Perseverance in Pain

It’s been a while since I've posted...

But like other bloggers sometimes life fills up and there just isn't time to sit down and blog. 

This can also be an issue in your time with God. It has been for me lately.

Persevering in face of trials and suffering, whether medical or not is extremely hard. And our focus on God can get blurry. But we must remember that God is still good and he still loves us. He cares for us. 

We must remember that we live in a fallen world, so life is going to be painful and hard sometimes. But we must also hold onto the parts that aren’t painful and keep them close when we go through the pain.

One thing I’m slowly learning to do in this painful time when I’m feeling detached and isolated from all who love me is to just sit. Sit and be still with God. Sit and breathe and pray. Reading the bible, not studying it per-se but just sitting and soaking in the words is helpful.

We must remember that God is bigger than our problems. He is stronger and he has promised better. We just have to exercise and practice patience.

And remember its okay to feel upset, it’s okay to cry out to God. It’s okay to want to run away.

But instead we must keep running to God.

Because he is who we will answer to in the end. And we are here because of him.

So while I sit and cry and sometimes want to scream at God; I will also keep coming back to the Promise of Jesus return. I will keep praying and I will keep sitting at the feet of God. Because he will allow me to stand again, he will strengthen me.

Every Problem is a possibility. Every problem is in God’s control.

1 Thessalonians 1

New International Version (NIV)

1 Paul, Silas, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you.

Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith

² We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. ³ We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, ⁵ because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. ⁶ You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. ⁷ And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. ⁸ The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, ⁹ for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, ¹⁰ and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Many Blessings!

Beginning 2014...

Returning from Mission last night I found myself tired and in shock.

Living with 70 other people for 10 days was great and I was saddened to return to 2 people in a quiet house who's focus is still on moving house right now. The third person I live with returns home tonight.

The focus here is not on God and not on mission for him. The focus here is on day to day living.

I have returned not feeling spiritually refreshed, if anything I have returned tired and heavy hearted about the things that lie ahead. However, mission was a time to be reminded of God's everlasting goodness and glory. These two things I will hold onto.

Reading my bible this morning I returned to a much loved book. Job. Here are some words tat spoke to me.

Job 33:13-26 New International Version (NIV)

Why do you complain to him
    that he responds to no one’s words?

For God does speak—now one way, now another—
    though no one perceives it.

In a dream, in a vision of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on people
    as they slumber in their beds, 

 he may speak in their ears
    and terrify them with warnings, 

 to turn them from wrongdoing
    and keep them from pride, 

 to preserve them from the pit,
    their lives from perishing by the sword

    “Or someone may be chastened on a bed of pain
    with constant distress in their bones, 
 so that their body finds food repulsive
    and their soul loathes the choicest meal. 
 Their flesh wastes away to nothing,
    and their bones, once hidden, now stick out. 
 They draw near to the pit,
    and their life to the messengers of death^. 
 Yet if there is an angel at their side,
    a messenger, one out of a thousand,
    sent to tell them how to be upright, 
 and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
    ‘Spare them from going down to the pit;
    I have found a ransom for them— 
 let their flesh be renewed like a child’s;
    let them be restored as in the days of their youth’— 
 then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,
    they will see God’s face and shout for joy;
    he will restore them to full well-being.

On mission I was reminded of God's goodness as I stood up and gave my Testimony on the women's night. Then over the next few days I heard news of how my words had touched people's hearts and had caused them to look more at God and to wonder.

I still wonder at God, for all his goodness and for all this worlds badness.

I can never let go of God, not matter how sick, tired or sad I am.

I can look at my God and be filled with his love and peace.

For he is the good God, the ONLY God. The God who sustains us and gives us life.

God cares for us and directs our paths.

These truths I will cling too. 

 This is the pure scan of the image I was working on over Christmas and some of Mission. Not perfect, but who really is. It speaks of how I am finding a voice for my child self and how I am going to heal this year. Even if that healing is slow and painful. I will heal.

God is forever in control!

Many Blessings for 2014 everyone!

In Christ, Heather.

Silenced

I have been silenced before man and silenced before God. Lately I have had no words to pray in regards to my life and my future.

Instead I look up at my God with a limp tongue, he knows I trust him and he will lead me wherever he wants me to go.



Psalm 34:17-22
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
The righteous person may have many troubles,
    but the Lord delivers him from them all;
he protects all his bones,
    not one of them will be broken.
Evil will slay the wicked;
    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord will rescue his servants;
    no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

My current work in Progress.

 An image of how I feel right now.

Many blessings to you all over this Christmas and New Year!

Bring on 2014 whatever it holds.

Speechless

I have been rendered speechless by my God.
But even in this time of uncertainty I lean on this truth:

Hebrews 6: 13-20

The Certainty of God’s Promise

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

A Blessed Year!

So I've finished...

            

Teaching Scripture for the year and due to my University commitments and suburb change I will not be returning.

However, I feel so blessed to have been part of my class' lives. Being the first teacher to last a whole year with them.

Here are some links that helped me along the way:

Fervr.net

Biblegateway.com

My life is about the Change dramatically.

Last night I said goodbye to my Church of 12 years. I am attempting to change degrees and I will soon be in a completely different suburb quiet a trek from most of my friends.

              

Sometimes I don't understand God.

The first thing I thought about all this was - 'Why would God bless me with so much ministry and such close friendships and then take it all away.'

But then I remembered a conversation I had with a great friend of mine earlier this year. He said 'Heather, maybe God is preparing you for harder stuff later in life.'

At the time I didn't like the thought but now I understand.

           

God has blessed me with so much to leave that I can leave knowing that I am always loved and supported not only by these wonderful people but also by my Wonderful God.

We don't always understand what God is doing with us and often life feels like a random string of events but we can be confident that we follow a consistent, all powerful God who knows exactly what he's doing.

So as I attempt to cast my anxieties on God, I will leave this part of my life to start the next with sadness but also joy. 

God is in control, what more can I ask?

Some picture I created for me beach mission team this year. So blessed to be spending 10 days with people who Love God and who Love me before I begin my next phase of life.

Many Blessings!

The Widows Offering

This year I am off on a Scripture Union Family Mission down the south coast of Sydney.
Last year a lovely family from my church paid for me to go. However, this year I have been scrimping and saving along with a few very generous donations from my church.
I have been constantly reminded lately of this story:

Mark 12:41-44

The Widow’s Offering 

 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

I have been living like this - I however am lucky enough to live with parents who will pay for my food and my shelter but everything else - clothes, transport, outings, teaching supplies, camps, church service food - have been coming out of the small amount of money I receive from the government every fortnight. This amount has been growing smaller and smaller and now I am at the point where all of it goes to University transport except for $4.50.

So as I go to the bank in the next week or so to deposit my money and to empty my savings account I will be thinking of 'the Widow's Offering' and trusting that God will continue to provide everything I need as he has. I am also acknowledging that the things I want will not be coming my way but that is fine. 

God is all I need and God is who I trust!

Many Blessings!

A tired People

The last three days have been exhausting.
So many things have happened. The fires still blaze and we may not get rain until Tuesday.
Friend's have lost houses and some are still waiting to be evacuated.

However, these events cause me to be reminded that our time on earth is not all there is. I've been reminded of one of my favourite songs. Soon and very soon by Hillsong/Brooke Fraser
Here are the lines from it:

Soon and very soon
My King is coming
Robed in righteousness
And crowned with love
When I see Him, I
shall be made like Him
Soon and very soon


Soon and very soon
I'll be going
To the place He has prepared for me
There my sin erased
My shame forgotten
Soon and very soon


I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I'll see
There my soul will be satisfied
Soon and very soon


Soon and very soon
See the procession
The angels and the elders
'round the throne
At His feet I'll lay my crown, my worship
Soon and very soon


Though I have not seen Him
My heart knows Him well
Jesus Christ the Lamb
The Lord of Heaven

Here is a drawing I completed tonight:

 

I began this more than a month or two ago but I came back to it tonight.

When I began this I was focused on the idea of growing old on this earth. I was yearning for it at the time as I see it as the time in life when you are truly cared for. When we grow old we can no longer care for ourselves. However, this is not the only time we are like this.

In this time of hardship God has reminded me that we are frail, fragile and unable to truly care for ourselves. Without God we are nothing.

So while my hands do not look like this yet and acknowledge that I will always need my God. He will always care for me and make my path straight. He will always do the best in my life and those whom follow him. Even if it doesn't feel like it. God is here always. He's the beginning and the end. The creator of all and I Love Him dearly.

Praise be to our God and Father!

Many Blessings and please pray for us in New South Wales, Australia as our land burns.

God's Strength in our Trouble

God will bring us through these flames. He will have glory over our lands.


Look up into the heavens.
    Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army, one after another,
    calling each by its name.
Because of his great power and incomparable strength,
    not a single one is missing.
27 O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?
    O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?
28 Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.

Isaiah 40: 26-29


Someone who lost their house yesterday wrote this on facebook this morning.

A timely reminder this morning: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." Matthew 6:19-20

Wowed by my God... again!

I've been... skimming through the book of Exodus making a plan for my kids club lessons this school term and I've been wowed by God.

God saved Moses - a man who turned into a cowardly murderer - and chose him for the task of returning to Egypt to bring the Israelites out. But Moses says no, he can't speak. He doesn't believe that he will be able to persuade Pharaoh due to his speech impediment (that's what I take it to be 'speak with faltering lips' Exodus 6:30). Instead of getting angry and choosing someone more faithful to do the task. God instead says this:
Exodus 7:1 'Then the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.'

How amazing is this action! God says to Moses that Moses will look like God! Look like God! Have a prophet. That's so amazing! It's as if God is saying just because you come across like a bumbling idiot (my words here) don't worry because I am giving you the appearance of something higher. Moses goes and has a prophet!
A prophet was someone chosen to bring God's message to his people. So God uses Moses and with Moses God uses Aaron.
Because Moses doesn't want to go in on his own God sends his brother. God sends 2 people to easily do the job of one (a hard job yes).

How cool is that?

Anyway that's my little rant for the day.

Many Blessings!

Humbling Kindness

So today I was humbled to the extreme!
I checked my letter box and found an envelope with my name on it but no stamp or address.
Inside were two movie gift cards and a note telling me to enjoy them.
I'm not going to say who did this for me but I have to say.
It is not my birthday.

My first thought was... WHAT THE HECK WHO DOES THIS?
Then I thought: No one does things like this for me!
Then I felt bad for thinking of myself badly, like I'm not a good enough person or not loved enough to have nice things done for me. Clearly my negative thoughts against myself (something I know everybody does) are wrong and people do love me.

I have no idea how to thank this person. But I thank God for their kindness and thoughtfulness.

I am someone who is learning to ask for financial help and God is certainly helping me along the way.

I hope that one day when I do have money to spare I can pass on the kindness to someone else.

1 Corinthians 10:31

New Living Translation (NLT)

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.


Blessings!

Words from Elihu!

I know I usually write about Isaiah but tonight:


JOB 36: 22-33 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%2036&version=NLT)

Elihu Reminds Job of God’s Power

22 “Look, God is all-powerful.
    Who is a teacher like him?
23 No one can tell him what to do,
    or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’
24 Instead, glorify his mighty works,
    singing songs of praise.
25 Everyone has seen these things,
    though only from a distance.

26 “Look, God is greater than we can understand.
    His years cannot be counted.
27 He draws up the water vapor
    and then distills it into rain.
28 The rain pours down from the clouds,
    and everyone benefits.
29 Who can understand the spreading of the clouds
    and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven?
30 See how he spreads the lightning around him
    and how it lights up the depths of the sea.
31 By these mighty acts he nourishes the people,
    giving them food in abundance.
32 He fills his hands with lightning bolts
    and hurls each at its target.
33 The thunder announces his presence;
    the storm announces his indignant anger.

Being a Woman of God?

Here's a question...

What does it mean to be a Woman of God?

  I've been seeking the answer to for many months now. I asked many older women but I didn't get any good answers out of them. None of them seemed to know or none of their answers were what I was seeking.

Living in a world that screams BODY IMAGE IS EVERYTHING and BEING SINGLE IS BAD can be a challenging thing. Especially since I don't regard body image as something high on my list (I look like what I look like). Also I have never been in a relationship and its also not high on my 'bucket' list.

The thing I want in this world is to serve God with my EVERYTHING! Literally! That's all I've even wanted. However it gets hard when you're constantly slandered with societal expectations and pressures. They even seep into the church.

Anyway my point is... that the true beauty of a Woman is in her works for God. Her good deeds.
That's what it means to be a woman of God! To do good works for the Kingdom, not to get Salvation but as a response to Salvation. This is something I learned at my Church Conference last Sunday and I had to share it.

I do works for God because I am grateful for his Sacrifice. I will strive to throw off what the world says about who I should be and run toward God. I am and will continue to learn what it means to follow God as a Woman. I will continue to do good works for his Kingdom for the rest of my life. No matter how long or short it may be.




Colossians 1:15-20 (from: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%201&version=NLT)

Christ Is Supreme

15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
    He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything
    in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
    and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
    Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
    and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church,
    which is his body.
He is the beginning,
    supreme over all who rise from the dead.
    So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullness
    was pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled
    everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
    by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

 Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.

—	Brennan Manning (from: http://iaskgod.tumblr.com/post/58312454336/define-yourself-radically-as-one-beloved-by-god)

Isaiah Chapter Four

So this is a short one... compared to the really long chapter that is to come.
Having a lazy night tonight so I'm using Biblegateway -> http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%204&version=NLT

Biblegateway is actually fantastic. A few months ago the bibles I used for my scripture class went missing (always a positive and a negative when bibles are stolen - obviously being used for some greater purpose than my class). I'd been battling with the girls and their laptops for week beforehand. They just wouldn't get off them, no matter when I said. So I figured (massive cliche here) 'if you can't beat them, join them.'
Why the government decided to give every high school student from 9th grade in NSW a laptop I don't know - they can access facebook and everything.
Anyway biblegateway is where we do our studies now. Which is good actually because these girls can access the bible wherever they are. I am showing them how to use the site and its good. Thank the lord of missing bibles and laptops.

Anyway... back to the purpose of this post. Isaiah chapter 4!
The heading I find in this short chapter is: A promise of Restoration!

However before this heading there's a little section about the social demographics of what is to come. The thought that so few men will be around that women will beg them for marriage. Which is odd really. Plus the women say that they can feed and provide for themselves. All the women want to be married is for the social status. So they 'won't be mocked as old maids'. This is a link back to the last chapter where the women were focused on looks. Their social status is more important than the marriage relationships. What a HORRIBLE idea!

A Promise of Restoration!
2 But in that day, the branch[a] of the Lord
    will be beautiful and glorious;
the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory
    of all who survive in Israel.
3 All who remain in Zion
    will be a holy people—
those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem
    and are recorded among the living.
4 The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion[b]
    and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains
    with the hot breath of fiery judgment.
5 Then the Lord will provide shade for Mount Zion
    and all who assemble there.
He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day
    and smoke and flaming fire at night,
    covering the glorious land.
6 It will be a shelter from daytime heat
    and a hiding place from storms and rain.

These verses are interesting. A different image from the last chapter. Like usual the Lord God provides an alternative to destruction. He provides a WAY OUT! 
His alternative again is to follow him. And he provides a picture of what that will look like. God will restore his Holy People. He will cleans those who remain to follow him. He will restore and provide for his people. The place of the lord will be a hiding place and a shelter.

How WONDERFUL to be sheltered by the Lord. To live and dwell under the Lord. To be cared for as we should be as followers of the Lord.

GOD OUR IS A WONDERFUL PROVIDER!