!! News !!

The truth is that for the last few weeks since plans had changed and Micronesia was no longer the goal, I was freaking out a little. Never have I been in such a situation as far as I can remember, where I really had no idea what to do at all... I often don’t know what is going to happen next but I know the step I am supposed to be taking in the present... but this time it was just...nothing ...nothing in the present and nothing in the near future.. . it was in a way quite scary.  The only thing I knew and was telling myself over and over again that I could trust God and  that I had made the right decision...of course I managed to freak out quite routinely but in the unknown, the disappointment I knew that God wouldn't fail me..  what would come next though, I had no idea whatsoever...

UNTIL...

About 2 weeks ago...  I suddenly had an urgency to answer a question God was asking me... I had thought about it quite a few years ago but pursued other things instead and then a few weeks ago I was thinking about it again a bit before but not really seriously as something to do now necessarily...   

God was asking me if I would be a midwife.

 Now, it wasn't just like a question thrown in the air, I literally just couldn't think of anything else for two days and I knew I had to make a decision there and then.  There was a huge urgency about it. 

So on the Thursday I said yes to God and rang up the College here after looking up certain things on the internet and not having a clue really.  The woman on the other side told me that I was cutting it a bit fine and that I should come in the next morning.  So I went in on the Friday and ended up filling an application, passing a test, passing an interview, getting a conditional offer and then getting a permanent offer which I accepted and I also got accepted for a loan and all this on the Friday morning. It just so happened that enrolment was on the following Monday!! Hence the urgency. Had it been any later, I would have had to wait a whole year for the next opportunity!! God really knows what he is doing! 

I have no idea about the British system or all the ins and outs of the course and things that I would have known about had I have studied in Britain.  When I said yes to God for doing the course I was expecting to have to take out loans for this Nursing and Midwifery access course and then for the three following years of university.  This week I learnt that the loan that I took out for this course disappears when you graduate university and the fees for the three years at university are actually paid for because for some reason it is!! So I have just been overwhelmed with everything just ‘going right’!!

As soon as I said yes to God it was like I suddenly saw God’s strategy and I just started dreaming about it all and what being a midwife means in my missionary life and getting so so excited!!  I can go everywhere... I have a ‘valid’ reason to be in places, I will be able to help improve the quality of life of the places I go to, I will be able to help save lives of babies and women, I will have this key that will allow me to go to the most difficult and un-reached places and take God with me...as it just so happens that women have children...everywhere!! :)  It’s really amazing all that God is showing me for the future. I am very excited and I could never have planned all of this myself. 

This year's course isn't particularly an easy one and there is a lot of work and a lot of competition to get into the universities but I know that this is where God wants me and I will do my best and he will do the rest. 

I already started my first week and I am really enjoying it. I have already got a small group of friends and I think that it's going to be an amazing year with them.  The course is on Mondays and Tuesdays and a lot of homework and studying the other days though I am still trying to find a job!

So as usual, God knows what he is doing!   I was telling a friend the other day (and also reassuring myself in the process) to just trust God and just believe that he has something prepared and ready for us and that we shouldn't  panic because in hindsight we might feel a little silly because God is always faithful...and we can hope in him because he never fails...

I'm really just so amazed at how God really does keep his promises... I know that obedience opens doors, that when you sow you reap but I will always be amazed at how much more God blesses us, loves us, knows what is best for us...and how he really does guide our paths... :)

You Call me out Upon the Waters

Spirit lead me when my trust is without borders ...Let me walk upon the waters wherever you will call me... Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander...and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Saviour..

This is a song that I listened to on my friend's blog and since then.. I just can't get it out of my head.. the words are like a prayer to me.... what's on my heart...  

A Blessing In Disguise...

Well, I am finally writing this blog post... I have to be honest in saying that I have been putting it off... it’s not the easiest post to write but now is a good time..

If you read the previous post you might think that I would be in Micronesia today attending the first day of the Mission School and you would be right in thinking that... but the reality is that I’m not there.  I am sitting on a sofa in Loughborough, England with no plans, no clear knowledge of what I am doing or what I am supposed to do.  Yet today, I have joy and I have peace and I know that my God is looking after me...

As you know I was very much looking forward to going to this mission school in Micronesia, I had huge hopes, excitement and expectancy in this school... and I was going for it... working hard, saving every penny and I was getting there.  This journey I was on was to take a certain detour though bypassing the school and teaching me things that are more valuable to me than gold or silver...

      Blessings in obedience     I find myself so often saying things that I really mean with all my heart and with the best intentions  but if the time really came for me to walk the talk I don’t really know if I would.   What could be seen as a blessing in disguise was offered to me.  I felt God giving me a chance to put that into action.  I felt like I was given the opportunity to offer someone who hadn't managed to raise enough money to go to the mission school to go in my place. This may sound a bit crazy but I was being given a choice either  to go to the mission school and have an undoubtedly amazing time or start from what seems like 0 and enjoy someone else going instead. I was even able to take this person to the airport and send her on her way with joy in my heart knowing that it’s going to change her life and though I don’t know what my next step is, in faith I believe that there is something in store for me because of the path I took and blessings will follow. .

 I remember days in Sri Lanka when I would really want to help the street people but I would sometimes be so tired that I might pass them on the street and not stop and after I passed them I would feel I in my heart that I had the choice to turn round and be obedient and go and talk to them and love them.  Each time that I turned my bike around and decided to spend that time with them even though my body was saying no I can just remember that they were the best times that I spent with them.  God would provide a way to communicate either through one of them who spoke English or German and we would just have such a lovely time that would give me so much more rest and peace and joy than if I had gone home and slept.

 .       Love   During this time I cannot say I have not struggled with the decision.  For me and where I am at the moment it was quite a huge step of obedience.  But I have been able to see things in a new light.  In a very small small way, I saw the cost of what Jesus did on the cross to save us... so often we concentrate on the blessing that come from Jesus dying on the cross for us and we forget about his obedience. We forget about what he went through, his heart that had broken for us. We just think that because He died we have our sins forgiven we have this and we have that which is true, but we don’t fully understand what He went through for us.  I saw it in another light, and realized how unimaginable his obedience and  sacrifice was... betrayed, shamed, an ungrateful world against him, beaten,  killed for doing nothing but loving us and giving his life for us...Obviously I cannot put it all into words ... but something has shifted in my heart... an understanding.... more about what it really means to ‘carry your cross’... and giving your life for God... and the amount of love that God has for us...unconditional and relentless love...it was free for us but it’s not something to be taken lightly.. I just want to do what gives God the most pleasure...because of what He did for me....nothing else matters...

I used to think that God should really  know how far I would go for Him, how much I would be willing to give because of going to Sri Lanka alone and leaving family and friends and just basically risking my life there ... but I realize that there is actually a lot more that I can give God and how much more dying to self there is to be done...

    .Faith   Faith requires an action.” Faith without deeds is dead”.... we are often put into situations where our faith is tested. Either we can play it safe and stay securely fastened in the boat with our life jackets on and not daring to jump out of the boat for fear of getting cold or wet or drowning and just keep talking about things that we might be able to do if we ever got out the boat ... or we can jump out and believe that our 'splash' is going to create a massive wave.  I may not know what I am doing tomorrow or the next day but what I do know is that God has me in His hand and I don’t have to worry I just have to keep my eyes fixed on Him..... I have known this when I have gone to different places with no clue of what is going to happen or what I will do, who I will meet or where my finances will come from, God has always been faithful because He does look after us and He has a plan.

   Hope    We have to be careful what we put our hope in.  There are lots of good things that we can put our hope in, but that is not what God wants.  Our hope must be in God alone. Not in a job, not in a school, not in money, not in friends, not in a book,  not in anything but God.  I realize that sometimes I find myself focusing on something else than God hoping that that will change my life, but really, it’s only God who can do that.  These other things are things along the way are only to teach us, for us to enjoy  but they are not things to put our hope in because if we do we will just be disappointed and discouraged and we will never be satisfied.  God will never let us down. 

I realise that lately I have been quite discouraged because my hope was not only in God.  I know that my joy and my peace were lost because of hope that was in other things than God and obviously they had failed and it was really wearing me down... only through forgiveness, letting go and moving on and putting all my hope back in God am I able to be in this situation and know that it’s all going to be OK because if God is for me, who can be against me...

I want to live not just knowing that I can make a difference... but I want to live making the biggest difference that I could ever make ... doing what God  created me for... sharing His love in anyway that I feel I should even when it seems like foolishness rather than common sense...

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot loose.''
- Jim Elliot

Next Step...

Hello!!

Well it's been a few months since I have communicated.. Thought I should give a short little update.
Since a little before I left Sri Lanka a friend of mine told me about a 2nd Level Iris School, in Micronesia.  This brought quite a bit of excitement to me that grew and I felt it was something to pursue.  Since then I have moved back to Wales and am just trying to make some money to fund this trip.
 As many of you know,  I went to an Iris School in Mozambique in 2008 and it totally transformed my life and shortly after I set of to Sri Lanka.  So I have high hopes for this next one. At the moment I feel like I need a recharge, refreshing and a godly atmosphere to dream again and re-vision and Micronesia may be the place for it.  The school is in August and as usual this is a step of faith as as usual it is far away and  in the middle of nowhere but if all goes well I hope to get there.

  Even though I am having a physical break from being in Sri Lanka , I am still in frequent contact with the people and team there and what they are doing and how they are carrying on in God and with the work that was started there.  It is always a very positive time and very encouraging to hear what is going on. I hope to post some of the things that are happening there soon.

 My 'mission' life is not over.. I don't think that it will ever be over nor do I hope that it does... but  there are different seasons to it and this one feels like just preparing for this new step, raising money for it and just trusting God that He knows what is happening and what is coming next!.

So there we are, if you were wondering, yes, I am still on the map and still trying to press on!!

Transition...

How different it is waking up 'here' rather than 'there'...
From one airport to another and my whole world has changed... my bed, the weather, the culture, the friends, the pavements, the people, the food, the communication, the way people see and think of me, the expectations or lack thereof... etc. It's all different.

I have laid all that I have lived for in the last 5 years down... and I find myself  in a season of transition. How long it is going to last I don't know but I have left everything I have done in another country and I find myself with nothing except an application for the Job Center and job applications in front of my eyes. What am I supposed to be doing... What am I supposed to be doing over here... What kind of person do I have to be in order to 'fit in'.... I can only be the same person...even if that means I don't end up fitting in...
My qualifications don't fit into the normal type of work you find on the work market... I have more life experience than work experience...but life experience that would be seen as work experience had there have been a certificate involved...but there isn't so you can't only put that on paper...In my heart I am a missionary...I have experience...I don't get a degree or certificate in that nor have I received a salary or recognition...I receive other things that are not seen as job application material but are essential to my life but not in the eyes of others or to the person employing people but could possibly be just as precious or even more important than any certificate... These experiences have changed and shaped my life for the future and have equipped me so much...but that won't get me a job easily...

What are we putting all the importance on these days...
Even in the church .... what are we putting the importance on these days...
What 'qualifies' us?   What sacrifices must we make or what must we start doing in order to 'fit in'... How and why do we measure the importance of a  life..."Seeing is believing"....but what if you don't go and see...what happens then...?
How are we measuring the importance of a life....because that is what is happening isn't it...whether we admit it or not...but let's be honest it's easy to do...but it's an attitude that is possible to change...

As I look back at past uncertainties in my life and remind myself of how God was present and so faithful... I am relieved to know that there is someone out there who has my life in their hands and will provide the best for me... and will guide my steps... and who does see me for who I really am... and who loves me for who I am and who will take me to the next season because I have allowed Him to.  I have laid it in front of Him and I know that He will make it all into something beautiful...and lead me onto the next leg of the journey...

We are all on our own journeys that mix into others all the time... When that happens... are we going to prove ourselves to be a big fat obstacle on the path of another... or are we going to prove ourselves to be a fellow traveller who guides, helps, encourages and tries to make that little bit of journey easier and enjoyable and beneficial to all...

"Who we are isn't what we do, it's who we are that compels us to do what we do!"
Gary Morgan

We need to remember who we really are... wherever we are... and what and who we are living for...

Last post from Sri Lanka for this season...

This last week has been quite a quiet week.  I have spent a lot of alone time on the beach just trying to quieten my mind about what is happening and get to the point where I really am confident about my decision to move on.  It's been an interesting time trying to tell people that I feel God telling me to lay down my work here on the altar as an offering to Him....letting it go so that He can make it into what He wants... some have been very critical and others seem OK but don't really understand, which is very understandable!!

I also don't fully understand but I know that God will continue to guide my footsteps and "..Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." 2 Timothy 1:12

It's quite a journey!

I had the last meeting with the group Saturday.  It was a really powerful meeting where I 'officially' passed on the baton and it's up to them to run with it... and I know that this group really will.... and so I really am leaving encouraged that all was not in vain and with certitude that the individuals as well as the team are going to do amazing things and really reap a harvest... I am really leaving happy and excited because I know this team really wants to go after the things of God and to love people and that it's not just a sweet thought but they have really started living it out and that the church really is being transformed now with more and more people actually going out and being the light in the darkness.

New news :
 Having done a Funday in an area near where I live and having a good turn out and people who were asking if we would give English lessons we decided to accept in order to help the kids but also to have an opportunity to share the gospel with the people and get integrated in the community there.  These have been going really well since the beginning of February and we have a team of 5 people teaching up to about 30 kids. Many of the mothers come and it's been a great time of being able to encourage and share with them and love them... we are believing that they will accept Jesus very soon :)

And also, every Monday lunch time as well as giving the buns or food packets, we have started to teach the street people more about Jesus on a regular basis.  Today four more of them accepted Jesus which was amazing.  So, the team will be coming to do that in the Catholic Church garden and so far we haven't been kicked out so that is really good :)

This week has been amazing and the best way to finish my time off here strong and well.

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy :)

The  new English class and teachers :)

on  the way home from Kandy

Galle Face green at night

lunch and teaching in the church garden

Street people over for lunch and the Jesus film

And not so quiet  beach!

My quiet time beach :)

BIG change :)

Well I am writing this post having just bought my ticket to England.
I have decided to have a break after these six months I have been here.

Since last year already getting the impression that my time in Sri Lanka was coming to an end but not knowing quite when. It seems like that time is now upon me.

Usually I tend to stay longer than I am supposed to in a place and it takes some drastic circumstance to get me to finally leave and go on to the next step in the journey.  This time it is exhaustion that has brought me to evaluate my situation here.

I obviously have had many thoughts going through my head since making this decision... a lot of uncertainty... guilt... confusion..and sheer panic and so I took the afternoon to go out and just sit on the beach and just get to a place of peace and quiet in order to spend good time listening to God.

  Whilst I was just being still, I was reminded of my vision for the season, I was also reminded of the things that have been accomplished, I was reminded of the changes that have happened in the church and the amount of new people who are stepping out and preaching the gospel and equipped to spread God's love wherever they can and who know who they are in God, I was reminded of the ever growing team who will continue the Fundays and who are seeking new opportunities to spread the gospel and of course of all the people who have accepted Jesus during this time and of all the fruit that has started appearing in bigger numbers and of the harvest that is going to continue...  This was the vision of the season.

Sri Lanka was one other stop on my journey. I do not know when or whether I will be coming back.  I also do not know where I will be off to next but for the time being I will be going to England for a time of rest. These past months have been really hard and have taken a lot of energy to get through but it has been a time of wonderful fruitfulness...I have been reminded and encouraged several times of this verse in Psalm 126v5-6: 'Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.  Those who go out weeping, carrying seeds to sow will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves'. God knows what this year has been like but I am confident that the seeds that have been planted are going to produce amazing fruit and I am looking forward to hearing from the people here about the wonderful things that are going to continue to happen through their obedience and boldness to go after God and what they will continue to become in Him. Since taking this decision and spending time with God today I have peace in my heart and I will be able to leave Sri Lanka with joy and no regrets (apart from never really being able to speak either of the languages)...only some sadness at not seeing my friends here again for some time.

 It has been an amazing few years of my life here in Sri Lanka. I have learnt so so much, I have learnt so much about God and how wonderful He is and how He never leaves me and always provides for everything and I have learnt who I am in Him and the amazing things that we can do together and have seen how He loves people and how He transforms their lives for the better and the hope that He brings!!!

 I am looking forward to what He is going to do with me and where He is going to send me next.

Thank you for all those of you who have been supporting me these past years, I couldn't have done it without you.  You may have heard many times that the team at home is essential, well it really is true. I really couldn't have done it without knowing that you were all there being a part of everything that was happening. You brought strength and support, encouragement and smiles :)

Fruit Galore...

As I was peering over my balcony today... hearing the rain coming closer and closer, I noticed the tree in the opposite garden, well what is left of it.  It was a big mango tree; I was looking forward to eating the fruit off it in a few months.  Unfortunately to my horror, last week they cut all its branches off... I will not be having any of its fruit... Then I looked at the smaller tree to the right of it... I had always thought it was a mango tree. But a fruit on it caught my eye. It was the only fruit on it in fact, after further inspection. And it wasn't a mango. It was intriguing, I still don’t know what fruit it was but the big red ants love that tree. 

We all know the saying: don’t judge a book by its cover... well we can’t determine what a tree is until we see the fruit.  We don’t know whether there will be bad fruit or good fruit on it until we see what is produced.  It doesn't matter if the tree is big or small nor whether there are lots of leaves or few, what counts is the fruit.  It’s not fair to cut a tree down before seeing whether the fruit is going to be good or bad... we have to wait... we have to water it..  we have to see to it that it grows healthily and then the rest is up to the tree and we may be surprised at what starts growing on it... 

Before judging, let’s make sure we have done all we can to encourage and direct each other in the aim of being a positive influence before judging things that we cannot see or determine and acting on those presumptions.  How many trees have been cut down on the brink of producing masses of sweet tasting fruit, but us in our selfishness and hindering cut the branches off, ultimately thinking that we know them better than God who created them with a perfect plan in mind... the roots may well have been soaking in the river of life...

Let’s be careful and attentive to which trees we are letting grow and which ones we are cutting down and depriving people of the fruit that was to be...let’s remember that we are to build each other up in order to change the world... 

Matthew 7.16a:  By their fruit you will recognize them.

A Bit of Raw Reality...

 As I sit here sort of ready to write up this new blog post, I hesitate and think about what I am supposed to write... 

-Do I write about the wonderful things that have been happening or do I also write about the pain and the hardships that there are along the way? 

-Do I write about how things go forward 2 steps and back one and the frustration and disappointment there is in the loneliness sometimes?

-Do I write about me not having a shoulder to cry on and the heartbreaking things that happen and cause sadness like my good friend, not much older than me passing away last week or my uncle just before Christmas and me not being with my family and able to be with my mum to support her?

 Or do I shy away from sharing for risk of being judged and told for the millionth time to just go home and get a normal job, or do I just choose to keep silent because I chose to come here, right? 

 I’m going to be authentic...

I can say that being a missionary here is wonderful and that the fruit that is finally being produced is so very welcome... but it was sown not only in joy and laughter, but also amongst tears and frustration...

Don’t get me wrong, I love being here, I love being used by God

-I love giving people the opportunity to learn to step out in faith and watch them grow in God

-I love it when people realize that God is working through them and hearing the testimonies of what happened

-I love the joy on peoples’ faces when they receive Jesus during the Fundays or other times 

-I love playing a part in bringing people to Jesus...bringing love, joy and hope

-I love giving buns to the street people and talking to them

I wouldn't choose another vocation in life...I was made for missions, it’s my life’s work...

-Did I know it was going to be hard?  Yes. 

-Did I know that it would be SO hard?  No. 

-Did I know that it would be such a lonely walk out here in Sri Lanka or that there would be so  many obstacles, so many disappointments? No

- Did I know that I would be in the line of fire practically everyday? No.

- Do I always jump out of bed full of energy to face the day and everything that will be thrown at me?  No! 

-Have I had to fight the temptation of eating all the special English and French chocolate in my fridge in one go to find comfort!!?  Yes! 

-Do I fall asleep crying and want to give up sometimes?  Yes.

-Will I?  No, I’m too much of a crazy wimp to do that!!

Living out of the box, swimming against the current... is not easy... it’s a risk... and it does have a price... but it does have its rewards also...

Relying on God for everything over here... means that I see miracles of provision

- I see the miracle of how all the pieces of the puzzle start to be put together and seem to make more sense 

- I can see lives being transformed in front of me

- I can see God working through the people in the team

- I can see doors open where they have been shut and locked for such a long time

-I can experience breakthrough

- I can see people’s eyes sparkle at the simplest act of love towards them

-I can see 3 years of hard work here bearing its fruit

I realize that this has ended up being more of a thought process and an auto-encouragement.  In the end though, I conclude that although this lifestyle has a high price, it is well worth it. Though there be tough times, there is still joy in the sacrifice. It is a passion. And so in the words of Miley Cyrus  in her song It’s the climb, which has actually encouraged me to press on these past days funnily enough:

The struggles I’m facing

The chances I’ taking

Sometimes might knock me down, but

No I’m not breaking

I may not know it, but

These are the moments that

I’m gonna remember the most, yeah

And I, I gotta be strong

Just keep pushing on....

An Encouraging Weekend :)

 Well, this Saturday we had another Funday, not too too far away in a little community.  It was extremely hot but it didn't rain!! It was a great time and we even had a few new extras to the team which was wonderful.  The kids enjoyed the morning as did the adults that came.  This time the importance of persevering in giving the people the opportunity to receive Jesus was highlighted to me.  When they were asked if they wanted to accept Jesus they remained silent ... but I really felt that we had to still give the opportunity for them to accept Him in their hearts as they may just have been shy or not really know what to do...so after we prayed a prayer with them and encouraged them to pray it in their hearts if they wanted to, we asked them if anyone actually did and again we had most of the people accept Jesus :)  So that was a lesson learnt.


As there have now been enough Fundays to show the team how to do it

A drama to explain the gospel!

and what it's all about and the need there is to go out and share the Good news and they have seen  the desperate need for people to have hope in Jesus, hopefully, this is now the time to give this to the team to carry it more.  We will be having a meeting in which they will all share their individual visions as there are new people joining and what they feel God is saying to them and the direction He is giving them and we will try and build on the template that we have in order to produce something that everyone will feel is theirs and can do what they feel God is telling them to do at this time and just to discover more of who they are and what God wants to do through them.  We have been working as a team each with our own responsibilites but I want them to run it now rather than me organizing and putting it together...  So that is quite exciting.

The amazing news from this week is that there has finally been breakthrough in the church!
 Since I have been in Sri Lanka I been trying to get the church that I am going to involved in going out and preaching the gospel and just making it like a lifestyle to share God's love, opening their eyes to the needs that there are and stepping out and doing something about it. Realizing that we were all created for a purpose and that God loves us and has anointed us all to go out and love and change this world bringing freedom and hope.

 For example, with the street people, just acknowledging that they are there and that they are also created by God and they need love...and we have a love that we must share with everyone despite our judgements and habit to ignore them... not just to give money from a meter away without looking at them ... not to love them just so that they become Christians... but to love them because God loves them. Also the church is not the only place that you serve but in fact it's where you learn to serve and to equip yourself in order to go out and share with the world that needs help and does not yet know Jesus...  So for a while I just felt God telling me to just carry on  with what I am doing and that people will just see and finally understand why it is that I do what I do. So I did and a few from the church joined me but the church's culture stayed the same.

So, I didn't know about this until last night but the preach of the morning in the Singhala and Tamil service was about going out and preaching the gospel... and I was the example and all the different things that I have been doing and trying to get people involved in as well as the things I have been doing on my own were all shared and explained and the reason why I was doing it and why Jesus commanded us to go and what He did to help the people and how He loved them.... and for people to join in and get involved!!  I was really surprised, I had been waiting for a long time for there to be a breakthrough  and it finally came and I didn't even have to open my mouth!! I wasn't even there!!

So now the church is starting to open up to the 'outside world' and are transforming their views to be more like Jesus' heart and starting to open their eyes and to step out and make a change and they have been given a choice of ways to get involved also if they are not sure where to start. So I am expecting a lot more people to join soon and I know that there is still a way to go, but its a wonderful start!! :)  God really is amazing.  We only need to take that small small step in obedience and He does all the rest!!  It's really amazing!!

I was also able to have a very mini break in Kandy to visit Linda, a friend from The Journey and her little team visiting an organization there, we had a lovely time :) So all in all... it's been a really good weekend )

How Will The Value of Our Days Be Measured?

I found this inspiring when I was reading Joyce Meyers' book The Secret To Happiness a little while back and was just reading it again today :

" How will the value of our days be measured?

~   What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built, not what you got, but what you gave
~   What will matter is not your success but your significance
~   What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught
~   What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example
~   What matters is not your competence but your character
~   What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you are gone
~   What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you
~   What will matter is how long you will be remembered by whom and for what
~   Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.  It's not a matter of circumstances but of choice.

Choose a life that matters "


"..but if I have not love, I am nothing."  1 Corinthians 13.2