Twelve Months of Christ: January

 Jesus said to the father, "You said, "If you can!"

All things are possible for the one who believes"

Mark 9:23 

This year for my blog, God told me to write the 12 months of Christ. I can’t tell you why or what about each month I must write. I’ve listened, I hope to learn and like every child of a parent I do what I am told (well, most of the time).

Every January, we hear “how are you going to be a better you this year?”, “lose weight”, “what are your resolutions?”, “make more money”, etc. How many Januaries have we started being more stressed than impressed and lack motivation and inspiration?

I recently watched the movie “Miracles from Heaven” and I discovered what I have to share with you this January. I loved the words I heard and received from this movie, “Miracles are from God and God is with us. Miracles are all around us”

A miracle, according to the dictionary is defined as “an event which is believed to have a supernatural or divine cause/any wonderful or surprising event.”

A miracle is defined in the Bible as “wonderful thing”, “great event which can be done only by God’s help. Miracles are special signs to show God’s power”

You know sometimes we say “it’s a miracle I wasn’t in that accident or storm or place” when something tragic has happened especially when we were literally, just there mere seconds or minutes away. We sit slightly shell shocked, imagining if we were there, wondering if we would be okay, hurt or even alive. It's also at this time that we often count our blessings that we weren't there.

So next time you say this, consider this, you who are reading this, believer or non-believer. It’s a miracle that you believe in miracles because miracles are from God and only Him.

Look around, look inside you. As we end off January, look at all the miracles God has surrounded you with. 

Jesus looked at them and said, 

"This is something people cannot do, but God can.

God can do all things"

Mark 10:27

Now, imagine how many more He can bring into your life?

This year, let’s not focus too much on resolutions. Let’s focus, as we start a new year of Christ, on all the wonderful things He has done, will do and plans to do in your life, for your life and with you in your life, this year, 2017.

I AM....

God is awesome and works in mysterious ways. Today, I met with a life coach to see what I need to do to change my path so I can do what God’s purpose is for my life. Last year, I discovered for sure what God’s purpose is for my life and starting making “selfish” decisions to start fulfilling that purpose.  It took an hour of discussing but then the two words which have been on my mind for the past week were mentioned. The two words being….”I am”

God this year has given me these words to hear, carry and share with others. We all have dreams and passions that we want to achieve but how are we supposed to do this when we “want” more than we “am”?

One thing I will always know for sure is that I AM a child of God and I AM a servant of God. This will never change. 

This year, I am a writer. I am a counsellor. I am going to follow my dreams and change my path. I am going to earn money through doing what I love and I know that God will help me to change “my want” into “my am”. And the awesome thing I discovered today is how I can combine my passions to help others.

We often forget that God knows exactly who we are meant to be. He created us, He gave us the gifts He intended us to use and He is the one that provides us with the fruits of the spirit to achieve HIS PURPOSE in OUR LIFE.

Why do we doubt when God doesn’t? Why don’t we believe what God believes? How can we accept that God is convinced about everything when we are not convinced about anything?

God BELIEVES in YOU!

God DOES NOT DOUBT your ABILITIES!

God KNOWS that you can “AM” and change your CAN’T into I CAN!

God never doubts His own ability to be your GOD, your ROCK, your SAVIOUR. He was so sure of His abilities and possibilities that He sacrificed HIS ONLY SON for YOU!

So…I challenge you this year to discover or re-discover God’s purpose and passion in your life and say to yourself…..

I AM

Farewell 2016, Welcome 2017

At the beginning of 2016, I took Steve Harvey's advice and made this vision board, deciding that this year was going to be my "selfish" year. A year where I dive into achieving my dreams and following my God given gifts. Well, all I can say is, WHAT A YEAR!

 God does work in mysterious ways and boy, did He show me! In one year, I managed to finally finish my first novel and I submitted it to a competition. I joined a writing workshop which is giving me the encouragement and knowledge to not give up doing what I love. God helped me to the find the time to write and help others by becoming a Chaplain. I'm not rich but God made sure I was provided for! Lastly, I got to spend a wonderful Christmas week-end away with my child.

I didn't get to achieve everything on my vision board but I do know that God allowed me to achieve what He felt I had to do and that's SUCCESS and PROGRESS!

The only thing I found I lost this year was BALANCE. It's interesting, well to me, when one area of your life is flourishing, others suffer and it takes a while before your eyes are opened to realise this as you get so engrossed in that one area. So, in 2017, I will keep doing what I love, serving God and serving others through the gifts He has given me but will now try to balance it all out.

To my readers, thank you for journeying with me in 2016. I pray that my blog have entertained but also taught, encouraged and given you the hope you need to know that God does love you, guide you and has plans that will make you prosper. I look forward to our next adventure in 2017.

So...to start off 2017, I encourage you to make your own vision board, put it up where you can see it daily and ask God to help you.

I look forward to seeing and/or hearing about your vision for yourself for 2017.

FAREWELL 2016, WELCOME 2017!

Theme Park Thrills

"Life's a journey, enjoy the ride"

I have heard this statement often but lately, life is more like a theme park filled with roller coasters, water rides, souvenir shops, etc.

Earlier this year, I read a book by Steve Harvey which mentioned that in order to grow your God given gift you have to immerse yourself in that world or industry. Of course, I thought "yeah right" but still gave it try and guess what? Yip, it does help.

I've started to see myself and call myself a writer and counsellor. I joined a writing workshop and love every minute of it. I volunteer as a Chaplain and love the people I have met and work with.

And the more you immerse yourself, the harder it is to stay that way.  Commitment, sacrifice and motivation are habits you try and begin and keep. Immersing yourself in your gift will make you step out of your comfort zone and go places you don't think you can enter.  But believe me, once you face the fear with faith, nothing can stop you from progressing.

 

God gives us a gift that challenges us and forces us to commit to Him. Our gift makes us sacrifice time with family and friends, in other words the "fun"stuff in order to serve and glorify Him. The Bible tells us that in order to follow God you have to leave your family behind. It don't lie!

Sometimes, God blesses us with such great opportunities to use our gift that we feel like we are drowning, terrified of actually being able to swim to the top and do it! You won't believe the size of my water wings!

And with each visit to the the Theme park called "Life", God gives us wonderful souvenirs (blessings) to keep that encourages us not to give up, to stay focused on Him and trust that He will make our plans prosper.

A few tips when theme parking...don't eat before going on the roller coaster, make sure you love the rain from the water rides and embrace the souvenirs you get.

Water week

 

This week has been water week in my house and that was not a good thing. My toilet is broken and I can’t afford to fix it so we have to turn the tap by it on and off whenever we use it. This week my Father forgot to turn the tap off and water flooded my house. As a result, I am sleeping on the floor in my child’s room and my parents are camping out in the lounge. Then to add to it, my geyser started leaking through my parent’s bedroom roof and then I tried to tap the roof gently and a gush of water flowed out, just to add to the damp bedroom floor.

So, I said, okay I proclaimed loudly "Lord, I’m not getting the message." Of course, the innocence of my child shone through as she said; “Now all we need is Noah’s Ark”. Naturally, a chuckle followed that. I was not too impressed!

God preserved Noah because Noah obeyed God. I’m wondering if that’s the message that I need, to obey and do what I am told. In other words, listen to my Father and trust His wisdom.

Ironically, water restrictions were mentioned this week too. It seems I am an island surrounded by water. Soaked in water, gushing water and using water wisely. In my mixed up mind, I understand that I need to surround myself in God’s word, allow His love and grace flow over me and to listen carefully and use His way wisely.

Water is living and all around us. Water is above us and below us. Water makes things grow and it can make things die. Everything needs water to survive; plants, animals, humans.

And God is the same. God is living and all around us. He is above us and below us. He makes things grow and He can make things die. Everything needs God to survive; plants, animals, humans.

God is our living water when we see it and when we can’t. So in order to use His water wisely, we need to soak ourselves in His word, allow His word to gush over us and we need to use His word wisely.

Lord, help me to build Noah’s ark in me so I can appreciate and embrace the water you surround me and others.

As my water week ends, I embrace "camping out" with my child, make sure my water wings are accessible and  to always smile while I swim among the waves of life.

 

True Reality Check

I like to believe that people are trying to discover their true selves and in turn, trying to act more like their true selves. I hold the people around me in high esteem and when they make a decision that scars my high esteem of them, it hurts and disappoints.

The reason I keep people in high esteem is because I can see their true selves and I give them the benefit of the doubt because deep down, I know it's in them even when they don't necessarily see it themselves but then something happens and that high esteem is shattered. The one thing I hate about seeing things about others that not many see is that when they disappoint me, it affects me more on a deeper level because I know it's not who they truly are and it's not who I expect them to be or act.

When I am presented with this, I am faced with the question: Do I broach the subject with them, knowing they will be upset? Do I just not engage them as much as I used to? Do I not allow things to happen again? Do I become guarded?

Am I expecting too much from someone who actually doesn't see their true worth as a person, friend, family, parent etc? Should I lower my level of standards I expect from others so it doesn't occur often?

  

God tells us not to trust in people on earth as they will hurt you, disappoint you and do things differently to you but it's difficult for me when I can see their hearts and how they hide them because they don't know how to handle their true self and how they allow themselves to be how others want them to be.

And if you think about it, that's quite a harsh verse to accept. We love having great friendships, family relationships, etc but yet God tells us to take caution and to rather put your complete trust in Him rather than others. This is not easy to wrap your head around.

The world around us encourages us to trust those we care about it but God says rather trust in Me as I won't hurt you, I won't disappoint you and I won't forsake you.

What I take and understand from this verse is this: I love you because God loves you and love never fails. Love trusts, hopes, stands strong and never ends.

As my heart continues to be scarred and my mind mixed up, I will continue to trust more in God than man even though it is hard for me.

A Mixed Up Mind

He places the empty mixing bowl on the stand under the whisks, switching it on. As the bowl turns, He gently pours ingredients in, in His own time. The mixing bowl gets filled and turns like my mixing mind.

Tattooing came to mind this week. I wondered if tattooing really is not accepted in spirituality but then I wondered if  anyone knew that we all have a tattoo stamped on our soul. God branded us when we were created. We are His and His tattoo might be invisible or goes unnoticed but I believe it's there. People get tattoos to remember someone, something they have achieved or a lesson learnt. A God's tattoo on our soul does exactly the same thing. Hmmm....interesting!

My mixed up mind also made me consider the lack of talking about intimacy in spirituality. How even though we speak about it, we still don't speak openly or possible enough about it. People are so worried that it entices temptation but then maybe our faith is not strong enough not to be tempted. I loved being intimate and let's be clear, I am not talking about sex. We need to accept that we need intimacy and we need to be able to talk about it, in order to deal with issues we might have with it. Intimacy is a part of a relationship that makes a person vulnerable, open and non-judgemental. It's connecting on a very personal level with another that is quite difficult to explain. God wants this level of relationship with us too. He wants us to be vulnerable, open and honest with Him. Do you embrace your intimacy?

Lastly, on a more personal, serious and humorous note, I need to learn to love again. This was said to me about a month ago and it repeats in my mind often because it is true. And how do I know this to be so because a few weeks ago I had a guy try and compliment me and I didn't even know he was until he said he was going to give up trying. I laugh at it now but it really made me realise how I have shut down that part of me and that's not necessarily good. I am an outgoing, social person with "safe" people. "Safe" people are family, friends and married people but put a "possibility" in the mix and I shut down completely in fear of actually getting someones attention besides the "safe" attention. I shouldn't be living like this because how can I expect God to work in that area when I can't open that door. So...how do I learn to love again? Where do I find the key to unlock the door? What is the key?

And so my whisks stir the ramblings in my mixing bowl, my mind, as God gently pours them in one by one. God gives us thoughts to question, reflect, learn and ultimately turn to Him for answers. So as the bowl turns I wait to hear the answers for God shapes me like clay, preparing me.