Count your blessings UPDATE!!!

Remember that project I embarked on last year January? My 2nd post: http://bridgeoversw.blogspot.com/2013/01/count-your-blessings.html? I didn't forget to come back with the results but I did forget on a few occasions to write something down.

The point was to write at least one thing daily that I was thankful for. well, some days I wrote none (even though there were things to tell) and on others I wrote oh so much!

It was great sorting them and reading through them all, replaying last year's timeline of events. Some things felt like they'd happened waaaaayyy long ago. Others were still fresh on my mind. 2013 was a hard yet great year. But I saw the Lord in everything. He taught me to stand on so many of His promises:



"My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor. 12:9

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified... for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deut. 31:6

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him." Psa. 34:8

"For I know the plans I have for you...." Jer. 29:11

"...God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 Cor. 10:13

"Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Jer. 31:3

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to your own understanding but in all your ways " Prov. 3:5

... I can keep going on and on!

I'm super hyped to do it again this year even though I've already been slacking a little smh. I thank God though that His Spirit quickens me to snap out of my laziness because honestly, how long does it take to write ONE thing down? Just one?! It's not like I have to look all over for a pen, make sure that it that actually writes. Then repeat the process to find paper; I keep all that ready in the box. Literally, it'll take less than a minute to give the creator of the universe a very small token of appreciation for His unwavering love, goodness and constant blessings.

He's so worth it! And it forces you to really think and look for God in all things. It helps you remember that He's right there with you; you're not forgotten. Really, you NEVER are.

Will you join me?

Words to live by...

My sissy text me this and I had to share. Be blessed and encouraged!

Someone has written these beautiful words. Read and try to understand the deeper meaning of them.

1. Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout life.

2. Why is a car's windshield so large & the rear view mirror so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, look ahead and move on.

3. Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes a few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.

4. All things in life are temporary. If they are going well, enjoy them, they will not last forever. If they are going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either.

5. Old friends are gold! New friends are diamond! If you get a diamond, don't forget the gold! To hold a diamond, you always need a base of gold!

6. Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart; it's just a bend, not the end!"

7. When God solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when God doesn't solve your problems, He has faith in YOUR abilities.

8. A blind person asked God: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"

9. When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

10. Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles; it takes away today's PEACE.

If you enjoyed this, please pass it to others. It may brighten someone else's day, too...

Until Next Time...

I said I wasn't going to cry... I lied. I hadn't seen my sister in over a year and a half so as we hugged by the doorway after being strong for the twins who did not hold back their gallons of tears, I was overcome by emotion too. Not for too long though 'cause I'm a big girl now and big girls don't cry :-P (the lies and propaganda).

God has been so good to our family! What a blessing that we were able to ring in the New Year with Sheila. For anyone who has had to apply for a U.S visa, you know the struggle. But miraculously for sissy, the guy looking over her paperwork at the embassy recognized her as the kind guest relations staff member at the hotel he'd stayed at... There aren't too many black people in Chengdu sooooooo, yea!

I used to be afraid that somehow distance would affect my relationships with my sisters with them being so far away (Caroline's in London). Didn't we all move from Kenya as a unit in 2001 just the 5 of us including the parentals and now we're all over??? Well, I'm glad God always knows what He's doing because our bond as a family is oh so strong. All glory to God for that because in seeking Him and His love, we're able to share it with one another and with all who we meet along the way.

People ask all the time "oh my goodness, how do you guys do it?" Best answer so far, "I don't know but God had everything to do with it."

P.s Happy New Year!!! How long until we stop saying that??? Lol

Quote of the day

John 8:32 (KJV)

³² And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall MAKE you free.

“We're so engaged in doing things to achieve purposes of outer value that we forget the inner value, the rapture that is associated with being alive, is what it is all about.”

― Joseph Campbell

TEDxSinCity - Bruce Muzik - The BIG Secret Nobody Wants To Tell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkbWIfP3mLw&list=WL468504BD119A1D46

Best TEDTalk I've watched in a while.

Be blessed! 

Keep Pushing...

"I Am A Soldier"

I am a soldier in the army of my God.
The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer.
The Holy Bible is my code of conduct.
Faith, Prayer, and the Word are my weapons of Warfare.

I have been taught by the Holy Spirit,
    ...trained by experience,
    ...tried by adversity,
    ...and tested by fire.

I am a volunteer in this army, and I am enlisted for eternity.
I will either retire in this Army or die in this Army;
But, I will not get out,
    ...sell out
    ...be talked out
    ...or pushed out.

I am faithful, reliable, capable, and dependable.
If my God needs, me, I am there.

I am a soldier.
I am not a baby. I do not need to be pampered,
    ...petted,
    ...primed up,
    ...pumped up,
    ...picked up,
    ...or pepped up.

I am a soldier. No one has to call me,
    ...remind me,
    ...write me,
    ...visit me,
    ...entice me,
    ...or lure me.

I am a soldier. I am not a wimp. I am in place,
    ...saluting my King,
    ...obeying His orders,
    ...praising His name,
    ...and building His Kingdom!

No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards, candy, or give me
handouts.
I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for, or catered to.
I am committed. I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around.
I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside.
I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit.

When Jesus called me into this Army, I had nothing.
If I end up with nothing, I will still come out even.
I will win.

My God will supply all my needs.
I am more than a conqueror.
I will always triumph.
I can do all things through Christ.

Devils cannot defeat me.
People cannot disillusion me.
Weather cannot weary me.
Sickness cannot stop me.
Battles cannot beat me.
Money cannot buy me.
Governments cannot silence me, and
Hell cannot handle me!

I am a soldier.
Even death cannot destroy me.
For when my Commander calls me from this battlefield,
He will promote me to a captain.

I am a soldier, in the Army, I'm marching, claiming victory.
I will not give up.
I will not turn around.
I am a soldier, marching, Heaven bound.

Prayer for today... and EVERY day

Psalm 119:4-8

⁴ You have charged us
    to keep your commandments carefully.
⁵ Oh, that my actions would consistently
    reflect your decrees!
⁶ Then I will not be ashamed
    when I compare my life with your commands.
⁷ As I learn your righteous regulations,
    I will thank you by living as I should!
⁸ I will obey your decrees.
    Please don’t give up on me!

Psa. 50:15

Funny how God delivers sometimes... :)