'And in all things we know that God works for the good of those who love him.' ROMANS 8:28 (NIV)

I think it is so easy sometimes to present a plan to God and ask him to make it happen, we can sometimes convince ourselves that we've thought of a brilliant way to serve God. God will use us however he wishes and it's quite a big step to say to God I am ready for you to use me in whatever way you want as it is completely out of our comfort zone. We don't realise that God is the one that knows what is best for us, he has his plan ready to work out that will be so much greater than we could ever imagine.

It's a question you get asked so much when you say what degree you're doing; 'what do you want to do with your degree?' and you feel pressured into saying something rather than nothing. At the moment I really feel that God's calling me to teach, I can't imagine doing anything else really but who knows! It can be scary to say to God I surrender my life to you and not know what's ahead, the unknown is generally quite scary! It's difficult to remember sometimes that even the things you feel like you've just got to get out of the way in order to do something else, are part of God's plan and are for his glory. I'm saying all this but I know there are times when I don't surrender a situation to God in prayer or I think that something's too small to bother God with. The amazing thing is that even those things you think will not matter to such a powerful, holy, transcendent God are so important to him, he wants us to commit them to him, and he will sort them out for the good!

Thanks for the rain!

"Yet He has not left Himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; He provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.'" Acts 14:17

Can you tell it's been raining today? Not just raining but pouring! It's hard to be thankful for the rain when you feel all cold and clammy because you're clothes are sticking to you! Britain has such a negative reputation for rain but where would we be without rain? Would anyone honestly prefer it if it never rained? You couldn't go for a walk in it, there would be nothing to cool you down after a hot spell, we'd have no rivers, we wouldn't have drinking water, plants wouldn't grow etc etc. (notice the more important things come later!)

Rain shouldn't make people feel down, it should make them happy and thankful that we get rain at all! - God is revealing something of Himself to us even in rain! I will endeavour to no longer sing: rain, rain go away, come again another day but sing rain, rain stay here, and come again another day!