Thursday, 16 August 2012

Beautiful Woman Take Two

A few weeks ago I shared with you some of the things I was blessed with at the Beautiful Woman Conference at the end of July. While at this conference I was blessed with tickets to attend the second weekend of Beautiful Woman 2012 hosted by Planet Shakers Church here in Melbourne.


 “...I will make you beautiful forever, a joy to all generations.”
— Isaiah 60:15

I didn't want to forget the treasures that were spokent to my heart and wanted to share some of them with you. I was blessed with a wonderful weekend of worship, encourgement and fellowship. I encourage you to consider comeing next year.  If you are interstate and need a place to stay inbox me.  I am looking forward to next year. 

Session 1 - Sheryl Brady
This sessions was preached from Genesis 18 and covered the story of Abraham and Sarah. Who is Sarah ? 
  • Is there anything too hard for the Lord ?
  • Do I believe the promises of my Lord or do I believe my circumstances ?
  • Sarah is known as a woman of prayer. 
  • It is NOT God's will for us to fear. You need to remain calm even when everything around you falls apart.
  • Being meek means having strength under control. (1 Peter 3:6)
  • I need to realise that I am strong enough to do it but wise enough to be still.
  • When we get too busy we loose our quiet and meek spirit.
  • We need to be the calming balm on out of control situations. Walk in and take gentle control with your inner peace.
  • Change the atmosphere with your presence. Carry the calm, peaceful presence of God with you.
  • Faith comes by what you feed yourself so you need to feed on the Word of God.
  • Remember that the battle ground is within you.  On days when you are cranky you need to ask yourself 'What is up with me today ?'
  • Sarah was a help meet, supporter, reinforce, under girder, (a ship is under girderded by the ropes that hold the hold together in a storm)
  • Satan will attack the woman because if she falls apart then there is nothing left to hold the ship together in the storm.
  • Just as Sarah was in the tent so are some of us.  Some of us are in a tent of despair/depression/discouragement.  You can be released through praise!
Beautiful Woman 2012 moments
 Session 2 - Sam Evans
 Sam preached about Elijah and started in the part where he had the alter built and challenged the prophets of Baal. (1 Kings 18:37)
  • We need to understand the power of God's Word in our mouths. For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the [a]breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.(Hebrews 4:12)
  • God's word is full of power to change your circumstances.
  • Jeremiah 1:9  'Behold I have put my word in your mouth.
  • We are anointed to push back the darkness and bring forth His deliverance. Joel 2:28
  • It is time we start speaking words of blessing over our husbands, our children, our homes, our finances etc.
  • Just as Elijah called forth the rain so we need to call forth the rain of His blessing on the droughts in our homes.
  • We need to deal with the lying spirit that we so readily bow down to.  The one that threatens us, frightens us and causes us to doubt, to feel depressed, intimidated, controlled, manipulated and in fear.
  • The word says that no weapon that is fashioned against us shall prosper.
  • Satan wants you to feel isolated.  
  • Satan wants to shut down prayer in your life because if he shuts down prayer then he is shutting off the power of God in your world.
  • When Elijah ran away God asked him why he was in that place of isolation and doubt for the Lord had not asked him to come there. God's instruction for him was to get back to his calling and destiny.
  • We are anointed and called to take down the spirit that is attacking this generation and reclaim them for the Lord.
  • If we stop praying we are condemning this generation as easy prey and targets for Satan.
Sheryl Brady sharing with us.
Session 3 - Sheryl Brady
This session was based on the story of Ruth.  It was an interesting look at a traditional story.  There is so much more to the story than I have imagined.
  • In the story Orpa went back and we need to learn that some things we need to do on our own.
  • If people leave you then you need to let them go.  Stop chasing after them.
  • We need to be careful of making permanent decisions over temporary situations.
  • Great decision makers wait on the Lord.
  • Sheryl gave us the meanings of the names of the places in the story: Naiomi's family left the bread (Bethlehem) and praise (Judah) for a place of no change (Moab)
  • Destiny does not happen in spite of us it happens because of us.
  • It is better to live in a place where there is need with God than to live in abundance without God.
  • Sometimes when we go through a lot of heartache then it is easier to numb and without feeling so we can rest.  We comfort ourselves there.  This is not a good place to stay.
  • Some of us need to realise that our miracle was not in what we have lost but in what we have left.
  • We need to capture our thoughts and refuse to be poverty minded.
  • Ruth was a gleaner not a reaper.  She got behind someone who knew what they were doing. 
  • We need to find someone who knows what they are doing and are anointed.  We need to get behind them and let their overflow anoint us. (Elijah & Elisha)
  • Boaz spotted Ruth and placed her in protection. The Lord has seen our sacrifice and we need to know that we are under divine protection (No weapon formed against you shall prosper.)
  • Naiomi heard what happened and instructed Ruth to do four things and so it is for us-
    1 Wash herself - Lord cleanse me
    2 Change your garment - Don't go into tomorrow looking like today.
    3 Lay at his feet - Humble yourself
    4 Let his cloak cover you - Let Him anoint you
  • We need to get possessed by purpose and move into our destiny.

Session 3 - Sheryl Brady
Was a summary of His blessing and heart towards us.We were exhorted and encouraged.

I am so pleased that I was able to attend the weekend.  I came home inpired and encouraged.

Blessings

Chareen
PS Sheryl has a blog.


Registrations are now open for Beautiful Woman 2013

EVENT SPECIAL • Ends 20th August 2012

Individual $65
Group (Minimum of 10) $60
Solo Mum / Pensioner $45

EARLY BIRD • 21st August - 17th December 2012

Individual $85
Group (Minimum of 10) $80
Solo Mum / Pensioner $45

FULL REGO • 18th December 2012 - Onwards

Individual $110
Group (Minimum of 10) $100
Solo Mum / Pensioner $45

Wednesday, 15 August 2012

Motherhood is not a battle ...

Overloaded…Overwhelmed… Over It… (used by permission)

I have been inspired and encouraged by this photo doing the rounds on Facebook at the moment. I managed to find the source and read the blog post that goes with it. I just wanted to drop you all a note and say enjoy your children those first 18 years pass by in the twinkling of an eye.

Blessings
Chareen

Tuesday, 14 August 2012

TT - The Unquiet Bones

 Welcome to Tuesdays Treasures.  I started these posts as a way of sharing great books in honour of my friend in New Zealand who would arrive with the treasures she had unearthed at her weekly trip to the library!

There are so many wonderful books out there hiding on shelves so I invite you to blog about a book on your shelf, one you're reading or one you found at the library and add your post to Learning All the Time Favourite Resource Link Up



This week ...

  • Format: Paperback
  • Number of Pages: 256
  • Publisher:  Monarch Books
  • Publication Date: 2008
  • ISBN: 1854248855
  • Author Melvin R.Starr
One of the best books I have read in a while.  I finished this one at midnight last night and couldn't wait to borrow the sequel.

I do confess however when I first started reading it I wondered whether I needed to go and get my dictionary.  I had not realised just how narrow my field of vocabulary had become with some of the genre's of books I have been reading. It probably would have helped had I not skipped the glossary pages in the front!  Upon my travels in cyberspace I discovered that Mel Starr has a full Glossary / Dictationary in the resources part of his site.  Think I might just use this with my new tablet while reading the sequel.

If the cover is anything to go by I would never have taken this book off the shelf.  A friend of mine had it on her shelf and highly recommended it to me.  I am so pleased that I took her up on the offer.

Melvin Starr is an avid student of medieval English and surgery and has written a page turning novel featuring Hugh de Singleton. I was rather surprised to learn that he had his manuscript rejected 60 times before someone took a serious look at it.  I am so pleased he persisted.  The fifth novel is due for release later this year.
  1. The Unquiet Bones
  2. A Corpse at St Andrew's Chapel
  3. The Trail of Ink
  4. Unhallowed Ground
  5. The Tainted Coin
If you have avid readers in your midst I highly recommend this series of books.  They are set in the 1300's and are historical novels of crime fiction.

No sense in reinventing the wheel.  Here is a snippet of what others are saying about this book:

In the words of Susan Gillmor "Hugh de Singleton is a young surgeon fresh from Oxford University in The Unquiet Bones, a debut historical mystery by Mel Starr. The English countryside is still recovering from the Black Plague in 1363 when Hugh hangs out his shingle in Oxford. Then the discovery of bones in a cesspit at nearby Bampton Castle prompts Lord Gilbert to "search out the assassin." He appoints Hugh to a new and daunting role as his resident surgeon and bailiff."

From Mel Starr - "Hugh of Singleton, fourth son of a minor knight in Wyclif’s England, has been educated as a clerk, usually a prelude to taking holy orders. However, feeling no certain calling despite a lively faith, he turns to the profession of surgeon, training in Paris and then hanging out his sign in Oxford. He was staring from his Oxford window, hoping for clients, when Lord Gilbert was kicked by his groom’s horse. Hugh’s successful treatment of the suffering lord led to an invitation to set up his practice in the village Bampton – and, before long, the request to track the killer of a young woman whose bones have been found in the castle cesspit. She is identified as the impetuous missing daughter of a local blacksmith, and her young man, whom she had provoked very publicly, is in due course arrested and sentenced at the Oxford assizes. From there the tale unfolds, with graphic medical procedures, droll medieval wit, misdirection, ambition, romantic distractions and a consistent underlying Christian compassion."

Else where on the www: The Unquiet Bones:ReviewThe Unquiet Bones (Historical Novels),  Author Spotlight: Mel Starr,

Buy the book: Amazon, Book Depository, Kindle, Fishpond, eBook, Koorong.

Blessings





This post is linking to Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks.