Simpler, better, but not faster

No, in fact I want to find a way to slow things down as they were.....or at least make it seem that way. We are all on a journey in life and that journey takes us on different paths and I believe each path has a purpose. One path that we can all measure is a calendar year. My journey this year is to find ways to simplify my life so that I can do more of the things I love to do, which generally means something creative.

Why is it important for me to have more time for creativity in my life? Well because stimulating creativity is one of the key drivers to helping me do problem solving in all other areas of life, especially in my career. Accounting requires the ability to solve financial problems that arise on a daily basis. If my brain has been stimulated by creativity I find it so much easier to reach a sound conclusion.

Isn't that what we all need though, an ability to solve problems better? Well that is precisely why God gave us our talents. These are areas in our lives where we can live outside the box, find pleasure and hopefully through those talents be stimulated.

Will you ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to use your talents so that you too can achieve greater things for God this year?

2018 The year of the Dolphin

It was with thanks that I said goodbye to 2017. Last year saw one of my biggest life dreams fulfilled in being able to find a job closer to home. This challenge took up more of my energy than I had anticipated it would but it all finally came together and I was able to close out the year having finished my probation period in the new position. Many challenges still lie before me but I am confident that I will overcome them.

I am declaring 2018 to be the year of the Dolphin in my life and I am hoping you will join me in that. One of the things we love most about Dolphin's is that they can be trained to do all sorts of wonderful things. I wish that we could witness the dolphin training process. I am sure they don't get it right first time every time and that is what our lives are, a continuous training camp for the qualities that God is wanting to instill in us. I know my weaknesses are great and I am praying that this year, where I have failed over and over again, I am praying that God will bring the right mentors across my path to guide me to victory.

Dolphins are playful and I am praying that in the year ahead I will be able to bring more balance back into my life with opportunities to experience the joys of life once again. Dolphins love to perform and they are accurate in their execution and I am praying that this year will allow me the opportunity to put my best foot forward in everything I do.

Dolphins have strength that enables them to surge out of the water and rise to great heights. I am praying that this year will give me the strength to reach for goals that are far greater than I have reached before.

Yes, I am believing for great things from the year ahead and believe that with God's help I will achieve all that I set my mind too. I hope that this rings true for you too and that you will join me in declaring this year, the year of the Dolphin.

Fighting sleep

Have you ever watched a child fighting sleep?  It really is quite funny.  I remember when Topaz was a kitten if she was over tired she would charge around the room bumping into things as she went.  Why is it that we fight sleep?  I suppose it comes down to FOMO...Fear of missing out. 

If I sleep and I wanted to paint...then my painting won't get done.  If I sleep and I want to watch a movie, I won't have been entertained.... the list goes on.  Truth is if we sleep we loose nothing.  I mean aren't our brains designed to conjure up great adventures once we close our eyes?  Of course so. 

We deny ourselves rest and then wonder why we burn out.  God didn't want that for our lives, he wanted us to be able to rest in peace while alive.  How about next time your body needs rest, take it, sleep and allow God to fill you with His peace.  

Something new

I have just spent the last 3 days at a Sage Payroll course. This was a real joy for me to do as it has been a long time since I have had the opportunity to learn a completely new set of accounting skills. Sure I wrote my accounting and tax exams years ago, but I have never learned how to do a fully automated payroll solution before.

Why is this such an exciting challenge for me to take on? Because I will now not only be able to add value in my role to my current employer, but this is truly a vocational skill that I can utilize well into my retirement years. Yip, unfortunately I do plan on working for quite some time.

Would you believe me if I told you that you add value to God? How, you ask? Because if we don't choose Jesus to be our Saviour then Christ's sacrifice would have been in vain. If every person who ever lived rejected God, there would have been no purpose for which He gave His life.

Therefore know that you are precious to God, not only because He made you and you are created in His image and His beloved, but because you are the reason for which Christ was manifest into our world.

You are worthy

When you have been through a long season of hard knocks it is easy to start thinking that you will never experience anything good again and that life is just going to be one misery after another.  God has been showing me in the last two months that this is simply not what He wants for our lives. 

God truly does want us to experience good things and to be happy.  The devil would have us believe that we are not worthy of the wonderful things that God wants to bless us with and he will throw all sorts of lies at us about what we deserve. 

I want to challenge you to believe that God loves you and He wants the best for you!  You are worthy of God's blessings and God's best for you.  Stand your ground against the devil and refuse to believe his lies.  You are a king's kid and deserve daddy's love and blessing!

When God's in it

There is no time when you are more keenly aware of the grace of God than when a union or merger or lives results in solutions that both parties have been praying for. This became abundantly clear to both my management and myself this week when questions I asked of a particular business partner resulted in answers that they had been looking for, for quite some time now. It was abundantly clear that my specific skill set had been necessary in order to get this result.

God has ordained this working relationship and brought this about in the most amazing way and more and more we are discovering the uniqueness of this divine paring.

I believe that God desires to do the same work in each of our lives, to bring us into contact with people for whom we will become the blessing they need in order to grow and excel and who's specific gifts, talents and abilities will be a blessing both ways. It does not only apply to business but to romantic relationships, friendships and also general contacts we meet.

The question is, will you listen to the Holy Spirit to guide you along the path you must take to make these divine connections? More often than not we allow our own desires to direct us instead of listening to God.

I want to encourage you today to open make the connections you make a matter of prayer and not just a matter of chance.

Work paradigm

In the 24 years that I have been working I have never experienced such a unique working environment as the one that I am working in now. I have been welcomed many times, but never with such warmth, respect, kindness and grace and I truly can feel that it is changing me.

This new experience has made me question my understanding of work ethics and culture. Is the notion that respect must be earned before it is given really true? I think not! When someone questions a mindset are they being argumentative, or curious and trying to understand their place and purpose. Is it possible for us to welcome new ideas without being threatened? Is it possible to handle someone with care who may be heartbroken from life experiences and pull out the best in them in doing so?

I had truly never thought these things were truly possible until now.....and now I believe all things are possible! If allowed this much freedom, grace and support so early on is possible, then what great heights could I truly achieve if I give the same work ethic here as I have given my whole life. I am beginning to feel a bit like Moses after being called out of desert....I believe these next 40 years of my life could just possibly be the best ever and to that truth I will now cling.

The words from a well known hymn ring out in my heart, “He has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light!” I believe now that these words could mean far more than just a departure from evil to be guided into Christ's truth, they could also mean being called out of sadness and depression to a place of happiness and fulfilment.

Yes, in this I choose to believe...can you?