Just another day, but with roller blades. - [Poem]

She asked me, if we could go,
those brown eyes pleaded, how could I say no?
With curls in her hair and her socks pulled high,
I remember when all she needed was to hear a lullaby.

So off we went, the journey went swell,
she looked gleeful, like she'd struck a wish from a wishing well.
The music was loud, and she came to life.
I know one day, she'll make a loving wife.

So here I am, with my granddaughter in toe,
putting on these roller skates, trying to 'go with the flow',
within minutes she's off, but always returns to my side,
there's people moving every where, like a sea with a tide.

She holds my hand, and giggles at my steps,
She smiles with her heart, revealing such depth,
I know this is special, I know it has purpose,
How can people dismiss this relationship as surplus?


Hey,

So today whilst I was shopping in town, there was a make-shift roller blading party going on! (I know right?!) As I walked by, two of the skaters caught my eye, and old man and a little girl, to whom I presumed was his granddaughter. 

Watching the pair of them skating around this rink in the middle of town inspired this poem. Its not the most technical or polished poem, but the scene provoked something in me. God reminded me how powerful and important family is; especially this idea of our church family. This old guy, at times to be honest, looked terrified; I'm sure he was the only one there over the age of 25! But what struck me was his ability to push aside his own wishes and to bless this little girl, just by spending time with her. It revealed to me just how important and necessary we are to each other. 

Being part of your natural family, but also your church family is such a blessing. There's so much life to be found in playing our part and getting involved, from the smallest to the biggest task. We can learn new things about ourselves and others, in how we relate, serve, honour, respect and treat each other.

"The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you." (1 Corinthians 12:21)

I hope you'll be encouraged in your obedience to God to play your part, because we do each have a part to play in the bigger body of Christ. So, let's step up our game and put some roller blades on. Be ready to offer a helping hand, or a helmet to your neighbour, we need to get skating.

Praying peace and prosperity over all of you inspirational skaters.

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each another." - Mother Teresa

Blessings.

C.

"Here it is, as it is for now." [Painting]

Hey!

So today I painted this... it's not finished yet. But I felt like God wanted me to put it up now already; for numerous reasons, but one being because of a work He is doing inside of me about control.

So this is:  "Here it is, as it is for now."

I know, bit of a weird title, but it's a phrase God reminded me I said to Him ages ago when I gave my heart over to Him on a specific situation. I actually remember saying that to Him all that time ago.

Whilst painting this, I had no clue what it meant, whether it was for me or for someone else. But literally just after I showed a friend, God reminded me of that.

So now whenever I look at this, I'll remember His faithfulness in that specific situation, that time when I gave him control; so when something rears it's head again, I can cling onto every word He speaks because I'll be reminded of His goodness.

I encourage you to step out in whatever way you're wired to with God. Even if you don't understand the call, the reason why, or even if you only hear the faintest whisper. Be obedient and pick up the paintbrush, the pen, the microphone, absolutely whatever, and bring your King glory.

The blessings of creativity are coming your way!

C. 

Focus 2012 - Love and be loved.

Hey!

So I've just returned from an epic week away in Wales at a summer camp for children to be ignited with a passion for Jesus, and... it was immense. God moved so much, and worked out such a lot in everybody's lives that it's almost impossible to do a post on it, but...I shall try to capture some of His glory into words. 


The three things God spoke to me most about this week were dreams, brother and sisterhood and loving people.

Dreams
This is such a popular topic for Christians to preach about, I've heard numerous talks on 'dreaming big' with God. But this week was different. I gained a deeper revelation because God had to change my thinking from a 'survivor mentality' to a mindset of one who is 'privileged.' I hadn't realised I actually wasn't living in the fullness of God because I wasn't thinking big enough; I would worship Him but then continue listen to that defeatist whisper in my mind, that had little expectations of God and declared things like, "God couldn't provide that much for me!" 
A very wise man preached about mindsets this week and he came out with this beauty of a quote: "When you give your life to Jesus, you become the privileged." So why if we've already given our lives to Jesus do we still live half measures, when there is SO much more? I asked God this and He said it's because we need to learn to be loved. He said we need to learn to receive His love, stand in the truth of who He says we are, and then ask for what we desire. At the end of the day, He placed those desires in our hearts, so of course He can and wants to help us out live them. So I encourage you to find something you are passionate about and allow your sold out, uncompromised love for Jesus to be the power and source behind your idea, your plans and your future; step into the world and be a warrior for His Kingdom in whatever way that looks for you.

Brothers and Sisters
Not having any siblings has meant that I haven't had a daily tangible way of analysing how to be a sister in Christ. However this week God has really developed in me a deeper love for my brothers and sisters, and He has revealed to me just how important it is to invest in these relationships, especially with the opposite gender. 
The whole week God has challenged me to talk to different people, of different backgrounds and ages, and to learn more about Him through them. He's shown me that we really do need each other. The advice and insight I've received just this week has truly blessed me because it has always come out of love for Christ, and has had the sole purpose of building me up. 
The reason I've found it's important to invest in our relationships with our brothers (or sisters if you're a guy!) is that we actually think very differently. I know it seems obvious, but it actually means when it comes to perceptions or revelation, prophesying or praying, the opposite gender are wired differently; therefore they can hear God differently, and hence can provide a different outlook/expression of God. So it is so important that we value each others lessons learned with God, and soak in all the varied expressions of Himself, and take the time to sow our own revelation into each other to protect one another.

Loving people
This is a massive one. This is one of those on going processes that there is always more to see and think on. God this week has taught me to love intentionally, to continue to ask Him what people need to hear or need doing, and to just do it. My favourite thing to do with God at the minute is to call things out of people in general conversation.
The Bible says in Luke 6:45 that: "What you say flows from what is in your heart." If we have asked Jesus into our heart, and the Holy Spirit is inside of us, our actions and our words especially, should overflow with His love. So, my lesson with God at the moment is to make this a lifestyle change, that what I speak to other people encourages them. I've been asking God to show me their heart and what they need to hear from Him.
God has also reminded me this week of the wonderful Heidi Baker's quote of 'stopping for the one.' Stopping for one of God's children, to intentionally love them and show them God's love is all that it takes. Amazingly simple, or simply amazing.

I'm sure I could go on for ages longer, but that's all for now.

Blessings of joy!

C. 

Living art - [Poem]

You are more than a number.
You are more than a few letters tied together with the thread of loopy hand writing and labelled a signature, as ink on a page.

You are an expression of truth and beauty that walks in the light.
There is life in your veins. You are not surface deep.
You do not exist as algal bloom on a stagnant lake or skin on the surface of curdled milk.
You have life in you, flowing through you.

No margins or punch-holes define where your feet can or cannot go.
You are bigger than the lines of the pages that trail
across the book,
you can divulge information so freely it dances from your lips.

You are a permanent marker, you can leave permanent marks of passion on lives.
No rubbers or tape can mask your expression.

You are a living piece of art.
You are a living work of art, that The Creator worked into existence.

You are a mirror of the Almighty One,
every inch of your body, your heart and your mind reflect
someone greater.
The One who looks at you and smiles is seen, everywhere you go, in reflections of pure light.

You live.
You breathe.
You have unyielding power stored inside the chambers of your heart.
You can unleash His power by beating your heart to the same rhythm of His.


You know true existence,
but what it more

you live it. 

Chasm Chasing - [Short verse!]

"There's a chasm of difference between what you know you want and what you think you want.
There comes a point where you have to sit yourself down, interview your inner mind, and find these subtle differences. Only then will you truly know yourself."

Just a short quote I thought of today with God! Hope it makes sense...

C.

5. Spontaneity

Hey! So as promised, I'm going to do a mini post on each of the few bullet points of 'spiritual awakening' that God is really teaching me about.

The first is number 5.
"A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experience."

This has been a tough'y, and only recently have I found that I'm beginning to come out of the time of learning this, (of course it's always an on going battle that needs to be kept in check!) but I've never felt more free. 

When I read this I started to try and be spontaneous, like it says. However I actually didn't realise that I was doing exactly what it was saying I didn't have to do. I was still acting out of fear; fear that I wouldn't actually be able to be free. Once again I was striving. This took a long time to realise, and it seems so simple to see now, looking at this revelation in black and white on a computer screen.

But in my head destructive thoughts circled leaving me undirected and stationary. Thoughts such as that being spontaneous wasn't actually spiritual, it was...unreliable and fickle. This I've learnt is so not true. Being spontaneous in the way we think and act, is liberating in that it frees us of locked down mindsets that everything has to have been scrutinised carefully with a pro's and con's list before we actually get off our bums and do something. (Because lets be honest, half the time we do this, we seem to find more con's than pro's and then never do anything, except waste the time in the first place scrutinising it!)

I've now discovered with God that being spontaneous in our thoughts and actions is a product of intimacy with Him. When our relationship with God and the Holy Spirit develops, we begin to fully understand that "we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:16) and then we do become free to be spontaneous, because we are acting in the Spirit.

The passage then goes on to say, "for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.¹⁵ Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others."

We don't have to analyse our decisions with a pro's and con's list any more, in the Spirit we can evaluate all things and be free to act upon them with God. The last part of that Bible scripture is a little gem, don't miss it. It tells us that as a people of God we can not be 'evaluated' by the world, The Message translates this verse to "we can't be judged by unspiritual critics." The world doesn't define us. A freeing phrase! We can think freely without the constant conveyor belt of anxiety and paranoia over other people's perceptions or opinions of us.

In fact the whole passage of 1 Corinthians 2 is all about our access to God, and how we can know Him because of the Holy Spirit inside of us. God is the God of creativity, of course He enjoys being spontaneous. All it takes is for us to lift our eyes from our structured regimes and look to Him, and be led by Him. 

"Spirit can be known only by spirit—God's Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing, and can't be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah's question, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit." ( 1 Corinthians 2:14-16- The Message)

Be open to communion with The Almighty King.
Blessings!

C.