Summer- where on earth are you?

Dear Summer

It is with sadness that I write this letter to ask you a question that's been on every one's mind (but most are not bold enough to ask it)What on earth do you think you're doing? I'm becoming a little worried because you seem to be suffering from an identity crisis. You dearest Summer, are supposed to be a period of hot, usually sunny weather, the lovely season between Spring and Autumn. Instead all we have is cloudy, cold and miserable days. Get your act together please!

You should normally visit us between the months of May to the middle of August in the UK.

We've had no real summer for a while now and we are wondering if you have been kidnapped, bribed or even killed. Many people are leaving the UK every year in search of you, they can't stand this sudden dissapering act you've pulled. I don't blame them and if I could afford it, I'd probably do the same.

The most frustrating thing for me is my summer wardrobe. Summer you should have seen how I hit the High Streets preparing myself for your visit. I went and got nothing but the best for you. Colourful Dresses, Shorts, Swimwear, Sandals, Bangles, Hats, Sunglasses ... you name it, I got it and then you show up for five seconds and disappear and you call that a visit. Its downright rude and inconsiderate, considering all that I have done to prepare for your arrival. 

Instead of milkshakes and cokes, we're having to settle for hot chocolate right in the middle of summer. Imagine that! Even the central heating is wishing it could get a break....

I'm saying this for everyone, we all long to go to the park, beach and so on and get to have bbqs and play games, sports, you name it.

For a long time you have continued to behave in an unpredictable and inappropriate way and I think its high time you mend your ways or else....

Summer zvibate and get yourself here, it's time for goch goch ... wasara wasara!

Hope to see you soon


Yours faithfully

Gospel Girly aka GG (on behalf of the British public)

 image: courtesy of "fordesign".

Gifted for Glory

Over the years as I've read biographies, memoirs and watched the lives of people around me, I've been amazed at how God has given us all different gifts to use for His glory and to have a positive impact on the world. Some people have a curious mind which has led them to explore things and invent all sorts of gadgets and medicines. Some people are creative and have penned many a book or sang songs which have brought comfort and hope to many. One of my favourite biographies is that of a man who God gave an incredible gift which has helped to save many lives. And that man is non other than, Ben Carson.


Ben Carson is the boy that went from being the biggest class dummy at school to being a world famous neuro surgeon. His mother not knowing how to help him, despaired over his academic failures in school. She wanted him to be successful and she knew that a good education would open doors to opportunities but she didn't know how she could motivate him until she studied how rich people behaved. She worked as a house maid for wealthy families and began studying how her employers and their children spent their free time; what they read and their kind of leisure activities. The most notable thing was they hardly watched television. Instead they read alot. That's not to say people should necessarily throw their TVs out the window, but consider for a minute, how many hours a week do you spend on things that do not really add to you in terms of knowledge or mental stimulation? (unless you're a nature fan and watching the Geographical Channel...which I know most of us don't.)

Its not to say that you shouldn't have any fun but if you're serious about becoming a great success at something, you'll have to pay a price. Managing your time will have to be a priority. It may mean cutting down on the time you spend watching TV, trawling through people's profiles on Facebook, playing video games, reading celebrity orientated magazines talking about nothing substantial...like what Katie did next...duh who cares? Most of these people have very immoral lifestyles and there is nothing of significance that we can learn or even admire from them. One thing to bear in mind is those people have made their money, we should stop wasting our time gawking after them and handle our business...Selah.


When Ben Carson was 14, his temper made him almost hurt one of his friends fatally with a knife and led him to pray a prayer that brought him closer to God. He became a serious and committed child of God.

After he graduated from High School he got a place at Yale university to study medicine. When he was at Yale, despite all his efforts and determination, he started slipping in his classes until he was getting the lowest marks in his class. Ben was in despair but never gave up, but he sought God's face and prayed the night before one of his exams saying, "Lord I thought you wanted me to be a doctor and I can't be one since I'm failing." God showed him in a dream what was going to come out in the exam and lo and behold he managed to pass his exams.


Ben met his wife Candy in his third year at Yale and later they got married and have 3 children together.
Over the years Ben has been involved in a series of challenging neuro surgical operations including the separation of many Siamese twins who were attached to each other by their heads. Some of these included Patrick and Benjamin Binder from Germany and also Joseph and Luka Banda of Zambia.

The man was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom by George Bush. Now if that's not an achievement, I don't know what is. 
Ben Carson has been awarded many other awards and numerous honorary degrees. He has also been invited by many institutions, organisations and schools to give talks and one of the things he always talks about is his "THINK BIG" concept :


Talent. God gives everyone a gift. Everyone is good at something, it could be sport, singing etc
Honesty. Integrity is key for one to be successful in life
Insight.   You learn from the mistakes and successes of others.
Nice. Be nice to people, if you see someone down give them a hand. Offer a seat to someone,
Knowledge.  Develop you talents. What you know can help you get ahead.

Books.  One of the greatest sources of information
In depth learning. Learn for the sake of getting knowledge, don't cram
God. Living by His word and principles can help us to be more effective and useful to people around us.

Let us all endeavour to THINK BIG and be the best that we can be and use our gifts for God's glory.

To Daddy with love....

The 4th of June....I remember this day every year, like it was yesterday. I wish I had known that Friday when I visited you in hospital that it would be the last time I was talking to you...I would have stayed longer, I would have hugged you longer. I would have told you so many things...and asked for advice on so many issues...
Even though so many years have passed Daddy it still hurts to think that I will never see your face again, or see your smile or feel your encouraging hand on my shoulder. I don't know why you had to go so soon but I guess God knew how wonderful you were and He must have wanted to have some good company in heaven so He grabbed one of the best.
This weekend we're having a special celebration to honour your life. You hold a very dear place in our hearts and we want to dedicate this time to your special memory. We're gonna pray and sing and then eat and be merry... we know you would have wanted us to do just that....
There's so much that's happened. You missed both of my graduations but if you were looking down I'm sure you would have been proud as I graduated summa cum laude. Imagine that!
Guess what? I have started writing again .... I remember making you read every story I wrote when I was younger....thank you for encouraging me ... it will pay off someday I'm sure.
You won't believe how grown up little T is ... she's a grown into a wonderful girl and is on her way to Uni. Doc is doing well ... still trying to convince her to buy me a new car....
Your little boy (who's not so little now) is hitched to a lovely woman whom you would have loved and approved of. And you have two lovely grandchildren now ... both of whom bear an uncanny resemblance to you ... lol

Dad, I miss you so much, in fact we all do. Even though time has passed the pain lingers...

You will always remain in my heart forever.

My Hero

I love you

Prayer to the power of 10!

I was reading the book of Acts this morning (oops actually I was listening to the book of Acts, you know the Bible Experience, thank God for technology) and God reminded me something about ministry. It doesn't matter what ministry you serve in, be it Sunday School (Lord help those teachers...some of those kids need deliverance),Ushering, Choir, Media or whatever. If you do it for the sake of doing it, you will be just wasting yours and everybody else's time. For example, if you usher people without the unction of God upon your life, people will just see a person showing them to their seat, nothing more and nothing less. Same thing with the choir, your songs will be just songs which will not encourage or do anything for anyone.

What gives our service and ministry power to change lives?
The fact of the matter is people, we need to prayerfully conduct ministration and ask God to fill us afresh with the Holy Spirit. That's why it's important in our private prayer life to pray for God to anoint us and fill us with His Holy Spirit so that we can be a powerful vessel in our area of ministry to touch lives. It's also very important for people to arrive early before service and pray as a ministerial department because we need a corporate Anointing of God upon whatever we're doing. So lets say goodbye to those days of trickling into church long after people have prayed....you can always catch up with your friends after church...rather than before church!

Acts 2:4 says they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and started speaking in different tongues. (para)
Peter began to speak to the people with boldness which I'm sure surprised those around him and himself. Remember this is the same guy that had denied Jesus not too long before that.
The bible says in Acts 2:37 that after hearing Peter's sermon, the people were cut to the heart and they asked him "What shall we do?"
He then told them to repent and be baptized. It wasn't his fancy suit or his cute accent that did it.Neither was it merely charm. No - it was the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the hearts and minds of the people listening as he spoke. I think the conviction must have been so strong they could not resist...
Jesus promised in Acts 1:8 that once the Holy Spirit has come He shall give us power to witness....and greater works than these, we can do.

Bros and Gals, we need that power to be able to do anything effectively for God. We need to come to a time when a choir will minister and people will want to give their lives to Christ immediately. It can happen guys, all we need to do is to be of one mind and allow the Holy Spirit to work in our midst.

Let's be an anointed, praying generation and yield ourselves to God. He has so much He wishes to accomplish through us, if only we will allow Him to work in our midst. Lets cry out for the Holy Spirit to rain down on us....
The time for playing church is over, lets go out there and shake things up!

The ride of your Life!

Ever heard of the lad called Saul who fell off a horse? Well I'm not sure if he fell off his horse or what but we are told that he fell onto the ground and since he must have been travelling on a horse, I assume that he fell off his horse. Now that we have established that all important fact, lets move on. If you wanna check out the story you can find it in the Bible in Acts 9.

This brother was on his way to Damascus on an all important mission. It wasn't a good mission but to him it was something that needed to be done : Get all those pesky Christians and stick them in a prison. That will teach them to go around thinking they're better than everyone else.
I'm sure God was laughing at him and his puny efforts to wipe out of Christianity.
As it turns out God stopped him on the way and in an instant he became blind. Warning to all: Don't mess with God's people...you never know what awaits you round the corner...
Realising his mistake he repentantly asked God, "Lord, what do you want me to do...?" But God chose not to tell him what was going to happen next. I guess this was his Faith Lesson 101.
Anyway luckily for him, God decided to use him for his own cause. But for 3 days he had to sit in darkness wondering what was going to happen next. Imagine how he must have felt? In Acts 9 verses 11 and 12 we find out that Saul was praying and had seen a vision. It must have been a frightening time for him and I'll bet he was thinking Lord I thought you said someone would come here and tell me what to do....when Lord, when?

To us Believers, there's something for us to learn here.... Before God uses us for something great, we're probably gonna have to sit in the dark for a while before something happens. Now the dark is a time when all is bleak and nothing is happening. I mean zilch! For Saul it was three days, for some it may be a month or one year, for others two. During this time we may get troubled, thinking ok God, nothing is happening but you said I should wait and it will happen....
It's not gonna be a peachy ride I can tell you that much...but hold on for the time will come, when just like Saul, the scales will be removed from your eyes and you will be able to see again.
God will show you and move you into the role and place where you will fulfil your destiny.
In Acts 9:20 Saul is preaching Christ to many and by verse 22 he's increasing in strength and confounding the Jews. This man went on to write most of the New Testament which has been read by millions all over the world. Now how's that for a great comeback!

Some of the people who saw him during his blind days might have thought, that's it...that's the end of him. But they were in a for a surprise, because God pulled him out when he knew that Saul was ready and turned him into a force to be reckoned with. If you find yourself experiencing the dark, get ready for all is not lost...God is getting you ready for the ride of your life!

Don't dream your life away....make it happen!

I don't know anyone that had a dream and didn't have to fight or slave away to make it happen. Whatever your goal in life, its not just going to drop on your lap whilst you're sitting there sipping tea. It will require a lot of passion and hard work on your part. 


Now you may want to be a singer, an actor/actress, a writer, a stand up comedian, a business owner, a missionary, an inventor or maybe you just want to start up your own church. Whatever it may be, wishful thinking ain't gonna get you there honey! Trust me. Just because you want it real bad doesn't mean it's just going to happen. If you do nothing about it...guess what's gonna happen? NOTHING! You have to make up your mind that you're really going to go for it and keep pursuing it until it happens.

I'm going to use the example of an aspiring singer to talk you through a process that can help you make progress with your dream whatever it may be.


Now you may be thinking I don't want to do any of that, well this is applicable to every area of life. Even if your greatest aspiration is to be a housewife and mum. For you to be able to run a home successfully and raise your children well, you will need to work hard. You may need to read books or watch programmes on parenting skills, marriage, cooking and so on. You will also need to develop your time management skills to be able to manage all the chores and things that have to be done in the home without tiring yourself out.

Now if you're a Christian, a good place to always start is to seek God's guidance and once you have clear direction...go for it like never before!

Firstly you need to make a plan...so think clearly about what you want to do...then write it down.
Once you have a clear destination, then map out an action plan about how you can get there.

So lets take the example of the person who wants to be a singer. Maybe they feel they have songs in their heart which could encourage other people. So that person's goal could be to release a CD album with inspirational songs.

1.Now a good place to start would be to find out whats going on in the world of music. Research is essential before you launch into any project. Is there a place in the market for the type of stuff you want to sing? Is there anyone else doing something similar? If your research supports what you want to do go for it. If your idea doesn't seem feasible try fine tuning or tweaking it here and there.

2.Next start getting training to develop your voice, join classes to enhance your voice. No matter how good you already are, there's always someone out there who knows a little more than you do and you can always learn a thing or two.

3.Practise, Practise, Practise! The more you do so, the better you become. All accomplished athletes and sports people practise everyday...even Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods practised to keep themselves on top of their game. If they had to, what more us mere people,huh?

4. Start producing samples of your work, doing demos and so on. Make sure they are of good quality and copyright them, invest money into it because you want to impress those that will see the cover or listen to them.

5. Sing as much as you can, be it in a choir or as a soloist, offer to sing at weddings and parties. For those doing more circular stuff, you can sing at live gigs in hotels, restaurants. Find out what opportunities are available to showcase yourself and go for it, no matter how small the opportunity may seem. You never know who may be in the crowd listening.
Also there are shows like X-Factor, Pop Idol and so on where if you're good enough, you can get exposure and even if you don't win, someone out there might still like you enough to give you a shot and possible sign you up.

6. Network. Go to festivals, music live shows, and other places where you can meet other musicians who are singing something similar to what you want to do. Go to places where you will meet other people in your chosen genre that you're interested in. Put yourself out there and give your demo to people in high places or those who know people in high places. (but please don't be pushy) In some cases you may meet producers and the like and who knows you could be the next soul sensation...

7. Learn all about your Mentor. Most of us have someone in our chosen field who has done well and we admire. For instance, you may want to be a film writer and producer like Tyler Perry. Find out all you can about how they got started and what they did to get to where they are. Most people now have biographies and if they don't the internet is a good source of information (although please make sure your sources are credible)
Of course God may have a different path for you that is not similar to theirs, but its always encouraging and inspiring to see how other people went from zero to hero by the grace of God.

8. Prayer is essential! Throughout the whole process don't forget to pray for God's anointing to be upon everything you do. If you're gonna sing songs, I'm sure you'll want your songs to deliver people from bondage and sin or to encourage those who are weak and so on. Without the anointing your songs will be just mere words - with no power...and what a shame that would be.
Also pray for favour, that God will lead you to the right people who will help you with your dream. And once you get to the top, please don't forget the One that got you there, for without God we can do nothing.

9. And finally Persist! Its not going to happen overnight. You will probably have to get immune to the word "NO". You're gonna have to develop a hard skin coz if you're too sensitive and take things personally you ain't gonna get anywhere. If someone says no, move onto the next. Don't ever give up. Disappointments will be many along the road, but hang in there.... You know Colonel Saunders, the founder of KFC had his recipe for chicken declined just over a 1 000 times by prospective business partners. But he kept trying. Now tell me, would you keep trying a thousand times like he did?

We all know about Martin Luther King Jr or at least we pretend to..lol Anyway this man was passionate about his dream to see an end to segregation in America. He led many a peaceful demonstrations and movements to further his cause. He also wrote books and gave money to help the civil rights movement. King was arrested more than twenty times and assaulted at least four times. His dream cost him his life eventually but I'm sure he's smiling as he looks upon his nation being governed by an African American.
Friend, if they could persevere till the end, so can you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O02kxh5NMSI&feature=related

So ... there's a new man in town!

There's mixed feelings about the election results and more so about the new Coalition government. Some are thrilled because they wanted the Tories or the Lib Dems in power and in their eyes half a Tory or Lib Dem is better than nothing in their eyes...
Some are looking on with somewhat an apprehensive mindset...they're not sure what to expect from this new government and new Prime Minister, David Cameron.

They have not forgotten the days gone by of the era of the Tories rule. One has only to think of  the Iron Lady and I guess that thought brings shivers down one's spine. I guess only time will tell whether the new dispensation will do us, the public, any favours or will they work to only serve their own interests and rule us with an iron rod yet again.

To my bros and gals in Christ I would say whatever the case, we don't need to worry too much about who's in power because no matter what the economy or political situation is like, we know that we are citizens of a higher and better kingdom. God's got our back and He will see us through any crisis.

God says we should honour those in authority because he has allowed them to get into that position; so let's pray for them
and put this nation into the hands of God. And if you were not happy about the way things turned out but you didn't vote maybe now is the time to rethink your strategy or if you weren't registered, go online and register your name so that come next election, you will be amongst the many at the polls. Don't complain about things if you aren't prepared to do your part to effect change...that's some advice for free right there.

It seemed funny seeing David entering No 10 so soon after Gordon Brown had left...one of my friends remarked..."He's moving in already...I bet the bed is still warm..."
I, for one have always had a soft spot for Gordon Brown. Yeah I like the man and I was sad to see him go. His farewell speech was so touching last night and I wish him well in Scotland. So long papa Brown, we will miss you. (well some of us at least)

Thank God its Fridddaaaaayyy!

Hey guys ... thanks so much to all those who have emailed me, commented or verbally given me feedback on the blog posts. I'm glad that you have enjoyed the stoy so far and I've thoroughly enjoyed writing it.

However I won't be able to write tonight seeing as its Friday and this girl needs some time to unwind, kick back and get some fresh air. Yesss I'm going out ... thats what young girls like me do to kick start the weekend. The new J.Lo movie "The Back Up Plan" is out today, who knows I may end up there... :-)

I will be completing the story soon ... so look out for the conclusion...
Some people have asked for a sneak preview on what's gonna happen...but I'm not saying...that would be tellin innit?
However if anyone wants to try and guess the ending feel free to write it in the comments and who knows...the person who guesses right or gets closer to the truth might get a little sumfin sumfin...lol *If you decide to guess the ending and write it in the comments...one word of caution...Please lets keep it clean guys* Ta!

Have a lovely weekend ya'll.

The Very Chocolatey Easter

 Easter is just round the corner and I thought it would be appropriate for me to re-post this from one of my other old posts on another website......

I love chocolate. So do a lot of other people, although they probably wont admit it in public. Personally I prefer the delectable taste of white chocolate (I have this belief that it has more calcium than its darker counterparts. LOL) Imagine that sweet, divine taste of gooey white, milk and dark chocolate tantalising your taste buds. Every bite so heavenly as the soft, creamy taste satisfies your senses.... Oops... let me not get carried away, back to the issue at hand.

This Easter there's an even wider range of Easter eggs, Easter bunnies, Easter chicks and other interesting characters which the commercially driven manufacturers have created to entice and dazzle our gullible minds. These all probably taste as great as they look in their pretty packaging, but its not the taste or the look thats nagging me.
Its the fact that Easter has now merely become a time for indulging on chocolate, a string of meaningless parties and celebration and a well needed break from work for many. Dont get me wrong I'm not against having good fun and time from work is always a plus in my book, but I think we need to really reflect on what Easter is really all about.

Some of the modern traditions of Easter such as the Easter Bunny and its accomplices all stem from pagan traditions and so we should not get too caught up in the hype and forget what the hype is all about.
Easter is and should be a time of celebration as we commemorate the dying and rising from the dead, of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Now I know you might not believe in Jesus and this might all be as strange to you, as Calculus and Greek are to me, but hear me out.

God loves us all so much that He sent His only Son to die for us. But it doesnt end there. Easter Sunday is a celebration of His glorious and triumphant resurrection, signifying His victory over sin and death. This victory has now been given to all those who have surrendered their lives to Him and we should
celebrate this day knowing that for all those who believe in him and live for Him, death is not the end for us, but like Him, we shall also resurrect and be with Him forever.

So as we indulge and enjoy ourselves, lets spread the true Word of Hope to a hurting and lost world. Lets share the message of His love with those around us. Lets demonstrate to them the Love of God in our own lives.
If you havent done so already, I encourage you to let Jesus come into your heart and let this Easter
mark the beginning of a new life in Him.

And so folks if any of you do get any Easter eggs or other
sweet delights, enjoy them (in moderation of course) and have a safe and wonderful Easter.
Finally my bros and girlies in Christ- Lets pray for that resurrection power to be at work in every area of our lives. We have the victory. LeTS wALk iN iT!!!

Get a grip - Don't Go Brocolli Green

Your friend gets a brand new car whilst you have a brand new oyster card for the bus... how do you react? Or your friend has a date with that gorgeous guy in the Choir who you also like. Are you happy for him or her? Or better yet can your mouth even manage to say a simple "That's nice" and really mean it. Or do you find yourself "going green" even though you don't care about the environment...? C'mon look deep within you ... only you know the real answer...

Its natural and quite healthy to admire lovely things. You may find yourself admiring your workmate's new suit that he bought at the Debenham's blue cross sale. Or the fact that your neighbour has returned home with a lovely tan he got on a cruise in the Caribbean. Its natural and even polite to sincerely compliment the owner of the things you admire. However if you find yourself seething because your friend has bought a bigger house than yours or married a prettier wife than yours then the warning bells should start ringing. Or if you find yourself fuming and turning dark green like a fresh piece of brocolli from Tesco or a lighter shade of green like Fiona from Shrek then you know you've got a problem. Yes ... like it or not, admit it or not..you're envious of other people.

One dictionary says that envy is "a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions, etc."

The other day I was sitting in a park with a friend and we were eating fries. Now as you would have it, some birds started hanging around us, don't know if we just looked like good company or maybe the birds were hoping we would be in a sharing mood and give them some of our fries...
On our part dunno if it was kindness or the fries getting cold but we started throwing bits of fries to the birds (and before you get cross, they were NOT pigeons so relax...I know you're not suposed to feed those birds) The most interesting thing was that the birds started fighting for the fries. If one got a piece, the others would try and peck it away from them. It was funny and yet sad to watch. There was plenty to go round but it seemed they were all kind of "envious" when another got it.

 
I reckon that we all suffer from envy at some point in our lives...and if you're shaking you head and saying "not me"... (well I need to talk to our heavenly Daddy and see if we can get a Halo sorted out for you coz you're one exceptional child of God who needs to be raptured as soon as possible before the rest of us contaminate you!)
Now envy is not a great thing but before you go hang yourself in shame and mortification, give yourself a little  credit (micro little ok) for admitting that you have a problem. Sadly many don't even get to this point of self awareness. 
As the bible shows envy can often lead to serious consequences if unchecked. Cain killed Abel because of envy and even Jesus was accused falsely and crucified because of envy.
Right so we all probably agree that envy aint cool right, so now the question is what do we do about it?

As children of God we are so fortunate to have the privilege of going to God in prayer. That should always be our first step in every situation. Please don't take this lightly...yeah yeah I'm supposed to pray, I pray all the time...DO pray specifically about envy and ask the Holy Spirit to help you deal with this issue.
Like David prayed in Psalms 139:23 , "Search my heart oh God ...." Lets ask God to search our heart and "create a clean heart...and renew a right spirit..."  within us. (Psalm 51:10)
Next ask yourself some hard questions? Why do you think you feel the way you do? Are you insecure? What is it exactly that you want in your life? Are you afraid that God is not going to bless your life as he has done for others? 
Maybe the answers to these questions could help shed some light on your situation or maybe they wont...

Also read books that talk about how to overcome envy, listen to sermons, talk to other mature Christians you trust - find out about their experiences how they've been dealing wit it and also look for scriptures to help you.

Another thing which may help is to do what American show host, Dr Phil McGraw advises,

" Three assignments to change the way you look at the world in one week:

• Every day for one week, write down 100 blessings in your life. Do not repeat one blessing.
  
  
• Find every member of your family in one week, on the phone or in person, and tell them three things that you're thankful for about having them in your life. You don't have to tell them it's an assignment; just weave it into the conversation if you prefer.
  
  
• At least once this same week, go to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen and volunteer for eight hours. Then sit down and write about your experience there. " 

I think that doing Dr Phil's assignment will help us to count our blessings and when we realise we have so much to be thankful for, we probably won't have the time, desire or energy to be envious.

Keep working on it, it may not happen overnight, but with time you'll find yourself genuinely happy for others when they do well or get blessed.

What? When? Who? How? - Relax...Err The Future is O' So Bright!

As a young excitable ten year old, school holiday breaks were something to look forward to. We got to play dunhu and hang out with friends and also one of the highlights was listening to my favourite Radio station, Radio 3 in sunny Zim. I used to sit glued to my seat at 10:30 every Wednesday morning so that I could listen to a woman called Jill Darke; who used to to tell me what my star predicted for the week ahead. Then for added measure I would also check several magazines to see what else the future had in store for me. Now maybe you didn't listen to that same program but maybe you also read your star in a magazine, newspaper or from some website. Or maybe you still do...

Which brings me to the question.... what's the deal with star gazers, horoscopes, fortune tellers, sorcery, spirit mediums/clairvoyants, palm readers, n'anga and other such people who claim to be able to tell your future and be able to give you sound advice.... is there any thing wrong with using any of these to make yourself better informed as it were... well all I can do is to point to what the bible says and then you can make up your mind about it....

I've had conversations with several Christians about this particular topic, and have been quite surprised by the varying range of responses I get from people on the matter...anyway I'm gonna have a say and you are welcome to have yours too in the comments if you feel the need to...

 I firmly believe that if we are concerned about the future or if we need advice and guidance on a matter as children of God we need to always look to God for His counsel. The Holy Spirit can guide us through revelation of the word of God. After this we can also seek confirmation from trusted Christians such as pastors, spiritual parents and so on. Looking to any other source for guidance reflects a lack of trust in God so to speak and many in the bible perished because of getting into such occult practices...

"...So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance." 1 Chron 10:13

"Also Manasseh made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger." 2 Kings 21:6 


Some people say oh there's no harm its just for fun but I think the main problem is once you read and engage in stars and fortune cookies and the like...you may end up believing what they say about you and if you become dependent on those practices and the things they tell you, it can begin to control your life and it has the potential to lead your astray. This is what Deut 18:9-12 says

⁹ “When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. ¹⁰ There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, ¹¹ or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. ¹² For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you."

According to a 2005 Gallup Poll, about 75 percent of Americans hold some form of belief in paranormal activity, defined as one of the following: extrasensory perception, haunted houses, ghosts, mental telepathy, clairvoyance, astrology, communicating with the dead, witches, reincarnation and channeling. Hmmm.

I've often told people that personally I don't read or watch Harry Potter, Buffy, Charmed, Twilight and other such magic and vampire related tv shows....and people say why not...don't be too spiritual...its just a book or a film. Yeah maybe it is but I'm allowed to have preferences and I choose not to because I believe that the more I watch such things the more I get conditioned to accepting such things as the norm and trust me there is nothing normal about being a vampire or a witch. Now sadly many young children all over the world think its cool to be a wizard or a witch because Harry Potter, Merlin and the girls in Charmed do it and they're so cool. (Not!)
If I get into the habit of watching witches, sorcerers and the like regurlarly whats to say that in my time of greatest need I wont feel the need to give it a try. Don't smirk, sometimes when you get into a vulnerable situation all common sense usually flies out of the window...

My pastor always says he laughs at educated people who visit spritit mediums (who often live in a shack) to find out how to make more money and yet the spirit medium they are visiting lives in abject poverty himself. If he knew how to make money...he, himself would be rich...and yet people spend lots of money paying him...utter foolishness if you ask me...

The Bible is actually against astrologers, stating that they cannot save people as God can. In Isaiah, God proclaims that Doom will come to Babylon and there is nothing the astrologists can do to save the people from it. Isaiah 47:13-14 says: 
"Stand now with your enchantments and the multitude of your sorceries,
      In which you have labored from your youth—
      Perhaps you will be able to profit, perhaps you will prevail. 

     You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels;
      Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators
      Stand up and save you from what shall come upon you.
       ¹⁴ Behold, they shall be as stubble, the fire shall burn them;
      They shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame;
      It shall not be a coal to be warmed by, nor a fire to sit before!"

 Someone asked me, what's the difference between a pastor prophesying the future and a palm reader or card reader telling you whats gonna happen? She told me that she knows of  some clairvoyants who have been accurate in telling the future. Well, in a nutshell all I can say is yes there are people who are not Christians who might be able to tell certain aspects of the future but the MAIN difference is that a person of God does it by the power of the Holy Spirit (please check that any prophecy is biblical and gives you peace and confirms with your spirit) On the other hand all other types...mediums, clairvoyants, fortune tellers and the like do it using power from other sources.... what sources you ask me...? Well go figure....! 

The Lord has good plans for our lives (Jer 29:11), let us trust in Him with all of our heart....
  
⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
       and lean not on your own understanding;
 ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
       and he will make your paths straight. Prov 3:5-6 (NKJV)

All bible verses are from NKJV.
   

Looking groovy: Fashionable but Questionable!

I'll bet you all love to look good. (Men and women alike...though I know the ladies will identify more on this one) Yeah you know we all like to wear the stunning trendy outfits, have great accessories to go with them and oh yes the shoes and bag....need I say more..?
Well over the last few weeks God has been dealing with me about writing this post and I struggled beacuse I didn't realy want to and I kept thinking it might not go down too well with peeps but He continued to deal with me about it and well yes...in obedience ... here we are...

Over Christmas, one of my gifts was a lovely pair of olive green and tan coloured ear rings (similar to the ones in the picture but different colour) I was thrilled to get these earrings because I thought they were lovely and would go with my greenish outfits. I really couldn't wait to wear them. However as I was putting them away I noticed the name of the ear rings on the tag.... Dreamcatcher. My heart almost skipped a beat. I had heard this name mentioned before, a few years ago whilst listening to a preacher give a talk on dodgy symbols and the Occult.

Apparently the dreamcatcher is supposed to be something that was started by the Native Indians to control dreams. It is supposed to help you have good dreams and keep the bad ones out. Really? And my question is how does it do that? Has it got special powers or something? I don't know but all I can say is on all the websites I've tried to find out more about it, they all seem to be associated with psychics, eastern religions, and other dodgy sounding stuff. There are many websites that talk about the Dreamcatcher legend but I just got one and you can find out more on the website below.

http://www.crystalinks.com/dreamcatcher.html

Although my earrings were slightly different from the original dreamcatcher with the feathers they are all made in the same weaving manner and they have the same name. Who knows if that has any significance, maybe it didn't but I had no peace after that and I wasn't willing to take any chances so I got rid of the earrings. (just in case the same spirit operates within them.) Now I know some of you might think come on... they are just earrings but hey I think it goes deeper than that and I'd rather be safe than sorry. I don't want to invite trouble into my life.

I have become selective about what I buy...and I 'm always amazed at people buying clothes for their children with statements like "here comes trouble" or "Rebel." It may seem innocent but by letting them wear that you're speaking and confessing those statements over your child and surely you don't want them to be a rebel now do you? I was talking to a woman in my church about this and she was telling me that she never buys clothes for herself or her children with symbols or writing that she can't read or doesn't understand. She said for all you know you could be wearing something thats cursing you. I totally agree with her, I for one don't like t-shirts, caps, trainers or jackets with funny symbols or pictures of snakes, dragons and so on. Now you may say its just a brand logo but oh let me tell you the owners of some of these brands are working with the enemy and you don't want any part in it. Because the minute you have those things in your house you have given them a port of entry into your life. Therefore all I can say is prayerfully make your day to day purchases asking the Holy Spirit to guide you and if you feel doubtful about anything don't. It may sound silly and too spiritual but pray over whatever you have or buy, that if there is anything dodgy may the Spirit of God deal with it.

Guys this isn't meant to scare anyone but the war we fight is real and remember it isn't against flesh and blood...there's a lot more I could say about clothes and fashion but we'll save it for another post and oh on that note... happy shopping!

I also came across this website that sells dreamcatcher brand stuff from fashion, art to music. Hhmmm I think I'll stick to Amazon.

http://store.dreamcatch.com/

http://www.dreamcatch.com/

Happy New Year - Planning for the year ahead

I hope you all had a great time "eating and being merry" over the festive season. And hopefully as you exchanged gifts, I hope you remembered that Jesus is the reason for the season. God already gave us the best gift. "... His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16. Its therefore up to you to accept God's gift and accept Jesus as Saviour of your life if you haven't done so already.

Now that Christmas is behind us and we have entered a New Year and a new decade, many are making plans and setting goals for the year ahead. It's good practice to make written plans and set goals. The bible teaches us to "Write the vision and make it plain..." Habbakuk 2:2. However we need to remember to include God in our goal setting and planning.

Since the beginning of this year, I have been asking God, what is your will for my life for 2010? What is it you wish to accomplish through my life? I am praying and entrusting my ideas and desires to God and searching the word to see if I am in line with his will. Prov 3:4-6 says to "Commit your ways to the Lord...." The Lord has good plans for our life as Jeremiah tells us in Chapter 29 vs11, so we need his direction as we plan for our future.
Once I am convinced that the desires and plans I have are God's will for me, I'm going to go for them with full steam ahead.

I believe that whatever God starts he will finish, so lets make sure whatever we start, we do so with God on our side because only then can we be guaranteed of his provision and his help. May 2010 be your year of the Lord's greatest blessing and favour and may you accomplish great things in His name.

Hurry up...I gotta rush!! (Who ate all my fruit of the Spirit?)

The other day I walked into a local bank (which I won't name but if u really wanna know, gimme a buzz) and I was shocked to see the line was almost as long as from here to Australia. And to confound things, there were only two cashiers serving. Half an hour later I had barely moved as the line was trudging along at snail speed. What frustrated me even more was that there seemed to be more bank personnel walking around the bank than behind the tills. Maybe there were other important things that needed to be done but judging from the mumbling and whining coming from the other customers in the queue we all felt that, we as the customers were "king" and should have been receiving the speedy and efficient service which we rightly deserved.

During my 55 minutes of waiting, I behaved worse than a toddler having a tumtrum; I sighed louder than necessary, sucked my teeth viciously, gave the bank staff "killer looks" and impatiently tapped my nails and drummed my feet so hard I almost made a mark on the surfaces. Then when I got to the till, I didn't even get the courteous "sorry to keep you waiting" line or maybe I was so angry I didnt even hear it. I was fuming, I'm sure I even had smoke coming out of my ears...lol. However as I left I had to laugh at myself. Surely as a Christian I could have exercised a little more patience...but oh no I wanted to be served asap. Now before you start laughing at me, think back to a time when you may have been quite impatient, whether at work, home, in a shop or even when driving along a busy road.

At one time or another we all run out of patience or sadly for some they never had any in the first place. But when we do, we need to take a quick trip to the fruit market and get us some more fruits of the Spirit. I find that praying and asking God to help me to walk in the Spirit helps top up my virtues. For as the bible says when we "...walk in the Spirit we shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." Galatians 5:16 (NKJV). But once you've prayed you don't suddenly become perfect, meditate on scriptures on patience, listen to sermons on the subject and take it a day at a time. Choose to respond in a better way whenever you're put in a situation where you have to wait.

When I get stuck in traffic these days, I look at people walking around and sometimes I feel led to pray for some of them. One particular day, a woman walked past and as I studied her I noticed that one of her shoes had a huge hole in the sole. I wondered whether she was having financial problems and started praying for her to know Jesus if she didn't already and also for God to help her in her time of need.  Before I even finished the traffic had started moving. Well that was 5 minutes well spent, instead of imagining whether the pavement could be used as an extra lane to beat the traffic...lol

As someone once said, "Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting." So I urge you next time you find yourself running out of patience, relax, pray and smile. It may not necessarily get you want you want quicker but it will make the journey less frustrating.

Happy Thanksgiving! - Dinner with the VIPs (A Short Story)

To celebrate Thankgiving which most people associate with food, here's a short story about something we all love.... dinner....
Dinner with the VIPs

Tony smiled. He had waited for twenty eight years for this moment. Rumours floating around the office purported that he had been nominated for the position of VP (Vice President) of the Board. Now his lifetime goal was almost within reach. Almost. But he had to make it certain.
Tony knew that his academic record was outstanding, what with an MBA from Harvard and a PHD from Yale. He had been responsible for 75 % sales and 87 % growth in the company in the last two years. Try and beat that. But would it be enough? There were two other bright sparks to contend with. Tony knew he had to do something. Yes, something that would seal the deal. Then it hit him! He would invite the four board members and their wives for dinner at his home. They did say that the way to a man’s heart is through his pot belly (oops sorry I mean stomach.)

Tony emailed the board members who seemed surprised but equally delighted by his invitation. After that he got onto the phone and called his wife Macy.
“Honey, there’s talk in the office that I’ve been nominated for VP!”
“Oh my gosh, that’s great. When will you find out for certain?”
“The board will take a vote next week and decide between me and two others.”
“You’ve worked very hard babe and I think you’ll get it. I’ll phone the prayer group and ask them to pray for you as well.”
“Thanks babe, but I’ve also come up with an idea which could help to guarantee my place.”
“Oh? What’s that?”
“I’ve invited the board members and their wives to our place for dinner this weekend.”
Tony had already decided that Macy would not do the cooking, there was too much at stake here and he couldn’t take any chances with his wife’s homely but not elegant cooking. He would hire a chef for this particular occasion.
“Honey, I think we should leave it all in God’s hands. Besides you don’t want to look like you are sucking up to them, do you?”
But there was no stopping Tony, who had his eye on the prize and was sure that this was the perfect way to attain it.

Saturday night came round and the four board members arrived promptly for the evening dinner. They all complimented Tony on his home which looked like a page out of Contemporary Homes Magazine, with its elegant high ceilings, immaculate mahogany wooden floors, white furniture complete with an original Paolo Fazioli grand piano. Tony was dressed in a lovely grey Armani suit whilst his wife wore a stunning red number by Gucci (all bought especially for the dinner of course). Tony was an impeccable host making sure everyone’s glass never went below half, playing his classical music at just the right volume and helping Macy serve the appetisers; shrimp with basil garlic stuffing and fig and goat cheese bruschetta. Dinner soon followed, Tartar of Kobe beef with Imperial Beluga caviar and Belons oyster. Everyone seemed impressed by the posh and ludicrously expensive cuisine and the evening seemed to be going extremely well. Well until the unimaginable happened of course.

Suzie, the President’s wife suddenly asked for the toilet. She had an uneasy look as she scurried off to the toilet. When she came back she seemed flushed and somewhat queasy. No sooner had she sat down, another board member asked for the toilet. Over the next ten minutes, different members of the dinner party all took a trip to the toilet. Tony scratched his head and fidgeted in his seat as he watched them all. His shirt now had big wet patches under the armpits from the layers of sweat defying his deodorant.
As it turned out everyone seemed to have the runs. On further investigation, it turned out the chef had decided to put a special ingredient... a special powdered herb, which unfortunately he had mixed up with another white powdery substance - a laxative. Apologies were passed around and there were some embarrassed faces and a few dirty looks thrown towards the dejected host.
I’m sure you are wondering whether Tony ever did get the job, well that’s another story.

 © 2009 Gospel Girl


I might not be an American but to me Thanksgiving is a time to thank and appreciate God for all He has done for me, my family and friends. I encourage everyone to take time to give thanks to God this Thanksgiving.
I have included this story to celebrate Thanksgiving ... I think it fits the occassion, seeing as most people relate Thanksgiving to food....lol. Happy Thanksgving ya'll!


Brief History of Thanksgiving
After the Pilgrims left England in September 1620, they arrived in Massachusetts in late November. More than half died before spring due to sickness and harsh winter conditions. Yet, persevering in prayer, and assisted by helpful Indians, they reaped a bountiful harvest the following summer.The grateful Pilgrims then declared a three-day feast, starting on December 13, 1621, to thank God and to celebrate with their Indian friends. Although Thanksgiving services were held in Virginia as early as 1607, this was America's first Thanksgiving Festival.

Picture source: Google Images
History Source: Christiananswers.net

Designed for Purpose – Avoid the Malfunctioning Syndrome

Imagine if the toaster decided one day, “you know what, I don’t feel fulfilled as a toaster, the rice cooker seems to be getting on alright, why don’t I try cooking rice for a change?” The result would be a total mess, the rice and water in a toaster would probably cause it to stop functioning properly. Or imagine if the all the cutting instruments in the world like knives, scissors, and lasers had not been invented or stopped performing their function. The whole world would find it difficult to do so many things. The medical field wouldn’t be able to perform life saving operations in theatre and many industries wouldn’t be able to function properly. Now as absurd as these examples sound, a lot of us find ourselves doing the very same thing every now and again.

God created each of us with a specific plan for our lives. Jeremiah 1:5 (paraphrase) says that God knew each of us before we were born and He sanctified us and ordained us for certain callings on this earth. Now I don’t know what God ordained you to be or what specific gifts or talents He has given you, but your highest priority should be to find that out. Now I’m not just talking about spiritual gifts here but your ultimate purpose in life. Let’s ask ourselves some key questions. Why are we here? What is our purpose? Are we in the will of God for our lives and are we doing what we are supposed to be doing?

We need to come to a place where we recognise what we are supposed to be doing. Then prioritise that one thing or things and get to work doing our Father’s business. Please let us not become a CCC (Copy Cat Christian). Just because Brother X is a guru at playing drums and he is anointed in that area now you also want to play drums because it looks like so much fun. Hello...is that what YOU are really supposed to be doing? Be honest with yourself and prayerfully consider this. Don’t jump into things just for the sake of it. Now that’s not to say that we don’t do anything else in our lives but we should prioritise our life purpose. It should be the very thing that drives us to wake up. When Jesus came to earth, His mission was to die on the cross in order to redeem mankind. Now while He was on earth, many suggested that He do other things. Mind you, some were tempting offers that would have led some of us astray. Others wanted to make Him King so that He could rule over them. But Jesus knew why He was here and ultimately, He fulfilled the purpose for which He had been sent, by dying for our sins.

Wouldn’t it be a shame if you passed through life and didn’t do what you were supposed to do? You could do a lot of good things on earth but if you failed to do that most important thing that you were created for, you would have missed the mark all together. Many people will lose out on being blessed by you because you failed to deliver. How about that life changing invention you haven’t started working on yet; that half written song that’s supposed to encourage someone; the orphanage you want to open; the book that was started and never finished or the captivating movie you’ve been dreaming about that could bring could many souls to Christ? Who knows maybe God may choose to use someone else to do it but wouldn’t it be great to know that you played your part in the Big Maze of Life?

The story of a lighthouse keeper below is an extract from the devotional "UCB Word for Today" but it kind of links in with what I am talking about:
“There was a lighthouse keeper on a rocky stretch of coastline who received a new supply of oil each month to keep the light burning. Being close to the shore he had lots of guests. A woman from the village needed some oil to keep her family warm; a farmer requested some for his tractor; a mechanic wanted some to lubricate a wheel. All the requests seemed legitimate so the lighthouse keeper tried to please everybody. Before the month was over his oil was gone and the beacon went out. As a result several ships were wrecked and lives were lost. When the authorities investigated, the man was very repentant. But to his excuses and pleading their reply was, 'You were given oil for one purpose - to keep the light burning.' Be wise - prioritise!”