Cooking!

YumYum - fajita chicken (without the wrap)

Penny wanted to see what cooking I've got up to, so here it is!!

- tasted good anyway

another poem

I am tired Lord
At the end of this day
My zeal has run out
Yet Your grace is still here for me

I come and say sorry,
For my failings today
And m folly is not hidden from You either
But Would You Forgive
In Your mercy restore my strength
That I may glorify Your Name
And Shine for You

Prose

One of my friends asked me recently if If I'd considered writing in prose. I told him I'd write a prose post 'specially for him. Here it is!!!

I've arrived at University to read Theology. The atmosphere is really fantastic. The system of the univeristy encourages students to realise their potential in many ways. It's a gift to be placed in such an academically focussed environment where one is spurred on by those surrounding them to make the most of the opportunities presented to them and to work as hard as they can.

Whilst intensive, there also seems to be a balance in all of this. Students are not encouraged only to excel academically but also to connect with the world of debating, sport, politics and indeed religion.

As a Christian the latter of these is what I cherish most. My faith has become to me the heart of who I am. My desire to achieve in life and love my neighbour and use my talents, all stems from what God has done in me: Bringing me to a place of recognition of a need for Him in my life, followed by encouragement to pursue and seek after Him in all I do.

So to conclude, this must be my aim at University - to live for God - and to cling to His grace and forgiveness when I fail. I'll make the most of the opportunities that comes my way and use my talents for His glory not mine. Where I end up I will commit to Him

looking forward

Sometimes I get so consumed
With the wrong I’ve done
That I forget to look back
And remember Your grace
Your body broken for me
Your blood shed for me

So I remember now
Just what You have done
Paying my price on the cross
For me
Because You loved me

And Now I want
To commit again
To stay in Your Love
And remain as Your friend

So taking the grace You offer
I look to the life ahead
A life lived for You
Obeying Your Words
And loving You with my heart soul and mind

Get Up

Would You help me once again
Get up once again
I fallen back down so many times
I must rely on Your Strength

You Merciful gaze
falls on me
And Your grace softens my heart
I trust in You again
for everything I rely on Your Love

Help me Lord
Help me Lord

getting it worng

When I get it wrong
accusations pierce me through
Shame tempts me to loose heart

Yet Your love helps me hope
I remember Your grace again
That You set me free for freedom
And that I am not condemened

So I can smile again
And thank You my friend
Who gave Yourself for me
And Loves me

Help me to take hold
Of Your promise made to me
That I may know Your mercy
Though I'm undeserving
Every day of the week

closeness

I want to sit
and spend time with You
Perhaps I'll hear Your speak
as in days gone by
God You are good
even when I turned away
I'm quite ashamed
But You still Father me
And inside I want to know You
Hear me Lord
Please

hold on

I'll sit here in my room
And talk to You
And can enjoy Your fellowship
Because my debt has been paid
Oh thank You Lord

When I go in my room
and shut the door
You are still here with me
You hold me close
and none can snatch me away

I know You watch over my life
Watch my ways
and Keep me in Your will
I need You my God
You are coming soon
I want to be holy and blameless

I'll hold on to You
Keep my heart pure
Keep my ways true

I'll trust You my Loving God
My Jesus who intercedes for me
My strength always
Your Grace is enough for me

O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you.
1 Chronicles 29:18 (New International Version)

Coming back

There's only one thing that can heal me
Your grace and nothing else
Why turn to anything else

Humble me Lord
for I have sinned
But I want to turn back to You
Would You be merciful to me
Though I don't deserve

Receive me graciously
and forgive me all my sins
That I may be joyful in You
And offer the fruit of my lips
And thank You Lord

I look to your arms held wide
The thorns
The lashes on Your back
You clothe me in righteousness that I did not earn
And bless me as Your son

Father in Heaven
Thank You that You Are who You Are
I will trust in Your Love

Thank You

To know Your grace at the end of the day
That you forgive me for where I have stumbled
And You Love me just the same

I'm sorry for where I've sinned
Those things I've thought said and done
Thank You for Your Strength to turn around
To get up tommorrow
And live to fight once again

Thank You for the knowledge of Your love
It comforts me when I fear
That You are with me and will not forsake me
Thank You that You care

Thank Your for understanding
You know my thoughts through and through
But could I take Your hand
In Your promises stand
Though I am so confused

for hurting hearts

I don't deserve
to see Your face
to enjoy Your presence
to run this race

However,
You offer love
and forgiveness to my heart
I am nothing
but I accept
and You have poured out Your love again
Thank You so much for Your loving me

You're the best

a prayer

If You Love me, then I can go on
I know You Love me, so I can get up and walk

Thank You my Friend
Thank You
May I live for You
And not for the world
Not for me anymore

...

God,
I'm not very wise
neither tactful
I don't always treat people right
and I'm not that bright
at doing life

But I know You give wisdom
to those who ask
who ask and do not doubt;

That instead of having envy
and selfish ambition
when it comes to doing life,
I would be peaceloving and considerate
submissive,
full of mercy and good fruit
being impartial and sincere

Yor guidance helps me to live
like how I am supposed to
Thank You for being a good teacher

You're Great Lord!!
:)

Dear Lord

Dear Lord,
Help me to see Your Grace
At those times I really need
Help me to trust
And know Your unfailing Love
Every day of the week

[dedicated to Nikki :) ]

honour to God

I should acknowldge You in my life
before men and angels alike
Acknowledge You in my word
Yet in my actions too

For You are my Saviour
My Friend
The Rock of my life...

I should honour You
in the way that I live
and tell my friends of the love that You give
Demonstrating Your work in me
that maybe they might
also see;
how Wonderful You Are

For You took pity
and welcomed me
washed me clean
and made me new
showed me life
and told me the truth
You showed me the way
to live my life
and You are the Way
to my Father in heaven

something about Neil

Neil died round about two weeks ago now.
I wanted to post to tell you about one time when he said something really great to me.
It was at one of the prayer evenings we had for him. At the end I talked with him for a min or two. He asked me how I was doing and showed concern for me even though he was the one so heavily burdened. I remember that as an example of trying to live as God would want us to... looking out for others and loving eachother as Jesus loved us.

Now he's with our Father God in heaven

poem

When I'm depressed
I sit at Your feet
with my head to the ground
Yet You show mercy
to me the undeserivng
and forgive me for my terrible sin

Now I am made clean
by Your Mercy
I look to You
what can I say -
Thank You Jesus
for being who You are

I need You
And I need to live for You
I am free to do so

It's a new year

Hi everyone
I hope you all have had a good Christmas time and new year. Thank You for your comments on my last post. I'm back from skiing (and in one piece), it was very enjoyable and the scenery was great. As I skied, I thought about how amazing it was that I was enjoying skiing on a mountain that God had crafted Himself. I am glad to be back though. I have missed church and hope to be there next Sunday. It has been a really good opportunity over Christmas time to do some Bible reading also. Scripture really helps in making the right choices when it comes to decision making. Hopefuly I'll be consistant in having some good Bible time regularly through the new year and beyond.

Hope to post again soon

Oh Yeah Also!!!
I just wanted to give a shout to Nikki Winnal - if you still read my blog
justed thought I'd tell you I was thinking of you recently and hope you are doing alright
God Bless
:)

Christmas Time

hello fellow bloggers
It's Christmas time again. I broke up from school today and will be glad to not have any pressure to work for a while. Having said that, I have mock exams in February so I do need to do some significant revsion over Christmas. I also have an art project which I seriously need to get on with as well and have been putting off for far too long. Generally I need to apply myself much more than I have been recently.

Usually when I tell people that they smile and think that I am too hard on myself... but inside I know that that just isn't true. Whilst creating the impression of being a hard working individual, I play host to a seriously lazy attitude which i need to address in a sustained way. On occasion I really deal with it (like when I have exams in a couple of weeks) but afterwards I slip back into a cycle of laziness. That's not the way i should be as a Christian. I should maintain what I have worked towards instead of letting standards slip.

Philippians 3:16 (New International Version)
"Only let us live up to what we have already attained"

So onward I need to go, pressing on towards the goal and not becoming overly discouraged if I do slip up. That's what I really need to work at, being strong in God's grace so I don't give up the minute I step out of line and sin. I need to be persevering in walking with God.

Anyway, I'm off skiing on Friday with my family which should be great, I just need to keep up the revising at the same time.
See you after Christmas everyone

I belong to the LORD

I belong to the LORD
He is my Refuge
I call to Him
In my time of distress
And He Saves me

I say
"I have nothing else to cling on to.
To whom else shall I go?
You Have the Words of Eternal Life
So I will put my trust in You"

You then graciously Save me
In Your great Mercy Welcome me
that I may enter Your rest
And I understand that You Love me

God...
You're an Amazing God
And the Only True God
You Are most Worthy of Praise
Your Love is Unfailing
You're the Rock I can trust in