Proverbs 31:30
My first attempt to make a desktop, with one of my favourite scriptures!:
If only there were more hours in a day.
Don't you just wish there were more hours in a day?
Things have been a bit crazy as of late. Uni has start back up again, church is going full swing and assignments have been piling up by the cart load. Between going to uni, work, church and everything else inbetween I've only been getting about on average 6 hours of sleep each night - can someone say time management?!
Its gotten to the point where I've had to cut back some of my commitments from church to focus on Club180 our new christians program, almost feel like I am backsliding cause I am not doing as much at church, but it was a neccessary decision if I didn't want to burn out before I had even started! I've had to actually write in my diary what time I needed to be in bed if I was going to any decent amount of sleep.
Any extra time I have I really should be doing assignments and study. I'm one year short of graduating from my degree, I really need to do my best and get my portfolio up and happening because right now, its not.
Note to self: I really need to get disciplined and time managed.
Things have been a bit crazy as of late. Uni has start back up again, church is going full swing and assignments have been piling up by the cart load. Between going to uni, work, church and everything else inbetween I've only been getting about on average 6 hours of sleep each night - can someone say time management?!
Its gotten to the point where I've had to cut back some of my commitments from church to focus on Club180 our new christians program, almost feel like I am backsliding cause I am not doing as much at church, but it was a neccessary decision if I didn't want to burn out before I had even started! I've had to actually write in my diary what time I needed to be in bed if I was going to any decent amount of sleep.
Any extra time I have I really should be doing assignments and study. I'm one year short of graduating from my degree, I really need to do my best and get my portfolio up and happening because right now, its not.
Note to self: I really need to get disciplined and time managed.
If I had known.
If I had known at the time how hard it is to actually be a leader, in most likelyhood I proberly would of said a big "Thanks, but no thanks." Like a good friend of mine once said: I know I asked God to break my heart for these girls, now I just want my heart back.
If I had known how much it hurts when you try to help and extend your hand out to them and they just don't want to take it, I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because of the ones who do take hold of my hand.
If I had known how much of my time and energy I needed to invest in my leadership I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because its not about me, its about the cause and showing people how much God loves them.
If I had known the full extent of the responsibility that come with leadership; that peoples eternities are at stake that I influance, and the fact that I have to answer to God and my leaders for them I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because I need to step up to the plate in order to grow on a new level with God, and if I wasn't going to do it He would find someone else who would.
If I had known how painful it is to see girls making bad choices for God, I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because God can take those bad choices and make them into something beautiful for His glory.
If I had known how often God would be challenging me to step out in boldness, I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because its when I step out in faith He can grow me.
If I had known how much God would be asking me to put my heart in the line of fire as I grow in my relationship with these girls, I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because we are here to be involved in each others lives, for better or for worse.
If I had known at the time how much I would love and have a heart for these girls, I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because Jesus loves and had a heart for me first.
If I had known how hard it really is, and how often I would feel like throwing the towel in and saying "God, I quit." I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because I am called.
I am called to be where God has placed me, and though I feel weak, uncompetant and unadequate in what He is asking of me, I need to be a faithful and obediant servant. At the end of the day, when I think about it, Jesus has done so much more by dying on the cross for me, watching over his little sheep is the least I could do.
"But He said to me; 'My grace is sufficent for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'" - 2 Corinthians 12:9
If I had known how much it hurts when you try to help and extend your hand out to them and they just don't want to take it, I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because of the ones who do take hold of my hand.
If I had known how much of my time and energy I needed to invest in my leadership I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because its not about me, its about the cause and showing people how much God loves them.
If I had known the full extent of the responsibility that come with leadership; that peoples eternities are at stake that I influance, and the fact that I have to answer to God and my leaders for them I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because I need to step up to the plate in order to grow on a new level with God, and if I wasn't going to do it He would find someone else who would.
If I had known how painful it is to see girls making bad choices for God, I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because God can take those bad choices and make them into something beautiful for His glory.
If I had known how often God would be challenging me to step out in boldness, I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because its when I step out in faith He can grow me.
If I had known how much God would be asking me to put my heart in the line of fire as I grow in my relationship with these girls, I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because we are here to be involved in each others lives, for better or for worse.
If I had known at the time how much I would love and have a heart for these girls, I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because Jesus loves and had a heart for me first.
If I had known how hard it really is, and how often I would feel like throwing the towel in and saying "God, I quit." I proberly would of said "no thanks." but instead I said "yes." because I am called.
I am called to be where God has placed me, and though I feel weak, uncompetant and unadequate in what He is asking of me, I need to be a faithful and obediant servant. At the end of the day, when I think about it, Jesus has done so much more by dying on the cross for me, watching over his little sheep is the least I could do.
"But He said to me; 'My grace is sufficent for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'" - 2 Corinthians 12:9
When you feel like crawling into a hole, climb out.
I'm one of those people who believe that relationships wouldn't be any problem if they didn't have to involve other people. If it wasn't for the fact that loving Jesus means loving his people I think I would of been quite happy to hide myself away in my room all day and just spend time with Him.
One of my biggest challenges I am constantly faced with is the 'They-don't-like-me' syndrome. Its this silly niggly feeling/thought that I seem to masochistically beat myself with time and time again. Its a lie I know - the enemy likes to feed us lies about ourselves - he especially likes to feed me this one.
The thing is, when the enemy puts those negative thoughts in your head, you have to learn to tell him to get lost and do it fast. Don't give him a foothold. I know when the moment I start entertaining 'They-don't-like-me' syndrome, things start going a bit pear shaped. Firstly in a pathetic attempt to protect myself from feeling hurt and rejected I start pulling myself away from people. And then, I begin to build walls, withhold myself, and refrain from sharing my life, thinking that if I don't open myself up people can't hurt me, or use it against me.
I lamely try to convince myself that if I don't let people in they can't hurt me, but on the flip side, they also won't have a chance to know me, or be able to help me. Nowadays whenever I start hearing that negative voice, I try to use that as a trigger to start telling my leaders what I am going through. The enemy hates when you share each others burdens - he would love you to keep it to yourself and let you wallow in your own self pity.
The truth in the matter is that we were created to be together. We are called to be a family. I've been reading the Purpose Drive Life devotionals (you have to get these they are soo good!) and John Fischer says:
God made us like himself, He didn't make just one of us, He made many that we might learn to relate to one another the way God relates to himself. That we might become one as He is one. This is the ultimate non-dysfunctional family - what we will realize in heaven, but get a glimpse of here on earth.
If thats not a revelation right there I don't know what is. We are created to relate to one another, warts, bumps and all. There are no lone rangers in the christian walk and God puts alot of value in relationships - its the stuff that makes up eternity.
One of my biggest challenges I am constantly faced with is the 'They-don't-like-me' syndrome. Its this silly niggly feeling/thought that I seem to masochistically beat myself with time and time again. Its a lie I know - the enemy likes to feed us lies about ourselves - he especially likes to feed me this one.
The thing is, when the enemy puts those negative thoughts in your head, you have to learn to tell him to get lost and do it fast. Don't give him a foothold. I know when the moment I start entertaining 'They-don't-like-me' syndrome, things start going a bit pear shaped. Firstly in a pathetic attempt to protect myself from feeling hurt and rejected I start pulling myself away from people. And then, I begin to build walls, withhold myself, and refrain from sharing my life, thinking that if I don't open myself up people can't hurt me, or use it against me.
I lamely try to convince myself that if I don't let people in they can't hurt me, but on the flip side, they also won't have a chance to know me, or be able to help me. Nowadays whenever I start hearing that negative voice, I try to use that as a trigger to start telling my leaders what I am going through. The enemy hates when you share each others burdens - he would love you to keep it to yourself and let you wallow in your own self pity.
The truth in the matter is that we were created to be together. We are called to be a family. I've been reading the Purpose Drive Life devotionals (you have to get these they are soo good!) and John Fischer says:
God made us like himself, He didn't make just one of us, He made many that we might learn to relate to one another the way God relates to himself. That we might become one as He is one. This is the ultimate non-dysfunctional family - what we will realize in heaven, but get a glimpse of here on earth.
If thats not a revelation right there I don't know what is. We are created to relate to one another, warts, bumps and all. There are no lone rangers in the christian walk and God puts alot of value in relationships - its the stuff that makes up eternity.
Between engagements and weddings.
Its been a bit of a spin out lately.
This year I went to the first (of many) weddings I have ever attended. I never realised that is so much beauty in a wedding, till I went to one and saw it myself with my own two eyes. Silly me thought that people still walk down the asle to the 'Wedding March' - I think I've been watching too much TV.
Left to right: Me, Kristy, Rob, Ruth, Sven and Carrie at Kristy and Jarrods engagement party.
Anyways last weekend I went to an engagement party - its kinda funny in a way that it seems like half the church is getting married. Though I must say, we do have a pretty good looking church at Sunset Coast, with some real quality people - so its not surprising really. But with all this wedding hooha it kinda makes you wonder about when it will be your turn.
I mean, its not like I think about really. Heck, I don't have a boyfriend (or anything close to one) to even justify thinking along those lines - but sometimes its just a fanciful thought to pause and ask God "When will it be me?".
This year I went to the first (of many) weddings I have ever attended. I never realised that is so much beauty in a wedding, till I went to one and saw it myself with my own two eyes. Silly me thought that people still walk down the asle to the 'Wedding March' - I think I've been watching too much TV.
Left to right: Me, Kristy, Rob, Ruth, Sven and Carrie at Kristy and Jarrods engagement party.
Anyways last weekend I went to an engagement party - its kinda funny in a way that it seems like half the church is getting married. Though I must say, we do have a pretty good looking church at Sunset Coast, with some real quality people - so its not surprising really. But with all this wedding hooha it kinda makes you wonder about when it will be your turn.
I mean, its not like I think about really. Heck, I don't have a boyfriend (or anything close to one) to even justify thinking along those lines - but sometimes its just a fanciful thought to pause and ask God "When will it be me?".
Notice a pattern happening here?
I was looking through some of my photos and I noticed some similarities...
