You know me

I have the most beautiful song for you.  It always captures my heart and I encourage you to find it on u tube.  Heres the lyrics, read and go find it for yourself to listen to.

Its sung by Steffany Frizzell / Bethel Music
From the album Loft Sessions

You Know Me

You have been, and you will be
You have seen, and you will see
You know when I rise and when I fall
When I come or go, you see it all
You hung the stars and you move the sea
And you still know me
oh oh oh oh
You know me
oh oh oh oh
Nothing is hidden from your sight
Wherever I go, you find me
You know every detail of my life
You are God
And you don't miss a thing
You memorise me

I guess what stands out to me most about this song is that God is always there. He knows everything about me and he doesn't miss anything.  He even knows my thoughts before I do. He is constantly watching me, wooing me, beckoning.. please come, spend time with me, I love you and I will never leave you.  No matter how much I mess up he still loves me, with no conditions. Amazing to have, and to know that love. Enjoy the song, I hope you can find it!

Accountable kindness

What a great end to a character building year! I've had a month off writing my blog and have been concentrating on my children's book which my husband has commented is more like a novel but when I get my head into something I love I can't stop!  I just thought it was really important that I share this most valuable piece of inspiration with you all. I have made it my new years resolution and I'm sure when you read it you'll be inspired to do the same.  I was reading "Fathering a destiny" by Bruce Lindley when I read the most challenging few lines that have made me want to be so much more precious with my words and thoughts.  It actually comes from the heart of Heidi Baker and here it is... She asks God every night if she has been kind to everyone she has been with that day.  I've started doing this and wow, as the day passes along I find myself accountable for every word that comes out of my mouth and now even more so I have even taken kindness into my thoughts too.  Instead of getting irate at the christmas drivers on the road I'm finding myself making excuses for them, tired, stressed, the poor things how can I show kindness to them? No more pulling the bird out the window of my soul.  Be inspired to do the same. What a better world we would all live in if we asked ourselves and those who believe asked God, "have we been kind to Everyone today?" So if you haven't made any new years resolutions yet, make it this one, it could be life changing for you and those around you.  Watch it rub off as you explode into others terrains with kindness!

Also I wanted to thank all my readers for your support throughout 2012.  God bless you all xx

uncomfortable situations

Have you ever believed you've forgiven someone and then you see them and instantly feel bitter and resentful? It's happened to me with one particular couple that have caused my family a lot of grief and if I was to really dwell on what they've done it could potentially ruin my christmas. I have continuously asked God to forgive them and to forgive me for even feeling so badly about them. And they probably have no idea of the extent of what they have done to us.  I've been asking God "whats the key here? whats the lesson? help me be mature in you Lord and rise above the emotions." Then this morning I was standing in the kitchen thanking God for his riches and glory in my life and I realised something very important.  What has been taken from us has meant I have to reach out to God in such a greater level of faith now. Instead of being angry, I'm grateful. God places us in uncomfortable situations to help us grow in character and strength.  It's not about the loss, God is far greater than that. It's about exactly that.. his greatness. He says if he looks after the birds in the trees how much more does he look after his children. I don't need to feel disappointed in myself for having bad feelings, I just have to be quick to recognise them and run straight to my daddy God who turns all things meant for bad into good for those who love him.  I love my God, my Jesus, and I love that he knows me more than I know myself. He made me this way and he says this about me... "you're so lovely".  So I'll keep on forgiving so I can look all  in the face with love and compassion. God says if we live this day doing his will (forgiving with love and blessings) he will shower us with blessings.

Deuteronomy 28:1-2
If you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, being watchful to do all his commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you high above the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you if you heed the voice of the Lord your God.

I really love the part where the blessing will overtake me... Wow imagine that!!!!

Angel paintings

Its amazing how a little holiday can break the momentum of writing. It's been about 3 weeks since my last confession ha ha. I'm guessing I have about 15 mins before willow wakes up so I'll quickly tell you about the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon me over the break.  Well, as you may already know I've started writting a series of children's books and I desperately needed some time off to do some research.  It always amazes me how God already knows and he goes before me and paves the way.  I had already bought the book I needed to read, just filled the car up with petrol and my house was unusually clean.  Not in any sort of preparation for a holiday, just normal stuff that happens to coincide with my inlaws coming back from their long holiday and my husband having some work up the coast where he needed accommodation for the week.  Aha its all looking like a 'daddy has a wee surprise for his special girl kind of moment'... and it was.  The wonderful parent in-laws came by on the wednesday morn and sent me on my way.  No children for two days! I couldn't believe it, this has only happened I think 5 times in the past 5 years! I drove up the coast and had about 5 hours to kill before Brad finished work so I shopped for a little bit, had some lunch.. and then found myself sitting on the beach reading the most amazing story of a 4 year old boy who went to heaven.  Sitting there reading I said to Jesus, "Do you think I could please see an angel while I'm sitting here, that would be so cool".  I kept looking around expecting to see some bright flash of light and Someone with big wings turn up.  It didn't happen as I was hoping but as I walked up the street to buy a coffee the Lord spoke to me and said "Look up". As I looked up into the sky it was as if angels had flapped their wings in the clouds and they had spread out across the sky in a way I'd never seen before. It was absolutely beautiful.  They had been painting pictures for me in the sky and it really did make my heart flutter.  God knows what speaks to me and anything arty always gets me going.  Spending time with God that day was just the recharge I needed and then to top it all off I had a night with my husband, my other favourite delicacy! It was so strange the next morning after he'd left for work (6am) and I was all alone again. I actually missed the noise of the girls and I was a little lost without them.  I decided I needed to remember that feeling because I'd be home soon wishing I could come back to the peace and quiet.  Sometimes you need to move away from the ones you love to be able to recognise the importance of them in your life.  Absence makes the heart grow fonder???? I think so.

Chasing your dreams

There's a very important place in our hearts where we store our dreams. Without a dream there's nothing to accomplish, nothing to have focus on.  Over the past year I've been trying to find what my dreams are, what they were, and I had come to the conclusion that I'd never really allowed myself to have dreams. It had never been something I was encouraged to do, so I had been cruising along stealing other peoples dreams.  I never really really wanted to be a hairdresser but I was told I was good at it and I knew it was what my Mum really wanted to do so for 16 years I fulfilled her dream.  When you hold a passion in your heart to do something amazing or be someone extraordinary you are able to focus on what you want and go for it.  There will always be loads of opportunities that get thrown your way and without a focus you could find yourself grabbing at each one and thinking "oh that was sooo from God" when really its just life.  When you have focus you only take the opportunities that support your passion. You pass on the things that don't, and in doing so, allow the person next to you to take hold of what may move them along on their journey. A couple of weeks ago I was blogging about reading bible stories to children in the park. It didn't stop there.  The more I thought about it the more God revealed to me the hidden dreams from my childhood.  I now remember instead of wanting to be a doctor or nurse or vet like everyone else I wanted to be a news reader.  Thats right I liked the idea of getting all dressed up, sitting behind a desk on tv and reading the news. Much like my idea of reading to children, just with a kinder audience.  I also thought about how I always wanted to write books... hmmm... Is this an untangling of hidden dreams coming to life? I felt prompted in my spirit of a beautiful genre to write about and for the first time in a long time I am chasing a dream and it feels great! Writing my own books and reading them to children.  When you allow yourself to have a dream you start living the dream.  I'm going to sleep thinking about these books, I'm daydreaming about reading them to children. I've even started writing the first one. To do great things you really need to know what it is you want to do and then live, eat, sleep, dream and breathe it.  Do you have a dream? Are you on the right road, taking the right steps? Share your dreams with Daddy God, he loves to hear them. He wants to co-exist with you.  He doesn't demand that we follow his dreams, that why he gives us the ability to dream. It's what you want to do, he knows your gifts and talents, he gave them to you. Search your heart, ask God to help you find your dreams and then tell him about them. As a Dad he's over excited to help you.  I pray that God will reveal to you the dreams of your heart, that he will birth a passion inside of you that extends the gifts and talents that are already there waiting.  I also pray that great opportunities will be brought into your pathway. I pray for focus, determination and perseverance. Amen! God bless you as you find and follow you dreams

Be prepared for revival.... and feijoas

I love the fruit feijoa. It's my absolute favourite, and living in Australia its very hard to come by and if you do find it you pay an incredible price, in comparison to NZ, where you walk down most streets and in season will be dodging them lying on the pavement. Anyway, I found two young feijoa trees (more like sticks with a few leaves on) and I purchased them and planted them down the bottom of my property.  They have been there for 5 months now and haven't done a lot, actually, I can see why they are the price they are over here.. its just not wet enough through winter.  Yesterday, I was standing on my deck looking down at these trees and I thought "they really need a water".  The thing is, its a mission to get the water down to them, and there had been talk of a storm coming in the evening. So, did I make the effort or just wait for the storm to come? Can you see where I'm going with this? I decided to bucket some water down to them and as I did I saw the task as more spiritual than I first believed.  You see if you have much to do with the church at the moment, you would've heard about the prophesies of a spiritual revival coming.  Much like the word of a storm coming.  If you're like me and want to see more of heaven on earth, then the thought of a revival where heavenly signs and wonders become the 'norm' will get you pretty excited. Much like my tree producing fruit.  I can't wait around for rain to come I need water now! The storm didn't come, we had crazy winds and fires breaking out instead.  I'm sure the storm will come eventually but for now, I'm glad I made the effort to water my tree, it will be that much closer to bearing fruit in due season.  Likewise for spiritual growth, don't wait for revival to come, be prepared already. God fill our hearts with holy fire,  flood us with your spiritual rain.  I want to bring you glory in everything I do, right here, right now, Amen.

Church in the park????

Ever thought about doing something out of the box that may offend some but could save others? Well, I had this busting thought come over me and it has consumed my days since friday night.  What if I took church to the park? I have no idea on the legality of sitting under a tree on a sunday morning, reading children's bible stories with a large voice, but I think it could be an approach to a world that clearly needs its younger generation to be taught some healthy bible principles.  Most of my generation and older grew up with some sort of church input and it developed an interest and then a hunger to know God.  The bible says in proverbs 22 v 6 'teach a child in the way he shall go and when he is old he shall not depart from it.' I can't sit back and wait for someone else to hopefully mingle in with the children at parks on a Sunday morning, that are potentially missing out on a faith that will see them through the hard times and bring them to new hope.  I want to do something different, I want to be that someone that cares enough to make a difference. Could we turn this into something that takes off around the world? I think so. Any ideas, I'd love to hear them.  Do you know of anyone who already does this, I'd love to meet them. I'm sure there has to be some sort of red tape that has to be cut, there always is. The best part is, if God has anything to do with putting this idea in my heart.... he'll make it happen. Well, now that I've shared this with you I'm accountable and have to actually do more than just look into it.  Eeeeek how exciting!! I'll keep you up to date with my progress.....
psalm 131 v 12  If your children will keep My covenant and My testimony that I shall teach them, their children also shall sit upon the throne forever.