Wednesday, May 27, 2009

The Noticer

I don't know if many of you have heard of the author Andy Andrews but he has a new book out entitled "The Noticer", while I have not yet had the oppoortunity to read the book I have read quite a bit about it on the following website: http://www.thenoticerproject.com/

The purpose of the Noticer Project is to encourage people world wide to think of the 5 most influential people in their lives. These people could be anyone from a former teacher, parent, friend, mentor, pastor, sunday school teacher, musican, singer, author, etc. When you have the 5 people in mind, the next step is to let those people know that they have influenced your life. That could be done via a phone call, e-mail, letter, card, etc.

The point is to not let our lives just pass us by but to take the time to stop and think of those who have influenced us and why and if possible to acknowledge their influnce. In some cases the person who has influenced you may have already passed away and thats ok as well. You can still acknowledge that person by mentioning them in a blog, on facebook, etc.

So who are the 5 most influential people in your life? As I continue to think about this question I encaourge you to think about it as well and let's share with each other and with those 'influential people' why they have been so influential in helping to shape us into the people we are today.
I look forward to knowing who your 5 influential people are!!

Jennifer

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

It's been quite a while since I last blogged. I will admit I am not great at keeping a daily, even weekly blog although it is something that I should be doing. I find blogging interesting but also challenging in that it causes me to stop and simply think of what it is that I want to share with my fellow bloggers and friends.

The past few weeks have provided new challenges for me. I began teaching Sunday School at the United Church and it has been such an incredible blessing! Youth Ministry is one of my greatest passions in life and to be able to use the talents the Lord has given me to teach these precious young people about Him is so exciting it is really hard to put into words! The Sunday School is growing in 'leaps and bounds' and I can truly see the Lord's Hand at work as new children are coming along and the children who have been attending are showing such enthusiasm each week! The Rev and I are hoping to do a week-long VBS this summer. I have been busy preparing the lessons and activitives for each day. Our Theme is 'God's Superheroes'.

Of course I am still battling with my panic attacks. I have lots of challenging and discouraging days! The hardest part with panic attacks is that when they hit it can be bad for a few days before I start to feel well again. Its been a constant struggle to not loose hope when things are rough, to focus on the positives and not dwell on the negatives, and most of all daily reminding myself that the Lord is using even the roughest days to work out His Will and Plan for my life!

Sometimes the Lord takes His child out of the storm and sometimes He walks through the storm with His child and I believe that is what He is doing with me... Daily walking with me and giving me the grace and strength to keep pressing on.

I am thankful today that I serve a God who understands exactly how I am feeling even when I do not always understand it myself! A God who has ny life in His hands and knows what the future holds and what each day will bring. I look ahead to the future with hope and confidence knowing that He who has begun a good work in me will see it to completion!

Signing off for now. Thanks for reading!!

Jennifer