I was going to write about how amazing but horrible year 2017 was. How I made soo many memories both good and bad, the mental breakdowns and depression naps I took but overcame. How God saw me through etc. etc.
But I've had enough. This cycle cannot be the same every year, I refuse for it to be a constant repeat.
So I'm just going to say this...
In 2018, I can't be in the current state, it's been too long. I have things to do, places to go, goals to achieve and barriers to break.
So God bless you all in your future endeavours! Here's to a great 2018, Chase your dreams, place your plans in God's hands and claim those blessings.
Music is such a powerful medium that the lyrics of a song and the instrumentals behind it can affect your whole mood entirely. You can go from sad to happy, from feeling down to uplifted and I've only realised that I haven't shared with you guys some of my favourite gospel tunes that have literally "saved" me this past week; and I definitely mean to be that dramatic.
Obviously I cannot share all the songs that have moved me, changed my life and or uplifted me all in one blog post but I can at least share with you the ones that have been on repeat continuously this week.
So here it goes:
1. My Worship - The Walls Group
This song is from their new album and as I was listening through the album, the lyrics to this song just touched me in a special way. I was having a rough week and I needed some encouragement and honestly I listened to it and burst into tears not because it made me sad but in the simplicity of the song, the lyrics spoke to me. It was my prayer to God and my worship when I didn't have the words.
2. I Wouldn't Love Me (feat. Kierra Sheard) - James Fortune
Now how I came across this song is a funny story. I had listened to James Fortune's new album but you know when you just skim and don't listen properly; well a girl in the flat below me was playing her music really loudly and I was about to go down and tell her to turn it down when I listened closely and realised that this was a tunee and I needed this song on my playlist. Once I listened properly, I really fell in love with the song, as simple as it is it just reiterates God's love for me.
3. Just For Me - Donnie McClurkin
Now this song is a classic that I keep coming back to and never gets old (if you haven't heard Donnie McClurkin's live in London album do yourself a favour and listen to that masterpiece). This song, so beautifully written, is simply a reminder for me, again of God's love.
4. How He Loves - Anthony Evans
This song is one of my favourite songs ever! So much so that I have about three different versions by various artists on my playlist, but this particular version is the ultimate one for me and is a song I listen to pretty much all the time. I could do a whole entire blog post on the lyrics alone but for now just close your eyes and listen to this song.
"He is jealous for me. Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree. Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy." (Can we just take a moment to take these lyrics in please...PURE POETRY!) This song encompasses God's love for us entirely and honestly has helped me through hard times.
This list could go on until the end of time but these songs have stood out for me in the past week. I might make this a regular thing...let's see how it goes.
Looking back on the year that has literally just evaporated like some any Capri Sun, the amount of things that have happened; I just cannot believe how quickly time has gone.
Going into my last year of uni, I would roll my eyes at some of my older friends who would tell me that the time would go so fast, I would just pass their comments off as mere exaggeration. Its funny, you get so caught up in living and going through the routine of the day to day; waking up, going through the day and then coming back come that you can become complacent. Maybe complain about the little things here and there and perhaps groan about not having enough money or why London is so frickin expensive, that it causes you to forget.
I found myself starting my sentences with 'I wish..' or 'Why can't...', looking at people's lifestyles on Instagram (which you should delete every once in a while for your own sanity) and comparing and then complaining. I noticed that I got caught up with other people's lives and what they had and what they were experiencing that I didn't take time to look back on this past year and all the things I managed to achieve, what I got to tick off my bucket list, the countries I was able to travel too and just all the blessings that God had showered me with.
This blog post is really for me, something I can look back on and remind myself of how amazing God has been because lets face it, we are forgetful and we do get complacent and we do take so many things for granted. So I am going to write a list of what I am thankful for this year, both small and big, so that I can remind myself of my blessings whenever I feel the need to complain or compare.
I AM THANKFUL FOR:
1. Good health
2. Passing 2nd year with good grades
3. Family
4. Being able to travel to some amazing countries
5. Being able to see some of my favourite artists in concert
6. Job opportunities
7. Being able to wake up in the morning
8. Laughter
9. Sunsets
10. Being able to complete things off my bucket list
This list can literally go on and on but for now it is enough, a reminder in case I forget. Do yourself a favour and write a list of what you are thankful for, anytime you feel like complaining just come back to it. Not that we can't complain but most times we have so much to be thankful for that everything else becomes insignificant in the end.
'Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.' - Psalms 106:1 [NLT]
I've been taking a step back from everything; overwhelmed from juggling university and work, I felt as if I was drowning and so far away from God that I barely acknowledged him, he wasn't there. It was the loneliest I had ever been.
The continuous lies I told myself, the reassuring words I would use to feed them with led to me managing to convince myself that once I finished my assignments, once I finished 2nd year, I would finally have the time to spend quality time with God, finally have time to fit him into my own schedule.
What if I told you that I managed to become busy all over again, now managing to find all the time in the world to scroll through social media, juggle my new job and still manage to binge on my Netflix series, still feeling that I am way too busy to fit Jesus into my life.
I really and truly believe that Satan purposefully finds ways to keep us 'busy' soo busy that we deceive ourselves into thinking that we don't have enough hours in the day to spend quality time with God; that he does not have to be that much of a priority and that other things are more important. And slowly but surely you become so preoccupied with the 'busyness of life' that you can't remember the last time you read your bible, the last time you prayed before you left the house, the last time you asked the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts and actions throughout the day.
Before you realise it you don't even know who God is to you anymore and doubts begin to distort your faith.
Fast forward, let me tell you how my Jesus works! After praying and asking God for answers as to why every time I tried to make time for him, I become busy and focused on other things, I came across this sermon and it was laughable how simple the answer was to my question.
The answer was to simply stop trying to fit God into my plans. He should come first and everything else secondary. No matter how busy we are or even think we are, thinking that we are too busy to start the day off with God, to spend time with him or to even utter a quick prayer before we leave the house is a step into Satan's trap of taking our minds off God, which leads us to the lie we tell ourselves; that God doesn't need to be a priority in our lives and that we are fine without Him.
The answer in its simplicity is still a daily struggle, but aren't you glad that God doesn't let you do it alone. Even a simple prayer asking God to help you make time for Him is more than enough; sometimes you have to reach even deeper and ask Him to help you want to spend time with Him because it is a daily battle.
If there is anything you take from this, just know that God is enough and He should be. Busyness blinds us from this very fact and it's time to re-prioritise what is most important. It cannot be done overnight, it is a continuous journey; I, for one, am still learning but I am grateful that He is with me every step of the way. Forever merciful, forever patient.
'But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you' - Matthew 6:33 [NKJV]
I couldn't wait to show you guys the pictures I took whilst in Morocco, one of the best holidays I've been on! Most of these pictures I took whilst staying in Marrakech, Morocco's main city, surrounded by dusty reds, vibrant colours and culture; I wish that I could take pictures of every single thing.
These pictures I took on my trusty Canon EOS M
I have a post on some of the pictures I took on my trip to the Merzouga desert as well coming soon, so keep your eyes peeled but in the meantime keep scrolling ;)
