vision sunday

Today was our church's vision Sunday,  our head pastor,  Rev Margaret shared the vision for the church for 2015 and coming years that God had placed on her heart. And she reminded us to have a personal vision for our own lives in partnership with that of the body of Christ. And the first step to make towards bringing the vision to life is writing it down, and after that; Faith and action!

Habakkuk 2:2-3 ASV

And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hasteth toward the end, and shall not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.

Back to school!!

Yesterday was day two of the new semester, at the end of the 6hrs long class/tutorial I was thinking "oh God we not even quarter way into this thing!" . its So full on and jam packed, we are looking at 4 days in a row and 6hrs a day! lord have mercy.. One thing for sure is that I'm proud of myself for pushing myself to do this and getting through the first semester, Come December I'll be a qualified community services worker and counsellor :-)

I'm most excited about this semester because it brings on a new challenge, this time we are not just looking at simulated activities but we are looking to go out in the community and work with real people and come up with solutions to real challenges, its one thing to look at a case study or write a well referenced proposal or report and a totally different thing to go out there and implement it. so I've bundled up with a group of awesome ladies and we are looking to work with a women's refuge providing services to clients who are victims of domestic violence and abuse. At the moment its all ideas and concepts that we have but as we move along it will all unfold and come together. I love education that is practical and hands on, and its what I love most about my current course.

I would like to rephrase Nelson Mandela's quote and say "Practical Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world"

Hello February....Again!

 

Another February has arrived, hard to fathom that its already been a year since I celebrated my first birthday here in Australia, One year!!! Amazing how so much can happen and change within a period of 52 weeks, when I get to think of some of the things its just so surreal. Anyway, I'm going to be a year older and I find it quite fluttering that most people's average guess of my age is 22 ... hahahah!!!  That always makes me laugh, but I like to think that you're only as old as the woman you feel :-)

Something about this month that tells me that I should be patient, that its something that can be hard to practice but it always results in the best. My question though is "patience with who or what?" myself? God? the current place where I am at? Or maybe its all of those put together.

I earlier mentioned about celebrating my very second birthday here in Australia, It just reminded me that that last week was Australia day! another second, even though I was on a shift at work I still got to see the fireworks display from the car park. I Just love this country and feel so blessed that I'm living here at such a time as this, the multiculturalism is real y'all, and the beauty of it is that you don't feel so conscious of your difference because different is everywhere and it is embraced
.

2014 mini harmony week display at TAFE, that hijab was steaming hot
but it was great fun to try it out for a few minutes.




On a side note, This is my Current mood...............

 

Family matters .... and friends too.

With my lovely friend on the right, Bsc of Business and finance grad. On the left is my cousin, Bsc of Marketing and creative services.. Proud of these two!!😊

Today has just been been a day full of inspirational and motivating speeches , from the different speakers at my sister and friend's graduation to Serena Williams' acceptance speech at the aussie open. one thing about inspiration and motivation is that they wear off so easily, one minute you feeling so excited and feel like you can take on the whole world and the next it's all gone, and that is why all the speeches today just made me think to say you can never have enough of the two, you constantly have to keep yourself plugged in to whatever it is that keeps you motivated and you daily have to draw inspiration from it. Personally, I find my inspiration and motivation from the Scriptures, it is a clear and direct reflection of who God has says I am and has made me to be, so whenever I feel in doubt about myself or my abilities,  going back to the word of God reminds of what I am capable of, I also find inspiration in them from looking at the lives of men and women of in time past; Esther's courage, Ruth's devotion and faithfulness, to Rahab's bravery and solomon's wisdom. The list is endless.

Asides the Scriptures I also draw inspiration from contemporary men and women of God, be it in books or speeches. But not only that, I also find inspiration in everyday encounters, in nature and in myself. The inspiration is always there, sometimes you just have to make it a point to be present and live in the moment for you to see it and capture it.

counting stats, missing home & asking questions

It's only been two weeks and three days into the new year and upon checking my leave hours thus far, I nearly squealed in excitement! So far I already have 46hrs of annual leave, that for me translates into two weeks off work... so far, and come end of the year those hours will be soaring high. Just the other night I was on the phone with my aunt and I was nearly in tears just telling her how much I miss home. So after looking at my stats I quickly go onto emirates airline to estimate fares and upon hitting the search button I now want to do a 360 degrees swing in the office swirly chair, I could easily save that in two fortnights,  sweet! But amid my excitement and exhilaration this thought drops in my head, "I'm I ready to visit home come end of the year? " And the honest answer is "I don't know yet", is there even such a thing as that! And to that, I don't know either but hey! The year is still young and I know for sure that those answers will eventually come to me. For now I'll keep counting my hours and guarding them jealously😀

Reflections. .

It's been two days in a row of working thirteen hour shifts. I'm finally in bed at 23:00hrs since leaving the house at 6:00hrs, it's almost like I just come home to sleep. As I lay down to rest, there is so many things that want to take a hold of my mind, mostly about what's not right in my life and around the world, I also want to feel sorry for myself about how tired I am and how hard I have to work, from dealing with not so polite colleagues to commutes, the list is endless, but the words that stood out are these " you're one of the strongest women I know" , that thought just triggered back to the source of my strength,  God, and my heart is filled with gratitude and peace and contentment. I'm also reminded of this scripture;

"To declare your loving kindness every morning and your faithfulness every night. Ps 92:2"


It's moment like these that the scripture becomes even more real. I feel at ease that in such a moment of physical strain and dealing with some emotional issues that my response is to chose to see God in the situation. Life is hard y'all , but this I know for a fact, my God is good and greater.

I now look forward to some much needed and deserved rest, days I get to bury my feet in the sand and stare at the vast blue expanse of the see, and of course days that I don't really have to pick up work calls. And those days are not to far away, yes! Happy Days are near.

okay, right now, to think that im still half awake and typing this post on phone when I have to be up early and get to work by 6:15 is just crazy.  This is where I call it a night.

a little morning pep talk to myself.

“Sometimes life knocks you on your bottom... get up, get up, get up!!! Happiness is not the absence of problems, it's the ability to deal with them.”