For good..

This is for my friend Kate,

One day, I hope she reads this and watches this video clip...
Because I knew you..I have been changed...for good:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uD1_InPOiA&feature=related

I love the musical WICKED- can't wait until it comes to NZ in 2013. I want to see this show both at the West End and in New York.

Prophetic Acts

This morning we attended Living Well Church in Rotorua. We'd spent the weekend down in Rotorua, while Aimee spent Friday night and Saturday sharing with the Youth at Living Well Church- her New Generation stuff. Anyway- this morning the guest speaker, Senior Pastor Ross from Te Puke- shared about Prophetic Acts, and how so often the spirit prompts us to actually do stuff- to ACT, and when we do this in obedience, God moves in mighty ways. The trouble is we often get in the way- we put our own selves to the test. We talk ourselves out of believing that it is God who is speaking to us. We worry about what we are going to look like, that we might look foolish for thinking we've heard from God when really we might not have. What will people think of me?
It reminded me of a couple of weeks ago, the Holy Spirit kept prompting me to do a prayer walk around the perimeter of my school- to take authority over that place and to change the atmosphere. I kept thinking about it, but didn't actually do anything. Then later that morning, Malcolm called in. He had a job up the road and finished earlier than expected. When he came in, I just felt some peace enter the room. I said, "I really feel to do a prayer walk around the perimeter of my school- can you do it with me?" Sometimes I'm not always sure about how Malcolm will react to things like this. This time however he said, "Yes- let's do it". I think even he could sense some unrest.
The funny thing was, people- staff and parents could see us walking and talking. They could see us declaring things and maybe they might have thought we were having a domestic. But then again, we were praising Him, telling Him how much we appreciated that He had this all under control.
It felt good and right to walk around, taking authority over the place where God had placed us. Declaring His goodness and His perfect plan over His school, His people.
It was good to ask God for His forgiveness and to really seek His will in all things, no matter how much it would cost my own selfish pride.
The amazing thing is, there was a breakthrough in the atmosphere. This is something that Ps Ross spoke about this morning. When there are prophetic acts- breakthrough comes. What happened at school was that the plans of the enemy were tipped upside down. I can see God's hand in all that is happening.
God has shown me that I come from a lineage of strong woman. He showed me that while this is can be a strength, unless I learn to rely on Him, to know that my strength is in Him...then that thing will also be my weakness.
Something else that happened today- a woman after the service approached me and told me that she kept looking at me during the morning. God prompted her to come and give me a long hug and to tell me that I was a beautiful woman of God. I noticed myself when she did this was that I found it hard to receive such a gesture- even though I was really touched by what she did. My wonderful husband told me that what she had said was true, I am a beautiful woman of God.
God knows that the thing I need most from Him, and my husband is to know that I am His/his and that I am taken care of by Him/him.
I'm grateful for that lady being obedient to His prompting. That prophetic act released in me the assurance that God is always there for me. He loves me. That's it. He loves me. His plans for me are for good. He will look after me. No matter what!
He is mine and I am his.

Let today's encounter with God be a reminder to me, a prompting to ACT on what He is asking me to do- to step out in faith, and be available to Him for His works, for His people, for His purpose, His Kingdom. Amen...

A prophetic act is more than - or differs from - a spoken word of prophecy, or word of knowledge.  It’s an action, something we DO under the anointing and unction of the Holy Spirit as a step of faith, as an act of obedience to release the power, the presence and the victory of God into a situation. Yes, it can include prophecy and words of knowledge, or it can be an act that stands alone without any ‘extras’.  By Joan Emery (Hamilton, New Zealand). http://www.gospel.org.nz/FreeArticles/OthersArticles/PROPHETIC%20%20ACTS.htm

Pressures

Right now some things are going on around me. Things to create pressure- to try to reveal to me things that are in my heart. Temptations to rely on my own strength, own worldly wisdom (or stupidity)- and boy can it be hard to quieten down the dialogue of wanting to fight back, to seek revenge or to counteract the things that get thrown my way.
It's a test on my leadership- I know this, because 'yes' my resolve to lead in the way I know I should, in the way He has called me to- has been sorely tested in these past few weeks. I can feel myself at the edge sometimes, and I've crossed over to where I didn't want to go- a couple of times.
The things I struggle with...listening to complaining and fuelling this by my silence or a few times, adding to it with my own 'natural' thinking= instead of coming to it from a Godly perspective. Also- knowing that God is knocking on the door of my heart, reminding me of who I am to be in Him- why I am there, and what I have been called to do.
God I am ashamed to admit that I have fallen short of your expectations.
How do I stop this?

Come to Me
Step back and take yourself out of the whirlwind
You are to effect change, not be impacted by the changes or forces that are not of Me
I have called you to be a Godly leader
Not a wordly one
You are mine
I shall have my way in you
But you must first submit yourself to me

Your legacy

To love others
To lead with love
To show people who I am through you
To do what is right
In My eyes
To show others My purpose that I have planted in each and everyone of them
And how that colours our world

What does it mean to be a Godly leader?

• Appointed by God Himself
•  Purposed, destined, called
• Does what is right, not to be right
• Kingdom focused
• Loving
• An example of God Himself
• Reliant on the Holy Spirit for guidance
• Submissive to the Will of God
• Cares more about changing hearts than burning down ‘temples’
• Eternity focused
•  Obedient
• Humble in spirit
• Not self seeking

Love:

1 Corinthians 13

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.

Daniel           Faithful

Moses            Obedient

Timothy         Servant heart, humble

Paul                Committed

Jesus              Loving

Joseph          Honouring

Solomon       Wise, discerning heart

David             Passionate, Worshiper 

God I pray that you will find these qualities, traits...in me. Forgive me for being me focused, and not YOU/ others focused.

Amen:)

Don't say it's over- Overcome

I haven't written a blog for ages- not one where I just write straight on. I suppose that's what blogging is about- or is that blabbing, on and on. I don't really want my blog to be about that. But here I am, maybe this will be a blab session.
Anyway- the word Overwhelm keeps entering my mind.
I guess right now I feel overwhelmed with what life is presenting- or maybe it's my perception, and I'm so into the depths of being overcome by it all, that I can't see things rationally.
When I write: overwhelmed, I immediately think- therefore I must overcome.
Just as I wrote that I heard- 'No, it is I that will overcome'.
When I am in the midst of this storm-  feeling overwhelmed
He will overcome anything that threatens to harm me, destroy me, take me out
God has promised He will never leave me nor forsake me
His plans for me, are for good and not for evil
To give me a future and a hope
God loves me so much that He is willing to lay down His life for me
He already has
It is finished
So that my life, new life, can begin in Him
This battle, this overwhelming feeling, things, piling on top of me
Only He can overcome this- but first I must surrender

God reminded me last night that I am His beloved
If I am to be His beloved, then I must learn to 'be loved'
To openly, willingly, lovingly receive His love for me
Nothing attached, no price to pay= just to love Him too
My problem, probably like yours
Is my own WILLingness
To lay down what I naively hold dear
And to take Him, His hand, and hold this as though (no because), my life depends on it, on Him.

Overcome- I can be overcome, or I can overcome
Life can happen to me, or I can happen to life
It's a choice made available to me, allowed by Him
God cheers me on
He knows I can do all things through Him who strengthens me
I won't be overcome, I will overcome
He can't be overcome, His is the overcomer
And He will overcome!
Amen

There it comes again, that saying:
"You choose the life you live"- I choose life.

Escape Poem- recrafted

When I run away

Escape

I come to this place

Of safety

Where these words

They call out to me

Come

Sit with us

Talk with us awhile

Lets make something of this

And then

Before you know it

I’ve forgotten what I left behind

Taken up with them

Listened and heard

Lines

Words

Phrases

They’ve spelt out

What I myself 

Could not have read

Or written-for that matter

Poems

I cleaned up my desktop today. Discovered a few poems I've written so far this year. Hadn't realised I'd been inspired a few times to do this...hmmm something for me to think about.

Fear and Love

Both of these things can drive you

Fear says you are not enough

Love says I am more than enough

Fear says you are unable to do it

Love reminds you, you are enabled by love.

I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.

Fear says bad things will happen, hard times will come.

Love says bad things will happen, hard times will come, BUT none of these things can overpower the LOVE of God for you and in you. LOVE NEVER FAILS: LOVE OVERCOMES.

Fear is deficit thinking- points out inadequacies.

Love is abundance thinking- knows no bounds, is endless, limitless.

Fear of failure.

LOVE NEVER FAILS. Love focuses on what is right, the heart of the matter.

2 Tim 1

Paul is encouraging Timothy to remember his heritage of faith, passed down from his faithful grandmother and mother…

“Fan into flame the gift of God which is in you…For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of POWER, of LOVE, and of a SOUND MIND [SELF DISCIPLINE]”

Escape Poem

When I run away

Escape

I come to this place

Of safety

Where these words

They call out to me

Come

Sit with us

Talk with us awhile

Lets make something of this

And then

Before you know it

I’ve forgotten what I left behind

Taken up with them

Listened and heard

Lines

Words

Phrases

They’ve spelt out

What could not have read

In myself

(I'm not quite sure if this poem is finished yet... might get back to it)

Surprises

You ask me, “What was my biggest one?”

I think and tell you what you know already

It’s true, all the planning

Preparation and anticipation

The look on your face

That was it.

But when I think on it again

Your question…surprises.

It’s the little things

That take me there, breathless

The fairy lights you bought

Thousands of them

Hung in the tree in our front yard

Just because

I’d said, how one day I wanted

Mine to be like that

And how you set it up outside

My bedroom, so that each night

In those hot summer months

There they’d be, twinkling away.

Or the poems you’ve written me

Over the years

When I’d come home

Wondering what kind of mood you’d be in

Only to find, that all day you’ve written

And rewritten, crafted to perfection

Your heart words spoken just for me.

It’s not so much the big surprises

(although I love these too).

It’s just the fact that you listen

With your eyes and your heart

To the real me

And then you take time to consider

And to respond- in love

I know I shouldn’t be,

But it always takes me by surprise

Just how much I then realise

You love me, and I you.

For my Malcolm

Love you, Pato 

Distractions

I’m all adrift on this ocean of distraction

I want to reach the shore

Just not the one I started out from

But here I go as though I don’t have a rudder

As though I’m being tossed ever so violently

Against my will

Yet I know this to be true

It’s me that’s taken over control

I might not be steering this anywhere fast

Anywhere soon

But I have the choice

To take up that direction

To aim it to where He has shown me to go

To persevere because it’s there where my promise lies

Waiting, destined, ready

And here I sit, waiting, maybe to be hit by the wave of fate, unaware

Overboard and overwhelmed

BUT fear not! … He has reminded me

All you have to do is cry out to Me

To ask Me anything in His name

And, I, Yes it is I, who will come to you.

I will fill your sails with my breath

I will guide you safely

To where I will be waiting for you

Final destination. 

My home

Is with Him