A God inspired letter

Today was an especially brilliant day.  A wonderful friend came over to watch my girls for a couple of hours so I could go out and have some 'me time'. This morning I had asked God for some quality time with him and so as I went to get out of my car at the shops I actually got back in the car and had 5mins with him first.  I was blessed with seeing two girlfriends (always a blessing to see friends) then blessed with some bargains for my girls and then to top it all off I was blessed by a beautiful shop assistant that God had a word for and I just didn't know how to say it without looking like some sort of crazy woman.  Firstly I felt that she was destined to be a singer (weird I know) so I asked her if she could sing. Hmm, well, she said she likes to sing to herself but not in public.  I left it at that and just chatted about the 'whatevers' until I left.  Tonight the girls were in bed early, my husband was working late so.. here was my time to soak in Gods presence that I so longed for.  I could not stop thinking about this girl.  So I wrote her a God inspired letter and I just have to share it with you.  Perhaps it will inspire you to do the same.  It's all about spreading the love right?
To the beautiful lady at the chicken shop,
When I was buying my chicken today I couldn't help but notice how beautiful you are. I felt like I already knew you and I know I already asked if you could sing but what I really wanted to tell you was that there is a God and he truly loves you more than you can imagine.  It was like he was showing me what he saw in you and he was saying that he has a song for you.  It's your song and he sings it over you as you sleep. Actually I think he's always singing it to you.  He loves you with a deep, unconditional, passionate love.  There is nothing you can do or say to stop his love for you.
This is seriously the first time I've written to someone that I don't even know, about how much God loves them but I have been thinking about you ever since and I just know God is so desperate to be your friend and your Daddy.  Try him out, next time you have some spare time alone, close your eyes and open your heart. Ask him to be with you. He always shows up.  I pray this touches your heart and you find what I've been writing about.
With love
Shona

Can you ask God to make the rain go away?

I asked God to give me an aerial view, like a heavenly perspective on life.  He is so funny this is what he did.. I sat down with my girls to watch some cartoons and every single one had either astronauts, the moon or some sort of outer space content.  I had a little laugh because it wasn't exactly what I had in mind but then I wasn't too sure what I was really asking for anyway.  Then it dawned on me on Sunday as I was out for the day at the beach.  Now, it is winter so honestly going to the beach for the day is a little on the crazy side but the forecast was for a nice day and we really needed to get the jet ski out! On the way it started to rain and my daughter said "Mum, can you ask God to make the rain go away?" "I already have last night" I said. "Well Mum, can you ask him again...please!"So that's what I did, I asked God for a lovely day, no rain and no wind, then I added in a few extras that our friends we were meeting there would arrive safely and that we would be close by a good fish and chip shop and that God would pave the way for a fantastic day.  We arrived earlier than our friends and it was... cold and windy, with rain.  Come on God, don't let me down.  As we all met up and put the skis in the water the wind disappeared, the sun came out, we found perfect car parks right in front of where we wanted to sit on the beach and just around the corner from the best fish and chip shop ever!  It was a perfect day.  When you put God first and give him the way to pave he always puts a heavenly look on it. He brings heaven on earth in so many ways, this is just one little touch.  I call it a kiss from Jesus.

Out of the dark room

I love my husband and I love my children but after a lot of late nights with the little one waking up through the night and other pressures of life I was tired and irritable and not feeling 'the love'.  I really thought I was managing, keeping my smile on whilst in public but falling apart at home.  Friday morning I'd had enough. It was the biggest fight my husband and I had ever had and I was completely shaken.  I checked out flights for NZ, looked at rentals, I was ready to pack up and go.  I cried out to God, a lot.  I was sitting in the dark room of my heart for two days.  U know what I mean? There's the lovely room, where you hangout all the time when you first meet your spouse. U paint pretty pictures of them, dream about how wonderful they are.. you get the picture.  Over time you swap from room to room. The dark room which if you spend too much time in leads to divorce, is full of every time they say the wrong thing, forget an important date and basically mess up. Thats where I was hanging out. I was looking for anything I could get my hands on for ammunition and since its been 11years you can imagine there's a lot. I'd hate to see his dark room! By the end of saturday I went into my bedroom, sat down on my bed with my laptop and started to watch a livestream from glory gatherings from the thursday night.  It didn't really matter much about what they were talking about it was more the presence of God that flowed through the screen and started to shift me on the inside.  When I stopped trying to control the situation and work it out for myself and let God take on the battle for me... guess what? Thats exactly what he did.  Gods love took over, he told the lies that had been nursing themselves in my heart to leave.  My husband walked in and I jumped off the bed , threw my arms around him and we said sorry.  From that moment when I let God take over I had release.  Every piece of pain and sadness vanished.  I have never felt this much in love with my husband before.  We've got a long way to go to being the perfect couple and perfect parents but we're a whole lot closer when Gods in the middle.  I just want to give my thanks to Daddy God who never fails me. I love his extra long arms that wrap around and protect me.  He knows whats around the corner and its in him that I trust.

"God, you have half an hour to show up"

The more I'm getting to know God and how great he is the more I recognise the constant love he has for me.  It was friday afternoon and as I glanced through my Facebook I noticed a picture of a friend sitting in a deckchair waiting in line at citipoint church.  Instantly I remembered that Joyce Meyer was coming to Brisbane and I thought... could it be tonight?  Flicking through my laptop I was happily surprised that yes it was her and I'd better get my girls together late notice! I sent the message out, found a babysitter, cooked dinner picked up a friend got the youngest in bed and was out the door by 6pm.  Smelling like burnt pork chops mind you but out the door all the same.  There were four of us in the car, all very excited and expectant, and happy to have a night out.. no children.  Secured a nice carpark and walked a fair distance past the first overflow hall up to the second and oh no... we didn't make it into the main hall, it was full. So into the next overflow room we went.  Two of the girls went to the bathroom and the other two of us stayed in our seats.  Next to me (bless her) was an ever so slightly annoying lady who thought everything I said to my girlfriend was to her and I thought "God I know you love this woman and I do too, but I think she may be a bit of a distraction".  I turned to my girlfriend and suggested that if it wasn't any good in the first half hour we'd still have time to get to 'Glory Gatherings' to get in some worship time.  I then said out loud "God, you have half an hour to show up".  In less than a second my sister came up to us and said "We have seats in the main auditorium".  WHATTTTT???????  God you never let me down!  How great is our God.  Seriously he is always one better, always showering with his love, he's never-ending!! To top off a great night (Joyce Meyer is amazing and so funny) we were right at the side of the hall by the bookstall so had first option to buy books on our way out. Straight to the car, no waiting around or queuing and straight home. Start your everyday by asking God to pave the way and he does, his ways work!

He loves to catch my attention

Friday night and I had a dreams and visions conference to attend in the city starting at 7pm.  My sister who doesn't particularly like driving where she's unsure of the directions and usually comes with me was taking her own car and meeting me there.  I had put my youngest to bed and she was asleep, my husband was taking care of our other daughter and I was free to go... on my own for a change.  I was about 20minutes into the drive when my husband called saying the little one was awake and crying for me.  I was going to have to turn around and go home.  He said to carry on and he'd try his best to get her back to sleep.  Usually for Daddy... she stays up.  Now, after hearing this my heart sank as I'd had this conference pencilled in my calendar for months and it had been a trial getting the ok to go as it was.  I knew this was an attack on me not to go and so I started to pray.  Amazing how God already knows and had set it up so I was in the car by myself.. which never happens.  As I was praying I was taking authority over anything stopping me from going and telling it to 'hands off my family in Jesus name'.  I came to a stop in the traffic and standing out like a neon light was a brand new VW Gti Golf with the number plate saying 'prayer'.  I knew this was a visual from God and started to speak in tongues with so much more faith.  The next set of lights I came to I pulled up alongside the exact same car but with the numbers plate BW269. At a glance it looked like B W cope.. Brad will cope.  I laughed and continued praying.  The next lights same thing.. VW Golf this time it was black with the number plate 333OOO.  Hmm does the number 3 signify the trinity, father, son, holy spirit? Carrying on I came into some stand still traffic and so called my sister to see if she was lost yet.  Being totally set up by God, he loves to show us how much he loves us, she was sitting behind the bus behind me.  I pulled out and she was able to follow me the rest of the way.  When I arrived at the conference I messaged my husband and my baby (toddler) had gone back to sleep with no dramas and continued to sleep peacefully throughout the night.  God is the beginning and the end he knows my waking up and my lying down, he knows my thoughts before I even do and he has great plans for me.  He sets up beauty in so many different ways to catch our attention.. me a nice car, a drive by myself to spend time in prayer, a peaceful baby and a happy sister.  I am so blessed. And I had a great night out too!!

Spiritual Mum

Five years ago I started going back to church and gave my heart to God.  I had the privilege of being prophesied over and now 5 years on I'm starting to see it come true.  The prophet Julie, whom I'd never met before said she felt I'd missed out on a mother figure growing up and that God was going to make me into that mum for other young ladies.  She said I would be a mum to many, physically and spiritually.  She didn't know but at that stage I had just found out I was pregnant and now I'm fortunate enough to have two beautiful daughters.  I was wandering when I was going to start being a spiritual Mum to many and as I look at the girls around me I have noticed the increasing number of girls from 18-26 in my life.  I'm so blessed to be a part of their lives and it is such a wonderful feeling knowing I'm in the right place in my life.  Loving God and ministering to young women. God loves to use our growth through the dark times in our lives to bless others.  He never gives us anything we can't handle and he always turns everything into good.  Romans 8 v 28 We are assured and know that all things work together and fitting into a plan for good to and for those who love God and are called according to his design and purpose. If you're going through a hard time, where you don't know why it's all coming against you keep your faith in God because he will use it for good.  We have to live through the tough times to build character and also to gain trust and understanding from the ones we're about to meet going through similar circumstances that need our help.

vulnerability

I need to be in a place of vulnerability.  Isn't that a scary thought?  To take a look inside your heart and find boxes that have been wrapped and rewrapped and stuck way down deep in a corner somewhere with a few nasty walls and hedges around them.  We all have them. A Dad that didn't live up to standard, a friend that was always going to be there and then just left, a teacher that picked on you, a church that didn't encourage your endeavours... the list goes on and on.  We have these hurts and instead of giving it to God who covers all sin we package it away and try to forget they exist.  Having these boxes and holding on to the pain leaves us with hard shells.  For years I have become hardened to seeing families with loving dads. My dad was pretty much removed from my life when my parents divorced at the age of 10.  He was still around but the childlike heart of adoring him was cut short.  I was jipped of my dream of growing up with a 'normal' family and it hurt to watch others that still had it.  I hardened my heart, boxed up the pain put a few walls around it and moved on.  Only to find that its really hard to accept Gods love when I can't accept my Dad's.  To be vulnerable is to open the box and let God in there to heal.  To be vulnerable is to cry when I hurt, whenever, wherever. It's the vulnerable heart that lets others in close. It releases pain in others so they can find healing too. Take a moment, put on some soft music and open your heart to God.  He will find the boxes and take you on a journey of unravelling and healing. All you have to do is ask. Ask and receive.