The Memorising God's Word Assignment - week 1

Welcome to week one, scripture one of the 'Memorising God's Word' assignment. I'm so excited to be embarking on this glorious challenge. For a while it's niggled me that I haven't been able to quote scriptures correctly as often as I'd like, so when God spoke to me and lay this 'project' on my heart I was RARING to go. Hallelujah!!

If this is your first time hearing about this assignment you can read my introductory post here. Our first scripture is taken from the book of Hosea:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:
because thou hast rejected knowledge,
I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me:
seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God,
I will also forget thy children.
Hosea 4:6 (KJV)

I personally wouldn't have chosen to kick off with this scripture. It just seemed too harsh. But the Holy Spirit wouldn't leave me alone on this one. I really felt God impressing on my heart heavily to use this verse as the starting point and when God tells you to do something let's face it you may as well do it. Of course you have your own free will, but His way is better than our way. What he calls us to do works together for our greater good, so even though we may not understand the reason behind what we have been asked to do, rest assured there is a perfect reason He has as asked us to do it.

So without further ado. Hosea 4:6 is this weeks memory verse.

Admittedly this scripture isn't the most comforting passage in the Bible, but then the truth often isn't. People will be destroyed for lacking the knowledge of God's word and ignoring the salvation which is available to us through the crucifixion of our saviour Jesus Christ. This rejection not only affects the rejectors, but also their children and their children's children

Meditate on Hosea 4:6 when you wake up, before you go to bed and throughout the day if possible. This is all in addition to the time you spend with God in prayer and reading the Bible. The aim is to internalise God's word and impress it onto our hearts, so we are able to speak life into our own lives and the lives of others correctly and consistently.

This assignment is all about fellowship too so you can follow me on Instagram and twitter using the hashtags #MGW (Memorising God's Word) and #MGWA (Memorising God's Word Assignment), where we can all support and encourage one another whilst we feast on His word. Amen!

The Memorising God's Word Assignment - Introduction

Do you, like me love God with all your heart, read your bible diligently but still struggle to memorise scriptures? Yes? Well this assignment is for you. 'God's word is quick and powerful and sharper than any twoedged sword' Hebrews 4:12.

His word speaks life into our own lives, so it is important that we are able to quote scriptures and speak His word into our situations and the situations of others.

Before I was born again I could easily recite secular song lyrics, word for word within a matter of days, if not hours *hangs head* lol, so I know I hold the capacity to learn God's word by heart. I know you do too, so why don't we?

How it'll work.
Every Sunday, for 90 days I will post a scripture that the Holy Spirit has laid on my heart. Throughout the week it is then our job to meditate on the verse every morning when we wake up, and every evening before we go to bed. (This is in addition to the personal time you spend with God praying and reading the bible). You could probably also write the scriptures on post it notes and place them around your home or write the verse down in your journal, if you have one and meditate on it throughout the day, whichever helps you to learn and internalise God's word the most. I also encourage you to pray to God for his help and his guidance to open you up to the power of his word, because of course the enemy will try and attack us when we are doing something that glorifies our heavenly father, but we have no time for that. 'Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?' Luke 2:49

So after the 90 days we will have a total of approx 12 verses that we should know off by heart. I may even throw in a quiz at the end so we can test ourselves. I still have to figure out how that will work, so please bear with me.

I'll be kicking off with the first verse shortly, so if you're on board just follow me on Instagram, Twitter or this blog and use the #MGW hashtag, so we can build a community, encourage one another, witness and testify to one another and above all share the love of our saviour Jesus Christ. God bless you all and LET'S DO THIS!

KCCM Castor oil challenge - week 5

Excuse the creased top.
Ironing isn't my strong point lol

Week five of the KinkyCoilyCurlyMe castor oil challenge and it's length check time. I'm enjoying this challenge not only because I love Jamaican Black Castor oil, but because it's really allowing me to closely monitor the progress of my hair growth and thickness.

Styling still isn't my strong point. On Christmas day I achieved my best ever twist out, but I'm still not convinced my hair is thick enough to carry it off.....so needless to say I ended up throwing it into an updo/ mum bun.

I must say I am definitely noticing a difference in the thickness of my hair and my length check photo below certainly shows some growth. That was exciting to see, one of the great benefits of all the diligent photo taking.

In the coming weeks, I'll probably be putting my hair in twists to protect it and promote growth around my edges and at my crown; areas where I've been having issues with breakage.

The end of January will mark two years of being natural. I can honestly say making this decision has been one of the best I've ever made.

It's too late to join the winter challenge now, but if you want to discover more about all things involving natural hair just hop on over to the fabulous KinkyCurlyCoilyMe blog here.

Growth

Friday reflections - week 11

My Friday reflection posts are a bit sporadic. Sorry about that. It's not my intention. Things seem to be so topsy turvy in my life at the moment. What's up? You may ask. Well a lot of things really. God is making some big changes, which although seem hard to bear are very necessary. And you know what? He is giving me the grace to keep smiling, rejoicing and giving thanks throughout it all.

In years gone by, I would have been an emotional, depressed, stressed out wreck having to deal with what I'm going through now, and that was without having kids in the equation. I am telling you God provides strength in weakness. I am a witness to this fact. On my own I am weak, but by casting ALL my burdens on Him, I can soar high like an eagle. Hallelujah to my provider Jehovah Jirah!

My situation is hard to explain at the moment because I'm still trying to discern it all properly for myself, but I know what is happening is for my greater good, so I continue to keep the faith and press on.

I follow some truly godly pages on instagram and came across this post from @godquotes which pierced my heart and I really felt God was speaking to me through it. Needless to say it bought some beautiful clarity to my situation. Thank you Jesus.

Without a shadow of a doubt God truly does bring indescribable peace in the midst of life's most crazy storms.

"6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Phillipians 4:6-7

Seek Him out today, He can give you strength in your brokenness. All you need to do is call on His name and He will meet you at your point of need.

An amazing Christmas

Christmas 2012 was completely glorious. We spent it with the OH's sister, her fiancé, their son and Grandma.

They have recently moved into an apartment just a stones throw away from Canary Wharf and it is GORGEOUS.

Unfortunately the OH caught the lurgy, so he spent most of the time throwing up, drinking diarolyte and lying down. Poor daddy. It was a shame because OH's sister always puts on an amazing spread and the food did not disappoint. It was completely scrummy. I even fell in love with Christmas pud, which I'm not really a fan of but it was so tasty, especially when steaming hot and topped with a generous squirt of whipped cream.

We were truly blessed because there was a moment when we thought we wouldn't make it to her house. Our car is kaput, so I had to borrow my mum's car. We picked up OH's mum in south London, then the car wouldn't start and it was pouring with rain. We were all too embarrassed to ask the neighbours for a jump start, but thankfully after a call to my mum, the car started. At that point my mother in law said she'd sent up a quick prayer, I'm telling you PRAYER WORKS. In the heat of the moment I hadn't even thought to do that *slaps forhead and hangs head in shame*. Well at least one of us was on the ball. Thank you Jesus.

I'll leave you all with some pics from the day, can you spot the insane shoe collection? I always knew OH's sister loves shoes but this was something I'd never seen before, plus this was AFTER she'd got rid of 70 pairs 0_o lol....

I can truly say I had a wonderful Christmas and it really is the simple things, Jesus, family, love and thanksgiving that make it what it is. I hope you all had a beautiful, blessed Christmas too.

A pattern emerging....

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It would be quite nice to be here right now.

I'm not sure if it's just me (I sincerely hope not), but I have begun to notice that things get chaotic in my household as the school term draws to a close.

Admittedly my girls have only been going to school for two terms, but already it has become rather apparent that at the beginning of term I'm super bright and breezy, getting the children up early, having a leisurely breakfast, strolling to school and generally being well ahead of schedule.

As term time draws to a close, it's like all my energy has been zapped. It's a struggle to get up in the mornings subsequently I'm rushing around like a headless chicken trying to get everyone washed, dressed, fed, hair done, teeth brushed. It is such a contrast to how the term begins.

I thought last term was maybe a blip, but these last few days has been precisely the same. We've either been late or running to the school gates. It is a bit rubbish, but what can you do if you're completely exhausted? I guess the fact we're getting over this bug doesn't help.....

Oh well my youngest daughter has her last day today and my eldest tomorrow, so two weeks of festive rejoicing, good cheer and battery recharging should do the trick. Please God.

Melting hearts

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Last week I blogged about reaching out to others and giving more here and here. God has really been working on me in this area and the Holy Spirit has filled me with a heart that just wants to GIVE. I am a stay at home mum of three, but I can honestly say that I give more now than I ever did when I was career girl without kids and a disposable income. It's crazy to think that back then I used to want more, but nowadays I just want to give more. And you know what? Whilst I give, the good Lord provides for my every need. Seriously my kids do not go without. Don't get me wrong, we are by no means well off, we live in a one bed flat and the kids and I split our time between the flat and my parents home, but somehow it all works out and I am at peace, despite the situation being very far from ideal. I'm telling you it is only God that can provide you with that kind of peace when everything around you appears to be so completely hopeless.

So as I was saying, in my previous post I talked about how God led me to a home for disabled and mentally ill children that is virtually on my doorstep but I didn't know existed. I got talking to the director a few days later over the phone and asked him if there was any need that my church or I could assist with, like donating clothes, supplies, anything to support the residence and staff. He couldn't think of anything off the top of his head, but said we could come in and sing Christmas carols. FABULOUS. That was until my whole family and I got super sick with the winter vomiting bug..... *sigh*

Undeterred, I bought a few boxes of mince pies and a big tin of chocolates stickered them up with some messages about Jesus and love, wrote out a card and delivered them this morning. I got the idea for the stickers from this wonderful blog here. (Thank you for the heads up Jules. Jules is the creator of The Year blog. Another fabulous read which I thoroughly recommend.) The receptionist was chuffed to receive the gifts and I let her know they were for the staff and residents. It felt so good to do something nice for people I don't know.

As I made my way to the Home, God spoke to my heart and told me to make a similar gesture for an estate agents that used to manage my flat when we lived in Leeds. The relationship ended on a sour note nearly a year a go (you know what estate agents can be like), but God said it was time to forgive and make amends and He is always right. I promptly popped into Tesco and bought another tub of chocolates and delivered them to the estate agents. The guy I used to deal with no longer worked there but I explained the situation to the new person and said there were no hard feelings and I wanted to give the chocolates as a gesture that I have moved on. I wished them all the best and told them God bless. He was really thankful and said he'd pass the message on. It was smiles all around. Wonderful..

It is so amazing how God will change your heart if you let Him. Years ago I would NEVER have imagined doing half the things I do these days. I never thought of myself as a bad person and I always thought I was the kind of girl that would go that extra mile for people and although I would, I never actively looked for it or was fully aware of the need on my doorstep. Since giving my life to Christ, it is like I have been rewired. I see need wherever I go now and I so want to help as much as I possibly can. 

By opening my spiritual eyes God has revealed to me the areas of my life that needed to change in order to be pleasing to Him and it is such a wonderful revelation. He wants us to love others as we love ourselves, even more so, and that's what I am striving to do every day with His help and guidance. God really can change you from the inside out. He is in the business of melting and renewing the hardest of hearts. 

'A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh'

Ezekiel 36:26

His way sets you free. He is perfect. 

Thank you Jesus for your grace, wisdom and mercy. Praise your holy name forever. Amen.

Friday reflection on Tuesday - week 10

This post was meant for last Friday, but my little boy fell down the stairs and a whole lot of sickness happened so blog posts were far from my mind. Here it is now though.....

It really is the simple things in life which bring the most joy, peace and pleasure.

A perfect example of this happened last Saturday. My mum, along with my nine year old nephew, were giving the children and I a lift home. With the season of goodwill in full swing, the streets have completely lit up with sparkling Christmas lights and festivity as homemakers embrace the spirit of Christmas and embellish their windows with dazzling light shows and shimmering decorations of mesmerising proportions. If you have children you can just imagine how much excitement this brings. On the whole journey home all I heard was:

'Wow'
'Amazing'
'Look at those'
'Aren't they beautiful?'
'Oooo...' and that was mainly me lol.

My nephew and children were in complete awe of all the beautiful colours and sparkles adorning homes throughout each neighbourhood we passed;

'Mummy look'
'Wooo'
'Fantastic'
'So lovely'
'So pretty'

And on and on it went. The sheer wonder and awe filled the entire car and was completely infectious. My mum and I beamed all the way home and I felt ridiculously warm and fuzzy inside. God is so good and I am so thankful for my life and the lives of my children and family. The best things in life really are free.

Sickness

My goodness. It's been a ROUGH few days. I've been staying at my parents house and for the past four days we have all been struck down with this horrid winter vomiting bug. The thing is it wasn't just vomiting but the other stuff too. Truly awful.

It all started on Tuesday evening when my little boy fell down the stairs. A terrible accident which I pray never happens again. We had to go to A&E, he was thoroughly checked over for breaks and fractures. Thank God he's OK apart from some limping. My mum advised me to go to A&E the next day (because of the limp), which I did, but they said because he was walking, running and in good spirits, it was probably just bruising, so I'm  keeping a close eye on him . Whilst we were waiting to be seen (on both occasions), there were so many children vomiting in the waiting room area. It was crazy.

On Thursday my son started vomiting every 20 minutes, the next day he had diarrhoea. Then on Friday my youngest daughter started vomiting, along with diarrhoea, then one by one we all began to drop like flies. On Saturday it was me, then my mum, then Sunday it was my eldest daughter and my Dad. It really did spread like wildfire.

This past few days has been a real test, but thank the Lord for carrying us through it all and allowing the sickness to pass as quickly as it came. I am now praying for my son's complete healing, so this limp will go quickly. I'm sure it is only bruising, but I can't stop feeling guilty that this even happened......

I keep reminding myself that it could have been so much worse, allowing feelings of guilt to be replaced with those of joy and thanksgiving.

Doing the right thing

I was approached by a TV Production company a couple of weeks ago. One of the assistant producers had read my iPhone widow post and wanted me to be involved in a 'fun type' program they were filming about this very topic.

It is crazy, but I've been praying about a whole variety of things lately and one thing in particular was the OH's iPhone addiction. It's no joke, he is obsessed. I know it is so easy to get drawn into your phone, (I'm quite attached to mine), but the OH's relationship with his phone is NEXT LEVEL. Believe me. Anyway you could imagine the utter shock when completely out of the blue I received an email which addressed the very issue I'd been praying about only a few days before. Wow!!

It was so hard to decide if this was God working in the situation, because the TV program was setting up a prank type scenario, which involved duping individuals with mobile phone addictions (he really would have been a perfect candidate). But the word 'prank', kept ringing alarm bells in my mind. After all aren't pranks, by there very nature quite cruel? Of course they can sometimes be funny, but there is always someone who ends up looking a complete fool. I looked up the definition of the word prank and it read.....'A practical joke or mischievous act' - OK nothing too wrong with that, and then I looked at the 16th century definition and it read - 'wicked deed'. Well that was all the confirmation I needed, I couldn't go ahead with it. God would not answer my prayers by leading me to partake in something which is defined as a wicked deed, despite the producer assuring me that it was light hearted fun.

Back in the day I would have jumped at this kind of opportunity, but my new life as a born again Christian has truly changed me. It took quite a bit of brain- racking, but I'm glad I turned the opportunity down and I know in my heart I have done the right thing. The Lord will answer my prayers in His perfect way and in His perfect time, I've just got to keep my eyes focused on Him and try not to let stumbling blocks hinder my walk. I'm telling you reading the Bible is the only way to keep your path straight, because there are so many things which can have you confused if you do not know God's word and the plans that He has for your life.

Thank you Jesus for your revelations, your wisdom and your mercy. Hallelujah! Amen!

KCCM Castor oil challenge - week two

Just checking in to give you guys the low down on week two of the KinkyCoilyCurlyMe castor oil challenge. I've been using Jamaican Black Castor oil or JBCO on my hair everyday, as well as a little bit at night when twisting for bed.

I got my JBCO from www.AfroDety.com who are doing a fabulous buy one get one half price or buy two get one free offer at the mo. Great value for money.

My hair is so soft and shiny, I'm really loving what it's doing after just a week of dedicated, deliberate usage. I'm encouraged to see how my hair health improves over the coming weeks. I'm especially looking forward to seeing a vast improvement with the growth on my thinning temples. We'll see.

Today I co-washed and twisted my hair, so I can forget about it for a few days. Think I need to address my hand in head addiction, it's real guys. My hair feels so soft and coily, I can't leave it alone. Protective styling helps with that.

You can find out more about the challenge over at the KinkyCoilyCurlyMe blog here. The winter challenge is now closed, but the spring challenge opens on 1 March 2013.

Stretched crazy hair. Feels so soft though.

Loving the kinks and the texture of my hair. The thinning temples
not so much, it is growing back though. I've put in twists for this week to
give myself and my hair a bit of a break.

Friday reflections - week 9

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So I'm truly practicing what I preach! After dropping my girls to school yesterday morning,  I went on a mission (son snuggled up in his buggy) to seek out people in my local community who are in need. I had a bag with some jeans, a body warmer and a thick cardigan jacket courtesy of my brother who purged his wardrobe the night before and donated a large amount of clothes.

I headed out, praying to God as I went, asking Him to reveal to me who He wanted me to reach out to. First port of call was my local 'Savers' shop, (if you're not familiar, it's a bit like Wilkinson and the Pound Shop rolled into one). It stocks well known brands at great prices, so I bought toothbrushes, several pairs of gloves and a bumper pack of pocket sized tissues. Well you never know what someone might need do you?

I walked through the shopping mall and saw several people who caught my eye, in particular a lady with tears in her eyes, who looked directly at me and smiled, but before I could say anything to her she hurried off on her way, all the people I saw were not obviously down and out (not that they had to be), and they all seemed to be in such a rush. 

Undeterred I hopped on the train, determined to find someone I could give to. When I got to my stop I felt led to walk away from the town centre and towards the local park. As I crossed the road I saw a disabled boy crossing the road with someone who seemed to be his carer, they appeared to come out of a building on the corner. I approached a lady as she was about to enter the building and asked her what went on there. She said that it was a home for disabled children whose parents were too ill to look after them. Wow! I looked to the heavens and thanked God for leading me there. I was amazed. I had driven past this building numerous times and never once had I really noticed it or known its purpose. I asked if they took donations of any kind and they said 'No'. Not giving up, I asked to take their contact details so I could speak to the managers and see if there was anything I could do for them.

With a bounce in my step I went to the park, hoping I might find someone to give the clothes in my bag to, but since it was so bitterly cold the park was understandably rather empty. I let my son go on the swings for a bit then made my way to another train station to get home, again hoping I'd see someone to help. On this occasion it wasn't to be and I ended up giving the clothes to two charity shops instead.

Today I went out armed with some more clothes, it was wet and windy and quite difficult to determine who I could help. I'm going to continue with this approach though. I know in time I will build my confidence and find people to help. And I can't forget about the home I came across. I'm excited to discover how deeply I'll be able to help out there! 

I'm going to leave you with a blog post from Francis Chan's tumblr here. He is such an amazing preacher and he has truly inspired me to be a more radical follower of Jesus. Maybe you will be inspired to do something too.

Glory to God!

Those in need

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My sister and I have made a decision to do more to help others in need WITHOUT giving it a second thought. As Christians The Bible explicitly says that we are to love our neighbours as ourselves. It's the second most important commandment, after loving God with all your heart and soul. So if we are to love our neighbours as ourselves that means we must give of ourselves to those in need and yes I'm talking about the homeless, the drug addicts, the prostitutes and of course our families and friends. Giving doesn't just have to mean money, but time, resources, skills, a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, food, clothes, whatever it is that you have to offer.

My sister told me that nearly every day on her way to work she sees a homeless man, asking for money and food and her heart has been telling her to reach out to him. For many of us our first instinct is to keep a wide berth, because who knows; they could be high on drugs, or mentally unstable or ready to lash out at someone, but we've now come to the conclusion, especially as the days grow colder, that we can no longer walk by and turn a blind eye to the blatant need that surrounds us each and every day. Yes, sometimes people are to blame for their own demise, but very often they are not. In any case who are we to judge? If we were without a roof over our heads or in desperate need wouldn't we want someone, anyone to reach out to us? Of course we would.

After watching numerous sermons by the amazingly spirit filled Man of God Francis Chan (seriously he is radical and completely on fire for Jesus), my sister and I feel strongly that God is leading us to reach out to those in need, and even if He wasn't this is something we should all be doing anyway. We are going through our wardrobes and our parents wardrobes to gather all the clothes and shoes that are no longer required, especially coats and winter boots, and we're going to start giving to people we see in need in our local community. These items do nothing but lie around, not being worn and taking up unnecessary space, so why not give to those who need it most? Come on, it is FREEZING out there. I feel cold in my home sometimes, so I can't even begin to imagine what it is like being on the streets at this time of year. We must all do MORE!!

Why don't you have a look around in your own home and see if there are any items you could give to someone who needs it more than you? 

Be a blessing to someone in need. You won't regret it.


"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed."
Proverbs 19:17

"Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."
Hebrews 13:16

My blog is one today!

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I'm saying a prayer and blowing this candle out!

My blog is one today! My, my, my, Woop woop!! I really wanted to do something special to celebrate, what with Christmas being around the corner and all, but I'm a bit rushed off my feet and haven't been able to organise anything *sniff, sniff*. Never mind though, you can rest assured I'll be planning something special to mark the occasion. I'm not quite sure what yet, but it'll definitely happen, so watch this space.

12 months have completely flown by and my blog looks very different to what I planned it to look like when I started out. What is that saying about 'plans and fools'?? or is it; 'make God laugh, show him your plans'. Lol - Soooo true. Since I've been born again my life has been forever changed. Things that used to be important really don't make sense to me any more. 

This Christian walk is so exciting, yet there are sacrifices to be made in order to glorify God. Everyday I'm learning this and everyday God is giving me the strength to walk confidently in his truth. Wow what a difference a year makes. Here's to another year of following my God given purpose on this planet, drawing closer to Him and sharing my journey and revelations with all of you. 

I want to say a BIG thank you to all the wonderful people that follow and read my blog. I really do hope you continue to enjoy the ride.

xxx

The Kinky Curly Coily Me! Castor oil challenge

Woah 1st December already!!! 2012 is nearly over peeps......

You may or may not  know that  I completely love castor oil. Jamaican Black castor oil to be exact. My hair absolutely LOVES it. It leaves it feeling silky, soft and shiny, plus it has many health benefits for your scalp and overall hair health too.

Crystal Afro mentioned on her blog that she was taking part in the winter castor oil challenge run by Jenell on her KinkyCurlyCoilMe website. It got me thinking, it's December 1st, so a good a time as any to give this challenge a go. I love what castor oil does for my hair already, so why not start to document the progress properly?

I had BIG problems with Post partum shedding after all three of my pregnancies. I lost ALL of my hair at my temples, slowly it is growing back. Thank the Lord! I also seem to be having issues with breakage or slow hair growth in the crown area, so I'm intrigued to see if dedicated usage of castor oil will help in these areas. I have fine hair which seems to be different lengths all over, so I really want to promote healthy hair growth and a healthy luscious head of hair. Bring it on! Thank you Jesus!

Shedding at the temple, now growing back.
It was bald at one point.

If you want to take part in the Castor oil winter challenge you have until Friday 7 December 2012. You can click here, which will take you to Jenell's website for more information on how to participate.