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.

 

 

This is from my book that I am writing, it may be triggering for some people if this happens please seek professional help.

There were difficult times in my journey and this is one of them.

She closed her eyes and prayed that this nightmare would be over.

Did she have the strength to get better, did she want to get better, would her life be any different?

The questions just kept coming over and over, her head felt like it would explode. The thoughts were loud and aggressive. They were teasing her reminding her that she had no value, no worth and no one loved her. How could she turn off the thoughts so she could just rest?

She needed peace, she needed an answer, she needed to know that her life had purpose?

Where would she find the answers to her many questions.

The day did come when she wanted to die. A very hard thing to say out loud to verbalise it especially when there were two amazing friends that were right there trying to keep her alive. The darkness in her life was taking over and yes it was dark.

The words just fell out of her mouth, she said “I want to die.” The words haunted her and she knew that she had nothing left to give.

She couldn’t even find hope, hope had disappeared.

The moment is scary; her life was spinning totally out of control.

It was the darkest moment in her life and it was the darkest time in her life.

She really didn’t care what was happening to her, she simply had no energy to care.

“I don’t want to be alive any more” her words.

Malnourished, broken, her body fading away, trapped by an illness that had controlled so much of her life.

The illness was winning.

This is not the end of this story there is more.

The journey continues……………

Thank You Amanda Viviers for helping to design the picture for this post. xx

 

Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV

 

Did you know that God created you as an individual with a divine purpose and plan?

What has God entrusted you with?

Do you find yourselves comparing yourself with others?

Do you find yourself saying If only I could sing like her, if only I write like her, if only I could draw like her if only, if only, if only?

 

As women we sometimes or maybe often find ourselves comparing our unique self with others, but we are not in competition.

How freeing is that?

We are not in competition with others.

We are designed by God as an individual.

Run your own race the scripture from Hebrews 12:1-2 resonates within me.

It encourages me and inspires me to do more, live more and to run my own race.

What is it saying to you at this time?

It has taken me quite some time in finding out what God has wanted me to do and to just have a go.

I was challenged by a Godly friend and mentor to say yes to things in my Christian walk.

Say yes to new opportunities, say yes to new experiences, say yes.

This has helped me to understand who I am in Christ and what I can do through Him and with Him

When we step out in what he wants us to do, our world expands there is an amazing world out there that needs what you have to give.

There is someone who is waiting for you to shine your gift, which will help them to release their gift.

What are you passionate about?

What do you love doing?

We all have different gifts and talents and God is so excited when we step out, find and use those gifts that he has given us.

Beautiful one I don’t know where you are today in your journey but be encouraged find a place where you can have some quiet time with God.

What is His still quiet voice saying to you at this time?

Ask him what he wants you to do?

 

He will let you know.

Realise that whatever you are doing you are doing it for Him.

You will do amazing things when you are running your own race. He is cheering you on can you hear Him.

Be an encourager.

Be Bold.

Inspire others to be all they can be through Him, fix your eyes on Him.

I believe in you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few weeks ago I was looking at Pinterest which I love and I was searching the words Just Breathe. I was looking for a quote on Just Breathe.

Little did I know how important those words would come to mean to me.

I have been focusing this year on self-care and finding a balance between work, home life and creative adventures. I had committed to going to boxing twice a week which was one of my first non-negotiables for the year.

I loved the commitment to boxing I was going twice a week and loved it.

I have also been journaling every day and loving it.

Last Saturday I woke up not feeling very well at all, I thought that I was coming down with something. I was able to make an appointment to see the Doctor that morning.

I thought that I had a cold or the flu, I love how I try to diagnose myself.

I knew that there was something was not okay with my left lung, but I was hoping that I could just push through (as I usually do).

The Doctor said that I had Pneumonia!

He wanted me to have an x-ray to confirm it and yes it was Pneumonia in my left lung.

What!

The Doctor gave me a Doctor’s note to have the week off and I did ask him if I could go to boxing. What, I know! He said Umm probably not at the moment.

I thought that I would have a few days off, but no.

So this week I have spent the whole week at home I have slept, rested and have been extremely tired.

I think that this is the first time in a long time that I have had a full week of work.

I usually push through and just get on with things.

I am not very good at being unwell, I felt so guilty because I had a full week, and I had a really busy week with lots to do. I feel like I have let people down (I know something that I am working on).

I needed to make a decision I needed to take the time to look after myself and get better or go back to work and take longer to recover.

I realised that I actually didn’t have an option, take the time of and recovery fully.

I knew that I was not well, because I wasn’t interested in doing anything really only sleeping and resting.

So my search on Pinterest for Just Breathe is all that I could really do this week.

Just Breathe

I am really learning a lot about self-care and looking after myself.

 

Hopefully I will be back at work next week. I have really missed it. I have missed being creative.

 

Just Breathe

 

Will share more soon.