October again!

Well here we are once again into this brand new month of October where this has to be the third post at this time of year in succession! I do seem to have somewhat of a theme going on here, would one not agree lol – So, with this said, let us move onto this post which even I have to say is a little early for this here English girl to be writing this (early meaning early hours of the morning!) Without further ado, let’s do this!

Am I relishing this new month? Well for many reasons yes this girl here is where again, for the last few months there has been a great deal going on for me which appears to be a pattern forming here of late but it is ok and it is also where “I” am right now! The last two months in many ways has especially been fairly intense where life’s journey has not been altogether great but also at the same time there have been joys of being able to get away for several days to an extra couple more days to (a) take time out to breathe and (b) to escape to an absolutely amazing undisclosed location where I have been able to drink the immense beauty of God’s creation all around me right in the heart of the English countryside. This girl here has been spoilt beyond, beyond of which I certainly do not deserve to be spoilt in any way, shape or form!

Before moving on, when I say I stayed at an undisclosed location, and I simply state this because for those who know me well, you know how much I like my privacy. You also know that if I do not desire to share anything then this girl here just basically stays quiet and if you know, then yep you know! This again, is where I have had words said of “why do you have to be so secretive”? Well, this is not the case whatsoever, but as stated, if I don’t desire to share information relating to this life’s journey that I am on, then I simply do not share and that is that! We all do have the choice to share or not to share do we not!

I will share some of where I was staying without disclosing very much at all! Even though I could not recommend where I stayed highly enough where I have shared with friends by the way exactly where I did go for mini breaks. I also shared the location and more in-depth details of my times away – but again, let me say that for me personally this was an absolute gorgeous “safe haven” if you will which could not have come about at a better time. For now, let me park this topic here for the moment!

The sheer craziness of the last several weeks:

I have to say, that this girl feels as if she has been through a roller coaster of a ride of late with situations going on that one did not ask to be involved in! Again, for those of you reading this post are fully aware that I am trying to relocate to somewhat quieter surroundings without all of the drama along with very unpleasant situations going on around where I reside. For the most part has been insane and extremely stressful. With barely being able to cope but cope I have had too along with trying not to allow oneself to become stressed, ha which at times has been neon impossible and it has! Being stressed for me is not viable as I have been warned by my cardiologist that stress cannot come into my own life’s journey and again ha, meaning easier said than done!

Also to point out, who exactly has been allowing themselves to become stressed, yep it has been none other but myself who has allowed stress to play a role which I also am fully aware should not have even been allowed to happen! Alas it has been allowed to by yours truly – hmmm!! You know, how often do I keep banging on about not allowing life circumstances to dictate ones life whereby joy has been allowed to be stripped away. I know, I hear you that we “are all human” however, without beating myself up here, I have been doing so because as again, those who know me well, know that I do not handle stress very well at the best of times! I literally want to turn around and run and I very nearly did just this by the way. I don’t feel led at this present time to elaborate (by the way, I don’t mean totally run in a negative way just so you are fully aware)!!

Escaping Drama:.

Being able to get away has been such a huge blessing. In fact the location I went to, I had booked to go to it was either last year or the year before that (my memory escapes me here lol) where perhaps it was to do with the bad reviews that I changed my mind and thankfully no monies had exchanged hands. I also realise that perhaps this was not the right timing for me to go to this amazing location but boy, am I so so pleased that a few weeks ago, I decided to give this incredible hotel (now you know a little more info) because the area I went to was super amazing and incredibly beautiful and steeped in history which I had not realised how vast the history was to this hotel which I do feel somewhat bad about – why? Well, I know the area like the back of my hand (or so I thought!) because I have spent years going back and forth to live in various towns and villages on and off since teenage years in and around where I stayed. But little did I realise to my shame how incredible this particular venue was but now this girl knows for sure! This incredible peaceful haven maybe my go to place on a regular basis moving forward (goodness knows what the overall hotel team may feel about this as for all I know they could be throwing their hands up in horror and I am half joking – half serious!), which again, is where my insecurities come into play and using the following phrase again, if you know – then you know!

Am I going somewhere with this – yes, I am!

My point for this entire post is basically the following which is nothing new by the way but, it does not matter what is happening in and all around us ok. My question is simply this, why when life circumstances become tough and at times too much to bear, where exactly or who should I say – are we putting our trust in? Is it in the extremely unpleasant situations of life; is it in men or do we put on our “big girl panties here” (not the best of expressions I realise this) but do we put our entire trust in the One who is The Author of our lives meaning God Himself – who by the way as both believers and followers, Jesus is Our Only Hope in a very intense crazy world!

Sometimes, when we allow confusion; fear; anxiety and all the not good things to start to take a hold we can if not careful allow “the world’s situations to bring us down where again, if not careful, we can become so negative that our joy in Jesus Christ is removed; Our very Hope can be slowly but surely take us to points of despair where we give in to the cares of this crazy upside down topsy turvy world – this is where we cannot afford to be lulled into a false sense of security as we just cannot! So, we do have to pick ourselves up from life’s rubble and press forward running this race called life and running it well to the finishing line to hear those amazing words from Jesus which I have shared over and over – words of “well done my good and faithful servant”

I have of late witnessed Christians become so despondent through life’s circumstances where I am going to share something of a Christian I know without sharing names and very  much of this person’s present circumstances. So, there is someone I know who has become so bogged down with an ongoing personal situation where this person has allowed fear and anxiety to creep in to the extent I have heard this week that they are now using alcohol to help with the pain and anxiety of all that is going on. This person who is allowing their situation to get the better of them where they are not trusting in Jesus at all! There is a lot more here that not just myself, but others (who are not Christians) have witnessed, however, the bottom line is that we have choices and we do. No matter how much I have tried to encourage this “said person” – it has been to from where I am sitting to no avail. How sad it is when Christians turn to coping mechanisms by using alcohol; drugs; mental health etc and this can happen to anyone whether Christian or not and it can and has happened over and over, sad but very true – FACT!

I am going to share another journey here of a guy who I used to know and we were very good friends for many years but our paths have gone in different directions. Again with his name omitted, this guy is a very gifted worship leader who had an incredible ministry and very gifted at both singing and a pianist; this guy who also had an incredible job working behind the scenes with well known music artists and bands where several years ago sadly, he turned to alcohol – through this, he lost everything, his job; his lovely home and alas more importantly he had lost his walk with Jesus where alcohol became “his god” if you will. Yes, he did somewhat come back to faith but in my humble personal opinion not in a good way. Meaning, that he became so fixated on a well known “Christian” evangelist that this guy consumed everything to do with this evangelist who this said old friend replaced the god of alcohol to this guy who became his god/idol instead! This was heart-breaking and where this guy is now in regards to his Christian walk – I have no idea! Idol worship, is in actual fact an entire post of its own right which does need to be shared at some point giving both not just my own personal humble opinion but more importantly sharing what does God say about idol worship through His written Word!

Before anyone reading this particular blog post knows and has known me for many years, knows full well that I also fall into the above without saying how but and a huge BUT, I realised two and a bit years ago, that I have no right whatsoever to be a “victim” if you will of life circumstances; I have no right to allow situations no matter how bad situations get to become so bogged down to the point that I stop trusting in Jesus who gave both you and I life from the very beginning – I for one, do not have the authority to go back into the past going down the rabbit trail of self destruction because once we start going down this slippery sliding slope, it can be extremely difficult to get out of said situation(s) and it is! Speaking not just to my own heart here but yours too especially if reading this post, you are a believer and follower of Jesus – please hear my heart when I say literally Please Do Not Go There – Please Don’t!

Drawing this long post to a close:

You know, it is so very easy to become bogged down and it is seriously very easy and can and does happen to any one of us – no one is exempt NO ONE! This is where we have to stay rooted and booted in God’s Inherent Word without fail and to keep crying out to our Amazing Precious Aba Father because once we start to become consumed by this world’s means then we are treading on dangerous territory. Again, I have stated this over and over and with due concern plus please know, that I am speaking to myself here too as I know jolly well, that this girl here is far from exempt and I am NOT exempt and boy don’t I know it!

Every single day, I have to give myself “pep talks” if you will and to make sure that my heart is right before God. I do mess up constantly and I do become disheartened especially as of these last almost ten months with my own living situation which as I have touched on above has been insane of late! I have to literally remember that I belong to Jesus Christ whereby I can overcome life’s crazy circumstances; I can persevere and pick myself up from the rubbles of life if I do feel myself falling and yes this does happen a lot! But the ONLY WAY is up and to keep remembering that I am heaven bound! The things of this earth are merely temporary where eternity is well eternal and this dear reader is what both you and I have to focus on – and focus on 24/7 without a shadow of a doubt!

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