Mountains of Lessons

I read this quote the other day, "Never for one minute think that by following God, the path will be easy. Mountains are part of the journey."



I just went on Wikipedia to look up the definition of a mountain. Yes what my parents spent on education went to waste. I do know what a mountain is but looking there - it has the definition and then it has the characteristics and the types. We are going to face different types of mountains in our life. Being a Christian isn't a contract that says "sign here" and then your life will be perfect.

In Matthew 17:20 Jesus says, "For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." With faith all things are possible (according to God's plan). Remember that God gives you things in His time, on His terms. You don't become a Christian to get everything in the world but for God to guide you through the world.



Imagine you're walking down a path and before you lies this big mountain and the quickest way to get past it is to climb it and go over it. However it's so big and steep you're going to need special equipment and someone who knows how to climb mountains to get over it. You could walk around it but that will take much longer and you will remember all the time and energy you used going around it when you could have just climbed over. Or you could just turn back but the mountain will still be there and you will see it every day and never see the other side.

Let me explain my story now. The mountain is the problem you're facing. The equipment you use to get over it is prayer. The person who knows how to climb mountains is God. Walking around the mountain is you trying to get around your problem yourself. Turning back is not dealing with the problem in front of you. Your level of faith is based on your decision.

If you climb the mountain, it will be a memory of something you got over. If you walk around it, it will be something you got past but you didn't get over it. If you turn back, the mountain will never evapourate, it will be there reminding you every day that you turned away.

When we're facing a mountain and we have the equipment to get over it what use is it without the person who knows how to use it? In other words we can pray all we want but if we're not trusting God to get us over this mountain, how will we climb it?

When we get over the mountain to the other side and keep going when we look back it will get smaller and smaller and eventually we won't see it anymore, we will only see what lies ahead. We will only have the memory, the memory based on our choice.



You will never meet a person who climbed every one of their mountains. Romans 3:10 says: As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one." Although God forgives. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Those are some of the mountains we face and instead of having mountains we will have mountains of lessons.

There are many different types of mountains. Some choices and situations can be a mountain before us but with God He will help us over.

Are you ready to climb your mountains?

God Bless,
Nicola Hill

Choices! "New poem too!"

As I opened up this blog, to add my new poem I wrote yesterday, I saw this quote on my twitter. "It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." - J. K. Rowling

Everyday we have to make choices whether it's simple ones or choices that could change out lives. When we hand everything over to God, He lifts that weight off our shoulders. God will lead you in the direction you're supposed to go.

This verse comes up so often, I find it, see it everywhere! "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." ~Jeremiah 29:11

I love music and I have songs for most moments in my life, as I was writing this I thought of this song - the words couldn't be better for this moment! It also has one of my favourite verses from Matthew 7: 7-8.



Here is my 1st poem of 2012:

Choices

Which way to go, which way to turn.
God's the only way, you will soon learn.
Your way won't work,
You know that, you've tried.
God's the only one with the power to provide!
God's the one who will see you through.
To God be the glory for everything you do!

Poem by Nicola Hill (06/01/2012)

New Year can happen at ANYTIME of the year!

I suppose the reason you were brought to this post is utter confusion by the title therefore you clicked the link to it :). Yes the title is correct but let me explain.

This is inspired by seeing posts today about New Year, resolutions and change! It's a general observation I had while reading all these posts! Every year as one year comes to a close and the New Year is around the bend a lot of people come up with all sorts of things they want to do and change either by changing themselves or their life. A New Year brings a new kind of hope to many people. A chance to start over.

One question that came to mind as I was reading everything was, "Why do we wait for New Year to make a change?" If you want to do something to make your life better or if something needs changing - why not do it NOW? Which brings me to the reason for the title of this post. Any day, any hour, any minute you can decide what direction you want your life to take and take action accordingly. A year is the general amount of time we look back on our lives to see how things changed that year. From whatever day you decide to make your life different in any way it's going to be a "New Year" for you! A "New Year can happen at ANYTIME of the year!"

Of course some New Year resolutions need to take place in the actual New Year because each year is a new working year and jobs can open up more at that time and it can be a new study year for some students where they've finished a course and new courses are only starting the following year. As well as many other examples I'm sure you can find.

I am writing about those changes we could make at anytime of the year but sometimes people keep going with things the way they are and wait until the New Year to make a change for example to decide to have a heathier diet or change themselves or the direction of their lives. Yes actual New Year could be the time you have set for a change but remember if you feel you are stuck where you are, ask yourself a question, "why are you waiting for the New Year to make a change?" Just GO FOR IT :)!

I am not saying there is a right or wrong, of course New Year resolutions can be very exciting with the prospect of change and fun to make but for the times when we need to make a change, don't hang on and wait for the New Year to make your life better.

What are your resolutions this year?

Have a happy New Year!
God Bless,
Nicola Hill

The Introduction

This blog post is brought to you by the fact that there were stampeding elephants above me which is the reason I am now awake... I am not sure what they were doing upstairs with a hoover or just jumping up and down for pure fun :) but nevertheless it woke me up and I felt inspired to write.

It's a beautiful sunny day on the coast in England or it will be, as a I look out my window I just see white but I'm sure the sun is there somewhere... This time last year we had snow. I don't know if you have ever seen what snow looks like on a beach before but it was one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen! I also attemped to make snow angels in the snow last year... I say attempted for a good reason. It was my first big snowfall in my life aside from seeing snow once before up a mountain. So of course I was like a kid in disneyland, excited about everything!

The reason I am talking about my experience in the snow is because it was around this time of year, December. Now it's around this time of year in the Christmas season I have started my new blog. What this blog will be about and what my posts will be about is everything I feel inspired to write.

Maybe you feel something when you build or when you sing or when you dance or whatever your talents are. I feel it when I am writing.

The title for my blog "Home Sweet Home" is a place where you feel at home. Not necessarily just where you live but anywhere that makes you feel comfortable and at home. Right now I am happy right where I am and where I live is my Home Sweet Home. I am also a traveller so I will be writing posts from other places too and wherever I write from is my "Home Sweet Home" because if I'm writing it's a place I feel comfortable.

The song I started my blog with in my previous post is the theme song for my blog. I chose this song not only based on the tune but on the lyrics. If you listen to the lyrics carefully of my theme song you'll know why I chose it. You will find a lot of songs on my blog no doubt because I love music.

"I can do all things in him who strengthens me" ~ Phillipians 4:13.

With that verse I begin my new blog.

God Bless,
Nicola Hill

Make my lifesong sing, Bring a smile to you! - *Casting Crowns lyrics*

I created this blog a while ago and I think it's about time I started it :)!

My last blog started with a song and so I decided to start this one with a song too :)!

Surprise! Welcome to my new writing blog :)!



God Bless,
Nicola