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Present

Place: seminyak

Poison: coke zero

Favourite things: family holidays

To present, is to give something away.

Fear holds grip on us and we keep out prayers even though we believe we have presented them to God.

How often do you give someone a present and then the next day find that you still have it in your possession?

Never

A present is meant to be given, with no expectation of any input to its use or outcome.

Often I pray and then find I have taken back my prayer because I don’t trust God.

Trust is probably my greatest weakness when it comes to fear.

This part of the Philippians scripture implores us to present our requests to God in the context of thanksgiving.

The last couple of days, I still have had little niggles of fear. Watching carefully Max, fearful for his health and safety.

When I pray, I have to hand my requests over to God, present them to him and let go if the outcome.

To trust

To let go

To present

Are you holding on too tight to your prayers?

Maybe that’s where fear is getting its way…

For today, I will trust. For today I will let go…

A

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With thanksgiving

Place: seminyak

Poison: coke zero

Favourite things: the impending marriage ceremony

What a perfect day for thanksgiving. To celebrate with ones we love the day they commit their lives into one another’s care.

Thankful is an understatement.

Thankful for my husband, thankful for a holiday, thankful for the amazing gifts we have been given, thankful for health, thankful for my mum. Thankful.

Living grateful despite the circumstances is an amazing way to wage war on fear.

When we are grateful, we cant help but see the glass half full. When we are grateful worry dissipates.

How are we grateful when we are in a place of darkness?

I believe gratitude is a choice. We can choose to see the best in every situation.

It’s easy for me to be grateful today as I peer out our car window and see young children begging for coins…I need to see the gifts of gratitude in the days that I am covered in Landry, sniffling from the flu and feeling isolated.

Gratitude in solitude

Thankful in the midst of change

Grateful for the small things

Thanksgiving creates a landscape of love and life in your everyday.

What are you grateful for today?

A

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Prayer and petitions

Place: villa kahu raja

Poison: gin and tonic

Favourite things: an impending marriage!

Driving through the streets of Kuta in a taxi will bring out the prayer warrior in anyone!

Walking through the back alleyways as we make our way past rice paddies, cows and slow produce brings out the meditator in all of us.

A few days of a cleaner and no house work brings out the thanksgiving in us all.

Being away from our husbands will bring out the intercessor in all of us…

Somedays it’s just easier to pray than others.

All of us when put in times of crisis and emergency will admit to praying to a greater being.

But what about the everyday wearing an apron moments? What about the wiping poo from bottom moments? What about the moments when your newly blow dried hair is now full of vomit?

How do we pray in every situation? The ones that are not so exotic and lovely.

I believe the only way we can combat fear in this way is by practice.

Plain and simple practicing the presence of God. In the dull moments, in the vivid ones, in the forgettable ones, in the photo album type…practicing to present our requests to God with prayer and petition.

Prayer being a stance of humility, petition requesting with repetition.

Today is a great day to begin practicing his presence.

It begins with…

Hey God…
Dear God…
Oy!
Hello…
I’m sorry…
I need you.

And a whole lot more.

Fear wanes in the presence of prayer and petition.

A

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every situation

Place: Seminyak, Bali

Poison: Coke Zero

Favourite Things: Muslin pants

Today has been full of family and relaxing, however being in a foreign country with my four month old has been upping my fear factor.

I have little thoughts, that freak me out…What am I doing? Is he safe? Covering his mouth from smoke, wrapping him in muslin wraps and then I just let go and relax.

Our scripture reference so far…

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9 NIV)

Today our encouragement is…’in every situation’

Finding a place of faith, when we are in a place of change is a really diffcult ask. Some may say bringing a newborn to a third world country is insane, however I really do trust God. It is the little things that truly have me on edge.

In every situation. Everything. Presenting all our fears, our anxieties and our uncommon thoughts to a God who already knows them all. I want to retrain my mind in this new season to focus on that which is Godly, rather than my thoughts that plague me that are based in fear.

Often our fears are linked to hurts from our past, places where we have believed lies over truth. The last couple of days I have been allowing memories and pictures to surface, because I am in an uncommon place, it allows uncommon thoughts to arise.

In some ways I have had a few conversations with irrational fears that have surfaced and realised that some of them are attached to a young Amanda, one who doesnt have the capacity for rationale.

Researching your history and allowing tales that have held you captive is a perfect way to begin to unlock the fear and to trust God in every situation.

It doesnt make sense to trust God with cancer, health, babies and husbands, friends and family. We think we can do a better job of directing our own lives. I have found though I dont understand Gods ways, his thoughts are higher than mine, his sense of direction is alot better than mine. He is in control.

Control, thats a whole different issue that this mummy has in spades.

Anyways, hope you are enjoying Bali with us.

Trusting God in every situation is hard work but I desire it so greatly.

A

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Daring to dream anew

Place: Ayana

Poison: Flat white

Favourite things: travel

I had a major dose of perspective today.

I sat overlooking an infinity pool, with my mum holding my little son, drinking fresh coconut juice, reflecting on the very present moment with gratitude and grace.

I was overwhelmed in the moment relishing in the fulfillment of Gods promise in my life. I started to become quickly aware it was now time to start dreaming anew.

Finding myself a new dream.

Having a family, traveling to distant places, spending intentional time with my mum, a husband, health…these are all dreams that are currently fulfilled.

Life has become a little dreamy and without the stretch, that’s where fear has crept in.

Fear trembles in the presence of faith.

Faith in me rises at a challenge.

Challenge is a little lacking right now.

Time for dreaming some bigger dreams.

Time for some writing I think.

Time for a change.

Gratitude makes fear flee.

Faith makes fear tremble.

Dreams bring about desire.

Deep breath and reflection required this week.

Challenge me lord I pray

A

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