
I have been inspired to try the “Weekly Photo Challenge” by Ishaiyafreshlysqueezed.
As this weeks theme is “Look Down” I thought I could use the photo I took when Sarah & I went up in a hot air balloon and the trees look just like broccoli! 🙂
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“Don’t be afraid of pressure. Pressure is what transforms a lump of coal into a diamond.” ~ Nicky Gumbel
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Is there even any difference between us
Well, put it this way
Pain certainly gives birth to suffering
But is really only a surrogate mother
It’s your baby
Pain says:
You think you don’t like me; I understand
But without me you would be
In all kinds of trouble; I speak truth
And that truth reveals very important facts
So I’m fulfilling my vocation
It’s you that is letting the side down
I say: ‘don’t do that’
Or: ‘that is not a good idea’
You say: ‘Shut up – leave us alone’
And then, further down the line
You look at me and my child
The child you fathered
And hate us – thanks
Suffering says:
I think I should mention
That many people leave me stronger
Than they were when we met
But to be fair, I don’t like my position
It’s true, I am one of Pain’s children
The…
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A huge thanks to all of the kind people on here for inviting me into the WordPress Falimy as their loving brother! 🙂
A message from Shaun, the creator of this award:
“This is an award for everyone who is part of the “WordPress Family” I started this award on the basis that the WordPress family has taken me in, and showed me love and a caring side only WordPress can. The way people take a second to be nice, to answer a question and not make things a competition amazes me here. I know I have been given many awards, but I wanted to leave my own legacy on here by creating my own award, as many have done before. This represents “Family” we never meet, but are there for us as family. It is my honour to start this award. Thank you, Shaun @ http://prayingforoneday.wordpress.com/”
Rules:
Adeline has already listed a few of the people I was going to nominate (you know who you are!) 🙂 So I will continue to add 10 more who have truly made me feel loved, encouraged and part of this amazing WordPress Family.
My nominees
Once again I need about 200 more blogs to nominate! 🙂
📖 Verse 4 2day!
Romans 12:5 (NIV)
so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
I chose two different Christian Hip Hop artists to share with you today.
“Mr. J. Medeiros” & “KB”
These two very powerful songs have amazing lyrics!
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We are definitely a team
You can’t make one of us work
Without the other – so be careful
Truth alone does not make you smart
Truth says:
I certainly am what it says on the tin
And I have no problem
Hitting you where it hurts
It’s correct: Until you get hold of me
You will not be set free
Because I always show you what’s what
But I can be like fire
So don’t dispense me unless you have to
And how do you know that
Well, my friend can help you
Wisdom says:
Like a good wine – I mature with age
And without me you will get into trouble
There are impostors, pretending to be me
But you can spot them a mile off
Always telling you just want you want to hear
I am much more subtle – not always liked
I am very serious…
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God will invade. But I wonder whether people who ask God to interfere openly and directly in our world quite realise what it will be like when He does. When that happens, it is the end of the world. When the author walks onto the stage the play is over. God is going to invade, all right: but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else – something it never entered your head to conceive – comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left? For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing; it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realised it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it. ~ C. S. Lewis
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This video really challenged me to look at the mission field between my own two feet. I hope it will challenge you too to realise that there is such a huge need right on our own door steps or in our own town/city. It helps show that if we really loved these people around us instead of judging the way they look, act or the situations they find themselves in, then we can understand and show the compassion, grace and love of Jesus and help transform lives!
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Description
A couple more shots of my brother-in-law Marshall. 😀
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At our church meeting on sunday morning i was moved by Rebecca West and her talk about the A21 Campaign, and how she is running a 10k run to help raise money and more awareness for this great charity. Rebecca started by playing the video above then told us a little about what she was doing to help.
Rebecca’s message:
Hello, me and two other friends are doing a 10 k run on the 18th of May, called We Own The Night, in London Victoria Park!
We wanted to use this opportunity to raise money for an amazing charity called A21. (More details below)
The charities aim is to abolish sex slavery across the globe and provide medical care, life skills and job training so those that have been effected by slavery.
There are more slaves in the world today than at any other point in human history, with an estimated 27 million in bondage across the globe. Men, women, and children are being exploited for manual and sexual labor against their will.
BUT! we can start with one life and the little amount you can give will release a life of slavery into a life of freedom.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you so much for your support!
Rebecca West
Heres how you can find out more about A21 and donate through Just Giving.
How you can donate on the Just Giving Site
Related post:
Although we walk hand-in-hand
We are not the same thing
Be very careful how you treat us
Freewill says:
I do not care much about anything
I am just here to obey you
I will do whatever you say
And if you don’t speak carefully
Then I will happily destroy your freedom
To myself I seem simple
But you are always struggling
Is there a man among you who can control me
Freedom says:
No-one can understand me
I’m here one minute and gone the next
One false move from freewill
And you won’t see me for a long time
This is sure: you only think about me when I disappear
And you only feel me when you have been held captive
You may not even know what I am
Until it is too late – so tread carefully
App 4 2day! – “FX Photo Studio Pro” for Mac, iPad & iPhone by Macphun
Description from the Mac app store:
Description
Intuitive, inspiring and feature-rich! Here’s what you get:
★ Mind-blowing variety of over 170 photo effects & filters
★ Dozens of photo frames and borders from classic to lomo style
★ PRO image editing tools and color controls
★ Masking with effects and Color splash tool
★ Integration with Aperture, Lightroom, iPhoto, Photoshop
★ Intuitive user interface
★ Sharing via most popular social networks and more
My Thoughts 💭
After more amazing comments on my photos I thought I’d share another fantastic app with you. I use this to edit my photos to get some great effects and frames.
This is another great powerful app that is really easy to use and the interface is so clean.
Please have fun , go check it out!
Also please could you let me know what apps or programs you use and/or like, I am just interested and curious to know how you all get your amazing images! 😀
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‘Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you’re alive, it isn’t.’
Do we cry in vain
Because tears only fall on the lost
Will it feel the same
How will we count the cost
In the next age
When there will be no crying
No more rage
We will have seen the death of dying
When we are there
Will there be people missing
Cause now we share
A fear of weeping
Those tears will not go
Where we will be
They will not flow
On our side of eternity
But now don’t shy away
From shedding tears
Please cry all day
For those who need your prayers
Cry for the lost
Use tears while you have them
Once the line is crossed
You can’t go back again
After i enjoyed playing “Hosanna” on the drums at our church meeting yesterday, it inspired me to share a few songs by one of my favourite worship leaders.
This next song brings me such comfort. So many people believe there isn’t a God or that God wants to punish them in some way so spend their whole lives running, but he just wants to Love you, so just ‘Be Loved’
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Jesus, take inventory of my heart right now. Show me where I love money and the material. I confess that I often want to serve this master. By the power of Your Spirit and the wisdom of Your Word, free me from the master of money so that I can follow You in complete freedom and truth. Amen.
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With all of us now so far lost in our mess
Who can turn things around for us
Who can show us where we have gone wrong
And not get caught up with us in everything we’ve done
Who can free us from the motives that bind us
And the needs that mean we our always out for ourselves
Who can overcome this vindictive world that we’ve made
And create a new Spirit that can be used to cure us all
What would his qualifications be; What CV would do
Let me think just what would be required
He must be innocent; Not just another hypocrite
He must speak the truth; Not just another liar
He must be able to stand the test of time
He must be proved right in all He does
He must not be working for Himself; Not with selfish motives
He must never give in…
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Life is not the fact that we live and breath
But what we do with every breath we have
Life is not a biological condition that means your heart beats
It is something we build when our heart makes choices
When a life chooses error over good, then life itself gets damaged
Those errors cloud the world with terrible consequences
The results of those errors are not just individual evil acts
But binds that are placed around our collective hearts and minds
The more error we choose the more error we contain
And the less we remember about life and the less we like it
The more we choose death over life the more we damage the world
The more we live in this damaged world the more it blinds us
So, how do you change a world intent on destroying itself
How do you find out what that need…
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It is only when we surrender that we are set free
And only while we continue to hold on to what we think we deserve that we give evil a place to live
Holding on = retribution
Letting go = forgiveness
Retribution = More destruction
Foregiveness = Rebuilding
We have all done wrong; and we have all been wronged
We can all seek retribution and continue destroying the world
Or we can all forgive and start building a new one
We can all hold on to the past and see where it gets us
Or we can all let go of the past and take hold of the future
It’s our choice
What can be nailed down
What can be held in place with metal spikes
A body; the body of an ancient Man
God; can you fix God in place with things that He created
A plan; an idea from the Mind that knows everything
A change; a ripple in time that confronts all evil
A future; the future of every human who has ever lived
Captivity; can you nail enslavement to a piece of wood
Lies; can you expose wickedness with a tree and some nails
Life; you can tie-up a person but you cannot tie-up Life
It was in nailing down a Life that life itself was set free
Perfection exposing a broken world to itself
Giving it the chance to see what it truly has become
Allowing it to be released; that is if it wants to be
Have you been set free; or have you not yet…
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You put yourself
So high on that wall
The only way down
Was to have great fall
All the kings horses
And all the kings men
They ran away when they saw
The state you were in
But they’re not the ones
Who rule in this place
There is One greater
Who’s power is His grace
So if you’re there thinking
Your life fell apart
Just remember this, friend
That’s how it all starts
Just one King
No horses, no men
He’ll put you back
Together again
Now check out the excellent song “Children of the Light”
More Video Testimonies:
I took my ‘no way’
Put it on ebay
Sold it to yesterday
Now who can say
Not today
With nonsense at bay
I am no longer prey
To the one who would slay
I will walk in the Way
Went to tomorrow
So that I could borrow
Things that cast a shadow
On today and bring sorrow
Killed them with an arrow
Reduced them to zero
Now I can’t wallow
In all that was shallow
Enabled to follow a life with that Hero
So now it’s today
This is where I will stay
No longer to stray
Into things that are grey
Yesterday is where my mind will no longer play
And tomorrow will no more cause me to sway
Cause, come what may
I know I will lay
A good path – when I walk in the Excellent Way

Be loyal in what you say about those who are absent and you will build the trust of those who are present. ~ Nicky Gumbel
Now – Let me give you some proper wisdom
Any ‘Life’ that you have managed to birth
You keep locked up – closely guarded by your fear of losing your wealth
And your need for control – because trust can’t live in this atmosphere
Your mutated feelings are binding you tightly
So, even if you want to change you can’t
You must first kill your love of money
Treat any desire for wealth with contempt
And trust the way of purity
Then you will start to hear me
As you are, millions die
Because your invisble cravings are so powerful
Your passion for money and false attention hold me prisoner
And don’t let me become what I was designed all along to be
I don’t want to remain out of reach
Listen to this: The only good reality is created between you
Relationships; experiences shared with clean and selfless motives
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Description
Some more photos from my animals collection.
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Description
This photo of dearly missed Bruce was taken in January 2005 on my Samsung D600 mobile phone before I had any compact or DSLR cameras. I have just stumbled upon this image and didn’t even know I had it (thanks Time Machine backups) 🙂
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You can’t change the past, but you can spoil the present, by worrying about the future. ~ Nicky Gumbel
💬 Another Quote 4 2day
Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a centre of fear. Corrie Ten Boom
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Listen to me
You humans are all the same
So good at blaming others
For your self-imposed deafness
You deliberately hold yourselves back
I am your friend
Do you know how loudly
I am shouting at you
You don’t hear because
You have filled you ears with money
I only keep this name
Because you continually fail to learn
I was born to change
Hindsight was designed to become wisdom
And that would change the world
Something went wrong
In the invisible realm that surrounds you
Progress got divided
Technology advances
While relationships remain out of control
Along the way your feelings have mutated
Taken control of you
Overpowered you and tied-up your logic
Now, you have little idea about life
I am completely ignored
You choose the easy life
Obeying every whim you have
Like a dog
Who will eat until he makes himself sick
That is the cowards…
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Hindsight, I know that you are my good friend
But I don’t like the way you treat me
Always showing up late
With that ‘what did you do that for’ look
Splashed all over your face
I know I need you
I see – using you – that it is your job
To help teach me; teach everyone
About what is right and wrong
And how to change
I am just puzzled
About our relationship
You’re always there
But only after I needed you
Am I not treating you properly
Personally, I would like to keep you around
Perhaps you would stay
Or does my stubbornness keep you away
I know there’s something coming between us
Am I too hard-hearted to ask you to join me
So tell me – what do I need to do
To persuade you to stick around
Be onsite before I slip up
Then you…
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💬 Quote 4 2day
|
“Don’t compare yourself with others. God made YOU. God loves YOU. No one can do a better job of being you than YOU” |
Now I look back
I can easily see the deception
The feelings that were driving me have left
Gone to trouble someone else
Leaving me to see you for what you are
You’re handsome – that’s your disguise
Evil is written on your face in beauty
What kind of place is this
Beauty, who turned you into a liar?
Now you’ve corrupted the whole world
Well, at least I have changed
I see your reality
Through my Truth tinted spectacles
You put me through so much
I can’t believe I fell for you
Wisdom – where were you when I needed help
You left me; I was conned by my own heart
Tell me hindsight, where were you
Remaining cruelly in the future
I have some words for you

I can’t believe this, but I have been nominated for another award ~ The Super Sweet Blogging Award. I’d like to say a huge thanks to Kristy who is an inspiring and encouraging fellow blogger at Family, Friends and Everything in Between. Please go and check out her blog and spread the love.
Rules for this award:
Time for the 5 sweet questions:
My 12 super sweet nominees:
As usual I would like to nominate so many more super sweet bloggers!

Description
A photo of one of my wife’s favourite dogs. I think its because you get a handbag with it! lol 😀
This was the first ever macro shot I took with my Big Nikon.
Camera used ~ Nikon D2Xs
See also:
Check out the ~ Radley Handbag Website
💬 Quote 4 2day
Just because you can’t see the air, doesn’t mean you stop breathing. And just because you can’t see God, doesn’t mean you stop believing. ~ Nicky Gumbel
As my lovely wife Sarah lives with type 1 diabetes and has an insolin pump, i am keen to learn and share anything about people who also live with this 24/7! 🙂
Some would consider me a newbie blogger but I can say it is something I am truly passionate about. Recently, while searching the internet for other diabetic bloggers, I discovered that there was a (fourth annual) Diabetes Blog Week. This link here (BitterSweetDiabetes) is where you can find the signups and all the information you need about participating. I’m very excited about this whole thing because 1) I love writing/blogging and 2) the topics are diabetes related..and I know all about that. 🙂 With that said I thought I would share in case some of you that blog about diabetes would also like to take part in this. It hasn’t started just yet, signups are today, and the week starts on the 13th.
I am a huge advocate of anything that gets people talking/learning/sharing about this disease.
I am looking forward to reading new blogs. There…
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Description
On my recent Sunshine Award post, I answered the following question:
Q. What is your favourite pattern’
A.’Macassar Ebony’
I thought afterwards that maybe some people would knot know about this stunning exotic wood that is sometimes used to make acoustic guitars. So I thought I would take some photos of my Taylor custom acoustic guitar.
I feel so blessed to own this guitar and be ably to play my chords for the Lord on such a beautiful instrument
Read more about Macassar Ebony
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Now my addiction has moved on from the prior; no longer in denial
Still with life altering habits but not faltering; no longer a buyer
Untangling the barbed wire, I found something higher
Before the consequences were dire but now – like Friar Tuck I’m in simple attire
I was preoccupied with an immediate gratifier
A modifier of truth – so I would perspire, call my supplier
Surrender my entire mind to a filthy liar
His words seemed to inspire me – but all they brought was fire
My feelings were twisted; used like pliers to remove my hearts desires
I got life-jacked by a beast; I was an occupier
Of a broken mind; my freedom was for hire
I had admired evil but now I know his style
On that road my wisdom got a flat tyre
Set to expire; I was a fake like Mrs Doubtfire
But I…
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Who Am I?
I am a Christian – I thought I always was but my behaviour certainly didn’t say so. Maybe I am the opposite of one of the people John talks about in 1 John 2:19:
“They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.”
I was outside and refusing to come in for some reason, probably because I thought I was already there. Anyway, I am in now and I’m staying so I guess that means I always belonged!
I am also a husband and a father. I have a son from a previous relationship (the best son you could ever wish for) and a step-son (also amazing). I am a Street Pastor in the UK. I am a member…
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How could I have got here; been tricked
Punched and kicked – now I feel sick
Why didn’t you tell me that you would take me
Twist me and make me do things that would break me
You said ‘this is good’; not that you would hold me
Grip me and mould me, secretly building the power to fold me
Now where do I go; is there still life to find
How do I think when you’ve stolen my mind
I’m lost – but the road was well marked
The signs they lied, saying ‘this is the way’ but now it’s so dark
There is no light here, just thickest emptiness
Is anything left for me; I couldn’t have less
I can’t leave you; a battered wife
I need you – but you’re killing my life
Somehow we’re connected; your evil in my soul
You have infected my spirit and…
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Description
A few of the beautiful animals at our local zoo.
The cool thing is I had no idea they were looking at me until I got home and zoomed right into the images! 😀
Camera Used ~ SONY Alpha a100
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💬 Quote 4 2day
Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary use words!
Someone new
You meet – exchange some words
There’s nothing wrong
No sense of danger
You talk without thinking
Conversation flows
Before long friendship lives
Deep inside, unseen, unnoticed, things are connecting
Soon you are comfortable
Still unaware
You are happy, or
Still tidy; you hair has been brushed
Now a new thought has spoken
Things are ok, aren’t they?
This friend is to taking you
To places you’re not sure you like
It starts moving faster
Or has it been gradual all along
You’re so angry
But you don’t seem to care
You were only doing what you wanted
Isn’t liberty a good thing
You know you have been deceived
Has your freedom killed itself
💬 Quote 4 2day
“Grace is given to heal the spiritually sick, not to decorate spiritual heroes.” –Martin Luther
Tell me
How much sex do you need
Until you have enough
So you can hear its voice saying
I won’t fulfil your life
Tell me
How much pain do you need
Until you have enough
So you can hear its voice saying
Something is wrong here
Tell me
How much money do you need
Until you have enough
So you can hear its voice saying
I don’t love you
Tell me
How much proof do you need
Until you have enough
So you can hear its voice saying
There must be another Way

Description
While on holiday last year in Hunstanton, Norfolk I kept hearing a fat american V8 driving around the town, and one day it was parked up so I could snap it with my camera!
My friends dad always had american cars and vans and I’ve enjoyed them for most of my life, so I was excited when I could finally put a picture to that beautiful sound.
Camera Used ~ iPhone 4s
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💬 Quote From My About Page by Broken Halo
Steve, what an amazing testimony you have! I am so thankful that when the world took sight from you God gave you a new vision and perspective. What a blessing that God graced your life with a love in Sarah when your life was at its darkest…I pray that God continues to bless you both…. ~*~
My Thoughts 💭
After receiving this lovely comment on my About page from Broken Halo, it convicted me to write about the recent spiritual attack I have been battling with.
A couple of people have said to me that if I just had more faith or if I believed just a little more then God would heal my Sight!
The God I love and believe in is awesome and bigger than I can imagine, so I know he can heal anyone or anything if it is his will.
In the amazing book “Where is God when it hurts” by Phillip Yancey, I’ve read how destructive and poisonous peoples comments can be, it makes me wonder what they think about people like the truly inspiring and faith filled follower Joni Eareckson Tada?
Would they say f she just had more faith would she not be disabled and her amazing ministry Joni and Friends that helps transform lives and bring so many into the kingdom of God not even exist??
Can anyone please help me clarify?
All I know is, if God didn’t arrest me from my old life where I spent every day abusing my eyes with all kinds of wrong things,then I would never have had a relationship with him, never have found such a loving wife, never have this blog to hopefully inspire people, I would be another wasted lost soul.
The eyes of my heart are truly open and I’ve never seen so clearly since I’ve been blind, and if God thinks our relationship could be improved by having the sight that veiled me for so long, i’m sure he would give it me.
I know the apostle Paul talked about the thorn he lived with that God would not take away as it was for his own benifit that he didn’t receive healing.
I would love to hear your opinions on this!

Yesterday Sarah & I attended an RNIB supporter Reception at the Ageas Bowl in Hedge End. (image above taken using the panorama option on my iPhone 4s)
As part of Sarah’s work as a legacy marketing officer at RNIB and editor of Outlook Magazine, she gets the chance to attend some of RNIB’s supporter receptions, held all across the UK at some amazing locations. She interviews people, finds case studies and learns more about the ever changing new technologies and services that RNIB provides to help transform the lives of blind and partially sighted people and offer them a brighter future to look forwards to. On a personal level we also like to speak with the people to inspire them and more importantly, for me, break their misconceptions of what a blind person should look and act like. (as a blind photographer I often inspire a range of questions which I am happy to answer)




One of my memorable moments was when John walked to the front and said:
Today and everyday in the Uk alone 100 people will be told by specialists that they will lose or have lost their sight and there is nothing that can be done. Yet 80% of those 100 people could have avoided it, see Spot The Signs
The reception ended with this moving video.
It was a great day and we always learn so much, meet some lovely people and leave feeling well informed on all of the amazing services and work that go on behind the scenes to help blind and partially sighted people have a brighter future!
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