Surviving Home Schooling and Feeling Thankful #R2BC

Time to sit down and bash out my little dose of positivity. It's been a good couple of weeks, and I've managed to get out a couple of times - nowhere particularly exciting of course but it still counts and it's good for my soul.

I've been feeling really thankful this last week and that is amazing as it is like a drug to me, soothing me, reminding me that things will be OK, and we can all get through this. 

Here is a list of just some of my reasons to be thankful -

• The girls are getting on with their homeschooling (in the main!) and the most frequent thing I have to do is jivvy them along and threaten consequences if they don't knuckle down and get on with the work.
• You can tell the school/ teachers are now more confident with teaching remotely as most of their resources are in Google classroom and thus easy to access and the girls are having a few live lessons every day too.
• My JJ is a treasure, he just gets on with his college work and is really self-motivated. He's such a good lad and is happy to help the girls too if they need it. That sure helps me as I have no idea bout most GCSE maths or science. 
• Miss E is constantly on Facetime with a girl from school and they seem to be establishing a really lovely and deep friendship during this lockdown. I pray it continues when they return to school. 
• We had to take the cat to the vets for a check-up as he was bitten last month and he is healing well, this meant Miss E and I got out and we could get a cheeky McDonalds drive-through.
• We've found out some stuff that has been going on for one of our twins and it is difficult stuff (I won't go into it) but I am so pleased to now know and to be able to offer her support. We've talked more and spent more time together this week, which is very good.

Another dose of Thankfulness

I feel like I have had the most amazing week. Some of that is because there have been some great times, but I think the rest is just that I am grateful for my life. I don't really share any of the tough times on here anymore, some of them are not just mine to share and others are just too private. As the children grow older and near adults, I can't share their stuff, it's not mine.

Does that mean I am not being authentic on my blog anymore? I do worry about that, but it is what it is. I can't and won't share parts of my life, they're private, but what I do still share is the overall feeling of my life and that is that I am grateful and so fortunate to have good people around me.

So no, I don't feel like I am faking it, or being overly positive as a mask for the less good things that happen, or the ongoing situations that make me sad.  I am sharing everything I feel I can share, those things that are mine alone. Maybe one day, when I write my book, I'll be able to share some of the others.

This week a few of the things that have made me really happy are attending a conference at my home this weekend and having a great session about serving in your community and not continually seeking the next move.

Happy Birthday to Me #R2BC

It was my birthday on Wednesday and I turned 45, I can't believe how quickly those years are adding on to my age, but I have to be honest, I'm not worried.

My family and I headed up to London on Wednesday morning and where there for 36 hours, we had a thoroughly lovely time, although as always, I am pleased to be home, as it is far too busy, muggy and smoggy in London (now I sound my age)! lol.

Here's a few photos to show you what we got up to -

Super yummy burger lunch at Byron Burgers in Covent Garden. Using my Tastecard we got 50% off and to be frank, that's the only way we could afford it!

We spent some time in Covent Garden browsing, and watching the street artists.

10 Top Tips for Enjoying a Stress Free Advent

This is the view from one of the prayer rooms in the prayer centre just a few steps from my house.
I'll be spending lots of time in here, cosy by the radiator!

Last Christmas I had such a wonderful chilled Advent period that I wanted to make sure I copied it again for this year. Thus my November has been a time of getting ahead with my blogging commitments, adjusting my pace to slow down and saying no to most of the opportunities that have appeared in my in-box.

I had lots of comments last year about how calm and organised I was and I wanted to share the ways I achieved this. There isn't any secret formula and I can't promise what works for me will work for you but if you fancy a chilled Advent and a better chance of focusing on the real meaning of Christmas then organisation and planning are your friend.

Each year I plan to have most of the commercial Christmassy things done by the end of November and then Advent is all mine to do the activities that I enjoy and to dedicate my time to The Lord.

I only need one Reason to be Cheerful this week! My Dad

It's been a funny old week as my Dad has been in hospital from Monday through to Saturday. My faith has meant that I've not been stressing too badly despite it being his heart but it was so good to get to see him on Friday and to get a hug and know that was being taken good care of.

He's had a pacemaker fitted and three stents inserted into a blocked artery and since then he seems to be stabilising and has become well enough to come home, which is fantastic.  Of course he needs good rest for the next week and then recovery over the following weeks but I'm very excited that come July when we all go away together to Bournemouth he should be fitter than ever and we will really be able to enjoy our summer holiday.

Something like this makes you really think about how much you love your parents. Thursday night was a bit touch and go with Dad after his operation as his heart was racing and they had to give him a massive drug cocktail to regulate it. For me, praying has made all the difference and I'm so thankful Dad has come through this looking well and hopefully with many years yet.

I've been thinking about what it is I love about my Dad and of course he is not perfect, who of us is? But he has been really instrumental in forming who I am. We have lots of similarities and both like to take charge in a difficult situation. I know that I can always depend on him, one phone call and he would drive the length of the country for me and I'd do the same for him.

Here are a few other things that I love about him -

• He grew up in poverty but instead of settling with his lot in life he fought to buy a house and have all he needed for his family. Those 3 jobs he used to do paid off, I certainly gained a great work ethic from him.
• He puts his family first all the time
• He is genuine, what you see is what you get
• He has a visible sense of pride in any job he does
• He is so simple and never really desires anything material
• He is dependable and if he commits to something he will carry through
• He is fiercely protective of those he loves
• He is generous beyond measure
• He taught me the difference between right and wrong
• He taught me to keep going when it seemed things were tough, we get through them
• He makes himself available when I need him
• He is a fabulous Grandad and all three of my kids love to spend time with him

I suspect I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. I love my Dad and I'm so glad to have him in my life (and yes Mum I adore you too as I know it will be you reading this).

I'm linking this post up with Becky at Lakes Single Mum for Reasons to be Cheerful (#R2BC). Why don't you come and join us and share what is making you grateful right now?

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#FitandFree - Practical steps

I made this blouse for myself in 2014 and I've never worn it as it is too tight!

OK, so I've made the decision 2015 will be the year that I get fit and free myself. I will become fit for purpose and be ready and waiting for whatever is planned for me.

It is not enough to just sit back and say this will happen though. I need to make plans and plot some practical steps that will allow me to achieve my goal.

So what happens now then?

I was asked this question a couple of weeks ago and I think it is a very pertinent one and it has certainly been useful. I have found myself many times in the last few weeks pondering - what now?

The quick and simple answer is that I have no idea.  I do not know what the future holds or what I am supposed to be doing. All will be revealed in God's good timing and I must have patience to wait and see.

That is pretty frustrating though, as of course I want to make things happen, to change the world and to stop injustice. I want to jump on it and make it happen now, not tomorrow, not next month and certainly not in five years time. I see what others are doing and my actions feel inadequate but we are not supposed to compare ourselves to others, that helps no-one. We must just follow our own personal path.

I've mentioned many times that I do not like resolutions as I feel they are made to be broken but I do see the value in setting goals and having forward vision. To some extent it is difficult to set long-term goals as I truly want to be open to what God has in store for me and I don't want to be too busy off on a tangent that is not part of his plan.

Confidence and breaking chains

I choose this picture because I'm not confident about it, I see fat face and messy hair,
I suspect you might see a fun time and shared love

I've been pondering the topic of confidence quite a lot recently and then a couple of Sundays ago at church it was the topic of the sermon and that of course felt very apt. The pastor started by presenting the question 'are you confident?'

My first thought was I'm confident in Christ and His abilities but not so much in myself. On thinking more I realised that my confidence in myself is situational and the more I think about it the more I realise I have lost confidence over the years.

I actually think I'm a bit of a conundrum, as when I reflect back to years gone by I can remember times of being very confident and forward, like when I was 14 and I received bad service in our local petrol station. I asked to see the manager and told them the service there was appalling and if they employed me I would make a difference, I got the job, became a supervisor by age 15 and stayed there until I went to Uni. Definite confidence in my abilities as a worker.

Then there are other memories of being a tween at someones party and sitting hiding behind the curtain and crying for the duration of the party. I didn't think I fitted in and to be honest pondering it now I realise that I was crying out for someone to find me and care - they didn't! No confidence in whether I was likeable.

I've worked hard on this needy nature and the desire to be loved and wanted and there has been immense progress but there are still times when my insecurities raise their ugly head and I think I'm being left out on purpose or that I'm not liked. I don't enjoy being like this but there is only so much you can change yourself, so now when the 'woe is me' feeling appears I just try to apply logic and speak to trusted friends to look for the common sense.

There are probably two areas where I still lack confidence, one is in my ability of lose weight and the other is in my ability to be a good wife. I married a man who is not good at verbalising his feelings and is not very demonstrative so this makes it incredibly hard for someone like me to be secure in her marriage and feel loved. I'm always looking for ways to be a better wife and of course the difficulty there is that I apply my interpretation of what a good wife is, rather than meeting dh's needs.

The weight issue also links to this and all the time I feel fat and frumpy I limit how I interact in my relationship and how uninhibited I am willing to be. I know I miss out on opportunities because of my perception of my size. A few weeks back there was a community day where I live and lots of fun activities were organised but rather than launching myself in and enjoying the team games, rafting or rounders I hid for fear of embarrassment or being too fat/ heavy to join in. I could probably spend the whole day listing all the things I don't allow myself to join in with or try, for fear of being too fat. Total lack of confidence in my body.

I suspect that if you asked people who knew me just a bit they would say I am a ballsy and confident woman but if you asked those who know me on a deeper level they might say not so much so. It really is quite strange, you can put me in front of 150 kids in an assembly, ask me to train 50 adults or give me a near impossible work deadline and I'll get on and do these things without a care in the world. However ask me to have just a few people over for dinner, to squeeze into a crowded space or to put myself out there for a voting competition with the chance of winning a blogging award and I'll be backing away as fast as anything.

From writing this today I have come to realise that I need to explore a bit more about the areas I am confident in and those I'm not and try to find the route cause of my lack of confidence in some areas. What is it I am scared of anyway? Why do I allow myself to be held back from things that might just be fun? How can I break down these barriers and change?

Years back a really good friend once said that if I ever lost weight she would dread to think just how confident I might be, as my size was the only thing I let hold me back. I wonder if I'm scared of that legacy she spoke over me and subconsciously I worry that I won't like me anymore if I lose the weight? I think it is time to break the chains and to be a big girl and just see who I might be if I shed my protective layer.

Anyway enough navel gazing for today, what I took away from the sermon at church is that the confidence I need is in God. I must remain firm in the things that I do know, that Christ died for me, that He loves me, that He accepts me as I am and that He is sovereign and above all else.

I need to take my difficulties and turn them into prayers and when I really believe my prayers will be answered and I'm willing to do the hard work then God will answer my prayers and in His time things will change. In the meantime all these trials that I go through will help to shape me and mould me towards the person God intends me to be.

These are some reminders of bible scripture to help me along this journey -

• Proverbs 3:26 - For the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. 
• 1 John 5:14 - And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 
• Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. 
• John 16:23 - In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.

Does any of this resonate with you?  Are you holding yourself back because you are scared? Fancy joining me in breaking some chains?

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Pondering adult baptism... Has the time come?

I always tend to think of the Holy Spirit as wind, whenever I feel the spirit moving then it is cool air I feel. Whilst I know that many people associate fire with the Holy Spirit I never really have. Not until the other night when I saw this amazing sky outside my front door. For the last couple of weeks the sky has been getting better and better at sunset and tonight when the kids said 'oh Mum, you have to see this sky' I grabbed my camera and captured this.

Today this sky really made me think about the above scripture. Here is the full verse -

"I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am--so much greater that I'm not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." Matthew 3:11 (NLT)

I was Christened as a young child (probably because it was the thing that British people did at that time) and then I did go to a Sunday school most weeks until I was about 14 but really I was not a Christian, I did not understand what it meant or feel the commitment I now know I would feel. When I became a Christian in 2002 I was attending an Anglican church and thus got confirmed, which meant I was asserting my faith and belief in Jesus Christ as my saviour when I was old enough to make that decision for myself.

However for about the last four years I've been wondering if confirmation is enough and I have been pondering baptism, just as Jesus was, by full immersion. We are supposed to imitate Jesus and He choose to be baptised by John even though He was sin free. I really feel I need to recommit and publicly declare that I'm living my life for Jesus. Time to cast off my last chains and sins and to walk in His way.

I suppose I ought to make some enquiries and make this baptism a reality.  Thankfully it should not be too difficult we have a lake and a baptismal pool where I live.  Watch this space....

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A year in photos - week 21

I forgot to share a couple of good photos I took last week when we visited Bodium castle, so here they are, better late than never!

Ohh and a couple from Bexhill too, it makes me want to drive back there right now -

I've been quite content this week and I feel as if I have achieved a lot but I suppose that is the funny thing of doing a weekly post like this, I now realise that not a lot has gone on in the last week but that is OK.  Life is not always about the big stuff.

Dh worked all last weekend, it was a busy one for him and Sunday afternoon we took the opportunity to meet up with a blogger friend and her sons.  It was super to catch up with Older Single Mum and her boys sure hit it off with my kids. Our feisty ones had a few words but in the main it was all good fun.

This week was Sports day at school and none of the kids were looking forward to it but actually it turned out well as it was pretty non-competitive and everyone did activity at the same time so for a shy one like Miss E there was not the unwanted glares of the whole school watching as you take your turn. I was pleased to catch a shot of Miss E and JJ together, sadly I can't share any of Miss M as there was always other kids in the shots.

I've lost my way.....

Life has changed and I don't not what to say,
But I'll tell you how it feels... like I've lost my way...

I used to be so sure, I knew where I was at,
But then life changed direction and now I just feel fat.

I had goals and dreams and a direction I was heading,
now what I do is mop-up spills, cook dinner and change the bedding.

Don't get me wrong this is what I wanted,
to move here, to stop the chaos and to be confronted....
with the reality of not having a career anymore.

The truth is I feel a bit useless, I hop from one thing to the next,
wondering where to find satisfaction and seeking rest....
from the demon that says 'you offer nothing right now Mich'.

There are different seasons and times when we should do jobs,
I know this, I tell people this, but for me I just feel at odds.

Life is good and I am blessed,
and I truly wish that I could sort out my head...
to believe that I am good enough to stay home.

But today I'm focusing on the failed fancy dress,
the clubs that my kids don't attend and my life, which feels a mess.

I just need to find the new way,
the rhythm to my new kind of day.

Seek to believe that I have worth in who I am,
and not constantly strive to achieve all I can.

For constantly 'doing' is tiring and it's not want God wants,
I need to wait on Him for revelation, that must be my response.

The truth is I'm being over dramatic,
this isn't serious. Life is fantastic!


After a day of trying to make a fancy dress outfit and doing a pretty terrible job and then letting someone down I feel totally crap today but I do realise that much of this is my hormones. Being a woman stinks sometimes and getting my feelings out really helps me to move on and have a better day. So Mum if you are reading, stay chilled I'm fine. I've just got too many small things on the go at the moment and I need to see where I should be focusing my attentions.

Linking up with Vic for Prose4T, click on the badge to find more -

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Looking back at 2013 - A massive year of change

At the start of every year it is of course important to look ahead and to visualise where you might be going that year and where your priorities lie but before you do that it is great to go over the year before and remind yourself of what has gone before. 2013 feels as if it has been really eventful for us as a family but generally it has been a great year. I've had a look back over my blog and chosen a pertinent picture and post from each month to help me remember 2013 in years to come.

I was really surprised when I looked at my post from the end of 2012 about all the things I wanted to do in 2013, I can honestly say I met or made headway on them all. What a fabulous feeling.

If you are new to my blog you might find it interesting to have a peek at some of the posts and find out a little more about Mummy from the Heart.

January
The year started with me musing what it means to be a 'normal' mummy blogger. I realised there are some rites of passage which mean you have made it as a mummy blogger, things like shopping at Boden and reading a broadsheet paper. I failed on all counts and you know what? That is OK - read Confessions from a normal mummy blogger and see that Mich is just a regular kind of imperfect girl.

I had had a fab trip to Wales with JJ for a blogging event and we just loved our alone time.

February
My lovely Nan passed away at the beginning of February after a rubbish battle with cancer. I am so proud of how my Mum has dealt with losing her mother and I know this month will be tough for her.

On the blog I held my third New Bloggers Forntight and I hosted posts by new bloggers for new bloggers. There was a whole wealth of great posts, full of lots of tips and advise.  Check out the posts from 2011, 2012 and 2013.

This time last year.... #OneMums #OneMoms

Image Credit: Karen Walrond

My life was so different. I never would have imagined that I'd be where I am now, living the life I now have.

This very day last year my life was being changed and moulded for the future. I was being impacted forever and I was having one of the best times of my life.

I can never forget the times I shared in Ethiopia with all the amazing #OneMoms and #OneMums. I owe each one of them such a debt of gratitude that I never can repay it, they have to just know that the words 'thank you' and 'you are awesome' are so heartfelt and meant.

But more than the British and American women I spent such a lot of time with in the 8 short days there are all the amazing Ethiopian women and children that I met and got to know just a little.

Women who inspired me to love more, try harder and have faith. On the surface they appear to have nothing, one meal a day if they are lucky and no spare cash for clothes, medical care or clean water but talk to them and you find they have so much and in the face of adversity. Such a lot of love, faith, friendship, community and belief. Each week they go to Church and they are thankful and loyal, that is an example I really did try to take with me.

I long to go back to Ethiopia to feel her warm heart and see the joyous dancing and smell those coffee beans slow roasting. I want to meet more amazing people like Gebeyehu who is working hard to change the future of children living in the slums and Cherry who helps to take women off the streets and is part of their clean and healthy future. I can't even begin to put in words how I feel about these inspirational people. I want to be like them, I want to be able to help and I want to serve.

I don't know what my future holds but I do know that the ONE Campaign will remain a part of it. Together we are stronger than the single parts and that is what ONE does, bring all our voices together and campaign for a world where there is no more poverty or hunger. It can be done if we all play our parts. My part is not special or inspirational like Gebeyehu or Cherry's but it is still important and so is your part.

Image credit: Karen Walrond

Have you signed up with ONE?

It is dead easy and all you have to do is sign the odd petition or tweet or have a real life conversation with a friend. All quite simple and all only take moments. Of course you can do more, you can talk to your MP, blog for them or any other number of things if you want more, but do not underestimate the power of us all coming together. This makes change happen.

You can be part of the change, you just have to care and do something.

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If you like what you have read and want to stay up-to-date then subscribe by email for free and receive blog posts directly to your in-box - just click the link Subscribe to Mummy From The Heart... by Email or perhaps you like to keep all your blog reading in one place, if that is the case you can follow me on BlogLovin too!

#RealLifeRocks in 2013

I'm writing this on the evening on 27th December, so we have just four days left of 2012. I've looked back over the last three years on my blog and each year at this time, I say the same thing - that I won't set any resolutions and set myself up to fail. That does make sense but tonight I have been questioning whether I have not set any resolutions in recent years so that I do not have to actually keep to them. There are certain things that really do need to be tackled and I keep pussy footing and not grabbing the issue by the balls and dealing with it.

A couple of months ago I posted about my main focus for 2013, that being Operation #RealLifeRocks, I totally standby this and it is my overreaching aim of the year, to live in the now and to cherish what I have in front of me.

I do need some direction but I want to keep it positive and simple, so rather than a list of do-nots.  I'll share with you in pictures what I will be doing in 2013...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most of these I look at and think yes that is achievable I can do that but when it comes to my weight I have a brain block, so I'll leave you with this simple thought and I have to admit it made me cry when I read it -

 'If you believe it .... you can achieve it'. 

I need to start believing...

Books image credit

2012 - A year of highs!

For the last week or so I've been wanting to write a post to pull together this last year and to round it all up. The logical place to start was to look for a resolutions, goals, wishes type post from January gone to see if I achieved what I wanted to. You know what, I could not find one.

There was a post about my weight - isn't there always, and yes again I had vowed to eat less, move more, sleep more and dump some pounds.  But sadly it has not happened, I think I am the same exact weight now as I was at the start of Jan in 2012. So I might as well start this post off with the low point and as far as I can recall this is the only downside from 2012, so I can hardly complain at that, can I?

Right, on with the highs - I'll take you on a month by month tour of what happened in the life of Mummy from the Heart -

January
I moved jobs in Jan and adore my new role.  It offers everything I want from a job and a girl could not ask for a lot more. In the bloggy world I published a post titled Blogging is just like the real world.  This went down well and I read it out at BritMums Live in June as a crowd sourced speaker.

My own little animal at the Muppets preview

February
I hosted my second New Bloggers Fortnight and had some great guest writers, my favourite posts were probably those by Ruth and Clare. Geek Mummy's was the most read by far and I will always feel joyful that Kerry posted here too.

I ended the month asking people what their opinion on blogging awards is and 91 comments later we can sum up that it is completely mixed. Will I put myself through the agony in 2013, who knows?

March
My blog received its much longed for make-over in March and here I am 10 months later and thank the Lord I have not bored of it, so I obviously made the right choice in the design.

It was also the month that I travelled up to London to meet the ONE Campaign and to learn about who they are and what they do, of course I then went on to do great things with them in October.

Paultons Park for a review

April
We took our annual trip to Spring Harvest, the huge Christian festival at Butlins in Minehead. This was an amazing week of family time and worship. Whilst we were there I wrote a post called 'seeing myself through my kids eyes ' and this struck a cord with lots of people.

I also wrote one of my blogs biggest SEO successes.  Not one I would have chosen to write, I revealed my tactics for having dealt with a clothes moth infestation!

May
May seemed to be a month when I wrote about blogging.  I often hear that it is the kiss of death to blog about blogging. Apparently it makes me boring.  Oh well, my stats tell me you like it and people keep coming back.

June
I had a great weekend away with the ladies from my Church, lots of down time and relaxation and then the next weekend I headed off to BritMums Live to spend time with my best bloggy buddies.

July
July marked my girls turning 5 and we headed off to Yorkshire for my first review holiday, it was a great time. On our journey back I got a tweet to say I had been picked to be a Butlins Ambassador in 2013 and then later in July I was asked by the ONE Campaign if I wanted to travel to Ethiopia in October.  I also felt I needed a change of direction with my guest posts on the BritMums blog so the Positively Inspirational round-up was born. It was a VERY good month indeed.

August
I had a lot of down time this month, blogging less and being with my family more.  We stayed in Bournemouth with my parents for a week and enjoyed family, sun, good food and just simple time together.

In general I had the best summer with the kids and will never forget the time we spent together, laughing, singing and playing.

September
This month was all about the mental preparation of getting ready to travel to Ethiopia, the kids went back to school and I worked hard. I also joined in with the debate about Kate Middleton and those topless photos.

October
We went to Legoland for JJ's 9th birthday and shortly after I boarded a plane for the first time in 8 years. My journey to Ethiopia is well documented on this blog and I'll never forget what I saw, heard and learnt there, I have been forever changed.

November
I don't really feel as if my feet touched the ground when I came back from Ethiopia, I was swept away in a need to blog about everything I had experienced and also conscious I needed to get ready for my journey to Belarus in early December. I knocked out a post about blogging (yes again) as I was getting a tad fed up with the newer bloggers keep moaning about things.

Towards the end of November I was honoured to be a part of a group of bloggers who came together for a very public show of prayer and healing for Kerry of Multiple Mummy. Sadly for us and her family, God had plans that Kerry should join Him and she passed away in December. RIP Kerry.

December
Bringing us right up to date, the month started with me travelling to Belarus with Operation Christmas Child. Yet another amazing journey and so different to Ethiopia but equally as rewarding and thought provoking. Upon my return I wrote an expose of what I had seen and heard whilst travelling with this Christian charity. I also published a post on the same subject on the BritMums blog.

2012 has been good, thank the Lord for the wonderful opportunities He has put in my path.  I pray He finds many uses for me in 2013.

Happy New Year readers, thanks so much for keep coming back.  Mich x

Reasons to be Cheerful - God's Promises (week 46)

A bit of a different #R2BC this week people, my overwhelming urge was to share some of God's promises with you. These are the biblical truths that support, encourage and comfort me on a daily basis.  No big words or complex concepts, just simple snippets of God's wisdom. I know many of you who read this are not Christians, but go on take a peek, it won't hurt I promise.

Scripture taken from the New Living Translation of the Bible.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Matthew 11:28-29
Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Proverbs 1:33
But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.

John 14:27
I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Romans 10:9
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Thank you God for all the promises you made to me and to all your children. I am blessed to be saved by God's Grace. My life is truly richer and I am content for being born again.

I love this song, so I thought I'd share -

 

Now it is your turn...

 

Over to you now, what is making you happy/ grateful this week?

Write your post, add in the blog hop code if you fancy and link up. Then go hopping around some blogs and leave some comment love and I'm sure others will do the same.

I have really enjoyed reading the #R2BC posts over the last couple of weeks, it is superb to see so many people looking for the silver lining when things are tough. That rocks my world!

If you leave me a comment, I'll of course come visit you this weekend.

Wishing you a peaceful and fun-filled week.   Mich x