Well I thought I'd better explain to subscribing friends; the reason you are getting intermittent emails of old blogs is a complete mystery and not initiated by me, I promise; I have practically lost that blogging bug & have even reduced my page yet my old blogs are still taking themselves into people's inboxes! However - well, you may think I'm a bit obssessed with seeing God in everything; but is it co-incidence that the recent re-pinging of 'A disappointed God' at this time has resulted in a friend sending it on to a non-Christian friend for whom it is relevant? I think not!! (And it was a personal favourite of mine that one.)
And the one I told an elder & the speaker at my church about at the time (cos is seemed like a picture from God) emailing them the link to read it, ha! The other elder also found my site some time ago... he said to me '...it's a bit girlie'. Outrageous! (I hastily got rid of the link to a site called 'girl talk' that was currently at the top though) Girlie...tuh. I prefer 'powerful' as a wise friend from my old church said once (!)
Anyway - I forgot what fun it was to digress; won't do it again though I promise; This is an opportunity to fill you in on what God's been doing (in a modern substitute for cheery/cheesy Christmas card type summary of the year). I couldn't do that in a card anyway because on the face of it nothing much is happening; now people are used to my move of job, flat, church and town all within the space of 3 months...
But the last year or so has just been amazing. It just feels like I took a step of faith to change my circumstances (not against my inclinations at the time of course!) and blessing upon blessing came as a result. It feels like God is 'restoring the years the locusts have eaten'. The last 15 months has seen so much freedom in so many areas. Don't get me wrong; it's not all been plain sailing ay. I have had some moments (!) especially as a tendency towards resentment was gradually dealt with culminating in freedom from this around the middle of this year. The learning is still continuing all the time.
As a summary I would say that I finally caught up with the true power and meaning of the gospel of grace and love.
Oct/Nov 07 - Prophecy workshop where, in an interesting twist, I was called from a group to make up the numbers in another one that included just one older lady and 2 young girls; I thought 'oh no' in my sinful mind (!) little knowing that the lady was known in the church for her prophetic gifting!! The words she had for me were so relevant and tied in with previous ones as well as meeting concerns I had at the time. (I even had 2 words for her (which made sense to her).
Nov 07 - Joyce Meyer DVD teaching about how a failure to really know God's love for us impacts on the way we perceive ourselves through the eyes of others, and therefore our relationships. Kind of a gentle but huge learning here!
Feb 08 - Freedom in Christ conference leading to me following the steps for 8 weeks and seeing the power of God's word to reveal deep-rooted lies I was still believing without realising (you would not believe! Honestly!) and to break down strongholds built around them by our enemy.
May 08 - Empower conference during which I learned to receive the Holy Spirit's ministering to my heart and was set free totally to really worship God in a way I'd only realised I wasn't recently; an amazing word from a church member who prayed for me on day 2 and release from 'something' when one of the Elders just passed by, put his hand on my head and said 'it's done' 3 times.
The power of worshipping God, in all circumstances (though sometimes this needs to start merely from obedience sometimes not feeling) ... I honestly think this is the most powerful gift from God.
July 08 - another visiting speaker with his word that tied in with others in the past.
Autumn 08 - twice I felt God calling me up the front but was aware that I didn't want to take up the attention of the leaders etc. when there were so many others/newer or whatever. Both times I took the friend who was with me at the time and was blessed hugely through their prayer.
And the fruit of all this? Definitely an increase in love, joy & peace, more patience & kindness, definitely more faith, and some self control! A gift of encouragement is really coming out as I am led to people and friends in mutual encouragement and building up; and a whole negative view of life has been turned around, swept away by God's love; one that I didn't even realise in myself, having long ago learned to be 'content' yet still expect the worst somehow.
And next year? Who knows. Blessings from God will be included, I do know that.
Latest hot off the press; although blogging has totally played a part in continuing release into honest testimony, in recent months this has been more relevant and powerful in 1-1 situations; and blogging seems to be coming to a natural end. However, an article I wrote for another
site a few weeks ago is going to be posted by them, in March (yay - she liked my writing and my honesty!). I shall keep
you posted.
