Rebecca Brand
"God is within her, she will not fail." Psalm 46:5
Teach me
Who else loves the book of Job?
There are SO MANY nuggets of truth and wisdom packed amongst it all, with regards to what we face in life.
Suffering is one of the taboo subjects that we never want for ourselves and yet, it is inevitable until Jesus returns.
This verse is a beautiful reflection of Job’s heart.
Even amongst the pain, the humiliation, and the anguish, we read throughout the pages, that Job still has a teachable Spirit…still asks God for direction…and still wants God in his life.
Lord, I pray that you’ll be able to teach me what I do not know. I pray that I will always remain humble throughout, so that you can bring me to the other side and Father, I also pray Lord, that I will continue to turn to You for understanding, endurance, and deliverance, no matter what I am faced with!
So what’s the biggest lesson (for me) from the book of Job…
Keep going
Realisation…
Sometimes all I want to do is praise God, by putting into words how I feel…telling Him how magnificent He is. And yet, most of the time, I lose my words and become overwhelmed by emotions.
That was my realisation this morning, that I will never be able to string a sentence together that glorifies Him enough to even begin to show my true feelings.
The book of Job is the oldest book of the Bible and this scripture makes me smile because it shows, thousands of years before the death of Jesus Christ – God was still the same God that He is today and will continue to be until Christ’s return.
What’s your favourite way to praise God?
Working hard for Jesus
Can anyone else relate?
I remember always counting down the days until Friday because that was when I loved to par-tay…well that day, and any other to be quite honest. But Friday’s was particularly great because it meant I could stay in bed until 3 pm and then get up and get ready for Saturday night escapades.
Work, ughhh work.
The only reason I worked was to get money and yet when I met Jesus, it honestly changed for me. Some say that Christianity makes you boring. You have to give up so much of the fun stuff. Actually, Jesus woke me up for a greater purpose because I used to believe that life was tragic.
I thought, “You live, you work, and you die…in this hell hole, for no reason.” And that, to a certain point is true…we are in a world where life is unfair, hard, and destructive. Sin has twisted its original purpose that God intended and yes, we will all die.
But Jesus showed me another way…
Proverbs emphasises how life would be if only everyone acted justly, fairly, and did what was right – God’s way. Whereas, on the other hand, Ecclesiastes explains what happens in the imperfect world. I have just learnt to keep the right perspective.
I could let the inequities of life keep me from being dedicated 100% of the time. Or I can remember that I serve God, not people, and He is the one I want to glorify. So I choose to be dedicated, no matter what task I face.
“Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.” Ecclesiastes 9:10
We are free!!
Reading Romans 8 this morning, bought me joy!
It was a great start to my day because I was reminded that we are free and no one gets to condemn us.
God has removed all of our sin and guilt – period. Therefore, anything that we feel with regards to those lies, we can let go of in prayer.
Let go of them by asking Jesus to deal with it, because He is…at this exact moment…interceding for us in Heaven.
Now that is something to be joyful about 🙂
Out of the mouth of babes
How often will children remind us about God?
I love our Daughter’s honesty – the simplicity of her faith. She is a child who is very black and white when it comes to Christianity and I pray that her journey with God continues to grow!
Sarai has a personality that attracts – she draws people near. Her zest for life is beautiful to see and people will often comment about her strength to pursue what she feels God is calling her to. She’s not afraid to be who God made her to be.
That’s because, I feel, children are able to trust and praise God without doubts or reservations. As we get older, this honestly, seems more difficult to do.
Last week, as I watched her stand up for her faith against an unbeliever – I stood back in awe. She was fierce in her love for Christ and she has no barriers to wanting to walk close to Him.
There was a time that I had made Sarai an “idol” in my life and God challenged me with this, as she was a gift, a miracle from my barrenness and so, that was a journey for myself to let go and trust in whom God is.
Yet in doing so, I now do not fear for Sarai, because I know God is with her.
The most precious thing on earth 🌏
Time…
It’s so innocent in its nature and yet powerful in its path.
There is nothing quite like it.
We can not stop it. We can not change it and yet for most of us, we do not even think about it – why?
At different stages throughout history, we can see that salt or gold was sort after, and yet whether we are rich or poor, we have all been given the most precious commodity of all – regardless of circumstance.
We all have the gift of life (although for some – including myself at one stage – seek to destroy it) but few realise that time is short, until it is nearly up.
Our human nature looks for what the eye can see, and yet God tells us time and time again (no pun intended) that we are to look to the eternal things. Our eternal relationships. Our eternal destiny.
Imagine if we all asked a very simple question, “What do I want to see happen before I die?”
Then imagine if we took just a little more of our time to ask, “What small step is God asking me to take, towards that purpose today?”
Time is so precious, but God has given each of us the perfect amount of it, to ensure that we fulfil all that we have been created to be.
God has told each one of us, to love Him, and to love others. But, it is the outworking of those very things, that is what we are ultimately called for.
Therefore, I pray that we seek God’s wisdom. So then we do not waste the time that we have been given.
The greatest gift you can give someone is your time. Because when you do, you are giving a portion of your life that you will never be able to get back again.
About me…
Hello 🙂
I’m Rebecca and I thought I should introduce myself a bit more with all the new faces around here! 🌎
I live in Auckland 🇳🇿 with my Husband, Kieren (who has been my favourite human for over 11 years now) 💑
Our Daughter, Sarai is an only child 👨👩👧 and although we would of loved more children 🤰🏼we are so blessed to have her (plus, she is probably the equivalent of 2-3 kids anyway – I blame her Father 🤣) She is confident, strong in faith, headstrong for equality, and loves Krispy Kreme doughnuts 🍩
I have been in this type of ministry for around 4 years now. Totally a God-thing, as I wanted to go back into the Corporate World 👩🏼💼 when we first arrived in New Zealand, because it was all that I had known since leaving school. Yet, God took me on a journey and I was (finally 🤦🏼♀️) obedient to Him asking me to set up this website 👩🏼💻 – it has grown from there.
You can find my testimony on my website but basically, I was raised atheist and lived a very colourful life 🚦and yet, found Christ eleven years ago 💃🏼 Hence why I know, that if I found God (amongst all the devastation 🙍🏼 and destruction 💣 in my life) then He can do the same for you or even your loved ones ❤️
I love to be able to minister to people all over the world. I am a dreamer 💭 A believer of hope ⚓️ and a champion for people finding freedom in Christ ⛓ so that together, we can fulfil everything God has planned for our lives.
Kieren and I want to say, “Yes, and Amen” 🙋🏼 🙋🏻♂️ to anything that God asks of us – that started with us moving 🛫📦 halfway around the world from the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 – where we both grew up.
I have realised that God will sometimes take us out of our comfort zone, in order for us to see His bigger picture 🤷🏼♀️ but once our eyes are open, my goodness does He move any mountains 🏔 that are in the way!
My passion is teaching God’s word, whether on stage 🎤 in a bible study 📝 or online within my blog 💻 I love to give daily thoughts 🤔 on here, which is basically a quick reading to get us meditating on scripture or subjects that I feel, God has laid on my heart.
Recently, I finished my first book called, “Life’s Greatest Battles.” ⚔️ I am hoping this will be the start of something more, as I already have a desire to write a second book 📚 💁🏼 I am looking forward to becoming a published author and the doors that it could open in people’s lives 💪🏼👊🏻💥
I hope you can stop by and say Hi 👋 because I’d love to go on this journey together ❣️
In the dry season
There is a part in all of us that wants that constant presence that only God can provide. The presence that we are aware of the Holy Spirit. That He is near to us.
Yet it is so easy to forget that God is everywhere, all the time, no matter how we feel.
There have been times in my Christian walk that I have felt alone, abandoned almost, and yet the Bible shows me time and time again that we need to focus on who God is, not what we expect Him to be like.
Trust and faith are two of the greatest characteristics, that I feel, we can have as a Christian because they bring obedience. Even in the season of drought. The winter season. Through the valley. Or, however you want to visualise the hard times in your life…we wait patiently and diligently for the one who saves our soul. God is good – all the time and He is faithful and true.
I really feel that for some of us today, we needed to be reminded of God’s promises and that no matter how we feel, God never changes.
So my prayer for us today is that we will realign our thoughts, to His word, as we wait.
Today!
We often spend so much time thinking over the “what ifs,” that we then don’t get around to doing what God is asking of us.
Do you worry about what tomorrow will bring?
This scripture reminds me that God wants us to be bold, because tomorrow is going to come regardless of what opportunities are in front of us.
But, by starting today, it means that we don’t miss the very blessing, that God wants to give us.
Start today
Which category are you in?
Are you more of a boffin? A goody-two-shoes?
Or do you have more of a rebellious nature?
I myself lived in fear of trying to accomplish everything that I needed to do during my school years. I would stay up late and work on my projects after school in order to try and get the best grades.
On the other hand, my twin brother hated school and homework and there was a time in our lives, that I would even do his schoolwork, as well as mine, but he would get better grades than me (how does that even work?!?)
After I turned 16 years old, it all changed for me. I rebelled. I left college after two weeks and decided to try and carve my own path. No-one was going to tell me how to live my life.
Yet, that is when I made mistake after mistake after mistake. But rather than ask for help, I would simply bury my frustration and pain, and go again. Thus repeating the same mistakes over and over, much to the dismay of my Mum.
Like a loving parent, God teaches and directs us.
I have definitely learnt the hard way! Therefore now, I will always listen to His direction because that is when I experience His peace.
The Bible says all scripture is good for teaching us and why we should ultimately obey God’s word.
Dreaming & Believing
I loved to dream and believe…to see others God-given destinies and speak truth into being.
This morning I was dreaming of a world where we all believed in who God says we are.
A place where we all walked in the power of Spirit by having the purest form of faith. To be able to overcome anything without wavering, no distractions, or feeling the weight of this world.
If only we all kept our eyes on Jesus, then I truly believe that this would become reality 🙌🏼
The meaning of life
So many people have had philosophical discussions about the true meaning of life. For some, sadly, they feel that there is none.
Yet, the answer is found in the Bible, written by Solomon. Although Solomon was given great wisdom by God, he was by no means perfect and he tried many things in search of life’s true meaning. He wrote Ecclesiastes to spare future generations, the bitterness of learning what he did, through their own experience.
His conclusion is profound – that life is meaningless when we’re apart from God.
Ecclesiastes shows that certain paths in life lead us to feel empty when all we do is strive for fulfillment and enjoyment by our own means because it only leads to disappointment. Nothing in this world can fill the restlessness we feel or the longing for more. No amount of knowledge, money, pleasure, work, or popularity can help us feel satisfied, other than when we turn to focus on God.
His love alone fills our hearts until it is overflowing with joy, wisdom and a love for others that we cannot contain!
Life is so short and we need wisdom far greater than this world can offer. We need the Bible because it spares us the bitterness of what human experience can offer and gives us a hope that is yet to come.
Let’s not forget though, as to the reason why we are here, today, in this world…
In order to gain the understanding of our purpose in this life, it can only be achieved by getting to know God – a relationship like no other – because then and only then, will we seek to keep His commands, which is what Solomon concludes is everyone’s duty.
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