OK guys - now is the time to sign up!!Reality is only just over a month away and we need YOU to make it happen.Sign up NOW for just £20 for 5 days of teaching, worship and celebration and most importantly 5 afternoons of reaching out to our local community!It is the first week of the summer holidays 24th-29th July - so there is no excuse not to come and work for your city of Norwich in spreading God's love.It is such a majorly important thing to do. Just think of what it could be the start of. The start of life changing relationships and work in your community that will go on for years to come, where hearts will be change and people will be made whole. It can be the development of vital work that is already going on!Everyone from the age of 14 is welcome to come along (over 21s need to be referenced) - so spread the word. Tell all your friends and get them to come along. Tell your youth leader that it's a week of events ready organised for them where they can bring their youth group.So, get praying and get BOOKING now!!!!
How can I get listening/counselling practice in the short term?
I hate living in two places.
What is the point in that?!
Well, I'm back in Norwich!
Can't seem to move round my bedroom much - I have far too much stuff.
Starting to get some random bits for summer sorted.
Looking at driving lessons - but they're shockingly priced :(
Tried to go to Durban with Soul Survivor but they're fully booked :(
I'd like to go abroad. Get some worldly experience.
Like to do something musical - am feeling very musical at the mo.
bleh
Why is trusting God so hard?
In about a weeks time I shall be back in Norwich, but I have very little plans for while I am there.
Some may think that's a great thing as I can just relax and enjoy myself, if I was a 'good' girl I could even use the time to get closer to God.
But I want to do something. I want to make the most of the time. I want to give my time and skills at the same time as learning more, developing and growing spiritually and in all things. I'd love to develop my listening/counselling skills as I need as much practice as possible to gain some confidence!
So far though, I have found very little.
Naturally I will be helping with Reality and I'm also planning to go to Momentum with some friends from uni. Hopefully I can help lead worship at church, and Paul has asked me to assist in youth church. But what else can I do?
I'm daily asking God to show me how he wants me to use my time, and telling him that with his help I'm up for anything he wants, but it's hard to trust isn't it. Hard to trust that he does have a plan even when I don't know what. What if I get to the end of the summer and still haven't done anything. Have I done what he wanted?
This then spreads to the rest of life. This is probably my last 'free' summer. This time next year I will have finished uni. Yes there are options of further study, but even then, where would I study? Would I come home? Stay here? Go somewhere else? If I get a job, where would it be? What on earth would it be?! I feel like I have no clue as to what I want to do, let alone what God wants. I know it's ok to not know. I know I've got to trust God, but I can't help but worry.
I soooo want to do what God wants because I know that what he plans is better than my own desires or will. But at the same time, I don't want my life or time to go to waste, and it's hard to trust that it won't.
Bit late, but I thought I'd post a pic of my brother's chocolate fountain and the fun we had on Sunday:
We had it to celebrate Emily getting baptised which was amazingly cool! It's fabdabulous to see God working in her :D I'm excited at what else he's got planned for her!
Just been to see the film and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Went a bit quick though, I was like, oh it's finished!
The first thing that stood out to me was how real it looked when Silas was whipping himself - I couldn't look it was horrible!
I'm still confused as to whether there's anything truth in the book at all, but whether there is or not it won't stop me believing in God and Jesus! It doesn't really bother me whether Jesus had a bloodline or not. So what if he had kids? It doesn't change what he did.
I was sad at the way it made Christianity look quite bad, but then I realised it's reflecting some truths from our past and we've made it look bad for ourselves.
Talked a bit with a friend today about the whole Jesus getting married bit. I don't think he did and I don't think he had children, but for me it doesn't really make much difference. My friend was saying that if he had got married it would have been recorded in the gospels because it would have been a significant thing. That's fair enough. In the film though, it seemed to me that if Jesus had got married and had children it would change the whole Christian faith, I'm not entirely sure how though (well, I can see that a lie could seriously rock things). So what if he got married? So what if he had kids. Can someone explain what's wrong with that? I'm happy to be re-educated.
I may write some more when my brain has filtered it all! I feel a bit naive about it all really.
Well, it's been a fun week. As promised - here are some pics of me. Unfortunately I don't have full uniform yet, and they didn't have a jacket thingy small enough!
I'm not actually sure how much I'm allowed to say or whether I'm allowed to have my own opinion online! Lets just say, it's been interesting and it was free for most of last week! We now have conductors on the bus.
There are many views/letters/opinions etc on the local newspaper here as you can see, there are many opinions, most on the negative. To be honest, there is more to life than a bus. Yes it's not been perfect, and yes it's been extremely disruptive, but it will calm down. As human's we're not very good at change. But it's a permanent part of life.
Bleh - me tired.
Please pray that I can make essays and work all fit together without being too tired.
Ooo... and that the bus customers aren't too horrible next week!
I want to play the drums.
Well, in less than 24 hours I have applied for and got a job!
I will be working for five weeks on one of these:
My job will be to show people how to use the touch screen ticket system. Should be entertaining to see how people pick it up.
More information can be found here and here.
Ooo. I've just read that when the Ftr bus approaches a traffic light it changes and goes green! Fantastic! And if you're wondering 'Ftr' stands for Future in text language - I had to be told.
I am sooo excited!!
Mark's given me his old upgrade of Windows XP!!
*Dances around*
Yes, I know I get excited over silly little things, but Mark - I shall love you for ever! (well, maybe till it goes out of date ;))
Finally, my computer will be dragged out of the deep dark depths of ME, and into the modern world of XP! Oh to have the uptodate version of media player, oh to be able to use the writing tool on MSN - the possibilities are endless ;)
YAY!
It's ok people! My little friend has kissed me back into being a human again!
Well, Julian was driving my bro, sis and I home after band practice this afternoon and we came across a burning car!
I found it highly entertaining that all the neighbours were out watching, but no one seemed to be doing anything. We went and chatted to one guy who explained that the taxi driver (who's car it was) had just got out and watched! So our neighbour had had to phone the fire brigade! Anyway, they toddled along and put the fire out.
A bit of excitement for the afternoon. Why are we all so nosey?
Oooo, and I also got turned into a frog.
Got this from the wonderfully amazing Emily!
I shall also post pics of Keith and my adventuous week sometime after tomorrow.
Two Names You Go By
1. Dorothy
2. Bikey
(Can I have sparkles too?)
Two things that scare you
1. Spiders
2. My mind
Two of Your Everyday Essentials
1. Computer (with internet)
2. God
Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now
1. Black snoopy pyjamas from H&M
2. Make-up (shock?!!)
Two of your favorite bands/ singers at the moment
1. Tre Shepherd (sp?)
2. Kelly Clarkson
Two Things You Want in a Relationship
1. Understanding
2. Unconditional positive regard (yeah ok, counselling term, but it covers everything!)
Two Things that Appeal to You
1. Sensing God's presence
2. Hugs
Two of Your Favorite Hobbies
1. Most things to do with the internet
2. Crafty stuff
Two Places You Want to go on Vacation
1. Somewhere hot and relaxing
2. Somewhere full of excitement and adventure
Two Things You Want to Do Before You Die
1. Be the Helen God sees
2. Rule the world
Two Things You Are Thinking About Now
1. How to iron out my brain
2. Why I'm up doing this and not going to bed
Two people you haven't talked to in a while
1. Bek
2. Claire
Two Favorite Sports
1. Badminton
2. Swimming
Two things you did last night
1. Went to Fridays
2. Went to Keith's gig
Two T.V. shows you like to watch
1. Home & Away
2. Casualty
Two things you like about yourself:
1. My passion for learning about myself and God and growing
2. My hair (on a good day!)
Two things you ate today
1. Yorkshire puddings
2. bread
Two people you last talked to:
1. Mum
2. Dad
I am greatly entertained, that not only have you not poked me to read my Bible, no one has responded to my last post (which was posted over a week ago!) telling you all off!!!
Update: I am now into Deuteronomy :-P
I just thought that I would tell you all off.
After this post, not one of you has poked me! No one has poked me!!
Anyway, with God's help for the last month or so I have read my Bible everyday (minus one) and I have read all of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Job and most of Numbers. It is really exciting and I'm really enjoying it and learning what went on in those times and how God works. I'm reading the Bible in chronological order of the events it describes (roughly speaking!). I'm hoping it will continue to broaden my horizons and perspective of God.
I feel no pressure about reading it, like I have with all Bible reading materials. I just read as much as I can each night, and it doesn't matter whether that's one chapter or ten. If I miss a night, then nevermind - there is noooo pressure!
Thank you Lord!
Although this week has been quite stressful, today I successfully managed to make my whole class including the tutor sit on the floor in a circle and play duck duck goose! Although I hate the stress leading up to them, I quite enjoy presentations - I'd almost like to practice talking infront of people more and really get into the swing of it.
Today I made the decision to say yes to Bek about being a Christian Union small group leader next year! I am so excited now and she almost jumped out of her chair when I told her! I think it will challenge me and develop me and help my relationship with God - so yey.
Yey Keith's coming tomorrow! :D
We're going to Paul's wedding first, and then driving back to York for a week of fun!
I can't wait to just spend some time going out and about in Yorkshire (please keep the Sun up God!) and just generally chilling with Keith.
Unfortunately I have an essay due in and it's really hard. I'm trying my best to finish it before he comes, but I don't think that's gonna happen. Grr! So please pray for lots of concentration and productiveness!
