New year resolutions

Happy new year!

It's came around again. That time of year when you promise yourself that you're going to walk the dog more often and limit your chocolate intake to once a month... we all know it's not going to happen! I figured that out a while ago. That's why, for myself, I don't like resolutions. They can be really helpful and I'm not saying don't write them! They can be very useful but I find it's just a list that gets stuck to the wall for a month before it falls off and hides itself under the bed. 
So I decided to write a list of expectations. Jesus is so cool and he is going to do some awesome things this year. Even though I expect him to do amazing things, I still put him into a box. A box which is labelled "Expected plans and safety". Jesus doesn't like boxes. So here are my proposed new year expectations.


1. I expect to see revival come to my school before I leave this year.
2. I expect to spend time with God more this year.
3. I expect to help lead hundreds of people to God this year.
4. I expect to see revival hit Weymouth this year.
5. I expect God to speak to me more, prophesies from God through others to me and to others from God through me.


I write this down so that this time next year, I can see the amazing things God has done, all the promises he has fulfilled. I realised that by writing this I just put God into a box again so I write another:

6. I expect God not only to fulfil all of my expectations but to completely and utterly surpass them in ways I cannot imagine, to be even more than I expect! I expect and ask that God would be unexpected this year!

I am so excited! God has promised many many things, and he is always faithful. This year is a new year. The end of last year was just the warm-up. Get rid of those boxes, get rid of the safety nets and the comfort. Get God! When we clear all the rubbish out there's more space for God. Don't give him the leftover space; give him first place in your life this year. I'll try too!


Don't worry if we mess this up. Jesus' arms are always open, he loves you unconditionally. Don't be afraid to ask for his help. We won't fulfil resolutions by our own strength but we can do everything through Christ who strengthens us.


I wish you the best and I hope that 2011 is a really good year for all. Have an amazing year! God bless!

There is always enough... and more!

I have been reading Heidi and Rolland Baker's book "There is always enough" and have found it life-changing. I believe God has given me a spiritual compassion for children - especially orphans - and that he wants me to work with them in the future. This means that every time I see a poor child I cry. Well, this book is all about the Baker's work with orphans in Mozambique and at least once in every chapter I have wept. The miracles they see on a regular basis, and the work they do helping those children is astounding. Last night I started reading this book and I was crying at some of the stories in there. I think I told you about the weekend away I went to where God spoke to me about helping the orphans sooner than I thought, well he spoke to me some more. I put down the book and prayed that God would really speak to me that night (I was thinking it would be a dream but God's ways are higher than our ways!) and I felt God say: "Are you ready? Because I am coming." I thought "Well, I'm not that ready but I still want you to come, Lord." Then I had a vision (like a picture but moving, and very vivid). I didn't tell you this before but I had a vision when I was away at the conference too, it was of a little girl and I felt like I had to go and help her. Her name was Laura. Well last night I had a vision of her on the streets, unhappy and starving. She was about to get into danger and I was weeping and crying out to stop her but she couldn't hear me. Then it finished. I don't know what happened to her but I really feel as though she will have a big impact on my life somehow so I started praying for her. I thought there was more to it than that though, I felt like God would speak about my future again. He did. I was asleep and my 6 year old brother was sleepwalking, he came into our room and  climbed into my bed. I was half-asleep so I just thought "Oh, my brother's in my bed" before drifting back off to sleep. Then a while later, I woke up again, my brother rolled over, taking my nice warm duvet with him! I got a bit cross at being woken up as it was extremely cold so I tugged the duvet back over myself. Then it occurred to me "What on earth was my little brother doing sleeping in my bed? He should be in his own bed!" I thought that maybe I should move him to his own room but I didn't want to get our of my cosy, warm bed into the cold, dark hallway. I felt like God said "You have a choice. What are you going to do?" So I decided it was probably better if my brother was in his own bed, I picked him up and carried him into his own room. It was freezing outside of my comfortable bed! But I managed to get him to where he belonged without waking him up. I then went to my own bed and felt God interpret what had just happened. I didn't want to leave my "comfort zone", where it was warm and cosy to put my brother into his bed because it was too cold and dark. I decided that if it meant helping others, I would leave my comfort zone. Afterwards, I went to sleep and had a most peaceful sleep! I really believe God was saying that I need to leave this nice "warm" culture and go to a place which is cold and dark but where the people need my help. It was still very vivid when I woke up this morning.


I told my friend what had happened but could hardly get the words out when I told her about Laura; this compassion thing really gets me crying!! But she understood, it's great to have amazing friends, I really believe God has put us in our school and church together to be friends and through that bring people into his Kingdom. We had a prayer meeting with 2 of our other Christian friends and the holy spirit and used that opportunity to pray for each other. We took it in turns to sit in the middle whilst the rest of us lay hands on them and prayed. It was really amazing. I had another vision, this time of me and Jesus walking through a garden and he was pointing out the most beautiful flowers to me. He picked up a rose and handed it to me, it had the name of one of my friends on it. He then handed me a tulip, it had a name of another friend on it. He kept handing me these beautiful flowers with different names on it (which I have written down to pray for them) and told me to "make a bouquet from them". It was so amazing! Two of my friends had pictures/words for me which I have also written down, they were so beautiful. I love my Jesus!


After the prayer meeting, the holy spirit continued to work throughout my day. I went to academic tutoring to talk to my tutor. I sat in a computer room for about half an hour waiting for my turn and I just felt the Lord's presence, I literally felt oil being poured over my head. I then went to speak to my tutor (who is also a Christian) and told him the story of my "call and confirmations" (see beginning of this blog!). He gave me some advice, for instance he suggested trying to do a first aid course which would be really useful for working with children. So I am trying to research where I could do that. It was a really good chat about the future and it was nice to get a Christian teachers point of view. So today and yesterday were pretty awesome! More Lord! Amen!


I can't wait! There is going to be some awesome stuff happening soon!! Be prepared or you might miss out!