Unfortunately, life has to go on….

It has been a few weeks since I last wrote…life has been so busy. But in those weeks I have been blessed enormously by the One who created me.

So I found out back in April that I had been successful at interview for a job I had applied for. I had to keep it secret until the end of April whilst others found out whether they had also been successful. Since then it has been a waiting game. References, health checks, identity checks and so on. I found out yesterday that I will officially be starting my new job in the NHS on Monday. But I will not be doing the role I was interviewed for. I have been asked to cover a higher position until September. I was so surprised when I was asked. At this moment in time I am agency staff. I have worked for the company for only twelve weeks but they still chose me. I truly believe that God made this happen. When I started back in March I was overwhelmed with how much there was to take in. The workload was huge and due to reviews within the NHS a team of five suddenly dropped to two and a half (two full time staff and one part time). I love the job I am doing and I try my best all the time. Most days I want to go and hide in a corner until the end of the day. But I persevere and that is down to God’s strength not mine.

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If you have read my blog over the last few months you will know that my brother passed away suddenly in January. As you can imagine it broke my heart. He was everything to me and I miss him more than words could ever say. God called my brother home. He took one of the most precious people in my life and five days later I started a new job. Although nothing can replace my gorgeous brother, life does, unfortunately, have to go on. I have not forgotten about him or moved on and I don’t think I will for a long time. But God has been faithful and good. Work is not a replacement but a distraction. It is helping me come to terms with adjusting. It is one of God’s many blessings. And for that I am grateful!

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Break my heart…

Break my heart for what breaks yours….

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The truth is that if God did that it would not just be our hearts that were broken. We would be broken people. Our minds would be filled with the horrific things that flood our newspapers and television screens. We hear about the dreadful things that happen around the world; murders, kidnappings, natural disasters, poverty, abuse,  suicides, the list is endless. God not only hears about it, He SEES it. We can only imagine the aftermath of those things but God actually sees it. He sees the homes destroyed because of  earthquakes and forest fires. He sees the people who have lost everything. He sees people dying because they have not eaten for weeks, or even months. He sees children who are trying to come to terms with the horrible things they have been through. He sees the people who have felt as though life was too much for them and those that are left behind. He sees those who remain after a life has been cut short through human feelings and actions.

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God sees all these things yet He still loves us all. He loves the people who murder, the people who take others away from their loved ones. He loves those who hurt others.

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God is God and He is strong enough to take on the pain and suffering of this world. We are not! God can endure the evil because He is not human. We never could. That is why He takes on all the bad. He does it so we do not have to. His heart breaks so that ours can remain whole. To me, that is true love.

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This is Amazing Grace

I went to a Woman’s Conference called Embrace a few nights ago. The worship was amazing. We sang this song which I had never heard before. I loved it! The words just touched my heart. I just love when song lyrics hit you in the face.

This is Amazing Grace – Phil Wickham

Who breaks the power of sin and darkness
Whose love is mighty and so much stronger
The King of Glory, the King above all kings

Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder
And leaves us breathless in awe and wonder
The King of Glory, the King above all kings

This is amazing grace
This is unfailing love
That You would take my place
That You would bear my cross
You lay down Your life
That I would be set free
Oh, Jesus, I sing for
All that You’ve done for me

Who brings our chaos back into order
Who makes the orphan a son and daughter
The King of Glory, the King of Glory

Who rules the nations with truth and justice
Shines like the sun in all of its brilliance
The King of Glory, the King above all kings

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy, worthy, worthy

And she is back!

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It has been seventeen days since I last posted. I have been pondering this verse a lot recently. Last weekend I spent four days in beautiful Wales. It was a great time of encouragement, listening to the word of God and spending time with people who have become very precious to me over the last few years. The last week or so has been busy, tiring, at times non-stop but I have spent some quality time with God too. I feel ready to pick up my pen, as it were, and carry on. Sometimes we just need to stop, take a step back and recharge our batteries. So I am back!

Thank you for all the support. I really appreciate it 🙂

Dear Lord…

I know that You love me more than anyone else ever will. I am learning to love myself and to see myself the way You do. I know that You will never leave me to fend for myself. I trust in Your promises, the promises of protection and provision of strength to the weak. In my weakness I know that You are strong. Your strength and love carries me from one moment to the next. You are my peace when the storms threaten to steer me of course. You will never fail me, Your love will never fail me. I know that whatever happens in this life, I will not be alone. You are so good to me despite my failings, despite my shortcomings and imperfections. You are always good and that cannot change. You cannot be changed. I can be changed and I have been. Your love has changed me. Your longing for me has changed my life. You have called me by name. I am Yours and You are mine.

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95/365: Alive

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95/365: Alive — Yesterday I wrote about the burial of Jesus. I finished saying that death could not beat Him. Today Christians remember that on the third day Jesus rose from the dead. He defeated the grave. He is alive. I believe that He lives inside of me. I thank God often that Jesus died and rose again. It is by His grace and mercy that I am free. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus my sins are forgiven and I have eternal life.

He said to them “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day.” (Luke 24 verse 26)