Difficult Days

I have debated for a few days whether to share a little of what's ahead for me - but having thought and prayed about it, I feel it's appropriate as I feel I really need your prayers for the coming days.

I hope that through all my previous blog posts you realise that although I'm asking you for your prayers, I have placed my life in God's hands - it doesn't make life any easier to face at times, but it does help to know God is by my side, through it all.

As the title of this post suggests, I find myself facing some difficult days. Each of the next few days find me facing different situations each of which I'm struggling a bit to find the strength to get through them.

My Dad hasn't been too well recently and tomorrow he's at the hospital for tests etc. So as you can imagine we're all a bit concerned about the outcome of all that.

On Friday evening I leave with rest of Bellshill Salvation Army Band to visit Peterborough Salvation Army for the weekend. That in itself is great, so I'm sure you're wondering why I'm worried about that! While the band has had a few weekends away in the last few years, this weekend will be the the first time for a while that I've been well enough to go away with them. Although I'm much better than I was a few years ago, I still have some days when I am not too good,so I'm worried that I might struggle physically (and therefore emotionally too) while we're away.
Despite my reservations and worries about the coming weekend, I really am looking forward to being able to go away with the band again, as they are a good bunch of Christian folk.

You can visit the band's website at: http://www.bsab.co.uk/

Finally to round of the next few days, I've got a hospital appointment on Monday for more tests - so that really has just finished off, what for me, will be a difficult few days physically and emotionally.

So there you go, that's what lies ahead for me in the next few days. Unfortunately I know I'm already starting to get stressed about these things even though it's probably not obvious to those who see me, so I could really use your prayers for the next few days please.

Thank you all for your support, I really do appreciate it.

I'm in His hands, I'm in His hands,
Whatever the future holds
I'm in His hands.
The days I cannot see
Have all been planned for me;
His way is best you see;
I'm in His hands.
by Stanley E Ditmer

Thank You God

Earlier today I noticed that my blog had reached 2000 hits - Wow! Believe it or not I was lost for words when I saw the number of hits had reached the 2000 mark.

I feel so humbled by the number of people who have read my blog. So I would like to take this opportunity to say a very big thank you to each and every one of you who have taken the time to read this blog.


To those of you who have left comments or contacted me via Twitter (follow me on Twitter) or email and given me words of encouragement and support, I'd like to thank you all - it has been great to know your thoughts about what I've had to say, and I've felt particularly honoured when you've told me my blog has been "just what you needed" at that time.

So, I've thanked you for read my blog, and now I want to thank God for giving me the direction and inspiration to write it. If you'd asked me this time last year if I'd be blogging about my faith and experiences of God, I'd have told you not to be so daft as I'd never be able to do something like that - It just shows what I know!

If God is speaking to you and asking you to do something you think you cannot do - Trust God, He will give you the tools you need to do His work.

Stand Up!

Do you stand up for God?

If you find yourself involved in a conversation or situation that goes against your Christian beliefs, do you say nothing or do you express your beliefs and stand up for God?

It can be very difficult to stand up for what we believe when we find ourselves in the midst of an unacceptable situations. However if you put your trust in God, He will give you the right words to say and will be there with you to help.

Don't think just because no one else has said anything they agree with what's being said or done. A while ago I found myself in the middle of a situation that I felt did not sit well with my Christian beliefs. I didn't know the people involved very well, but could not let myself be associated with what was happening, so I said a quick prayer and asked God to give me the strength and words to diffuse what for me was a very difficult situation. Without going into all the details, the outcome was that my comments were accepted, and the situation was defused (though whether some of the group continued their discussion elsewhere I never found out).

What you might be surprised to hear is that, after the group had dispersed, one of the other folk who had been present came over to me and indicated he had been very uncomfortable with the way the situation had been developing but did not have the strength to stand up for God as the others didn't know he was a Christian! I'm fairly sure none of the group had known I was a Christian prior to my intervention, however my thoughts during this had never been about me, they had been about what was hearing/witnessing.

Please have the courage to stand up for God, He will stand up and support you when you do.

Never stop being in awe of what God can do, if you do, you must remind yourself of God's amazing love for each one of us.