Tongue....

Us girls love to talk. We love to talk about everything, clothes, boys, TV, celebs, food, houses, cars, beauty and money. Ultimately though we are very good at talking about each other.

Gossip. 

It is poison amungts friends and sweet amungts enimies. 

I have been really challenged by the things that come out of my mouth and the big book is always telling us how powerful our words are and what comes out of our mouths! I found over 100 verses in the Bible that talk about the tongue and our words! Over 100! 

One that really stuck out at me was;

Matthew 12:36-37 

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Wow, someone once said to me or I read it somewhere, imagine if All the words we spoke we're written on our bodies for all to see....' We would so think twice about what we would say. 

It's really easy to get sucked into a bitching session or sharing a juicy bit of gossip about someone, I know because I do it! 

I have seen people's lives been run and ruined by gossip. Truly a life of misery. It builds no one up because not only have you just slated a friend or even a complete stranger like celebrities, okay so we see and hear a small portion if their lives and how often do we hear someone say so and so is such a bitch! What a slag... Like Miley Cyrus what a dick, half naked on a wrecking ball seriously!? 

And yes she was a muppet to do that (in my humble opinion) but be don't actually have a friggen clue about her, her life, family, background her character which is fundamentally what makes us who we are. We only see what she and the media want us to see. 

But you have just betrayed, trust and also shown the people around you that you do gossip and slag people off and ultimately if you can do that about someone else with them, then who's to say you don't do it with someone else about them! Trust is broken.

This was just an example of how easy it is to gossip and slag people off. But that verse is saying well by your own words you will be judged. This is what helped me get my head around the whole love God fear God thing. I was like how can I fear him  and love him!!! 

The only way I can explain it is like when you do something quite bad wrong and you need to tell your dad and you know he's gunna hit the roof but ya gotta tell him and your scared, it's kind of like that, you still love him but gosh in that moment the fear takes over and you start practicing that little speech of, ah dad I'm so sorry I will never do it again please forgive me I will do anything you want cut the grass... Ect. 

Our words are powerful. What we say about each other is so important! My DNA year tought me that. Just think about things people have said about you good or bad they stick. If you tell someone they are ugly all the time there going to start to believe it and that's because they are powerful! 

Gossip is one of the things the devil loves the most because he doesn't even have to do anything he just sits back and watches you destroy each other, it breaks my heart the things that come out of my mouth sometimes, i really need to think before i speak!! 

I'm asking God at the moment to search my heart and to help me to become more aware of what I say and who too. 

Is there anything that you want God to search your heart for? 

Anything you do that you know isn't good for you or the people around you? 

Just something to ponder on! 

God bless 

TFTC

I'm not sure how well known this whole geocaching thing is but I absolutely love it! I have only known about for a few months now, and like everyone in my life has never Hurd about it! It's amazing! 

So if you don't know what it is, I describe it as like a massive treasure hunt all over the world! Where you basically go places and find various shaped and sized boxes,containers, film canisters Ect and they have little goodies in, you sign the log book and you swap, so you can only take something out if you put something in! 

It is so much fun aswel! It gets you out the house and exploring! Now I don't know about you, but I LOVE adventures, the people that know me well know that if you say adventure I'm there! So this is a great way of going on little adventures and the best thing about it is, ITS FREE! (unless you drive some where then petrol)

It's great to take kids aswel, they get to look and get really excited about finding one when they do! 

I'm 21 and me and all my friends of various ages love it! The pastor and his wife of my church up north did it all the time all over the world! 

But Do you know what I love most about the whole thing? 

Is that it has restored some of my faith back into the world. I love the fact that I haven't come across a single geocach that isn't there because someone has stolen it or ruined it, that people respect it and enjoy it, and help others to enjoy it too! It would be so easy for someone to ruin it and steal, I'm sure it has happened but I am yet to see it! That makes my heart so happy. 

It may only be something small but it reminds me that the world isn't all bad, and that actually something really simple like hiding a sandwhich box in the woods has been going for a few years and it hasn't had to stop due to people stealing or ruining it! 

1000s of people take part all over the world! I was completely blown away by it when I Hurd about it and everytime I actually find a cache it makes my heart smile that little bit more at the fact it is still there! 

If this is your first time ever hearing about it check out the website - http://www.geocaching.com

Or download the app at the App Store! 

It may change every walk or holiday you ever go on! 

Some little tips that I've picked up;

Don't let people know your geocaching while your geocaching, be discreat, I'm not sure why that's a thing maybe it's to prevent people who don't know and love It from finding it and taking it away as some cool thing they just found! 

Make sure you put something in before you take something out! There are a lot of families that do this so it's really nice to keep things in to if not for the adults but for the kids! It must be the coolest thing ever to find something and get to take a bit of 'treasure' out of it and home with you! Also kids probably put some of there favourite things in those little boxes! 

And the rest I'm afraid you will have to find out on your own! It's really fun trust me and the geocaching world is so lovely! So if this has inspired you then I am glad! Enjoy your little adventures! 

Here's some snaps from geocaching! 

God Bless

New season

Wow what a rollercoaster couple of months it has been!

I've lost my job and moved back down south! Not to mention essay deadlines! 

All this means I have just been awful at keeping my blog up to date. Now that I have the mobile app this means I can blog wherever whenever, which is really handy for me as I like to write things in the moment as apposed to after! Especially When God is talking to me! 

So what's been going on, well as I said I've lost my job, there are many reasons why all of which will help me grow! It was a sad time saying goodbye to all my northern family, friends and young people, I had finally made myself a nice little life up there I was really happy! God had really broken my heart for Lymm and all the young people, so it was really really hard to leave, however It has been an amazing faith growing year and a half up there! It has not been easy, far from it but I am glad I've been though it! I have had to do a lot of growing up to do, It's scary being a grown up. 

So I now live with my parents again, that's really wierd! It's been almost 3 years since I first moved out on DNA and although I have popped back for holidays and stuff it's odd living here. Mum and dad don't know Jesus yet, so it's an interesting dynamic, especially when we talk about jobs and money! 

I thank Jesus that I have friends and family to come back too! I may be jobless but there is so much to be thankful for! : ) 

I did get a new hamster just before I left the north! So I have a bit of the north with me : ) 

This is Gordon George (baby GG) I just call him George he's very cute! : ) 

So my plans, well I have one more 6000 word essay to submit then I have finished my diploma but I'm pretty sure I shall carry on to do the degree, I know I'm not great at a lot of things but if I have learnt anything over the last 18 months it's that God has given me a heart for young people, the young people that the media always paint in black and that people in public would cross the street to avoid. They are who I want to work with. I have a lot to learn and a lot of growing up to do but I am so excited for the next chapter of my journey with Jesus! Is shall so my best to keep this updated! : )

Thanks for reading! 

God bless 

Laura-Ann 

Add me on twitter 

https://twitter.com/Lauramorris8

I'm a princess...

So a few months ago i found myself saying this phrase on numerous occasions 'Do you feel like a princess?'
It was my first experience of wedding dress shopping. Now i must say that what you watch on the television is all a lie. There is no champagne. This, i was highly disappointed with. However i was highly impressed with the size of the mirrors they had.

The shop its self was pretty boring, the carpet was a dark cream colour kind of like coffee... and had stains on it. It didn't smell all that amazing either the room not the carpet... 

The rails were full of ivory coloured wedding gowns, with only two or three actual white dresses. So many to choose from. A lot of bling bling in this particular shop. I always imagined that i would walk into a wedding dress shop and be like WOW all of them are beautiful but this was not my reaction i was somewhat disappointed. There were many beautiful dresses but i guess I'm more fussy than i first thought. There were 2 women working in the shop that day. They were sisters. It is a family business.  One was slightly over weight, long blond hair starting to go silver at the top, big beautiful smile, lovely woman. Really friendly, quite a bubbly personality very helpful. Married 4 children. Her sister however came across the opposite. Blunt, not very friendly, looked rather stroppy. She walked in high heels, but she couldn't really walk in them. we shall call the bubbly sister, Bubbles and the stroppy sister..... stroppy.

I was very grateful when we turned up for our appointment at 3, after the high heel walking sister had booked us in, to find that the bubbly sister was the one who would be assisting me and Bird with the wedding dress adventure. She was very helpful and helped us when we needed. Me and bird picked out 4 dresses to start with 3 were of the fish tale kind 1 was a 'princess' dress and the other was a plain looking dress which was actually a brides maid dress. After we had picked some dresses to try we were shown to the changing room. I was amazed with the mirrors. They were ginourmas!  Bird went into which was basically a small section covered in massive curtains. I kept my self busy, taking pictures in the massive mirrors whilst asking bubbles lots of weird and wonderful questions.

Me keeping myself occupied, with the massive mirrors. 

 (I love asking questions, its like the best way to get to know people and its really handy if people are not very natural at flowing conversations.) So i waited while Bubbles and Bird were in the changing room and there was dress on the floor and a oo here and whoops sorry think i pulled the pin out, sounded  a little messy. Then Bubbles opened the curtain and there was my Bird.

WOW! the first thing i said was do you feel like a princess birdie!? ( i asked her this every time she tried a new dress on) you look like one! I have to be honest, i don't really like fishtail type dresses, they just don't do it for me. However birdie did look beautiful. Beautiful lace and detail was just amazing. The next 2 dresses were of similar style one was a high neck lace dress the other had little lacy straps. Then she tried on the one i found.

It was a very simple dress no big train, not big and fluffy but boy oh boy i fell in love! it suited her perfectly it was so beautiful. I was like Bird you look like a princess! Bird tried on one more dress this one was white, it was a nice dress but it was very white!

We left the shop and sat in burger king and pondered on our experience. I was so proud of Birdie, she isn't a fan of crowds and lots of people but we managed to stay out all day. I was privileged to have her arm wrapped in mine as we walked through the people in and out of shops.
I new Bird had her heart set on a dress she had tried on the day before, she showed me a picture of her in the dress and oh my gosh it was beautiful and it was everything birdie wanted in a dress. So it was between 2. The simple dress from Bubbles shop. or the princess dress from the day before.
The big difference was the price. I said well if she got the simple dress she could have all the extras hair, makeup, nails. All done professionally. So i said

'Throw a coin, because while it is in the air you decide which one you want.'

I can't take credit for this i had read it somewhere who knows how long ago but it has stuck with me. Bird was like 'core bird thats deep, where you hide that one!' i was like i have a few pearls hidden ya know :)

Anyways. It was a good experience.

Bird has the Dress she dreamed off. it wasn't the simple one but was the princess dress. Our Daddy  (God) stepped in and cut the price for her. I am so excited for my Bird. The man she is marrying is one of the loveliest gentlemen i have ever had the privilege of meeting and i can't wait for her big day.

Until then, we have wedding planning and ideas to bat around. I'm sure i shall blog about some other bits and bobs before her wedding in september! Its all a new experience for me!

thanks for reading!
God bless

Me and my Bird

Whoops.

I am so bad at blogging... i was totally ready to go and was like yeah man, I'm going to blog every week.... I'm lucky if i remember every month! whoops! my bad.

Life gets in the way sometimes don't you think? When your busy at work come home, then got to sort the kids out. (I don't have kids so i can't pretend like thats my excuse) or you're just too tired and veg out in front of the TV, you got work up to your eyeballs and can't concentrate on anything else, your at uni and you feel guilty if your not doing anything other than your essays. There are so many things that get in the way. The main reason i forget to blog is I'm too busy living life and enjoying real peoples company! i wouldn't change it for the world!!

Anyways, what i wanted to say was i hope you had a lovely christmas and a really fun NYE! hoping that 2014 already is bringing new adventures and much needed joy into your lives! :)
I am really looking forward to 2014! Not only because it is an even number, but i feel feel like this year is going to bring a new big adventure! I LOVE ADVENTURES! I am known by friends for adventures, doesn't matter when but some says adventure and I'm there! call me old fashioned but i love the outdoors!

2014 for me is a year of thankfulness on my Facebook i am posting a photo a day everyday. I'm hoping by doing this it will change not only my view of life but others. So very often do we concentrate on the negatives of life and not the positives, There is something to be thankful for everyday!

Here was my first thankful photo;

New Years. Era Party. Family 

Autumn is here!!

This is where i live.

My favourite time of year is autumn it is so beautiful! The trees look incredible with all the different colours coming out! and the leaves decorating the pavement like glitter on a page. 

After being home for summer i have been back in Lymm just over a month. It is great to be back at work, gosh i have missed my young people so much! It didn't take much to get back into the swing of things. A few things have changed since i have come back and it has made life a bit more interesting i'm no longer doing things which i was really enjoyed but i just know God has it all under control! 

God has been working on new exciting things though, he has really put on my heart to start up some drug education in my little area of Lymm. Me and Darren run a youth drop in called the Hub and the relationships i have built with some of the young people especially the girls is what i love the most about my work! I love the fact that they are honest with me and ask for my help and that i can share my faith with them. A lot of the young people including the girls are taking drugs and some of the lads are actually dealing them. The young people have actually asked me to do some drug education and after receiving a large donation towards this i am so excited to get this up and going! 

The point of me blogging about this is to show Gods grace, before the summer i did something that for a long time i though impossible to forgive but i know God and i know he forgives and it is his grace that blows me away that even though i am broken and mess up and do things that are so stupid he still uses me to further his kingdom! I am so excited to start this new journey with him!

Adventure....

I love a good adventure! People that know me well know that if someone mentions an adventure my eyes light up and i get all excited! something about going to new places doing new things having fun and being crazy, the kind of life i love to live.
I haven't always lived this way. for the first 16 years of my life i didn't leave my home town of Hertford without my parents. With my mum being ill i think in my mind i could never leave her, so i never did i never went on any school trips i didn't even like sleep overs! it wasn't till i was in year 11 at school doing my GCSE's that i was separated from my mum for more than a day. Mum was taken into hospital for a serious operation in London so i didn't get to see her very much. I believe the reason i passed my English GCSE is because i wrote about my mum. While mum was is in hospital it did show me that i could look after myself and others. I did all the washing and cleaning and i looked after my dad he's not very domestic plus he worked full time! I also had to look after my best friend she liked to drink and get herself into tricky situations all during this week mum was in hospital, i got beaten up, i saved my best friend from being thrown under a train and not forgetting it was in the middle of my GCSE's sounds horrific but i tell you what it taught me so much!
I knew from then that i could face most things! Mum came out of hospital and was bed bound for 6 weeks so i was mum of the house for a while :)
Its crazy to think that was 4 years ago and how things have changed! I haven't lived at home for 2 years and i have been on one crazy adventure! It started when i became a christian and since then God has taken me on a big adventure all over the WORLD! Although life has not been a smooth ride and there have been a few occasions where i have found things all to overwhelming and tried to quit God has been good and surrounded me with amazing supportive people! Life is never going to be easy but i am so glad i'm not doing it alone. I am on the best adventure of my life with God and i wouldn't change it for the world.

I can do all things through christ
who strengthens me

One of my recent Adventures was to BUTTERFLY WORLD! I love butterfly's not only because they are so beautiful but when i was younger i wrote a story about God as a butterfly in a battle field so every time i see a butterfly i am reminded that God never leaves and gives hope in all circumstances. So butterfly world not only was it somewhere i had not been before it was a great place to take photos! another one of my passions is taking lots of pictures of life! i was in my element surrounded by beauty, nature, camera in hand and some of be best friends around me! It was so much fun!! We took so many photos of exotic butterfly's and got to see one of the biggest ant colonies in in the country.... Random but pretty cool! After butterfly world we went strawberry picking! what a nature filed day! loved it so much fun doing natural things and just enjoying the things God had created! i love a good adventure and i cant wait for the next one!

Consequences........

Consequences, not really a normal blog title but the reason for this, is that this is the word i have probably used the most over the past 6 weeks! Consequences are something we deal with often but its only till now that i have learnt to actually deal with and understand the Consequences of my actions. 

I mentioned in my last blog post about a book called boundaries and i will say it again (now that i have officially finished the book) it is amazing. I have learnt so much from this book it brings healthy challenge to your life, not only does it challenge you on your boundaries with yourself, fiends, family, work and God it gives you lots of practical help on how to develop good healthy boundaries. 

Anyway book review over.... the reason i mention this is along side boundaries this book also mentions Consequences and punishment and it highlights the difference and it really hit home with me.

Life changing book

For so long i would find myself saying Why am i being punished? or God are you punishing me for what i did? After a recent event that took place in my life after a silly rash selfish decision i made to do something that could have been tragic, i have been having to deal with the Consequences of my action. The difference is i don't feel like i am being punished by anyone. on pervious occasions when i have made silly decisions i have always felt the people round me have been punishing me but actually they were still loving and supporting me but there were Consequences to my actions that i had to face and i didn't want to, i guess you could say i was just being immature and 'wanting my cake and eating it' Even though this dealing with Consequences stuff has been horrible God has been teaching me a lot and actually sometimes it takes us dealing with your Consequences to learn our lesson and change our behaviour. Even though i've missed out on some things i've been waiting a long time for i've learnt so much that i needed to learn i just hope i remember. It has not been an easy time but i am so grateful for all the amazing people in my life in the north and the south that love and support me despite my behaviour. I am looking forward to going back to the north even sharing a room! i miss my sister Gaby!  sometimes it takes almost losing everything to see what you have. Normally i would say what a load of rubbish and moan about how should realise what you got before it gets to that but i definitely know for me that i appreciate everything i have a whole lot more than i ever did! I cant wait for september to come around and for me to get back to work and the family that i live with who i know love me for who i am.