Coffee, Music and Lyrics - withough any Hugh Grant

Settled down with a coffee and thinking about up-dating my life ... Terry Macnamara says I make the best coffee. I do. Well, the machine does. But I do have expertise in flicking the 'on' switch.

Since YWAM I feel like I have been journeying God on an everyday basis. That, at first, was kind of weird given that I'd arrived back from such a beautiful country where I met God every day in the most bizzare spiritually weird scenarios - and also somehwere that i've potentially left my heart ... but as time went by, I gradually fell back into a routine. If you're thinking good work - then stop. This is bad. Routine is, firstly, not what I want in the slightest, secondly, not helpful in helping me pursue a relationship with God.
Whatever, that time was pretty stagnent - so I was just sitting. Waiting for something to happen. Then I moved into my house with some amazing girls - Mel Cassidy is one of the most beautiful, amazing women I have ever met. Amy Clark is the sweetest, most bubbly girl I have EVER met and Katie B - who I can be genuinely real with, have honest conversation and who consistently surprises me! And I began my journey with God - my journey to climb that mountain, to be more like Jesus :)
I joined the worship team at church where I get to sing alongside amazing people like Ruth Hill (she has a stunning voice and a genuine character. I love her).
More recently I had a dream that I was filled with the spirit, you know, like the people that shout and twitch and fall over in response to the spirit. The people I have always thought 'thank the lord he hasn't asked me to respond like that' towards....well, I had a dream that that happened.
...
Little did I know that my time was to come and that God was only flipping preparing me for something I was clearly ready to move on to ... haha. Good times. Anyway, since the Gathering 10 - God has been moving me and I feel the spirit ... sounds weird. Can't express it as well as i'd like to right now.

Listening to a song by Miss Li (Is this the end) on a big speaker in my kitchen, and because there's only one speaker it started in a REALLY attractive quiet way - just her singing ... I'm going to have to re-start it!! Really emotional when the music finally kicks in!

Speaking of music, I am really seeing beauty in music at the moment. I really think that it's such a way to express feelings and emotion. I was listening to classical FM yesterday morning (judge on your own accord, I am happy!) and the way that the music moved flooded my soul - it's the ONLY way to describe how I felt.
Anyway, my point on music was that there is this truely beautiful song - Pledge by Marcus Meier - and the chorus feels like such an anthem:

'This is my prayer, it's my solemn vow,
with all that I am, with all that I have,
I will love you, I will love you.
With all of my heart, my soul and my mind,
I pour out an offereing of worship and cry:
I will love you, I will love you.'

Anyway, this week and next my brother is over from Hull Uni, love having him around, we get on now we're older. After scratching each other eyes out, pushing 'each other' off bunkbeds, drowning and so on ... we really get on. It's nice just to hang out. And worship God together - I am so, so, so proud of the man he is becoming.

Nowadays I feel God fully setting up a future for me ... Jeremiah 29:11 'For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'
I know it's true and I am ready and raring to go!

Maybe I could say more, but I need to mark some coursework - as that is my job and I do get paid for it.

Good to be back! xxx

School, Sun, Travells

Well, this week I have awoken at 7.05 am every morning. Early mornings are not my thing and make me the least happy. HOWEVER, after the initial horrid wake-up I then make my way to school every morning through the beautiful Daisy Nook listening to my favourite people on Key 103 [Toolan, Chelsea, Hugh and Locko - but I've missed Hugh this week] ... I then get to Ashton which is usually a bit busy but Key 103 keeps me entertained ... then I arrive at school and it makes me happy. I cannot explain it.

I enjoy teaching at Trinity. I enjoy English and I have nothing much more exciting to say - which is quite sad. But when I do. I will say it.

Today I went to Leeds. What a place. I have no desire to return but it was a particularly nice day. We spent it planning for SUbmerge, what a week it is going to be. God is going to move undoubtedly...oo I cannot wait.

Ok, so on that note, I am going to enjoy my weekend and curl my hair :)

Attack/Dilema/Breakthrough/Freedom.

I'm having an evening in which I can only describe these bizarre, unknown feelings as an attack. I don't understand what I was feeling and the only description for it is a heavy cloud of frustration, self-doubt and confusion. I couldn't even think of anything in my bible to read though I had it sitting on my knee for a good 25 minutes.

Psalm 144: 1-2
Praise the Lord, my Rock,
who trains me for war, who trains me for battle.
He protects me like a fortified city, and he loves me.
He is my defender and my Saviour,
my shield and my protection.

And so, I declare myself and all people under the same cloud of frustration, self-doubt and confusion protected by God himself who is my fortress and place of refuge. I think it also important to take on the armour of God:
The Belt of Truth.
Brestplate of Righteousness.
Footwear [of choice I assume] of the Good News of Peace.
The Shield of Faith.
The Helmet of Salvation.
The Sword of the Spirit [which is the Word of God]

And with this I go on into the world, not allowing the world to influence my emotions and feelings, but knowing that I am safe and protected by the Almighty.

More of what?

Ok, so I'm having an iPod shuffle songs kind of night and I came across the song 'More? (Louie Giglio)' by Steve Leach. Now, this guy is impressive, he takes sermons and puts the words to dance music. It's really incredible, and a great way to praise ... You have to hear it really. Anyway, this song 'More?' (Louie Giglio speaking) states: "and all we can think to pray is 'Lord Bless us'" which, from my experience, is all well and good because God always wants to give us more ... but then he goes on to ask 'more?' More of what? Read this, it gives some perspective to everything that God has given us ...

"More of what?
More than the fullness of Jesus Christ the Son of God, come down out of heaven, crucified for the sins of the world, raised from the dead by the power of God himself reigning in glory and living in your heart?
More?
More than the Holy Spirit who has come to dwell in you?
More than the Word of God which is alive in you?
More than the family of faith which you are now joined to permenantly and forever?
More than the fact that your sins are washed away? That your name is in the Lamb's book of life?
More than the fact that you have the mind of Christ?
More than the fact that you are holy in Jesus Christ?
More than the fact that you have the genes of God inside of you and have been partakers now of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places?
More than that?
More than the fact that you get to talk to God, that you are called by My name that you are one of My children that you are part of a movement, and army, a kingdom that is going to prevail in the end?
More than that?
More than the fact that you are alive for ever to never die again?
More than that?
More than the fact that you have everything you need?
More than the fact that the fullness of God is in you?
More than the height, depth, bredth, length that anybody can ever imagine?
More than that?
You want more than that?
You don't even know what to do with what you have!"

It makes me think twice when I ask for more - God has already given me EVERYTHING, but it is about using what He has given me. Using it, realising I have it already and doing something with it. Not that I am never going to ask for 'more' again, I want more of God like nothing else - but it's good to be aware and thankful for ALL that He has given.

I was just listening and thought it was worth sharing :)
And now I have typed the word 'more' so many times that it has almost lost all meaning and doesn't even look like a real word anymore ... weird.

Thankful for coffee and other matter...

So, I'm sitting in Costa coffee having a well deserved skinny latte to toast to a wonderful God (to be further explained) and remembering a dear friend who is a HUGE fan of the old 'coffee' drinking - to you Kikes *cooly raises her skinny vanilla latte into the air and looks around*
So, after my excessively expensive yet wonderful trip to Holland, I found myself £10 overdrawn - that's not a lot I hear you say. Well the truth is I am very rarely overdrawn-even when I was at Uni the thought of being overdrawn scared the crap out of me. So this morning I came into Oldham for a meeting and parked in Sainsbury's (as you do because it's free) and tied my card in the machine - purely just to check that I had seen correctly the day before... Just for the the record I had seen correctly I just didn't want to believe it.
In my account this morning was £71 ... I nearly fell over. God is SO good. SO good.

Generally my weeks aren't so busy and I bustle about doing this, that and the other...but this week I seem to be incredibly busy - it's bizzare.
But I am looking forward to Ian's BBQ on Sunday ago and praying for stunning weather because that would be sweet.
I just have to also say that God has really blessed me with an amazing set of friends both across the globe and in my church. I love my church family, my YWAM family and my friends from out and around...oh how soppy I am being - but it's true and I just wanted to thank God for it.

As for now I am going to finish my coffee, get into the suavest car I have ever driven (my Dad has taken my car to the south and thus left me with his Jaguar - sweet deal) and go wherever the wind takes me (probably home) good times!

Love x

Giraffes and Marshmallows

Today I had an interesting conversation ... mid sit-ups and other weird Gym-style excercises about a talking donkey.

You heard, a talking donkey.
It's biblical too.

Numbers 22 has a man and his donkey and an angel. Long story short, Angel in road - donkey sees, man doesn't. Donkey stops. Man gets angry with donkey and whips it several times. The angel then gives the donkey the ability to speak. The donkey turns to the man and says something along the lines of 'why are you whipping me, I have been loyal to you and taken you wherever you have needed to go' - something to that effect anyway... and so on. The point is, the donkey talks.

A fair few months ago, lets say around 5/6 months I had a house that I wanted to move into and no housemates. So I prayed that I would find people to live with because I cannot afford it alone at the moment and I have a house to rent out ... so I prayed. The house is 5 bedrooms.
My lovely friend Chande, from Uni, said she wants to move to Manchester with me (from Weymouth) but for a long time it was just the two of us. 2/5.
After a while Mum rang me (I was in the South of England) saying that another girl, Mel (she's wonderful) needed accomodation from August 09. Winner. 3/5.
God was moving. He was providing for me and for people in need of a house. It was great (still is)
Tonight one of the girls from lifegroup said she would love to move in also, Amy. I am looking forward to this more than ever now. 4/5.
Over the last few weeks, Katie, another girl from life group has been thinking about moving in too ... which would be a full house. God really knows what he is doing. From panicking about 5/6 months ago to chilling out about a full house ... I am filled with awe and wonder to such a perfect God.

* Good Times *

Speaking What My Heart Knows

'The word became human and lived among us. We saw his glory - the glory that belongs to the only son of the father - and he was full of grace and truth.' John 1:14

Daily, I am reassured of the character of God and His adoration for us ... for me. The Word that was God [John 1:1] became human and came to live with us ... Jesus came from the heights, the wonders of heaven, the safety and security of his own home to live amongst and around us. Interesting. Each and every time I think of this I am baffeled by how amazing it is.

Ok, so the way that it has recently become real to me is:

So I have just returned from India where myself, and the team I was with, lived amongst the towns-people in a little village in Chennai. We lived in their homes, we ate with them, we drank tea with them (a LOT of tea) and loved them. It was wonderful, but it was hard. So hard. To be so far away from home, from family and friends. We were there for 4 weeks. We went in and around houses, asking if people needed any help around the house, general duties or building or whatever ... we got turned away from a lot of houses, people didn't want anything to do with us. We had done nothing wrong. We went with the intention to help, ease stress, provide company, a smile, a laugh ... some people simply did not want it.

Others did.

We drank a LOT of tea and spoke the Truth of Jesus into their homes, into their lives, and accepted them for who they were ... and I love them. I continue to love them, it's not like 'Oh I did whilst I was there, but out of sight - out of mind.' No, no. I continue to love those people, the women and children that we met. And it doesn't stop there, I love the people that we met, and their children, and the idea of their grandchildren, and their children ... and so it continues.

Jesus came to earth spreading truth. The truth that in Him, we can live eternally. He came to earth, He lived amongst people, eating and drinking and hanging out with them. Talking to them, loving them and accepting them. And when He died, rose and accended to heaven, He did not forget. He continues to love us.

Some people choose not to accept this.

Others choose to.

I choose to.

I needed to say this because I stray from writing truth and talk about rubbish, which is fun and I will still do, but this is more important to me. And if something is that important, you share it.

This made a lot of sense as I was writing. Please say if it doesn't make sense, please, it'll help me gather thoughts better next time.