I say this sitting amidst boxes, bags, and clutter in every area of the flat.  It is amazing how much ‘stuff’ one can accumulate, even for one who detests clutter and tends to throw out anything remotely underused.  I moved to London 5 years ago with all my worldly belongings filling one car, I leave with them filling a moving van!

And of course it causes me to wonder – am I carrying any baggage in my personal or emotional life which needs to be cleaned out?

Bitterness festers whilst forgiveness frees; one clutters the other cleans.

Today make a choice to forgive – again, if necessary.

Then go a step further, and bless the one who has hurt you.

Feeling your words are true is not necessary; simply let the words be true.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32

Picture courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“If you run to the top of the hill, you can have a jelly bean…..and if you are really good, I’ll let you have two!”

No, I was not conversing with a three year old; I was chatting to myself.

Currently I am training for the London Marathon, which happens 22 April this year.  Never in a million years did I think running a marathon would be one small line in my life portfolio, but there you go – life is always filled with twists and turns.

And hills.

I have been told that hills are great training tools for runners.

Yeah, whatever.

Personally I’ll take FLAT any step of my run!  Yet an upcoming move to Sheffield, which incidentally has no flat land within 500 miles of the city, has forced me to accept what once was perpetually avoided….I will have to run hills.

So, back to the jelly bean challenge.  The location is Hyde Park, I’ve now been running for approximately 2 1/2 hours, and in front of me is a hill.

Okay, incline.

My flesh would prefer to walk, enjoy the view, relax a bit, swim in the Serpentine, anything except continue running toward the upward slope of pavement taunting my weakness.

And then I remembered the jelly beans passing time together in my side pocket.  They had spent approximately 150 minutes waiting for their big moment.  And this was it.  If I was going to run to the top of the hill incline, I needed the reward of the bean.  And it worked.  I ran, I pushed, I glistened (the girl version of sweat), and through clenched teeth – I overcame the incline.  And yes, enjoyed two jelly beans.

Thought to Ponder:

What inspires you to push further than you want to go?

The jelly bean taught me there was more potential inside me than I realised.

And that often the only requirement needed to set free hidden greatness, is one small incentive.

The size of a bean…..or even smaller…..

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“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:20

Picture courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It’s not about me.

I know that may come as a shock to some of you (okay, none of you), but on days it is still a shock to… moi.

Ideally I’d love the world to revolve around me.  Beginning early morning with a Starbucks (Grande Soya Latte with two shots of Irish Crème syrup please) delivered to my door as I’m having my quiet time.

Tragically… not going to happen.

I’m a selfish girl and I know it.  And I’m praying about it.  And I’m endeavouring to change.

Yet after 25 (uh…plus) years — I still struggle.

I just read a brilliant e-book by Jeff Goins called Every Writer’s Dream, which I would highly recommend any writer/communicator/leader/dreamer to purchase and read. Though its focus is on writing, the principles extend beyond that.

Such as:  It’s not about you. 

It’s about offering something to someone else, leaving them in a better place because of meeting you.

Ironically, when Jeff started giving things away rather than looking to receive, things changed.  And once his perspective changed, his prospects changed.

It’s also about passion – passion for what you are called to do, whether that is writing, speaking, caring, creating, leading, or administrating.  Rediscover the passion that lies behind the why.  And if the passion has gone AWOL, 2012 is the perfect year to change that.

Because no, it isn’t about you; but yes, it is about you.  It is about you fulfilling your purpose to its fullest, so you can leave the mark you were created to make.

And in reality that is called wisdom, not selfishness.

Thoughts to Ponder:

In what area are you most selfish? (time, family, work, habits, friends)

Who is most affected when this selfishness kicks in?

How can you be generous in this area – on purpose?

cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by justusbluemer

It probably doesn’t sound that exciting to the average person, but to me I felt like I’d won the lotto. Excitedly I opened the box upon returning home, only to discover there were no directions inside.  No problem, I have a University degree – I can do this.

Following a few failed attempts I managed to get the parts where they fit together, proudly sitting Mr. Juicer on the counter.

A few days later, new oranges in hand – I set out to juice.

One thing the anonymous owner failed to mention — when juicing, the juice goes everywhere!! (Could it be this is why they were giving it away?!)   The side of my fridge has been painted orange from the spray and I’m now taking out stock in kitchen roll.  ‘Oh well’, I thought, ‘at least I have fresh juice every day –it’s the price one pays to be healthy!’

And then…..it happened.  One average Tuesday morning as I was assembling said Juicer it seemed to fit differently than normal. I thought to myself, ‘that’s odd…it fits better when assembled incorrectly than it does the way I normally do it’

(No, for the record I am not blonde. I am – em – strawberry blonde)

Just for fun I decided to try and juice the oranges with it assembled ‘incorrectly’.  A miracle.  No longer did it spurt orange juice over anything within 10 feet of it, it also actually separated the pulp from the juice and put it in a separate container (I had been wondering why there were two containers–both for juice…)  Strawberry….um yeah, blonde.

Risking change opens the door to realms of new possibilities.

2012 IS A YEAR OF CHANGE, whether we want it to be or not.

Change will happen.  And if we refuse to change with it, we will find ourselves stuck in a grave which masquerades as a rut.

What are three key principles for navigating this change successfully?

1. Know God
2. Obey His promptings
3. Hold On!

Which one is for you this month?

cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by Kaipullai(கைப்புள்ள)

Finding ourselves repeatedly saying we are bored (in life or with life) indicates it is time to look at our relationship with God and ask Him if we are fully walking out the purpose He has planned for us at this time.  I’m not suggesting life has to be one continual surge of enthusiasm and adrenaline as I realise there are some seasons, such as raising young children, when the most exciting thing to happen that day is a dry nappy (diaper)!

But our lives are ones of purpose and because of that even the mundane seasons carry the taste of destiny.  Once His ministry life began Jesus took times of rest, but I personally do not believe He was ever bored.  Not the least because He had the small task of saving the entire world on His plate!  Also, He never chose to look after His own needs when He knew it was time to give to the needs of others.  The perfect example is when He arrived onshore to see multitudes approaching Him for ministry (Matthew 14:14).  He had retreated by Himself to a boat after hearing the news his cousin, John the Baptist, had been beheaded.  Personal grief vs. pastoring sheep – He chose sheep.  Yes, there were other times He left the multitudes to go off and pray by Himself, but that was not based on His right…. it simply was right, for that moment.

Apathy creeps up on us once we believe we ‘deserve’ something.  I deserve a rest, I deserve time away…I deserve a break today!  Do we need rest?  YES!  Can we trust God to give us those times of rest when He knows we need it?  Yes.

Many Christians either work to the point of exhaustion tainted by a self righteous show of dedication or they slide toward the brink of laziness clothed with a self protective desire for comfort.  I have been guilty of both.

And what I am learning is that the ‘unforced rhythm of grace’ (Matthew 11:28-30 – Message Bible) lives within the seasons and pace God has ordained for that day, and that hour…and even that moment.

And that rhythm never grows dull.

To Consider….

Which side do you find yourself most frequenting – apathy/boredom or stress/exhaustion?

What is one thing which could change for you to truly let God run your schedule?

Father, I pray you help all of us work and live within the rhythm You have ordained for us this day.  Help us not to work out of a false sense of pride nor let us become complacent out of a false sense of solitude. But let us trust You to lead us – changing this world with passion and power –all from a place of peace. Amen.

So as I was running in sub zero (literally!) temps listening to music, the only sound I actually heard was this blunder playing repeatedly in my mind.

After enough distance had passed that my fingers were finally beginning to thaw, I decided to create a blunder box –an imaginary box whose sole purpose in life was to hold my blunders (yes, it is quite large actually, thanks for asking).

Sigh…

So, once it was filed I wouldn’t allow myself to dwell on it any longer!  What was done was done, I could not change it, and dwelling on it was not going to bring the text back or change the outcome.

Makin’ it Personal:

Are there any blunders you have been harbouring which need to be thrown into your own blunder box? 

Beating ourselves up for mistakes does not help anyone, and instead gives the enemy room to add condemnation to the blend of self criticism, regret, and hurt.  Don’t allow this!  Get the blunder in the box and move on!

I enjoyed the rest of my run far more once the box had been opened, the deposit made, and the box closed.  And so will you.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Phil 4:6-7

Questions to Ponder

When have you allowed a mistake to steal your peace and joy far beyond the apology?

Are there any blunders you have made recently which need to be made right?

When God forgives, He forgives.  So if you have confessed, receive His forgiveness and then live as if He loves you and accepts you.   Because He does….and He will.

I have enormous respect for the Metropolitan Police and having the opportunity to hear their hearts for service, see them caring about their jobs, and listening to the difficulties they face on a regular basis has only increased my admiration of all they do.

In the past few months I have had opportunity to pray with some of the officers, pray within the building, witness the love of Christ on several occasions, meet with one officer for a few hours in a ‘counselling’ capacity, and have been invited to take part in a Diversity board at the Station. I also am beginning to build relationships with those officers working directly within the anti-trafficking field, which I think will be important as I move forward in my new role with City Hearts.

It is only a two hour commute from Sheffield to London, so I am hoping my volunteer role can continue with at least a few visits per month.

Your financial support would, amongst other things, help make possible the ability for me to travel back and forth, keeping this connection active and developing.  You can go to the Donation page here http://www.jenbaker.co.uk/support/ for more information.

Thank you for helping make a difference in the lives of the hurting; in the heart of the Police force; and in the lives of everyday people through this ministry!

cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by HHA124L

As many of you know, I finished my pastoral position at Westminster Community Church the end of December and have been waiting for God to reveal the next step.

As of last month I believed that was to move forward with CGI (Christian Growth International) and align my ministry with them.  Many of you know I didn’t have peace about moving to Chelmsford, but I valued the relationships with CGI.  Well, finally I am getting clarity!

October 2011 I was invited to attend an Anti-Slavery Day Celebration at 10 Downing Street.  Being there challenged me once again of the unique privilege we have to bring the Kingdom of God to earth and to be a voice for justice wherever we go.  It made me think ‘what am I personally doing, and is it enough’?  Some of us will be called to work locally fighting for justice; others will be called to work on a national or international level.  It isn’t where we impact, it is that we impact which matters most. 

It was an honour to be invited, and I felt at the time there was more to it than just the invitation.  It seems that was correct!

While there I met Jenny Gilpin (see picture) who, along with her husband Dave, pastors Hope City Church in Sheffield.  They also founded City Hearts, which has two Safe Houses for those who have been trafficked, plus a Recovery House which is a residential program for women overcoming serious life issues such as drug abuse, unplanned pregnancies, depression, and eating disorders.

Three days before I was due to finalise with CGI, Jenny phoned me out of the blue offering me a part-time job as Director over City Hearts UK.  Not only would I oversee the program, but it would also provide opportunity to attend monthly meetings in London with the Home Office and other agencies, focusing on the anti-trafficking issue.

I will also be part of their preaching team and still have the freedom to itinerate on the weekends and develop my own ministry.  It’s a win/win all around!

You can find out more about City Hearts and the church at http://www.hopecitychurch.tv/community/city-hearts.

I spoke to Bev Murrill from CGI and they also believed this was God.  My relationship with them will still continue, but my ministry will now be aligned with Hope City Church in Sheffield where I’ll be based.

I believe a key part of this new season of ministry will be as a ‘voice to the voiceless’ – making known the atrocities of trafficking and speaking up for those whose voices have been silenced.  Thank you for your support which helps make this happen!

A few days ago I found an illustration I read about a year ago.  It simply said:

In modern life we are losing the ability to be brief. For example,

the Lord’s Prayer consists of 56 words

the Ten Commandments – 297 words

The US Declaration of Independence – 1300 words

The EU Convention on the importation of caramel – 26, 911 words

Who knew importing caramel could be so difficult?!

Whilst there is some discrepancy on the exact number of words in the above documents, the point is clear: the most powerful is often the most simple.

Proverbs 18:21 says “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Maybe today focus more on those fewer words which hold great meaning (I love you, I’m sorry, You matter, Well done….) as opposed to a plethora of words which hold great opinion.

Selah.

There’s not much to say now of course; when this is an actual article there will be more interesting bits and pieces to include I’m sure. So really I’m just waffling now to show what this page will look like.

Here is some random text often found on website’s currently in development:

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And this is a picture of a funny cat…