John 4:1-26

I love the scripture from John 4:1-26 in the Bible, when the Samaritan Women Meets Her Messiah.

I would encourage you to read the scripture and meditate on it.

I imagine for the Samaritan Women it is probably an ordinary day in her life and she is going about her daily work. She makes her way to the well to gather water and who does she have an encounter with Jesus.

Wow!

Jesus interrupts her day and has a conversation with her. He sees her as an individual, he doesn’t judge her circumstances he takes the time out to listen to her. Then he gives her wisdom.

In our busyness sometimes how many times in our lives have we prayed for Jesus to talk to us, how many times have we missed his words to us. How many times have we cried out to hear his beautiful word?

Be encouraged, Jesus wants to hear from you he wants to know what is on your heart. You are the daughter of a King. You are important to him.

As a Christian Woman we are all on a journey and that is exciting. Place your faith into Jesus hand, let him know what is on your heart. He longs to hear you; he wants to know how your day is.

What is it that he is asking you to do today?

Is he asking you to spend time with him?

Draw near.

We all have those seasons in life where things just happen.

Where days are just not how we planned for them to be.

We all go through storms in our lives.

How do we keep going through life when we are pulled in different directions?

How do we stand strong in the midst of challenges?

Sometimes it is difficult and we don’t know what to do.

Sometimes we can see others going through difficult times and we just can’t find the right words to say.

We all deal with things differently. We all take time to process issues that we have been through.

Even though we may be crumbling in the inside we somehow manage to stand strong on the outside.

I don’t know what your journey is or what you have been through lately, I hope and pray that you have someone to talk too. I hope that you have someone to share your journey.

We all need to be heard, we all need to be accepted where we are and loved through the storms in our lives.

Those unexpected interruptions happen in our lives.

In the last few months I have had some unexpected interruptions in my life. My first one was a health interruption.

Last week I was involved in a car accident where someone ran into my car at the lights. Now I could be bitter and just hide away from the world. I did have that though, but I have chosen to stand strong.

It is also important to have friends that you can just be yourself with, friends that can encourage you and help you through the storms.

It may be that you seek professional help to guide you through the storms of life.

It is really important that you look after yourself at this time.

What can you do today to do something nice for yourself?

Will share more soon.

This week I have attended 3 Professional Development workshops and I must say I have learnt so much.

This year the organisation that I work for, their theme is The Year of Training.

So a few weeks ago I signed up for Protective Behaviours, First Responder Training and De-escalation and Restraint Training.

I was able to attend all the workshops that I had signed up for.

The quality and knowledge of all the trainers for the workshops was incredible. I love how people can bring in their experience’s and share along with the theory of what they are teaching.

I also loved that there was always coffee, snacks and that lunch was provided.

I know that ministry and coffee go together definitely.

Maybe training and coffee go together as well.

I must say that my head is full from this week but I feel so blessed and grateful of the opportunities that I have and am given.

I love learning and I know that I want to be a lifelong learner.

I love the resources and the added resources that I am able to take into the places that I work.

So what now?

Tomorrow I think will be a well-deserved rest and then next week I have a week off work.

I am passionate about my career and I really want to make a difference.

Will share more soon.

Sometimes in my busyness of work and life I forget how much it means to me to be creative.

We can forget to do something that feeds us, that encourages us, that inspires us and that refuels us to carry on.

I don’t know what it is for you but for me, it is being creative.

Being Creative is really important for me and for my journey.

I have made a decision this year that I will go back to journaling in a notebook. A bit old school with a pen and paper and I love it.

I have discovered that I have heaps of notebooks at my house that I have brought over the last months or years. I think that I have kept them for a special time, I have realised that every day is a special day, a special time to use them.

When I come home now I take the time to gather up, my notebooks, pens, gel pens, sticker, washi tape, bling, post it notes and whatever else that inspires me for that day.

Then I just take the time and write down how I am feeling, what I have been doing that day and also I will write down my prayers.

I have started this at the beginning of the year and am now up to my third note book.

It just helps me to be right in the moment.

It helps me to slow down.

What is something that you can do today that will encourage you and that will inspire you?

BE CREATIVE

Will share more soon.

Today was the first day of the school holidays and I have enrolled in three Professional Development Workshops.

I love my job and what I get to do and through the company where I work they are offering training for us.

I must say that I love training & learning and I never want to stop learning.

Today was the first day of a two-day workshop for Protective Behaviours. It is really nice to meet other Chaplains and to hear what they are doing in their schools.

I also love it that lunch is provided and it is really nice.

Driving home today as I stopped at the lights a van just ran into my car. Oh my goodness, I really need to sell this car.

The car crash just brought back so many memories of when I was involved in a car crash as a passenger in 2004.

I am a bit sore from the crash today my shoulders are sore, my neck and my back.

I am just hoping that it will all settle down.

I am so blessed that I know a great panel beater which I will need to go and see tomorrow.

So my thought for today is that I am okay and it is only a car that can be fixed (as will be sold very soon).

I may have to wait a little while to go back to boxing, but I will see how I go.

I may be inconvenienced by having to put my car into being repaired.

I know that everything will be okay and everything will work out okay.

Will share more soon.

Yesterday was the first day of the school holidays here in Western Australia. We have two weeks of holidays. Yeah!

I received a text from my sister in law yesterday asking if I was doing anything.

No I was just relaxing.

I found myself later that day picking up my two very excited nieces.

The sleepover adventure had begun.

The plan was to go to a shop to buy some art supplies and then to go food shopping to buy supplies for the night.

I love having my nieces over, love creating memories and laughing.

We have a movie marathon watching so many girly movies.

We have sung along to the songs in the movie, we have created in our journals.

Last night we ended up having chips for dinner and driving home was an another adventure. You see there was a storm arriving and as we were driving towards home lightening flashed across the skies and we all screamed. Yes, we arrived home safely, even though it was scary we couldn’t stop laughing.

Today has been another day of watching movies, having croissants for breakfast.

I love these times because I find myself just focusing on the moment not thinking about what I have to do later or what I have to do tomorrow.

I valued these days and I wouldn’t swap them for anything.

Memories

My 10-year-old niece says she likes getting dinner and having chicken gravy with it. Also singing along to the song from the movie Starstruck, Something about the Sunshine.

My 12-year-old niece says I liked painting my nails and watching movies like My Girl 2.

I am home now after dropping them back at their house.

As I look around my house I notice that it maybe a bit messier, there may be more dishes to be washed, there may be popcorn on the floor, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

It is also so very very quiet.

Creating memories is one of my goals for this year and I think that this weekend has been one of those amazing moments.

The other day I Skyped my friend and mentor about goals for the year.

I love it when you can talk to someone who lives a creative life and can challenge you to try new things.

My challenge for this year was to have new adventures.

It was also to have a some more fun in my life.

I am writing my book this year and it can be quite difficult reliving those moments.

My friend suggested balancing out the moments with having some fun as well.

Well I love challenges and trying new things, so the Year of Adventure Challenge begins.

My goal for April is to write every day of the school holidays.

It not just to write but to have those creative adventures and to write about them.

I am really looking forward to this.

Will share more soon.