We continue our summer series highlighting the riches of our new September–December Bible reading notes. This week features Day by Day with God, our notes written for women, by women who have themselves found the Bible a source of strength and inspiration for life.
16 August 2026
Comfort in the darkest of days
The September issue is the first under new editor Becca Turnbull. In her welcome letter she pays tribute to her predecessor Jackie Harris, and introduces herself to readers:
‘I have worked behind the scenes on Day by Day with God since autumn 2021, when I joined BRF Ministries, but I have known about it all my life. My mum has been a reader since her 20s, so I have been familiar with her sharing pearls of wisdom from it during my years of growing up! My prayer is that Day by Day with God will continue to equip and encourage women to live for God in all of life.’
This issue does exactly that, with familiar, well-loved writers reflecting on everything from the prophet Micah, to the women in Jesus’ life, to the imagery of footpaths. Becca highlights two series which touched her very personally:
‘At the end of October, we will spend a week with Rosemary Green, who delicately yet confidently looks at approaching death, followed shortly after by Catherine Butcher’s series on the promises of heaven. Both series are a precious reminder of the hope we have in the face of our mortality. These were especially pertinent to me as I was working on them when my dad died after a short battle with cancer. It was (and is) immensely hard, and yet I marvel at how God spoke truths and comfort to me through these two series, even in the darkest of days. May the Lord speak to you too.’
Here are sample reflections from those two series – ‘Approaching death’ by Rosemary Green and ‘The promises of heaven’ by Catherine Butcher:
My prayer is that Day by Day with God will continue to encourage women to live for God in all of life.
Never alone
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.
Psalm 23:4 (KJV)
What a promise! Even as I come to the very end of my life, walking into the unknown, I do not need to be afraid, because the Lord will be right there, with me. It reminds me of some of Jesus’ last words to his disciples in Matthew 28:20: ‘I am with you always, to the very end of the age’ (NIV). Always.
Learn those words from Matthew 28 by heart, and recite them at many odd moments of the day: as you wash the dishes, sit in front of your computer, wait at the bus stop, or chat with your friend. We can consciously cultivate a habit of remembering his presence with us in all situations, wherever we are, whatever we are doing or thinking.
‘You are with me.’ Let that promise sink deeply into our being. Then, when we come to the end of our lives, even to ‘the valley of the shadow of death’ (or, in the NIV, ‘the darkest valley’), it will not be hard to rely on years of habit, resting without fear in the knowledge of his constant presence.
We do not all experience God’s presence in the same way; much depends on our experiences in our human relationships. My father died in an accident when I was six months old, so I do not turn readily to the phrase ‘Father God’; I am more likely to think of the big brother who protected me or a friend who is always ready to listen.
When my dormant faith first came alive it dawned on me that Jesus’ historical resurrection, that I had never questioned, meant that he was alive to be my friend. Or I may think of him as the Holy Spirit, resident in us, who became powerfully real to me 20 years after I became a Christian.
Rosemary Green
We do not all experience God’s presence in the same way; much depends on our experiences in our human relationships.
Citizens of heaven
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Philippians 3:20–21 (NIV)
If you ever visit a British embassy, you will undoubtedly get a glimpse of the best of Britain. They are often decorated with British art or antiques to show UK culture and heritage. They host receptions for the King’s official birthday and often promote Britain through events showcasing UK food and drink – literally giving a taste of Britain. Once someone visiting us wrote in our guest book that our home was an ‘embassy of heaven’. I hope that continues to be true. As citizens of heaven, we have the privilege of giving a glimpse of heaven to those we meet.
The citizens of Philippi to whom Paul was writing had all the rights and privileges of Roman citizens, as did Paul. Like King Saul, the apostle Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin. He was also a Pharisee, a member of a devout Jewish sect, credentials that some might envy. But Paul considered this heritage as worthless compared to ‘knowing Christ Jesus my Lord’ (v. 8).
He knew that to follow Christ is to serve him. Paul challenges us to fix our eyes on our heavenly goal rather than on our earthly desires. The promise is that, as citizens of heaven, we will one day receive our resurrection bodies, no longer bound by disability, illness, or pain.
Blind from infancy, the prolific hymn-writer Fanny Crosby never saw the world with her eyes. Yet she spoke of heaven with radiant certainty. Once asked if she felt bitterness over her blindness, she replied: ‘The first face I shall ever see will be the face of my Saviour.’
Her confidence teaches us that heaven is not just relief from suffering, but the joy of finally seeing Christ face to face.
Catherine Butcher
