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Showing posts with the label Identity

The Closer You Get The Brighter The Light Shines!

I was born again in 1991 and I will never forget the moment that the pastor asked me if I thought I was a good person. My reply was a confident, "Yes". At that time, an unwed, pregnant, seventeen-year-old teenager who had not finished high school and done just about all the naughty stuff that a teen could have done, but I thought I was a good person. I have since learned that this is a common response from most people. "A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart." - Proverbs 21:2 Now, 28 years later, I feel like more of a sinner than I ever have. The more I get to know Jesus the brighter His light seems to shine on me, and on all my imperfections. The thing about this is that when He shines his light on my character flaws I don't feel bad or guilty, I feel His love and am inspired to work on them and become a better person. The Bible says, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." in  Matthew 5

Back to the Beginning

I'm not sure where to begin but I know that I need to start somewhere. 10 years ago on 13th April 2009 I penned my very first post on this blog. My audience was the women of our brand new baby church, D7 Church and the message was identity, knowing who we are as daughters of the King. My only intention for writing was to encourage our women on their faith journey and in their everyday ordinary life. Little did I know what the years ahead would hold and how much of a rollercoaster ride life was to become. I have written here through most of it, there have been some quiet spots with an attempt at a post in the dark seasons. Today I come back full circle as I explore my own writings, try to make sense of the journey I have been on with the hope that I will find a way forward. Most of all, with all my heart I believe that there is a purpose to the past ten years and it wasn't all for nothing! My audience from today is me.  If you happen to be reading this, then you too and I h

Who Am I?

It's quite ironic that this is my post title today, "Who Am I?" as I started this blog nine years ago with the title Knowing Who You Are because of my passion to help women find their identity. I write to you today from a completely different place. It's not one of not knowing who I am but trying to figure out what to do with who I am and the complexities that come with being a human being. I am not just one 'thing' but I am a combination of so many things. God made us that way for good but it can do quickly turn into a bad thing for so many of us. Have you heard the saying, "If the devil can’t get you to sin, he’ll keep you busy"? It's true, we get too busy and distracted from God's purposes for our life. I am guilty but want to get out of this trap! So my current dilemma is how to be a successful businesswoman and a great wife and mother? I love playing house, cleaning, cooking, gardening, sewing and all those lovely activities. I also

The Reason for Everything

There is only one way to really and truly get God's attention and that is to either break his heart so badly that he turns away and cries or to fast! So I chose the latter as I have broken his heart far too many times in my life and I needed him nearer to me that every before. So I withheld food and all drinks except water from my flesh and cry out to God.  Day one of my fast consisted mainly of headaches and me pouring out my heart to God. Day two God spoke briefly: " Everything comes from God alone, everything lives by his power and everything is for His glory. " - Romans 11:36 TLB Bottom line: It's all for Him. So with this revelation I forced myself to see things differently. I tried and make it about him and not about me. What did he want? How could I make it about him? One Sunday evening I insisted that Eric and I seek God together. We spend the evening really reaching out to God together and I prayed until I felt like my eyeballs were going to pop out from the

Girl's Night - A Resolution to Value Myself and Celebrate Others

This week at Girl's Night we had a really good look at our identity, insecurities and fears. We also chatted about how nasty women can be to each other and how this often stems from our identity, insecurities and fears. After a good heart to heart, we agreed to choose to see the best in each other, build each other up and support each other on our journey to finding our true self. THIS IS WHO I AM Intelligent Design  Using an interesting analogy of interior decorating, we considered how our life may not have turned out as we planned based on a small detail that we have allowed to affect us. Discussion questions: What are some minor incidents you’ve allowed to shape your self-image or self worth?  How has the decorating scheme of your life turned out differently than you would like as a result of that?  Read 1 Peter 2:9-10 and record that statements of value declared concerning you. Make a point of really studying and meditating on this Scripture, digging more deeply into the truths

Girl's Night - A Resolution to Value Myself and Celebrate Others

This week at Girl's Night we had a really good look at our identity, insecurities and fears. We also chatted about how nasty women can be to each other and how this often stems from our identity, insecurities and fears. After a good heart to heart, we agreed to choose to see the best in each other, build each other up and support each other on our journey to finding our true self. THIS IS WHO I AM Intelligent Design  Using an interesting analogy of interior decorating, we considered how our life may not have turned out as we planned based on a small detail that we have allowed to affect us. Discussion questions: What are some minor incidents you’ve allowed to shape your self-image or self worth?  How has the decorating scheme of your life turned out differently than you would like as a result of that?  Read 1 Peter 2:9-10 and record that statements of value declared concerning you. Make a point of really studying and meditating on this Scripture, digging more deeply into the truths

Girl's Night - A Resolution to Value Myself and Celebrate Others

This week at Girl's Night we had a really good look at our identity, insecurities and fears. We also chatted about how nasty women can be to each other and how this often stems from our identity, insecurities and fears. After a good heart to heart, we agreed to choose to see the best in each other, build each other up and support each other on our journey to finding our true self. THIS IS WHO I AM Intelligent Design  Using an interesting analogy of interior decorating, we considered how our life may not have turned out as we planned based on a small detail that we have allowed to affect us. Discussion questions: What are some minor incidents you’ve allowed to shape your self-image or self worth?  How has the decorating scheme of your life turned out differently than you would like as a result of that?  Read 1 Peter 2:9-10 and record that statements of value declared concerning you. Make a point of really studying and meditating on this Scripture, digging more deeply

Introducing Resolutions for Men

Introducing The Resolution for Men! After our first Girl's Night in January the women were buzzing so much that the men insisted on having their own night too! We are so excited because we have a special night for men and women now where we focus on resolving to be the men and women that God intended us to be. In a society with so much gender confusion and uncertainty, even in the churches, we want to get back to the basics. Hosted by Charlton King's Baptist Church but open to all - you are welcome to join us at our Girl's Nights or Men's Nights.  If you wish to set up your own group and study along with us in your own church let us know how we can support you. Get a copy of the books from Amazon. Girl's and stay connected through  www.resolution.kingsdaughters.co.uk and King's Daughters on Facebook  or your men can join in at  www.mensnight.adlife.uk or AD Life on Facebook . It's time for the church to shine brightly, for men to boldly stand

Girl's Night - A Resolution to Champion Biblical Femininity

Oh my goodness tonight's discussion was heated! We didn't even get to some of the discussion questions as we were in very serious debate about this subject. It seems that there is a real aversion to the word feminism, submission and other words that are used to describe us as women. At Girl's Night we broke up into three groups and each discussion one of the sections below. By the end of the evening we had no conclusion or consensus about Biblical Femininity  but we all agreed on one thing - that we would go home and diligently seek God for a revelation of Biblical Femininity. Next month when we meet again we will share what we feel God has said to us and then if we all agree we will sign the resolution together. You must be curious now about our discussion so let me get on with sharing an outline with you. THIS IS WHO I AM Pretty in Print? This section took a look at how the pendulum make have swung a little too far over to the other extreme as a result of wo

Girl's Night - A Resolution to be Content

Well I can't tell you how happy I was to see our first topic of discussion - A Resolution to be Content.  I long to be content! I have so much energy and passion which is great but it can also mean that I can't sit still for two minutes.  I perceive contentment as being something peaceful and beautiful and I crave it. So when I saw that the first resolution was a resolution to be content I was very pleased. Tonight at Girl's Night we studies the four section of the A Resolution to be Content and it was really powerful.  One things that really struck me was that, and let me emphasise it..... Contentment is not about how we feel but what we have decided to do.  Choose to be content - it is your choice! That is my take away from this evening, but let's get back to the beginning so I can share with you how I got to this conclusion. THIS IS WHO I AM Every Bite Counts This section was about making every moment in our life count. Too often w

Voices

Last Sunday my wonderful husband, Eric , preached his sermon entitled Voices.   It was such a powerful message so I decided to share it with you, sadly we don't have a recording but I will do my best to recount it. Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off.  Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.       And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield bearer in front of him. And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog,

Back to the start!

Hello King's Daughters, I feel like it's been quite some time, in fact well over a year perhaps even two, since I have written anything meaningful to you. I have tried but words haven't come.  Many posts have been fillers or conference news.  I don't know what happened to me, I seemed to have come from a place and having life figured out to now not having a clue, from having much wisdom and revelation to share to having nothing.  At first I gave myself some time to grieve to loss of our church, D7 Church.  We met for the final time on Sunday 30th March 2014. Failure is hard, loss is difficult but when you have failed and lost in the things of God it seems harder. You feel as if you have let God down. One thing that no one tells you when you pastor a church is that it too, just like a business, can fail. If the books don't balance and your income is less than your expenses, you can fail. If you don't have a committed team to keep up with the work you can fail

Tracey's Struggle with OCD.

Ladies, I have decided to share an email with you that came through this week from a lovely lady, Tracey, who is struggling so much and needs us King's Daughters to support her. Her name has been changed to protect her identity and I share this with her permission. Please pray with me for her freedom and if you have anything to share please leave a comment for her in the box below. I have found over the years that the most difficult struggles are the ones we carry alone but it is in this isolation that the devil has his victory. Let's all come out with what we are going through and support each other so that we can be free indeed as we are promised in John 8:36. Here is the email: "Let me introduce myself. My name is Tracey. I am 23 years old. I'm a Christian. I am going through a tough time as of late and your message on the King's Daughters YouTube about loving yourself really hit home because I don't love myself. I am fat and I feel useless! I just do

A Plea for Equality: Creatively Responding to Today's Aggressive Rejection of Faith

Have you ever felt that your whole society has a warped view of you? "You're entitled to your own opinions and beliefs." "It's a free country." "You have a right to free speech." They're phrases we hear all the time, and when it comes to opinions and lifestyles that are different to ours, we know the right thing to do is to be accepting and understanding of them. But as a Christian in an increasingly hostile world, where online conversations allow for instant, anonymous bullying with no identifiable consequences, what was once called 'free speech' has become what feels like a systematic battering of religion. In almost any secular situation, I find that I'm allowed to speak my opinion - just as long as it's also the opinion of the  secular majority.  In the online community especially, it has become extremely unpopular to believe in the existence of a god. Even more so the possibility of creation. Here's

Proudly British

One of the many things that the Americans get right is their patriotism!  I often see American homes with their flags proudly hanging outside their door or hear them speak highly of their country.  It is a wonderful thing. Here in the UK I often see Brazilian flags, Polish flags and other flags from foreigners living here who are proud of the country they have come from.  NEVER have I seen a British flag displayed in front of a British person's home and all I EVER hear from locals is their complaints about this country.  COME ON PEOPLE!  The country is made up of you and I. Let's start off with being proud to be British.  Let's support local businesses.  Let's find good things to say about our country. Let's back up and support our leaders who are doing their best to do what they think is right for this nation. It is usually those that do the least that say the most.  Judge your own mouth and your own actions please. Until you are willing to step in 'their'

Depression is Not An Excuse

Continuing on from my previous post , I wanted to look into the other side of depression.  The side where people use it to be lazy or to do nothing for the kingdom.  Yes there is a time when you need to slow down or stop in order to recover and get well but there is no reason to throw your whole life away and write off your future.  Depression is not a lifestyle it is a season. It can be cured and it can be managed.  If you are newly depressed or burnt out you may need to stop what you are doing and have a season of rest. What did God tell Elijah to do when he was newly depressed? Let's read about it in 1 King's 19:4-8 "Elijah  went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by hi

My Centre, The Place Where I am Me

As you may  have noticed, I have been spending a lot of time in the business world this year.  God has called me and anointed me for business, as a minister in the business world, and it has been an incredible journey.  Since  preaching on this very subject  one year ago in our church, my whole life has changed.  I resisted God for about six months as I did not want to go back into the business world, the failure of my first company was a deep disappointment and I was convinced that I was not a business woman.  God saw things differently.  My resistance crumbled and He had His way - thank goodness! I have seen the most incredible things happen as a result and I know that God uses the foolish things to confound the wise . I always say to God that I am willing to be the foolish thing in his hand.  I am good at that - being nothing and allowing Him to be everything.  So as a result of all the wonderful and scary things that have happened this year, Women's Business Club was born.