Life and the Single Christian Girl…………..

I really enjoyed my time last night at EGY Youth, they are just amazing.

It made me think about what I am passionate about.

My dream is to have a house for girls and women who are recovering from an eating disorder.

The house would be to help them when they have been discharged from hospital and it would also be there for support encouragement and for life skills.

They would still need to keep their appointments with their Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Dietician, their GP and other professionals that they will need to see.

The house would help with their in between visits.

Personally I know that you may see your GP once a week and then you are on your own for the rest of the week.

The house would be an inviting place where girls and women in recovery can learn about shopping and cooking and other interests.

We would also have Professionals come in and talk to the girls about being healthy, referrals if needed and other needs.

The place would be a safe nurturing environment.

I would love to have different rooms that would have beautiful furniture to let the girls know that they are worthy, valued and loved.

Of course there would be conditions that they would need to agree to before they commence. These are needed for safety and just they we really want the best for the girls.

I would love to see a lounge room with beautiful lounges, on the wall would be pictures of art from the girls.

There would also be encouraging quotes everywhere just to remind them they we value them.

My dream of this house seems enormous but I am determined to find the house and then to have people sponsor and help out.

This is for the whole community.

I am so excited about this dream of mine.

So friends if you are reading this and you have any ideas please let me know.

Will share more tomorrow.

Loves and Hugs

Traceyxx

Life and the Single Christian Girl………………..

I have just arrived home after a really great day.

I am so enjoying this season in my life.

It is so full of new opportunities and experiences.

It is an answer to prayer.

Tonight I was able to speak at Youth at the church that I attend.

I love my church.

I love speaking at youth, they are amazing. I really feel that I want to support and encourage them.

I also am so encouraged by the opportunities that happen.

Tonight I spoke about being a voice for the voiceless and also about leadership.

I showed a video clip about a girl standing up for a boy who was being bullied. The video is on TV and it is quite powerful.

I shared about an experience that happened when I was on the train with students from the school and we were going to a leadership conference.

I wrote about it in my blog in March.

It was the first time that I wrote passionately and strongly about injustice.

I wasn’t quite sure that I wanted to post it, I hesitantly pressed the publish button.

There it was on the internet for everyone to see.

I actually messaged a lovely friend who is a writer and asked her if she thought it was to in your face.

I waited patiently for her answer and she said “No, you should write more like this.”

So then I felt to write and stand in the gap for other.

Stand in the gap.

Also be safe about it don’t put yourself in danger.

I love that stand in the gap.

Who are you standing in the gap for?

Who can you be a voice for?

What is a cause you can be a voice for?

Will share more tomorrow.

Loves and Hugs

Traceyxx

Life and the Single Christian Girl……..

Today my thoughts are on bucket filling.

I am not talking about filling any bucket, I am talking about your own.

It is building up your self-worth and your identity.

It is also knowing that you are important.

Yes you are!

We talk about it with our students about filling their bucket.

Encouraging them, helping them to achieve their goals and believing in them.

Why is it that we forget to fill our own bucket as adults?

I know that especially for Mothers their needs seem to be last on the list. They put everyone before them.

Break out and do something nice for yourself.

Yes, break out!

Take the time to do something nice for yourself.

I was saying to someone today, that when you are giving to others that you need to make sure that you have enough to give.

It’s healthy to take time out for yourself, to find something that feeds you that nurtures you that encourages you and can inspire you.

Let me be out there and say don’t feel guilty.

Don’t!

You will be a healthier person who is then able to give back to others.

I think also that we need to encourage each other.

I think that sometimes people think that they are not being noticed in what they are doing.

You are noticed, you are loved.

Even if you feel that you are not being acknowledged in what you are doing.

Have a look at all the great things that you have achieved along the way.

Go back and if you need to write it down in a book, to remember that you have made a difference.

Don’t let others squash your passion.

Stand firm and have a go.

Stand firm and keep going.

When I have days where I am feeling low, I have a box that I have saved all the encouraging letters, pictures and other items that will remind me of what I have achieved.

This just reminds me that yes I have made a difference to someone.

Why don’t you buy a beautiful box and then collect all the lovely things that make you feel happy, that make you feel encouraged, and that make you can remember that you have made a difference.

Today be encouraged, you are amazing, you make a difference.

I want to encourage you.

Will share more tomorrow.

Loves and Hugs

Traceyxx

Life and the Single Christian Girl………..

Topic: Terminal Time

You are at the airport your flight is delayed for 6 more hours and none of your electronic devices are working.

How do you pass the time?

  What would I do if my flight was delayed for 6 more hours?

I think that it would depend on where I had come from or if I was waiting to go somewhere.

I would also hope that I didn’t need to catch a connecting flight.

So I am going to say that I am waiting to go home from a conference in Sydney or Melbourne.

I do enjoy time at the airport, I find that it is just so interesting watching people come and go.

Seeing those that are running late and how they react. If my electronic devices did not work then I would have a walk around the airport and look at the shops.

I love looking around and discovering different little items that the shops have.

I would also go to the stationary shop. This would be a must. I would buy myself a really nice notebook and a beautiful pen.

Then I would find a nice place to sit and write about anything that comes to my mind.

I would just journal and make notes. I would also use the time to write down ideas for songs.

I would use my journal for drawing as well.

Depending on the time I would go and buy myself a nice glass of wine and sit and watch the planes coming and going.

I love watching the bags being placed into the planes and just the busyness of what is happening.

I would enjoy my wine and continue to write.

Having the time to just sit and not have to go anywhere is great. Well I think so.

I would really embrace the time and enjoy it.

This is what I would do while waiting for my plane.

Will share more tomorrow.

Loves and Hugs

Traceyxx

Life and the Single Christian Girl…………….

My writing challenge today was to write about someone that I have met this year that has made a difference in my life.

Yesterday I wrote about a friend of mine that inspires me and a few weeks ago I also wrote about some friends that I am grateful for.

I also included pictures of the amazing Godly women that have made a difference in my Christian journey. They are in my past blogs.

As I don’t want to repeat what I have already written then I will write about something that I am passionate about.

Creativity!

I long to be a worshipper, to also lead worship.

I love the opportunity to sing songs with a purpose.

I am going to a conference in August in Sydney I cannot wait.

It is the SPARC Conference and it is all about Creative Christians gathering together.

I cannot wait there will be people who are writers, singers, film directors, artists all attending.

I haven’t been before and a friend of mine helped out last year and recommended it to me.

So I have booked it and I am really looking forward to the whole experience.

It will be a great time to network and to see what others are doing.

I just love being with people who are creative and achieving amazing things.

I also want to be able to share my testimony and stories to women and girls.

There is so much that I am passionate about and would like to do.

I know that I will be able to achieve the dreams that I have.

What are you passionate about?

What are your dreams?

Will share more tomorrow.

Loves and Hugs

Traceyxx

Life and the Single Christian Girl………….

I have another day off from the writing challenge.

Today has been a really nice day.

I had been thinking about how much my life has changed since I left my place of work which I worked at for over 14 years. I left in December 2010.

I then took some time off, went to Colour Conference and then went to Bali on an Impact Trip.

Then in October 2011 I started working as a Chaplain.

I was also thinking that this time 7 years ago I was in hospital.  I was battling with an illness that I did not choose to have. No one would choose to have it.

Also I was deciding that this time I really needed to choose to fight to live.

Everyday for the whole of about the first three months was a struggle and a challenge.

Having to place the care of my life into someone else’s hand was a challenge.

Knowing that I was not a Doctor and having to trust my Doctor was a challenge.

Coming out of hospital was a challenge in itself.

There is no way that I would ever want to go through this again.

I couldn’t, I would not have the energy to go through it again.

Through challenges we find out who we are, who we really are.

Going through a major life changing challenge changes you.

You know that if you can get your life back then other things that cross your path, you have faith that you can get through them.

You have to tools and the skills to get through things.

You also are equipped to help others who are going through something similar.

Seeing how God has worked his way through this time in my life has amazed me.  He is a God of miracles.

Today I phoned a friend who knows my story and she inspires me with what she is doing. She also encourages me to have a go at things. I am so grateful for her input in my life.

I don’t think that I would every have the right words to let her know how much I value her.

When I finished the phone call, I felt inspired, I felt compelled to keep going on this journey. I felt compelled to keep building new experiences to keep learning, to dream dreams and to dream big dreams.

Looking back over the last 7 years of my life I am so blessed.

I am thankful for every single day that I am able to wake up and enjoy the day fully.

I am thankful for the experiences that I am able to have.

I hope that this encourages you.

Will share more tomorrow.

Loves and Hugs

Traceyxx

Life and the Single Christian Girl………….

Topic: Be Brief

Today’s writing challenge is Be Brief. You discover a letter on a path that affects you deeply.

Today write about this encounter and your twist: approach this post in as few words as possible.

This is another quite challenging Topic.

What is the letter I find and what is in it that affects me deeply?

Okay so it is a beautiful sunny day and I am enjoying a precious time off by going for a walk.

I am walking and thinking about all my hopes for the future.

When I notice a piece of white paper blowing towards me, I stop and it stops getting caught on my legs.

It is like it is inviting me to read it.

I look around to see if anyone is around, that may have dropped it.

There is only someone walking their dog and they are too far away.

I pick it up it’s a bit wet and dirty.

I find a nice place on the green grass and take a seat.

I unfold the letter carefully, I lay it on my leg and straighten it out.

It is addressed to women.

I start to read it, I am feeling a bit apprehensive it’s like I am peeking into someone’s diary.

The first few sentences are okay but it’s when my eyes glance done to the second paragraph it’s then that I feel like I have been hit in the stomach. It takes my breath away like I have been winded.

It says in the second paragraph never give up on your dreams you are an amazing women and I know that you long to be married and to have children.

Wow!

The letter goes on to describe a women who is living her life on purpose and that she is encouraging her friend who is still single to go on living her life to the full.

The last paragraph in the letter is all about a promise.

It says God knows your heart, he knows your dreams and desirers, keep living a full and abundant life. The writer says I did I didn’t get married until I was 46 and I have two beautiful children.

By this time I am crying, tears are falling onto the letter.

I fold the letter up cafefully and place it into my pocket.

I have a really good cry and dry my eyes. I don’t have a tissue so I am using my hands to wipe away the tears.

I stand up and then place my sunglasses on to hide my red eyes and the mascara that has streaked down my face.

I continue on my walk, thinking about why this letter came to me.

A promise?

Will share more tomorrow.

Loves and Hugs

Traceyxx

Life and the Single Christian Girl………………

Topic: Breathing Room

Today’s topic is called the Breathing Room.

It says and extra room has magically been added to your home overnight.

The catch: If you add more then three items to it, it disappears.

How do you use it?

So a new room has been added overnight what would I use it for?

This is quite an interesting question.

I would use it as my quiet room.

It would have a beautiful textured pillow big enough to sit on and be very comfortable.

One that I could relax in an write

So that would be one item.

Then I would bring in a beautiful pen and a big notebook to write in.

They would be my three items.

It would be where I plan things, where I would be inspired with ideas.

It will be quiet place.

I would call the room the Inspiration Room.

I would spend time in there creating new ideas and working out the details.

I am the only one that would be allowed in there.

I would also use it as my prayer room and write down all my prayers and the answers.

I would use it everyday and there wouldn’t be a time limit.

There isn’t a clock in there so I would not be able to tell what the time is anyway.

This is my retreat and also my place to escape.

Okay this is the answer to my writing challenge 101.

Just a thought about today- my thought is that when you are feeling quite overloaded it is good to be around really encouraging people.

It is nice to be around people that see your potential and that encourage you to try new things.

We all need friends like that and I have amazing friends and mentors that can speak into my life.

Who encourages you?

What can you do to encourage yourself?

What is something nice that you can do for yourself?

Be kind to yourself?

Let me encourage you today you are amazing yes you are.

Will share more tomorrow.

Loves and Hugs

Traceyxx

Life and the Single Christian Girl…………………………

Topic Today: Three Songs that are Significant to You and then to Write for 15Minutes without Stopping

My topic for today is three songs that are significant to me.

That is so hard because I love lots of songs for different reasons.

I think that I have songs for different seasons as well.

My songs that I love at the moment are-

• Oceans by Hillsong.  I just love the passion and what it stands for.
• You’ll Come by Hillsong as well. I love the acoustic version. I have been listening to this as I drive to and from work.
• I Can Only Imagine by MercyMe. This song is about Jesus and what you would do if you met him.

I find these songs inspiring and I love singing them.

I always practise my singing on the drive to and from work. It is my practise session.

Now the next part of the challenge is to write for 15 minutes without stopping or editing.

So here goes…………….

I have had another amazing day.

After school we have a Drama Club that is really enjoying.

We are doing a few plays and I am able to help the teacher that is taking it.

As you know I love learning things and I love Drama.

I love the opportunities that the students are able to have.

Drama allows you to express your emotions on a platform that is in a good way.

I was thinking that maybe I could look into attending a drama course but then I have to remember that I have other projects that I need to complete before I start anything new.

I am really looking forward to singing more worship songs I just love them.

I am really looking forward to this weekend. I am speaking at EGY Youth next Friday night and will need to work on my talk.

I love the opportunities that I am able to do.

I also need to read my first aid manual as I am doing a refresher course in that.  Really looking forward to that.

I am also looking forward to going to SPARC conference in August which is not that far away.

It will be great to network with other creative chrisitans.

Writing for 15 minutes is really good practise, it helps just free up your writing.

I am really enjoying these challenges. There are quite a few people participating in this one which is really good.

I love learning I think that I will always be learning.

It’s really exciting and keeps you quite busy.

Tomorrow is Friday and yes my day already looks busy, it’s all good though.

I do love what I am able to do each day. It’s such a privilege.

I feel so blessed at the moment.

Tonight I will be watching MasterChief I love that show at the moment. There are people that are really passionate about their dream and I love how they go after it.

Taking a step out of their comfort zone. I as admire them.

Looking forward to what the new topic will be tomorrow it is such an adventure.

It is really going with the flow.

I think that I am now a spontaneous person who loves the diversity of my day.

Will share more tomorrow.

Loves and Hugs

Traceyxx