Africa here I come!!!

So I plan on going to Africa for six months and this is what happened to me yesterday as I tried to get innoculated. I got:

* 1 yellow fever vaccine in my left arm
* 1 Diptheria / Tetanus shot in my Right arm

* 1 Hepatitis A shot in my left Thigh

*1 Hepatitis B shot in my right thigh

* 2 (bad nasty tasting) polio drops in my mouth

and it gets better

I have a prescription to fill for malaria  AND I need to get four more shots in SA to complete the Hep. A & B regime…

I hope I don’t ever have to take medication again in my life!!!

Blessings!

My mind is made up!!

It actually took me awhile but I’ve finally decided today that I want to lose weight!!

I don’t exactly know how to begin this quest (especially the exercise regime) but at least I am going to try. My plan is to start eating healthy foods – hopefully this would prove easier in South Africa than here, because I hear the fruits and vegetables there are cheap.

Then I am going to go walking. I actually like going for walks but what I find challenging is the times that I really have the urge to go – usually around 2-4 am and then I have no one to go with.

But hopefully, since I will be doing a health program there I would find a source of encouragement and support from my team-mates. If not, I would just have to use sheer will power and the understanding that it is for my good! 

Jesus HELP!!!

to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord

So today was my granny’s funeral and I didn’t know how I was going to make it but my Best Friend came through for me again. First, He’d prepare me before hand of her passing by telling me I’d lose someone I love. Then He made certain that I was sure she was saved and was going to be with Him. And finally, He gently got me out of bed with one of the most fun experiences ever – I was dreaming that I was in church but instead of a typical service people were just clowning around and trying to make each other laugh. It was so funny (the jokes in the dream, even though I can’t rememeber any) that I was laughing from the pit of my stomach – and that’s what woke me – the convulsions of my stomach from laughing. Ain’t that weird!
It was nice having my dad, his dad and both his brothers here in the country at the same time … the last time that happened I was probably three yrs old and it was just fun meeting other relatives and reminiscing about things from yesteryear.
I am thirty and as far back as I can remember I have no recollection of my granny ever saying ‘NO’ to me about anything. I can remember her sneaking me off into the kitchen or the bedroom to give me something that my aunt might have disapproved of. I also remember my uncle’s warning ‘you’re going to spoil that girl you know’. I remember she would often cook for me (a separate dish if I did not like the meal she had prepared for herself) and would serve me and then clean up after me. I also remember staying up late a night to watch the Pic-O-D-Crop finals each summer; playing draughts and chess with her; lying in her bed and being rewarded with a treat each time she went out ‘just because’. And I remember explaining the gospel to her and leading her to Christ. In all honesty (and I am not saying this just because she is dead) but I have no bad memories of my granny (and she is probably the only person I can say that about).

Iretha Eugene Nicholls nee Odle- Boyce (1933 – 2008), I loved you in life and I love you in death. Until we meet again …

 

 

My News Update.

Hey peeps,

here is a snipet of what is happening in my life and as you read I would appreciate if you would pray for the situations arising. Thank you!

 

Life has been particularly challenging these last few months but it can be likened to the transformation of a caterpilar into a butterfly – painful but what a beauty in the end!

 

My granny (my #1 favourite person in the world) has passed away. God had prepared me for it but still I’ve never experienced grief like this before about anything.

 

My committment with YWAM Barbados ended on 21st February 2008. I’ve not renewed it but I will still be continuing  in missions full-time and would still appreciate your full financial and prayer support.

 

I’d taken these past two month to rest, as I had grown very weary (didn’t even know it was possible to get that tired). I was also trying to seek God  to find out what is next on His agenda for me.

 

While I was in Albania, a new ministry idea was birthed within me (which I will share at the appropiate time). It is my ultimate desire to be able to implement it fully, however I do not have the means or the expertise to do so immediately. In view of that I think it would be beneficial to develop skills which would better prepare me for this task.

I’ve found a ministry in Tenerife, The Canary Islands, which runs similarly to the one which I would like to start. It is called The Living Room and it ministers largely to prostitutes. I’ve decided to volunteer there for one month (June) before moving on to YWAM Worcester, South Africa to do the IPHC – Introduction to Primary Health Care school. If this sounds familiar to you guys, it’s because I was accepted to do it in 2006 but I didn’t go for various reasons. The school begins on 4th July and it runs until 12th December.

 

Please pray for me as there is a lot of work to do to make this happen and alot of finances to raise (I will be sending out a support letter soon).

 

Pray for favour as I apply for the relevant visas, as I am looking to leave Barbados on the 28th May.

 

Also I would like a laptop because not only would this make communication with you guys alot easier when I am away but it could prove rather useful wih my studies

 

Thank you so very much for your support. I cannot express adequately the depth of appreciation that is in my heart for all you guys who have stood by me since I started on this journey in 2004. My prayer is that God would reward you exponentially for all your contributions and that you would experience fully some of the joy, peace and deep satisfaction that I have in whatever you are doing.

 

Blessings and peace be multiplied to you!

 

Love

 

Donna.

 

 

Mr. Right

A friend of mine (Althea Charles) sent this to me and I thought that I would share it with you… blessings.

Food for thought!

The question is asked, IS HE THE RIGHT ONE ?

First we must allow our Heavenly Father to do the picking. And second, the decision for a mate must be made on a spiritual and intellectual basis before it’s made on an emotional one.

‘What about love? Shouldn’t that be the third? You ask. No, and I’ll tell you why. ‘The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9).

The heart is willful and is driven by its own agenda. It does not consider things rationally and intelligently it just loves to love! Therefore you have to point it in the right direction: ‘Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the well spring of life’ (Proverbs 4:23)!

Whenever you meet a man, you need to get clearance from God, check out his attributes, and then allow your heart to engage.

Dating exists not for mating; it exists for collecting data. I believe that the biblical design would be friendship, courtship and then marriage.

Friendship is two people walking together in agreement and accountability, learning and growing together.

Courtship follows the mutual agreement to commit to one another exclusively – it is the decisive turning toward the agreed-upon goal of the marriage altar. It is a period of laying a foundation and preparing your life together after marriage.

But dating? Well, if you do date, use the time wisely to gather these facts.

1. Check out the fabric. Is the person mate material? Does this man have an intimate relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ? Does he care what God thinks about his behavior? Is he accountable to God as well as another co-laborer in the faith? Accountability is an important factor. It is imperative to maintaining a committed relationship. Is your potential spouse a member of the same family – the family of God ?

You need to have common interests and values and agree on the essentials of living day to day. You have a similar spiritual walk. You eat the same spiritual diet. You enjoy a lot of similar things. You have like interests, like goals in life, like opinions on basic life issues.

You have had like experiences in your background. Though there is some truth to the idiom that opposites attract, like-minded folks fare better together.

Furthermore, does he want to get married? I f you want to be married and your dreamboat isn’t interested, don’t waste your time.

Remember, women fall in love and get married. Men decide to get married and then look for a wife. Note the difference in order. So if a guy says he’s not looking for anything serious, take his words seriously. If he’s not going in your direction, get
off the bus and wait for the right one.

2. Does this man want you? Is he pursuing you? The man who is right for you will pursue you, and God’s hand in the relationship will be clear. No guessing, no fleeces, no dead ends.

Scripture says: ‘He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord’ (Proverbs 18:22).

Note -who finds whom? THE MAN FINDS THE WIFE. From the beginning of time, God has transported men and women across the world in order to put them together.

At the RIGHT TIME, He will bring that man on the scene and he will find you. In God’s perfect design, the man is the one who recognizes his mate. Adam has no problem recognizing that Eve was his missing rib. You do not need to strategically place yourself anywhere. You don’t have to help a guy out because he’s shy!

Men will do whatever they have to do to get what they truly want. The man in your life should recognize you as the pearl of great price in his life and be willing to do whatever he must in order to gain your hand. If he is passive about gaining your affections, take it as a sign that he is not interested.

Many a woman’s mother has suggested that it is a good idea to marry a man who loves you more than you love him. As cold as that sounds, it actually might be scriptural if you stop to think about it: ‘We love him because he first loved us’ (1 John 4:19). Until then, take the ultimate chill pill. You don’t need a bunch of men in your life to make you feel all right about yourself.

You need only one man – your man, the one God has selected to select you. And trust me, the right man at the wrong time can be just as awful as the wrong man at any time. So trust God’s timing in this. He is the ultimate matchmaker. Relax, sit pretty and allow yourself to be found. Again – WAIT until the man voices his intentions. He should take the lead in establishing the relationship. You may have an inkling that he is the one, but God will use the man to set the tone of the relationship. Allow him the opportunity to woo you – this is your first act of
submission. Jesus set the standard for all men to follow. They should love us first. And they should lead the relationship.

3. The man in your life should not desire to move into your house, only into your heart. A man who prepares for your future has made his intentions clear. A man
who is husband material has the means to take care of a wife. He is a responsible human being who understands he needs to have something to offer. In short, a man should have the means to be a suitable lover for you.

4. Check out his buddies. Everyone knows birds of the same feather flock together, yet most women fail to see the connection between a man and his friends. A man’s pals tell you a lot about the person that you haven’t seen yet. They reveal things about the guy’s character that might be hidden when he is on good behavior. Everyone knows how to put his best foot forward. Don’t stay focused on the foot, check out the rest of the body!

5. Check out his relationship with his mother. How does he treat her? This is your preview of how he will treat you. There are lots of men who, because of a negative relationship with their mothers, really don’t like women, yet say they do. Unresolved issues between mother and son continue between husband and wife.

6. Remember that a man’s family reveals the cloth from which he’s cut. Take note and decide whether you want your future with the man in your life to look like his
present family situation.

7. Check out the patterns of his life. Do you see repeated cycles of drama in his personal kingdom? Broken relationships? Problems in making commitments
–including the job market? Mood swings? Is a problem always someone else’s fault? Does he embrace responsibility or shirk it? Does he keep his promises? Is he a man of good reputation? Remember all garments look wonderful hanging in the store, but with wear, some begin to unravel. Give yourself time and space to check out the man in your life. Time will always reveal whether or not he is made of the right stuff.

8. Does this man have a vision for his life? Is he running with that vision? Remember, God decided Adam needed help once Adam got busy DOING his assignment. As we saw Adam, a man doesn’t need help until he is busy doing what he was created and called to do. I s the man in your life guided by sense of destiny and purpose, or does he just allow life to happen around him? A man who is not certain of his mission can be a most miserable person – and you’ll be miserable too if you know where YOU want to go in life.

A man who has vision is not intimidated by a woman whose mission statement is clear. He will be your best ally, cheerleader and assistant because he wants you both to make it ! A man who cannot be supportive of your achievements because he is floundering in a sea of uncertainty over his own life is not a healthy partner to have and to hold forever.

Creating dependencies or feelings of obligation is not the way to get the best out of your man. Somewhere along the way, he will resent you and flee from the smothering burden of obligation he associates you with. You want a man who is firmly anchored in his identity in Christ. Remember, we are looking for a man who will be priest and leader of his home. His first instinct should be to want to cover you, redeem you, and provide for you. Your job is to decide if this is the man God has ordained for you to complement.

9. Complimentary. Do your talents and gifts complement his? Do his gift s, compliment yours? What about your temperaments? Do you see the two of you as an effective team capable of bringing blessing to the lives of those around you? Do your futures mesh? Can you coordinate your gifts in an attractive and effective way?

This is why knowing your purpose is so important. Make sure your hearts beat for mutual causes. When I go shopping I always consider the fabric, the fit and what I already have in my closet. Will my next purchase be a complimentary addition to what I already have? If I find that I am going to have to buy shoes and matching accessories to go with a new outfit, I leave it right on the rack. It is too expensive a proposition. If the man you meet makes you feel that you need to completely reinvent yourself, something is wrong.

This is where I ask you to consider the relationship in terms of cost. Is this relationship expensive spiritually, emotional or physically? Does your longing for a mate make you willing to forfeit who you are in the process? Or does he see you as the gift that you are? The man in your life should consider you a rare find, a priceless jewel-because of you he is getting ready to get blessed big-time! Any relationship that causes you to feel unworthy, unlovely, unacceptable, undesirable or that you have to work for love, is too expensive!

God has called the man to cover, protect and provide not only materially for a woman, but emotionally and spiritually as well. You should be richer in mind, body and spirit for your union with the man of your dreams. The man in your life should make rich deposits into your heart and spirit, not withdrawals.

10. Does he have a healthy love and acceptance of himself? Make sure the man in your life has taken time to heal from past relationships and has made peace with himself. How he cares for himself is how he will care for you.  A man’s relationship with God is crucial here. His love for himself will only be as strong as his love for God. This is not something that you can impart. You cannot be his savior or teacher.

That is out of spiritual order. In his rightful place as your personal priest, he should be leading you to a richer relationship with Christ.

If he is causing you to compromise your faith and destabilize your walk, if he is leading you into sexual sin or causing you to be distracted from your commitment to God, the relationship is too expensive.Offending the Lover of your soul, who promises you eternal love, is too high a fare to pay for a ride that has a limited run. If you and your man can’t soar in the Spirit, when the force of your love for another is tested by the pull or gravity of the world, your union will not be able to survive.

So you decide. How much is your life worth? How much is your love worth? You will be able to accept only what you believe you deserve. God himself calculated the worth of your love and decided it was worth His life. He now pledges you His love for eternity. Yes, Jesus sets the example for all others to follow when He paid a ransom for His bride. Should you expect less from a mortal man? Throughout the Biblical age, men were willing to pay the cost for what they truly desired. The truth of the matter is everyone knows that anything worth having, costs and no one gets a ride in this life for free.

Our prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father God, I confess that I have not always been as careful as I should’ve been with my heart. From time to time, my desire for love has caused me to leave my heart in the wrong hands. I now commit my heart into Your hands for safekeeping. Please help me to stop being so impulsive with what you deem so precious. As I learn to celebrate Your love for me, let me learn from Your example what a bridegroom should really be like. Help me to never settle for less than what you desire for me. As I embrace You as the Lover of my soul, keep my affections in the haven of Your own heart. As I rest in Your love, make me more discriminating of those who approach me.

I ask that You take over this area of my life. Keep me from those You know would hurt my heart. I invite Youto set a hedge around me and keep me from all who would draw me into unfruitful relationships until the day you  present me to the mate that You have selected for me. Grant me the discernment to recognize him as he recognizes me. Cleanse me from the temptation to typecast the men I meet according to what I see. Help me to trust in Your knowledge and lean not on my own understanding. I know that You know what is best for me; therefore I yield to Your choice. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Ladies this is something you should definitely share with a friend, whether you are single or married… It is something to think about.

A Woman of Integrity!

So I’ve made this new acquaintance (male) and shortly after I had a picture – which I believe was from God, it was of dugged up land, as if it was being prepared for building – a foundation. And I felt as if God was saying yes – there is this new friendship developing but it needed to be built on the right foundation. Then I heard  the word ‘integrity’ – and I felt that that was one of the pieces of ’steel’ to go into the making of this foundation of friendship.

My prayer is that God would help me to live a life of integrity and holiness before Him and others. Would you be so kind to join me in prayer that I may be obedient and discerning nullifying the plans of the enemy and averting his schemes?

My Purpose!

Yesterday I was asked by a ‘newly made’ friend of mine … what is the purpose of a woman. I thought about it a bit and this is what I came up with .. you could tell me what you think!

First, women were made to be image carriers, by that I mean we were made to reflect the image of the one who made us. God said,’let us make man in our image, according too our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing  that creeps on the earth.

God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him – male and female He created them. ( Genesis 1:26 – 27)

So we, women are to reflect the Trinity. We are to look like Christ!

Secondly, women are to be man’s helper. Genesis 2:18 – ‘Then the Lord God said, it is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.’

Genesis 2:21- 22, ‘So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He (God) took one of his ribs and close up the flesh at that place.

The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which he had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.’

So we were made to help man – the way we HELP our man may vary according to the specific needs of each individual.

Thirdly, we are to procreate or to be the bearers of children.  Genesis 3:20 – ‘ Now the man called his wife’sname Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.’

* Scripture references are taken from the New American Standard Bible.

Have you ever considered eloping?

How come God can get his enemies to submit to Him but sometimes His children walk in direct disobedience to His word?

So I had this ungodly soul tie broken off of me today and mind you it feels great – quite light and weightless. I am treading tentatively though because of it  cuz I am abit scared to trust my feelings and previous experiences as it relates to the issue. This one thing I am certain of though and that is that God is with me or as He puts it – He has my back! Even if I am uncertain about alot of things I can trust His love for me and His commitment to me.

Thank you God for your freedom and I ask that you help me to walk completely in it and not to become entangled again with the yoke of bondage in Jesus’ name amen.