A pile of 12 stones

Sharing a testimony is one of the most important things we can do, for our lives to impress on others.  When God does something amazing for us it totally blesses him in return when we share it with others. Keeping a memory of testimonies in your heart to bring out and inspire others and yourself is what keeps your faith alive.  In Joshua 4v6-7 they were told to leave a pile of 12 stones to remind the next generations of the wonders and miracles God performed. The children would ask what the stones were there for and out came a story of how God cut off the waters of Jordan so the ark of the covenant could pass through.  It was their testimony and when shared it created new hope for better things to come.
Here is an awesome testimony and I pray that if you're having car troubles this will bounce onto you and you will receive the same blessing.
My Best friend had her daughter booked in for surgery and the cost was substantial.  I said to her how about we pray that God heals her daughter and she doesn't need the surgery and hence no large sums of money lost.  She said she'd already paid the deposit so just pray that its not too painful, lol.  The weekend before the big trip to hospital in the city her car broke down. My cousin hunted around and found a quote for $760 to get it repaired but not until the next week.  Between my cousin and I we made sure they had transport to get there and back so on that part of it we had done all we could do in our own strength.  Now this is where it gets cool... I prayed a very specific prayer that the Little one wouldn't be in any pain and that the surgeons wouldn't have to do as much as expected and that the cost would come down. I then specifically said to God that it needed to be $760 less.  How excited was I when I received the call to say they hadn't had to perform the whole procedure and because of that they would be $700 better off.  Then I had a word to God (as you would to your own Dad, I guess) and I said hold on a minute God I said $760... wheres the other $60?
A week went by and the car went in to be fixed and my husband kindly offered to take her to pick up the car.  Just incase they saw a beautiful young woman and might try and charge her extra.  I'm sure that does happen on occasion.  Apparently my husbands face was priceless when said they had dropped the price by $60..... there's my extra $60!!!!!! WHAT?????? How cool is that!!!
There's always only so much we can do in our own strength and the rest is up to God. God gives us the holy spirit as our divine helper.  He enables us to do what we need to do, and he does what we cannot do.  I couldn't make the operation less or the car cost less, all I could do was drive to the hospital to pick her up and pray to God that he would do the rest.
And he did!
Zechariah 4 v 6 Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit says the Lord
When God gives you a testimony like this make yourself a pile of stones to remember it by.  Something that will jog your memory to remind you of the good things God had done in your life.

It's not what you know...it's who

I had an amazing revelation today that has taken me all week to get.  A girlfriend text me a message saying "its not what you know, but who you know". This is the title for my next blog she said.  So I started thinking about it in my own head... and thinking... and thinking. Now I hold this friend up pretty highly and I have upmost belief that when she prophesies to me about what I'm going to write about I need to run with it.  So in my own head I thought of how God had brought us together and knowing her was much better than knowing about her, umm I started trying to put it together with others that I knew and how they made an influence on my life. I then had a dream about baking cupcakes and when I researched the dream it all pointed to me baking up my own ideas.  God was trying to tell me something and until I stopped trying to work it out myself and just took some time with him I just wasn't getting it.  Until today.  The who in who I know wasn't a particular person it was God.  The focus isn't on what I know.. what matters is that I know God, he's the who...der.  I was asked to show my hairdressing skills at an expo where I could help women find ways to do their hair to make them shine.  Now I have 16 years hairdressing experience but I gave it up 4 years ago when I had my eldest daughter and I know that I'm not up to date with whats in fashion and I was really stressing about what 'I knew'.  This is when the revelation hit me that it really didn't matter what I knew but that I knew God. Because is it honestly about the hair? No, its about sharing my God with others and he will work through me just by being obedient.  Now all day I've had kiwi artist Jenny Morris singing away in my head - You I know

But its you I know and no one else will do

Yes its you I know and all you put me through

When I was driftin down you pulled me up agai-ain

and its you I know, you'll love me to the end

Argh go away 80's song, I'm trying to write!

The funny thing is that I don't even think I can do the expo because its during the day when I take Summer to gymnastics.  I'm sure God will make a way if thats where he wants me and I'm not as nervous now knowing that I know God and he never fails me. And perhaps he was using this as an example for me to get the bigger picture?  

Deuteronomy 7 v 9

Know, recognize, and understand therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and steadfast love and mercy with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.

How awesome is that. Just by knowing God we can stand steadfast in his love and mercy.  I'm a long way from perfect, and I'm going to say the wrong things at times but I can be safe in the fact that God is faithful and even when I step out and try something new without all the knowledge that I may need he is always there to save me and his spirit is there to guide me through. And hey, if I do mess it up... I now have more knowledge to get it right next time. 

Proverbs 2 v 6-10

For the Lord gives skilful and Godly wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He hides away sound and Godly wisdom and stores it for the righteous; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly and in integrity, That he may guard the paths of justice; yes, he preserves the way of the saints. Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and fair dealing in every area and relation; yes, you will understand every good path. For skilful and Godly wisdom shall enter your heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant to you.

I guess what I'm saying is that God is the most important, he's the who.  Knowledge is important too but knowing God gives you the wisdom of how to use the knowledge you have which at the end of the day all came from him anyway. Yipee!!

Depression bites

Sometimes you just have a bad day, a bad week, an average month, a slow year. Depression starts kicking in when you have just had enough. Sitting there on the bathroom floor wishing it all away.  The tears are coming uncontrollably and the head is aching from all the tears.  The more you try and get your head around it the more problems you start to think of and the worse it gets.  It hasn't happened to me loads but I can say I've had those days, usually for me I let them go for a few days before I find my feet.  For others it takes a lot longer.  I'm not there right now, I'm happy with life this week, my husband is behaving himself, my health is good, we're being blessed with work, good friends and family.  I'm even receiving text messages from my Dad which always makes me feel special.  I don't know what lies around the corner waiting to steal my joy but I'm living for today and I'm choosing to enjoy it.  When Thor throws his hammer only he can catch it, likewise when life throws me a blow only I can smash it back to where it belongs.  It's my mind, my choice. I don't want to miss out on what God has for me because I'm not allowing him to set me free from condemnation.  This life is a fight. Its a fight to get through a day sometimes. But you know what, when you go to heaven there's no fighting, its all just love and love and love.  So if you like a challenge you'd better put on your armour and get fighting because you're going to need something to talk about when you get up there.  I love a good challenge and for me this week its about beating tiredness, about beating passivity.  Finding motivation to get out there and live.  It's too easy for me to stay home all day with my girls and complain about how much mess they make.  No one became famous for that.  Can you imagine walking through the gates of heaven and seeing Jesus and he says to you "did you do it? did you love? did you fight for me? I've been with you your whole life, watching you. I gave you amazing talents, did you use them?"I want to say "Yes!!, Yes Jesus, thank you!!"What will you say?