December 3, 2013 
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2 years ago today we said goodbye to Bruce (Furry Angel). We still miss him, his character & his ability to love at all times! We also miss his squeaky toys at Christmas too! 🙂
Genesis 9:12 (NIV)
And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:
December 3, 2013 1 Comment
A spirit of thankfulness is one of the most distinctive marks of a Christian whose heart is attuned to the Lord. Thank God in the midst of trials and every persecution.
Billy Graham
December 2, 2013 15 Comments
Hi, sorry it’s been a little over two week since the last update, but we’ve been waiting for this mornings appointment before we could bring you more news.
Sarah’s had a few complications in the last couple of weeks, so we’ve been back and forward to the hospital to try and narrow down whats causing them. Sarah’s cornea developed a scratch and an infection which was causing her a lot of pain and irritation. (understatement!) They first gave her more eye drops and said to come back in a couple of days.
We returned with more irritation, sleep depravation (the pain has been keeping Sarah awake) and Sarah’s eyesight had become very poor, Sarah said “it’s like trying to look through a frosted glass window”. Another doctor said that Sarah maybe allergic to the preservatives in the eye drops, and prescribed “preservative free” eye drops. We then had to wait 10 day’s before this mornings appointment.
The doctor said that he could see no sign of infection, and the scratch had healed and disappeared. Yay! But the reason that the eye is healing so slowly and continues to be very sensitive is the Diabetes. The nuropathy is slowing the healing, making the eye feel like it’s about to burst and maintaing the extremely itchy painful irritation that’s driving Sarah crazy, which, is making her really fed up. 😦
We have another appointment in two weeks time and i’ll keep you lovely friends updated. Sarah was really hoping to be back at work this week and is trying her best not to feel too inpatient!
We both thank you all so much for the love, kindness, prayers and support as you journey through this with us. Can’t thank you enough! 🙂
See also:
December 1, 2013 0 Comments
Why Christmas?
Because God loves you so much that He gave His one and only Son, sending Him into the world as a poor baby so that He could show you how to live.
Even more than that,
that He might be your life. He lived perfectly, died a grizzly death, shed His blood so that your sins might be removed, so that you will not perish, but spend forever with Him.
Have you received this gift?
December 1, 2013 9 Comments
“The spirit of Christmas needs to be superseded by the Spirit of Christ. The spirit of Christmas is annual; the Spirit of Christ is eternal. The spirit of Christmas is sentimental; the Spirit of Christ is supernatural. The spirit of Christmas is a human product; the Spirit of Christ is a divine person. That makes all the difference in the world.”
Stuart Briscoe
November 29, 2013 5 Comments
Genesis 3:4-5 The Voice
Serpent: Die? No, you’ll not die. God is playing games with you. 5 The truth is that God knows the day you eat the fruit from that tree you will awaken something powerful in you and become like Him: possessing knowledge of both good and evil.
My Thoughts 💭
Do you hear the whispers thet are making you feel like your missing out on something, you need more to be finally fulfilled, telling you that you need the latest …………(fill in the blank with any worldly/created item) to be satisfied?!
It’s a LIE, and we still fall for it everyday!
2 Peter 1:3-4 The Voice
His divine power has given us everything we need to experience life and to reflect God’s true nature through the knowledge of the One who called us by His glory and virtue. Through these things, we have received God’s great and valuable promises, so we might escape the corruption of worldly desires and share in the divine nature.
God took the first step to rescue us from this corrupt world. He has granted us His power, revealed to us true knowledge, and spoken to us great promises. He has done all this for a reason: that we might participate in His own nature and reflect His own life. But we are not passive observers of God’s saving actions. We must receive His grace, grow in knowledge, and join Him in this work of redemption.
Listen out for the LIE, then, remember we have everything we need in Jesus!
November 29, 2013 0 Comments
Be generous with encouragement. It is verbal sunshine. It costs nothing and it warms hearts.
November 28, 2013 10 Comments
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 The Voice
Celebrate always, pray constantly, and give thanks to God no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. (This is God’s will for all of you in Jesus the Anointed.)
November 27, 2013 0 Comments
Each one of us is God’s special work of art. Through us, He teaches and inspires, delights and encourages, informs and uplifts all those who view our lives. God, the master artist, is most concerned about expressing Himself- His thoughts and His intentions- through what He paints in our character; He wants to paint a beautiful portrait of His Son in and through your life. A painting like no other in all of time.
Joni Eareckson Tada
November 27, 2013 6 Comments
Father, I want to show the kindness of Your heart today. Please show me who I can help and in what way. I want my words and deeds to convey Your love. Amen.
November 26, 2013 4 Comments
Sheep need a shepherd to lead them to green pastures. Without his/her assistance, these animals will stay in the same area and eat the grass down to the roots. In a short period of time, a lush, green pasture becomes a dust bowl.
Perhaps this is why Psalm 23 says, “He makes me lie down in green pastureS.”
See the plural?
This leads to the question:
Where do you, as one of God’s “sheep,” feed?
Do you only eat in one pasture…the one in your church?
Or do you “graze” in other locations as well?
I am not suggesting “church hopping,” but if we are to receive a balanced diet, we need to be fed in more than one location…from more than one source.
Podcasts are a wonderful way to do this during the week. I listen to several preachers, myself: our own J. S. Park, Louie…
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November 26, 2013 5 Comments
“Tell us about the favorite dish or food that you simply cannot turn down.”
My Thoughts 💭
My number one “simply can’t turn down” is a Lamb Doner Kebab on a naan bread. I don’t have a photo of one so i posted my 2nd fave, Chips!!!
November 26, 2013 3 Comments
We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.
C. S. Lewis
November 26, 2013 1 Comment
Please check out Nick Estrada’s music, an amazing talent!
A few month’s ago, I read this in UCB*
‘Tenacity is the hallmark of all successful people. They keep trying, keep learning and keep moving forward. They win the battle in their minds and then it
overflows into what they do’.
It wasn’t too long ago when I wrote my post ‘Write Your Dream but Don’t Kill the Creativity‘ in which I expressed my thoughts on the writer’s paradox of wanting to keep the dream alive by writing a book for publication (which is my dream) but at the same time not letting our creativity fall by the way-side.
As an another example of this, I wrote about my son’s experience of pursuing his dream of writing, recording and performing his own music but how studying a professional musicianship degree killed his creativity and his dream.
Almost. For a time.
Over the next few years he continued…
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November 25, 2013 4 Comments
Romans 12:1-2 The Voice
Brothers and sisters, in light of all I have shared with you about God’s mercies, I urge you to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God, a sacred offering that brings Him pleasure; this is your reasonable, essential worship. Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete.
Paul urges those who read and hear his letter to respond to the good news by offering their bodies—eyes, ears, mouths, hands, feet—to God as a “living sacrifice.” Paul knows well enough that sacrifices end in death, not life. But the sacrifice of Jesus changes everything. His resurrection steals life from death and makes it possible for those who trust in Him to become a sacrifice and yet live. But how do we live? We do not live as before, wrapping ourselves in the world and its bankrupt values. We live in constant renewal and transformation of our minds.
November 25, 2013 14 Comments
Father, empower me and motivate me with Your love. Give me a sincere heart for those who are bound for a Godless eternity. Equip me and make me willing to allow You to use me to destroy myths and share the truth about Your love with any and all people that You place in my path. Amen.
November 25, 2013 4 Comments
Study the word of God daily. You will sense Him speaking to you directly – refreshing your heart, feeding your mind and changing your life.
November 23, 2013 6 Comments
Luke 6:44-46 The Voice
You can know a tree by the fruit it bears. You don’t find figs on a thorn bush, and you can’t pick grapes from a briar bush. It’s the same with people. A person full of goodness in his heart produces good things; a person with an evil reservoir in his heart pours out evil things. The heart overflows in the words a person speaks; your words reveal what’s within your heart.
What good is it to mouth the words, “Lord! Lord!” if you don’t live by My teachings?
November 23, 2013 5 Comments
The foolish person seeks happiness in the distance; the wise person grows it under his feet.
James Oppenheim
November 23, 2013 15 Comments
On the table side by side,
The Holy Bible and the TV Guide.
One is well worn and cherished with pride,
No, not the Bible, the TV Guide.
One is used daily to help folks decide,
No it isn’t the Bible it’s the TV Guide.
As the pages are turned what shall they see?
Oh, it doesn’t matter, just turn on the TV!
And so they open the book in which they confide,
Not the Bible the TV Guide!
The word of God is seldom read;
Well, maybe a verse e’er they fall into bed.
Exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be,
Not from reading the Bible but watching TV.
So back to the table side by side,
The Holy Bible and the TV Guide.
One is cherished and well worn with pride,
Not the Bible, the TV Guide!
The plan of salvation is seldom heard,
(Nor the love of God, or encouraging words,)
Forgiveness of sin so full and free
Is found in the Bible not on TV!!
I heard Jarrod Cooper (Days of wonder) read this poem on UCB UK
November 22, 2013 3 Comments
John 3:16-21 The Voice
For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life. Here’s the point. God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a world headed toward certain destruction.
No one who believes in Him has to fear condemnation, yet condemnation is already the reality for everyone who refuses to believe because they reject the name of the only Son of God. Why does God allow for judgment and condemnation? Because the Light, sent from God, pierced through the world’s darkness to expose ill motives, hatred, gossip, greed, violence, and the like. Still some people preferred the darkness over the light because their actions were dark. Some of humankind hated the light. They scampered hurriedly back into the darkness where vices thrive and wickedness flourishes. Those who abandon deceit and embrace what is true, they will enter into the light where it will be clear that all their deeds come from God.
Jesus makes the point clear: stay connected to Him, and have no reason to fear. Jesus doesn’t mean that at the instant someone has faith, fear simply vanishes or only good things happen in that person’s life. In fact, the blessings that come with eternal life often have nothing to do with present or future circumstances, but they have everything to do with the individual’s connections to God and others. That is John’s message to his listeners. God came to earth embodied in flesh, and then He reached His greatest acclaim through a torturous death. If this is all true, then believers will find strength and beauty in places never imagined. Abiding in Jesus the Anointed is the good life, regardless of the external circumstances.
November 21, 2013 9 Comments
Those who put themselves in His hands will become perfect, as He is perfect- perfect in love, wisdom, joy, beauty, health, and immortality. The change will not be completed in this life, for death is an important part of the treatment. How far the change will have gone before death in any particular Christian is uncertain.
C. S. Lewis
November 21, 2013 0 Comments
Please join me in prayer for a blogging friend. 🙂
Never in my life have I considered myself a victim. Although by anyone’s perspective, I suppose I would be justified in doing so. The victim of child abuse at the hands of my father, the victim of a few nasty car accidents, the victim of a rare eye disease robbing me of my sight, the victim of a vicious dog attack 8 months ago. But I’m NOT a victim. I’m a visually impaired triathlete dammit! I’m strong, determined and full of purpose to be the best Amy I can be and fight hard for my friends in need and those that can’t fight for themselves. I’m not a survivor, but a THRIVER.
So you can imagine my shock upon waking up from a nightmare reliving this dog attack last night. I tossed and turned and kept hearing my own screams while desperately reaching out for my guide dog to…
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November 21, 2013 2 Comments
Psalm 15 The Voice
A recurring theme in the psalms is the dwelling place of God and its importance in worship. This Davidic psalm considers the moral qualities of the person who wishes to approach God.
Eternal One, who is invited to stay in Your dwelling? Who is granted passage to Your holy mountain?
Here is the answer: The one who lives with integrity, does what is right, and speaks honestly with truth from the heart. The one who doesn’t speak evil against others or wrong his neighbour, or slander his friends. The one who loathes the loathsome, honours those who fear the Eternal, And keeps all promises no matter the cost. The one who does not lend money with gain in mind and cannot be bought to harm an innocent name.
If you live this way, you will not be shaken and will live together with the Lord.
November 19, 2013 11 Comments
share a photo which means LAYERS to you!
My Thoughts 💭
I took this photo of brother Ben’s dog ‘Lissie’ a few month before she sadly died. When I saw this weeks challenge was “Layers” i immidiatley thought of Lissie and her layers of fur.
More of my Weekly Photo Challenges
November 19, 2013 0 Comments
I love the bass line on the song!! 😀
November 19, 2013 8 Comments
Father, I don’t want to be conformed to the erroneous thinking of the world. Renew my mind, transform me according to what is true about my TRUE identity and my new self. Amen.
November 18, 2013 7 Comments
November 16, 2013 1 Comment
If you are a stranger to prayer, you are a stranger to the greatest source of power known to human beings.
Billy Sunday
November 16, 2013 18 Comments
First i have to thank all of you amazing loving people for the show of extravagant love to me and Sarah. We’ve been simply overwhelmed with your prayers, kindness and love through this journey.
The Plan…
The plan was set. Go to the chemist to get pain killers (Sarah is not allowed d to leave the house for a few days), nip into the doctors to sort out a sick note for the next two weeks, then go for a [Cortado’ coffee at Costa at the train station with half an hour to enjoy our new fave coffee (mainly keep Sarah as relaxed as possible), then Sarah can put her last eye drops in before we catch the 11:04 train that will get us to Kings College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London ready for the operation.
The Hypo…
This was all going well up until Sarah had locked herself in the toilet by passing out with a hypo. The idea was that she went in to put in her eye drops as we still had 15 minutes until the train arrives (the platform is about 1 minute away from the coffee shop. As i was stood outside the door while staff kept walking past suspicious of the weird man lurking around the toilets. With 5 minutes left i knocked on the door, with the sound of the music and the coffee machines i could just make out what i thought was Sarah. Then as i realised too much time had passed and we’d missed our train i asked one of the passing staff if they could open the door as i think my wife is having a hypo. Sarah had know her blood was creeping down and she had a biscuit and sugar in her coffee but she felt and seemed ok.
I opened the door to find Sarah in a zombie like state (the only description i can find that closely resembles a hypo) not knowing where she was, what she was doing or where we were going! I’d like to state at this point that we only really had one must do for this morning, and that was to try and keep Sarah’s blood sugar stable as they won’t operate if it’s too high, low or on the move. I prayed:
“Jesus, There is no way they can operate now, i did my best but i don’t know if there’s another train, if Sarah can even stand up, never mind walk, and Sarah’s blood sugar always ends up too high after a hypo and we always have a long struggle getting it back down. i hand it all to you, please help”.
I got Sarah to her feet and she could just about stand up without her knees giving way. We managed to leave the coffee shop and after catching Sarah from behind as she started to fall back down the platform steps (i was behind trying to push her up) we finally got to the platform. This is where Sarah normally guides me as she knows the trains. Usually the trains are announced, but today there were none, but a train arrived straight away and we got on anyway. I told Sarah to just sleep on my shoulder and hope that this train is going the right way! The inside train announcement only said which station it was pulling up to and not the stations of the full journey.
Sarah woke and asked “where are we?” “I’m not sure, but i hope it stops at Clapham Junction”. Then a few minutes later we arrived at Clapham Junction. We then walked to the other platform and a train was waiting there too. We finally arrived at the day surgery unit a couple of minutes before the 12:30 appointment.
Sarah did a blood test and it was 8.6 which is really good for her, but we knew that it often goes into the 20’s after a hypo and there’s no way they’ll operate if it goes any higher or continues to rise. Sarah went in around 13:00 but there were 4 people before her, I stayed in the waiting room.
The Waiting Room
I wanted to update everyone but i’d never used the mobile WordPress app to post before, so i kept the post “Praying in waiting room for Sarah” short so i could begin praying. I started with my voiceover reading all of your prayers, i prayed through each comment individually about 2 times each from the 1st post “Please Join Me In Prayer For Sarah” then i had about an hour of personal prayer before loving sister Janet would arrive to drive us home.
The Operation
Sarah’s op happened around 16:30, her blood sugar stayed perfectly stable at 6.8 the whole time! (Amazing!) Her main worry was the really painful needle that she sees going into her eye and it feels like her eyeball is bursting out of her face! I need to quote Sarah at this point:
“I felt a real peace i’d not felt before, i knew everyone was praying for me and i knew God was with me the whole time. I felt no pain at all with the needle and the surgeon was surprised how well the operation went. I also heard him say:
‘There are always bubbles in this (not sure what he was talking about) always bubbles, but there aren’t any at all, i can’t explain it?!’
The Next Morning
I’m typing this post Saturday morning at 11am while Sarah is sleeping. I’d like to thank you all once again for giving time in prayer and the loving encouraging comments that helped us through this amazing journey (and still help us as we read back through them). I’ll update again soon.
Sarah said to me this morning:
I felt like the whole day you had your arms around me, and God had his arms around both of us!
November 14, 2013 11 Comments
“God, make me the person my dog thinks I am.”
Church sign
November 13, 2013 8 Comments
Psalm 115:1-8 The Voice
Not for us, O Eternal One; this glory is not for us—but for Your name
because of Your loyal love and truth.
Why should the nations ask,
“Where is their God now?”
Our God is in heaven
doing whatever He chooses.
Those nations worship idols of silver and gold,
crafted by human hands:
They have given their gods mouths, but they cannot speak;
eyes, but they cannot see.
They have provided their idols with ears, but they cannot hear;
noses, but they cannot smell.
They have fashioned hands, but the idols cannot reach out and touch;
feet, but they cannot walk.
Their idols cannot make a sound in their finely crafted throats.
The people who make idols will become useless like them,
like all who trust in idols.
November 13, 2013 3 Comments
November 12, 2013 11 Comments
This week, show us something that’s a HABIT. It could be your daily walk to the bus stop, or your daily paper lying on the doorstep. Maybe it’s the guy behind the counter at the deli you always visit for lunch, the stuffed bunny your child must have at bedtime, or the view from your desk as you sit down to blog.
My Thoughts 💭
For this weeks challenge i wanted to share a photo of the daily fuel that keeps iChristian going (other than the obvious ‘Holy Spirit answer).
This is a Mocha fresh from our excellent little coffee maker (Dolce Gusto)! I love Mocha, Lungo intenso, Cortado & Expresso’s and hot chocolate (not all in one day! lol) 😀
More of my Weekly Photo Challenges
November 12, 2013 10 Comments
My Thoughts 💭
After watching this amazing testimony of God’s Love & Grace i couldn’t stop thinking about the lyrics below from the powerful ‘Constance’ song.
📓 Lyrics from “Constance” by Mr. J. Medeiros
The sound of rain is her backdrop laying there
Like she’s waiting for somebody to say they care
While the tears of God fall down the window pane
She feels unholy like the Father doesn’t know her name
Marry Magdalene and the woman at the well
He knows everything that happens
And in His arms she fell
November 11, 2013 10 Comments
The three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts: to return love for hate, to include the excluded, and to say, “I was wrong.”
Sydney J. Harris
iChristian 
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