Linking Up-A Book Review

Kelly, at Be A Fun Mum, has reviewed Sam's Heart today.  Click on the picture below and make my day by leaving a comment :).  You could even win a free copy of the book.

Bless you Kell. x

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(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`Nicole

One Month On

Well God has turned on the weather in the last few weeks, and we are delighted!  We have had warm days and cool nights, just like back in Pittsworth.  All of the locals here tell me that this weather is extremely extraordinary, and it is about 7 degrees above average.  Sounds like better than average to me!  Jack began Kindy on Monday, and is LOVING it, and I delight in seeing him so happy and settled. 

Don has been busy dong NAVS in controlled airspace, and flew into Essendon this week, first on SIM and then for real.  He is developing much more confidence in this area, which is great to see, because he is very hard on himself, which is both a blessing and a curse.  He is also studying Air Law, for which he will do the exam next week. CASA is still causing headaches for Don's medical, and have upheld their decision that he must go and get clearance from a cardiologist.  So Don is booked in on Thursday morning to go and do this, to silence them once and for all.  Please pray for breakthrough in this area.
I have been very busy orangising our new home life and looking after the boys (that takes up most of my day).  I have also been selling some of our un-needed goods on eBay, in preparation for our future.   The book promotion schedule has been organised between now and Christmas, so that will be full steam ahead soon.  I have an interview with Signs of the Times Magazine tonight, over the phone.  Then in the next few weeks I have a couple of radio opportunities with local Christian, and regular broadcasters.  I will keep you posted about those, as they can be listened to online.  Praise God that in the first month of sales Sam's Heart sold around 600 copies.  So people must be reading our story, which is awesome to hear! Promotion is great, but it is word of mouth that will get our story heard.  So make sure you keep sharing it with your friends.
Our days are pretty long and packed to the brim, but we are beginning to find our feet here.
Keep your eyes open when checking your inbox this week for the first edition of our newsletter.  If you are not on our mailing list, and would like to be, drop me an email (address in the sidebar), and I will pop you on.
 
I want to take this moment to tell you how much we appreciate, and love each one of you that love us, pray for us, support us and walk with us.  That's what this journey is about -relationship with Jesus, and for Jesus.  Mission is not just about helping people in a far off  lands, but affects every heart involved in the process.  Yes we are going to be the hands and feet of Jesus, but I can tell you that you travel with us in Spirit every step of the way, and it means more to us than you can imagine.

The Substance of Faith

What is faith?  It is the very nature of God.  Faith is the Word of God.  It is the personal inward flow of divine favour, which moves in every fiber of our being until our whole nature is so quickened that we live by faith, we move by faith, and we are going to be caught up into glory by faith!  Faith is the glorious knowledge of a personal presence within you, changing you you from strength to strength, from glory to glory, until you get to the place where you walk with God, and God think and speaks through you by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Oh, it is grand! Oh, it is glorious! (Smith Wigglesworth, taken from the Smith Wigglesworth Devotional 1999)

Today I am so thankful for the gift of faith; God living in me, changing me day by day to be more like Jesus.  When I look back at my walk in faith, I can see from where I have come.  It is not like that at the present, we are often unable to see how present circumstances in our lives are of any benefit to us, or God.  But we must trust that He knows.  And it is the eternity to come, that we will stand holding hands with Jesus, and look back at how His hand was upon us in every season.
He speaks to my heart today, and whispers so much love, so much encouragement:

'Keep going my love, one step in front of the other, my presence will change not only you, but also the hearts of others.  It's all about faith, it's all about trust, and I know your heart. '

(¯`v´¯)
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(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`♥ Nicole

You Are Invited

You are officially invited to attend the in store book promotions for Sam's Heart, in Victoria, in the months leading up to Christmas.  Tell your friends, and come along and see me on the day. I would love to see you there.

Upcoming In Store Promotions

Come along, say hello, and have your book signed.

KOORONG Bookstores

Blackburn 17th September 10-1pm
Melbourne City 24th September 10-1pm


WORD Bookstores
Saturdays between 11.30am-2pm
Lilydale 8th October
Nunawading 15th October
Dandenong 29th October
Frankston 26th November
Melbourne City 3rd December

I would also love to hear your story.  Our stories are a gift, and have the power to change lives.  I hope to see you there.

Bless you

Nicole xx

The Voice of the Accuser

I spent the better part of yesterday afternoon feeling lousy.  I had picked up Jack from school and did so with an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.  Jack had a great day, and that was good to hear.  However as I spent time with his teacher after school asking questions and her opinion about Jack's development, it came to my attention that he is not ready for Prep in Victoria.  Prep in Victoria is equivalent to Year One outcomes in QLD.  And so although in QLD Jack is more than excelling in Prep in QLD, in Victoria he is too far behind to catch up.  I want Jack to love learning and succeed at what he is doing, so after conversing with the Kinder teachers yesterday, Jack is going to begin Kinder on Thursday.  During all of this I had the voice of the enemy telling me 'See, they told you he wasn't ready and now you've gone to all of this fuss to get him enrolled.  You look like and idiot (yes the enemy uses those sorts of words and much worse)', and 'Here you are telling everyone that God wants Jack to go to school and he can't, God doesn't know what he's talking about.  You have let your son down.' 

STOP RIGHT THERE!

'I recognise you buddy, and your history in the name of Jesus!' was my reply.  I still felt lousy I can tell you, but I made a choice at that point to fight back.  I know what God told me and his word is true, Jack will attend school it is just phased differently down here.  He will be happy in his learning because it is at his level.  He will move onto Prep next year with a great group of friends and his teacher is awesome. And the most amazing thing is there was only one spot available at Kinder, kept waiting just for Jack.  God is faithful, and will not let us fall.  He knows I have taken a hit for his name's sake.  He knows I was hurting, and I know where my treasure is laid up. 

I love you Lord.  I have my eyes fixed fast on you and I choose to close my ears to the lies of the enemy.  Your ways are beyond my ways and we will follow you all of our days.

A Heartfelt Response

In response to a beautiful woman who reads my blog, this post has been inspired. This is for you N xx

It was God who led me to the decision to home school Jack, and then it was God who led me to the decision to enroll Jack in school. 

I think that we put too much pressure on ourselves to have to provide the best we can for our children.  We set impossibly high standards for our selves and all the while God is calling-'give them back to me'.  When God asked me to home school Jack we lived two hundred meters from the local primary school; I was perplexed, but He was very persistent.  Looking back now I can see it was best, because we were going to be moving mid year and this was better for his personality and character.  We were going to have enough change in our life, and God knew what was coming.  There was no way I could have known what this year held for us as a family-but God does. 

As we moved down here to start a new chapter together, God started speaking to me about sending Jack to primary school.  I was confused at first, because of my on ideas.  I had the idea in my head, that you either sent your children to school, or you were a home schooling family.  God has different ideas.  And thankfully His ways are well above my own. I have learned not to argue with God, as I can't see our future.  As far as I know, we are going to be spending the next 18 months here in Yarra Glen.  I don't know what God has in store for us while we are here.  Perhaps I will be too busy doing other things for God.  Perhaps there is something that he wants each of us to learn through this time.  Perhaps he wants Sam and I to have some mummy and son time.  Perhaps God wants me to focus on writing for Him.  I am still seeking Him each day about his plans for us.

I think Jack's school decisions are a reflection of our everyday walk with God.  He is the first One and the last One that I go to for advice.  I read His word daily, and as I do He speaks to me.  As I wash the dishes, He whispers words into my heart.  He confirms what he speaks, by opening doors, and sending people, and providing tokens of affirmation, just at the right time.  Living in the way of His Spirit, is something that I still learn, but something I cannot do without.  God has given us a unique path, one fraught with many perilous, and challenging obstacles.  He alone holds the map, and so I find my help and my contentment in Him, in ALL things.

If you are looking for an answer, if you are carrying a burden, remember that He ALONE holds the map to your future.  It is a plan full of adventure, mercy and love.  Let him navigate you daily (more frequently if needed) so that his perfect will may be seen in your life.  I leave you with this brilliant passage from the pen of Smith Wigglesworth (a word that God gave me just for this post):

'Are you ready to be so in God's plan that you will feel God's hand upon you?  You will know that He has chosen you, so you might be a firstfruit unto God.  Are you ready for the Lord to have His choice, so that His will may sweep though your very nature, and so that you may know as you have never known before this day of the visitation between you and him?'

O Yeah, Lord, we are ready!

A New Week With New Beginnings

This morning is Jack's first day at Prep at Yarra Glen State School.  To say he was excited would be an extreme understatement.  I am praying that God gives the teacher strength to get through today. He looked super cute in his uniform, complete with matching beanie.

Don had his first exam this morning and passed!  Hallelujah, he studied so hard all weekend.  I am so proud of him.
Now it is just Sam and I at home, and it is incredibly quiet.  I am looking forward to having this special time with just he and I, something that we haven't shared unless he has been sick in hospital.  The more I know God, the more I am convinced that He knows best ALL of the time.  I am a slow learner it seems, that I argue with his requests.  He knows all of our hearts better than we know ourselves.  Today I feel content, knowing that he holds all of our futures in his hands.