Heart matters
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2015 – You’re about to get served!
Kicking butt preggy belly and all (Taken in 2014) Well, I take my metaphorical hat off to those ladies who have managed to hit puberty, found and lost their first love, found and left their first job, made an enemy, lost a good friend, got married, had a kid or two, found friends who you click with at this stage in your life, generally live the rest of your life loving and serving your family AND still find a way to be the same girl you were before it all happened.
I wouldn’t say that I have made a 360 degree change from being the dorky, read-a-holic, Mariah Carey loving, insecure, shy girl I was pre-baby number 1. But there are definitely bits and pieces that are no more and gobs of “new me” where there wasn’t before.
I always find it kinda corny when people say “stay as sweet as you are” and “never change!”
How is that possible? Life changes people and peoples lives change.
Character shaping events are all a part of the package of growth and hey, just being alive, I guess.
I mean, even if you don’t do anything remotely significant for a whole year, a part of you will still be affected… changed… subconsciously. The mere passing of time has the ability to shift things.With that said, I think that although we cant stop life from happening and time from going forward, we DO have the power to make right decisions. We can ultimately choose to learn from hard knocks and allow the tough stuff to mold us.
I have personally endured so much crap (for lack of a better word) and I intensely disliked every moment of it BUT I chose to take the lesson out of the situation.
Lets call life a party…. the lesson would be the swagbag.I’ve kinda been talking myself into being proactive this year.
2015 is going to be the year of a lot of things!
I do not want to be in the same place at the end of 2015. (I’m meaning physically, emotionally, spiritually – career, marriage, family etc).
I do not want to be in the same head space either.
If I cant look back at this year and think “wow, I’ve learnt some hard lessons in 2015” then bah humbug!Bring it on 2015!
I’m going to milk you for all that you’re worth!xxxL
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#100happydays
Hello Blog World! Yes, I am back and I am officially a wife!
Wedding talks will be underway as soon as I get my bearings but for now I want to share something equally (well not equally-equally, but its up there) exciting with you!100happydays is this mieu caliente concept where they get people to consider what makes them happy in their every days lives and document about it! I think its fantastic because in this day and age everyone grumbles and moans about all the negative stuff, but we have so much to be thankful for!
God is good to us. I mean, we’re alive, arent we?I want to share some more info with you straight from the horses (websites) mouth:
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We live in times when super-busy schedules have become something to boast about. While the speed of life increases, there is less and less time to enjoy the moment that you are in. The ability to appreciate the moment, the environment and yourself in it, isthe base for the bridge towards long term happiness of any human being.71% of people tried to complete this challenge, but failed quoting lack of time as the main reason. These people simpy did not have time to be happy. Do you?ow? Plain simple!every day submit a picture of what made you happy!It can be anything from a meet-up with a friend to a very tasty cake in the nearby coffee place, from a feeling of being at home after a hard day to a favor you didto a stranger.#100happyday challenge is for you – not for anyone else.It is not a happiness competition or a showing off contest. If you try to please / make others jealous via your pictures – you lose without even starting. Same goes for cheating.So first you register in the challenge then choose your favorite platform for submitting pictures. Here you can decide yourself on the privacy of your participation & happy moments.
-Share your picture via facebook, twitter or instagram with a public hashtag @100happydays
-Come up with your own hashtag to share your picutres with to limit publicity. (Dont forget to tell us how to find your pictures though
-Simply send your pictures to myhappyday (at) 100happydays.com to avoid any publicity
And you’re ready to go! šPeople successfully completing the challenge claimed to:– Start noticing what makes them happy every day;– Be in a better mood every day;– Start receiving more compliments from other people;– Realize how lucky they are to have the life they have;– Become more optimistic;– Fall in love during the challenge.Even when the challenge is over the collected 100 happy moments can always remind you about the beauty of your life. For that, you can receive a little 100 page book with your 100 happy days at the finish line of the challenge!———————————————————————————————————————–And there you have it! š Cool concept, right?I dont know about you but I am blessed! And ‘ve got alot of happiness to share!Who knows my happy could inspire someone else to focus on the happy in their lives!Cant wait to get started!xxxL -
Pushing out into deep water
I must admit, I have been terrible at blogging recently… but that’s mainly because of server/internet problems.
Life has been so melancholy recently. I don’t know… there is something about human beings and not getting your way that kinda doesn’t gel š
On Monday at Family Group, they prayed over me and God spoke to me.
He basically said, HELOOOOOO!! I am still God!!!!! Just wait on me!!!!!My friend, Aneesa, gave me Luke 5:1-7 (see below) which speaks about theĀ time when JesusĀ told the disciples to put their nets into deep waters. They were a bit sceptic sinceĀ they had been attempting to catch fish (to no avail) whole day. But they did as he instructed and soon drew their nets up andĀ it was full of fish!
I think that God is saying: Even though it looks impossible and depressing and negative and melancholy š in reality, when I am in the boat with you, your nets are never really empty!
So today, I dare you to ignore what REALITY says, and stand on what God says.
Put aside what the doctor and the bank and circumstance and LOGIC is telling you and put your trust in the Word of God.I dare you to push out into the deep and still waters of who He is… right into the midst where the impossible can happen! That’s where He does His BEST work!
I dare you!!!!!!
Luke 5
5Ā 1-3Ā Once when he was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, the crowd was pushing in on him to better hear the Word of God. He noticed two boats tied up. The fishermen had just left them and were out scrubbing their nets. He climbed into the boat that was Simonās and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Sitting there, using the boat for a pulpit, he taught the crowd.4Ā When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, āPush out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch.ā5-7Ā Simon said, āMaster, weāve been fishing hard all night and havenāt caught even a minnow. But if you say so, Iāll let out the nets.ā It was no sooner said than doneāa huge haul of fish, straining the nets past capacity. They waved to their partners in the other boat to come help them. They filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch.8-10Ā Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus. āMaster, leave. Iām a sinner and canāt handle this holiness. Leave me to myself.ā When they pulled in that catch of fish, awe overwhelmed Simon and everyone with him. It was the same with James and John, Zebedeeās sons, coworkers with Simon.10-11Ā Jesus said to Simon, āThere is nothing to fear. From now on youāll be fishing for men and women.ā They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him.
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Gods rainbow
This morning I was reminded of the beautiful promise that God left us with a rainbow. Last year, my cousin and his wife (JustEllaBella)Ā heartbreakingly said good bye to their first born, Logan Allan. Logan went to be with Jesus a day after he was born and his mommy and daddy were devastated. I know that Robin and Elle will love and miss him every single day of their lives. He has touched so many lives just by his amazing fighter spirit and moving (however short) life story.
With that said, I am soooo pleased to announce that Logans brother, Aidan Jesse, was bornĀ early thisĀ morning! Aidan, weighing a whopping 3.4kgs, is Robin and Elles “rainbow baby” and I know that Elle was a bit concerned when she first found out she was pregnant a few months after saying goodbye to Logan, but he is healthy and beautiful! Praise God! God has been so faithful to this amazing couple. Elles motto has been “No fear, just faith” Wow! And just watching the journey she has been on, has been a blessing to so many who follow her blog. You can read all aboutĀ it here.
A “rainbow baby” is a very special blessing after the loss or miscarraige of a child. In the Bible, God used a rainbow to symbolize to Noah that the rain/storm is finally over. God promised Noah that He would never ever cause such destruction/floods again. A rainbow is a symbol of hopeĀ but is also a covenant (bond, pledge) that God has made with man.
“I promise you, the storm is over!”, God says! Aidan Jesse is a blessed little boy and God is going to use him to change the world!
Genesis 9: 12-17
12 Then God said, āI am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. 13 I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. 14 When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, 15 and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. 16 When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.ā 17 Then God said to Noah, āYes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.āxxxL -
Still Standing
Whew… I cant believe I made it through my birthday in one piece. I’m still standing!Ā It was an eventful day… not necessarily all good though. I don’t know what is going on in the spiritual realm, but in the natural, things are just going W.R.O.N.G.
But Chris and I have chosen to STAND … and not let these crappy situations get us down. Clearly we are doing something right, if we are getting attacked by the enemy this much. Like, for reals!
1stly lets not even get into the fact that we areĀ paying off a huge wedding! ThenĀ my car refuses to work… its like one thing after the other, THEN Chris’s car starts giving problems. A week later, my laptop breaks while I am busy completing 2 major assignments and then to top it off, yesterday, on my 30th birthday, I get home from work to find that they’ve broken into my house. They stole some of my clothes, my sons games and electronics etc.Ā I didn’t check what else is gone yet… hopefully nothing! We couldn’t sleep at home last night because its not safe… the window that was pried open is not safe at the moment, so my landlord has to fix it today.
But you know what… hahahhaha I am laughing all the way to the metaphorical bank. Because none of this… NOTHING… can separate us fromĀ the destinyĀ that God has preplanned. Nothing can cancel the promises He has made us.
All things work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose!
That’s what it says in Romans and that’s what is inscribed on our hearts!If you feel like you’re going through adversities or hardship today, put your trust in Jesus. Yeah yeah yeah how cliche of me. But I really want you to realize how awesome God is… We are His! We belong to Him! And He wants nothing but the best for us. So choose to believe that! And choose to stand on who HE is, and not what your situation is telling you!
No sorrow is greater than Gods reward! He is ALWAYS good to us!
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Farewell
My grandma passed away yesterday morning. I had to say farewell to the lady that was more than just a grandma to me. She raised my sis, bro and I, so it is a big loss in our family. It was a very quick burial, because she was Muslim and they believe that the dead must be buried before the sun goes down. So it was all very impersonal and formal – altho, we shed alot of tears.
I found myself feeling very guilty and tired and angry at myself, for not being more of a granddaughter. I could’ve been a better one. I could’ve done more. I don’t know. I guess its to late to turn back time now. Yeah yeah yeah and I know that there is no condemnation in Christ. But I am filled with regret and heartache. Strange how its the only things comforting me right now, as scary as that sounds.
I was reading Romans, Jeremiah and Isaiah last night. I needed to hear from God so bad. And then He gave me Isaiah 44:22-24.
21-22″Remember these things, O Jacob. Take it seriously, Israel, that you’re my servant. I made you, shaped you: You’re my servant. O Israel, I’ll never forget you. I’ve wiped the slate of all your wrongdoings. There’s nothing left of your sins. Come back to me, come back. I’ve redeemed you.” 23High heavens, sing! God has done it. Deep earth, shout! And you mountains, sing! A forest choir of oaks and pines and cedars! God has redeemed Jacob. God’s glory is on display in Israel.I know that He loves me and that in His eyes I’m still a princess. Gotta soak that up right now, I guess and start healing. Hope you’re having an awesome week.
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God in every season
I often take comfort in the fact that God is God. Always the same, always powerful, always there, even when I change. Sometimes, when I’m having one of my “Luchae Moments” (they happen often š I remind myself that MY God is the God of Abraham. MY God is the God of David. MY God is the Father that Jesus prayed to. He goes way back like that. And He has never ever changed or redirected His love from me.
Hmmm where am I going to with this? Okay… So for our Arise Womens Conference this year, our theme song is called “Desert Song” by Brooke Fraser and the hook of the song goes:
All of my life, in every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worshipThose words hold so much truth! And I guess this is what I’m meant to blog about today. Because we go through SO many season in our lives. A season of pruning, preparation, growth, harvest and more. Whatever you’re going through right now is only for a season and instead of fighting it, you could be going: “Sup God? What would You like me to do right now?” Having a fantastic prayer life could only really help you understand and accept what it is you’re supposed to be doing or learning in the season that you are currently in.
I remember a time when I was cut off from ALL my old friends and felt really sorry for myself, until I realized that it was a season and I needed to learn something out of it. Now I have many friends who are so close to me that I call them FAMILY. Itās crazy. But so awesome.
What season are you in? Are you in a season of harvest where you have it all and more keeps coming? Maybe you’re supposed to be sowing into someone elseās life. Are you in a season of pruning and it feels as if you’re losing everything and it hurts like crazy? Maybe God is removing certain things from your life so that you can grow tall. Are you in a season of productivity? Maybe you should revaluate what your fruits are.
God uses it all for His glory and for your benefit. Thatās how He rolls. And through it all… through every up and down… God is still God. There is good in the season you are in right now even if you donāt see it or understand it and for that, you have a reason to praise His name. He is faithful every single time! This is truth.
Ecclesiastes 3:1
āFor everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.ā -
Pardy hardy
I always find it difficult to blog about hardship or heartache because I feel like it contradicts what I believe in. I think that I am in a season where its just before the finished line for this season, but I kinda have to keep pushing and keep going … through the fatigue, through the cramps, through the junk in my mind, through the crazy people on the side lines making me feel like I suck…
Its easier than it sounds.
I mean, I feel like giving up SO many times!
But God keeps reminding me that He has a plan and a purpose.
Hes like… “I know what I’m doing child!”Ive got so many questions and so many little holes in my heart that needs plasters … I literally feel like my joy is seeping out… š
Yeah yeah yeah joy comes in the morning hahahahahaha
Im laughing coz its crazy-wonderful coz you really cant be a Christian and be depro at the same time. Coz the Holy Spirits always hanging around, reminding you that all the negative stuff you’re hearing in your head is just: “lies and you know it!”
And you’re like… aaaack, but I wana hava pity party and feel sorry for myself!
LOL its wack.
Its like, we need to feel sorry for ourselves to make ourselves feel better even though we arent really feeling better.In other news: Ive been wearing the same long black socks for the past 3 days.
Whaaaat? They are warm šNow that thats off my chest, let me go and NOT have a pity party!
Woohoo!! No pardy over here!Love, Peace and Harmony
xxxLāBut thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph…ā(2 Corinthians 2:14, AMP) -
Professional Christian
A had a revelation earlier:Ā I am pretty good at being a professional Christian. And the crowd goes: “Say what?!” What I mean is: I know all the songs, I attend church more regularly than a regular, I am involved and committed. I run a Connect group. I am a member of a Family Group. I follow all the so called “rules”, so I’ve pretty much got this whole Christian thing waxed hey.
But what do any of this mean, when I’m in hot water? I’m not saying that all the stuff I’ve just mentioned is replaceable or not important. It is.Ā ButĀ all of those things WITHOUT a relationship with God is empty. Having a relationship with HIM is what this whole Christian thing is all about. I can follow all the rules and laws – and do it because I have to – and I will be as empty as the reasons behind why I’m doing them. Without relationship, all the doing becomes… well.. just DOING.
We think we’ve got it all waxed until the moment where we find ourselves shoulders deep in nonsense. Ā And truth be told, no matter what you’re “doing” or “not doing”, the only thing that will make sense to you in those moments, is your relationship with Him. Knowing Him is the only thing that can get you through it.Romans 8:18 says that all the present suffering we go through does not compare to all the good stuff to come. And Phillipans 1:16 says that God will never ever end in a negative.Ā So once you take a step towards knowing Him – really knowing Him – His words become a reality in your life. And soon those realities become YOUR reality. Your situation will never end badly… He doesn’t roll like that. If things seem pretty dull to you right now, just hang on and trust in Him because that just means that the good parts are still on their way.So being a professional Christian holds no perks for me. -
How to be sad without being sad 101
Hi guys, okay I can finally blog … its a bit weirdish tho, coz its not allowing me to make paragraphs proply.Ā So now it looks like Im rattling off. Which I maybe am. But thats not the point here š Herewith, please find my “Monday Update on a Tuesday” attached…
Okay, let me begin at the beginning. This has been a very emotional week for me. Early last week, I found out that my cousin and his wife (who happens to be a good friend of mine) lost their baby, Logan Allan, after being in mommys oven for only 6 months. He was born prematurely, and his tiny little body was just not strong enough. I had also then learnt some very … uhm… unexpected news from another family member. AND my grandmother, who has been sickly, has taken a turn for the worst.
On Tuesday, I sat at my desk and cried secretly. (Coz, hello, people cant see me, Luchae Gie, crying. I dont roll like that.) I really felt overwhelmed by all the sadness and was so ready for Jesus to come and take me to heaven. Id rather be there, than on this earth filled with sadness, loss and hurt. I tried to remind myself about my Daddy Gods love and His plan for the future. But it was hard.
Anyways, Wednesday was Jesus Culture day! Our church was the host venue for this famous christian band, and I was very excited! I left work a few hours early to stand in the line… very expectant that God was going to move. I just needed SOMETHING… anything. I needed to hear from Him and for Him to tell me that everything’s going to be okay.
Jesus Culture was amazing! Anointed speakers and such an anointed worship team. So while we were in worship I had an encounter with God that made me go WOOWWWWWWW… God showed me His love for all of us… it was so thick and warm and full and it was immovable and steady and unconditional. It made me feel warm and like I was covered by a thick blanket, but not in an uncomfortable way. I just started laughing, coz in that moment, this love… this UNCONDITIONAL love made me feel like I had just won the lotto or something haha and I laughed at how ridiculous it was for God to love me that way, when I don’t deserve it… but He does anyways. I was awestruck.
Scott Thompson, the Pastor of Bethel, Atlanta, prophesied peace and joy over me. And let me tell you, I havent stopped laughing. I have these random outbursts while Im at my desk, or in my car. People probably think Im crazy. And they are right. Anyways, in that moment, God had showed me that He is for us and not against us. And regardless of the decisions we make that may or may not affect our lives in a negative way, He is STILL for us.
He will take that negative decision and turn it into a positive outcome. And He will take that negative situation, and make it work together for our good. Where hope seems lost, He is there, because He is the Father of Hope! Nothing flops when He is in the centre of it! #FACT Its really difficult to be sad, even though you REALLY want to, when you know that everythings going to be okay š Thanks alot Dad.
Psalm 32:7 “Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble.”
