I am writing this feeling rested and just in a good place. I’m taking note of that as I think I can often write out of sadness, confusion or tiredness so its a treat to write feeling…good! That is mainly thanks to my grandparents, they took my gorgeous 2yr old boy this weekend, our first night without him since becoming parents! We had all Saturday day and night without him. The day was great, duvet day and takeaway in the evening. I missed him massively all evening (even looking at photos of him!), so think it will take a while to get used to it!

Sunday, we picked him up and went to church, another treat! Our church (Ivy Sharston) is a plant from a bigger church (Ivy), so over Christmas it joined together. So with Burma, then hospitals, then Christmas, then America, then poorliness- this was my first time at a Sharston service for a long time! I love how being in a good church can feel so like coming home.

During the service we have a moment for people to share testimonies. A lady, whom I have not seen before, stood up and shared a story. She is a lawyer and in the week she had gone to court in Leeds, upon arrival at 1.29pm she realised she didn’t have her purse, when she drove around looking for one she could pay by phone she was super stressed and ended up giving it to God. He knew she didn’t have her purse all the way from Manchester He was aware, so He knew how this would end and she decided to give it to Him and trust Him. She parked where she felt led to park and an elderly man came and gave her a ticket..which had been purchased at 1.29pm. So God had her ticket sorted, she just didn’t know it yet!

I understand the God she is talking about in this story. I love this seemingly small, could-be-coincidence story, because I have had it happen to me. Situations where you know that others could think it is nothing, yet in your heart, you know it is Jesus and you are so thankful for Him caring and being so in the tiny details of our lives!

During worship I was overwhelmed by the fact that this lady, whom I have never seen before, knows my Jesus. She knows Him like I do, He talks to her like He talks to me..and she even knows His humour! I turned my thoughts into prayer as I was chatting to Jesus about it. Telling Him how amazing, that we have the same friend, we are both friends with the same man yet we don’t know each other. Kind of like when you see a ‘mutual friend’ on facebook of someone you just met-it is pretty exciting and you want to know how they know each other!

Then I felt God say “It is even more than friends, I am Father to you both. You are sisters”

I have known since being little that we are ‘brothers and sisters in Christ’ and to be honest always found it a bit cheesy. Yet yesterday, in this moment I realised the depths of how truly beautiful this is. We have both been adopted, fully chosen and accepted into Family with Jesus. Therefore this lady, whom I don’t know, knows Him- and is my full sister!

As I stood I suddenly felt so much pride- my sister is a lawyer! Cool! I myself have not been to university and don’t think of myself as much of an academic, not to mention I spend 5yrs in prison 😉 but my sister is a Lawyer! Yeah!

Imagine if we fully understood that within the Kingdom of God we are family. God wants His Church, the bride, to work as a body. All doing our part united together. I have always imagined that as spiritually. That there is a need for servants as well as preachers. Yet today I feel it means in every sense. If you are an inmate who has given your life, you have a sister who is a lawyer who can fight for you. If you are a single mum feeling alone with no support, you have a sister who can get alongside you and help you..even an older sister who can be like a grandma to your children. If you are a man struggling, you have brothers who can hold you up, who can bring you strength and support.

We shouldn’t be alone. Nor should we hold onto the gifts we have. If my sister, Emma, was in need something and I could help her I would be there straight away. So we should be with those who need us. Not just those in need outside our church but within it.

It also makes me think about how much the bible talks about being in unity. Supporting each other in love. Doing everything out of Love. Not being at odds with our ‘brother’. How powerful we would be as a loving family with a lot of skills-wanting to change the world for the better! How much time we waste being caught in offense, in misunderstanding, in comparison. God’s plan was for us to live life to the full and yet we minimise it to how we feel.

I play situations over in my head before they have even happened. I decide what people must think of me without ever knowing the truth. I talk down to myself that I am unwanted, useless or just alone. Now who would want to keep my trapped in my own box, certainly not my loving father!

So smash out of it. You are part of a family, who can support you when you need supporting (though you may sometimes need to ask for it), you are designed and created for greatness because your Father has a big plan.. so lets start to know who we are and whose we are and look for who/where he wants us to be loving!

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Just to add-because it is important to know this doesn’t have to be pretty!

I only write a blog when I feel I have little something I am processing and need to get out. Which is why I don’t blog to often! Yet I like to be obedient when I feel to write. So today I am writing, with PeppaPig on the TV and a Lion lying on my arm trying to press the keypad. I get into my flow then get shouted “done a poo mummy” which nowadays he likes dealing with immediately. Afterwards I do get “Thank you mummy, you are a help”..yep he totally is ready to be potty-trained, it is me that isn’t ready!

I digress.. but my point is that this is the reality of when we are obedient to do what we feel God asks, when you step out in your gifting it may not be a bold of lighting. You may trip up and you may have to change a nappy halfway through, it may take a lot longer than you’d like (this short blog has taken hours!)- but you will be blessed. God sees your heart and loves that you are taking steps towards Him. So I encourage you, as do a whole host of witnesses in heaven to take a step today! I pray for you to do and see more than you could ask or imagine and as a family of believers we will see God do wonders!

(Thanks to those who don’t know they’ve contributed to my thoughts. Sharston, Mum, Lucy last night, Cathy & Hannah this morning..and many others. Love x)