Spirit Break Out

So, I have just got home from the worship central night in Manchester and God is just so AMAZING!
These past couple of weeks I have been feeling so rubbish and run down, just like everything is piling up and nothing is getting done, so tonight Tim Hughes did the talk and he spoke a bit about keeping on going and having that fire in you, but feeling so run down because so much is going on. And I knew this was me, and from that moment God started to fill me, and he put such a JOY in my heart that I haven't felt in years, he renewed me and strengthened me, and after feeling so down over the past couple of weeks, he made me happy and thankful for everything he is done.
Now I just cannot wait for this year, and everything God is going to do! BRING IT ON!

Reality starts to hit.

From the moment when I read the email saying that I had been accepted a place on soul 61 I don't think it hit me just what a challenge the next few months are going to be, but also the huge opportunity this is. 

I haven't really been thinking much about the upcoming year, and the whole move down to Watford, the huge change that is going to happen in my life. But today I think reality hit a little bit, and this has made me even more excited, but also a little bit nervous. I got the email today with all the details on about the course, and as soon as I saw the starting date (Saturday 3rd November) the reality of it all kicked in.

For me it isn't just going to be a big day because I'm moving away from home, and leaving all my family and home church, but its the fact that it will be the start of the biggest journey of my life. The start of something completely different and new. But also, it's me stepping out and doing what God has told me to do, theres no certainty about it, yes I have the certainty that I'll be in Watford for 10 months, but after that I haven't got a clue, all I know is that I need to be in Christian work, and this is a scary thought, not knowing what is in store. But God has promised to show me the way, and he has promised that he's going to guide me down all the right paths, it's all so exciting yet scary at the same time! 

Moving to Watford for me is going to seem like the start of this huge adventure with God, and even though I have put it off, I know that leaving is going to be a huge battle, friends that I have had around me for most of my life(a couple I've known all my life) are going to be around the world  and across the country, and we'll only be a skype call away, completely different to seeing each other everyday. Of course leaving my family, especially my mum is going to be so hard, especially when she is like my best friend. Then there's leaving my church, which is going to be so difficult, the place that has helped me through so much, and accepted me no matter what, and supported me all my life, and it's going to be so weird not worshiping with them on a Sunday. But this is all part of the new story, Burnley and Nelson have become my comfort zones, and God wants me out of my comfort zones, he's pushing me out into different places to do different things, because if I didn't then he wouldn't be able to use me half as much! 

Although as scared as I am, I'm so so SO excited for everything God is going to do in me, and for the whole new start, as scary as it is, it's going to be the best decision I have ever made and the most exciting thing I have ever done. And through it all, he is going to stick right by my side. 

I'll leave you with a verse that has stuck with me since my baptism in 2008:

 

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All Authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age' - Matthew 28:18-20 

Blessed

This weekend has made me realise just how blessed I am with an incredible youth group and some amazing friends, and also just how incredible our creator is.

Never Once.

Recently a lot of stuff has been coming up, opportunities and so many blessings from God, but also a couple of stumbles along the way. As much as I have been looking forward to everything God is doing and is going to do, there's been so many things that have just got me down this week, knocked me off track and made me lose some of that motivation to keep going, and through all this I have been too busy worrying about little things to have some real one on one time with God.

So today I have really felt him saying to take some time out to just be on my own with him, even though there is so much going on, and it seems like a lot of the things taking up my times are church and serving him, he really wants to spend some time with me on my own, away from all the business and chaos.

 And in doing so, he has really comforted me and reassured me everything is going to be okay, I've been able to look back and see what he has been doing, which has given me more confidence in what he is going to do with me, where there seems to be things falling apart a little, he is telling me that even though they may be falling apart, he's there next to me the whole time.

One of the songs I've been listening to and singing a lott this week is Never Once by Matt Redman, I have probably already quoted these lyrics but they mean so much to me and have spoken to me so much today I am going to put them in again :)

'Scars and struggles on the way, but with Joy our hearts can say, yes our hearts can say, 
Never once did we ever walk alone, Never once did you leave us on our own' 


So, if your feeling a bit like nothing is working out, your too busy and stressed for anything, or just a little bit like things are falling apart, he's right there telling you to to come and spend some time with him, its all he desires to do, and when you do he will bless you so much for it.

How Amazing

This is going to brief to prevent myself rambling too much, but how amazing is it when God speaks to you?! And really encourages you! Within the space of 10 minutes he had done about 5 things that encouraged me when I was feeling rubbish about everything.
Just, wowowowowowowowowwowow!

Always a Reason

So earlier this week/last week I posted about how sixth form was blagging, and i just felt that there was no reason for me being there, but I knew God wanted me there for a reason.
God will always show us that, and I found that reason tonight! Had a meeting about sixth form spirituality and one of the points was 'Hymns in assembly'. So I straight away said we need more contemporary worship styles, which eventually led to me being asked by one of the other teachers if I could help him worship lead some more ministry style songs as sixth formers are walking in, and instead of singing along and not taking the words in, people will be sitting and listening to what the words and lyrics are saying, think of all the truth and amazingness of God they will be hearing?!
So, I asked God why he wanted me to stay at sixth form and he gave me an answer, this is gonna be a struggle but with God on my side it's gonna be amazing.
BRING IT ON!

This verse is going to be a big one in the next few months:
What then shall we say in response to all these things? If our God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31 

The Waiting Game

In the past couple of days I have been really looking at the course and everything I am going to be doing starting November with Soul 61, and its just getting me even more excited! I have even found some video blogs of someone who has already done the course, and to be honest it looks amazing! And least to say how much God is going to do with me, is just gonna be AMAZING! 

But with the thought of exams coming up soon, and another 5 months in sixth form has been getting me down a bit, I'm just wanting to get a time travel machine and go to November now! I've been feeling more and more uptight about being in Sixth form and recently things got to me quite a lot with problems with a teacher and various meetings to sort it out, I've just wanted to drop out! But I know this isn't what God wants me to do, he wants me to keep going and stick it out, even if it is tough and just like one long waiting game, think this is a big lesson of patience in my life, and learning to wait. And whilst waiting, do something where I am now! 

Yes, God is going to be using me in Watford in 10 months time, but he wants to use me NOW, in Nelson with my church, and in Accrington with my sixth form, I now feel the reason I am there is to try, in my last months of being around, and get God's profile higher in the sixth form, to love and show compassion to all my fellow Sixth Formers, and just to do what I can in God's name! And also of course to try and get some decent A level grades, and work as hard as I can giving God the Glory! 

I know its going to be a tough 10 months waiting, and a tough 5 months in Sixth form, but God has set me on this task and journey so I am going to stick it out and do what he says to do, and to learn some patience along the way!

Here is a verse that I was given a few years ago that sums up what I think God is trying to say to me at the moment, just found the reference in my bible! 

Hebrews 12v1 - 2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 

My heart is yours, this is where I want to be.

WOW what a day! Even before church this morning God was speaking to me majorly - and when this happens you know that its gonna be a good day!
This week I've been really on a rollercoaster ridee (no other way of putting it) but I've been getting worried and stressed about having to raise money for next year, but God this morning gave me an amazing bible verse from Psalms that said 'Do not fear for I am God, I will provide everything you need, your future is all planned out' - and this was literally just the right words I needed! Then the whole service at church was about not letting anything stop you, and I was just seeing how much he has already done for me, and how could I doubt him when he has done SO MUCH!
Then there was fuel tonight and I loved just giving God my everything in worship, he took every worry that I had and lifted it off my shoulders, and reminded me of how amazing all my friends are, and also to stop worrying, keep going and don't look back. He's got it all under control, so there is no need to worry!

Sorry this post seemed a bit ranty but yeah it's been an amazing dayyy, also if you're reading this do send me an email or somethinggg: abbie.micklethwaite@gmail.com
:)

He will Provide

So today I did some of the maths about my finances that I'll need for next year, and there is a lot of money I'm gonna need to raise. When I first looked at it my instant thought was 'Oh no, I CANNOT do this' and I started stressing and just completely doubting the fact that I'm actually going to be there this time next year.
BUT God jumped in, I decided to just take a step back and listen to the worship central album, and play along on my guitar a bit, and every song the lines about how God is faithful, he will provide, about his plan and his purpose and I just got this overwhelming sense of peace.
God has already secured me a place on that course if it is where he wants me then I will be there this time next year! He will always provide, and whatever door he opens, cannot be closed by anyone or anything.
Bring on the next year!

2011 - 2012

looking back on this past year, it's been absolutely crazy, so many highs and lows, ups and downs. One of the craziest years of my life! And I know 2012 is gonna get a lot crazier!
It's all been a bit, weird and surreal, so much has gone on. Good and bad things, but God has shaped me through both! I've been through heartbreak, and difficult times, I've had some of the worst times I can think of, and I've been hurt by people. But all of this was just God doing his will, working things out for me, and developing and strengthening me for things to come.
The summer was probably the biggest turning point, I started it a broken girl, and feeling like a bit of a failure in God's eyes, and came out the other end feeling loved, renewed and unbelievably blessed. God had given me things to do, they weren't the easiest, but I did them and the results are still showing now.
He pushed soul61, so i went for it, and doubted whether it was right, but God persisted, and a week after the interview  I got the email accepting me on the course, once again God made a way. And if I hadn't have done what he asked, I wouldn't be in that place right now.
Theres a song called 'Never Once' by Matt Redman, and it says 'Never once did we ever walk alone, never once did you leave us on our own, you are Faithful, God you are Faithful'
I can really say that every single word of this song is true, and this past year has really shown me this, I hav never ever felt alone, and God stuck to his promises, and stayed Faithful to them.

And now, for 2012, its going to be the biggest year of my life, and there is no doubt about that! A levels, moving out, living in Watford , SOUL 61! Going to be crazy, and I know God is going to do some incredible things, I just can't wait to see what he's gonna do! I am an open book now to God, and whatever and wherever he wants to take me I will go there. It's the most exciting thing ever knowing that you have given all your life to God, and he is going to guide you every step of the way, and this is only the beginning!

Thankyou God for an amazing year and how much you have been with me, and heres to a year of you using me as much as you want!