The Hope Of All Hearts

I was surprised at my surprise today when the preacher said
"You are important! What you do matters."
I pondered this: Two weeks ago at Connect Group, I asked the Crew to pray for me and said "Just guess guys! Whatever comes to mind!" expecting them to pray for The Big Fella and I and our financial security (it is always a concern to me, I have a teeny bit of trouble letting things rest in the palm of Gods more than capable Hand) what they actually prayed for was me. Just me. ONLY. Me. (I'll say again that I do not like to cry but) I cried. It was a very touching, nice, prayer time. I, seriously, can get caught up in the busyness of our life, and just go, go, go. And here was God taking me aside and once again showering me with his love. I didn't know that I needed it but I must have otherwise I wouldn't have cried, right. Anyway, things were said, similar to the above "You are important. What you do matters. You are a Leader. I admire you. I look up to you. You inspire me."
I'll be frank and say: Sometimes I've looked at my life and asked "Who would want this?" but that very question helped me realise today that I've been doing it wrong.
I've been topping up, when I should be overflowing. Almost like a Pak n Save petrol station; pulling in, entering the necessary info, getting what I need and pulling back onto the 'road'.
I have no idea what it looks like to give out of overflow - I simply cannot comprehend it. Nor can I comprehend doing more than what we do right now, but I'm excited that there is more! I'm excited that, as always, God provides hope. Luke 11 says "...he will get up and give you what you need because of your shameless persistence. And so I tell you, keep on asking and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you..." NLT

On The Go

I have too many blogs on the go - how do you know when to give up on them?

Thankful

Romans 8:26-29 (The Message)

 "Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
 God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun."

I love this. I love what it tells me (and I have said it before)

1. God knew me from the beginning
2. He shapes me.
3. He loves me.
4. Jesus is the model of my life.
5. He called me by name.
6. He planted me on solid foundation.
7. He is with me to the end.
8. He will complete what He has begun.

I love too that the Holy Spirit makes prayers out of my "...wordless sighs and aching groans..." Boy, I have a lot of those.
I continue to rest. Assured that God hears
1. My frustration when I can't verbalise it.
2. My tears, cried, when I don't have the strength to speak it.
3. The wordless songs I sing.

I Need You More

More things I love

Been thinking about this a bit.

I prefer:
Music over movies.
Sunsets over sunrises (alas, I am living on the East Coast of beautiful Aotearoa)
Lush landscapes over rugged terrain.
Friends and family over fame or fortune.
I love tea and toast with a dear friend!
Happy with a fresh loaf of bread and jam for dinner.
I love to watch the BBC Series of Pride & Prejudice.
None of his subsequent roles have tarnished Colin Firth - he will always be Mr Darcy to me! :o)
"Ever After" is my favourite Cinderella movie.
The toasty warmth of a fire.
Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie. (mmmm - delicious)
The smell of fresh baked bread. (and the taste of it)
Butter!
Flowers.
A stroll.
The rain when I am tucked in bed.
I love how the sound of rain on your car stops suddenly when you drive under a bridge.
Soups and casseroles in the winter time.
Scooped ice cream from the shop seems to taste so much better than from my own freezer.
That cinema movies and dvds are cheaper on Mondays!
Snoozing.
Painting my nails.
Retro television.
Platform gaming.
Karaoke. (woohoo)
Black sand beaches.
Connection.
The moment you realise you have found a friend for life.
Kisses from children who adore you. The look on their faces when they see they are loved back.
Cheerios/sausage rolls and tomato sauce.
Birthdays and Christmas.
Relaxed Summer Barbecues.
Standing, sitting, basking, in the Presence of God.
Recognising His goodness.
Answers to prayer!
Testimonies!

...and much, much more.

Thanks for letting me share bits of my life with you!!

xx

Precious Hope

Breath of life.
You're everything to me
Breath of life.
You're all I long to be.
Breath of life.
I'll never be the same
Breath of life.
Breathe new life.
Breath of life.

You refresh my soul with your love.
You bless my heart with your grace.
You honour me, when it seems least deserved.
And when I call on your Name, I know it does not go unheard.
You incline Your ear to me,
You lift me.

Breath of life.
You hold me in Your hand.
Breath of life.
The rock on which I stand.
Breath of life.
Your promises are mine
Breath of life. You give me life.
Breath of life.

That is where I'm at with God today. That is today's love song. Have been challenged as to whether I really KNOW the goodness of God. I believe I do. He will never leave me, nor forsake. He does not lead me in to a battle I cannot win. Christ died for me therefore I already have the victory. God is good, we will rise and fall but He is constant and always there. He is good.

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These are my sisters!

Well the two on the outside, April, in the middle, is my baby sisters best friend, and equally as awesome as if she were related by blood. I have not always honoured my sisters the way I should, I have not always shown or told them how much I love them, treasure them. But I do. I love you. There is not another like you in my life, or even on this planet. I am here for you always, as you are for me. I adore you. xx

Only You.

David Crowder Band

"Take My Heart, I Lay It Down
At The Feet Of You Whose Crowned
Take My Life, I’m Letting Go
I Lift It Up to You Who’s Throned


And I Will Worship You, Lord
Only You, Lord
And I Will Bow Down Before You
Only You Lord

Take My Fret, Take My Fear
All I Have, I’m Leaving Here
Be All My Hopes, Be All My Dreams
Be All My Delights, Be My Everything

And It’s Just You And Me Here Now
Only You And Me Here Now"

*deep breath followed by a deep sigh* I am so grateful to my God!
I get embarrassed at the regularity of needing God's grace poured out on me, but I am learning to love me as God loves me. 
To see me as God sees me. To honour myself as God would have me honoured. To honour others in the same way (Love thy neighbour etc) I recently listened to someone talk about the Israelites building altars all the time when they had left Egypt. He finished saying "Why did they build altars? So that from that day onwards whenever they passed them or saw them, they were reminded of what they had overcome." 
Wow! Building an altar so that they would remember what they had fought for and won!
Praise Jesus. PRAISE Jesus.
I don't know how, but I will be building altars. Whether it be in the form of a power offering or significant sacrifice, I am going to build an altar to God. Even just to say "Thank You Lord for what you have done in me."

God is so good.

I should really go to bed, but the Hope of God outweighs my tiredness.


GOD OF MIRACLES


Sorry for the burden of my last post. I have had a long week, but not a battle like the past few. I have tried not to 'think' (or overthink, as is my tendency) about things and just live. And love what I am living. 
I want the best of all that God has for me.
I am so thankful that I can sing. 
Worship must be my favourite thing to do!


Well for those of you who don't go to my Church (and that is like... all of you, lol) I wrote a song last year:


I WILL WAIT
In You God, 
I find my strength in You.
In You God, 
I find my rest in You.


In You God I find my strength,
In You God I find my rest,
In You God. In You.
My hope is found in You
There's no substitute
All I need I find in You, Lord!


I will wait on You - You're all I want. You are all that I need.
I will run to You - my goal, my prize. My everything.
I will rise with You - On Your Word I stand


I am not defeated!
I will stand strong!
I will not be shaken!
I will overcome!


It is my first - I hope it will be my battle cry forever. "I will wait on You..." 


I'm going to talk to God about writing a song out of the song He sang over me.
I know I am not the only one that God sees and I am confident I am not alone in needing to hear it.


I'll keep you posted as to how I get on.