Heels and Handbags part 2

Heels & Handbags - Part two. I needed to get my WOF its over due and nomally I would go to VTNZ or Suredrive although a tad bit more expensive, they're not a garage outfit that charges $20 for a WOF then find a 101 things to fix before they pass you. I had overspent this past week so sadly I went to the $20 outfit. Work clothes heels, handbag and to top that off a laptop.  Yep I just so look the part for a potential ripoff. They said they were happy to look at it but I will be waiting 30mins. After 30mins the guy comes in maam, your car is done and I'll pass you. Yay thank you Jesus.The guy asks for me to fill in my forms and notes a possible problem that I may need to fix in the future. Just before I leave he asks, Is this your number? I should have said no... his reply an the pièce de résistance, can I call you sometime???

Great now I might have to go back to VTNZ for the real check!!!

Heels and Handbags part 1

If you're a friend on facebook you would've read this one already, I've decided to put these stories on blog...

LOL...mall is 2mins from work so I go from time to time, and becos I hate heels I tend to change shoes and just carry cash in my jacket pocket. Today had my heels on and a hand bag. I was bombarded by every middle of the Isle stall holder to try, use or buy their products, note to self, keep the ugg boots and jandals gig going. The difference heels and a bag make....AND your probably wondering I'm not a lady and your probably right? But I'm every bit a real woman, go the jandals & ugg boots LOL!

I run to YOU

Lady Antebellum - I Run To You
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Discovered this country cross-over group when I walked into my friends office and since then I've not stopped listening to them.  I love this song because it easily describes God.  To be honest with you it could only be God..."Your loves the only truth".  That could only be God aye!

The healing of Zoe

One story to mention the healing of little Zoe, diagnosed with a problem hip which meant that her legs were uneven.  The doctors said that she will need corrective surgery.  We prayed for her as a church family on the Sunday.  The surgery was to take place the following Tuesday 3rd of August 2010.

They went in for surgery and the nurses came out with Zoe, questions about when her hip would be in a cast the nurses said there would be no operation.  The doctors proceeded to tell Monique that the operation wasn't needed...She was healed yay.

The Doctor of all Doctors will heal her JESUS...now waiting on everyone else, Ellen, Robbie, the Philippino man Julian, Ellen Wehi, Sallys son, and others in our homegroup.

by his stripes we are healed...ask and you shall receive...JESUS.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Um...I'm at a loss for a pic for this next story will find something.  I do voluntary work with a population organization  and is a new thing for me well not really I have been working with them on various projects for the past 5 years.  My dad was not a huge fan of this but I just couldn't let go.  Its not that I want to be a hero of sorts not in the least, I would be crushed and have been.  Its just that I want to work with my community to their benefit and to raise the level of our current status in New Zealand (as its not good) and to increase a sense of who we are (our identity) especially with the young.  Most importantly I want my people, Gods people to know Him and be saved in Christ Jesus.

Over the past few weeks but especially during Equipped I was encouraged in working with this group and in doing so being partnered with the church and individuals.  In today's service 18th of July.  I was encouraged to "become all things to all men so that by doing so by all possible means I might save some" 1 Cor 9:22... I'm blessed as my Job allows me to do just that to connect with a lot of people and organizations and in this past year God has used me to reach people for Him, I can't tell you how many times and in different ways, He does this.  By just being there in the world God will use that which is His to reach people, that are His.

Going back to the organization, I am a member of the management committee and there are 9 of us.  We sit under the trust leaders of our community there the 13 leaders of the groups that are represented in New Zealand, either by democratic process or by birthright.  I joined the management committee as I am passionate about getting things done and leading initatives for the people.

Two weeks ago I get a call from a business man to meet! we meet and I tell him about the Trust and our projects, he is keen to know more and to meet with our team, I arrange for a meeting.  Understanding that through this man will be open doors to funds and networks I talk to our team about a meeting and for us to prepare.  Prepare a solid presentation and "and an offer he can't refuse" yes borrowed that from the godfather but not with the same understanding.  I know our team is capable has integrity and could be trusted. 

We prepare, on a Monday before our meeting on Wednesday of that week, I get a call from this man, he rings to say he may have some funding for us, but is keen to meet the team.  By this time I am praying and am saying to the team "OK guys this has to be polished", and because of recent developments "I need budget proposals."

We meet with the man and he is late and in a bad mood...not a good sign, we are prayed up, and before we start one of the team asks if we could pray.  This man on our team is a Christian .  Note the business man is not a Christian.  The meeting works out well he is impressed with our group and thinks the make-up of our team is to our benefit.  He was encouraged by our tenacity, vigour and go-getter attitude that he said to us..."so what do you need" giving us some business tips and advise he gives us funding, and because I like to push the boundaries I ask for more and he goes "I will pay for it".  Thank you Jesus.

So with much joy and trepidation (as this means a lot of work) we end our meeting and we head off to dinner but the business man has to leave so could not join us. He leaves and we are sitting around  the table lost for words WE WERE LOST FOR WORDS from a team that always has so much to say!!!

In the silence a team member goes this is God, this could only come from the hand of God,  all agree and some start fighting tears, and we talk about how God strategically placed us and how we have finally come together with the same, heart and mind.  Where there is unity God commands a blessing.  We are blessed.  Not everyone in the team is saved but we know that we will do things where we are unified and where God is acknowledged and known.  In time I believe we will all be saved and likewise the people we serve.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (New International Version)

19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

It has been a while and there is so much I would like to talk about but that will wait for a bit .  I  do need to share quickly a number of things that God has done by his grace and not that I deserve it but I know that His grace is poured out to us because he is a God of grace, and it is not on merit or that we plead or whip ourselves in shape for His grace to be poured out.  He does so because He is grace. Out of who He is He manifests Himself, He is a God of Grace.  I'm am so undeserving and inspite of that he still gives, you have got to love Him aye!

Anyway during one of the Equip sessions there was a brief mention of tithe and just lack in our lives regarding finances, in the end of that session a prayer was given that God would out pour of himself to us.  Well the next day to be exact, I get a call from IRD, they ring to say that if I was executor of my mum and dads estate if I knew their entitlements which I did as mum kept good records I said yes and thought well this is a waste of my time as I knew all about what he had said and had done everything.  He was happy to hear, but he said "the real reason I'm calling is that your dad has credit owing to him and we need to get this to you as executor".  WOW huh? now this I was not expecting and I would not have known about this as this was my dads account and no one except for IRD and dad would have known, but because he had passed it now becomes shared knowledge to his estate, that being me and my brothers and sisters.

So he goes through some documentation process and there you have it am blessed.  Out of who He is He pours out His mercy and many graces for He is a God of Grace.

Detour

I have come to despise this sign as I travel home, I live in Avondale and the fastest way to get home is on the South/Western motorway, formerly known as the Mangere motorway.  As everyone in Auckland would know the motorways are being upgraded, extended, transformed to tend to our  fledgling transport system. This means from time to time detour signs are put up on the motorway so that work could be done.  This always happens when I'm on my way home be it from work or church. 

Despite living in Auckland all my life, I could honestly say I rarely ventured out of South Auckland unless I really needed to (uni, work, friends), so the back streets of West and Central Auckland are not familiar to me. My first Detour I thought was great, a chance for me to do a central tiki tour to enable me to come up with different routes to get home if ever I was lost. 

That was probably my only pleasant experience, after a while I just loathed the signs, I often ignored the detour routes and just went on instinct.  I would always be amazed at how I would take a turn into a street on instinct believing it will lead me to a path familiar to me to get home, 10/10 it did.  Then last Sunday I noticed yet another detour this time taking the hillsborough off ramp I hadn't taken this detour before and like other times before I didn't follow the route.  Bad idea...I soon realised I was venturing further west than intended, knowing this my thought was to identify a main street that would head back to central Auckland.  I found one and sure enough it took me home.

When I came to a red light it dawned on me that maybe God was talking to me.  I often praise and thank Him for guiding me but this time I thought you are talking to me and have been talking to me through every detour I've faced.  I cried as I remembered detours in my life be it by my own making or through events beyond my control and through it He was leading me home.  The gut instinct was not me but Him. 

I do recognise that God is leading me back home, and am currently at a point in life where I know I've gone off the familiar path to unknown territory and desperately seeking God to take me to the path that leads home.  I will say the road where He leads is often a pleasant one, filled with peace and direction.