Tuesday 3rd June - A new life with Christ Alone.
June 3rd 2008.
17 years of education complete! A new life begun….
It feels strange, if not a little exciting, and a fair bit apprehensive. I was so desperate to get out my last exam that I didn’t even answer the questions as fully as I would have liked; I’m sure I did enough to pass, and the rest Jesus will fix…. I’m just glad to be out of education.
I actually miss Writtle already and it’s only been a few hours, but I have a whole new life ahead of me and it begins in 7 days time. Actually it starts now – I no longer have the safety and security of the education system to protect me, but I have something so much stronger JESUS! Its awesome, I’m so excited. What Simon said on Sunday evening is so true, when you’re out of normality and out of your comfort zone in Jesus there is actually excitement as opposed to fear and apprehension. I haven’t a clue what I’m going to do after the next 5 weeks are over, but I do know that He knows and that is far good enough for me at the moment.
In the car home as soon as I drove out of Writtle’s driveway I was laughing and thanking Jesus and then found myself in tears. I thought they were tears of sadness, but God just whispered into my spirit that they were His tears of excitement. Tears that were expressing the fact that my new life is completely in His hands, His control and that He will provide. I thank you so much Jesus for your friendship and faithfulness over the last three years of university. I thank you for the enormous amount of blessings that you have bestowed upon me and the favour and grace that you have shown me. Lord God I pray that in your hands will rest the friendship I have lost with Amie at the moment – I am not sure what’s happened but I do know that you are my best friend. I thank you for showing that to me Lord, showing me the fact that I should not unravel my heart, my feelings or my true character to anyone but you my lover. I thank you Jesus that you are the only one who truly understands my dreams, my ambitions and my feelings. You have said that I can have my dreams Lord, and I believe you in that promise; my one desire is to bring your reality to the lives of others in the form of giving them hope and education – may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven Lord. Jesus you are my all in all and I am so glad to be starting my life with you; I have abandoned you in so many areas of my past, but my past is behind me and future with you lies ahead. It starts tomorrow when there are no strings attached, just time for me and you to be alone in each other presence, loving each other and sharing our desires. You are my father, my friend, my saviour and my king, and with everything I have I will seek to live for you.
The words of the songs that followed this, just re-assured to me all the promises of my wonderful Saviour. Who says God doesn’t speak through the things around us, let alone music?! It created my own little prayer to the one who knows best throughout music – awesome!
(Where can I go – Brian Houston / Ready to Fly – FFH / Jesus you Alone – Tim Hughes / I am free (who the son sets free) – Newsboys / God of Wonders – Chris Tomlin / I’m not ashamed – Newsboys / I wanna be moved – Ginny Owens.)
Jesus, my prayer to you: “Where can I go without you Lord? What can I do? How can I stand? You are my comfort, you are my strength. You are my shield and my right hand. And you pour out healing on me, pour out healing. And you make my spirit sour, and you make my burden light, and you soothe me in the storm, and you go before me in the fight. / I've been here grounded far too long, I'm ready to see the open wide, ready to sing a different song. I've seen my troubles 'long the way, I want to sail towards the sun, I want to turn another page, I'm on my way. I'm ready to fly. I'm ready to soar. I'm ready to leave this world behind. I'm ready to open up the door, I'm ready to fly. I'm ready to spread my wings across the sky, I think it's time I'm ready to go I'm ready to fly. You've told me I could rise above like an eagle on the wind, I can glide upon Your love but I feel the pull of gravity and it's a weight upon my shoulders I can't stay here any longer, I've gotta be free. And it's been so long since I've seen the bright morning sun through the early morning horizon, And it's been so long since I've felt the air under my wings, and seen all of these things from above. / Jesus You alone shall be my first love my first love, the secret place and highest praise shall be yours shall be yours. To Your throne I’ll bring devotion may it be the sweetest sound. Lord this heart is reaching for You now. So I'll set my sights upon You, set my life upon Your praise, never looking to another way. Day and night I lift my eyes to seek You to seek you hungry for a glimpse of You in glory in glory. You alone will be my passion, Jesus You will be my song, You will find me longing after You. / Through You the blind will see, through You the mute will sing, through You the dead will rise, through You all hearts will praise, through You the darkness flees, through You my heart screams, I am free! I am free to run (I am free to run) I am free to dance (I am free to dance) I am free to live for you (I am free to live for you) I am free (I am free). / Lord of all creation of water, earth, and sky. The heavens are Your tabernacle, Glory to the Lord on High. God of wonders, beyond out galaxy You are holy, holy. The universe declares Your majesty You are holy, holy. / I'm not ashamed to let you know, I want this light in me to show, I'm not ashamed to speak the name of Jesus Christ. What are we sneaking around for? Who are we trying to please? Shrugging off sin, apologizing, like we're spreading some kind of disease. I'm saying "No way. No Way.” / I don't wanna be a flame; I wanna be a raging fire! Tired of my will, my way, Your calling's higher. Oh, I know it's time I stopped running from the Truth so I'll stand here still, until I'm filled, I wanna be moved, I wanna be moved by You. Wanna be a rebel with a Holy cause, Stand against the Devil and hold up my cross, You have a mission for me; a reason why I'm here.”
Another thing which brought a smile to my face today was the poem Anyway, by Mother Teresa that was on the wall of the room where I did my exam. Just another assurance that my life that has now started and is for His purposes, and that I should not allow myself to be put down, or criticised by others … it’s only His opinion that counts.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
Ending the day with some champagne to celebrate; the end of an era and the beginning of a life. Feels sad to call all those past 21 years an era, but that’s all its been… the foundation stone upon which the rest of my life may fall – then again, God’s in charge, and it may not! We’ll just have to wait and watch his plan unfold!!

