It is beautiful outside today - the sun is shining, the air is warm and it seems as if everywhere I look the blossom is exploding in riotous colour - magnolia, cherry, camellia - the trees are bursting with new life and I can almost hear them singing 'hallelujah' to the Lord who brought light out of darkness, life out of death.

I have been reading through the account of Joseph and his family, an account littered with difficult trials and tests - first for Joseph and now here for his brothers. I can also see that God had a glorious plan - a plan to protect and make secure the family that would become a nation - the people who were to live for His glory and witness to His greatness in the world.

It's funny isn't it how so often we seem to inherit the fears of our parents. Reading here in Genesis and seeing Isaac respond in just the same way as Abraham by lying about his wife opened up some questions for me. Have I inherited any of the fears of my ancestors and if I have what am I to do?