I absolutely love Christmas.. always have always will! But since I met Jesus Christmas has just become literally the most amazing time of year!! It's so exciting in build up to anticipate the gift and then to celebrate that Jesus came and died for us so we could be with him forever... I mean WOW!!! It's so amazing like it literally amazes me I can't even really comprehend it that's how unbelievably incredible it is :D It's weird because I'm fully aware that for most people Christmas really isn't about Jesus but I still feel like we come together all over the world to celebrate him because you only have to look at what people do for Christmas and you can see Jesus. It might be about presents and family and food but Jesus was a present, he brought us into God's family and food is everywhere in Jesus' ministry!
Everything about Christmas makes me happy; Christmas jumpers, cosy socks, Christmas lights, mulled wine, hot chocolate, Christmas dinner, family time, carols by candlelight, Christmas holidays, long drives to see family, ice skating, the Christmas market, yule log, time with friends, really well wrapped presents, chocolates on the tree, Christmas decorations, the cold, snow??, Christmas songs and general christmassyness!!!! All of it I love it, everything about it, makes me so happy. Sometimes in summer I yearn for days in front of the fire in Christmas jumpers, slippers with hot chocolate and marshmallows with friends and the cuddles with the dog... best days ever!!!!!
This Christmas I plan to enjoy my time off with my family and friends at home and remember Jesus and how incredible he is. How much of a gift he is. How much he loves me and how much I love him. And just generally revel in the beauty of everything that Christmas means and brings.... My prayer is that you and I would come to know Jesus better over this Christmas season and remember daily his great perfect unfailing never ending completely amazing incredibly beautiful LOVE!!!!
Sunday, 18 December 2011
Monday, 10 October 2011
Pathfinder weekend away...
AMAZING!!! That pretty much would sum up the whole weekend!
Personally I had been feeling a little dry and I was so stupidly exhausted that I was so worried about it sucking because I felt rubbish and just totally missing the magic. BUT GOD IS SOOOOO GOOD!! We had 'huddle' on Wednesday which is basically just prayer and chats but it generally involves LOADSSSSS of tears and it was a total awakening to me. He then encouraged me to take Thursday afternoon off and enjoy last minute preparations at a leisurely pace and hang out with him at the same time rather than packing everything in and getting WAY too stressed! So I took some time got filled up with his spirit again and got ready to hang out with 71 of the most amazing young people I have ever and probably will ever have the privilege to know!
And boy was it a great weekend... the atmosphere in the group was amazing, God did incredible things in everyone's lives and hearts and we generally had loads of fun being together as a group. I was slightly apprehensive because of the 20 leaders who went 10 had never done the Pathfinder weekend before but they were all amazing. Totally stepped up and threw themselves into everything that was going on and you couldn't tell they were newbies!
& this is what happened; 3 hours before the kids arrived hauling everyone's luggage up 2 flights of stairs, a crazy late night wide game, one broken hand and 3 hours spent in a&e, 3 hours sleep before it was day 2, insane meal times, Anna Jacklin's amazing teaching sessions, great seminars, an incredibly close game of laser-quest in the woods, wonderful creative workshops, tonnes of talent at the talent show, MC Watt Watt's comedy (w)rapping, a leaders dry weetabix race, guess the leader song contest, far too many sweets, about 30 cups of tea in 50 or so hours, a second night of like no sleep, rounders games, an outrageous team challenge, Anna Watkinson made me a pig mug :), lush roast dinner, one kid sent home a little early after being sick all night :(, 9 new Christians and tonnes tonnes more fun!!!!!!
It was amazing and I feel like God has totally reawakened my HUGE PASSION for youth work! & a text from Sam telling me I was a great youth worker was pretty much just the icing on the cake of an amazing weekend :)
Personally I had been feeling a little dry and I was so stupidly exhausted that I was so worried about it sucking because I felt rubbish and just totally missing the magic. BUT GOD IS SOOOOO GOOD!! We had 'huddle' on Wednesday which is basically just prayer and chats but it generally involves LOADSSSSS of tears and it was a total awakening to me. He then encouraged me to take Thursday afternoon off and enjoy last minute preparations at a leisurely pace and hang out with him at the same time rather than packing everything in and getting WAY too stressed! So I took some time got filled up with his spirit again and got ready to hang out with 71 of the most amazing young people I have ever and probably will ever have the privilege to know!
And boy was it a great weekend... the atmosphere in the group was amazing, God did incredible things in everyone's lives and hearts and we generally had loads of fun being together as a group. I was slightly apprehensive because of the 20 leaders who went 10 had never done the Pathfinder weekend before but they were all amazing. Totally stepped up and threw themselves into everything that was going on and you couldn't tell they were newbies!
& this is what happened; 3 hours before the kids arrived hauling everyone's luggage up 2 flights of stairs, a crazy late night wide game, one broken hand and 3 hours spent in a&e, 3 hours sleep before it was day 2, insane meal times, Anna Jacklin's amazing teaching sessions, great seminars, an incredibly close game of laser-quest in the woods, wonderful creative workshops, tonnes of talent at the talent show, MC Watt Watt's comedy (w)rapping, a leaders dry weetabix race, guess the leader song contest, far too many sweets, about 30 cups of tea in 50 or so hours, a second night of like no sleep, rounders games, an outrageous team challenge, Anna Watkinson made me a pig mug :), lush roast dinner, one kid sent home a little early after being sick all night :(, 9 new Christians and tonnes tonnes more fun!!!!!!
It was amazing and I feel like God has totally reawakened my HUGE PASSION for youth work! & a text from Sam telling me I was a great youth worker was pretty much just the icing on the cake of an amazing weekend :)
Friday, 23 September 2011
GOD IS GOOD!!!
I've had this song in my head literally for years now, but it's not even a song really it was a bit of a tune that would always pop into my head whenever I was having a hard time and I had never heard it in a song but I have never been able to shake it. At times it bugged me others I just went with it. & then one day I was watching something with my best friend and there was a really great song in the background. So I do a little detective work and end up finding it on spotify. Immediately this tune comes on as the intro and I am shocked; like sort of can't even move shocked! I hadn't even really heard the words on tv just loved the feel and then it turns out to be this incredibly beautiful song by a Christian guy and the lyrics spoke directly to my heart. It was one of those moments when you are just so aware of God's grace, and astounded at how he chooses to move in seemingly the most random of ways!
The song was called Family Tree and it's by Matthew West (look it up it's great)
and I'm going to finish the most random of posts with the lyrics in the hope that God will use them to speak to you in some way.
You didn't ask for this, nobody ever would
Caught in the middle of this dysfunction
It's your sad reality, it's your messed up family tree
And all you're left with all these questions
Are you gonna be like your father was and his father was?
Do you have to carry what they've handed down?
No, this is not your legacy, this is not your destiny
Yesterday does not define you
No, this is not your legacy, this is not your meant to be
I can break the chains that bind you
I have a dream for you, it's better than where you've been
It's bigger than your imagination
You're gonna find real love and you're gonna hold your kids
You'll change the course of generations
Oh, this is not your legacy, this is not your destiny
Yesterday does not define you
No, this is not your legacy, this is not your meant to be
I can break the chains that bind you
'Cause you're my child, you're my chosen
You are loved, you are loved
And I will restore all that was broken
You are loved, you are loved
And just like the seasons change winter into spring
You're bringing new life to your family tree now
Yes, you are, you are
Oh, oh, ooh
Oh, this will be your legacy, this will be your destiny
Yesterday did not define you
Oh, this will be your legacy, this will be your meant to be
I can break the chains that bind you
And just like the seasons change, winter into spring
You're bringing new life to your family tree now
The song was called Family Tree and it's by Matthew West (look it up it's great)
and I'm going to finish the most random of posts with the lyrics in the hope that God will use them to speak to you in some way.
You didn't ask for this, nobody ever would
Caught in the middle of this dysfunction
It's your sad reality, it's your messed up family tree
And all you're left with all these questions
Are you gonna be like your father was and his father was?
Do you have to carry what they've handed down?
No, this is not your legacy, this is not your destiny
Yesterday does not define you
No, this is not your legacy, this is not your meant to be
I can break the chains that bind you
I have a dream for you, it's better than where you've been
It's bigger than your imagination
You're gonna find real love and you're gonna hold your kids
You'll change the course of generations
Oh, this is not your legacy, this is not your destiny
Yesterday does not define you
No, this is not your legacy, this is not your meant to be
I can break the chains that bind you
'Cause you're my child, you're my chosen
You are loved, you are loved
And I will restore all that was broken
You are loved, you are loved
And just like the seasons change winter into spring
You're bringing new life to your family tree now
Yes, you are, you are
Oh, oh, ooh
Oh, this will be your legacy, this will be your destiny
Yesterday did not define you
Oh, this will be your legacy, this will be your meant to be
I can break the chains that bind you
And just like the seasons change, winter into spring
You're bringing new life to your family tree now
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
New philosophies...
Jesus has been teaching me a lot about overcoming temptation recently through two things 1. Fasting and 2. A new wardrobe philosophy. Now I don't want to go into what I'm learning about fasting because it's all a little fresh and maybe I will put it out there once I have really managed to process where I stand on it all but I do want to talk about the wardrobe thing.
Basically I am a bit of a shopping addict.. I mean I shop a lot, I spend far too much money on clothes and the result would be a wardrobe that is bursting at the seems and probably enough clothes that I could survive without doing laundry for months, years even.. it's that bad!!! I am also very attached to them all and generally a bit of a hoarder in life anyway so when I came across this on a fashion blog yesterday I was a little bit horrified 'I have a one in one out philosophy'. Meaning that for every clothes purchase made one item will be donated or sold from the current wardrobe. I felt a bit of a twist in my gut and then the dreaded words came 'Sarah, I want this to be your philosophy too', now I'm not one to dread the voice of the Lord, but this was an unwelcome whisper.. Did I mention I love to shop? And that I'm attached to my clothes? Well to cut a long story short... I had a strop; Ignored Jesus for a good hour and pointedly added things to my shopping cart on the top shop website just to make a point. However eventually I got over myself had a good hard think and realised he was so very right. That it would help me to curb my shopping habit. That it would teach me to be more generous with what I have. That it would teach me to be content and grateful. That it would teach me to be more responsible with my money and stick to a budget. It's still a little bit of an unwelcome thought but I'm coming round to the idea... & today on a shopping trip with my Step-sister I actually took the jumper I would probably of just bought to the changing rooms, tried it on and decided that I didn't love it enough to part with something from my current wardrobe so it went back on the racks and I left the shop empty-handed but feeling successful. I have already learnt that I am capable of making reasonable and mature wardrobe purchase choices when I use my head and not just that part of it that drools over slouchy sweaters and chunky scarves...
& I guess more importantly what I'm learning is that Jesus only calls us to do things that are for our good even if they seem painful and unnecessary at the time.
(I also know I am probably making far too big a deal out of this and am definitely far too attached to my wardrobe but I'm learning... and well you know me so what do you expect!)
Basically I am a bit of a shopping addict.. I mean I shop a lot, I spend far too much money on clothes and the result would be a wardrobe that is bursting at the seems and probably enough clothes that I could survive without doing laundry for months, years even.. it's that bad!!! I am also very attached to them all and generally a bit of a hoarder in life anyway so when I came across this on a fashion blog yesterday I was a little bit horrified 'I have a one in one out philosophy'. Meaning that for every clothes purchase made one item will be donated or sold from the current wardrobe. I felt a bit of a twist in my gut and then the dreaded words came 'Sarah, I want this to be your philosophy too', now I'm not one to dread the voice of the Lord, but this was an unwelcome whisper.. Did I mention I love to shop? And that I'm attached to my clothes? Well to cut a long story short... I had a strop; Ignored Jesus for a good hour and pointedly added things to my shopping cart on the top shop website just to make a point. However eventually I got over myself had a good hard think and realised he was so very right. That it would help me to curb my shopping habit. That it would teach me to be more generous with what I have. That it would teach me to be content and grateful. That it would teach me to be more responsible with my money and stick to a budget. It's still a little bit of an unwelcome thought but I'm coming round to the idea... & today on a shopping trip with my Step-sister I actually took the jumper I would probably of just bought to the changing rooms, tried it on and decided that I didn't love it enough to part with something from my current wardrobe so it went back on the racks and I left the shop empty-handed but feeling successful. I have already learnt that I am capable of making reasonable and mature wardrobe purchase choices when I use my head and not just that part of it that drools over slouchy sweaters and chunky scarves...
& I guess more importantly what I'm learning is that Jesus only calls us to do things that are for our good even if they seem painful and unnecessary at the time.
(I also know I am probably making far too big a deal out of this and am definitely far too attached to my wardrobe but I'm learning... and well you know me so what do you expect!)
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Sometimes I suck...
...at blogging that is!! Not many other things being rather fantastic and all... I joke with you but in all seriousness I have been unbelievably appauling at blogging and I have a couple of reasons for you. One would be that university is crazy busy and I struggle to find time to write but the second and much more recent reason for my absence would be that (and in the interest of openness I will now share some rather intimate details of my walk with Jesus)... up until about a week ago I have been standing with Jesus at arms length and my back turned in the opposite direction; close enough to ignore I had a problem but definitely far enough away for there to be one. It took sitting by a poolside in the South of France looking out over the most beautiful valley and being hit by God's creation for me to realise just how far away I was and actually pay attention to the slap in the face Jesus just gave me. It was definitely the wake up call I needed. The floods of tears that followed that night as I broke down on my knees on the cold hard bathroom floor was one of the most raw and strangely beautiful moments of repentance and forgiveness that Jesus & I have ever shared and it has change me. Ever since I feel more aware of my own walk, my own spiritual journey and more in tune with the one who made me!
Every single holiday I've come home and strayed a little and it wasn't until a conversation with my old youth leader and dear friend, Anna, today that I realised the reason. I have always been an active Christian; I mean within 3 months of meeting the Lord I was a youth leader, and don't get me wrong this is an incredible thing however, it does mean that the majority of what I know as a Christian is service. So when I come home and I'm not really serving I am a little bit lost in a very big church, then when you add in a non-Christian family and living far enough out of town to make meeting people a bit of an effort, I start to fall apart a little bit. I NEED TO LEARN TO RECEIVE but I didn't realise this until today... so I guess today is the first day for me in a journey to learn to just receive and be OK and not feel guilty about taking a break from serving over the holidays.
When I think about it makes total sense because I am always so busy serving in Winchester that sometimes I get so caught up in being Sarah the youth worker/evangelism co-ordinator that I forget to just be Sarah. This is probably my biggest reason for pre-momentum excitement because I am so looking forward to having loads of time to be with Jesus and just receive what he wants to give me, what he has for Sarah, just his Sarah without any titles and responsibility to get in the way. There's a time and place for seeking his heart for those too but for now it is a time to seek his heart for me. And I could not be more excited :) :)
I can't even put into words how different I feel now I have turned back around into God's embrace but I will say that I have never felt more at peace and filled with joy ever before. I feel like the fruits of the spirit are growing in me; I feel filled and alive!
Every single holiday I've come home and strayed a little and it wasn't until a conversation with my old youth leader and dear friend, Anna, today that I realised the reason. I have always been an active Christian; I mean within 3 months of meeting the Lord I was a youth leader, and don't get me wrong this is an incredible thing however, it does mean that the majority of what I know as a Christian is service. So when I come home and I'm not really serving I am a little bit lost in a very big church, then when you add in a non-Christian family and living far enough out of town to make meeting people a bit of an effort, I start to fall apart a little bit. I NEED TO LEARN TO RECEIVE but I didn't realise this until today... so I guess today is the first day for me in a journey to learn to just receive and be OK and not feel guilty about taking a break from serving over the holidays.
When I think about it makes total sense because I am always so busy serving in Winchester that sometimes I get so caught up in being Sarah the youth worker/evangelism co-ordinator that I forget to just be Sarah. This is probably my biggest reason for pre-momentum excitement because I am so looking forward to having loads of time to be with Jesus and just receive what he wants to give me, what he has for Sarah, just his Sarah without any titles and responsibility to get in the way. There's a time and place for seeking his heart for those too but for now it is a time to seek his heart for me. And I could not be more excited :) :)
I can't even put into words how different I feel now I have turned back around into God's embrace but I will say that I have never felt more at peace and filled with joy ever before. I feel like the fruits of the spirit are growing in me; I feel filled and alive!
Sunday, 27 March 2011
home sweet home...
It's the holidays......... we broke up from uni on Thursday and I am already having a wonderful holiday!! But I am starting to feel that the holiday will be busier than Winch life ever is and that the work that needs to be done will be heavily neglected! I have a sinking feeling that God is going to teach me loads about work ethic and prioritising over this month long break. Which both excites me and fills me with dread because I would much rather be sitting in Starbucks all day or lounging in the sun but God obviously has bigger plans!
Coming home is amazing though.. I completely adore Winchester but there is just something about entering Cheltenham that always feel right!!
&&& I just found out that one of my best friend's is getting MARRIED!!!!! I am sooooo excited.... God is so turning his life around this year and it's really amazing to see... GOD IS GOOD..ALL THE TIME!
Anyway got to run my Grandparents are here!!!!!! Happy Jesus lovin Sunday :)
Coming home is amazing though.. I completely adore Winchester but there is just something about entering Cheltenham that always feel right!!
&&& I just found out that one of my best friend's is getting MARRIED!!!!! I am sooooo excited.... God is so turning his life around this year and it's really amazing to see... GOD IS GOOD..ALL THE TIME!
Anyway got to run my Grandparents are here!!!!!! Happy Jesus lovin Sunday :)
Thursday, 24 March 2011
ET FTK...
So when Catherine asked me to be on CU committee this year I admit I was a little petrified especially when she told me that they wanted two of us to make up the Evangelism Team. It was the scariest thing because she wasn't allowed to say who it was, so I it was literally diving into the unknown. It could of turned out disastrously but God is sooooooo good!!!
LUCY TENNANT, who would be the other half of ET, IS AN ABSOLUTE LEGEND. You so know God is in control when you are called to be in partnership with someone you didn't really know but it turns out you're visions are so in line. I feel like God is teaching me so much about partnership and teamwork and it's amazing. It's really quite incredible to be doing this together and it is such a blessing to have someone you can always turn to for support. Even the fights are incredibly entertaining!!! It's also just really cool to be a team within a team and be able to play to each other's strengths rather than have to do everything solo!
This is such a random post but we are doing an alpha talk together tonight and today I am just thinking about how much of a blessing Lucy has already been in my life and it's only been a month or two....
SO EXCITED ABOUT WHAT GOD IS DOING THIS YEAR!!!!!!!!
Basically I JUST LOVE LUCY...... & I LOVE JESUS EVEN MORE...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was a little unsure whether to say the next part but in faith I am going to step out and say people are going to enter his kingdom at alpha tonight!!!!!!!!!! So please be praying because the Lord is bringing revival and he wants us to get on board!!!!!!!
LUCY TENNANT, who would be the other half of ET, IS AN ABSOLUTE LEGEND. You so know God is in control when you are called to be in partnership with someone you didn't really know but it turns out you're visions are so in line. I feel like God is teaching me so much about partnership and teamwork and it's amazing. It's really quite incredible to be doing this together and it is such a blessing to have someone you can always turn to for support. Even the fights are incredibly entertaining!!! It's also just really cool to be a team within a team and be able to play to each other's strengths rather than have to do everything solo!
This is such a random post but we are doing an alpha talk together tonight and today I am just thinking about how much of a blessing Lucy has already been in my life and it's only been a month or two....
SO EXCITED ABOUT WHAT GOD IS DOING THIS YEAR!!!!!!!!
Basically I JUST LOVE LUCY...... & I LOVE JESUS EVEN MORE...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was a little unsure whether to say the next part but in faith I am going to step out and say people are going to enter his kingdom at alpha tonight!!!!!!!!!! So please be praying because the Lord is bringing revival and he wants us to get on board!!!!!!!
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