from that bull…in which case, why are you even grabbing that bull by the horns? Just a thought… Andy B

Rushing is a part of life. We might want an-always-relaxed life. But we will miss that bus; get on the wrong train; forget that anniversary; fail to attend a scheduled medical procedure. That is just life! None of us are good enough to never face the stress of life! But if everyday is filled with rushing around, then there is something really wrong in our approach to living. The Royal Air Force Vulcan bomber had 4 jet engines that it shared with the Concorde with one important difference – the Vulcan didn’t have the ability to ‘go to afterburner’. But, instead, the pilot could choose to go beyond 100% of their capacity. It was only for a limited time, but it gave an extra boost as needed. I think the rush of life is us working at beyond 100% capacity. Yes, we can do it. But we should be going out of our way to do so, even less if we’re doing that to serve God as God never rushes. So, give life all you’ve got, but keep a handle on how often you rush. Just a thought… Andy B

It can sometimes be challenging to accept even the most basic of truths of the Bible; of heaven and hell; of God’s nature. But there is one thing we should never have to question and that is whether God is in a rush or not. We can have differing views of all sorts of things when it comes to how we interpret the bible. But, when it comes to God being in a hurry, the answer is that He simply can not ever be in a hurry. E V E R! And the reason is simple – God made time; He exists outside of time and, if you aren’t tied to time, you’d not be in a rush either. If you know, righteously, that you’ve been given something to do by God then don’t ever doubt that God will equip you to carry it out. It is simply outside of his nature to trick us into failing. The only issue, really, is whether or not what we think is what God intended. Discerning His will can be a challenge because it often goes against our own pre-conceived thoughts. But, one thing that will never be in question is this: Is God in a rush? If you’re asking that questions, the answer is no! God is not rushing!! Just a thought… Andy B

When my children were much younger I had a pretty hearty disagreement with one of their teachers. I wonder whether you agree with my point of view or their teacher. When they were enrolled in one particular school they had started with really beautiful handwriting. I know, because we had taught them to write like that. They could write extremely well, and it was easy to understand the letters, words and sentences they used in the written form. So I was pretty upset when I looked at some of their school work the teacher said was great, only to realise I could barely understand anything I was trying to read. When I confronted their teacher I was told that the most important thing is not being able to read what is written, but simply ensuring the children use correct grammar and sentence structure. I did not agree with their teacher and I’m confident they knew I did not agree with their ‘perspective’! When we communicate something the most important element is ensuring that people can understand what it is that we are seeking to communicate – whether that is through speech or the written word. You can have the perfect spoken voice, but if you can’t speak in a way that people can grasp what you are trying to say, then your perfect voice is better kept away from any form of teaching. Sometimes we need to adapt how we speak or write. But sometimes, it can be as simple as slowing down our speech or handwriting speed. Just a thought… Andy B

Whatever you to keep you occupied during the day you are making plans. Perhaps you aren’t even conscious of doing so but you do! I’ve often been accused (not kindly) of winging everything I do and never thinking through anything. My wife always laughed people stated that – she knew the reality and it involved lots of planning, back ups and redundancies with all potential issues mapped out with a probable solution. That’s why I was able to deliver a 60 minute All Age Service that always finished to within 60 seconds of 60 minutes exactly – planning, and plenty of it. On radio we try to work to finish each hour within 10 seconds of the end of that hour. Me? I tend to work towards being less than 1 second under or over every hour. How is this possible? Well I’m pretty confident at what I do. That helps – of course it does. The other big help is that I care very little for mistakes I make because I’m human! Whatever you are seeking to do something important, or something that simply affects the lives of others, make a plan and think through what could go wrong – the obvious things – and have something up your sleeve just in case it does go wrong. And, above all, remember you’re a human not a cyborg, so learn to roll along with the resistance!

S06E003, Going Live, Andy B 2 Minute Video Preparation is king! You just can’t beat coming up to something which needs your full attention, to be already relaxed by the effort you put in before hand. In September 2023 I led a small but dedicated team to launch a Global Media Organisation – a Radio Station which was UK based, but with a Global Heart. And we did it! But it didn’t just ‘happen’ randomly – it took lots of effort to ensure that when we were ready to broadcast to the world that we had the correct licences, a broadcasting system, computers, music and many more parts of the puzzle! In life we need to be prepared. Sure, things will come along which we aren’t expecting, but if we’ve already done all we can we can relax and simply carry on doing our best knowing we could do better. And there is a great deal of comfort in that because life will always throw a few unexpected issues our way! Just a thought… Andy B

Have you ever prayed for something and waited for an answer from God - only for the answer not to be the one you really wanted. I know I have! There’s an old story about a man who is stuck at the bottom of a cliff, with the sea threatening to drown him so He cries out to God. In the story God hears the prayer and sends a man in a boat, then a helicopter with a winch and finally a couple who spot the man while walking their dog who are willing to rescue that man. Each time the man on the rocks refuses the help “because he is waiting for God to rescue him”. The story continues that the man eventually drowns and, when he meets Peter in heaven, he demands to know why God did not rescue him - only to be told that God actually did send three rescuers... If you’re crying to God for help, remember that he really did send a helper and His name is Jesus Christ: Jesus died a horrible death, some 2,000 years ago, for you and I in order that we can have a relationship with God, an assurance of our eternal destination and an overwhelming peace in this life. None of that was possible without the sacrifice Jesus made in laying His life down for others. So, if you ask God for help, be willing to swallow your pride and take the help He offers. Because it may not be what you were hoping for. But, when God helps you, it will always be exactly what you need. Just a thought… Andy B For all our Social Links www.berrybunch.org/allthesocials Support Online https://www.berrybunch.org/SupportUs

If you’ve ever removed a screw and put it back in to the same hole, you may know what feeling of panic when that screw simply keeps turning, and won’t tighten anymore. The hole has become worn, and so needs something to hold that screw firmly back in place. A simple trick I was taught decades ago is to simply push in half a matchstick (and with the burning part removed!) and try that screw again. The tiny sliver of wood literally packs out the hole and gives the screw something to bind against, so it can be tightened properly. Perhaps try again with an additional half a match stick until that screw holds tight again. Various moments in our lives cause to wiggle around a bit and we can become a bit loose, but what do we fill those voids with? Well, we can apply a similar solution to that wiggle room we have created in our lives, and pack those voids around us. Only, we use the Holy Spirit to fill those gaps and there is never a risk of a sore finger! God uses boundaries to protect us, but as we push and pull against them we can work our way loose away from Him. How do we make it right again? Just spend some time reading the bible, praying to God or listening to the Holy Spirit - and you’ll soon find that wiggle room has been healthily re-filled. Sure, wiggle room can enable you to get away with things! But you simply won’t feel as secure as when you can be held tightly in the arms of God. So, stop wriggling! Just a thought… Andy B Enjoy this video, best, on our website: https://www.berrybunch.org/Articles/674950/S06E001_Matchstick_Solutions.aspx For all our Social Links www.berrybunch.org/allthesocials Support Online https://www.berrybunch.org/SupportUs

How many projects end up being sold, in pieces, on eBay? From project cars to project kitchens, we all have those things we begin and never complete. But the worst thing we can ever do is to simply never begin something. Sure, the road might be long and tough, but you can never finish the project you never begin. I’m not talking about putting things off, but actually intentionally not beginning them! Jesus said we’ll be able to do greater things than He did. Now, I have to admit that scares me a little, and confuses me a little bit too. It scares me because I can’t contrive how I’ll ever be able to do anything greater than what we saw Jesus do! And it confuses me because I’ can’t contrive how I’ll ever be able to do anything greater than what we saw Jesus do! If God’s given you a project then take the first step towards the finish line, and make that first step! It may be as simple as telling someone about what you think God has asked you to do – so they can encourage you and hold you account when you’re not getting it ‘done’. It may be enrolling a night class, or making a phone call. But, whatever that first step is, take it. Because you’ll never stand on the finishing line if you don’t, first, stand on the starting line. Just a thought… Andy B