It Is Safe To Trust

 

Every moment, every event, every happening. It's all in Christ and in Christ we are always safe.

 

When bridges seem to give way, we fall into Christ's safe arms, true bridge, and not into hopelessness. It is safe to trust!

 

We can be too weak to go on because His strength is made perfect in utter brokenness and nail-pierced hands help up. It is safe to trust!

 

 

We can give thanks in everything because there's a good God leading, working all things into good. It is safe to trust!

 

The million bridges behind us may seem flattened to the earthly eye, but all bridges ultimately hold, fastened by nails. It is safe to trust!

 

Each bridge I need cross, from one moment to moment the next, is wholly safe, each leading me deeper into Him and closer to Home.

 

Ann Voskamp

One Thousand Gifts

 

I'm Back (with some book recommendations too!!)

Ok, so it's been at  least 8 months since I last posted, and I'm feeling well and truly out of practice. I'm going to attempt to get back into the swing of blogging though.... 

 

 

So, for my first post back, I'm stealing my sister's idea and posting my list of books you should read before you die!

 

 





1. One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

 

 

This book has seriously changed my life like no other book written by a person has!! Ann Voskamp writes in a honest, refreshing way that totally speaks to me! If you want to find the joy in ALL situations, if you want to embrace all the messy, ugly parts of your life, (because we all have them!!)  then read this book! I doubt I'll ever meet Ann Voskamp in real life, but when I get to heaven, I want to give her a big hug and say thank you!!

 

 

2. Money, Possessions and Eternity by Randy Alcorn

 

This book is one that you definitely should not judge by its cover!! The cover may not be that exciting, but the words inside are full of hard-hitting truths from God's word that are hard to get around. I read this book about 2 years ago,  and I've never been able to view money in the same way since!! If you want to be shaken up and convicted in the area of your money, then read this book. It may be a bit uncomfortable, but when we get to heaven, I'm pretty sure all the discomfort will be worthwhile and it won't seem like discomfort at all.

 

3. Erasing Hell by Francis Chan

 

 

I love the way Francis Chan writes - easy to read, humorous, but at the same challenging and convicting. And this book is no exception!! Hell and eternity are scary, scary things for those who don't know God, and too often we sweep these issues under the rug. Very eye-opening!

 

4. Everyday Church by Tim Chester

 

 

I read this book last year during our church camp and nearly couldn't put it down. Very down to earth - just encouraging all of us to get alongside those around us and live "church" everyday and in everyplace. Living the life and talking the talk - it was brilliant!!

 

5. Humility by C. J.  Mahaney

 

 

I read this book for the first time only a couple of weeks ago and found it to be very convicting in the area of pride. I never realised how much my life was defined by pride until I read this book, and now  I'm seeing it in so many things that I do, think, and say!! Very hard-hitting - now just to ask God to use the words spoken and change my life by mortifying my pride! (Now that's a scary prayer...)

 

 

So, there you have it, my 5 books to read before you die. What would your list include??

 



 

Oh, The Joy Of Books!!!

I was very privileged to receive a number of books for my birthday last week. I LOVE books, and look how many I received!!! I haven't delved into any of these yet, as I'm still reading "Bonhoeffer". Excellent, excellent book - what more can I say?? But I can't wait to sink my teeth into these... :) (Theoretically, of course)

 If you could choose out of these books, what would you read first?

Liesy came out while I was taking these photos and wanted to pose with the books. How could I resist such a cute smile???

What fun I shall have!!

5 Books That Changed Who I Am

My sister Bethany tagged me to take part in this. I was reasonably excited about taking part, but when I actually started to think about the books that have "changed" me, I was a little stuck.  Books that have "changed" me - that's a little challenging. there are lots of books that I would like to think have changed me, but I'm not so sure that in all honesty I can say that. Anyway enough preamble, here goes...

1 - One Thousand Gifts

I loved this book! The whole idea of being thankful for every single little instance of life even the hardest ones was a great reminder. The openness and honesty of the writer was refreshing too! If I could choose one book (bar the Bible obviously) that I would really love to see change my life, I'm pretty sure this would be it!

  

                                             2 - Ester Reid

I don't think I could count the amount of times I have read this book. The main character is so much like me, and the way God changes her and molds her is so painful at times but the end result is beautiful. "Content to fill a little space if You be glorified" sums up the book perfectly I think. It's a sad book though.

 
 
 
 

 

                                        3 - Respectable Sins

 

This book is about all the sins we regard as not that bad or "respectable". Sins like selfishness, impatience, pride etc. The author takes a good look at each of them and helps us to see that in fact there is nothing respectable about them at all. You realise how much you need to change after reading it! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                              

 

                                    

 

                               4  - The Heir Of Redclyffe    

 

This is an extraordinarily sad book but such a beautiful portayal of Christians trying to live in a way that glorifies God even under the most trying of circumstances. I cry every time I read it.                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                               5 - My Young Alcides                                                                                This book has such a great portrayal of what true selflessness really looks like - something to definitely inspire change. Oh and by the way it's sad too! :)

Once I started, I found that I could think of lots of books that I would at least like to be changed by. The characters in some, the honesty of the authors in other, but over all, God's powerful help is what will change me in the end!

I now tag: Carley, Deb, Alice, Emma, Chantel, & Sarah

Tag between 3 and 5 people (I tagged 6 since I couldn't help myself)

                                                                    link back to this post.

                                               call the post '5 books that changed who I am’

                                                                             enjoy.  

Book Of My Day #1

A dear friend has a lovely habit of posting daybooks on her blog. I always enjoy reading them, so I thought I'd steal the idea and start posting some myself.

Outside my window it's windy and warmish. A nice change from yesterday when the sun never came out..


I have been listening to the audio book "North & South" by Elizabeth Gaskell. John Thorton is one of my favourite male characters in all the classics I've read so far. He has great depth of character, I think.


I have been wearing whatever clothes I first see in my cupboard. Not much thought goes in there generally.

I am thankful for being back home with my family after a night away. The time away was enjoyable but home with all of its chaotic ways is pretty good. :)

I am pondering my lack of thankfulness and gratitude and endeavouring to change with God's help.


 I am reading "1000 Gifts" - that explains the aforesaid pondering. I'm loving the openness and the honesty, and being challenged on nearly every page. Has anyone read this brilliant book?

 I am creating a quilt for a close friend. I have until the 16th of April to finish, and that time is approaching faster than I would like to think. I'm the queen of grand plans that sometimes don't work out! (More about that in another post.)

 I am hoping and praying for Zach & his family and the grief they're going through!

 I am looking forward to spending time with friends on Saturday.

 One of my favourite things is learning new ways to put flowers together. The staff at Poetry In Flowers (where I'm doing work experience) are just lovely and helpful, so I recommend buying flowers there. :)

I love to....

READ!!

One of my other favourite things to do apart from sewing is to read. I haven't really been reading that much due to pressing projects, but I decide to change that yesterday and picked up a book I had borrowed from the library - "John Caldigate" by Anthony Trollope. I have read others of Trollope's books and enjoyed them, so I decided to give this one a go. It's good so far - a book that draws you in before you have read 5 pages.

What about you? Do you enjoy reading? Have you read any of Trollope's books before?