Random Wednesday: I need to read more!!!

So I’ve decided that every Wednesday I’m going to post something that’s.. well… random… haha But trust me, it will be interesting… I hope!! :/ 

So I’m going to name these post ‘Random Wednesday’ (as above). My plan is to just post my thoughts (which are usually random) on Wednesday.... Hence the name!!! haha.. Spontaneous post about... well... whatever!!  And this way I thought it sounded more interesting!! ;) haha… I just want this to be a fun area while also encouraging myself to blog more (hope this makes sense)!! Although I am unsure how often I will do these blogs or it may not even be a series of blogs!!? Anyway, let’s get into it!!!!

Ok, so latterly I’ve been telling myself “Sara, you need to read more!!”.. haha.. But I find it’s all been all talk no action!! So Today I thought I’d post this so that it will remind me and might just encourage me to actually read more!!? I actually started reading a book a few months ago, but had to stop as I got busy reading another book for school. But luckily I’ve gotten back into reading ‘Worship and entertainment’ by A.W. Tozer. And I’m so glad I’m back to reading it! It’s amazing and so inspiring!

I have a list of books that I’m planning on reading, but just been so busy with life that I can’t seem to find anytime! But lately I’ve really wanted to get back into my reading habit… So that is my goal for the next few months and so far I’ve almost finished the book by A.W. Tozer so the next four books I am planning on reading are:

Anne of green gables, by L.M. Montgomery

Inspired by Tozer, by Lauren Barlow 

Jakes choice, by Jim Britts

Multiply, by Frances Chan

I’m also thinking about doing a few book reviews later on in the year, so I’m pretty keen to do that
!!!

Sara-Jayne <3

P.S. What do you think about the title?? Yay or nay?!? Should I change it?? 

The book of Isaiah!!!

All I can say is that the book of Isaiah is AMAZING!!! Lately I’ve been reading the book of Isaiah and really enjoying it! I just opened to the book one night and started reading chapter 40-42 which I found to be so alive. When I say ‘alive’ I mean I just really felt The Lord speaking to me through it. 

The verse that I just kept reading again and again was Isaiah 41:8-10 NLT and it says: 

“But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend, I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand…”

This verse is so amazing, so I made it my verse of the month!!! It is definitely something I just can’t stop reading. I know it’s a verse I can read and keep reminding myself to not be afraid, know that my God is with me and that he will help me through every situation.

Being Healthy Not Skinny

I use to hear people talking about eating healthy and I would totally block of... haha.. It's silly now I think about it... But I wasn't interested at all and become depressed when thinking about it. When I was 14-15 I had real issues in wanting to be 'skinny'. I thought if you're ‘skinny’ you’re healthy. I would try to diet with the mindset "I need to lose weight". I would exercise and 'try' to eat healthy, and when I say try I mean I would most likely give in to eating 'junk food' then get frustrated that I failed. When I wouldn’t lose any weight I would get frustrated and think this was worthless.

I then came to a place where I had to just stop this diet thing and learn to love myself for who I am. I started to love my curves and accept that this was me. I learnt to love my body and be confident in it. I started to go on a few diets here and there because my mum was on one, but It didn’t work for me because I seemed to still think of it as a diet and when it didn’t work I would just quit.

Fast-forward to now (age 17) and I am looking at it as a healthy life style. As diets have expiry dates but deciding to live a healthy lifestyle that will last for life!! I’ve been doing this healthy living ever since I thought differently about it. I have learnt my body is a temple of God (of course I have known that forever, but really looking at it in a different way), it is not my own! So that way I am learning to honour it for God by watching what I put in my mouth. It’s also about how we treat our body, that we learn to love our body and not abuse it! We are an instrument for God. So how can we tune it? 

In Corinthians 6:19 and 20, says:

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies.

To live a healthy lifestyle you have to firstly learn to not become obsessed with your body, instead honour your body for the Lord while eating, drinking and doing fitness. Don’t exercise and eat healthy just to look good!! In a way that’s selfish and you’ll become obsessed with your body. 

These days we are told how to look and being skinny is healthy. But every girl doesn’t look the same so I believe it’s not fair that media bombards us and tells us what we are supposed to look like. That we are supposed to be ‘skinny’ and have this perfect modelling body. But everyone is different, some have curves, are tall or short. There isn’t one way we are supposed to look, we are all different! 

I’m on the third week and I feel happy and energetic. It’s been amazing! Right now I’m just exercising and eating healthy. I do have a treat (something unhealthy) once a week. I find it fun! To be honest I don’t want to be that ‘Skinny’ girl in the magazines. I have actually been doing this for the last three weeks and I haven’t once weighed myself. I didn’t think about it till now, but I think I’m not weighing myself so that I understand that it’s not all about losing weight. It’s about making a lifelong commitment to want to be healthy. 

I want to be the best healthy me I can be! It’s about not quitting and just sticking at it! But firstly my advice is to change your mind set. To understand that there is difference between healthy and skinny. To learn to just have fun while being healthy! That’s what I had to do! Because if I didn’t I would become frustrated and sick of trying to be healthy. I continue to learn ways to make it fun so I don’t get bored, such as yummy/healthy recipes. Remember it’s not a diet but a lifelong style!

Thanks for reading!!!! :D

Sara-Jayne xx

P.S. These were my opinions on eating healthy! I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic so I thought I’d blog about it. I know blogs like these can get annoying when you’re not interested in this topic (it use to really annoy me). So I hope you understand why I post this blog!!? I just wanted to help and encourage people that there is a difference between healthy and skinny.

Happy Mothers Day!!! (A poem and video)

Here is a poem that I wrote for my mum for mothers day!!! :D

You’re the lady with the big heart,

That hugs me when I’m sad

That holds my hand in the dark

And prays for me when I’m mad

You listen to me when I’m confused

And don’t know what I’m trying to say

Even when I have my attitude

You handle it in a perfect way

I love how you treat others with love

Just like Jesus did

When you stand by my side cheering me on

Just as I want to quite

Mum you’re absolutely pretty

and amazing in every single way

you laugh with me when I tell stories

Of things that happened in my day

I know I can be stubborn

But I have learn to love because of you

To look at people with Gods heart

To praise and thank Him with everything I do

I thank you for spending time with me

And going on girly dates

Always saying goodnight to me

And praying together as I lay

Now you’ve brought up a young lady

That is proud to call you my mum

And I now know what I want to be daily 

Just like you, my mum

Also here is a video that my church played today to honor all the mothers!!  Check it out and if you like, why not show it to your mum!!?

Happy Mothers day to all the amazing mothers!!! You're all amazing!!!!

Meeting Jason Upton!!!!

This week we had an amazing full on week in God's presence which was AMAZING!!!! And better yet, Jason Upton was leading the worship!! He's traveling around Australia right now, so it was amazing being able to go to a worship service. I love to worship God with dancing and singing!! So the night was defiantly worth it!!

Me, Jason, Hannah (my sister) and Karen (my mum)

The worship was just amazing!! I cant explain it!! Not just because of Jason but because of the presence of God! It was amazing just spending time with God and worshiping Him!! Hearing from His voice, seeing pictures as the music played... Gods presence was so thick and full of love!!

I have grown up watching Jason online at a church called The Ramp in Alabama (which is another story).  So It was so awesome being able to listen to him live!! He has such an anointing and an awesome gift that's touching many lives.

I had such an amazing couple of nights of worship that brought me closer to God. I love hungering after God and just spending time with Him!!

If you haven't heard any of Jason Upton's music, then go and listen to it now!! Such great music to just chill with God!!

Sara-Jayne xx

Praise and Thanksgiving

Right now I’m sitting outside with my computer doing homework, when I started to think more on God… haha.. Funny how that works!!? It reminds me of Jamie Grace’s song ‘Hold me’….

The past few days have been amazing… Although I haven’t been blogging as much as I should… Note to self: Blog more!!! Anyway… God has really been touching me, speaking to me and giving me peace in my life’s business. I can honestly say that the past few weeks haven’t been easy. Although recently I went to a church service and the pastor spoke on praise and thanksgiving. That we need to have a thankful heart and then praise him! It was something that really spoke to me personally as I was going through such a hard time. I have known all my life to give ‘praise and thanksgiving’ no matter what happens in my day. But I can honestly say it’s easier said than done!! As when hard times come that's really when the test comes to see if you do what you say… So I prayed about it as it’s so hard to stand strong when the harsh winds of life are trying to push you down… And I really felt God gave me a new perspective on things along with many other things, that I should blog about!!

In Psalms 100:4 it says "Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name."

See how the verse says thanksgiving first then praise. So now every time I come into a place of worship... I make sure I come with a thankful heart! 

I can now say that every morning I thank God for another day, that I am alive and I ask Him to help me handle life’s situation in a godly way. To really have a thankful heart that is willing to serve God! To praise Him every day of the week no matter what I am going through. I know in the hard times He will never ever leave me!! I trust him!!! He knows what’s best and has a perfect plan!! 

So that’s something I personally want to have more of…. Thankfulness!! And praising Him constantly!! I want to be so full of His presence and overflowed with His love!! So that even in the hard times I can stand because I have my feet firmly in God and His word!!

(Thought of the day)

Sara-Jayne xx

The photo above is a photo of the sun right now!! :)