Phoebe!!!

Tired Mumblings

2006-10-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

Its been a long while for me to write down my thoughts on life and God and everything and i feel like now would be a good time to release some mumblings into the blogdom.
I listened to an excellent sermon this morning on James 1v13-37 and it was all about not being deceived by the world and living for Jesus!! Was pretty awesome, but my day kinda went downhill from there, i seemed to have worked all day, and yet acheived nothing. It's peculiar i know.
Have been pondering the beauty of silence in the past few hours. Have realised how insecure i am, always having to be the loudest in the study. How much beauty there is to be found in just being silent at times. Like when i feel properly stressed out, just to be tranquil in the presence of the Lord, not having to say anything because He knows what is on my tongue, not having to think anything because He knows whats on my mind, no having to do anything because I can be still in Him, peace that transcends all things. It is beautiful. It is beautiful. I can close my eyes now and know that the God who made me is real and He is here. So often i talk and talk to God, as Fletcher says, we have two ears and one mouth, shouldnt we therefore listen twice as much as we talk? I am tired of talking and i find rest in being silent and still and quiet with my Maker. I know that i don't have to impress, i have nothing to prove i can just be who he wants me to be. Wouldnt i hear so much more if i could was listening and not blabbing.

Have also lately been thinking about how much i give to God and I'm not talking about money (although i could give a lot more in that area) i mean like in every aspect of life. If only i could give everything over, wouldnt i feel so much closer to His will? I dont have a proper perspective yet, and sure His Holy Spirit is working on it totally but i feel too attatched to this world, like im doing stuff for my own gain and not giving Him glory, then when i want something its like oh yeah God, do you mind healing my Granny please. How rude, how outrageous. How much i take for granted, and yet still how I am loved, still i am valued, still I am worth a blameless man, a Son of God to die for me. This love amazes me. Nothing have i dont to deserve it, and yet everything i have been given. Grace like a river is flowing down! Its like when CS Lewis says God has still accepted us, even though we have shown Him we prefer everything to Him. Prodigal son returning to his Father. A Father who has been waiting since his son left, always looking over the horizon to see if his son is coming home, always waiting for him to return. He never gave up, such is the character of our God, he stayed watching for His son, rain, sleet, snow, shine, watching for His beloved's head to show over the hill. Such is the persistance of our God. And when His beloved did come home, he ran to meet him, he scooped him up in his arms, and kissed him and embraced him as though he had never been embraced. I imagine it being a hug that could have lasted for eternity. Such is the scenario when a person turns to God and stumbles wearily into His embrace. He pines for his beleoved to come home, such is the love of His creation. No embarressed peck and quick hug, a heavenly celebration is held, a banquet thrown in the son's honour, angels will sing, all heaven will rejoice. I cant wait to run home, i cant wait for the embrace, heaven cries for the lost and rejoices for the found tonight. How many will run home tonight? How many will be found? How many will He embrace? Can i make a difference to that number? I pray so, with His strength and in His will.

It has been good to rambnble again, thanks for reading, if indeed anyone knows about this site anymore...

X

What a Lad

2006-09-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

This is from a bebo site i recently found, from a guy who sounds pretty cool frankly to be writing it! Thought it was too cool not to share!

"Well I love Jesus... am captivated by his life; thrown by his effect on humanity; blown away by the charisma he had; held in awe by the claims he made; attracted to his talk and more importantly his walk; amazed that he should die for me; caught up with the chance to share in his/story and radically moved to make a difference to this planet and humanity because of him!!!!!

He had no servants - yet they called HIM master, no degrees - yet they called HIM teacher, no medicine- yet they called HIM healer, no army yet the King of Kings, He one no military battles yet HE conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified HIM, HE was buried in a tomb yet He lives today.

I feel honoured to serve such a man!I pray as if it all depends on HIM and live as if it all depends on me... "

Where's the Revoloution?

2006-05-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

Ok so today's might not be the best post ever because I'm having a bit of a downer. Read 1 Corinthians 13 last night i had a bit of a crisis...

" If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. " 1 Corinthians 13v1-3

What if I've been doing everything according to "the rules", i read my bible every evening, i send people verses, i "mmm" occasionally while others are praying and so on, but this verse tells me its all worth nothing if i dont have love, even being a matyr is worth nil! What a shocker, so (just trying to get my head round this) if i am the most famous preacher in the world, if i can heal the sick and prophesise, but I have no love, "I am nothing".

Recently i have felt a movement. I am learning verses, and listening to brill sermons, and i have a better understanding of Christ and what he did than ever before, but I have neglected love, the greatest gift of all, to name but a few verses on the topic:

Mathew 22v36-40
""Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

John 10:17
"The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again."

John 13:34
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

John 15:9
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love."

Colossians 3:12
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

1 Corinthians 13v4-7
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

Oh boy, i need that love back again, the unconditional love, love that is beyond looks and what is on the outside, the love that puts its life on the line, love that forgives, susteins, is patient and slow to anger and brings hope, yeah, it may sound cheesy but its Christ's love and I'm so desperate for it! I need the revolution of this love back again, like when i first received it from Christ, like when i first found out the power it contains...

I pray that we all receive this love, bountiful and rich and that we never forget it, or leave it behind in our haste to know more, nor sidetrack it in our worry to do whats right in the eyes of others, or deny it to others because we are too concerned with what will happen as a consequence.

We have been given our definition of love already in Corinthians 13, but from a different perspective the "Reader's Digest A-Z" (illustrated as well, but that does not concern you!)
love: 1, an intense affectionate concern for another person. 2 (skipping two, naughty content im afraid!) 3, A beloved person. Often used as a term of endearment. 4, A strong fondness or enthusiasm for something, 5. Man's devotion to, or adoration of God. 6, The benevolence, kindness, or brotherhood that human beings should rightfully feel towards each other....and the list does go on...

We all need this love, the love that perseveres, i hope and pray that i never deny anyone of the love that Christ has so willingly given me, and at such a cost he has given it!

Now, all my love
Phoebe

a quick quote from my bible notes, "not speaking in tongues, nor prophesising, nor healing but love, love is the sure sign of God's revolution let loose on earth"!

Book review time!!!

2006-04-11T05:15:00.000-07:00

Under reccommendation from my eldest sister, i have started reading The Chronicles of Narnia...at first i kinda wavered and thought it wasnt so good and stopped for a time but i picked it up again a few days ago and carried on reading from where i left off and i have realised it is a great book.

I have read C.S Lewis' The Great Divorce beforehand and so was foolish to think that this "fiction" novel wouldnt be so good but i was seriously mistaken! There are so many references to biblical storys and although ti doesnt fit completely with the whole bible, the resemblance is uncanny. I also love the way that Lewis brings such life and humour to the creation story and how everything fits in with us today!

Anyway, i really recommended it and hope that it gets you thinking...

phoebe
x

The Great I Am

2006-04-10T02:13:00.000-07:00

I had an interesting conversation with someone yesterday about whether other religions should be accepted or rejected by Christians. It was an interesting debate and sparked a long thought trail in my mind but i have found a few verses that back up my original thoughts and feelings:

"Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other"
isaiah 45:22

This verse is not a psalmist talking, nor is it a disciple, it is God. He is not speaking only to His children in Christ but to "all you ends of the earth". "For I am God, and there is no other". We couldn't have been told more clearly that there is no other God. This shows me that other religions cannot exist under real gods, there is only one true religion and that is the one that is born of God and follows Christ.

And also from the bible we understand that Christ is the only way to God.

John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
We are not told me clearly than this, "the only way to the Father is through me"
So we cannot get to the Father through Mohammed, we cannot get to him via any Hindu God o sacrifice, the only way we can reach the Father is through trusting and beleiving in Christ's sacrifice on the cross. This is the only way are sins are washed as white as snow, and the only means by which we enter into an eternal relationship with our Father and Creator.

However this is not the end of the story. I do not think that after reading this, we should all go out and tell the muslims, the hindus and any other religions that they are in the wrong and are deeply misunderstanding God. I think we need to tread very carefully around other religions, i do not mean that we should go around teling everyone that it is alright to be a muslim or hindu, but i mean that we should show them Christ's love, just as he would have done. All we must do is love them like Jesus. Yes they may be in the wrong, but having huge theological debates and arguing about everything wont always win the battle. Christ's love will always persevere.

Glo
x

Thee missionary dude!!

2005-12-30T10:32:00.000-08:00

Simon Guillebaud, awesome missionary dude in Burundi has been such an inspiration for me (mentioned him two blogs ago). i just read an extract from his first ever news letter and it struck me!! here it is:
‘Disturb me. Lord, when my dreams come true, only because I dreamed too small. Disturb me when I arrive safely, only because I scaled too close to the shore. Disturb me when the things I have gained cause me to lose my thirst for more of you. Disturb me when I have acquired success, only to lose my desire for excellence. Disturb me. Lord, when I give up too soon and settle too far short of the goals you have set for my life. Amen.’

i hope that this christmas time has been a blessing to you all and that God continues to bless you
phoebe
xxxx

long time waiting...

2005-12-04T03:25:00.000-08:00

hi!
first of all im very sorry i havn't blogged for a long time, had a heck of a lot on and blogging hasn't been top on my list of priorities! But just a few notes now on what i've been up to...
i went on an awesome christian camp called lymington rushmore in the summer. Got to meet loads of young christians and was a great faith grower!!
Christian Union at school has been a bit of a struggle i feel this term. It's hard to accomodate for what everybody wants and so we have had quite a lot of "discussions" about what to do in the 40 minutes every friday prep. But prayer will sort it out.
Also been doing the school play for what seems like a lifetime, the four performances were from wednesday to last night and it was awesome stuff! I remember when joe, one of the lead actors almost lost his voice on the second night, 4 of us christians backstage all huddled round and said prayers for him lead by Meegs and it was really cool. It showed me how sometimes im afraid of asking for God in situations like that but really, he's the only one that can help, "just do your best and let God do the rest!". His voice was completely healed last night, prayer works hey!!!
I've also been talking to Simon Guillebaud via email and he is SUCH a legend! He is utterly living alongside Jesus in Burundi and is God's hands and feet out in a really tough part of the world. His work is....
+ Evangelism and discipleship through schools and churches
+ Printing of teaching materials
+ Fighting the AIDS pandemic
+ Supporting a street children’s project
+ Helping to sustain an orphanage
+ Equipping and encouraging informed dialogue between Christians and Muslims
+ Training university students in outreach
Prayer for safety of his family and co-workers and the growth of the church in Burundi would im sure be greatly appreciated.
il leave you now with an awesome verse...
Isaiah 58:11The Lord will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.
x

wait for it!!!

2005-09-23T14:25:00.000-07:00

i promise there will b another blog coming soon..................v soon!
x

This isn't a world with God at the center!

2005-07-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight, i want us to think of the 30,000 people that died today. I want us to go to our bedrooms knowing that this has got to change.
It's true that this world will never be suffer free. When ad and evie ate the apple we fell to suffering and pain and this world that we are living in. It is full of sin because (as Chris Ashton so rightly put it) we are a world without God at the heart. We have created a divide from God by chosing a world without Him at the center and its hurting. But i don't think that means we have to just accept suffering as though "it's always gonna be around, there's nothing we can do to change that" type thing. Every single person on this planet matters so so so much to God, if we could see just how much all of us are loved by Him.
And so then we shouldn't be able to go to sleep at night knowing that there are people out there, especially christians out there who are starving, who are dying, who are being raped, tortured and murdered... We might not be able to help them first hand but boy we can certainly pray are asses off for them. Prayer is a bloomin powerful thing and should never eva be underestimated! God sees when you show compassion for His children, He sees when you are concerned for your brothers and sisters welfare in Africa and I am sure he is elated when we act on compassion and we act on concern, and on love.
This certanily isn't a time to be complacent about poverty, as Live8 stated "NO-ONE IN THE 21ST CENTUARY SHOULD DIE OF HUNGER".
And so tonight i want us to think of the 30,000 and more that have died today, i want us to think of the children that have been raped on the streets of Africa and the families that have been murdered. I want us to think of the 90% of Africans that will go to bed hungary tonight, and wake up hungary in the morning. This isn't hungar that goes away the next day, this is a hungar that has dragged on for hundreds of decades. i want us to think of the people who will not be going home tonight, but will be sleeping rough on the streets of Britain.
I think we should be praying for these people, from the bottom of our hearts, with the love and compassion that marks a follower of Jesus. You can block out what is happening in Africa, Zimbabwe, Iraq, Afkanistaan but it still goes on. And we still push it to the back of our minds....

My crazy metaphor

2005-06-30T00:13:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!
So i was on my bus last night and saw these hugemongus great big clouds above me. It was all grey and depressing and gloomy but there was a small ray of sunshine shining through a gap and it was so beautiful. When all around was dark, here was this little bit of sun poking through and i worked out (yes it has taken me a while but iv got there in the end) that the sun is always shining. Wether there are thunderstorms or tornados towering above, hurricanes or volcanoes, obstructing the viewn the sun is still there, still shining as brightly as ever.
Might sound kinda odd me talkin bout the sun for so long but put a great big metaphor in my mind, i know it, you've probably worked it out il leave you to think about it.....

sorry folks, its ANOTHER song!!

2005-06-17T14:21:00.001-07:00

I was met more then half way,

gold met clay

in a symphony

tears of melody

as he cried with me

pulled me to my feet

love had made me weak,

to weak to speak

i collapsed, into a holy embrace

surrounded by grace,

and he understood, and for the first time,

i saw his face

brought here by grace

in our holy embrace

i can still see his face

obviously u can't hear the tune but please feel free to comment on lyrics!!

God bless!! xx

You don't have to be afraid anymore! (a quick note of encouragement)

2005-05-22T18:52:00.000-07:00

Whatever it is, whatever is holding you back from a relationship with God, wether it be smoking, drink, your friends, your school or just fear....i want to tell you what Jesus is saying to me about it. "You don't need to worry anymore you don't need to cry. When you take my hand il take your fears". When you make the decision to follow Jesus, He can take away all fear that is an obsticle. Whatever it is, its not too big for Him. Give all to Him, all that you have and that includes fear.
Im sorry i don't have time to write more, lots of coursework but stick in there with Jesus. It is also a great encouragement to read Gods Word everyday, i know iv grown so much just from reading it and it has affected me too much to measure.
God bless xx

Picture Perfect

2005-05-11T18:28:00.000-07:00

cross
Originally uploaded by phoebe2.

Can a picture say a thousand words?

The Fellowship of the Cross

2005-05-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

My favourite part of Lord of the Rings is the bit where there is the big gathering in Rivendell and they are deciding who will take the ring. Everyone is arguing about it and in the midst of things comes little Frodo and he says "I will take it, i will take the ring". Everyone goes silent, shocked that this little hobbit is taking on such a huge task. But then Gandalf sais "I will help you bear this burden" then Aragorn says "If by my life or death i can protect you, i shall. You shall have my sword" Then Legolas says "and you shall have my bow" then good old Dimmly says "and my axe". Frodo of course gratefully accepts these generous offerings and they are named by Elrond "The Fellowship of the Ring"!! Without accepting these gifts of protection, Frodo probably wouldn't have made it far out of Rivendell.

Its the same in The Great Divorce (by CS Lewis). The ghosts each have their angels to accompny them on the journey to heaven. One of the ghost ( i can't quite remember which one) says to his/her angel "Can you carry me to heaven" and the angel replies " No, but i cn make the journey much more bearable". Without accepting the help offered by the angel, every step would have been agony on the piercing grass and the ghost would not have moved a few feet, let alone all the way to heaven.

The point that i'm trying to make is that we cannot pick up our cross each day and expect to walk it alone. We have to listen to the people around us and most importantly Christ. We have to accept the help offered by our Christian friends and by Christ otherwise we will only move a few paces before collapsing. It is not a journey we can take by ourselves, it sounds harsh, but we have to be propped up by stronger people. In this, we gain our own strength and strength from Jesus and can therefore prop others up, we can help others on their journey to heaven.

xxx

So many verses...so little time..

2005-04-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

"Tell the heavens and the earth

to start singing!

Tell the mountains

and everytree in the forest

to join in the song!..."

Isaiah 44v23

....."Tell the whole world to sing

a new song to the Lord!

Tell those who sail the ocean

and those who live far away

to join in the praise.

Tell the tribes of the desert

and everyone in the mountains

to celebrate and sing.

Let them announce

his praises everywhere!"

Isaiah 42v10-12

because......"They are my people-

i created each of them

to bring honour to me."

Isaiah43v7

xxx

a song from a friend

2005-04-28T11:16:00.000-07:00

This is a song from a friend who wanted it on the website so here we go...

I see the Perfect Son so holy

Hanging on a wooden cross

A pain so undeserved

Because of a love so unreserved.

My sins now hang

instead of the son, the Perfect One

i have been saved

My price has been paid

Because the Perfect Son so holy

died for me, and now i stand free

My chains are broken

and my ropes untied

all because He died,

to wash away the sin...

You suffered to save

You died for life

My price has been paid,

my worth shown through strife...

We see You now

At the right hand

Wearing Your rightful crown

Having shown Your love for man

xxxx

Forgiveness: Its harder than it looks

2005-04-23T22:54:00.000-07:00

i know no-one ever describes forgiveness as easy but its something iv found myself stumbling over more and more recently. I set out at the begining of term in an unconditional love frame of mind. No matter who people where, what they dressed like or what they looked like i was going to love them for who they were not how they were treated in society.
It sounds bad i spose but i have found this relatively easy, what i have found tremendously difficult is forgiving people who have hurt me, deep inside. I used to get bullied at school and i built up a sort of defense mechanism to it. I would block out the harsh words and the taunting but the other day my sheild was down and i was really hurt by what someone said about me. I tried to forgive them on the spot but it was like hitting my head against a wall. i tryed to forget the pain they had caused me but it was really overwhleming and i couldn't block it out, the hurt inside me was blocking the way for forgiveness and it really fustrated me. This was beyond me, i didn't have the strnegth to go back and love this person as if they had never said anything, i couldn't. So i prayed a little and prayed a little more and over the past few days i have forgiven that person and it does feel great but i didn't do it by myslef. God changed my heart and my mind to forgive and it wasn't instantaneous, but it did happen and am now free from the anger and pain that those words caused me. i am free to love that person again, with Jesus' unconditional love and it feels so much better than before!!

!?

2005-04-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

WDIMA

?

2005-04-20T07:42:00.000-07:00

TMBMTT

Suffering for being a christian?

2005-04-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

"Dear friends, don't be suprised or shocked that you are going through testing that is like walking through fire. Be glad for the chance to suffer as Christ suffered. It will prepare you for even greater happiness when He makes His glorious return.

Count it a blessing when you suffer for being a Christian. This shows that God's spirit is with you......Don't be ashamed to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God that you belong to Him."

1Peter4v12-16

God's children

2005-03-25T21:00:00.000-08:00

i read last night, i think it was in my bible notes that we should honour and look after the people that God has blessed us with. Im not just talking about our friends and family, im also talking about people who we barely know, or people we are meeting for the first time. They are included in God's family just like the rest of us and therefore we should love them just as much as we love our closest friends and family members.

Iv realised that the group of friends i hang out with are really great and everything but what about the people who aren't in that group of friends, what about the people who get sidetracked everytime we go and get a movie and leave them out or whatever. They aren't the only ones who get hurt when i do this, i cut deep a gash in God's heart that beleive me, runs like a valley for miles. Everytime i leave that person out or cut out the 'loner' of the group i am in a large way cutting out Christ's love and i hate that. I need more of the unconditional love that he has and less of my own harsh and ugly love.

The Western Front Trip

2005-03-17T20:34:00.000-08:00

heylo!

just a quick one to say im off on a western front feild trip with my histoire class for a long weekend. It should be a brilliant start to the easter hols and im really looking forward to it! Something that has made me slightly apprehensive though is that my teacher asked me to read the lesson at the church memorial service and im not a very good public reader so any prayer would be greatly welcomed!!

Anyhew, better get back to my english essay,
have a great Easter everyone!!
lots of love xxx

ps Meegs good luck on your D of E camping,
Sam good luck on your rowing race
and Tess.....il see you on the bus!!!

those little doubts

2005-03-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

This sounds really bad but iv been doubting recently wether God really is in control of every situation. They'r annoying nagging doubts that keep creeping in on me. Like when my mum went into hospital the other day, i wondered wether God really did have this one in his hands. But its become clearer now, God made everything, absoloutely everything. His arm extends down to earth and he takes us in his grasp, none of us are out of his reach. Psalm 139 (recommended by my brother) reminded me that God knows everything, he knows us, he knows our thoughts and minds,he knows what we are gonna say even before we'v said it and i find that comforting. I cannot even begin to comprehend how awesome, powerful, wise and in control God is but there is a great understanding that i have found in God, it's like things that were once blurry are now clear i can't quite explain it but i think it's to do with the doubts. Now, when the doubts creep in i kind of know that God is helping me to tackle the issues, he's giving me a clearer understanding and knowledge in him so that the doubts are slowly creeping away.....n i think thats kinda cool!!!

The River of God

2005-03-10T00:14:00.000-08:00

i feel like im in the middle of a river. There's a small currant flowing upstream, its flowing towards the source. I used to be walking against the currant, away from the source and towards bad stuff but i feel like i stopped a little while ago. I noticed that it wasn't the currant that was going in the wrong direction, it was me. Now im learning how to walk with the currant, its tricky, iv gotta concentrate hard on the way the currant flows to stop slipping, but its exciting and exhilirating at the same time.........

All or nothing!

2005-03-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

I have a lot of friends who beleive in God, but they don't know him. They are torn between living for life, and living for Jesus. I just wanna say to them that there isn't one second of a day that goes past where God doesn't think about them. Guys you know who you are, you've gotta make a choice about living for Jesus, and following him. There is NO in-the-middle compromise where God is concerned, he is the beginning and the end, the alpha and omega, your God and your Father.
You cannot only beleive in God when it suits you, when you feel like it. You cannot give only certain aspects of your life to Jesus, while you cling to others that are worth nothing. God isn't someone a million miles away, sitting in some cloud in heaven, he is right with us, here, where we are. He hears you when you deny your faith, he crys for you when you turn your back on him and carry on as if you don't know he exists. You cannot carry on living divided like this. Give your whole life to Jesus, every aspect, every moment of joy and every moment of sorrow, everything you do and everytihng you say. Do not hold anything back from him and i can promise you won't regret it. It's not easy, it takes time to learn to live for Jesus, and it's a rocky path, sometimes you'll stumble and sometimes you'll fall but jesus will be with you, he will take your hand and lift you to your feet, and when it feels like you have nothing left, and you can't carry on he will carry you in his arms untill you regain your strength.
I'm not saying that im perfect in giving my whole life to Jesus. It is hard and yes, i do stumble over small stones, i do stop before an obsticle and my faith falters, but when i turn to Jesus, he shows me the the right route and leads me in the right direction and my doubts and fears dissapear.

"My soul finds rest in God alone;

my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, i shall never be

shaken"

Psalm 62v1-2

It;s time to give up your old way of living and start on a new life that is lead by jesus, here and now, give it up.

xxx

ISAIAH 40:21-23

2005-03-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

"Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

Has it not been told you from the beginning?

Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,

and it's people are likegrasshoppers.

He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,

and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing"

Isaiah 46v21-23

To never know love.

2005-03-05T11:05:00.001-08:00

I watched the comic releif programme on people in Ethiopia who are living in complete poverty. It was a real eye opener. There was one boy who had been living in a homeless shelter for the past five years or whatever. He had had to live on the streets because his familly could no longer afford to "keep" him. His mum was suppossed to be collecting him from the shelter that day but she had not turned up. It was so sad, this boy had no motivation to keep living whatsoever, and yet when his mother didn't arrive to take him back home, he made an amazing decision. He walked out of the shelter, back to his familly, bearing the weight of like six people on his shoulders. He walked out of a safe and loving situation, and back into poverty, starvation and pain. I don't know how he did it.

There was another story of a young girl who had been living on the streets since she was two. She had been raped at that age and again at the age of three and abused continually. She had had to stay awake at night to try and decrease the rick of being raped. She had never, never in her memory known love, never been embraced by someone who cared for her, she certainly had no idea about Jesus. She, like so many others, had absoloutely nothing to live for. There were so many other storys like hers, they broke my heart to fragments, the pain and sorrow these people lived through every single day!

I think my point is that we, as christians should be doing so much more for people living in those conditions. Maybe the odd pound a month to chrisitan aid, or buying a red nose for comic releif, whatever, it makes a big difference to those who don't know love, who don't know comfort or belonging, or a life without pain.
The most powerful thing we can do is to pray. We chould never underestimate the power of prayer, thats like underestimating the power of God!

xx

unfailing love..

2005-03-02T20:30:00.000-08:00

the love that never fails, the love that never falters, the love that created us, the love that saved us,its this love that we must love, this love we must show to others, for there is no greater love than God's....

the God that never fails, the God that never falters, the God that created us, the God that saved us, it's this God we must love, this God we must show to others, for there is no other God...

xx

Common Misconceptions

2005-02-26T00:40:00.000-08:00

i was talking to my sister yesterday about how we have no kind of youth worship groups or cell thingys or whatever in our town. I told her how annoying it was when i just wanted to go to a place where i was invited to worship God, how i wanted to sing and praise Him. But she said that was one of the most common misconceptions that christians today have. She said that every time we talk about Jesus to our friends, every time we hum along to christian bands, everytime we pray and thank God, we are worshipping Him. It doesn't matter if ur in a church or on the loo, u can praise God wherever you are and in so many different ways.
I then went on to blabber about how i felt that going to these places of worship was when i met with God, but she reminded me of common misconception #2. We can meet with God anywhere and at any time. This was proved to me when i was sitting on the bus this morning, listening to mercyme, a brill xtian band n i just started crying. I couldn't stop, it was like somebody had turned two taps on and they just wouldnn't turn off again. The Holy Spirit was there with me, on the school bus of all places. It was blink.
have a good weekend my fluffy walrusses!!!
xxxxxx

Trust.

2005-02-23T21:45:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how many people put their trust in themselves and other people instead of God. People think they can sort out their own problems, that they don't need anybody elses help, they can battle on through on their own. I'm a culprit, i do that all the time!
I sometimes think "why would God wanna have all of my stupid problems and anxieties" and then i was thinkin about my physics prep and it hit me...my teacher had given me a challenging prep and i was stuck, the thing he wanted me to do then, was to go and ask him for help. Afterall, he set the prep and he understands it. In the same way, everytime we get stuck in life, and think we can deal with it ourselves, instead, we should turn to God, our teacher. I'm not saying it's easy for me to give it up to the Lord, its really hard and everday i have to remind myself to give Him my problems, afterall, He has set me challenges, He knows excactly what im going through and He wants me to ask for help.
We (I) should hand EVERYTHING over to the Lord and TRUST that He will sort it out. We (I) should give it up, stop the struggle by ourselves, the strain, the stress and pass it to our creater, our lover and our teacher. He's desperate to help, so why refuse Him?

GIU4G
xxxxx

what odd blogs!!!

2005-02-22T20:30:00.000-08:00

iv noticed that most of my messages are quite random, but its odd, i just get sudden urges to blog!!
iv also noticed that when i hav an idea for a blog, something that i really think about lots, i write it out and it's completely different to what i was trying to get accross!!! (wow, rhyme, don't do that very often!)

ah well, those were my thoughts 4 today......actually i think im just putting off my prep for as l...o....n...g as possible, betta go....

peace out my smelly chickens xxxx

(sorry bout the randomness........again!!)

how not to evangalise??!!

2005-02-19T21:19:00.000-08:00

my best bud just sent me a text saying " threats won't make me a christian, the best example you give of christianity is kindness, not blackmail" oh how true. It will NEVER be possible to force someone towards jesus' love. But it is soo painful to see a really close friend carry on pushing jesus away, further and further. It is hard not to say things forcefully when people just will not listen!!!
Any prayer would be really appreciated, that i would say God's words, not my own.
AP2JC
xxxxxx

where i belong...

2005-02-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

I have a brilliant familly, which i thank God for everyday, but there was a time when i was really unhappy. I was being really bullied at school and i had like, absoloutely no friends. I would sit in the library and read magasines most breaks, or go n sit on the playing feilds, just to get away from the mean guys. i would come home to an ace familly and things would lighten up (don't get me wrong, my familly were all amazing throughout my tough times), but the true highlight of my day, the thing that kept me going through thick and thin....was my God time. Sitting in my room and talking to Jesus, just belonging in Him. He freed my from my pain and my tears, from my hurt. Each day he would reknew me, and give me strength to carry on, and beleive me, walking away from the saftey of my home and family every morning towards people who made my life hell was the hardest thing. Sometimes i just wanted to give up, but He kept me going, every time i felt alone and hurt at school he would hold me tight and envelope me in his love.
My words cannot express how amazing Jesus was (and still is) in my times of hardship. He's my rock and i'm SO glad that iv got him in my life.
My message to anyone that finds it hard to carry on, if you can't find reasons to get up in the morning, when your heart crys a sea of sadness, turn to Jesus, your King, turn to God your Father, and give EVERYTHING up. Let go of EVERYTHING that causes you pain, He will take your burdens, your fears, your tears and greif, and will give you strength you never knew you had, confidence you never knew existed.
Jesus was killed not only to take away our sin, but that so whoever beleives in Him will be free from pain and sadness.

"Come to me, all you who are

weary and burdened, and i will give

you rest. Take my yoke upon you

and learn from me, for I am gentle

and humble in heart, and you will find

rest for your souls. For my yoke is

easy and my burden is light."

Mathew 12v28-30

Open your heart to Jesus, falll back into His arms, and be embraced by His love. It's the only way..

God bless and lots of love

xxxxxx

God loves us, he wants to heal and comfort us, but first we must have faith!

Adding to that........

2005-02-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

"For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will"

Ephesians 1v4-5

hope this helps as well xx

Ouch!!

2005-02-09T13:36:00.000-08:00

ok, so i was thinking today...God made the whole earth and every single thing on it. He chose to create us, His people, out of His love. So imagin how much his heartbreaks everytime we turn our backs on Him. Imagin how much he hurts for us when we trust ourselves instead of Him. ok so like 2 billion people (or something like that) on His earth are christians, imagin how much he pines for the other 4 BILLION to know His love. He gave His one and only son so that people could know Him through Jesus, and be saved through Him. God did this so that He could rescue His own children, and yet their are people who only know the word jesus as a swear word, they don't know love or forgiveness, and they certainly don't know God.
It's the least we could do show the people around us God's love, let alone the 4 billion that don't know bout it............
i'l leave you with that thought
god bless xxxx

How does He do it?

2005-01-29T20:34:00.000-08:00

my school bus is really depressing me at the mo. It has some real idiots who are real good at making people feel bad about themselves. But this morning, i was listening to my chrsitian cd, (delirious cutting edge) and i felt different. like god was pulling me towards him and shutting out the world around me, so all i could focus on was him. I couldn't here the guys swearing or making fun of people, all i could think about was God's love for me, and funnilly enough for them. i didn't wamt to hate the nasties on the bus, i started to feel compassion towards them, i wanted them to know God and feel His presence and know the He loves them, always, no matter what....more people should know about God's unconditional love, not just the good people, but the people who are messed up, the lonely people, the bus bullies!!!

lots love phoebe xxx