Stepping into the new

I got baptized yesterday morning at my Church...which is something I've been thinking about for ages.  I've been a Christian for almost as long as I can remember, but what with moving (uni, work, work again...) and then moving churches the opportunity never really arose, and I had a long running conversation with God that I was more than happy to get baptized but he would have to provide the opportunity.

And then I started going to a Baptist church!  You see where this is going, right?

Anyway, I was grateful enough that some of my dearest friends and family could be at the service yesterday to support me and I managed not to trip over or breathe in all the water or do anything too too embarrassing {though I was so ridiculously nervous.  Public speaking anxiety x a million!} and apparently there are photos I will probably never ever look at, but am glad to have ;)

It feels like the right time, though, after everything that has happened the past few years and how radically different my life is now to the one I was planning, still I know God has been leading me in it all.  The verse I shared was Jeremiah 31:3, which says "I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with unfailing kindness..."  And that is the God I have known even when everything was unsure, or I was dealing with scary medical stuff, or realising I actually might have to quit the job I just can't do anymore and what does that mean for the future...God leads us gently, even when the way is not easy to walk.

And now after a hectic weekend I am off on a trip!  My first proper travels since my eyes started playing up (finally got all-clear to fly again!) and I'm off to Amsterdam with Marmee, we are going to do art museums and boat trips and houses...and take an adventure to find Corrie Ten Boom's watch shop.  I just love Corrie, I have read her books so often I almost know them by heart.  So I am so excited to see The Hiding Place for real!

More later, I have to check {again} that I have everything packed.  You know that feeling where you know you've packed everything you need but you just can't shake the feeling you've forgotten something important?  I hate that!

learning rooms

I signed up for an e-course a few weeks ago.  It's running for the month of May, and is all about community...and grace.

Two things that are just getting dearer and dearer to my heart lately.

I've done a couple of Hannah's e-courses before now, and I get her regular emails with a little bit of insight and a whole lot of calm/inspiration/grace/joy and I was excited for this to start, but when the prompts came I felt a whole lot of not very much!  I glanced through the emails and lurked a bit on the discussion page hoping *something* would spark, and...nothing.

So I wrote about that.  That the prompts weren't prompting, and I was worried the course was going to pass me by and I wasn't going to connect with anything at all.

And a couple of people wrote that they felt the same.

And suddenly I realised that that is what I think about when I think about community.  Showing up as you are, and realising the one thing you aren't is alone.

C.S. Lewis puts it like this:

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another:

"What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”  

And it takes grace to make the first step, and grace to welcome other people's first steps.

Community.  And grace.

And pretty music on the radio...

wise words

{ici}

Gratituesday

Just a few little things making me happy this week!

* Fun music...I'm listening to Bruno Mars' new (?) album on Spotify...it's ridiculous but perfect for listening to on a sunny day!
*  My brother is moving today, it's something he's been hoping for for ages, I am so glad things are starting to come together :)
*  I managed to switch my internet and rig up a new router with minimal stress and problems.  Hurrah!
*  Sunshine and blue skies
*  New tea!  Chamomile, Maple and vanilla.  YUM.
*  Netflix...I am totally hooked on Jericho right now.  It's so good!

How about you? 

Wise words

{ici}

 

~ Melody Ross~