Love in Action Journey

  Psalm 119:105  "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." (NIV) "Truth's shining light guides me in my choices and decisions; the revelation of Your Word makes my pathway clear." (The Passion translation) No matter who I speak to or what I read, there's no two ways that 2020 has thrown us all a radical curve ball. I don't personally know anyone who hasn't had to negotiate major change this year. We have all had to readjust, make changes and sacrifices and get quiet to seek new ways forward. With that process comes perspective and for that I am grateful, because when you really start asking God to readjust your course or direction, He gives you a new lens to see life around you especially in times of uncertainty. I count my blessings that both my parents and my parents-in-grace have always taught me to allow the promises of God's Word to be the foundation in my journey through life. No matter what situation I find myself in, it neve...

A little while ago I wrote a post about  when the unthinkable happens , and all we can see or feel is the brokenness in our lives. It's in those moments that we are faced with the daily choice of whether to stay focussed on the pain ... or to recognise that we also have the choice to find beauty even in the midst of our pain. My journey these last 5 years has consistently taught me that there is One who stands closest to the brokenhearted and that He is more than willing to infuse me with strength and joy no matter how volatile the storm feels within, and that searching into His eyes calms the fiercest of storms.   At this point please allow me to give you a sneak peak into my humanity. Before you read the above and think even for a moment that I've mastered that art of choosing best all the time, let me assure you that I have by no means got it all together! Ask my family ... they will humour you with many stories of the work-in-process that I am. Take for instance...

I don't know about you, but for me one of the giants that I tackle every now and then is self-doubt. Its that inner wrestle of how I could have or should have handled certain moments better than I did. Or the inner chiding that I should be doing more than what I am already doing ... or sometimes rather the fear that maybe I am not the best person for the job that has been given to me. Camp long enough in that headspace and you can really start to feel down. I was having one of those melancholy moments yesterday when the gem-of-a-husband that I have gave me a 2 minute pep talk and a big hug and all of a sudden the dark cloud above my head began to clear. Encouraging words and a heartfelt hug always bring hope and perspective back to the heart. As I was mulling over my feelings from yesterday I just had it on my heart to encourage you today. When is the last time you took a moment to appreciate and accept the gift that God made you to be? It sounds a funny thing to say, but ho...

Hello lovelies. I have always been drawn to blogs that share straight from the heart. That was my intention when I stared blogging, to write on this blog an expression of what goes on in my heart. I prefer to live my life out in the open. I remember once reading Lisa Bevere share that she too lives her life out in the open so that the devil never has any of her secrets to broadcast ;-) I love that! I have come to experience that truth truly does set free! (John 8:32). Today is one of those honest posts ... a heart to heart of where I am at in this season of my life. I would so like to get regular posts out there more often, but in truth, I am in a season of learning a new pace. Have you ever found yourself having to reassess your "usuals" ... your usual routine, usual focus, usual places where you give your attention to. That's where I am at right now, realising that a new season is at hand. As  much as change can make me feel uncomfortable, I have learned so many times ...

There is nothing like being away from your usual routine to give you a different perspective. This time of year I am usually spring cleaning the house as I get it ready for our visitors. I found myself in this usual routine up until  a week ago. I had an absolute bee in my bonnet about repainting the lounge and dining room and organizing new curtains. It was so important to me. Then I got news that my Gran was not doing well and I flew to be with my sister as we care for her as she waits for my mother to fly in tomorrow to come and spend some special time with her. All of a sudden I realise that the fresh paint and curtains pale in importance compared to having quality time and closure with the ones you love.  This time has been a gift that I will always treasure. Taking little walks with my Granny and just allowing her to tell me all about her life are treasures that I can pass on to my children. To be able to learn about your heritage is a privilege. In doing ...

I got some heart-sore news this weekend that my precious 88 year old Granny is not doing very well. The diagnosis is not good at all and yet when I speak to her, I can hear that she has peace. This can only be because she truly knows her God. It is such an encouragement to me at this time as we face her mortality to be comforted by the peace that carries her. That's the thing about Jesus ... His peace is tangible. Today His words bathe my heart. "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27 In my Bible this whole passage from verse 25-31 is marked as "The gift of His peace" . This is how I know the reality of Jesus Christ being alive and present. His words spoken thousands of years ago are still relevant to what I am facing today. His Words and promises bring me comfort and encouragement. The very verses after the one I quoted above are a preparat...

I am writing this post with a heart that is thumping so hard and fast. I am so heart sore.  It has come to my attention that I need to clarify my last post. This is a quick post to say that my previous post was my most honest post about what God is dealing with ME about. It was about me facing up to the stress of perfectionism that I have so often held myself to. It has been such a heavy burden to me for so long. Unfortunately someone close to me thought I was judging them and writing about them. Oh my goodness. That was so not my heart at all!!! If any of you felt that too ... please know that that was not my intention at all. My heart for my blog has always been to walk an honest journey before you of the lessons that God is teaching me. As I was writing that post, God was showing me how to walk in my freedom from having to paint a perfect picture of myself. I was not suggesting that all the blogs I read are superficial and paint a picture-perfect world that is untrue. I have bee...

Hmmm ... I am in a thoughtful head space today. This could be a dangerous read as I am feeling rather vulnerable.  Lately I have been doing some soul searching about why it is that we as woman (I don't know - maybe men also do this) ... we feel compelled to wear masks to convince everybody that everything in our lives is "picture perfect". Maybe it is because we demand so much from ourselves ... or the expectations that we assume others have of us? I don't really know. I am looking at my life to see what masks I might be wearing. I am choosing to ask myself some hard questions.   Some of the the blogs that I follow leave me feeling that there is absolutely nothing that some of these amazing women cannot do. They always dress to the nines, make time to fit in everything from being creative to meeting all the demands of their busy family life (without loosing it with their husband or kids) and then still have enough time to blog an encouraging word out to whomever might...

I've been thinking about why I started this blog and what I want to accomplish by continuing it. When I started this blog, the phrase "love in action"  was loud and clear in my heart. As a Christian of  28 years I have been assessing what it really means to be called and known as a follower of Christ. Do I love Him - yes!! Has He changed my heart and life forever - yes!! Do I know Him - well ... the more I get to know Him, the more I realise how much more there is to know and love about Him. I have also come to realise that to really know Him is to have my heart turned inside out with compassion. This I am still learning so much about. Jesus is love. Everything He does is motivated by love. How can I represent Him as a Christian and not be compelled to love? This is making me take a closer look into my own heart. Does my hand reach out to touch the untouchables like His does? Do my arms gather the little children that were so drawn to Him? Do sinners flock around me seeki...

This whole journey in my heart is taking me to places that sometimes I just don't want to go. Love is not always a gushy, happy feeling. There are times when love is simply the strength that keeps one from feeling completely overwhelmed.  This last weekend I have had so much to process. I have had to face some truths that were hard to face. I hurt. But somehow - God's love was an anchor that held my emotions together through the process of trying to embrace change. It's crazy how life can seem to change in the blink of an eye, and with that change comes the overflow of emotions that you never knew you had all pent up inside of you. Today I feel sad. I am growing up enough to know that it's ok to feel sad, but thank goodness that God's love offers an outstretched hand that holds us together when we just don't feel like standing anymore.  That's what walking with God is about then. Celebrating the highs and crying with Him through the hurts that come our way. ...

I have finally started back at the gym! Miracle - yes I know :-) Anyway - as I was swimming this morning I started thinking about how our whole body thrives and benefits when we excercise it. It is not just the muscles that we are excercising that benefits - but our general health overall and wellbeing improves and benefits. For me personally, I feel empowered and energised after a good workout. And then it hit me - that is exactly what happens when we "excercise" the fruit of love ... everything in our lives benefits!! Practicing (excercising) love changes our situations, mind sets, realtionship etc.  After my first day back at gym on Friday, I went through a very "stiff" weekend. My whole body ached! But in some funny way - it was a "good" ache because I know that it is EVENTUALLY going to give way to some promising results ;-) And maybe that is quite true of the process of practicing love when we really don't want to ... or when it is hard to. It ta...