Storms of Life

I've been sitting here watching and listening to a thunderstorm that's been happening for the last hour.....the loud clashes of thunder and the strikes of lightning makes a wonderful display of light and sound......its fantastic.....but not always so.....

As a child I can remember being pertified as a storm came over our house and the rain started pouring through our roof as part of our house blew away.......I will always remember my mum holding me and telling me that everything would be OK....and she wouldn't let anything happen to me......a little hard for a screaming, hysterical child to comprehend..(I was a drama queen even at 5).......but I did feel safe in her arms......

As a Christian we are faced with many "storms" in our lives and often we need our Heavenly Father to just hold us and comfort us......sadly events will happen in our lives that cause us to be fearful or question why things happen......but God loves us and looks after us....He sent His Son to die for you and me....so that we could have that peace and everlasting life.....we are His children and He wants to see us grow in Him.....

So I as sit and watch the storm disappear a beautiful rainbow is happening......a reminder that God loves me.

Have a great Christmas everyone.....as much as I love watching the storms....I really would like it to be a warm Christmas Day.....when was the last time we had a really warm Christmas Day....I can't remember....anyway ENJOY......

Robyn

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
.

1 Corinthians 13:6-7 (New International Version)

Perfect Love

I love this time of the year......I'm one of those people who loves the late shopping hours.....the christmas carolling.....I love Carols by Candlelight on TV.....I love catching up with friends for Kris Kringle.....and I just love singing the carols.....

No matter how many times I sing them.....I just love Silent Night, Joy to the World.....Hark the Heralds....and many more.....

But for the last few years I find I focus alot on Mary.... I often wonder how she must have felt those months leading up to the birth of Jesus....frightened, an outcast......scared.....

There is a beautiful song that Darlene Zschech has written called Perfect Love......it speaks of Mary's reaction upon seeing her baby boy for the first time....

I wonder if all the fear and torment that she felt over the last few months disappeared when she saw her beautiful little boy.......

The words are.......

My beautiful Boy, Holiness I see

Perfect so pure, your eyes they trust in me

All creation bows to you, the slies sing your arrival

My precious Jesus

And you will walk this land, my precious gift from God

Showing all mankind, the only way to life

All of heavens gaze is on you

The glory of God shines for all to see

The Son of God, The Son of Man

You are perfection promised, the giver of life for all eternity

My little one, perfect love

What an amazing woman is Mary......what strength and faith she showed.......

How she loved her little baby.....this baby who became the Saviour of the world......she delivered him...so he could deliver us......

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

Matthew 1:21

Have a great Christmas.....and enjoy, but lets not forget the true meaning of this time.....

Robyn

Do I...or Don't I.....too late....I have!!

Well....big debate around the Lorimer household......do I cut my hair or not!!!

When I say a big debate.....it consisted of me convincing myself that it will look OK short....but then to counteract that by saying, "but you've spent so much time growing it.....keep going...lets see how long it can grow!!"

Paul isn't really into this discussion at all....in fact I will be surprised if he even notices...I'm sure he will.....eventually!

Well in the end....my girlfriend booked me into her hair salon....and the deed was done!!!

I now have short hair.......Yikes!!

Now.....I do like it and I think it suits me.....but overall it really hasn't changed me as a person...I'm still "me"....just with short hair.

So why did I stress and struggle over this decision?

Maybe its just that I don't like change?

Now that is really funny coming from me this year......never had I lived through a year with so much change!

Just to summerise change this year.....both Paul and I changed jobs....we changed our car.....we lost our very very faithful dog of 16 years Muffy....this changed our lives considerably.....friends of our left our church to go to one just down the road.....I will have to write another blog to explain that change in my life......our best friends became parents for the first time.....that changed our social life (and we became god parents to precious little Chelsea).....and of course the big one.....we decided to go to College.....well thats just one huge change......so maybe you can understand why I'm a little put out about change.....I just want things to stay the way they are......

But I know this can't happen.....life moves on......and with every change comes a challenge and some are good and some are not so good.....but isn't this how we grow as people.....as Christians.

It certainly makes me more reliant on God......at least he doesn't change. He is the same today, as yesterday....(sounds like a good old Army chorus)...but he doesn't change....he loves me no matter what....he loves me with long or short hair!!!

One change that I am loving at the moment.....is the change in our young folk at Waverley....they are really "on fire" and ready to go out and spread the gospel of Jesus to everyone.

They have challenged me so much of late, just in their committment to the community work around Waverley and they have such an openess about their love for God...its so refreshing to see......they are our future Army.....I just want to see "big" things in their lives as they follow the path that God has planned for them.....Praise God for our young people and youth of our Corps....they inspire me constantly.

Sooooo God is Good....he is blessing me in all of this change.....he knows me better than I know myself.....I trust Him....I love Him.....

Well...they do say change is as good as a holiday......well Hawaii is looking nice.....but maybe later....we have other plans.......

Take care....

Robyn

For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord...."plans to prosper

you and not to harm you.....plans to give you a hope

and a future.....Jeremiah 29:11

Well....I think I'm doing this correctly.....

Hi there....

This is so weird....my first blog......I must admit I'm still trying to figure out why I'm doing this, but I will continue and see where it leads me....

I want to say right from the start...God is blessing me and Paul in so many ways of late....he is certainly pushing us to "step out in faith" but he has shown such love and given me so much peace over these last few months....

We have decided to enter into Training College and become Salvation Army Officers.....now for those of you who know me....are probably picking yourself up off the ground.....but its true....God has called us and we have finally answered his call......scary huh!!!

I always used to say "the walls of the Training College would fall down" if ever I entered College...well.... we'll see... :}

Its really strange in a way...as now I find myself thinking in a different way....I find myself saying"well that will be different when we are Officers....or we may not be around to see that......", but even in my times of self doubt...God is with me and He is guiding me through this time.....and I praise Him for that.

I even have thoughts like...."what if we get rejected......" really silly things are going on in my head.....and I realised that there is someone out there who is not thrilled that we are taking this step....Satan......he is really annoyed....but he has no place in our lives or the lives of our family and friends.....I know he is trying to make me doubt what God wants us to do.....but he will not win......We will stand firm in our faith.......but it sure makes for an interesting journey.

Well enough of that......Two things you will figure out about me is that I love music....in particular singing...and I love to shop! And I love this time of the year.....my perfect Saturday is to get up early...head to a Shopping Centre....Eastland or Chadstone and spend the day walking around the centre.....doing a little bit of shopping, but enjoying my time, having coffee and generally just enjoying my time alone with my thoughts.....

Now, I've probably lost most of you with this last thought.....but I find it is really a sense of achievement for me to do this....and shop sensibly....not to have it consume my life like it used to....I know realise that I don't have to spend money to feel good or to be a better person.....God is showing me every day, qualitites of life that I never knew and together with Paul I'm enjoying finding them out.....

One of my favourite verses of scripture is

1 Corinthians 10 : 13 it tells me


Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people but God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.

Well whether it be in shopping or answering our call to fulltime ministry.....God keeps His promise to us.....he will give us the strenght to endure so much......

What is it that is proving to be a challenge for you.....?

That's all for now.....I shall endeavour to update this constantly....please feel free to comment...I would love to hear from you.....


In His Name

Robyn