Photo was taken yesterday at Green Glens, Millstreet, Co.Cork (Irl)

Ellen Whitaker from England won yesterday’s International Grand Prix event on her horse Zanzibar V. In today’s photo she jumps impressively over one of the final jumps. While her horse still hasn’t even landed on the ground, Ellen is already looking to her right and planning the next jump ahead. A total pro!

Thought on Monday – August – 19/08/2013

‘The Jesus I know doesn’t want me to constantly remind him of chapter and verse of his word – he knows it better than I do. Instead he wants my praise, thanksgiving, worship and all the problems that grieve and concern me. Sometimes, the pain is too deep or the worry too overpowering for articulation. It doesn’t matter. He is fluent in the language of my heart.’ ~Lorraine Wylie


It is comforting to know that in prayer it’s not always about words and having to say it in a certain way. Sometimes the words just can’t come out because of upset, anger, pain or confusion. We have all been there. Because there are no words, we think our prayer is a failure, a waste of time and a pointless exercise. The exact opposite is the case. Whoever you pray to be it Jesus, God, a Saint, an Angel, Mary, a Higher Power or whoever, they are fluent in the language of your heart. They know what is going on for you and want to be there for you.

Many people thought that Mother Teresa was an expert in prayer and finding words to say what she wanted to say. But she had dark days too. In her written accounts she had days when there were simply no words, but somehow she know God was with her and that was all that mattered. The same goes for us too. No prayer is a waste of time. The days when there are no words will be followed by days of plenty. No one has it worked out exactly right and probably never will. But once we know that God is with us through whatever happens, then that’s all that really matters.