When I realise that my last blog was on Valentines Day I realise how busy the last couple of months has been and how quickly the time has gone.
So much has changed and I'm still not really sure I've processed it all yet. I've got myself a real job in London and I start next month! I'm going to be working for a charity as an Assistant Trainer on a programme for NEET young people. I will be finishing Uni, moving to London and starting a new job all within a couple of days.
I'm so excited but also quite sad. It's a bizarre feeling really. I can't wait to get into work and church and am so looking forward to living somewhere new and meeting new people. But, I'm really going to miss Southampton, particularly my friends and church family. I just have to remember what an amazing opportunity this is and continue to be thankful that my time in Southampton and all the people I've met have prepared me so well for the next step in my journey!
Wednesday 13 April 2011
Monday 14 February 2011
Happy Valentines Day.
Valentines Day. Those are two words which can conjure up such a range of feelings... excitement, anticipation, sadness, dread...
Whether I'm single or not to be honest I get annoyed at the commercialisation behind Valentines and the money that is made out of it. Plus, surely you should show your loved one how much you love them every day?!
Being single, I can't say I was particularly fussed this year. However, I can officially say it has been one of the loveliest days I've had in a while. There was no pressure to do something romantic for anyone or buy a gift of some kind and it was the perfect excuse to hang out with some of my favourite girls. I was able to cook, entertain, and bake to my hearts content, drink champagne and eat strawberries and be in fantastic company. What more could a girl want?! Thank you God for some awesome friends!
Whatever you got up to today, whether you're single or not, I hope you had a blessed day and felt incredibly loved. I know I did.
Whether I'm single or not to be honest I get annoyed at the commercialisation behind Valentines and the money that is made out of it. Plus, surely you should show your loved one how much you love them every day?!
Being single, I can't say I was particularly fussed this year. However, I can officially say it has been one of the loveliest days I've had in a while. There was no pressure to do something romantic for anyone or buy a gift of some kind and it was the perfect excuse to hang out with some of my favourite girls. I was able to cook, entertain, and bake to my hearts content, drink champagne and eat strawberries and be in fantastic company. What more could a girl want?! Thank you God for some awesome friends!
Whatever you got up to today, whether you're single or not, I hope you had a blessed day and felt incredibly loved. I know I did.
Sunday 23 January 2011
Time well spent?
I've been thinking a lot recently about my time and my priorities. As I'm coming towards the end of Uni I'm in the wonderful (yet incredibly frustrating) position of being able to really think about what direction my life is heading in when it comes to my work. I'm so aware of the fact that I don't want work to become my priority.
This entry in my Bible notes 2 weeks ago really got me thinking about what's important...
"He logged twelve-hour days, and sometimes weekends. Even when he wasn't working , he was thinking about work. His wife tried to slow him down. He knew they weren't as close as they once had been. He hadn't intended to drift away, it's just that she always seemed to want time and that's the one thing he didn't want to give. He was vaguely aware that his kids were growing up and he was missing it. They complained about books he wasn't reading to them, games he wasn't playing with them and trips he wasn't taking with them. After a while they stopped complaining or expecting their lives might ever be different. 'I'll be more available when things settle down', he thought. When he felt guilty he told himself, 'I'm doing it for them.' His wife asked him about going to church but he said, 'There'll be plenty of time for that sort of thing when things settle down.' His doctor told him he had elevated blood pressure and high cholesterol - but he told himself there'd be plenty of time for that when things settle down. Quietly, efficiently, irresistibly, his body was preparing to do him in. One morning his wife woke at 3am and he was not beside her. She weren't downstairs to drag him to bed and saw him sitting still in front of the computer, his head hanging low. She touched him but he didn't respond. When the paramedics got there they told her he had suffered a massive heart attack. Things had finally settled down."
Our time is so important and the truth is that we really don't know how much we have. We can't guarantee that "there'll be plenty of time". We just don't know. So, how do we decide on what our time is best spent on? If I use my social work qualification and work long, stressful hours as a social worker, is that time well spent? Or, if I work part-time and spend lots of time with church or friends, is that time well spent?
Ultimately, I know that if we spend our time on loving God and loving people I know we can't really go far wrong. Our time is so precious and I really don't want to waste a minute of mine.
This entry in my Bible notes 2 weeks ago really got me thinking about what's important...
"He logged twelve-hour days, and sometimes weekends. Even when he wasn't working , he was thinking about work. His wife tried to slow him down. He knew they weren't as close as they once had been. He hadn't intended to drift away, it's just that she always seemed to want time and that's the one thing he didn't want to give. He was vaguely aware that his kids were growing up and he was missing it. They complained about books he wasn't reading to them, games he wasn't playing with them and trips he wasn't taking with them. After a while they stopped complaining or expecting their lives might ever be different. 'I'll be more available when things settle down', he thought. When he felt guilty he told himself, 'I'm doing it for them.' His wife asked him about going to church but he said, 'There'll be plenty of time for that sort of thing when things settle down.' His doctor told him he had elevated blood pressure and high cholesterol - but he told himself there'd be plenty of time for that when things settle down. Quietly, efficiently, irresistibly, his body was preparing to do him in. One morning his wife woke at 3am and he was not beside her. She weren't downstairs to drag him to bed and saw him sitting still in front of the computer, his head hanging low. She touched him but he didn't respond. When the paramedics got there they told her he had suffered a massive heart attack. Things had finally settled down."
Our time is so important and the truth is that we really don't know how much we have. We can't guarantee that "there'll be plenty of time". We just don't know. So, how do we decide on what our time is best spent on? If I use my social work qualification and work long, stressful hours as a social worker, is that time well spent? Or, if I work part-time and spend lots of time with church or friends, is that time well spent?
Ultimately, I know that if we spend our time on loving God and loving people I know we can't really go far wrong. Our time is so precious and I really don't want to waste a minute of mine.
Monday 3 January 2011
Bieber Fever
It's catching.
I have to confess I am only a Justin Bieber fan because it's fun to tease my brother for his uncanny resemblance to the child star. However, after watching this video and listening to the lyrics of the song I think I might be displaying the first symptoms of a fever!
The lyrics are incredibly simple, but the message is powerful.
How many of us actually lose our appetite when we think about children who are starving? Or struggle to sleep because we know things aren't right in the world? I think we should all be asking ourselves how we can make a change. We can begin simply by closing our eyes and praying.
Anyone who finishes their video with a Mother Teresa quote is onto something...
God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer - Mother Teresa
Enjoy.
I have to confess I am only a Justin Bieber fan because it's fun to tease my brother for his uncanny resemblance to the child star. However, after watching this video and listening to the lyrics of the song I think I might be displaying the first symptoms of a fever!
The lyrics are incredibly simple, but the message is powerful.
How many of us actually lose our appetite when we think about children who are starving? Or struggle to sleep because we know things aren't right in the world? I think we should all be asking ourselves how we can make a change. We can begin simply by closing our eyes and praying.
Anyone who finishes their video with a Mother Teresa quote is onto something...
God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer - Mother Teresa
Enjoy.
Losing Control...
I've been re-inspired to blog by my brother. So here I am.
I expected to come back to find posts which were now irrelevant but instead, came back to find I had this draft post saved, titled "Losing control..." Ironically, I think that is exactly what has happened. I started the blog intent on focusing on God and giving everything over to Him. And actually during the process I have lost control because I've given it to Him.
After reading my previous posts, I realise God's taught me so much. I may not have remained single or spent an hour with Him every morning but I have given God my desire to be with someone and get married, I've given Him control in my life and can truly say that I want to just please Him.
So, here's to 2011. With God in control, it's definitely going to be incredible.
I expected to come back to find posts which were now irrelevant but instead, came back to find I had this draft post saved, titled "Losing control..." Ironically, I think that is exactly what has happened. I started the blog intent on focusing on God and giving everything over to Him. And actually during the process I have lost control because I've given it to Him.
After reading my previous posts, I realise God's taught me so much. I may not have remained single or spent an hour with Him every morning but I have given God my desire to be with someone and get married, I've given Him control in my life and can truly say that I want to just please Him.
So, here's to 2011. With God in control, it's definitely going to be incredible.
Sunday 5 September 2010
Words...
I was given a word from a women's conference back in April and at the time I was not in a place where I believed it could be true. I'm not sure I was really in a place where I believed God really wanted to spend time with me or that if he did that other people would be interested in what He had to say.
However, for whatever reason I kept the piece of paper - I think I knew it might become relevant. I read it again yesterday and my attitude is so different now - praise God! I really feel that God is taking me to a place where it's true, and where I believe that the words I speak are really important because they're from Him.
This is what it said...
"Dear Annie,
Ps.19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord my strength and my Redeemer"
God has given you a voice; a voice to speak out the revelation He shares with you in His Presence. He has given you things to say that those amongst whom He has placed you, are hungry to hear. Keep your ear close to Father's chest as you enjoy His Presence, and He will show you when to speak, what to speak, and how to speak in a way that brings life in abundance.
Be at peace - He will take good care of what people do with the words he give you.
Amen!"
I love that God can give you a word but that He will also give the interpretation in His perfect timing. I'm really praying that as I enjoy His Presence he will teach me His timing and the words to say.
However, for whatever reason I kept the piece of paper - I think I knew it might become relevant. I read it again yesterday and my attitude is so different now - praise God! I really feel that God is taking me to a place where it's true, and where I believe that the words I speak are really important because they're from Him.
This is what it said...
"Dear Annie,
Ps.19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord my strength and my Redeemer"
God has given you a voice; a voice to speak out the revelation He shares with you in His Presence. He has given you things to say that those amongst whom He has placed you, are hungry to hear. Keep your ear close to Father's chest as you enjoy His Presence, and He will show you when to speak, what to speak, and how to speak in a way that brings life in abundance.
Be at peace - He will take good care of what people do with the words he give you.
Amen!"
I love that God can give you a word but that He will also give the interpretation in His perfect timing. I'm really praying that as I enjoy His Presence he will teach me His timing and the words to say.
Saturday 4 September 2010
Stepping out in Faith
At Church on Sunday I heard a talk about the woman in Matthew 9:20-22 who had been bleeding for 12 years until she stepped out in faith and touched Jesus' robes to get healing. At the end of the service there was time to pray and ask God if there was anything we needed to do for Him in order to step out in faith and I felt God saying He wanted me to give him an hour of my time every morning throughout this next year. Immediately thinking I was not up for that this year I tried to push it to the back of my mind and hope I'd misheard! However, I was reminded of it constantly over the next 24 hours and felt that actually it'd be really important for me to commit each day to Him afresh every morning. So, I decided I'd do it...
So far, I've managed it once and even then it wasn't quite an hour! I had a dream a friend told me to try it at least 3 times and woke up thinking "Brilliant, I'll do it 3 times and then I can stop!". However, I know that if I do it 3 times I'll start to really enjoy His presence first thing in the morning and won't want to stop! It's just planning that hour and trusting in Him to provide for me even if I feel I haven't had quite enough sleep...
I often think stepping out in faith refers to things like going abroad to do mission or moving to somewhere completely new. However, I'm really aware there are ways in which I could step out in faith daily, even if only to talk to that person standing on their own in a room.
So, today I'm praying that I will listen to the Holy Spirit's prompting and step out in faith in those small, seemingly insignificant ways and that God will use those acts of faith, by His grace, to share His love with others.
So far, I've managed it once and even then it wasn't quite an hour! I had a dream a friend told me to try it at least 3 times and woke up thinking "Brilliant, I'll do it 3 times and then I can stop!". However, I know that if I do it 3 times I'll start to really enjoy His presence first thing in the morning and won't want to stop! It's just planning that hour and trusting in Him to provide for me even if I feel I haven't had quite enough sleep...
I often think stepping out in faith refers to things like going abroad to do mission or moving to somewhere completely new. However, I'm really aware there are ways in which I could step out in faith daily, even if only to talk to that person standing on their own in a room.
So, today I'm praying that I will listen to the Holy Spirit's prompting and step out in faith in those small, seemingly insignificant ways and that God will use those acts of faith, by His grace, to share His love with others.
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