It's safe to say this is an 'interesting' season we're in at the moment.
When pressure is applied to something whatever is inside comes out (sounds a bit yucky) Thinking about it this way, if you squeeze an orange the juice comes out.
Over the last few months we have been going through some difficult pressures, both in our family and in our church family. Amongst other things we've negotiated some interesting venue issues and one of our beautiful young girls in church graduated to heaven.
What Jon & I have seen is a community of amazing people who we dearly love rise up and show what true gems are inside.
We have seen people come together to fast and pray, we've seen people meet needs practically through cooking meals, sharing financially and blessing people in other practical ways.
We've seen the strength of our church family in action and the pressure that has been applied has shown the glory of God.
By no means is it over - quite the opposite. Whatever challenges each season holds equips us for the next, which equally has it's own challenges. That's the nature of growth.
As this season continues I can honestly say I have known nothing like it but I can also honestly say I've never been more proud of my husband, my kids and my church family and never had more to thank God for than right now.
We obviously need strength for whatever is to come. Here's to an incredible future! Bring it on :-)
Tuesday 8 November 2011
Thursday 23 June 2011
Hope when it seems hopeless
Being in a room full of baby incubators with newborn babies in them is usually meant to be exciting & wonderful. Being in such a room in Africa is another story.
This week I've been with a group of European pastors visiting Watoto church in Uganda. The Bulrushes baby home is a place where they take in babies that have been rescued from horrific situations.
One baby I'll never forget...
This baby was taken into the baby home after being found newborn, thrown away into a latrine toilet full of chemicals. Her face and head were so badly burned by the chemicals that she was blind. She was brought to Bulrushes and recusutated several times before becoming stable.
She is now growing & putting on weight but is very much disabled from her injuries.
We prayed with some of the children while we were there and Marilyn Skinner who is the co-founder of Watoto encouraged us that God has a plan for each and every baby that is born into these situations just as much as he has for other babies. We prayed for healing and restoration and understanding that we need hope!
In desparate situations we always need to remember the 3 things that last forever - Faith, Hope & Love.
God is a faithful God & He loves His children.
Hope helps us to believe that God has a plan that is eternal, whether that time is spent here on earth, or with Him in eternity.
Love helps us to bring God into situations that would normally leave us in peaces with no answers.
We know that the need is huge. We know we can't save every child or every person. We know it's hard. We know it's emotional.
If we know all that then we can realise that every child saved, every mother equipped, every father empowered is a life that is able to show God to another life.
The only way we can make a difference when the need is so great, is to look at every life saved and give God the glory. That gives us the hope to carry on. That gives us the faith to believe that God is on the throne & in control. That gives us the love we need when ours runs out.
I know that if these situations are happening in Uganda then they are happening in Tanzania....
Please pray for NCLC Mwanza as we start church in an area that is going to be equally difficult for us do deal with but with Christ very much at the centre!
xxx
This week I've been with a group of European pastors visiting Watoto church in Uganda. The Bulrushes baby home is a place where they take in babies that have been rescued from horrific situations.
One baby I'll never forget...
This baby was taken into the baby home after being found newborn, thrown away into a latrine toilet full of chemicals. Her face and head were so badly burned by the chemicals that she was blind. She was brought to Bulrushes and recusutated several times before becoming stable.
She is now growing & putting on weight but is very much disabled from her injuries.
We prayed with some of the children while we were there and Marilyn Skinner who is the co-founder of Watoto encouraged us that God has a plan for each and every baby that is born into these situations just as much as he has for other babies. We prayed for healing and restoration and understanding that we need hope!
In desparate situations we always need to remember the 3 things that last forever - Faith, Hope & Love.
God is a faithful God & He loves His children.
Hope helps us to believe that God has a plan that is eternal, whether that time is spent here on earth, or with Him in eternity.
Love helps us to bring God into situations that would normally leave us in peaces with no answers.
We know that the need is huge. We know we can't save every child or every person. We know it's hard. We know it's emotional.
If we know all that then we can realise that every child saved, every mother equipped, every father empowered is a life that is able to show God to another life.
The only way we can make a difference when the need is so great, is to look at every life saved and give God the glory. That gives us the hope to carry on. That gives us the faith to believe that God is on the throne & in control. That gives us the love we need when ours runs out.
I know that if these situations are happening in Uganda then they are happening in Tanzania....
Please pray for NCLC Mwanza as we start church in an area that is going to be equally difficult for us do deal with but with Christ very much at the centre!
xxx
Monday 28 February 2011
A new train of thought
This weekend we've had Tom & Denise Rawls with us & the message in the evening service was exceptional.
Tom spoke about: "Stop listening to yourself, start talking to yourself" which is something I've been mulling over for a while now. (Get the podcast at www.mynclc.co.uk)
I'm reminded of the times Jon has been 10 minutes late home from work and before I know it he's had an accident, lying dead on a hospital bed, I'm at his funeral & trying to start a new life without him. (Sorry Jon)
OR, I've sent someone a text & they haven't replied. All of a sudden I'm trying to work out when I offended them, what I said to them last time we spoke, whether I should have made more of an effort to talk to them more often, or if I've spoken to them too much & they think I'm stalking them.
I think it's fair to say that our inner voice, if left unchecked can get us into trouble before we even realise it.
In Philippians 4, Paul says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Trying your hardest to think about positive things can be really difficult when your inner voice is shouting negative things at you. What then can we do?
In this scripture, Paul is telling us that with thanksgiving, the peace of God which transcends (rise above or go beyond; overpass; exceed) our understanding will guard our hearts & minds.
Turning our attention on thanking Him turns our thoughts around.
Worrying about situations actually says "I am in this situation and I'm stuck. You can't help me". It limits what God wants to do in and through us.
Praise is a powerful thing. It says "my thoughts may say this, but you say..."
We then are open to receiving an answer.
So...
My thoughts may say I'm unlovable, but You say I'm fearfully & wonderfullly made (Ps 139)
My thoughts may say people judge me, but You say Your grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12)
My thoughts may say I can't be successful, but You say I can do all things through You who strengthens me (Rom 8)
My thoughts may say things can't possibly be this good, something is bound to happen to spoil it, but You say You have plans for prospering me. (Jer 29)
Enjoy life! Don't waste time with negative thoughts. Speak to yourself!
Tom spoke about: "Stop listening to yourself, start talking to yourself" which is something I've been mulling over for a while now. (Get the podcast at www.mynclc.co.uk)
I'm reminded of the times Jon has been 10 minutes late home from work and before I know it he's had an accident, lying dead on a hospital bed, I'm at his funeral & trying to start a new life without him. (Sorry Jon)
OR, I've sent someone a text & they haven't replied. All of a sudden I'm trying to work out when I offended them, what I said to them last time we spoke, whether I should have made more of an effort to talk to them more often, or if I've spoken to them too much & they think I'm stalking them.
I think it's fair to say that our inner voice, if left unchecked can get us into trouble before we even realise it.
In Philippians 4, Paul says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Trying your hardest to think about positive things can be really difficult when your inner voice is shouting negative things at you. What then can we do?
In this scripture, Paul is telling us that with thanksgiving, the peace of God which transcends (rise above or go beyond; overpass; exceed) our understanding will guard our hearts & minds.
Turning our attention on thanking Him turns our thoughts around.
Worrying about situations actually says "I am in this situation and I'm stuck. You can't help me". It limits what God wants to do in and through us.
Praise is a powerful thing. It says "my thoughts may say this, but you say..."
We then are open to receiving an answer.
So...
My thoughts may say I'm unlovable, but You say I'm fearfully & wonderfullly made (Ps 139)
My thoughts may say people judge me, but You say Your grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12)
My thoughts may say I can't be successful, but You say I can do all things through You who strengthens me (Rom 8)
My thoughts may say things can't possibly be this good, something is bound to happen to spoil it, but You say You have plans for prospering me. (Jer 29)
Enjoy life! Don't waste time with negative thoughts. Speak to yourself!
Saturday 5 February 2011
...so what are you going to do about it then?
Those words have been rolling around in my head lately "...so, what are you going to do about it then?"
You know when you come across a frustration, or an issue that really has you stumped? I found myself with one of those lately. Nothing huge or life threatening, just one of those annoyances that leave you thinking "I wish someone would do something about it"
That's when that question has come up. What am I going to do?
It's so easy to look at issues and wish someone would provide the answer.
That’s how things go unsolved.
Walking past a piece of litter and tutting doesn’t make our environment lovely.
Noticing someone standing on their own & being annoyed that no-one is talking to them doesn’t help them get connected.
Hoping that someone will write us a cheque to solve our debt problems doesn’t take us out of debt.
When we take personal responsibility to do something about those situations that frustrate us, that’s when we change the world, person by person, situation by situation.
It starts with us.
Tuesday 18 January 2011
If I'm learning, so can you
This morning on my way home from the school run I had a thought: "I'm learning so much and if I'm learning a lot at the moment, you can too"
There are people I've learned from by watching their lives & listening to how they speak about things - so here's hoping that what I'm learning isn't just for me.
As Brian Houston says in his book 'For This I Was Born' "Your vision is not just for you, it is for those to come after you"
So...here's where I'll pen my thoughts and you can read them if you're interested
Life is full, there's no doubt about that. Some days I wish there were 48 hours in a day.
The thing is, if I rush through it without taking time to think about it I'll miss it all.
To be honest, there are some days that I am so overwhelmed at what is on my to-do list that I want to pull my duvet over my head and stay there.
BUT it's those days that I'm reminded about how important all the little things are. Not every day is full of amazing wonderful mountain top experiences, in fact, not many are really if we're totally honest. More often than not it's a bunch of little things that make up the big things.
I'm challenging myself to notice the little things & do them well. That way the big things will also be done well.
Feeding the guinea pigs rather than trying to ignore them squeaking, picking up the piece of rubbish I almost walked past, writing out a birthday card for a friend, cleaning out the fish tank... really it's all the ordinary little things.
Are you with me?
There are people I've learned from by watching their lives & listening to how they speak about things - so here's hoping that what I'm learning isn't just for me.
As Brian Houston says in his book 'For This I Was Born' "Your vision is not just for you, it is for those to come after you"
So...here's where I'll pen my thoughts and you can read them if you're interested
Life is full, there's no doubt about that. Some days I wish there were 48 hours in a day.
The thing is, if I rush through it without taking time to think about it I'll miss it all.
To be honest, there are some days that I am so overwhelmed at what is on my to-do list that I want to pull my duvet over my head and stay there.
BUT it's those days that I'm reminded about how important all the little things are. Not every day is full of amazing wonderful mountain top experiences, in fact, not many are really if we're totally honest. More often than not it's a bunch of little things that make up the big things.
I'm challenging myself to notice the little things & do them well. That way the big things will also be done well.
Feeding the guinea pigs rather than trying to ignore them squeaking, picking up the piece of rubbish I almost walked past, writing out a birthday card for a friend, cleaning out the fish tank... really it's all the ordinary little things.
Are you with me?
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