Learning to look upwards

God's holiness

2005-05-06T19:48:00.000Z

The other day I put on my blog the quote about when Solomon had just built the temple and the priests were in it but had to leave because the presence of God and His holiness were so overwhelming (1 Kings 8:10 & 11). It says that they couldn't carry on with what they were doing because God's glory had filled the temple. Wow!!!
How cool is that?! God's presence was so tangible to them. What a mighty God we serve. I just wish I remembered that more often. When I read stuff like that it makes me want to go and spend time with God right away and yet I can get disheartened so easily. What an impact we could have.

Summertime

2005-05-02T18:54:00.000Z

My favourite thing ever..... lying on my bed in the summer with the windows wide open and the rain pouring down outside.......yum

Consuming Fire

2005-05-01T16:22:00.000Z

'There must be more than this
O breath of God come breathe within
There must be more than this
Spirit of God we wait for You
Fill us anew we pray
Fill us anew we pray

Consuming fire, fan into flame
A passion for Your name
Spirit of God fall in this place
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way with us

Come like a rushing wind
Clothe us with power from on high
Now set the captives free
Leave us abandoned to Your praise
Lord let Your glory fall
Lord let Your glory fall'

-Tim Hughes

Same old, same old

2005-04-28T14:02:00.000Z

Talked about being lonely the other day and as this blog is a diary about how I feel at the moment I'm going to mention it again. I think it really hits you some days more than others. Finding it really overwhelming today and it's really difficult not to cry. Wow, Jesus gave up so much for us, He died for us but before that He lived for us. He must have felt so lonely sometimes.

I look forward to when we meet God in Heaven and this happens....
'And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes'- Revelation

Moving on...

2005-04-20T15:43:00.000Z

Me and my parents often refer to ourselves as pilgrims because it feels like we are always on the move to a new place.

It's tough sometimes not having people around who you share memories with and not having a town to call home.

Someone the other day said something that really struck me though and I found so helpful it was along these lines.....may God be where our home is.

Impatient loneliness

2005-04-19T09:56:00.000Z

Life's really lonely sometimes ain't it. Wow, it can be so tough. Sometimes don't know what is worse; being by yourself with your own thoughts for company or being somewhere where there are lots of people but no one understands you.

I'm going through one of those stages in life where I feel like I'm pushing every door and none are opening...it's very tiring. Think it's made worse when there aren't really many people around to help push with you, especially when those that are for you start to leave to go and do exciting things that they have been called to do and you have to stay....waiting.

In these times it's a matter of trusting still, of hoping still, waiting still and being still in the knowledge that God is still God.

Visions in the desert

2005-04-16T12:33:00.000Z

Wycliffe Bible translators started their work on the New Testament in one of the Malian languages used by 700,000 nomads in the desert in the early 1990's. Around this time hundreds of people in the desert saw a vision of a man hovering above the ground, holding a book. They all identified the man as Jesus. These visions have led to the gospel being taught in schools, on the radio, hotels, offices etc...

Things to remember when it's just been one of those days.....

2005-04-15T14:15:00.000Z

'But I will still be glad in the Lord; I will rejoice in God my Saviour. The Lord God is my strength. He makes me like a deer that does not stumble so I can walk on the steep mountains.' Habakkuk 3:18 & 19

'In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.' Ephesians 1: 7 & 8

'All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.' Psalm 139: 16

'When the priests left the Holy Place, a cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. The priests could not continue their work, because the Temple was filled with the glory of the Lord.' 1 Kings 8: 10 & 11

Love....

2005-04-13T19:41:00.000Z

Been thinking a lot about love recently, as I've looked around others blogs I don't think I'm the only one being prompted to think about it which is fab cause it means God is getting to work.

The other week I read 1 Corinthians 13. God humbled me. God loves me because that is who He is. And if God can love me; someone so different to Himself, then I have no excuses to not love those around me. Love is so tough sometimes, it can mean loving people you have nothing much in common with, loving people you don't see much and loving those who hurt us. I think when we are hurt we can often use hurt as an excuse not to love eachother but as I am starting to realise people often hurt eachother because they themselves are already hurting. Isn't it sad that when this happens that we push against eachother and hit out at eachother rather than coming together and nursing eachothers wounds. In different circumstances we are not always able to show love how we would want to but it's in those times we can come before God and lift that person up into His arms of love and grace. I know it's so difficult. I'm learning these lessons right now and will probably have to continue to learn them throughout the rest of my life. It's just so lonely when we don't feel that loved or accepted.
I suppose it's just exciting sometimes to think how effective Church would be if every Christian in the world behaved like this. I hope that in our weakness we can throw ourselves into God's arms and He will show His strength and be glorified.

Somewhere new...

2005-04-13T14:02:00.000Z

I'm off somewhere very exciting this July. I'm going to Timbuktu-if like me you had always thought that this place was an amazing product of someones imagination then I'm pleased to inform you that it does in fact exist. It is in Mali which is at the bottom of the Sahara desert in north-west Africa. According to one website Mali is the 20th poorest country in the world. Life expectancy for men and women is in the late 40's. 60% of people there live under the US 1$ a day poverty line. So what do people in Mali need? With such a massive problem what can a girl from Shropshire do? Well I am going with a Tearfund team to help a Church out there. We will be giving women vocational training so that they don't have to resort to prostitution. We will be teaching Malians basic computer literacy and music and helping set up and run a children's holiday school. As well as this very practical help we will spend time visiting famillies and different projects, we will shake hands with people who never before have been touched because of AIDs fears.

My main aim is that we will show them love. God is amazing, He has no restrictions on who He loves. No race, colour, culture or gender can seperate us from Him. He knows everything about everyone. The Bible says He knows how many hairs we have on our heads, He knows when we stand up and when we lie down. This all-powerful God is interested in me and in you. Imagine every day being a struggle to feed you and your family, imagine your parents died when your were young from AIDS and you may too. Imagine animals running around your town carrying Rabies. Imagine not being able to work because you can't write or use a computer so your only other option is prostitution. These realities are faced by many people around the world right now. God loves these people as much as us, so how can we just stand back and not be there for them? I heard an horrific fact this weekend. The richest 358 people in the world have the same amount of money as 2.3 billion of the poorest people in this world! It is enough to make you feel sick.

Praise God that in Revelation it says 'He will wipe every tear from our eyes'. When we get to heaven we will be restored, there will be no more sickness, death or poverty. But until that time what are we going to do? Will you love your neighbour? Will you love those who need it and out of this love do what needs to be done? I really hope so.

"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean will be less because of the missing drop." -Mother Teresa

Almost time for bed

2005-04-11T21:57:00.000Z

Just something I have found really helpful:

'I found that when I came to the end of myself, I came to the beginning of God'

(by Mike Pilavachi from 'Wasteland?')

Hello

2005-04-11T21:19:00.000Z

I hope this blog reflects my steps as I learn to look more at God in all circumstances. These last few years have shown me it's the hardest lesson to learn, but it's so important. As a Christian my aim in life should be about my relationship with God and bringing Him glory in everything I do.

It is a blog written by me as a record for me. If you read it I hope you will take it in the heart I will write it; with honesty acknowledging that life is a struggle but also with the hope that all that believe in God can be transformed. Our God is the same yesterday, today and forever so He will do, as He has done, wonderful and amazing things.