3 years and 3 months later - do I pick back up and carry on?

It's me! I'm back!

Well hello there!  

It's me! 

I'm back! 

After two and a half years I reckon it's time to get back to writing my blog.  

I've never been one for making New Year's resolutions because I've never kept them!  

In all honesty who does - unless you are some kind of monk/nun or a saint! 

Some of you may think this is some religious nutter banging on about the Bible - well it is - and it isn't! 

Let me explain - 

I first set this 'Crafting by Faith' blog up because I was going to combine it with explaining what my faith means to me and exploring the bible ~ from the beginning ~ alongside introducing my reader to the wonderful world of paper-crafting. 

I still want to do that, but instead of using just the Bible I will combine it with my thoughts on the Daily Bible Study notes my current church recommends.  

I'll also use other themed study books as the mood and my personal circumstances take me.  I like the ones that are intended for either a group of people to use or for personal contemplation.

It won't be a smooth read and I will get distracted ~ but only for a while to explore things of the wider world. Even Jesus took 'time out' from time to time.  

It's when we are alone 'in the wilderness' that we truly find ourselves.

  

It scares me just how much evil is out there - all caused by politics, religion and the constant need to be            IN CONTROL OF OTHERS  ~  ALL THE TIME!  

That's greedy and it's selfish! 

Do you know how tiny each of us are? 

Really, really tiny ~ each and every one of us - man or woman!  

Why did God leave human-beings to the end of his creation?

Did he save the best to last? 

Think about it.......

Well hello there!  

This is my third posting in as many months as a blogger, so much for it being a daily blog hey! Monthly has to be better than not at all though - right?  

I went to church yesterday evening and was reminded to keep on attending church - for fellowship just as much as for the teaching!  Fellowship over teaching?  In Ebeneezer Baptist Church?  Really?  Yep!  More than ever we need to be supportive and encouraging of one another, not just on Sundays either!

I nearly left the building when I heard who the preacher was, BUT, I made myself stay seated, ride through my bad thoughts about the preacher - I really do not like this man, not one little bit - and just listen to what he had to say!  I'm glad I stayed put to just sit and listen, I just imagined that he was someone else!

The sermon was on Nehemiah - Chapter 4. It was one well timed sermon/lesson!

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH OPPOSITION?

I guess it is all about who is opposing you and why. 
With me - it is HOW they do it - what words & actions they use!
This has a direct knock-on effect in how we react and then, in turn, how we oppose them and everyone around us, at the time!

How do you react & what do you say? 
Do shoot from the hip or do you go for the juggular? 

Do you ask for help?   

Do you go it alone?

When do you stand your ground?   

When do you walk away?

Who and what do you oppose?  

How?

Why?  

How do you justify your reaction?

Do you know when it's time to let go?  

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE OPPOSITION YOU GET FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN AND GOING TO CHURCH?

Jesus was ridiculed and mocked several times in his short life!  

But never as much as when he was nailed to the cross with a crown of thorns placed on His head!

Jesus knew fear, but there was nothing he wouldn't do to save us!
Tormentors will not go away - they need to understand the effect they have on others!
You HAVE to make the decision to either walk away or face up to them!

Stand up to them by - 

Keep on attending church (regularly) 

Read the Bible (your own Bible preferably) 

Encourage one another (a missionary/a leader of a group in church) 

Pray (prayer meetings, in house groups & alone)

What do you live for?

I live for being the best Mum I can be to my son with his complex needs and all!  
I guess that includes being the best wife and home maker I can be too!  
It's really important, to me, that I do this as the best Christian I can be too! 

I will try to go to church and join in as much as I am able to in my families present circumstances.

I will read my Bible daily and write about it on my 'Crafting By Faith' Blog.

I have one missionary and one leader in mind that I am ready to encourage.

I will send them an e-mail to let them know that I am praying for them!

I will attend a house group and go back to attending what prayer meetings I can get to.

Finally - 
 I will TRY my BEST to NOT let my fellow Christians 'get to me!' 

What would you be willing to die for?

Tough question . . . . . . . 

I am human first, Christian second! 

I used to think I'd die for there to be a cure found for my son's condition, or at least trade places with him! 
I'm not so sure about that anymore! 

My precious one and only son has what he has - there are NO answers for SOME things!  
If  my son really is a 'Gift From God' that would only make him even more precious!  
He is my son and I was given him for a reason!
I pray to GOD daily for his enduring patience, comfort and everlasting love!
I thanks JESUS for dying for ME and MY sins, but I refuse to belive it is a direct link to my great, great granparents - on any side!
 Jesus, to me represents the strongest, brightest and most bold poppy ever known to human kind!
How would you describe Jesus and what does He mean to you?
We will discuss God later, much later!

Psalm 42 
I am told is a great help!
Does it help you?
How?

Also read

John Chapters 7&8

Luke 13

~  stand up to opposition, plots and threats!  ~

Google -
Barnabas - a famous encourager from the Bible!

To ALL my brothers & sisters-in-Christ - 
Onward Christian Soldiers Onward!

To those who don't believe, are just unsure or maybe you believe in someone or something else - talk to me!




Lastly - 
As it's Movember - men - please check your tackle!! 

In The Beginning . . . . . .

Ta Da!

I am now a blogger!

I must admit that I am feeling really excited about this - getting my ideas down in print and blogging my life's adventures, trials and triumphs, disasters too! So, 'onward and upward' as they say! This goes with what my faith teaches me - keep looking to the mountains and beyond!  Heaven does exist and you can get glimpses of it on earth if you look in all the right places!  In saying that, finding yourself  'up to your neck in it' can lead to treasures more valuable than gold itself!  Keep going!

With creating a new Blog it makes me think of the creation of the world and everything in it. Was it caused by 'The Big Bang' or did God really create it all and in just 7 days?  Well, I am not here to tell you what to believe or to preach to you, but come with me and find out for yourselves.  I hope you enjoy sharing the journey with me - let's have fun along the way!

Being a kinda arty/crafty kinda lass that I am this journey WILL divert, WILL take several loops and MANY detours, but at the end of each day I would like to pause for reflection and think about what it has taught me!

This evening I will leave you with one of my favourite quotes -

"Do not walk ahead of me, I may not follow you!  

Do not walk behind me, you may not want to go where I am leading you!

Walk beside me and be my friend!"

Tomorrow I will start with opening my Bible and begin with the Book of Genesis. 

Good night and pleasant dreams! 

God Bless!