Get on Board

It’s amazing how much we miss out on, just because we don’t turn up!

How often have you been invited out, and then just said “No” for no real good reason?

What happens when you say “Yes”?

Let’s figure this out:

To Friends who are Family

About three years ago, I broke my leg.

I was on a snowboarding holiday when it got broken.
That’s the cool version of the story.

The real version?
I was on a snowboarding holiday, but I slipped on the ice when getting off a ski-lift, and my legs went in 2 different directions. I ended up with a small fracture where the ligament joins the lower leg bone, as well as stretching a ligament.

I felt really bad. I couldn’t work, and the brace that I had to wear meant that I couldn’t even walk properly. Of course as you can imagine, I wasn’t thrilled with the prospect of three weeks alone at home.

And of course I’m not even living on the same continent as any of my family.

But my friends from both work and church were there to support me. And not even a single day went by that I didn’t have friends come round to cook, clean or take me to the hospital.

I found that friends can be your family too. And that you don’t have to be alone to be strong.
So this is a great big thank you, to my colleagues and Lifegroup, who helped me through what would have been the hardest trial of living in a foreign country.

Instead it is one of my favorite memories.
Thank you

Just in time

I’m not exactly the best at getting things done in advance. Usually I get things done just in the nick of time.

It isn’t the best way to do things. It’s better to be prepared way in advance, and to know exactly what you’re going to do when an event comes up.

But even though that way is best, you shouldn’t give up if you haven’t prepared. Things can be done right up until the moment that something starts.

It’s the same with life.

It’s always best to live our lives the best way from the beginning. But even right up until the end, there is chance to change, and a hope for something better.

When are you going to make that choice?

I am who I am

What am I?

I am loved

I am blessed

I am beautifully and wonderfully made

I have a great life ahead of me

There is nothing in this world that I can’t cope with

I am free

So are you.

So you can be, too.

Do you know that you are loved unconditionally?

 

New Venue!

Jesus Lifehouse Sendai just started at a new venue!

We are now in Livehouse Enn Every Sunday from 12!!

It’s really exciting and already a great hit.

Being part of such a great team, and working towards the same goal is really fulfilling. I feel connected and driven.

Where do you go to feel that connection?

Even Greater Expectations

We all have great expectations of others, but what about us?

I always expect the best of myself, so that when I see the results of my work, I can judge myself not on how well I did, but how much I’d tried according to my self-expectations.

For example, I did very well in my teaching course. I studied hard, did all my coursework properly and stuck to the schedule I set myself. At the end it didn’t matter what kind of grades I received, because I knew that I’d done all I could to meet my own personal expectations of myself.

On the other hand, When I was at university, I slacked off in my final year, let myself get behind deadlines, and only put in half the effort. At the end of which, although I received my degree, I felt that I had failed myself.

I know enough not to beat myself up over that, but I have also learned enough from that experience to know that I don’t want to go through life like that. Just barely passing by doing the minimal effort.

Making an effort

What do you expect of yourself?

Are you trying to meet your own expectations?

Great Expectations

So many people have high expectations of others.

Parents expect their children to go to university, children expect their parents to be able to solve any problem, and patients expect their doctor to cure them.

These aren’t bad expectations. We should always hope the best for our children, trust in our parents and expect our doctors to try their best.

But how far should we go?

Some women expect their future partner to come riding in on a white horse, some parents expect their children to get perfect in every test and become high level executives, and some people expect others to be infallible.

Is putting that pressure on other people really a good thing?

Most children will lie to their parents at some stage in their life, and a lot of people will try to make themselves sound more important than they actually are. The reason? There is this emotional need to have people approve of them.

What are your expectations of others? Are they high enough to challenge them or so high that they are unattainable?

To Boldly Go…

I am not a shy person.

I’ll be the first to go up to people I don’t know and introduce myself. I’m happy to be the first on a dance floor, I’m happy being on stage and I love it when I have to stand up and give a speech.

But being confident in public is natural to me.

But I know that it’s hard to be bold. Because bold for me is different. It’s being confident in doing things that will affect my private life.

If I saw you in Heaven

 

Knowing that I’m a Christian, many people are curious to know, will they go to Heaven?

The strange thing is, many people that ask me this question say that they don’t believe in any God.

My response? Why does it matter to you if you don’t believe?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to be asked, but if people don’t believe in God, why do they believe in Heaven?

I love living my life, and am not in any rush to end it. But I’m not going to fear what comes after death, because I have something to believe in.

My question to you isn’t “Will you go to heaven?”

It’s
“What do you really want to believe in?”

An Invitation

Easter is coming!

It’s the biggest event of the Christian yearly calender and there is no way you should miss it!

What does it involve?

Chocolate, friends, church and the most inspiring story you’ve ever heard in your life!

If you want to know about what Easter is really about, please click on the link below, and find your nearest Jesus Lifehouse!

And even better news…

If you can’t come, you can watch it on-line!

Whatever you do, don’t miss out on the biggest celebration of the year.

What does Easter mean to you?